Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A56026
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A general epistle to friends who are convinced of God's eternal truth, and have received the testimony of it that all may be kept faithful in their testimony to the truth, life and power of God, which is unchangeable, and be preserved unto God by his power (out of and over) all that which is changeable, and such a [sic] as are subject to change their wayes / by James Parke.
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Parke, James, 1636-1696.
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1678
(1678)
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Wing P372; ESTC R2668
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3,123
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10
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A General Epistle TO FRIENDS Who are Convinced of God's Eternal TRUTH And have Received the Testimony of it That all may be Kept Faithful in their Testimony to the Truth Life and Power of God which is Unchangeable And be preserved unto God by his Power out of and over all that which is Changeable and such a as are subject to Change their Wayes By James Parke Printed in the Year 1678. A General Epistle to Friends c. DEar Friends and Brethren in the Universal Love of God do I salute you and in the fresh Remembrance of the Power of that Life which hath no End do I exhort you all to keep in the unchangeable Life and Power which was before Death and Weakness was which is the same forever and purely preserves to God out of Darkness Weakness and all that which is Changeable the minding whereof brings Darkness over the Understanding and will weaken your Faith in the Day of Tryal from whence comes Doubting Fleshly Reasonings and Unbelief about God's Requirings and the Testimony of the Truth and one saith God requires one thing another appears in a Contrary Mind and yet pretends his freedom in the Truth in that which is inconsistent with the Testimony of Truth as generally received and believed by all that keep in the Spirit of it and are baptized by one Spirit into one Body Here is not many Minds Opinions Division nor none Broken in Judgment in their Testimony as it is amongst them all who are out of the Life and Power of God they are kept in the many Minds Opinions Division and Broken in Judgment changing as the Times change their Minds Opinions and Judgments being wrong corrupted and being in that that is changeable and will have an End they look for Help from that which is changeable and will have an End But Dear Friends you that are brought and redeemed out of that that is changeable and will have an end into that which is unchangeable of God and is the same forever O dwell and abide in that which gathers you into one and to mind the same things and to be kept one in Heart Soul and Spirit and spiritual Judgment against all that which would divide in God's Israel against all that which would keep Self alive and plead to save Self when God's Testimony requires Self-denyal and Crossing Self and 't is faithful following of the Lamb he requires and He and his faithful Followers must have the Victory and not the Dragon nor his Followers be they never so many and keeps out of the Dragon's nature and power by which his Followers Plot and Act Mischief there is a greater Power in you that are found faithful Followers of the Lamb Christ Jesus O feel him in you the highest and greatest Power look stedfastly to him for Help in all your Distresses Sufferings Perils and Dangers that you may be exposed to or meet with for bearing your Testimony for his Name and Honour's sake who is able and can save and deliver you out of all your Troubles and Sufferings after you have suffered a while and to make you perfect more and more to unite and establish all who have believed in his Grace and Truth whereby in times past we have been saved and preserved when we have been numbred amongst Transgressors as killed all the day long and appointed as Sheep to the Slaughter was not then our help of the Lord alone for from the mountains hills in vain was and is help expected and Wo yea great Wo I know will come upon them that go down to Egypt for help when troubles perils and the most fiery tryals come for the testimony of a good Conscience the Word of God such will violate their Testimony to the Truth lose their first Love and be darkned and weakned in their Faith towards God and that which concerns his honour their everlasting peace and they will not lean upon the Lord our rock and holy One of Israel in the midst of us who abide faithful and now is witnessed great in Power and worthy for evermore to be believed in and obeyed trusted in and followed fully by all that know him O dear Friends feel God's Salvation as Walls and Bulworks round about you to preserve you all constant in your Love and Faithfulness unto him and his Commands or Requirings in your Testimony for God and let not in the carnal Reasoner or Consulter that would lead from the Daily Cross of Christ and keep you back from following him whither soever he goes then there will be a looking at the things that are seen which are but temporal and the minds of such will be drawn back from those things which are invisible and eternal and the Eye of the mind being from the invisible and eternal Power of God and the testimony thereof there will be an Eye towards that which is carnal for help succour and deliverance so carnal and outward Might will be looked to and the Spirit and Power of the Lord not dwelt in whereby God hath done much for us and will do in us and for us more and more as we all constantly look to him trusting in the Arm of his Power forever he will not leave us comfortless in the greatest Tryals Exercises or Troubles that ever hereafter we may meet with whilst we are in this World So in the unchangeable Power of God keep your Habitations and dwell for evermore and meddle not with them that are in that that is changeable who are tossed to and fro with the Winds and Crafts of men that lie in wait to deceive and whereby the simple may be beguiled and harmed that desires to do nothing against the Truth but for it So dear Friends be ye always vigilant and Watchful that you may see the Enemy who would break and divide you from your heavenly and right Judgment oneness of Heart and Spirit that God hath given unto many Glory to the Lord God for evermore in their noble Testimony for his Names sake O! put you on the whole Armour of God never to be without the Armour of Light nor your Shield of Faith and take unto you that when others arm themselves with Outward Swords and Carnal Weapons be sure the Weapons you War with be Spiritual and Mighty through God to the throwing down of the strong Holds of the Devil wherein he keeps many in Disobedience to and Rebellion against the Commands of Christ Jesus who commands us to Love our Enemies and to do good to them that hate us and pray for them that despightefully use and persecute us and then will you all come to see and bear witness to the Kingdom of Christ Jesus which is not of this World as he said and then none will hate their Enemies nor do evil to any man but will learn of Christ Jesus to love all men even your Enemies which mind of Christ Jesus being come unto ends all Wars and causeth Fightings with Carnal VVeapons to cease and brings people to love one another and out of all the Killing that hath been in the World about Religion for the mind of Christ Jesus as people come to have that brings Peace on Earth and not VVars Blood-sheddings Hurting the Creature that Bloodthursty men delight in and men in Cain's way plead for which comes of the Wicked One and is all contrary to the Doctrine and Command of our peaceable Saviour Christ Jesus So dear Friends let the same mind be in you that was in him and be you Armed therewith for in him and by Faith is the Victory obtained over the Devil however and where-ever he appears or works within or without it is to hurt weaken and destroy the holy Seed or Babe that is of God which tenders Gods Honour that the Devil and his Instruments strikes at and wars against Therefore all dear Friends shut out the Devil and his dark Spirit and Power which is in the World and leads back to the World and Egypt for help that so you all may feel the Lord your Helper to deliver in six Troubles and also in seven And let none be troubled when you hear of Wars and Rumors of Wars look not out thereat but look to the Lord and he will save uphold and preserve you to the End which that all Friends every where may by the Power of the Lord be kept stedfast and unanimous in I was moved of the Lord to write this who prefers the Welfare of Sion before any thing in this World and travails for the Peace of God's People and the Good of all men and who remains your Friend and Brother in the unchangeable Life Power of God in which is our Safety and Preservation in the most Perilous Times Horse-lie-down the 9th of the 9th Moneth 1678. J. Parke THE END