Selected quad for the lemma: peace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
peace_n	lord_n	offer_v	offering_n	2,683	5	11.3716	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91008	The priests wickednesse and cruelty, laid open, and made manifest, by Priest Smith of Cressedge, persecuting the servants of the Lord, whose outward dwellings is in and about Shrewsbury. As also, the proceedings of Judge Nicholas, and the Court of Justice, so called, against them so persecuted by the priest, at the last generall assizes holden at Bridgenorth for the county of Salop. Together, with some queries, to the priests.	Overton, Constantine, d. 1687.	1657 (1657)	Wing P3454; Thomason E910_4; ESTC R207503	9,613	16

THE PRIESTS Wickednesse and Cruelty Laid OPEN and made Manifest By Priest Smith of Cressedge Persecuting the Servants of the Lord whose outward dwellings is in and about Shrewsbury As also The Proceedings of Judge Nicholas and the Court of Justice so called against them so persecuted by the Priest at the last generall Assizes holden at Bridgenorth for the County of Salop. TOGETHER With some QUERIES to the Priests As troops of robbers waite for a man so the Company of Priests murder in the way by consent for they commit lewdnesse Hosea 6.9 And judgment is turned backwards and justice stands afarr off for truth is fallen in the streets and equity cannot enter yea truth falleth and he that departeth from evill maketh himselfe a prey and the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgement Isaiah 59.14 15. Hearken unto me ye that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the reproach of men neither be afraid of their revileings for the moth shall eat them up like a garment and the worm shall eat them like wooll but my righteousnes shall be for ever and my salvation from generation to generation Isa 51.7 8 LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread Eagle near the West end of Pauls 1657. THE PRIESTS Wickednesse Cruelty Laid OPEN and made manifest IN all ages and generations the seed of the Serpent persecuted the seed of the Woman they that were borne after the flesh them that were borne after the Spirit they that did evill persecuted them that did well they that had the profession of godlinesse them that were in the Prison as it is declared in the Scriptures of truth from the beginning to the end Cain he offered sacrifices and offerings to the Lord yet he hated his Brother his countenance was cast downe Cain was very wrath and after slew his Brother Abell whose offering the Lord had respect unto Gen. 4.3 4 5 6 7 8. And in the time of the Prophets who prophecied of Christ who is the seed they that offered offerings and cryed peace peace unto the people persecuted them that spake the truth as they were moved of the Lord as in Michah and Jeremiah who was put in the dungeon for speaking the truth 1 Kings 22.27 Jer. 38.6 When Christ came who was the end of the Prophets and the Law they that had the Law and the Prophets Moses and his writings could not believe on him but sought honour one of another Christ said unto them How can yee believe that look for honour one from another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only John 5.44 They said they were of Abrahams seed and God was their Father and yet they called Christ a Blasphemer They said Not for a good work doe we stone thee but for Blasphemy John 10.33 They said that he had a Divell and because that he spake the truth If a man keep my saying he shall never see death They saied Now we know thou hast a Divell John 8.51.52 Yet he did not denye himselfe but spoke openly that he was the light of the world I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darknesse Yet they could not believe but told him that he bear witnesse of himselfe He said If you believe not that I am he you shall dye in your sins John 8.24 Which is to be fulfilled upon all that doe not believe in Christ the light The Jewes said unto him How long makest thou us to doubt if thou be the Christ tell us plainly he answered them I told you and yes believe not and many of them said He hath a Divell and is madd why hear yee him John 10.20 And the high Priests were the incensers of the rulers and the people against him who was the Son of God the end of all their Priesthood saying Ye have heard his Blasphemy what think you and they all condemned him to be guilty of death Marke 14.64 And Stephen was stoned to death for witnessing against their Temple and for confessing he saw the glory of God Acts 7.48 to the end And the high Priests stirred up the rulers against Paul who preached Christ and was sent to turne from darknesse to light and called him a Pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition amongst all the Jews a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarens Acts 24.5 So here all along you may see they that persecuted were not the children of God although they professe his name neither are they guided by the Spirit of God that do persecute but are in the envy which is of the Divell which through the eternall love of the father we are come to see who hath sound him whom our souls longed after even Jesus Christ the way to the Father who learnes to be meek and sober and to doe unto all as we would be done unto who is the end of the Law which is love and so according to his promise made of old by his servants the Prophets the Law is written in our hearts and the Lord is our teacher and the worship of our God is in Spirit upon whom we wait sometimes meeting together in his fear that his secrets may be revealed unto us where we are moved of the Lord sometimes in our own houses in Shrewsbury and there abouts where we have been often molested and persecuted by them who came out of the fear of God they being hearers of the Priests if not members of their churches sometimes railing and sometimes by throwing stones at our windowes in danger to doe us hurt breaking the glasse also throwing stones and dirt at some of us as we passe the streets with other great abuses that might be mentined and yet untill now we kept these things from being publickly known but now at last being constrayned out of love unto all men we have laid these things to open view not that we rejoyce to see such filthinesse committed but that they that are not yet partakers with those men may not through ignorance joyn with them and so partake of their plagues And likewise that they that have done such things or any thing that is evill when they come to see it with the light of Christ they may come to repent and so forsake the evill And this is the desire of us who suffer for Christs sake and the testimony of the truth which we dare not deny but are willing to seal it with our blood if we should deny him he would deny us And here followes a short Relation of Priest Smiths persecution of us by him or his members in this little paper whereof the Judge so called had a coppy given to him that he might doe nothing against us through ignorance whereto our names were subscribed who are the sufferers William Payne Constant Overton John Payne Homfr Overton Thomas Jenkes John Farmer James Farmer THE first day of the week being the fifth day of

the eighth month called Octob. 1656. The servants of the Lord who by the world in scorn are called Quakers as they were moved met in the name and fear of the Lord on the way near the steeple house yard near Cressedge and there in peace abiding and as the minister of the Lord moved by the Spirit of the Lord was speaking or declaring to the people there rushed out of the steeple house many of the people some of them running furiously and in great rage breaking over the hedg laying violent hands upon many friends amongst the rest some of the Souldiers they being friends the people with their violence broke the hilt of one of their swords being in the scabberd by doing their indeavour to take it from him although there was no occasion given by any by words or deeds and also drew blood from his hand such was their brutish immoderation And when their rage ceased and the messenger of the Lord as he was declaring the mind of the Lord was brought by the Constable into the Town and there he was further moved to speak from the Lord to die people they being silent untill he was moved to prayer then as he was at prayer the Priests servants came forth with kettles and beated upon them one with a key the other with a staffe and also some others with a candlestick and a frying pan purposely to disturb and being asked why they did soe the Priests man answered and said that he that sett them to doe it would beare them out Likewise the Priests maid and others with wooden vessells throwing water in the faces of many of us with shooting striking and balling as the meerest Heathens upon the face of the earth And thus with many more abuses received is the truth of the passages as many can witnesse yet notwithstanding all these grosse abuses the Priest stirred the Justices so called to grant a Warrant to fetch in the innocent that patiently suffered the former wrongs and upon the seaventh day following he procured severall friends to be brought before Justice Harecot Layton Justice Richard Baggot so called in the Exchequer of Shrewsbury where he the Priest declared many untruths to the Justices bringing in his servants and others which were offenders for witnesses and the innocent there accused could have proved the Priest a man for-sworne but they could not be heard And as the first was examined what he saw done by us answered that he saw nothing done but that we stood peaceably and then others being examined whether there was any disturbance one answered he heard a dim sound at the lower end of the Chappell so called but could not understand any thing Also a Constable being examined upon his oath whether he saw or heard any disturbance who answered no he saw them peaceable and quiet the Justices asked is he a Quaker and would not suffer him to speak further but appointed his clark to make a Mittimus to send us to the common goale Some of us asking what Law we had broken then they read the Statute of the first year of Phillip and Mary one of us answered that we had not so much as broken that Law not being in the Chappell so called nor Chappell yard nor any of us mentioned in the Mittimus spake a word whilest the Priest was in the Chappell neither saw his face yet the Justices said it was supposed we had broken Marys Laws those Popish principles so upon this supposition sent us to Prison The Assizes being holden at the towne of Bridgnorth to which we came the 14. day of the first month the Priest made complaint unto the Judge that the Jayler gave us too much liberty as the Clarke told one of us who have suffered by the said Priests cruelty wherein his cruelty appeares more and more and the deceipt made manifest to all who love to doe as they would be done unto And upon the 16 day of the month above mentioned we were brought forth before the Judge and the Court singly one by one where we came in the fear of God The first of us being called had out hatt taken of our head by some that stood by the Judge seeing that and knowing there was no matter of fact to lay to our charge bad put on their hatts and when our hatts were on our heads they told us they were a Court of justice wherein all may see how they seek to insnare the innocent and how unjustly they deale with the innocent who commanded our hatts to be put on and then commanded us to take them off in these words three times the Court commands you to put off your hatts which being done bad the Jaylor take us away one after another And being carried to prison we remained till the next day and then we were brought forth before them againe and they read one indictment to us wherein was mentioned that we came in contempt of the Court with some more things to the same purpose nothing being mentioned that we had done to the Priest who cast us in prison As touching the breach of any known Law they asked us are you guilty we answered nay we come not in contempt of the Court but in obedience to the Lord who commands we should not respect persons at which the Judge bid us hold our tongues I know what I will doe with you and this was before the jury had their charge wherein all may see who loves the light the corruption and unjustice of this Judge who could tell what he would doe with us before the jury went forth but the jury being called and receiving their charge of the Judge wherein he told them that putting of the hatt was the custom of the Nation and the custome of the Nation was the ground of the Law of the Nation we answered evill customs are not to be kept and that Law that is grounded upon customs and not upon the Law of God hath but a sandie foundation for many are accustomed to doe evill as the Scripture testifies and the saints were not to fashion themselves like to this world Then there was a proclamation made in the Court that if any man had either matter of fellonie or murder or the like against the Prisoners they might appear to prosecute or to that purpose but none appeared against us as touching the breach of any Law either of God or man Wherein all may see how the innocent are reckoned amongst the transgressors But we know the Law is good if a man use it lawfully knowing this that the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the Lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and profane for murderers of Fathers and murderers of Mothers for man-slayers for whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for men-stealers for liers for perjured persons and if there be any other thing contrary to sound Doctrine read 1 Tim. 1.8 9 10. Now we are not Lawlesse for