Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	earth_n	hand_n	lord_n	2,385	5	3.7503	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52677	An account from the children of light (to them that askes) in several particulars why we have been kept from joyning to, or worshipping in those formes at law, and formes of worships, that have been imposed upon us against our consciences, in these late years, for denying whereof, we have so deeply suffered, with our lives, liberties, and estates. : Also what we owne as to those things, and can be obedient to for conscience sake, according to truth, and the practise of the church of Christ, and the Scriptures.	Naylor, James, 1617?-1660.; Hubberthorn, Richard, 1628-1662.	1660 (1660)	Wing N256; ESTC R27517	31,099	57

Commands That so under you we might be godly and quietly governed within and without But if yet it must be so that your distance be so great that with one heart we cannot obey you both then whether it is better to obey God or men with the light of God in your own consciences judge you therefore if we can but keepe peace with the one of you we chuse to keepe our everlasting peace with God and that saving saith that 's held in a pure Conscience And our prayers to the father of lights is for our whole body of Christs Church and every member thereof that our hearts may be kept single to him alone what ever we suffer from men for so doing Now to those things which some call religious THough in our selves we make no such distinction it being that our Consciences are to be exercised in the light and Spirit of Christ in all we doe towards God and towards man and every particular action towards men God requires that it be done as to him and to his glory and not in our own wills nor in mens wills nor after their wills manners and customes and commands but in the will of God alone revealed in Christ Jesus in Spirit and in his motion and leadings which if we misse in and serve eyther men or our selves therein and not God we are accountable to him as though we had erred in that which the world calls Religion therefore what ever we do to God in Christ to us is his service and pure religion and undefiled before God if we keepe but our conscience unspotted from the world though it be but in visiting a fatherless childe or a widdow in their affliction or any other thing which the Spirit of truth justice and mercy leads us to and requires of us But as the worship of God it selfe hath relation to him alone who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth betwixt him and every particular creature onely known in matter measure and manner time and place And knowing that the onely wise God who gives the kingdoms of the earth to whom he will yea and may set over them the basest of men as well as the most vertuous without controule if he please so to deale in judgement towards any Nation yet this hath he reserved as an eternall Scepter in the hand of Jesus our Lord and by an everlasting Covenant hath he sworne once for all concerning him Thou art a King for ever over the holy people and his throne is established in their consciences by a perpetuall decree to all generations therefore was it never known that ever he trusted or titled any earthly Prince with Lord over the faith and consciences of his owne people This was ever the S●ns prerogative above the Kings of the earth and he alone is to be Judge and Law-giver and correcter and leader in that invisible spirituall work of worship towards God for he onely knowes the way and none comes to the Father but by him It s true the Pope hath taken upon himselfe such authority under pretence of the Apostles even over the faith and consciences of people and with it hath shed much innocent bloud which lyes upon his seat and his line till God come to enquire for it and for that end hath set up inquisitions c. And others after and from that have erected Courts and Synods with their fines and prisons and tortures to force the faith and Consciences of people and they pretend the Apostles also for this worke But this we know that the Apostles was no such men nor used any such weapons but deny them therein both the Pope and they that are risen since And expressely deny to be Lords over Gods heritage or over their faith neither did they preach themselves Lords and Masters but Christ Jesus alone the Lord and themselves servants for Iesus sake as both their owne words practise doth testifie for saith Paul Not for that we have dominion over your faith And saith Peter Not for filthy lucre neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but as examples to the flock So we know that from Peter they had it not nor from Paul nor from any of the true Ministers of Christ for their weapons was not carnall but spirituall nor did they wrestle with flesh but with spirit so all they can get from the Apostles either in word or practise is this That if they be troubled with errors or profanenesse in their Churches Then if they have the Spirit and power of the Lord Iesus then to deliver such a one up to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the soule may be saved and body also in the day of the Lord And this is not to goales or gallowes or inquisitions or tortures or fires now had they this spirit and power they would know that which would convert in deed and truth and not make hypocrites or else kill them but the false Church having not these weapons nor this spirit and power is builded with oppression and upholden with bloud And in her are found the bloud of all the holy Martyrs of Jesus as saith the Scriptures yea even now is she drunke with bloud Revel. 18.24 17.6 So now this is the thing we say as to the worship of our God and to the order of it In all things it belongs to Christ Iesus our Lord and to him as sole King Lord thereof we cōmit our selves even the whole man soule and body as to all things of that nature And though there may ari●e power after power and seeke t● stop us of this liberty and freedome by acting force and violence upon our outward man yet are we free by birth in Christ Iesus and our inw●rd man they cannot bind nor can we ever while we abide in that see●e give up the right of Christ unto any of them but this we testifie in all we doe or suffer that the right is Christs over our Consciences and over our worships and to him alone we confesse before men and he hath the name in us And though for a time or times we yet suffer yet we know the end must come And the Lambe must take the kingdome and we know him that is true and faithfull whom the Father hath sealed and anoynted to be head of the ●hurch which is his body and to him must the Nations account And therefore we say to all the severall powers that comes upon us we may not deny the Lord in our Consciences to bow to or worship in what men shall set up or command but he that saves us dayly from our sins he shall leade us in our worship and to him we must give the obedience of faith who gives us faith and power by his Spirit to obey and who hath wrought all our workes in us and for us and by whose vertue

AN ACCOUNT From the Children of light to them that askes in several particulars why we have been kept from joyning to or worshipping in those formes at Law and formes of worships that have been imposed upon us against our consciences in these late years for denying whereof we have so deeply suffered with our lives Liberties and Estates Also what we owne as to those things and can be obedient to for Conscience sake according to truth and the practise of the Church of Christ and the Scriptures For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience That in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth neare Aldersgate 1660. For as much as many have desired to know the ground in particulars of our differences in faith and worship towards God And in some things as to the outward formes at Law which men have sought to impose upon us in these late yeares and also what we would desire therein therefore is this written following towards the satisfying of every honest desire who loves the kingdome of Christ THere is no kingdome nor people can truely be said to be the Lords and his Christs but as they come to be guided and governed by the Law of his Spirit in their Consciences which Spirit and anoynting all must wait for even from the King that sits on high to the least place of government in any people That with it all may know Judgement and to doe Justice which is of God and not of men That he may be known to be the anoynting of Kings and to Judge among the Judges whose right it is of old and God hath given it to him by an everlasting generation even after the power and order of an endlesse life That in him and in his seed may nations and kingdoms be blessed with peace even through and in his Righteous government for God the Father accepts neither persons lawes nor governments how prudently soever they be made if they be not in him and from him and for him because for him was made all soules that move not onely in earth but in heaven also All signes and seasons types and shadows worship and sabbath was made for him the son of man And no flesh breathing nor Spirits neither men or Angels hath any true power or right but as they receive it in him and so use it to him and for him over any of these things visible or invisible to rule force or order no not over his own body but by usurpation and for the time that he or they shall hold that power and not in him as aforesaid they shall be under the curse of God not established in peace and righteousnesse but in tyranny and oppression with force or with flattery must such rule in their day untill their measure of time and sin be fulfilled In which the vengeance of the Almighty shall remove them far away onely their names shall remain as a curse to those that come after Thus God will plead the Cause of his own seed and overturne and shake nations and kingdoms untill the earth know that the heavens must Reigne and the stout of heart confess that the head of every man is Christ And that God hath made this same Jesus which men hath rejected both Lord Christ which in his time he shall shew to be the onely Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords who onely hath immortality dwelling in the light where he sits at the right hand of power till God shall make all his foes his footstoole Now this is that we wait for in every appearance and face of authoritie that comes up to wit the face of Jesus our righteous King and Saviour in whom is no violence nor oppression who when he comes to rule we know will be tender of the tender in Conscience and meeke towards the poore in Spirit and with righteousnesse will he judge and rule on the earth to deliver the helplesse from him that is too hard for him who will drive wickednesse from his throne and the workers thereof into a Corner but will gently deale towards all that travails with righteousnesse and put the Lambs of truth in his bosome for he loves righteousnesse and hates iniquity therefore hath God called him his anoynted and will give him the heathen for his possession and a Priest to God he is to all generations in his dayes shall the upright rejoyce for he shall walke safely in his uprightnesse no nett shall then be spread on the mountaines neither shall he that turnes from iniquitie be made a prey for under him shall every one serve his God without feare in holinesse of life and godlinesse of conversation Now this is he we wait for even the beloved of our soules and we know his birth is come to the nations and his morning towards the people yea to the wise in heart who are yet afar off hath his starre appeared And we know his breaking forth to these Ilands as the bright Sun after the stormy raine even so shall he be after the shakeings he shall be a Covert from the tempest as rivers of waters in a dry place and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land even so shall he be who shall raigne in righteousnesse and by whom Princes shall rule in Judgement This is the Royall seed and he that is of him is the son of Nobles his Princes eate in due season for strength and not for drunkennesse thus shall the Land be blessed who is found worthy to receive the anoynted of God to rule in its borders And this is he whom we have preached to all the severall governments that hath risen ever since God revealed him in us and the glory and peace of his kingdome and we have patiently waited and in great sufferings hath our soules travelled to see if by any meanes we might see any worthy to receive his anoynting and to be borne of his Spirit to governe by his power and with his Counsell to order and be ordered that through him they might be established of God and we have looked through the vail of flesh in all sorts of people and could not bow thereto and by many contrary Spirits have we been evill entreated because we could not owne ●hem for him whose kingdome we seeke in rulers teachers and people And thus have we gone seeking the righteous one through Parliaments and Protectors so called Priests and Rulers of all sorts but his government we have not found nor with his righteous Judgements have we been judged among them but we have been shamefully entreated for his sake and have borne his reproach because of his Spirit in us and his kingdome in our Consciences And many times have been tryed to the losse of

estates and lives to see if they could provoke or drive us from his faith in our Consciences or tempt us any way to deny him and owne them in their wills And though we have dayly suffered thus under every severall power and people yet have we not ceased to warne them in love with much feare and plainnesse that if by any meanes they might have received his testimony and not have perished in their gain saying for our God in whom we trusted shewed it to us that they should not prosper nor be established without him his Spirit and anoynting to whom he hath given the government of all people that shall be blessed by him yea all the nations of them that are saved must walke in his light and receive his counsel for their stability and his resurrection for their glory and his anoynting for the strength of their kingdomes And this is the Cause why we have chused rather to suffer under every power that yet hath risen then to joyne in with them because we have not heard the voyce of the holy one in the midst of them neither hath his Spirit in them been the strength of their Counsells but they have sought to make flesh their arme and to strengthen their kingdome with flattery and deceit and not with truth and they have sought to make themselves dreadfull by violence and to rule with cruelty and not with the sword of God which is Judgement and Justice and have sought honour from men and not from the Lord and their Covering hath been vaine glory and not the Spirit of God So with the light of Christ we saw their foundation and their building and that they could not stand long in Gods sight and that all that joyned to them must fall with them and that the woes that are written of such must certainly overtake them And this is the Cause and no other thing why we have hitherto borne our testimony against them all even because they would not joyne to the Lord nor heare his voyce in their day but the more he called after them by the mouth of his servants the more they were ●ardned and the more provoked him to their own confusion so it hath not been prejudice to any mans person that hath kept us at a distance from them or their commands for we can truely say we have waited without prejudice if by any meanes we could but have seene any of them seeking the kingdome of God that therein they might have been established yea we have the witnesse of truth in us to this day how glad our soules have been before the Lord when we have but felt the least tendernesse in any of them arising ●rom the Spirit of Jesus or the least confession from his light in them And sometimes we have felt some tendernesse in some of them when they have been low little and in feare in which we have had some hope and gladnesse to heare the voyce of simplicity and truth though but brokenly so that we could then have said they was not f●r from the kingdome of God But turning away the eare from the Spirit of truth in them and consulting with fleshly wisdome and carnall reason likely to make wise and to accomplish their selfe ends how soone hath truth sallen in them and blindnesse and hardnesse of heart come over them againe worse then before which being shewed us of God we could not but deny them also to be of God Thus in generall an account is given to you that askes a reason why we have not yet owned any power that yet hath risen so as to joyne to them in all things Now to you who desire to know in what particulars we have differed from these governments that yet hath risen since we was a people we might say our lives practises and sufferings hath openly declared it through the most parts of these nations and in most and greatest of our differences Yet for the better satisfying of some that knows not so much as others and to take away all occasion of offence from all that would not oppose the way of truth if they knew it and to leave without excuse the wilfully ignorant and persecuters of the good old way of Christ I shall instance in some things and also shew our warrant for so doing both by Scripture and the practise of the holy men of God in their generation It being that so many are yet ignorant and unbeleeving concerning the present leadings of the Spirit of truth in them which is chiefe leader and corner stone in us by which we walke towards God and towards men in all these things And as to that first Though God hath laid it upon us as matter of Conscience to be subject to what outward government or governers soever he shall set up over us in outward things and also that with all willingnesse of mind a ready subjection be rendered at every just command not for fear onely but even for Conscience sake and that in all things we should seek the safety and honour and well-being of such governers to the utmost of our power even as we looke to account to God for it of whom the powers that be are ordained yet hath he begotten us unto himselfe alone and to the leadings of his own Spirit in all things concerning faith and worship as to matter manner time and place This is to be done and performed singly as to him in the leadings of Jesus and in the power of his Spirit alone else will he have no regard thereto And for this purpose hath he given the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to be our light and understanding and leader in all these things to which leadings and movings the father requires obedience in all things upon eternall condemnation in matters pertaining to our consciences That must be the throne of Christ alone and there will he sway the Scepter of eternall life and answer his people in all things and be their Saviour guide and lawgiver in all things that are just and holy So that is at any time their teachers have left the way of life and would l●ad people after them yet hath he through faith and a tender Conscience preserved a seed out of error to himselfe in such a day by which he hath reproved and made manifest the folly of such t●achers And to this the Scriptures doe fully testifie as in the dayes of the Prophets when they erred in vision and had not the word in them and so caused the people to erre through their lyes and through their lightnesse then had he men of enlightned Consciences to send to reprove their brutishnesse though otherwise they themselves was neither Prophets nor sons of Prophets but may be a heardman or a gatherer of siccomore fruite a plowman or a shepheard or some such which Englands pride would call mecannick fellows yet in these was the seed preserved else the