Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	spirit_n	true_a	2,352	5	4.6188	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76750	The Cry of blood. And Herod, Pontius Pilate, and the Jewes reconciled, and in conspiracy with the dragon, to devour the manchild. Being a declaration of the Lord arising in those people, of the city of Bristol, who are scornfully called Quakers, and of the manifold sufferings, and persecutions sustain'd by them from the priests, rulers, professors and rude multitude, contrary to law, liberty, justice, government, the righteous ends of of the wars, and the Scriptures of truth. Together with a true account of the material passages in substance between the rulers and them at their several examinations, and commitments, and at two general sessions of the publick peace: and of the tumults, and insurrections, with other necessary observations, and occurences. Gathered up, written in a roll, and delivered to John Gunning late mayor of that city (being the fruits of his year) for the private admonition, and conviction of himself, and brethren concern'd, and named therein: with a letter declaring the end, and reason of what is so done, (of which a copy followes in the ensuing pages) / Subscribed by Geo: Bishop, Thomas Goldney, Henry Roe, Edw: Pyott, Dennis Hollister. And now after five moneths space of time published, for the reasons hereafter expressed.	Bishop, George, d. 1668.	1656 (1656)	Wing B2990; Thomason E884_3; ESTC R27277	101,853	169

Chief in Authority may consider whether this be not an endeavouring of the subversion of the Fundamental Lawes and Liberties of the English Nation and a very sad and high oppression under which those honest people in that City do sigh and groan and fit to be enquired after Order of Sessions That if any such disturbance trouble or other disquietment be hereafter made done or committed in the Churches as aforesaid the Minister be also desired not to hold dispute or other publique debate there with the Party or parties so offending but to perswade the hearers to repair home quietly to their severall Families and habitations and not to hearken to or runne after them Reply Poor Priests who being not able to defend before the people what you deliver to them as Doctrine nor to make appear to the faces of those whom you falsly accuse and rail on as Antichrists Seducers c. that they are such Nor to try what shall be said to you from the Lord nor to answer the Queries sent you long since by those whom you oppose Nor to prove your selves true Ministers of Christ as you professe your selves to be Indeed it concerned you to obtain the Magistrates Sword to guard your Pulpit every way though contrary to Law that none by speaking may put you to it And that if any shall so do you may refuse to reply lest you offend the Magistrates who have desired you the contrary And for you this is an easie answer People Repair home quietly to your habitations and Families and do not run after nor hearken to these men 'T is the Magistrates desire we should so perswade you and that we hold no publique dispute or debate with them Oh ye Generation of blind Guides Are ye not ashamed to pretend your selves Ministers of Christ and yet dare not to submit your Doctrine before the people to whom you speak to be tryed by the Scriptures Are ye not ashamed to accuse charge and bely others who are absent in the place where you would be accompted to speak as the Oracles of God and yet dare not hear them make good what they assert and clear themselves to your faces before those to whom you have accused them Do ye not blush to be guarded by a materiall sword and to have recourse thereunto that none be permitted to oppose and examine what you deliver and if any shall attempt to do it be the occasion what it will he must be silenced and his person imprisoned and perhaps his brains knockt out by the rude multitude who make up what you call your Churches And to stand under such a desire of the Magistrates not to debate not to dispute Ye disingenuous and dumb Shepherds Did the Prophets and Apostles of Christ so or the holy men of God Did they not speak freely and hear and answer freely and did they not approve what they said to the testimony of every mans Conscience in the sight of God yea even to those that opposed themselves Did they not go into the Synagogues and into the Temple and to Mars Hill and to the School of Tyrannus and to the Places of meeting where they came both of Jew and Gentile testifying and reasoning of the things appertaining to the Kingdom of God the work of their Ministry Did the Athenians whom you call Heathens refuse to reason with Paul even in their Market-place daily and on Mars Hill concerning their Idoll gods which were made with hands or of Jesus whom he preached and declared to be the onely true God blessed for ever or did they tumult him or desire the Magistrates to imprison him for so doing Might they not all speak one by one in the Churches of Christ who were living stones built upon the living Foundation And when any thing was revealed to another that sate by was not the first to hold his peace and when the 1 Cor. 14. 23 24 25. unbelievers and unlearned came in did they tumult beat or imprison them or were they not convinced of all and Judged of all and so the secrets of their hearts being made manifest fell down on their faces worshipping God and reporting that God was in them of a truth Were that a Church which you say is so and were they unbelievers and unlearned that come in amongst you according as you say Is the Spirit that ruleth in you and your actions such as doth convince them so and make manifest the secrets of their hearts that falling down on their faces and worshipping God they report that God is in you of a truth Or are not your actions such as Cain's who hated and therefore slew his brother and the spirit that is in you that of the evill one even of the Prince of this world that ruleth mightily in the Children of disobedience as your fruits make manifest Did they call to the Magistrates for help in this or any thing belonging to the Kingdome of Christ which consists in spirit and in power and is to be managed and carried on by weapons onely of the same spirituall nature Nay did not the false Prophets Chief Priests Scribes and Pharisees and those who stood in their generation apply themselves to the Magistrate against them yea to the people Ye men of Israel help made they not tumults and insurrections and stirred they not up persecution against Christ and his Apostles thorough all the parts where they preached Were it not the Jewes who went from City to City and from Region to Region to stirre up the Gentiles against them who before heard them quietly and amongst the Jewes were it not those who are called the devout and honourable that raised the persecutions And who believing not and being moved with Envy took unto them leud fellowes of the baser Acts 17. 4 5 6 7. Acts 13. 50. sort gathering a Company and setting whole Cities in uproares assaulting houses and seeking to bring them out to the people Crying out to the Rulers these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also whom Jason hath received and these all do contrary to the Decrees of Caesar saying that there is another King one Jesus As it is at this day Is it not a shame to all men of Natural Learning to be thus defended none to oppose none to object against what is publiquely held forth as Doctrine upon pain of tumults and imprisonments if there be but an attempting to speak Do ye not blush to be under or desire such a protection whereby you may speak lye falsly accuse rail blaspheam yea and what you will in your Pulpits and none must question you publiquely under the penalties aforesaid Well! you are out of the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and ere long yea the day is at hand wherein your Baal must plead for himself and even those who guard him and his Prophets shall be content to have the tryall before the people which is the God that answereth by fire and shall deliver

The CRY of BLOOD AND Herod Pontius Pilate and the Jewes reconciled and in conspiracy with the Dragon to devour the Manchild BEING A Declaration of the Lord arising in those people of the City of BRISTOL who are scornfully called Quakers and of the manifold Sufferings and Persecutions sustain'd by them from the Priests Rulers Professors and rude multitude contrary to Law Liberty Justice Government the righteous ends of the Wars and the Scriptures of Truth TOGETHER With a true Account of the material Passages in substance between the Rulers and them at their several Examinations and Commitments and at two general Sessions of the Publick Peace And of the Tumults and insurrections with other necessary Observations and Occurrences Gathered up written in a Roll and delivered to John Gunning late Mayor of that City being the fruits of his Year for the private Admonition and Conviction of himself and Brethren concern'd and named therein with a Letter declaring the end and reason of what is so done of which a Copy followes in the ensuing pages Subscribed by Geo Bishop Thomas Goldney Henry Roe Edw Pyott Dennis Hollister And now after five moneths space of time Published for the Reasons hereafter expressed And they cryed with a loud voyce saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth Rev. 6. 10. And shall not God avenge his own Elect which cry day and night unto him though he bear long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily neverthelesse when the Son of man cometh shall be find faith on the earth Luke 18. 7 8. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together for before they were at Emnity among themselves Luke 23. 12. For of a truth against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together Acts 4. 27. And the Dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered to devour her child as soon as it was born and she brought forth a man child who was to rule all Nations with a rod of Iron and her child was caught up to God and to his Throne and the Dragon was wroth with the Woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ Rev. 12. 4 17. And the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison Rev. 2. 10. London Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West-End of Pauls 1656. To you John Gunning late Maior Joseph Jackson Richard Vickris Miles Jackson John Lock George Hellier Henry Gibbs William Cann George Knight and Gabriell Sherman Aldermen of the City of Bristoll WEE with the rest of the people of God in this City who are in scorn and derision called Quakers have for many moneths together patiently and in silence born and suffered manifold persecutions from your selves and the people of this Town thorough your encouragement without seeking reparation though with a very high hand and with exceeding hard measure they have been executed upon us waiting when the witnesse of God in every one of your Consciences with which we are One and which one day will witnesse us and our sufferings and the Truth for which we suffer eternally upon you except you repent would have been hearkned unto which would have opened the eye in every one of you which the God of this world hath blinded and have shewn you Jesus whom without a cause in us you persecute and have filled your faces with shame for the evill of your doings and have caused you to mourn over him whom you have pierced with a bitter lamentation even as a man that mourneth for his onely son and have raised up in you the righteous principle of God from whence true Judgement would have proceeded that so the Cruell mockings bitter revilings illegal bonds and imprisonments and other grosse abuses with which we have been by you and thorough your means exercised might have ceased and you led to repentance and the Salvation of your souls which are pretious in this great and notable day of the Lord Jesus After which we long and our Bowels earn the Lord is our witnesse even that you might come to the knowledge of the truth thorough Faith in his blood for which things sake all that we have received from yor hands would have become to us sweet and pleasant But seeing neither the forbearance and long suffering of God nor our patient and long abiding under all your wills and lusts nor the fear of man to the penalty of whose Lawes you lie very obnoxious nor naturall affection nor Common humanity which would lead you to tendernesse and mercy and Justice and to do to others as you would be done unto your selves nor the Consideration of what hath been our carriage especially of some of us to you notwithstanding that we have received alwaies the worst of usages at your hands above what you could think of expect or hope for have not prevailed with you but instead thereof you are become more hard rewarding Evil for Good and Cruelty for Kindnesse declaring your sin as Sodom the shew of your Countenance witnessing it against you and having breathed forth new and fresh persecutions against the witnesses of Jesus in which † Temperance Hignell One of them hath lately suffered to the losse of her life When as wickednesse rageth in the streets And who is there found amongst you that doth it punish We have gathered up much of what the Truth and we and our friends for witnessing thereof have suffered by you into one body and have demonstrated how contrary your actions therein have been to Law and Scripture the Rules by which you pretend to order all your affairs and to Liberty and to Justice And although you can expect no such thing at our hands yet that it may appear that another spirit ruleth in us than the spirit of this world and how desirous we are that you should know and be convinced of the evill of your way and turn unto the Lord We do herewit hin the Close of the year before we publish it present it to you even to that of God which is pure and just in every one of your Consciences to which we speak that as in a glasse with the light of Jesus Christ by whom the world was made wherewith he lightens every one that cometh into the world which convinceth you of sin you abiding still and cool therein may come to see what you have done and the spirit and principle from which it hath proceeded to wit of Darknesse and of the Prince of this world who throughout all Ages as now by you hath raised persecution against the Principle of Light the Seed of God as the Scriptures testifie and that by him you may be delivered out of the snares of the Devil by

whom you are led Captive to do his will And this is that which we wish and long for even your salvation For you must die and if the tree fall towards the South or towards the North in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be and sad will be your portion if it falleth in opposition to Jesus the Judge of all whom we bear witnesse you now persecute Nor Rocks nor mountains will in that day cover you from the wrath of the Lamb And therefore have we laid things plainly and clearly before you But if ye shall still harden your hearts and go on in the perversenesse and stubbornnesse of your spirits in opposition to the truth We call Heaven and Earth yea the Righteous God and Judge of all this day to record against you that we are Clear of your blood and your destruction will be upon your own heads Remember that ye are thus warned in your life-time Witnessed by those who are true Lovers of your Soul 's eternal good though reproachfully called by you and the world Quakers and persecuted as such Geo Bishop Thomas Goldney Henry Roe Edw Pyott Dennis Hollister Bristoll the 12th day of the 9th month 1655. For John Goning late Mayor Joseph Jackson Richard Vickris Miles Jackson John Lock Geo Hillier Henry Gibbs William Cann Geo Knight and Gabriel Sherman Aldermen of the City of Bristoll The foregoing Letter with the following Epistle and Declaration was delivered to John Goning aforesaid the 18th day of the tenth moneth 1655 since which a patient and silent waiting there hath been to see whether upon this gathering up of the wickednesse which from them hath gone forth into the earth and returning it convicted and judged by the light of Jesus Christ and the Lawes of this Nation to that of God in every one of their Consciences shame would cover their faces and they turn unto the Lord But seeing they still resist the witnesse of God and of late have again and do still continue to run on greedily in the way of Cain persecuting and imprisoning the just who witnesse the Sacrifice that is respected of the Lord which testifies against that unto which he hath no respect for their so testifying in obedience to the movings of the Lord neither regarding Justice or Mercy the Law of God or the Nation contrary unto which are their actions as may appear when what they have done therein shall be brought forth and made publick nor having respect to the widow or the fatherlesse whom they afflict and oppresse though the Lord hath said Thou shalt not afflict any Widow or fatherlesse child if thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me I will surely hear their cry and my wrath shall wax hot and I will kill you with the sword and your wifes shall be widowes and your children fatherlesse Exod. 22. 22 23 24. Nor their own souls but despising the riches of the goodnesse of God and his forbearance and long suffering not knowing the goodnesse of God leading them to repentance are after the hardnesse and impenitency of their hearts still treasuring up unto themselves wrath unto the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgment of God which shall destroy the adversaries who will render to every man according to his deeds That we may stand clear of their blood and leave nothing unattempted to which we are directed of the Lord that may be for the stopping of them in their way and recovering them from the evil thereof that so repenting and being converted their sins may be blotted out and their souls saved in this day of refreshing which is come from the presence of the Lord which is the longing of our souls even that not one of them should dye but rather that he should turn from his iniquity and live Therefore as we have for above a years time patiently endured what their wills have exercised without resisting without seeking any reparation Though after such a manner have been the sufferings as in the following declaration of them is rehearsed waiting when the witnesse of God in every one of them would have been by them minded and they wearied in their manifold persecutions of the innocent And as when we saw after so long forbearance that they neither considered what they had done nor laid it to heart nor said it is Enough We drew up together and set in order before them much of what they had done and shewed how contrary it was to the Law of God and Man and to Justice and Humanity to the end that seeing their nakednesse therewith as in a glasse by the light of Jesus Christ shame might cover them And as we have since waited for the space of five moneths to see whether their iniquities being so laid before them and so testified to their faces they would blush or be ashamed that so their transgressions might be hid and their sins covered and what they have done against the truth be no more remembred by the Lord or be rehearsed before man which was and is the desire of our Souls the Lord is our record and the end both of our forbearance and spreading of what they have done before them So now through a deceived heart which hath led them aside and a rebellious mind which still carries them on against the truth those ends being hitherto frustrated and instead of them a Violent persecution having been and being still prosecuted wherein they have imprisoned divers for the testimony of Jesus whereby that which we drew up together and privately delivered to them and intended for the raising up of shame as a garment to cover their nakednesse being by them thrown aside and that which should be their shame coming to be gloried in which is all we have hitherto heard from them in relation thereunto We have brought forth to publick View at once what hath been done by them at severall times not in secret but before the Sun And thus openly do we reprove those who have thus sinned openly and rejected private admonition if so be shame may yet overtake them and they smite upon their thigh and say What have we done And of their blood are we clear in the presence of the great and terrible God of Heaven and Earth whose witnesse what we have done shall stand for him against them in the day when he shall come to judgment which on them hastens apace And to that of God in every mans Conscience shall we be made manifest that we have not dealt with Them as they have dealt with Us or as men use to deal with an enemy but with another spirit rewarding Them good whereas they have rewarded Us evill To the Reader Reader THou wilt perhaps marvail That in these dayes wherein Religion seems to have ascended the Throne and Justice and Righteousnesse to have sate down on her right hand and on her left as the glorious issue of many bloody wars Wherein Liberty of

breach of any one Law either of God or the Nation was proved against him yet they sent him back to Newgate Prison where they keep him from his employment which should maintain his family Then William Foord was called being out of Prison William Foord his Triall upon sureties to whom the Town-Clark spake concerning his being bound to the good behaviour which he denyed Wherefore are you here then said the Town-Clark He answered he Came there to Cleere those of their bonds who had bound themselves unknown unto him for his appearance upon which they searched their Papers and were silent Afterwards the Town-Clark asked him for what he was examined at the Tolsey and imprisoned He asked whether they had it not upon R●cord then they called for Richard Goodwin supposing he had been the man that prosecuted against him But that not serving their turn they seeing Thomas Hayter they asked him He told them it was for keeping a stranger at work Then the Town-Clark asked William Foord where the Stranger was He answered He knew not when saw you him said the Town Clark He replyed he had not seene him a great while the Town-Clark asked Thomas Hayter whether he knew where he was He answered he knew not but thought he was out of Town Then the Town-Clark asked him whether he was sorry for what he had done He answered he had committed no evill therefore he had no cause of sorrow nor had he broken any Law which being urged again and again and he still refusing they Commanded the Keeper of Newgate to to take him away And lastly Christopher Birkhead was brought before them from Bridewell where he had been a Prisoner five weeks and three dayes for standing silent in the Steeple-house till the Priest required him to speak as aforesaid To whom he said I stand in obedience to the Righteous Law of God in my Conscience I have neither offended the Law of God nor the Nation whereupon Alderman Joseph Jackson stood up in fury and asked him whether he would contemne the Court He answered He contemned not those who judged Righteously Then Robert Aldworth asked him whether he was sorry for disturbing the Congregation at Nicholas He answered He disturbed no man where was his accusers Robert Aldworth replyed that must come after Joseph Jackson said take him away untill he find sureties for his good behaviour So they put him from the barre But Christopher stood up again and said first prove me to be of evill behaviour but he heard them make no answer and so he was put by without any examination of the cause of his imprisonment or what he had done Neither was an accuser brought against him though he had been so long in prison as they were swearing the Jury he was moved of the Lord to speak to them and said All these that swear are out of the Doctrine of Christ to which they hearkened not but returned Christopher with the other five aforementioned to Newgate Prison with the transgressors amongst whom they were caused to stand● and were numbred though four of them have families which depended upon their liberty for maintenance as is well known to these Rulers who care not how they oppresse a man and his house and take the Parents from their Children and husbands from their Wives and Wives from their Husbands and Masters from their families not fearing the Lord who hath said Against such he hath devised an evill out of which they shall not remove their necks nor goe haughtily for the time is evill and that he will come neere to Judgement and be a swift witness against such And with them they also returned to prison and continue there Richard Jones who hath always Richard Jones been faithfull to the Parliament and in their service hath often stoutly adventured his life lost his estate and severall times been a Prisoner twice in this City whom they committed the 28. day of the 6. month and kept in durance from his family which depended upon him for maintenance for some evill words which he had spoken above a year since Concerning George Hellier then Major in the time of his Ignorance and Heathenish nature wherein as he Confessed and spake in the Court he ran with the world into the same excesse of riot into evill words wicked wayes and customes of the world which after his Conversion and becoming obedient to the truth were remembred against him though spoken by him so long before and he punished as aforesaid beyond the directions of any known Law in that particular Now all evill speaking is denyed by the Children of the light and by him also as he said to the Court in these words since the day hath appeared of my Convincement and Coversion the grace of God that hath appeared to all men teaching the Saints to deny all ungodlyness and worldly lusts the same grace hath appeared unto me and doth teach me to deny all ungodliness worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously in this present evill wo●ld But as to all the tumults riots insurrections violences outrages beatings injuries and abuses aforementioned raised acted and committed upon the Innocent servants of the Lord the witnesses of Jesus no enquiry and proceedings according to Law were had either at this Sessions or at the Gaol delivery or at the Sessions 19. day of the Eleventh month 16 4. nor at any other time except as before expressed Nor any one offender therein questioned and proceeded with according to Law to this day though of so unheard of and unsufferable a nature and so contrary to Law Justice Order Government Humility and the Scriptures of Truth On the fift day of the ninth month five of the Prisoners aforesaid viz. John Smith Richard Jones Christopher Birkhead who had been there sick about a fortnight Margaret Thomas and William Foord who also had been sick were turned out of Prison upon two becoming baile unknown to them or any of their friends for their appearance onely at the next Generall Sessions of which they having information after they had notice from the Keepers servants that they might go forth protested against their being freed on that accompt and also for clearing their Consciences and that the truth might not suffer wrote to one of them advising him to take up their Bond least they should bring themselves into trouble and to let them stand to their own Master who would deliver them for that in the will of God they stood and not in their own or in their own time and did not know whether the Lord might carry them to bear witness to his name before the time came and moreover that they did not accept of deliverance at all by any such means who were innocent did suffer for the truth of God according to their measures Notwithstanding they put them forth And Temperance Hignell who was knockt down to the ground to the astonishment of her sences and afterwards sorely beat and bruised and