Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	life_n	love_v	soul_n	10,287	5	5.1411	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60631	A few plain words concerning conformity in matter of religion and worship and also concerning evidence and judgment in cases of conscience : published to all magistrates, juror's and people, within the nation of England.	Smith, William, d. 1673.	1664 (1664)	Wing S4301; ESTC R16572	7,379	10

words unto all People for seeing there is Information and evidence to be given in the aforesaid cases before there can be any proceedings as to Conviction or Judgement it doth concern every one to be careful what they do for the Act doth not impose any penalty or punishment upon any for not informing and therefore where any do set themselves to do it they will but manifest a forward mind in the thing wherein they may keep themselves free and if any do put themselves upon it as to Inform against any peaceable meeting of the people called Quakers they will manifest more envy and malice to their neighbours than love and good will For the Act is not against the Quakers Meetings being their Meetings are peacable and no peacable Meeting is a seditious Conventicle and how can any truly Inform of unlawful Meeting when the Law is not against it for that makes a thing unlawful when the thing done is against the Law in that case but the Quakers Meetings are not against the Act in that case made for it is made to prevent and suppress seditious Conventicles and pretenders of Worship and not peaceable Meetings and the true Worship And so to meet peaceable as the Quakers do and all along have done on their parts above the number of 5 besides the Family is not an unlawful Assembly or Meeting for the Law is not against it but to meet to the number of five besides the Family under Pretence of Religion and Worship and at such Meetings to enter into discord and strife and do ill things as to rise in Armes and be tumultuous to the disturbance of the Nations peace then it is a Seditious Conventicle and an unlawful Meeting because the Law is against it and they that meet in that manner 〈◊〉 the hazard of the penalties and punishment that the Law in that case provideth against offendors and it is onely such as are dangerous Sectaries who at their Meetings contrive Insurrections or to raise up strife and ill things which makes a Seditious Conventicle as is before explained Therefore let all people be careful how they inform and give evidence in this case for the Act doth not prohibit any peaceable Meeting where people meets together in the fear of God and truly worships him in tendernesse of Conscience this is not only a pretended thing but a real true thing which the Act doth not prohibit Therefore all people be in love with your Neighbours and then no hasty Information or evidence will be given against any for their obedience unto God and for worshipping him in Spirit and in Truth according to his mind for if there be no Informers there can be no proceedings and therefore as Information is the cause that gives motion to the Wheel so there ought to be great care and tenderness in it because one Neighbour may thereby expose another unto great sufferings and where any do so they do not love their Neighbors as themselves which is a sure mark of the true Religion And now if any should have it in their mindes to inform and give Evidence in the case aforesaid I ask you what you will inform touching the Quakers Meetings will you Inform that there was a Meeting of five besides the Family and will you say that you will give Evidence of it you shall not need for we confesse it but will you inform that there was strife and discord amongst them or any ill thing in action or any apperance of rising in armes and so a Seditious Conventicle according to the Act if you say nay we cannot give such Information in the truth nor we dare not give Evidence to any such thing it may be that some may be thus honest and it may be some again that will not fear to inform and evidence the matter by the Act intended though they neither see not know that so it is amongst such against whom they Inform and therefore as to the first that honestly confesseth the truth there needs not any thing be said being their own confession clears us but unto such as wilfully and obstinately resolve to do us harm if it be in their power unto such we say that your Information and evidence is not to be regarded by sober Magistrates or Jurors for our practice is so generally known that it will be apparently manifest to be envy and malice where any such Iuformation of Evidence is given against us And further consider this one thing more in general which I shall offer to you by way of question Was not the Christian Religion and Worship in primitive times a true Religion and Worship and was there not both Jewes and Gentiles gathered in it and was there not many Jewes and Gentiles that differed from them in Religion and Worship and did the true Christians endeavour to force the Dissenters by an outward Law to joyn with them You do not read in all the Scripture that the true Christians did ever practice any such thing either to inform or punish any in matter of Conscience Therefore let not this Nation of England give occasion unto other Nations to upbraid them with persecution for it will be much to the dishonour of it if not to the ruine of it by the hand of the Lord. Oh surely it cannot but touch many tender hearts who are observers of the Lyturgie of the Church of England to see such persecution rise out of it and that against an innocent people for we that are called Quakers are a people well known in our Countries and the Witness of God doth bear a sure testimony for us however men may witness against us or however they may accuse judge and condemn us yet doth the Witness of God clear us from the guilt of any just offence against the present power and the Peace thereof and whatsoever may come to pass concerning us in this matter yet there is no Law against us and being no Law there is no transgression and so no Fact worthy of condemnation Much might be said in these things but I shall leave all with the Lord and to his just and righteous Witness in every conscience which will plead with all for us when Tongues and Pens are still and silent and let not any think it strange that I have used such plainnesse of speech in this matter for it is in the behalf of Gods precious Truth and all that live in it And being that our liberty Estates and lives are herein concerned the plainnesse of my speech may well be allowed considering also that it is no lesse than true love to all your souls who are or may be any way concerned in this matter for we that are called Quakers do truly love the Lamb and follow him and the Lamb and the saints must have the Victory and in the Lambs Love Meekness and Patience we have Rest and Peace Written the 27. of the 4. Moneth 1664. W. S. THE END