Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A05464
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[Come out of her my people] or an ansvver to the questions of a gentlevvoman (a professour in the Antichristian Church of England) about hearing the publicke ministers vvhere it is largely discussed and proved to be sinfull and unlavvfull. Also a iust apologie for the way of total separation (commonly but falsely called Brownisme) that it is the truth of God, though lightly esteemed in the eyes of the blinde world. With a challenge to dispute with them publickly before King & Counsell: to prove whatsoever I said at the pillery against them. Viz. that the calling of them all is jure diabolo: even from the divell himselfe. By mee John Lilburne. Close prisoner in the Fleete for the cause of Christ.; Come out of her my people.
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Lilburne, John, 1614?-1657.
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1639
(1639)
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STC 15596; ESTC S107364
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35,511
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36
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his spirituall heavenly wisedome It is the greife of my soule to see people take such paines for that which will not profitt And to lay out their silver for that vvhich is not vvorth the buying Esay 55.2 Beeing very zealous in professing the seeming way of God and yet are full of ignorance blindnesse in the true wayes of God wanting that true spirituall sanctifyed knowledge and cleare insight into the Scripture which is taught by the spirit of God that being true of them which is said in Esay 59. That they grope for the vvall like blinde men yea and grope as if they had no eyes stumbling at noone-day as in the night being in desolate places as dead men not knowing that a deceived heart hath turned them aside being not able to say that there is a lye in their right hand as the Prophet in another place speakes But unto all such in the words of the spirit of God I say behold all you that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparkes walke in the light of your fire and in the sparkes that you have kindled But saith God this shall you have of my hands Ye shall lye downe in sorrow Esay 50.10 Because that it is a shame even in the eyes of the World for a man to be of no Religion Therfore people take upon them the outward forme of Religion but are destitute of the inward power of godlinesse going on in a formall way of Religion with muddy earthie and unsanctified affections but doe not strive studdy labour as they ought to get inward principles true grounds in their owne soules that so they may be built upon that sure unmooveable foundation that never can be shaken But build upon sand hay and stubble as the Apostle speakes And therfore that building will come to ruine when stormes Tempests doth arise as too true experience hath doth will manifest declare for when men are not soundly setled in the true ways they can̄ot possible have that true inward peace which God hath promised to his faithfull ones But their spirits hearts are full of feares distractions in time of danger and calamity I appeale even to the hearts and spirits even of people themselves that are not as yet convinced and settled in the right and true wayes of God Sure I am I am able to speake it by my selfe and doe speake it in the presence of my God who knowes my heart and trieth my reines Rev 2.23 that I have found it true by former experience for the Spirit of God saith there is no peace to the vvicked Esay 48.22 and 57.21 Now while a man is out of the true wayes of God and is in the by-wayes of sinne and wickednesse he cannot truely according to the revealed will of God be tearmed any otherwise then a wicked man Though notwithstanding his soule may be precious to God But we are not to judge according to the secret will but only to judge according to the revealed will of God for secret and hidden things belong to God but revealed things to us and to our children as Moses saith But all those that are members of the Kingdome of Antichrist as all that submit to the Prelates and their Lawes are are out of the true wayes and pathes of God and are in the bye and crooked way of sin and wickednesse And therefore we have no grounded warrant out of the Scripture the revealed will of God to judge or esteeme of them any otherwise but as wicked men who in that estate cannot be possessours of that true and setled peace and spirituall comfort and joy that God doth bestow vpon his faith sevants Now as for the proofe of this argument t is every branch part of it proved in the foregoing discourse but on the contrary I can truelie speake it that my soule had never before that true rest quietnesse and sweete inward spirituall peace that I haue been and am still possessour of since my God gaue me strength might power to shake of that Antichristian yoake and all communion with his lawes subjects And my soule is filled so full of true rest and peace that all my torments and sufferings and the greatnesse and potency of my adversaries the chiefe of which is the Divell the prince of this world working in and by his sonne the Prelate of Canterbury doth not in the least terrifie or trouble mee but I am merry and cheerefull in the midst of the veriety of my sufferings for the Lord makes me to triumph over them all and I know and beleeue that if all the Divels in hell and all his Limbs vpon the earth do bend themselves against me to overthrow me yet they shall never make me sadd for the Lord hath given me a cheerfull and merry heart which whosoever hath Salomon saith hath a continuall Feast Prov 15.15 nor make me feare or be affrayde of them for God is my salvation I will trust add not be affrayde of them for God is my salvation the Lord Iehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation Esay 12 12. And though the youths doe fainte and be weary and the younge men utterly faile yet they that waite upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall runne and not be weary and they shall walke not be faint Esay 40.30.31 For the Lord is a strength to the poore a strength to the needy in his distresse a refuge from the storme a shadow from the heate when the blast of the terrible one is as a storme against the Wall Esay 25.4 and the spirit of God saith that he will keep him in perfect peace whose minde is staied on him therefore in the Lord will I trust for ever For in the Lord Iehovah is everlasting strength Esa 26.3.4 and the Lord saith he keeps his Church and will water it every moment least any hurt it yea J will keep it night and day saith he Now I am a true member of it and therefore haue right and share of the benifitt of this promise and assuredly knowe that the Lord will so keep me though I be in the midst of the fire that mine enemies shall not prevaile nor hurt mee though all men forsake me yet hee will take care of me and provide for me the young lions shall want suffer hunger but they that loue and feare the Lord shall want no good thing But my loving friend am I become your enemy because in publicke I haue spoken the truth let not your anger and displeasure be further incensed against me when you haue read this that is here written J hope you would not haue me who haue begun in the spirit to be made perfect in the flesh Oh God forbid that ever I should so much as entetaine the least thought of that and therefore know that this is my setled resolution which the Lord
may though all the power of darknesse set themselves against them yet that they may cleave close to God our Saviour Christ and the purity of his Gospell for we must looke for fanning and sifting and for the fiery tryall therefore let us sit downe and reckon what it will cost us and if we be not willing to lose all for his sake yea and to hate all even Father and Mother riches life c. if they stand in our way to keep us from him we are not worthy of him Math. 10.37 and 16.24 Mark 8 34. Luke 9.23.24 and 14.26.27 And for my owne part the Lord himselfe hath so firmly by his owne enlightening Spirit so fully convinced me and setled my soule so unmoveably in his truth that I assuredly know that all the power in Earth yea and the gates of Hell it selfe shall never be able to move me or prevaile against me for the Lord who is the worker of all my workes in me and for me hath founded and built me upon that sure unmoveable foundation the Lord Iesus Christ and I know if ten thousand deaths for my conscience and the cause of my God for which with courage and rejoycing I now beare witnesse to and am close prisoner in bonds lying day and night in Fetters of Jron both hands legges should be inflicted upon me I should sing rejoyce triumph in them all For my God makes me glory in my tribulation and my soule is filled so full of that sweetnesse and joy that it findes in my God alone that my tongue and penne is never able to the full to expresse utter it to his praise I desire to speake it and I doe beleeve that it is not possible for any man in any condition whatsoever whose neck in the best doth stoope to the yoake of Antichrist to have his heart and spirit elevated and lifted up above it selfe in that high degree with spirituall joy and comfort divine and heavenly strength and supportation that mine is for the Holy Ghost saith they have no rest night nor day who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the marke of his name And I doe beleeve it to be true as I am able to speake by my owne experience For they may have some spirit of rest and peace and sudden Flashes of joy and comfort but when a storme or Tempest doth arise they are so possessed with base and cowardly feare and distraction of spirit that they are like men without hearts and are ready to runne into every hole to hide their heads from the face of man a poore worme being ready to say when a tempest ariseth with them in the 6. Rev. 16.17 Let the Mountaine and Rock fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand When as on the contrary the Righteous is as bold as a Lyon though the wicked fly when none persueth Prov. 28.1 18.10 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous runneth unto it and are safe And Psal 91. he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shaddow of the Almighty and he shall be safe from the feare of all danger as the Holy Ghost there doth declare So that we see the feare and terrour that possesseth the hearts and spirits of all those whose necks are either in part or in whole under the spirituall yoake and bondage of the Beast And also the rest and peace and holy security that they are in that submitt alone to the Lord Iesus Christ for their spirituall Lord and King And are willing to follow him whersoever he goes not loving their soules to the death Rev. 12. but keepe close and hold fast the name and faith of Christ even where Satan hath his Throne Rev. 2.13 for he hath said and promised unto his people that keepe close to him because thou hast kept the word of my patience I will also keepe thee from the houre of Temptation which shall come upon all the World to try them that dwell upon the Earth Rev. 3.10 And this have I found by experience since the Lord in great mercy and rich loving kindnesse by his strength and power inabled me to withdraw my soule totally and finally from the greatest spirituall yoake and bondage that ever any mortall man groaned under namely the spirituall yoake and bondage of the Beast or Roman State unto which whosoever is hated of the Lord and doth not belong unto him doe submitt yeeld Rev. 9.4 and 12.7.9 13.8 But the Lord from all eternity hath loved me with his everlasting love hath delivered my soule from it and set me at liberty and in a large place and hath given me rest and ease and hath put a song of prayer and thanksgiving into my mouth unto the Lord of glory and the Lamb that sitts upon his Throne who is blessed for ever and ever and my God hath filled my soule so full of Heavenly matter that had I but a current vent I could ex tempore write an hundred Sheetes of paper to you filled full of Heavenly expressions of the Lords goodnesse faithfulnesse loving kindnesse and Truth for my soule is ravished with that fulnesse sweetnesse aimeablenesse and beautifulnesse that I finde in my God Oh that my soule were altogether with him that I might be satisfyed with his fulnesse and might solace my soule face to face which I most confidently know I shall in his due time But Oh I say againe and againe that J were with him for he hath crucifyed the World and all things here below unto me and hath enabled me to account and esteeme all things besides himselfe as dung and durt not being worthy of casting any affectionate eye upon them Philip. 3.8.9 and he hath pitched my soule upon himselfe as a naked and a single object in whom alone the quintessence of delight beautie and satisfaction is to be had enjoyed and possessed and for my shackled condition that I am in it is most sweete and 〈…〉 I am as merry yea more chearefull then ever I was in any condition in my life and can sleepe as soundly in my Boots and Irons as Peter did betweene the two Souldiers when he was in prison who when the Angell of the Lord came to him to deliver him He was faine to smite him before he awaked Acts 12.6.7 And I doe sing Psalmes and J am as merry as Paul and Sylas were when they were in the Stocks and in prison who sung Psalmes and Prayses at midnight so that the Prisoners heard them Acts 16.24.25 for the Lord hath so strengthened me with divine power and strength for the Lord of Hosts is my confidence And in the Lord Iehovah there is everlasting strength And there is no torments that the greatest Tyrans in the World can inflict