Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	heart_n	spirit_n	worship_v	4,411	5	8.9748	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65231	The great obiection concerning the Quakers meetings fully answered Wherein, in several particulars, it is proved, that although the said people do meet together, yet they are not transgressors of the law, according to right reason, which is the ground and foundation thereof; and therefore according to equity and good conscience, ought not to suffer for so doing, neither ought their meetings to be supprest. By a lover of all righteous laws, and just government, and one unto whom such laws are not a terror, R.W.	Wastfield, Robert, fl. 1647-1665.	1662 (1662)	Wing W1034; ESTC R219415	4,743	10

such effects have at any time been produced by reason of such our Meetings Therefore we judge That according to Reason and good Conscience we ought to enjoy our Meetings and not have them supprest nor we made to suffer in our Persons or Estates for so doing XII Again the Reason of the Law which is the very life and being thereof supposeth That the people called Quakers do onely pretend to Religious Worship in their said Meetings but that the intent of their Meetings is the disturbance of the publike peace c. which if so it is acknowledged it were very just and reasonable yea absolutely necessary to suppress them because the suppressing of them would tend to the preservation of the publike peace and safety XIII Therefore it appears by the Reason of the Law That it was not the intent of them that made the Law to suppress Meetings that are indeed for Religious Worship but such who onely pretend thereunto and under such pretences design something to the endangering of the publike peace So that Meetings which are indeed and in truth kept for Religious Worship towards God free from all such evil designs and false pretences are not according to the Reason of the Law to be supprest nor the persons so meeting to be punished XIV Then if the people called Quakers do really and intentionally meet in a way of Religious Worship towards God according to the perswasion of their Consciences free and clear from all such false pretences and evil designs and that their Meetings do produce no such bad effects as the Reason of the Law provides against then the Reason of the Law being the root and foundation yea the life and being thereof is not against them neither is the Magistrate obliged by his oath to execute it upon them XV. But we the people called Quakers are clear in our consciences in the sight of the Lord that our Meetings together is not under a pretence of Religious Worship to disturb the publike peace or to endanger the same nor to hurt or injure any person whatsoever either in life limb liberty or estate nor to affright or terrifie them but in the fear of the Lord in reallity and intention of our hearts to worship him in the spirit and in the truth according to the perswasion of his holy spirit in our hearts and consciences whereby we are drawn in desires after him that we might come to the knowledge of him whom to know is life eternal and might enjoy his presence in our souls which is more to us than all the glory of the World and might know his leadings and follow him who is the Captain of our salvation and Prince of Peace who leads his people out of darkness and out of all unrighteousness and puts an end to all strife and takes away the occasion of Wars by slaying the lust in the heart from whence Wars cometh Who teacheth us to love enemies and to endeavour the good of all people and to seek to save mens lives and not destroy them And this is the very end of our meeting together to wait upon the Lord to seel the operation of his holy Spirit in our hearts thus to order our conversation that we might do that which is well pleasing in his sight and have the testimony in our hearts that we are accepted of him that we might live to his praise and glory who is over all God blessed for ever XVI And if Magistrates are thus perswaded and can thus believe concerning the ground and end of our Meetings We hope they wil not then judge themselves bound or obliged by their Oaths to execute the Law upon us because its contrary to the Reason thereof and we believe many at this day are thus perswaded concerning us and we are consident that for these divers years past since we have been of this per●●●sion and distinguished from other people by the Name of ●uakers and meet together after this manner though there hath happened many and great revolutions in the world and especially in this land wherein we live yet it cannot be proved that we have intermedled with those things neither hath any such things been acted or designed by us as is suggested and as the reason of the Law provides against although our provocations thereunto hath been very great and the opportunities of advantage to free our selves from our great and innocent sufferings very many XVII Again it is to be considered that by the Law many times in one and the same action the intent and purpose of the mind very much alters the case and makes it more or less hainous and the Reason of the Law doth proportion punishments suitable thereunto yea in the same cases the very purpose of the mind in one and the same action makes it to be a transgression in a high nature or no transgression at all As for instance The killing of any person although the action may be one and the same yet it is found either wilful Murder or Man-slaughter according to the purpose of his mind that committed the Fact and the Reason of the Law makes a difference in the punishment So also in the breaking open of a House if it be with a Felonious intent to steal any thing out of the House it is Burglary which is death without benefit of the Clergy But if a person break into a House or break down a House to stop or prevent fire in a Town or City it is no transgression by the law And here onely the intent of the mind alters the case although the action be one and th● same XVIII So although the People called Quakers are found in action of meeting together yet forasmuch as the intent of their minds is not to do those things which the Reason of the Law provides against which is exprest in the Preamble thereof neither can those things be proved against them nor such effects ever produced by them therefore the reason of the law doth not condemn them for meeting together neither according to Equity and good Conscience ought they to suffer for so doing The consideration of these things though many more weighty Reasons might be given to plead our justification and vindication in this m●●ter may serve to convince any that are entrusted with the Executio● that Law that they are no more obliged by their Oaths then they required by the Act it self to put it in execution upon us and tha● Objection commonly made against us is fully answered Southampton the 18th of the 8th Month 1662. Robert Wastfield