Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	day_n	jewish_a	sabbath_n	10,681	5	10.1354	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66765	Paralellogrammation an epistle to the three nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland, whereby their sins being parallel'd with those of Judah and Israel, they are forewarned, and exhorted to a timely repentance, lest they incur the like condempation : to render it the more effectual, some considerable notions are therein expressed touching ceremonies, and things indifferent, the Lords supper, the civil government, the taking of oaths, the mark of the beast, the library of conscience, the great Sabbath, and the two witnesses, with other particulars of concernment interwoven / written by Geo. Wither.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1662 (1662)	Wing W3176; ESTC R11575	78,735	140

hath appeared to me in this my Loneliness that it may help strengthen the Faith and Hope of those who can receive it as it hath fortified mine to the making a large amends for all my Sufferings The better to explain it I must walk a little about by the way of Circumlocution that I may fetch in some collateral Notions which will be pertinent to my main Design Slight them not my dear Brethren though in some Circumstances I may differ from you in Judgement for if we continue in the Love of Christ Jesus and of each other that Love will at last bring us into all Truth make all who are of one house to be of one mind and cover a multitude of other sins as well as our Ignorances which are not wilfully contracted I proceed with my promised Illustration GOD Almighty all whose Actions are eternal when he was pleased to give a being unto Time and make a visible World seemed in some respects to work according to the manner of men the better to suit his workings to the natures and capacities of his Creatures as by making his Actings to be temporary and that which he could have perfected in one moment to be the work of six Ordinary Dayes In which time he having compleated all Created things and put them into an orderly way of procreating and continuing themselves by his assisting Providence and Superintendency it is said he rested the Seventh day and Sanctified it Not that he needed Rest or the setting apart of any portion of Time for himself who is LORD of Eternity but in respect only to mankind and to what should come to pass about the later end of Time The Consideration of that Rest and Sanctification dictated unto me that which I have discovered of the foresaid Mystery in the Illustration whereof I shall hint upon some particular Notions repugnant to what hath been commonly believed by many good men concerning the Sabbath wherein I hope to be as charitably censured as I consure those who sincerely declare their Judgements though they are not the same with mine I am not of their Opinion who suppose the fore mentioned Sanctification of a part of Time did imply that Seventh day which was afterward Commanded to be observed by the Jews when they were brought out of Egypt For it is said by Moses Deut. 5. 15. that the Sabbath at that time injoyned to be observed was Instituted for a Remembrance of that Deliverance as likewise to preserve them alwaies mindful to be merciful to Servants Cattel and Strangers as GOD was to them in vouchsafing Rest and Deliverance from their hard labour and cruel Taxmasters in the Land wherein they had been Strangers and Servants And the Sabbath being made for man and not man for the Sabbath it was chiefly for that end Commanded Nor do I think the Sanctifying of the Seventh day at the Creation or that which was injoyned to the Jews implyed the Sanctification of that which is called the LORD's Day which is observed by most Christians according to an antient custome for a day of Assembling together in regard upon that day of the week our Saviour Jesus Christ with whom the Jewish Sabbath was buried arose from Death to Life upon that day of the week Yet I my self do observe that day and acknowledge the observation thereof if not Judaically or Superstitiously kept and imposed to be a pious Custom and Institution as well tending to our edification in Faith and good life by our meeting to hear GOD's Word and communicate in other Pious Duties as toward a fulfilling that part of the Moral Law which is contained in the Ten Commandements and injoyneth an allowance of competent Rest and corporeal refreshment to Servants Cattel and Strangers who would else be oppressed by unmerciful Masters and Owners who either know not how to use their Christian Liberty or are ignorant what is due to the Creatures by the Law of Nature and for that reason provision hath been prudently made by the practise of the Church and by Christian Princes upon penalties for allowing of certain portion of time and they are not wilfully to be neglected nor superstitiously to be observed but for conveniency comliness and order sake that we may associate in the Service of GOD and communicate in holy Duties at such times to the edifying of each other yet over and above those times GOD provided a Supplement for Moral Rest and spiritual Contemplations by allowing to every Day a Night wherein to rest the body by sleep and to refresh the mind by Prayer and Meditations But I do not find that the LORD's Day was injoyned by any Evangelical Precept to be observed instead of the Jewish Sabbath and in such manner as that was Or that the said Jewish Sabbath was given at the Creation or at any time since by divine Institution to be an Universal Law to all Mankind or to any of another Nation save only to those who became Jewish Proselytes whilest the Ceremonial Law was in force For had it been otherwise then that seventh day should questionless have been universally made known and kept without scruple by other Nations without changing it into another day until it had been divinely done by the same Law-giver and that change declared at the promulgation of his new Covenant in the Gospel it being not in the power of any other to change his Ordinances or to warrant a variation from them in the least Punctilio whether they concern Faith or Manners The Observation of Dayes and Meats with such-like Ceremonies had their end in Christ and every man is left at liberty as concerning a Religious Observation of such things to do as the present necessity requires and as he thinks himself in his own Conscience obliged And therefore the Apostle implicitly reproving them who presumed to judge between another mans Conscience and GOD to whom only he stands or falls as his Servant expecteth every one to do as he is perswaded in his Conscience and saith Rom 14. He that observeth a day observeth it unto the LORD and he who observeth it not forbears the observation thereof in conscientious obedience to the LORD also which liberty he would not have given had a set day been essential to the morality of the fourth Commandment Therefore I am not offended with any one what day soever he observeth or observeth not who doth it Conscientiously not Contentiously neither condemning himself in that which he alloweth or disalloweth nor judging uncharitably of others who claim the like liberty of Conscience And I hope the conscientious sanctification of Dayes piously set apart for Religious Duties will be rather better then less observed by what I have hitherto or shall hereafter express for there be many to my knowledge who are more zealous in professing the observation of this or that day then in truly observing any day as they ought to do as also of many other Christian Duties and such Persons will take most

PARALELLOGRAMMATON An EPISTLE to the three Nations of England Scotland and Ireland whereby their Sins being Parallel'd with those of Judah and Israel they are forewarned and exhorted to a timely Repentance lest they incur the like Condemnation To render it the more effectual some Considerable Notions are therein expressed touching Ceremonies and things indifferent The LORD's Supper The Civil Government The taking of Oaths The Mark of the Beast The Liberty of Conscience The great Sabbath and the Two Witnesses with other Particulars of Concernment interwoven Written by GEO. WITHER If this be not of GOD 't is evil And was inspired by the Devil But whence it was it will be known For that which is of GOD hee 'l own Ezek. 3. 17. Son of man I have made thee a watchman to these Nations Therefore according to my Word give them Warning from me If thou warn them and they turn not from their wickedness they shall surely die in their iniquity but thou hast delivered thy Soul Be not afraid of them nor of their words nor of their looks though they be a rebellious People and as Bryars and Thorns unto thee Ezek. 2. 6. Imprinted MDCLXII years after the Birth of Christ to prepare for the year MDCLXVI after his Passion The Printer to the Reader THe Author hereof intending whilst he was Prisoner in Newgate that this Epistle should be committed to any one who would honestly and conscientiously undertake the Publication thereof it came a while after the date to my hands But finding it not authorized to be imprinted I was for a time fearful to make an Impression thereof yet having seriously perused it I thought the same so pertinent to GOD's Glory and the present condition of these Nations not to permit such necessary Precautions Forewarnings and Exhortations to be smothered that I have adventured upon what such a seeming Transgression may make me liable unto hoping there being no prohibition to the contrary the publick benefit will more than recompence the Offence if it shall be offensive to any in regard I have done it conscientiously and not in contempt of Orders which are otherwhile by ingogitancy or casualty obstructive to their own good intentions by whom they are made Let therefore the Approvableness of the matter and my well-meaning excuse me and let us make such good use thereof that we may be all the more excusable to GOD and men This is all I have to say but that it was not my fault it could not be finished at the Press until this third day of May 1662 being long time after the date of the Epistle So Farewel This for a Postscript hereunto I 'le add Which from the Author by report I 've had He that this Book by parcels do●h peruse May both the Author and himself abuse In the way of this Address to his own Country-men the Author humbly tenders this following Epigram To the Pastors Elders and other Members of the French and Dutch Congregations inhabiting within the Islands of Great Britain I Have but seen your Countries not yet known Their Constitution as I do mine own And therefore justly cannot to your Nations As I might unto these make Applications But they and we have been professed One In Faith and Christian Love some years now gone And I shall do the best of my endeavour That so again it may be and for ever The Jewish Prophets very often hinted What being heeded well might have prevented The Judgments afterward inflicted on Egypt Damascus Tyre and Babylon With other Neighbouring Nations So might I Had I the self-same gift of Prophecy Presage to you what darkly I foresee Their Lot in probability will be When we have drawn forth our unless with heed They seek how to avert what may succeed And prosecute what Prudence doth require When men behold their Neighbours house on fire Your Countries may perhaps discern by this Some things that are among themselves amiss And by the Constellations in our sphear What Exhalations are engendring there If you so think and shall it not contemn Let it communicated be to them For whatsoere I either seem or am From whom to you these Premonitions came They may be of concernment and are sent In hearty Love and with a good intent If you with Love vouchsafe them good regard I have my whole aim and a full reward The sev'ral Churches and the sev'ral States Of Protestants will have the self-same Fates Throughout all Europe with small difference Unless they in another mode commence Than yet they do and sensible become Of that which they are lately fallen from For self-love and neglecting of each other Will singly ruine all or altogether I somewhat have to utter if GOD shall Enable me to those without our Pale But they so wholly seem to have forgot Piedmonts late Case and Germany's sad Lot That they must see a Storm again appear Before ought can be spoke that they will hear Our Corosives if ev'r we shall be so Have made us sit that Plaisters may unto Our Ulcers be apply'd They smart and prick I therefore am become an Emperick And this Catholicon as it befalls Was pressed from between the Prison walls Which is not only at this time a Den Of Thieves but also cram'd with honest men Newgate March 8 1662. Your Servant in the Love of Christ Jesus George Wither PARALELLOGRAMMATON An Epistle Exhortatory and Premonitory to all the Nations in the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland with the Dominions and Territories to them belonging The Muses language suits with few of those Who most need this I therefore now in Prose Express my mind My Pen LORD so direct That what I write may have some good effect GEORGE WITHER an unworthy Servant of Jesus Christ and of all his Servants called through that Annointing of the holy Spirit whereby every true Professor of Christianity is qualified for the work of his Generation wisheth Grace and Peace in the same Christ Jesus to all the Inhabitants of England Scotland and Ireland with the Colonies and Territories to them belonging Providence dearly beloved Brethren hath so disposed of me that I have neither Civil nor Martial employment as heretofore nor Parochial Congregational or Oeconomical charge incumbent upon me or so much as any certain place of Residence upon Earth except a Prison confining me to a local or particular duty relating to others nor Estate or Affairs in the world to intangle me Therefore being a Freeman in the Spirit though in corporeal Bands for discharging my Conscience and obeying GOD rather than Men and left at large in respect of other obligations I conceive my self bound to bestow the little remainder of my life in some National Services whereby GOD may be glorified my Brethren edified and my Country preserved from Destruction I am not altogether unknown unto you For I undertook long since to be a Remembrancer to these Islands of Great Britain with a Resolution to execute that Office

offence at what I have expressed It is also to be Considered that the Ceremonial observation of a seventh part of time for the competent rest of mens bodies and providing due nourishments and refreshments for the Soul as also for performance of Holy Duties neither is nor was or can be essential to the morality of Rest or of Religious Duties but Circumstantial and Ceremonial only in regard a due portion of time or any set time for these purposes cannot be just the same portion or a like expedient for all but must be more or less oftener or seldomer according to the differing strengths weaknesses ignorances or other defects necessities or occasions of Individual persons who shall need the same and who must take and be allowed such times and so much time as shall be necessary and is required by that morality which was written in the hearts of all men among the residue of universal Morals at the beginning of time And the Rest of that Mystical Sabbath which GOD is said to have sanctified as aforesaid is neither pertinent nor communicable to Beasts or meer natural Men or to any save to those Saints who are made one with GOD in Christ Jesus and who have wrought and are to work with GOD and him in the six dayes of a thousand years a piece upon the work of Regeneration and in maintaining Good against Evil until it shall obtain the Conquest These things considered the sanctifying of a more excellent Sabbath than that which was observed by the Jews or than that which is called the LORD's day seemeth to have been intended by that which GOD is said to have sanctified at the Creation and the Mystery which I would shew forth relating to a confutation of the Error occasioned by the long continuance of Wickedness and Tyranny in the World and which was in part discovered unto me by meditating the fore-going Circumstances is this GOD having finished his Work of Creation the sixth day wherein Man was also made for whose sake the World was made His Wisdom fore-seeing what the Devil's malice and humane curiosity would produce by desiring the knowledge of Good and Evil it was his good pleasure all his Operations as to things Temporary being in Number Weight and Measure and a thousand years with him but as one day and one day as a thousand years that as he had wrought six common dayes upon the work of Creation so his Intellectual and Reasonable Creatures having made themselves work by their Prevarications should have six mystical dayes of a thousand years a piece according to the vulgar Accompt wherein to do those works which they ought to do or had a desire to do that so they might have a sufficient time wherein to compleat their knowledge of Good and Evil according to their longing as aforesaid And the seventh day which GOD sanctified after the work of Creation is as I believe that mystical day of a thousand years or that seventh part of time be it sooner or later wherein Christ according to their expectation in the main whom you call Fift-Monarchy-men shall visibly Reign upon the Earth with his Saints as John hath Prophesied Revel 20. 5. At which time will begin that great and Everlasting Sabbath wherein they shall rest from their labours and wherein they who have seen Christ upon the Earth in his Humiliation shall there also behold him in his Glorification to the rejoycing of his chosen People and to the confusion of his Adversaries not in such a gross carnal manner as is fancied by some but as becomes glorified Bodies and as was partly typified by our Saviours Transfiguration upon the Mount when his Disciples then present well knew not what they either saw or said or as it was at the hour of his Ascention which is neither expressible or intelligible in the state wherein we now are During the first six thousand years of time Good and Evil are permitted to execute their distinct and mixt Powers and Faculties in working out their ends and in struggling for the mastery and manifestation of their Natures as they best can in and by all those who are to them respectively inclinable And when that six thousand years are compleated abating so much thereof only as the violent fury of the Devil Antichrist and their Confederates shall diminish of their own time within the last six thousand years then the Wickedness of the wicked the Righteous endeavours of good men so far forth as it is meerly their own and all that seems good or evil in their own strength weakness wisdom folly ungodliness or piety shall come to an end and be of no force or esteem Whereof the Devil began to be afraid when he said to Christ Art thou come to torment us before the time That seems to me the seventh day which GOD is said to have sanctified and to rest on after his six dayes work aforesaid and in my apprehension the preceding thousand years before that great Sabbath are the six mystical dayes wherein men should have permission as I said before to do those works which they had a desire to be doing for perfecting their knowledge in Good and Evil in this life after they had by disobeying GOD in our first Parents entered into a Confederacy with the Devil This sense of that Mystery I received not from men but by meditating an Interpretation of the first Chapters of the Old Testament by comparing them with the last Chapters of the New Testament and by what I collected out of that Prayer which Christ himself left unto us to be a Pattern of what we might absolutely pray for in regard whatsoever I am taught by him to pray for I am warranted undoubtingly to believe Now according to the Contents of that Prayer I do believe that the Name of our Heavenly Father shall be Hallowed upon Earth and his Kingdom come down visibly among us and his Will be here done as it is in Heaven which can never be until that great Sabbath I believe also That all who seek after his Kingdom which is to come with sincerity in the first place shall be daily fed with the bread of eternal life and supplied with all things necessary for prosecuting their Work in the mean time That our sins shall be forgiven us as we by his example forgive those who have trespassed against us That in all our Tryals and Temptations whereby GOD exerciseth our Faith we shall be delivered from whatsoever is evil in them and be at last partakers of his Kingdom Power and Glory even here upon Earth where we have suffered with him when that great Sabbath afore-mentioned begins and in Heaven for ever But you may think perhaps to your discouragement the mean while that time is very far off because by our ordinary Computation of Times and Years there will seem to be about 300 years unexpired of the last thousand of those 6000 years in which Antichrist with his Mystery of Iniquity was permitted

to Reign 666 years after he had attained to his full power Nevertheless let not that infringe the patience of any For though GOD is absolute in fulfilling the times promised for the benefit of his Elect he doth not so oblige himself to those times which concern the lengthning out the Kingdoms of his Enemies but that they may be shortned by their own actions according to this saying The wicked live not out half their time It is probable that our Chronology is defective some Chronologers differing in their Accompt hundreds of years and they about 80 or 40 years who differ least Or if it were not so the time of our suffering may be shortned for the sake of GOD's Elect yea Christ hath promised that it shall be shortned for their sake Matth. 24. 22. And probably the shortning the last dayes of Tribulation will be occasioned by GOD's permitting his and their Adversaries to be so violent and infatuated in their furious prosecutions of malicious Designs to uphold their Tyranny when they feel it tottering that they themselves will thereby shorten their own time And that the Kingdoms of the Devil Antichrist and the World will be so divided and confounded in their Designment and Prosecutions that they shall help destroy themselves and their Kingdoms by their own Actings and by provoking GOD according to his Conditional Decrees to come in when Evil is at the highest pitch of Malignity to make it evident that by his Power and Goodness alone Good becomes prevalent against Evil. And probably some Dispensations of Mercy in that kind will be vouchsafed as to the weakning of Antichrist's kingdom betwixt this time and the year 1666 according to our Computation after the birth of Christ But that Number of the Name or Power of the Beasts whose time of tyrannizing is thereby limitted from the last of the times of the distinct highest Exaltations of the two Beasts until the full end of their Powers will not be until so many years after the Passion of our Saviour if I have not mis-grounded my Judgment as I believe I have not For at the time of Christ's Passion the last of those Earthly Monarchies which have oppressed the Saints was at the highest and ever since it hath declined Their longest time of continuance as I conceive being mystically numbred out unto them in their own Numerals which put altogether in order according to their distinct Valuations singly can make no more as these their Characters demonstrate than M. D. C. L. X. V. I which is a M. years for the continuance of Heathen Romes tyranny after it was at highest until it was swallowed up by that Beast which arose out of it for old Romes Tyranny continued in the Civil Government of that Empire after Christian Emperours had the Title The remainder of the aforesaid sum being DCLXVI is the time of the Reign of Antichrist or the Man of Sin after he attained to an absolute Supremacy which will have an end in or about the Seventeenth hundred year after Christ's Nativity by our Accompt if Chronologers have not misreckoned the times This is my Judgment of the Number of Beast When that day comes I believe the Souls under the Altar will no more cry How long LORD We shall not then think the dayes or years of our suffering for Righteousness sake were over many nor will the Scoffers then ask any more in derision Where is the Promise of his Coming Then how long or short a time soever it be during which the present or the last Tryal of the Saints must continue Let us consider how little a few years more or less are in respect of Eternity and of how small consequence all that is which we can suffer in comparison of that reward which is prepared for those who overcome by patience What can we lose Or what have they lost who have been translated out of this life by the cruelty of their Persecutors but that which would have been a greater disadvantage had it not been lost Perhaps that experience which I have had in my particular of GOD's extraordinary strengthning me in my Sufferings by the encrease of Hope and Consolations vouchsafed may be believed by some to the augmentation of their constancy and comfort I do therefore unfeignedly profess though I profess it in much frailty of the Flesh That if GOD continue his Mercy begun which I doubt not of and shall give me a full draught of those Cordials whereof he hath vouchsafed me a Taste I think I should not repine to undergo for his Glory the heat of those terrible dayes which are begun or near approaching For I conceive it will not be much hotter than the Fiery Furnace which was heated sevenfold more than usually for Shadrach Mesech and Abednego and I beleive that to strengthen and preserve me I should have the same Companion they had in that Fiery Tryal if it might be so much to GOD's glory Let not then the length or sharpness of any Persecution discourage from a Constant waiting upon GOD whose Grace will be a sufficient Assistance in all Probations Nor let your imperfect apprehensions of those mysterious expressions whereby the estate of that Sabbath or Kingdom afore-mentioned is described mislead you either into a distrust of the reality thereof or into any carnal mis-belief misteachings or mis-actings by a vain curiosity of seeking to know further than is plainly revealed before the time For Fancy is apt to make many erroneous representations and that which shall be is darkly expressed for the exercise of our Faith and we can no more apprehend it as it is being in the state wherein we yet are than Children of a month old can declare what manner of life they shall here live when they come to ripe years It may suffice that so much is declared and unfolded by what is fulfilled and so demonstrated by Allusions to things of which we highly esteem that it may assure us there is an unspeakable glory and happiness prepared for all those who believe and suffer for Righteousness sake Our sight is yet too weak to behold it Our hearts are too narrow to apprehend it and that hour of the day is not yet come which will manifest to any so much as will hereafter be made evident to all But that we may not make our Afflictions and Troubles greater than else they would be and our Consolations less than they might be by our own defaults and so imbitter our Spirits against the Truth and each other that Repentance and Reformation be obstructed thereby and lest also through defect of true Piety towards GOD or of true Charity to Men we be found rather sufferers altogether for our sins than for Righteousness sake to the making of our sorrows endless in this life as it happeneth to many or to the rendring of us more wicked and cruel when our Sufferings be removed than we were before to the perpetuating of an unhappy condition hereafter Be