For all in authority upon the earth, and in special, those now in England, to read and ponder [by] T. Taylor. Taylor, Thomas, 1618-1682. 1663 Approx. 11 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A95602 Wing T574 ESTC R43777 42475229 ocm 42475229 151388 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A95602) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 151388) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2257:12) For all in authority upon the earth, and in special, those now in England, to read and ponder [by] T. Taylor. Taylor, Thomas, 1618-1682. 1 sheet ([1] p.). Printed for Robert Wilson, London : 1663. Reproduction of original in: British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Society of Friends -- Doctrines. Authority -- Religious aspects -- Christianity -- Quaker authors. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-06 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2007-06 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion For all in Authority upon the Earth , and in Special , those now in ENGLAND , to Read and Ponder . AGes , Times , Generations have passed over the world since the first Publication of the Gospel of Truth by the Holy Apostles of Jesus Christ ; and in these times the destroying Anti-christ foretold by the Spirit ( 2 Thes . 2. and throughout the Revelations ) to come , hath had his Raign . And in this Dark and Miserable Time , the Glory of the Gospel , and the true knowledge of the Everliving God and Saviour , hath been lost from amongst men , and consequently the Spirit of Love , Meekness , Long-Suffering , Equity and Amity : Whereby it hath come to pass , that instead of a sweet smell , all Worships and Offerings have been of an evil Savour in the Nostrills of a pure God ; and instead of a Blessing , the Wrath and Indignation of the Almightie hath come upon men , by reason of the dishonour done unto his Name , in the same Cloudy , Dismal , and Dark Day . But now is the Lord God , the true and faithful holy One ( according to the words also spoken , and written by the said Servants of God from the beginning ) arisen and made manifest by the Spirit of his Mouth to Consume , and by the Brightness of his Coming , to destroy the same destroying Anti-christ , that Misterie of Iniquitie out of the Earth , 2 Thes . 2. 8. That the Creation of God may be cleansed from its Corruption , and restored into its Primitive Libertie and Freedom to Worship God in Puritie , Spirit and Truth , as in the beginning ; that so the offerings of all people may be holy to the Lord , and the Unity of the Spirit be kept in the Bond of Truth and Peace , by all that call upon his Name . And though the Seed of God hath been as a Captive and Stranger in a strange Land , bowed under by reason of the said Enemie : Yet now is the Lord arisen in his glorious Majesty , to bring his Seed back again from the Land of its Captivity , into the promised Land , the Land of Righteousness and Holiness , the true Land of Israel , and the glory of all Lands , in which is the Beautiful and well-Fenced City , the Holy and New Jerusalem ( with her holy Worshippers therein ) seen , and into which no unclean thing can enter . So Awake , and Arise all people into the holy Understanding , to know what God is doing this day in earth , that your Souls may live , and not die : For the Darkness is passing away , and the true Light now again shineth forth , even the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world . Yea , be wise now therefore O ye Kings , and be Learned , and truly understanding all ye that Rule , Judge , and give Lawes in the Earth , and know what the Lord God requireth of you . Take not Counsel one at another , leaning to your own Understanding , to do your own wills , but all take Counsel at his good Spirit , studying how to do his Will , for they onely that do Gods Will , endure for ever . Many people and strong Nations have been seen to have had great power for a time , and flourishing for a little moment , but they could not alwaies endure , because they took not Counsel at God , neither were doers of his Will , but their own . So , be wise now therefore , all ye that are up in Power and Authority in the Earth this day , and be Warned , and with the Wisdom which is from above be Armed , and let the fear of God , which is the beginning thereof , enter into your hearts , and take place there , and dwell there for ever ; for that only is able to direct you into the way of the good Understanding in all things ; for a good understanding have all they that do thereafter : Strive not to set up your selves in the Earth ; seek not your own revenges , but seek how you may be serviceable to God , his dear Children , yea , and to all that walk Innocentlie towards one another in the Earth : Seek not the honour which comes from men of this world , but seek that Honour which comes from God onely ; and such as Honour him by doing his Will , them will God honour and none else . So , consider well , for what end Power and Authoritie is in your hands ; Is it not to try you ? and is it not for the punishment of them that do Evil ? to wit , such as walk contrary to the manifest Truth , the Light of God , his Righteous Law in all Consciences , and for the praise of them that do well ; to wit , such as walk according to that Righteous Law of God , the manifest Truth , the Light in all Consciences , which saith , As ye would that men should do unto you , even so do ye unto them ; And teacheth all that obey it , to do accordingly , and so to fulfil the Royal Law of Love , which saith , Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self . And these being doers of the Law of the Just God , may of Right , expect the benefit and good of your Lawes ; for , for this cause do we pay Tribute , even that we may live peaceably , in all Honesty and Godliness under the Powers that are . You are not to hearken to men of corrupt minds , who are in the strife about Words , and wranglings about Opinions , who serve not Christ the Prince of Peace , but their own Bellies , affecting worldly Titles of Honour , and would put you on to lay your Law upon all , and Persecute all that will not bow to their Image , and feed their insatiable avarice : For these are they that have stirred up Nations and People one against another , ever since the woful and miserable Apostacy before mentioned ; to the imbruing of whole Countries in Blood , under a pretence of Religion , ( for their own evil ends ) even to the destruction of all pure Religion , Amity , and Concord from amongst men . But now is the Lord discovering the skirts of that great Whore , that neither Kings , Princes , nor Rulers , may love her any more , nor ever help her to carry on or accomplish her evil designs in the earth ; but that all people may know God alone to be their Teacher , as in the beginning when the morning Stars Sung for Joy , and all the Sons of God rejoyced together as Members of one Body , not envying or hurting one another , nor serving themselves one of another ; but all serving one another in love , and so fulfilling the Royal and everlasting Law of Christ , to the Glory of God , and Father over all , blessed for ever . And in particular , let not the good Cause of Libertie for Tender Consciences ( declared for by the King ) now fall in England ; but let the Parliament , & all in Authority under Him , study & strive how to assist Him in it , and to Promote so good a Cause ; for is it not fitting , O all people , that men of truly tender and pure Conscience , and peaceably Principled and Living , should have Liberty to exercise their pure Consciences in goodness towards God and men ; and that the Law should be laid onely upon the Lawless , who are not tender , but manifestly depraved in Conscience , and hard , and careless of heart what they do , both respecting God and man ? For , for the restraint and punishment of such , was God's Righteous Law given , and not at all against the Righteous man. And let not the Bishops say , That Libertie to tender Consciences , will be any disparagement to Religion , or disadvantage to the Nation ; but let them judge according as the Truth is , that Libertie to tender Consciences , is the onely thing , that will be good for all things : And as the King hath rightly declared an onely Way to stop the mouths ( if not overcome the hearts ) of all that ( either onely seem , or indeed do ) hate Him : For such love will break the hearts of many . And what can stand before it ? And O that the Powers now in England , might be an example this day , in so good a work to all the Earth , that Pope , Turk , and all others might be provoked thereby to do the like ; that so the dear Seed of God , that groans in many Lands under the sore Oppression of forcing of Conscience , might be set at liberty , to run the waies of Holiness and Righteousness to the ends of time ( to the glory of God ) without fear . And seeing that Protestant Religion engageth you to take Scripture for your Rule , doth it not say , Rom. 14. That in matters of Gods Worship , every man ought to be fully perswaded in his own mind of the goodness of what he doth , because whatsoever is not of Faith , is sin ? But now , if Liberty for the Tender and good Conscience be not granted , but a compulsory power be exercised towards all , for bringing them into the forme of some mens apprehensions , then the possibility of every mans being fully perswaded by Gods Spirit , in his own mind in what he doth , is taken away , and the Antient Liberty that was amongst the first Christians , lost ; as in that said 14. chapter of the Apostle to the Romans , at large appeareth , where it 's evident , that the glory of the true Church , stands not in the oneness of outward Form or Observation , but in this , to wit , That every man do what he doth in the holy Fear , Faith , and power of Christs Spirit ; for the Apostle well knew , that the Kingdom of God stood not in Meats , Drinks , Dayes , or the like ; but in Righteousness , Peace , and Joy in the Holy Ghost ; and he that serves God in these things , saith he , is acceptable to God , and approved of men . And thus ought it also now to be amongst such as profess Christ throughout the Earth , until all be grown up to a perfect man in Christ . And O that yours , and all peoples eyes , were fully open , to see and understand the necessity of such things as these , that so much concern both the Temporal and Eternal good of all . From a Servant of the God of Heaven , whose tender Soul is often bowed down under the sense of the great misery , that as yet lyeth upon the Creation of God throughout the Earth , by reason of Corruption ; and as a sensible member of the same Creation prayes for its Deliverance ; and in order thereto , desiring that all in Authority every where , might weigh and ponder these few lines in the like uprightness of heart , as from which they were given . T. TAYLOR . LONDON , Printed for Robert Wilson , 1663.