Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	ordinance_n	power_n	resist_v	4,907	5	10.4011	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60436	The fruits of unrighteousnes and injustice Brought forth by John Bulkley, and Thomas Bowrman, and the rest of the rulers in Hampshire, against the innocent people of God called Quakers. Who in words and writings have often declared their unjust sufferings; as also at two sessions, and two general assizes holden at Winchester, requiring justice and equity, and their right and liberty in the nation; of the which being still most unjustly deprived, it is now publiquely declared, that they and others seeing their deeds of darknesse brought to light, may be warned, and learn to do justice, and to relieve the oppressed. Also the sounding voyce of the dread of Gods mighty power to all the judges and rulers of the earth, who rise up aginst the Lamb, and to all the host of powers of darknesse who fight against God. By the servants of Christ ... called Humphry Smith. Anthony Melledg. George Henderson. James Potter. Will: Baily. Daniel Baker. John Day. Winifred Newman.	Smith, Humphrey, d. 1663.	1658 (1658)	Wing S4061; ESTC R216933	45,374	58

released but not us and again any of their complaints would be heard by the Rulers and their papers received and read which was but just but why then should we be deprived of that right every way which they have let the Rulers of Hampshire return me any good reason according to Law for their partiallity herein for we sent a copy of one of the papers before written for some just right and liberty to John Bulkley and a book which I freely gave him in which was some of his own actions which his Clerk said his Master desired it might be printed and if so he might as well desire to have it and he sent his Clark after the messengers who laid his hands on their goods and broke up and read Letters which were of concernment and he also took away from them 7. or 8 books or there abouts which books were as properly the Goods of us called Quakers as the clothes on our backs the which to be violently taken from us is by us esteemed no less then robbery being not restored and so to be punished and not practised by a Magistrate especially by such a zealous out side professor as John Bulkley And so though any vile person might be heard yet I have made it appear but it is to the shame of the Rulers that we sent a messenger to John Hook of Bramshot and his Clark beat the Messenger and we sent another paper by other friends to John Bulkley and did not he send his Clark and rob them and then we sent another paper to that preverse rash tyrannical man who is an evil example to all Rulers and People called Iudge Nicholas at the Assises and he bid the Goaler take that Messenger Therefore now let Gods witness in every Conscience answer whether that which Rules in these and the like men be to be honoured and they flattered or owned to be men ruling for God or to be herein denyed and declared against by all such whose Soules are subject to the higher power which is Gods Ordinance which whosoever resists to please such mens wills shall receive to themselves damnation Pharaoh King of Aegypt of darkness kept the Servants of God in bondadge and would not let them go for which the plagues and Judgements of God came upon him and at last thick darkness which might be felt and when the Judgements of God were upon him he would promise to let them go but it was upon condition that they might leave some thing behind them that he might make a prey upon therefore he bid them go but leave their flocks and heards behind them but Moses was faithfull and said not a hoof should be left behind And so Iohn Bulkley and the rest who sit in darkness and rule with the powers thereof hath imbondaged the Servants of God for which his Judgements hath often come near the heart of him and others even thick darkness which they might feel over-powering their hearts even bringing them down to the Chambers of death and then in their minds and also in words would promise to let us go but it was upon condition that we should leave something behind us for he or they to make a prey upon therefore it was offered we might go if we would leave an ingagement behind us by giving security to go home and when they could not have that then they would have us leave a promise behind us by promising to go home and when they could not have that then they would have some words to that purpose or some desires from us for Iohn Bulkley asked Ann Read what was desired and if any thing was desired it should be done but we did not desire any thing as to beg it of them but vvait for true justice and judgement and vvhen Iohn Bulkley vvith the rest saw that not a hoof nor the least thing should be left behind of ours for him and them to boast of afterwards then he and more of them were tormented and refused to let us go out of their bondage from under their Oppressors and out of their Work-house like Pharaoh who also kept the Servants of God in his bondage under his work therefore was he destroyed for ever as these are in danger to be Thus much at present of the unreasonableness of the Rulers and the bruitishness of the Priests Jer. 10. 21. next may be expected to come forth our cruel sufferings in the prison under Em. Hobs whom it is more fit that she her self were kept in a house of correction or in chaines then to be suffered to be a Goaler who hath also suffered other Friends to be much abused that came to visit us who were at first like to suffer to death in this prison and house of correction where the Servant who is not greater then his Lord doth suffer by them of whom I am called Humphry Smith Finished in Winchester common Goal and house of correction the 6. day of the week the 6. day of the 6 month 58. The sounding voice of the dread of Gods mighty power to all the Judges and Rulers of the earth who rise up against the Lamb And to Gog Magog and all their Armys And to the whole host of the powers of darkness and to all men who fight against God who or whatsoever they be or whatsoever they are called BEhold ye Rulers of the earth listen and heare all ye earthly minded men let the blindness of you minds be opened that your dark hearts may be enlightened hear I say and stop not your cares you whose minds are in the earth whose eyes are closed whose hearts are covered with a thick vail by your own iniquity who see not the wonders of the Lord wrought among the living neither perceive the mighty power of the God of the whole earth who are besotted through the sinfulness of your continual transgressions and are groveling as moles in the earth laden with thick clay and covered with the vail that is spread over all flesh that you see not the glory of the God of life neither perceive ye the comliness of the holy one of Jacob to whom the bright morning-star is as a cloud of darkness and the way of the living God as a fierse whirlwind of fire who see not him that dwelt in the Bush neither hear his voice who hath made darkness his habitation and his pavilion round about him thick clouds of the sky Heare I say and let my words have entrance in you and let the sound of my voice take place in your hearts let the opening of my lips give astonishment to the wicked and the inlargement of my heart the confounding of the Heathen let the dread of the Lord take hold upon the Hypocrites and astonishment seaze upon the double minded let the prudent keep silence and heare and let the honourable be quiet and consider let the understanding give audience to my words and let the mouth of the fool be stopt let the sinner

we purchase our liberty by speaking words of promising to go home seeing you hear already that we cannot make such promises knowing no law requiring us thereunto An answer to these things would we willingly receive in writing from some of you that both your ground and your end might from you be knovvn vvherefore vve are deprived of our right and liberty in the Nation and kept in long imprisonment At the Assizes vvhen the Judge vvas about to send us avvay a Justice so called spake to him that vve might be put in the house of Correction And the same day vvhen George and Christopher Darby vvere examined by the Judge the youngest of the Darbies could not then give a ready ansvver then one called a Justice bid him say that he vvas going into the Countrey to see friends and so joyned vvith a high-vvay Robber and before all the Court vvould have taught him to make lyes his refuge who was afterwards with his brother condemned for high way robbing but being reprieved since with others have much abused us and so they neither suffer according to your Law by which they were to dye neither yet do they suffer according to the righteous Law of God which is to restore four fold And moreover they and such as them have liberty to act even almost all manner of desperate wickednesse in the Prison night day by which our souls do suffer and such as these one called a Justice spake as for and we who fear the Lord another called a Justice spake as against whereby we were put into and kept in the house of Correction and so cause us to suffer beyond the extent of any law And is not this according to them who said and did release Barabbas and crucifie the Just Wherefore ye men minde the witnesse of God in all your consciences and come into his fear that you may love mercy do justly and walk humbly that the just in every one of you may have dominion and then the imprisoned members of Christ will not need to cry unto you for justice and equity Your answer to them you may return who certainly are the servants of God in outward bonds but the Darbies are since released Now let all peoples mouths be stopt for ever from saying we that are called Quakers are not subject to Authority nor obedient to the Law for if we for conscience sake cannot actually be obedient to an unjust Law yet if passively we willingly suffer the punishment which that Law saith is to be inflicted upon him that doth not keep it then therein is that Law also by us fulfilled and hath no more power over us who herein are obedient to Authority and submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake But our souls are subject to the higher power which rules over all them who are in the persecuting powers of darknesse who though they be set to be Ministers of a Law and acting without a Law contrary to the Law are found themselves transgressors of the Law being out of the feare and Law of God and out of the Law of the Nation And so they are far out and from that of which Authority consistech and indeed out of all power both of God and man in their own wills ruling with cruelty over others in the power of Darkness We having thus endeavoured by using all means which is just in the sight of God for our right and liberty and having remained close Prisoners many weekes without convenient place to worke though we were committed to the work-house we then endeavoured to get room and liberty to work with our hands and therefore one of us did write unto him by whom we were unjustly committed as followeth John Bulkley THou alone art the cause of my imprisonment almost these nine weeks in which I have almost suffered to the death of my body being also sicke when I was brought to prison among those in whose company wert thou but one night it would make thy flesh to tremble and grieve thy soul if thou feared God to hear see the filthy conversation of the wicked from day to day the like wickednesse I do believe was not found in Sodome nor in the old World whom God destroyed with an utter overthrow Oh! consider a little in the feare of the righteous God who is the righteous Judge of all mankind whether thou hast done unto me as thou wouldst be done unto who am a sufferer under thy hand of oppression for righteousnesse sake both in body and soule being grieved and vexed with the abominations that I daily hear and see and the injustice and unreasonableness of them by whom we suffer where also we are deprived of all outward liberty without cause which in the day of visitation the witnesse of God in thee for me shall witnesse and this action of thine against the innocent in that day will be as a milstone about thy neck and as a fiery flaming worm to eate thy flesh Yea and if thou proceed in the evill that is in thy hands and repent not speedily when thou wilt think peace to thy selfe then will thy sudden destruction come as in a moment from the Lord God who is a swift witnesse against all iniquity and unrighteousnesse of men without respect of persons Therefore once more consider and weigh thy actions in the just ballance even by the light of Christ in thy conscience which will let thee see by what measure thou metest it will be measured to thee again And this is right and according as God will judg and reward every man to which that of God in thy conscience do witnesse though for a time thou mayst strive to hide and vaile it for the honour of the worlds sake and the love of the praise of men but what will this avail or profit thee in the day wherein thou wilt be justly weighed and tryed then to be found by the Judge of all the Earth to be a persecutor of his people and anointed ones for whose sake he will rebuke Kings and will fight our battels and plead our cause in righteousnesse Therefore do we stand still in quietnesse to see his salvation and a freedome from the oppression of all wickednesse and wicked men under whom for a time the just do suffer I do not vvrite to thee as to complain to thee but am contented in my sufferings for my God heares the sighing of his prisoners neither do I expect any thing from thee but equity and justice of vvhich thou bearest the name but actest not in the lifethereof so in the day of try all vvilt be found among the hypocrites bearing the name of that thou neither art nor livest in I must deale plainly vvith thee though under thy povver I should suffer death this I can say I have no envy to thy person nor to any man upon the earth God is my vvitnesse neither dare I give flattering titles to any man for in so doing I should be