Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A30514
|
A declaration from the people called Quakers, to the present distracted nation of England with mourning and lamentation over it, because of its breaches ...
|
Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662.
|
1659
(1659)
|
Wing B5989; ESTC R15613
|
12,844
|
18
|
this Nation then as a broken Reed to leane upon and no more then a shaddow which shall not save the people from the heat nor from the storme this we know and this we declare in the Name of the Lord and we are not for Names nor for Men nor for Titles of Government nor are we for this party nor against the other because of its name and presence but we are for Justice and Mercy and Truth and Peace and true freedom that these may be exalted in our Nation and that goodnesse righteousnesse meeknesse temperance peace and unity with God and one with another that these things may abound and be borught forth abundantly such a Government are wee seeking and waiting for wherein truth and righteousnesse mercy and justice unity and love and all the fruites of holynesse may abound and all the contrary be removed cast out and limmitted and we are not for such and such Names and Titles of Government that promises faire and performes nothing but if a Council if a Parliament if any one Man or a number of men whatsoever that shall have the Spirit of the Lord poured upon him or them and shall be annointed of the Lord for such an use and end to Govern this Nation under such only shall the Nation be happy and enjoy rest from such men fitted of the Lord and called by him and under such a Government of truth and righteousnesse shalt thou O Nation enjoy rest from all thy Travells and under such a Government shall the righteous rejoyces and the whole Land sing for joy of heart when Tyranny and oppression shall be cleane removed strife and contention and self seeking utterly abandoned and when peace and truth flowes forth as a streame and the Lord alone rules in thy Rulers and he the principall amongst them and under such men and such a Government only and not under any other shalt thou O Nation be happy and thy people a free people Wherefore O Nation when wilt thou begin to look to the Lord when wilt thou begin to set up him and not man when wilt thou minde his Power and Presence in and through men more then any men themselves when shall it once be O ye people of our Nation that you will seek after him to be the principal and chief power among you Oh let your eyes be turned to the Lord alone that he may deliver you and bring salvation and freedom and look no more at men but only as they are in him and guided by his Spirit and only expect good from men as men are guided by the Lord and then shall you not ever any more be deceived as long you have bin with Kings with Parliaments with Councels with Armies nor any others for in these have you trusted and not in the Lord from these have you expected great things without him whenas alass what shall men accomplish or what can they bring forth while they reject the Counsel of the Lord and his Word as hitherto they have done and therefore hath he broke them and confounded them yea and he will break them and crush them under his Rod even till they learn his judgments and know him the alone Power and give honour to him that doth whatsoever he will and he will overthrow yet once and againe even till he come whose right it is to Rule and he is at work in this his day and because of iniquities doth he visit with tribulation and through great tribulation and overturning of Men and Powers will he advance his own Kingdome and Government and the end of all these things shall bring forth his glory and men that will not honour him by dealing righteously in their day upon Earth they must honour him in their destruction at their latter end and let not men glory one over another while some are put down and others set up but let them all know they have but each sort their houre and their end will come even as others for an everlasting Kingdome and Government will God set up that must rule over all and this is the hope of a poor despised people though for present hated of all and sought to be destroyed by all yet our soules are anchored and stay'd even in the sure promises of our God in this the day of the Nations trouble and though we are very poor and rejected of all and have nothing to glory in amongst any party or sort of people but even in our reproaches and sufferings that we sustain from all yet have we perfect rest in God and satisfactions over all these distractions we know him in whom we have beleived and we trust in the shaddow of his wing and we are not of a doubting heart concerning what can come or whomsoever doth Rule for this we know though all seeks after our blood yet he can deliver us if he will we know him that can do all things and if he save none can destroy if he blesse none can curse him we know and in him we rest and we give our power in all things to him and not unto mortall man whose breath is in his nostrills who must perish as the dung we cannot be afraid of their horror nor can we be drawn by their love but we trust in his Name and under his defence shall we be saved we give our power to him to be defended and preserved by him alone and we are well contented with our sufferings and murmurs not our sufferings are our present Crown but yet woe unto that Authority which maketh us to suffer and woe unto the men upon whom God shall charg the guilt of our oppressions and woe unto that Spirit that is found acting against Gods annointed behold ye Mountaines of the Earth behold ye Rulers and ye People the Lord hath blessed his people and every tongue that riseth up in witnesse against them shall be condemned and every weapon that is formed against them shall be broken this is our hope in this gloomy day and the hope of a Kingdome of righteousnesse and peace which must be set up is our refreshment in this day of trouble and let not our Enemies glory over us for though we are poor yet shall we be made rich and though we have no carnal weapon yet shall we conquer and thus have we declared our selves in much plainnesse and 〈◊〉 to our Nation whom we love and whose present condition we pity and lament over and we are freonds to any Appearance of good that may come forth in truth and sinceritie and as righteousnesse doth appear in any we are ready to joyne with it in our prayers and desires yea and otherwise even that which hath the Image of our God upon it whenever it shall appear we shall rejoyce therin and adde our help thereunto that it may prosper for for the establishing of righteousnesse in the earth our all is not dear unto us though hitherto we have bin silent and not medling with this party or the other but by way of reproof of the evil in all and informing all to the good and it cannot be charged upon us that we have sided with one or another for we have beheld all hitherto out of the right way as we have said but we truly seek the general good of our Nation and though we are accounted so and so yet we have not lost true reason nor understanding but we well know what is wrong and what would be right even in way of Goverâ—â—â—nt but the time appears not to be yet when innocencie and simpliâ—â—â—â—â— of heart can be embraced for men are yet too wise in their own wisdom and cannot receive the Councel of the Lord that they may prosper and therefore are they and must they be confounded amongst themselves and dashed one against another till they learn the way of Righteousnesse and Truth The substance of this was given forth the twentieth day of this tenth moneth being moved of the Lord by his Spirit thereunto through E. Burrough and is now judged meet to be published to the Nation in the behalf of us and our friends under our hands Geâ— Roberts Tho. Harte Gilbert Latye Iohn Anderdon Iohn Osgood Robert Benbrick Iohn Boulton Ellis Hookes William Crouch Gobert Sikes Iames Strutt Iohn Pennyman Iohn Crook Edward Billing Benjamin Furly THE END