Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	abraham_n	father_n	zion_n	138	3	9.3291	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85177	The oppressed close prisoner in Windsor-Castle, his defiance to the father of lyes, in the strength of the God of truth. Occasioned by some late, scandalous and slanderous reports, raised and dispersed to the dishonour of that noble cause, wherein he (with others of the Lords servants) is so deeply engaged. As also, a seasonable word, concerning the higher powers: concerning the payment of taxes and tribute-money by the saints to those powers: and how far a minister of the Gospel may intermeddle in state-affairs without sin. / By Chr. Feake, in his prison-watch-tower.	Feake, Christopher, fl. 1645-1660.	1654 (1654)	Wing F572; Thomason E820_10; ESTC R202087	97,195	127

people to maintain them in their c●stly trade of fornication each with other but more of this hereafter But because those Truths which concern the time of the end in Daniel and the Revelation cannot be so well understood by the Saints who are unskilfull in that part of the word of righteousness therefore they shall do well to enquire of those who by reason of use Heb 5 13 14. have their senses exercised in those most excellent mysteries And if they look up to the Lord with unfeigned desire not to be taken in that snare which shall come upon the Inhabitants of the earth do read those Books concerning the accomplishment of these promises as the Eunuch did Isaiahs who knows but the Lord may provide a Philip to open and interpret those mysteries to satisfaction beyond all expect●tion Generation work in three books of great use in these times by Jo. Tillinghast And because by special providence I have received refreshment three several times by three several Books written by Mr. Tillinghast concerning Generation-work the●e●ore I recommend them to the Saints The first time was when I was conflicting with strong temptations to intermit my method of Teaching concerning the present Truth and work of Christ and the Spirit of God meeting my spirit in reading the first of Jeremy Jer. 1.7 8 9 10. 17.18 19. 2 Cor. 10.5 and helping me to subdue those carnal reasonings The first part of Generation-work was unexpectedly brought to my hands at that very juncture of time when I had been a thinking that I was alone in this business The next season was exactly when I was apprehended and committed to the Messengers house An Introduction to this Altogether-causelesse long Imprisonment as the Lord knows to whom I have Appealed even then also unexpectedly was the second part brought unto me first in sheets and before the publication the third time when I was shut up a close prisoner in this strong Castle and none of the Saints suffred to come at me as formerly and at that very time the third part was conveyed to me I look upon it as very instructing to me that they should be published at those seasons when they might be most useful for the incouragement of so weak a Worm I could not but take this opportunity to bear testimony to my dearly beloved Brother and Fellow-labourer in the present work of Christ and Fellow-student in this present Truth which shall prosper and prevail in despight of Men and Devils even to the darkning of that Pomp and Splender of the Kingdom of the Beast and to the subverting of that Power and Policy which now delude and govern the Nations Rev. 16.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Kingdom became darkned or was made dark and that in such a marvellous manner and method of proceeding as shall amaze the wisest Princes of this world when they enter into a deep consideration of the same But that I may if the Lord please convey a little light into the understanding of my Brethren in this Cause This I say at present When the people of God are come out of Babylon and have once made a further and more compleat separation from that Scarlet Bloudy Drunken Strumpet Rev. 18.4.6 SO AS THAT THEY PARTAKE NOT IN THE LEAST OF ANY OF HER SINS when they are by the Lord put into a capacity of rewarding her as she hath rewarded them and their elder Brethren in the generations before them Then and not till then will the Saints throw the Burden off from their own shoulders and the iron yoke of Taxes and Tribute and of other Bond-servi●e Jer. 51.57 upon her neck and upon the necks and the shoulders of her Princes of her wise men her Captains and her R●lers and of her mighty men Oh Dear Brethren shall we live to see that day What a sight is here It is Spectaculum dignum Deo the Lord Jesus who sits on the right hand of the Father expecting to see his foes made his footstool Heb. 10.12 13 Isa 37.22 Rev. 17.5 will take great delight to see The Virgin Daughter of Sion despising the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the earth to laugh this proud Lady of Kingdomes to scorn to behold the Daughter of Jerusalem to shake her head at this persecuting City she and her Lovers shall bee like ashes under the soals of the feet of this Ransomed and Redeemed people Therefore be of good courage Mal. 4 3. oh yee oppressed Saints fear not for Jehovah Elohim will make your Horn iron and your Hoof brasse and you shall beat in peeces many people but remember you consecrate not their gain to your selves as the new Model hath done Mich 4.13 which will not turn to so good account as they think for but to the Lord of the whole earth who expects to be honored with the first fruits of all your increase I read of three sorts of Princes first Three kinds of Pri●ce● and but one kind good The Princes of Babylon mentioned even now Secondly The Princes of the Degenerated Jews And thirdly Jehovans Princes 1 The Princes of Babylon are altogether for the spoyl and the prey for the crushing of the people so that they were and are abundant in treasures and there is no measure of their covetousnesse Jer. 51.13 2 The Princes of the Jews revolted from the Lord Her Princes speaking of Jerusalem saith the Prophet within her are ROARING LIONS Her Judges are EVENING WOLVES they gnaw not the bones till the morning Zeph. 3.3 Jerusalem is called An oppressing City Her Princes are Lions c. 3 Jehovahs Princes Ezek. 45. In the Land shall be the Princes possession in Israel and MY PRINCES saith the Lord SHALL NO MORE OPPRESS MY PEOPLE Ezek. 45.8 9. Ezek 48.35 and the name of that City shall be called The Lord is There where the Lord is and where his Princes are there shall be no more any oppression and spoyl The Prophet goes on Thus saith the Lord God Let it suffice you Oh Princes of Israel Remove violence and spoyl and execute Judgement and Justice TAKE AWAY YOUR EXACTIONS FROM MY PEOPLE saith the Lord God When you see Princes and Rulers squeezing the people raising of Taxes compelling the poor Parishioners to pay treble Damages for not paying the Popes Tithes while you feel the Publican and the Excise-man countenanced and incouraged in their vexatious Collections and exactions upon the poor of the people Think with your selves these are not the Princes of Jehovah but either they are the Princes of Babylon directly and professedly or else the Princes of Apostatized Israel who have the name of Christians but the nature of Tyrants But on the other side when you see an Higher Power incouraging the Lords people to come out of Babylon effectually and for ever when you see the chief Magistrates in their own persons to renounce all communion with the enemies of Christ and to

he will be more terrible in his doing toward the children of men He ruleth by his power for ever his eies behold the Nations Let not the rebellious EXALT THEMSELVES Selah Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord Psal 107.43 We have seen we have seen an end of all perfection which hath been preserved for so many ages The person and power of a King and the Son of antient Kings is cut down and cost out as an abominable Branch the Privilege of Parlament the Parlament and all their numerous unknown Privileges pulled down and devoured by the Army at a Breakfast the Liberties of the people also have met with the same destiny thus this antient threefold Cord made and preserved by our Ancestors with so much care with so great cost of blood and treasure is utterly untwisted and broken all to peeces By this brief account of these astonishing Alterations that great Truth which I laid as the first stone and the corner stone of this Discourse is worthy of remembrance The most High ruleth in the Kingdom of Men He changeth the times and the seasons He removeth Kings and setteth up Kings He the Lord doth all these things and other wonders without number His works are honorable and glorious sought cut of all that have pleasure therein Psal 111.2 3. Thus according to that talent of understanding which is given to me in these great and strange transpositions of Powers by the effectual influence of the first cause according to the words of the Prophets Kingly Power Aristocratical Privilege and Democratical Liberty being dissolved destroyed and disanulled as you have read heard and seen the Army must needs be the remaining Higher Power within these Nations If any Man Lawyer States-man c. know a Higher Power than theirs a stronger power than theirs a more absolute power than theirs I would willingly hear him speak his mind in that particular But to proceed if it be observed I only say They are the Supreme Power without addition or determination what kind of Power I own them as an Higher as the Highest earthly Power de facto acting and exercising such a superiority over the people but quo jure that is another Question fitter for the Lawyers to plead if they would or Durst than for me yet this I can find ground to say If any one ever heard me say they were a lawfull Authority or as is suggested If any person whatsoever can produce any writing wherein I acknowledge them a lawful or legal Authority since the 16. of the 10. Month 1653. let them publish it to the world and I will ingenuously confesse I am no way able to mantain or justifie such an Assertion in the least let them that please exercise their wits to perswade the credulous For Nibil tam incredibile quod non dicendo fiat probabile as Tully faith I shall according to the duty of my Office declare from the good word of God what is there upon record for a testimony against that generation of Back sliders from the Cause of Christ whom these following truths either do now or may hereafter very much concern The Scriptures of Truth do give us much light in the matter under consideration Rom 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Higher powers 1 Pet. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the King 's supreme and 1 Tim. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●hich are in superiority There are several degrees and several kinds of Powers There are Higher or Lower Powers Supreme or Subordinate The Translators do render the word Higher in Pauls Epistle to the Romans and the same word they translate Supreme in Peters Epistle to the Jews This is also plain to sense and reason I shall not trouble the Reader further with this so I put it first to dispatch it unlesse I meet with an oportunity to do further service with this distinction As for the several kinds of Higher Powers that also needs little explication In some Nations there is one kind in others another kind Kings Judges Elders Patriachs c. But there is also a Distribution of Powers by their Adjuncts Distributio subjecti in adjuncta and so the Powers that are are either Lawful or Vnlawful Lawful Higher Powers are such either from God or from Nature or from Nations From God either first by especial Designation in love and mercy to a people as Moses David Christ Jesus the Lord Or else secondly by especial Designation in wrath for trial and punishment to a people Thus Jeroboam was set up by God for trial to the ten Tribes and for punishment to Solomon or rather chastisement and punishment to his son Rehoboam saith God by his Prophet I have given ten Tribes to thee I will take thee and thou shalt Reign and shalt be King over Israel 1 King from 29. to 37. compared with the 12. Chapter and the 24 vers Thus Saul was given to the Israelites by God in his anger partly for trial that he might see what was in their hearts and partly for punishment because they had rejected the Lord from being their King neverthelesse Saul was a lawful Higher Power for a time although given in displeasure Thus Baasha was exalted out of the dust by God as the Lord sent him word and by him made Prince over his people Israel to fulfill the word of the Lord against Jeroboam and his house 1 King 16. Chap. vers 2. There are other instances but I proceed In the next place there are Higher powers by nature that is they are possessed and that justly of the Dignity of Superiority and of the power of Government by a pure natural Right These Higher powers are either Paternal or Patriarchal such a right had Adam the Father of all Living so Noah Abraham and other heads of the houses of their Fathers as the Elders of the Israelites in Egypt Exod. Exo. 3.16.4 29. 6.14 The lower powers in Families are a Steward whom the Housholder or Lord of the Family makes Ruler over his Houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season as Christ expresseth this matter Luke 12.42 such an inferiour power was Eliezer of Damascus the Steward of Abrahams house so Tutors and Governors of the Heir till the time appointed of the Father are lawful lower powers c. Thirdly Higher powers are justly such by a National Right or by the voluntary consent of those Nations whom they govern and this either in time of peace by election or succession as Judah did cleave to Rehoboam the Son of Solomon and many other Instances might be added or else by victory in a just War as the Canaanites became Tributaries and other people also in all ages And thus the Lord Jesus himself will be actually an higher power by conquest of the Nations For in Righteousnesse be will judge and make war Rev. 19.11 But to conclude this part of the Distribution

house or otherwhere I were bound to stand upon my guard in such a case as men do every day against Theeves and Robbers c. 3 I am subject to them also for wraths sake partly and partly for conscience sake in point of Taxes I would refist others who should demand any part of that wherewith the Lord hath blessed me by inheritance or otherwise neverthelesse I would be very glad to live under a Power that would not be a Raiser of Taxes and hope to see Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning Isa 1.26 before I dye 4 I give honor where it is due I understanding it to be due but when persons are not known how can it bee known what is their due or what respect belongs unto them and I conceive this is an owning of Powers likewise 5 I am willing also to be afraid of the Powers if I am found to be an evill doer hereafter and this made out to me by the word of God And what is due to others of the children of men I desire to give or render to them according as is meet for I would owe no man any thing but love and the Lord help and quicken●es all up to love to love the Lord and to love all the Saints yea the Lord make his people to increase and abound in love one toward another and towards All Men as it is written 1 Thess 3.12 Before I pass to the next Section it seemeth requisite that somewhat from the Scripture should be spoken concerning the time of the end of those Yokes of Bondage whereby the best people have been oppressed by the Kings of the Earth from King Saul● time unto this day For it is very probable that the intelligent Reader doth remember that I hinted such a poynt in the Introduction to this Historical Epitome of those Burthens whereof I have been speaking Quest Saying What hope is there of an end of these burthens But when shall the Lords people be a free people when shall the Oppressor cease when shall the Extortioner be hindred from taking of our Substance we had thought this New Model would have continued as they begun to be our Deliverers from Monarchical and other Tyranny but we have learned Every man is a lie and lighter than vanity Psal 62 9. and therefore we will no longer relie upon an arm of flesh What doth God the Lord speak to his people in this matter c. Answ 1. It is apparent and plain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bu●chered or sl●ughtered so the word ●ig●ifie●h Jugulo to cut the throat as Butchers do with sheep Rom. 8. ●7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are counted as sheep for the slaughter-house The Roman Empire was like a slaughter house the first 300 years Ezra 9.8 that as the souls of the Saints slain in former ages for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held do continue to cry HOW LONG O LORD HOLY AND TRVE so the living Saints who also are lively and sensible of the present persecutions and imprisonments of their Brethren do Eccho to the voyce of those who have died in the Lord and for the Lord HOW LONG O LORD HOLY AND TRVE 2. But then consider that as it was with the godly Jews upon their return from their captivity in Babylon so it is with us who but a few years ago came out of Babylon in part and but in part And Ezra's words will wel express our present state or at least as it was some few years since For a little space or for a moment grace hath been shewed us from the Lord our God to leave us a remnant to escape and to give us a nail in his holy place that our God may lighten our eies and give us a LITTLE REVIVING IN OVR BONDAGE For we were Bond-men yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the Kings of Persia to give us a REVIVING to set up the house of our God and to repair the desolations thereof and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem Yet afterward this fair first-fruits of redemption was blasted for in the first of Nebemiah a bitter complaint is brought which may answer our condition likewise The remnant that are left of the captivity are in great affliction and reproach Nehem. 1.3 the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down and the gates thereof are burnt with fire Thus you see their little reviving from their bondage and OVR LITTLE REVIVING FROM OVR BONDAGE comes afterward to be extinguished in reference to Church-work the Temple-work could not go forward the walls and gates being broken down and burnt with fire and this is our complaint also And as for our outward Liberties and Estates Nehem. 9.37 Nehem. 10.28 The Kings have Dominion over our Bodies and over our Cattle AT THEIR PLEASVRE and we are in great distress as were those Jews at that time Namely such as had separated themselves from the people of the Lands unto the Law of God Observe that description they separated themselves c. and so let the Disciples of Christ do at this day unto the LAW OF THEIR GOD ALSO for this is expected from them by the Lord. The consideration of this NEW UNEXPECTED TYRANNY under which we groan doth cause many poor hearts to fear our deliverance is not near and the rather they fear it because the famous NEW MODEL with whom the Lord was so eminently when they were about his work are so exceedingly degenerated that they have espoused the old quarrel and the old interest under the ill-favored disguise of another kind of Kingship which yet is not another but the same in principle in spirit and in operation Answ 3. Wherefore do you indeed desire to know whether or no the Lord will shortly turn again the captivity of Sion Psal 126.1.4 as the streams in the South would you in good earnest have skill and understanding in this matter Then in the next place take my Brethren the Prophets for an example particularly the Prophet Daniel Dan. 9 2. See 1 Per 1.11 Searching wh●● or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did sigu fie when it restified before-hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Rev. 17.17 who understood by Books the number of the years when the desolation of Jerusalem of holy Jerusalem should have an end The Teachers of the people are exceedingly to blame that they do not fore-warn the people to come out of Babylon and engage against the Kings of the Earth with all their might But what do I mean to charm the deaf Adder it is not for their interest to discover the nakedn●ss of the searlet Whore much less to exhort the people to strip her naked and make her desolate that she and her lovers the ten Horns or Kings may no longer oppress the

or for the doing of such things I do not find any honest man rising up against them but this will not signifie in the least any such thing as an approving of them to be lawfull Powers as I have shewed before and as it may be further instanced in their Predecessors who though they did many excellent things in their day yet because they miscarried in other respects the Lord did find them out and took a convenient time to lay their honor and power in the dust Let this suffice at present for I must now dispatch this Section There is one Objection onely which possibly may lie upon the spirits of some choyce servants of the Lord and this it is Object Although Christ and his Disciples did submit to the Higher Powers in their day yet it doth not seem to be a pattern for us upon whom the ends of the world are come For first We have resisted the Powers in our day and are blameless in the account of the most judicious Teachers which are among us And Secondly If we should submit as they in the primitive times how could vengeance be executed upon Babylon and her Adherents the Kings of the earth according to the Prophecies in the Word Ans 1. I grant it is most true there is ground to expect a time when we shall no more be subject to the Fourth Beast and his little Horn which time you must think those who suffer in all Countries under Papal and Regal Tyranny do long after but till that time you see that the two witnesses do suffer under the prevailing power of their Adversaries Ans 2. But for satisfaction of those who have not considered the matter viz. the different estate of the Saints in different times It is to be remembred and well observed That Jeremy in the beginning of their captivity did by the word of the Lord direct the Jews to seek the peace of the City whither he had caused them to be carried away captives and to pray unto the Lord for it Jer. 29.7 for in the peace thereof shall yee have peace Jer. 29.7 But now if you turn to Psal 137.8 9. you shall find there was a time to come when the Jews should be contrary minded to that passage before mentioned saying Oh Daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones You see what different language and carriage here is in reference to the same City and Power at different seasons yea Jeremy himself who sent word that they should pray for Babylon as you have heard at the beginning of the seventy years sent another message contrary to it not long after I will fix but upon one passage or two Jer. 51.33 It is time to thresh Babylon saith the Lord and the time of her harvest shall come Again vers 35. The violence done unto me and unto my flesh be upon Babylon shall the Inhabitant of Zion say and my blood be upon the Inhabitants of Caldea shall Jerusalem say Here is very differing language from the former message this cannot be praying for the City it is no less than cursing of Babylon as you plainly see Even thus it is with the true Israelites of the New Testament-times when they were first of all persecuted by the Roman Power they could not prophecy nor pray for the ruin of Rome it was not the truth and work of that age and so there was neither light nor spirit for any such enterprize but now it is seasonable in this day and I am perswaded if it were possible for the Apostles to be and to come among the living Saints in this Nation who have not defiled their Garments upon the dunghil of this world nor betrayed the Cause of Christ wherewith they have been intrusted they would incourage them to spend their arrows and not spare against this mystical Babylon they would own that cause and work truth for which we indure so great oppressions and persecution and therefore although I must needs be subject till the time of deliverance come and that deliverance shall come by Instruments annointed of God as Cyrus was yea with a better annointing yet because by a spiritual instinct flowing from that Divine Nature whereof through rich Grace I do partake I do know assuredly that we shall be so far ere it be long from praying for the Powers under the little Horn that we shall reward them as they have rewarded us Therefore I say do I thus speak and thus write and pray with other enlightened and enlivened Saints Pour out the remaining vials of thy wrath upon the PRESENT POWERS of the Earth who will not have Christ to reign over them and let all the followers of the Lamb say Amen Thus I have finished the explanation of the fourth Section of the Epistle with such further manifestation of the truth in this point as for the present I am furnished withall from the word and Spirit of the Lord and therefore I shall pass on to the next SECT V. IN this part I am willing to give an account to those who are dark in this matter Quest How I can justifie my practice of preaching down the Powers in being as my manner was when as my declared Principlet are and have been constantly to own them and therefore not to resist or rise up against them how can these things stand together It seems a Paradox if not an impossible thing in reason that the same man at the same time should both own the Powers and endeavor their destruction Thus no question many will query concerning this matter Answ 1. If it were needful I might easily shew how common a thing it is for two contrary qualities to be in the self-same subject at the same time in divers respects and in different degrees but those School-distinctions are not for the edifying of such kind of inquirers as I intend satisfaction to and therefore I shall first put them in mind of that which is in the Letter and then explain my meaning by particular instances in the word Answ 2. The sum of what I wrote is this That the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs in all ages i. e. since Kings and such like Arbitrary Powers were over the Saints did own the Powers in being in their daies and yet at the self same time they Preached and Prophecied against them for their Abominations and so have I done and will do the Lord assisting according to their examples This is the sum of the Answer in the Letter Now I will endeavor to illustrate that which seems so dark to others I begin with Samuel First He owned Saul as an Higher Power annointed and appointed of God to rule over his people as you find in 1 Sam. 9.17 and 1 Sam. 12.5 in this last Chapter you shall find these words to the people That yee may perceive and see