Selected quad for the lemma: master_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A56022
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A general epistle to friends every where Written in obedience to the requirings of the spirit of life from God.
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Parke, James, 1636-1696.
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1682
(1682)
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Wing P371; ESTC R218729
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29,511
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32
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account to God for any evil in this respect done by you and you ought to do in all matters belonging to your place as what you did and were concerned in were your own and you ought to perform business in your Masters absence as if present and shun all Cousining and Defrands and seek your Masters profit and be obedient unto them and subject to them in all their lawful and just Commands that the blessing of God and the good pleasure of your Masters you may obtain do not despise or slight the commands of them because they are Godly or may bear more with you allow you more just Liberty than the wicked will do for that would prove Wickedness in you and incur their displeasure which you may avoid if you be wise and rightly consider your place and station and do not strive unlawfully to get out of it And take you heed what Words you use and what Actions you do amongst your Masters Children for your evil example doubtless may do much hurt to Children who many times are more inclinable to the bad than that which is good you being frequent with them by your bad Words and Actions may give great strength unto incourage no corrupt Communication nor provoke them to Laughter foolish Jesting nor any unseemly behaviour to stir up the wrong part that you and your Masters Children ought to check and keep down in each other by the Grace of God which you all being taught by will make them good Children and you good Servants and then the blessing of the Lord will rest upon you whether Servants or made free and whether single or in a married condition wherein are the greatest Snares Troubles and Incumbrances And you that are single be not over hasty to force your selves from that state to change your conditions I speak this both to Friends Children and Servants wait the Lord 's due time and wait low in his fear in it that you may be taught of the Lord what to do and not Sin against God in changing your conditions and take heed of being unequally yoked or marrying with the World although they may be civiliz'd and have established to themselves a Righteousness which is not the Righteousness of God which if you be not aware of may beguile your Simplicity and anger the Lord God and grieve your Parents that waited for and expected better things from you so your Marriage will not be honourable nor you and them you make thus choice of be joyned together in Marriage by the Lord Therefore take heed of the World and the World's Spirit which leads from God for that will lead you to love the world and to have an Eye out to the Riches of it in your choice and the Beauty of their Daughters that have not believed nor received the Truth You Young Men will look out after and may be you see some elder than you drawn by the spirit of this world into the same Practices and you may strengthen your selves in that which God never justified you nor them in but you are both condemned for when you come to the witness of God and hearken to the witness of God in your own Consciences that never consents to any unequal yoking nor any thing else that is done contrary to God by any amongst us whether they be Young or Old Rich or Poor Married or Unmarried God doth not justifie but he condemns all bad Marriages and other things now as much nay more then in the times of Ignorance although he disallowed them ever since the beginning of this World and forewarned the Holy Seed not to mingle themselves in Marriage with the Heathen and commanded them to keep themselves Pure and to be Holy with this caution I the Lord your God am a Holy God but they not regarding the command of the Lord and taking to themselves Wives of all sorts thereat God was grieved And it repented the Lord that he had made Man when he saw the provoking of his Sons and Daughters and he said I will cut off Man and Beast from the Earth So all you Unmarried whether Young or Elder that are convinced of God's Truth and come amongst us look to the Lord in your proceedings in Marriage wait low and enquire of the Lord first whether it will stand with his honourable Truth and be an honourable Marriage that you have a mind to effect and bring to pass yea or nay and if in answer from God after patient waiting upon the Lord in it you find that it will be to the honour of the Lord and with the consent of your Parents go on and the Lord will be with you and will direct guide and bless you in your undertaking which is of very great weight but if after a deliberate waiting upon God you find not the Lord with you in your purpose and design but that his Hand is against you and your purpose then stay and give it up and be not discontented and hastily carry on the matter in your own wills nor let not your fond foolish Affections sway you so that you may become Captives to them or the Will and Lusts of the Flesh for then God's safe counsel will be hid from you and you will run on in your own Wills averse and opposite to the will of the Lord in that weighty concern whereby some dishonour the Lord defile their Bed grieve and make sad their Parents or them concerned as left in trust with them and endanger their own Ruin both as to Soul and Body So dear Friends whether Young Men or Maidens or more Aged that may be concerned in this weighty matter of Marriage consider these things do nothing against the Truth but look to the God of Truth give up your selves to be at the Lord's dispose and ordering and he by his heavenly Wisdom will preserve you out of the Spirit of this world and out of all the Wayes Works and Snares of it And you Parents of Children give no encouragement or strength to your Sons or Daughters that are owned by us or in the profession of Truth with us to Marry with the worlds People Sons or Daughters keep your selves clear of such mingling and Marriages that are out of the Truth which you cannot nor your Children expect comfort or Gods blessing in let no Earthly end whatsoever prevail with any of you to connive at or encourage such things in your Children for if so thereby will the worlds Spirit creep into you as well as it hath done your Children that so proceed and may darken God's counsel from both you and your Children and hinder Gods blessings from your Familes and let in the curse amongst you and bring his displeasure upon you and yours and that is a woful thing God Almighty lead direct and guide you all in the things that concern your everlasting Peace which you are come to know and understanding but the Wicked of the World know them not and so in the day