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	light_n	spirit_n	3,983	5	4.9992	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A40739	A testimony to the true light which is the vvay of life and righteousness, to all that obey it, and are subject to its requirings : being a serious admonition to all people to turn to the Lord, but more especially intended for the inhabitants of the town of Colchester and parts adjacent / by John Furly ; also, a true relation how the Lord made manifest strength in weakness, and raised up a living testimony to his eternal truth, in a child of his, (named, Elizabeth, who deceased the 16th of the twelf moneth, called February 1669) to the admiration of all that were about her.	Furly, John, 1618-1686.	1670 (1670)	Wing F2541A; ESTC R40428	18,251	31

wayes which grieves his holy Spirit and wounds their own souls had the Lord not caused such a Light to shine or had it not shined within in the heart where the Devil and his temptations and his goods lodgeth man might have had a fair plea and a just excuse another day have said Lord I saw not the Tempter nor his Temptation thou gavest me nothing to discover him nor yet that that was of authority or power to resist or graple with so potent an Adversary I was without any Light which should manifest his approach to me or if I had it it was a Light remote from me the Enemy was in one place and the Armour of Light by which I should resist the Devil and so he be made to flee from me was in another place at a great distance from me and I needed it nearer me yea within me for there I felt the power of Darkness stirring to tempt and prompt me to sin and evil and so I was over-come Eph. 2. 2. by him Yea and this would have been a fair excuse at the Bar of God's Tribunal but all men shall be left without excuse because Christ is 1 Joh. 2. 8. come the true Light shineth and it shineth in your hearts and makes manifest the sin that lodgeth there to the end that ye might joyn to its Power and resist the Devil in his first appearance that so the Cockatrice-Egg might be broaken before ever it come to be a Serpent My selfe with many others can set to our seal that this is true We have been redeemed by its Power We have been saved and preserved by its Arme We have felt its Efficacy in our hearts not only to make sin and evil manifest but also to give us power against sin as we have adhered and joyned to it yea it hath cleansed us and sanctified us and wrought in us mightily and inabled us to make that resistance which otherwise we had never been able to make against the man of sin and the power of darkness by which we know it is the Power of God as Christ said If I do not the Works that none ever did believe me not If I do then believe me for my Works sake We have felt and tasted it and experienced it many a year and so we affirm not of a thing which we have not tryed or which we have taken up upon trust or here-say from other mens reports but we have believed and therefore do we speak we have tryed it and therefore we cannot but praise it and recommend it ●o others as the only Armour by which ye must be inabled to resist all the fiery Darts of the Devil and as that without which ye cannot be preserved from sin and evil but no sooner from Sinners without shall ye be inticed but you shall consent unto them Prov. 1. 10. nor no sooner be tempted by the Evil-One within but you shall yield to his temptations And therefore dear Friends and Towns-men I exhort you all in the Name and Fear of the Lord to prove and try this excellent piece of Armour of Light and to that end examine first whether there is not a Light in you which shews you your thoughts intentions and purposes of your hearts whether they be evil or good and by what name can you call this but Light and then examine further when you have an intent and purpose to do evil whether this Light doth not warn you of it before-hand shewing you it s a wicked thing you are about to do and that its against the Will and Command of God and against the Witness of God in your own Consciences and yet oft-times you will presume to do it can any man deny this to be true except such as are seared as with a hot Iron Well notwithstanding the Light thus testifieth against the evil yet when ye have committed it examine further whether it ceaseth to do another Office and that is to bring Judgment upon you to reprove you and convince you of the evil you have done and somtimes lies so hard upon your Consciences that you resolve not to do the like another time and yet again you not minding the Light but rather rebelling against it are soon over-taken in the same evil again Oh Friends upon examination of your own hearts you knowing these things to be true methink if you would act reason but as men you should argue in this manner Surely this Light which shines in my heart is the Light of the Lord it s not placed in me to be put under a Bushel surely I ought to obey it give heed to it it is a precious Light for it strives with me to make me good it pleads with me on God's behalf to forsake evil and it never reproves me but when I do evil surely it can be no less then a measure of God's Good Spirit that thus shines in my heart and so caus● you to take up a Resolution hence-forth to love and obey it and be led by it it was so with me when I was first convinced The Light was so plain a Thing and so precious and so clear a Truth to me that I have oft-times wondred in my self how I could oppose it so long and did not bow to it sooner and I then concluded what ever it cost me to walk in the Light and be obedient thereunto and I can truly say to this day I have not served a hard Master nor was it ever in the least in my heart to question the truth of it nor hath my faith therein been shaken but without all controversie it is undoubtedly the Way to Life and Immortallity and a Voyce from that excellent Glory which if men do not give heed unto and answer its requiring it will be their condemnation for if they that despised Moses's Law dyed without mercy of how much Heb. 10. 28 29. sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy that tre●ds under foot the Son of God and doth despite to the Spirit of Grace Consider further that that which hath no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but which constantly declares against it reproves for it cannot be of the nature of the darkness against which it testifies but of a contrary Nature to wit of the Light and it is that Seed which God hath left in man of which the Apostle testifies Had he not left us a Seed we had been as Sodom Rom. 9. 29. and made like unto Gomorrah Now some will confess there is a relique of the Image of God which Adam was in in innocency left in man but they reckon it a trifle and deny it to be of any power or efficacy to lead to God but we who h●ve felt its living Power and Vertue do testifie for God and for his Truth that its of a growing N●ture and though in its first appearance it is small and little even as a Grain of Mustard-seed as Christ

compared it the least of all the Seeds in the Garden yet it comes in time to be the greatest of all Herbs and becometh a Tree Friends doth it make manifest to you one evil one day be faithful to its manifestation cease from that evil then it will teach you to deny an other and an other evil after that for to that end the Grace of God appeareth until all ungodliness Titus 2. 11. and worldly lusts be denyed and teache● to live Righteously Holy and Soberly in this present World And until you become a new Lump created in Christ Jesus unto good Works for like unto Leaven also did Christ compare it which hid in three measures of Meal leavened the whole Lump I say as ye are subject to its operation and manifestation be it in never so little yet being faithful hereunto ye shall be Rulers over much and so at length come to rule in the Power and Authority of the Lord over Satan and all his temptations So Friends and People to this Principle of God which is near you which brought this Child near unto the Lord and neer and dear unto his People do I recommend you and not to a new thing which you have never before heard of or in no wise experienced but to that which you cannot but be sensible of hath striven with you ever since you were Children and came to know your right hand from your left which I say from that time bore a secret testimony in your hearts for God against your Lyes and Falshoods and Evils committed though in never so much secresie nay although your Lyes had the best gloss and cover put upon them that the Devil and your own wicked hearts could invent yet did this pure Witness of God which never consented to sin and evil nor could be contaminated o● defiled by it bear a true and faithful Witness against you and shew you that you lyed and did wickedly unto this I say do I recommend you if ever you expect to enter that Kingdom into which no unclean thing can enter or ever ye expect to be a Habitation for God or fit Vessels for the Lord's use even to the Word in your hearts for he that is the Light of the World is also called the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. which was from the beginning unto which David in his day recommended Young-men as that by Psal 119. Prov. 6. 23. Joh. 15. 3. which they should clense their way and which Solomon testified of Which was Guide unto his Feet and a Lamp unto his Path And which Christ testified of had clensed his Disciples Ye are clean through the Word Which Peter also testified of To be a marvellous Light and the Apostle Paul 1 Pet. 2. 9. brings in his testimony concerning this ingrafted Word That it s nigh even in the Heart and in the Mouth so that none shall need to say Who shall ascend to bring it down or descend to bring Rom. 10. it up for its nigh in the heart and in the mouth And this was the Doctrine of all the holy Men of God in all Ages of the World David prayed to the Lord That he would lift up his Light and his Truth that they might lead him for as he saith in another place In thy Light we shall see Light Isa 2. 5. And the Prophet Isaiah exhorted those that he loved To walk in the Light of the Lord and walked therein himself Come saith he And let us walk in the Light of the Lord he calls it The good old Way and leads into the new and living Way and this was the very end why Paul had a Ministry committed to him to wit That h● mig●t turn people from Darkness unto Light and fro●●he power of Satan unto God Good old Simion 〈◊〉 saith It s A●t 26. 18. the Way prepared before the face of all People Therefore now Friends you giving up your consent to the truth of these things by an inward conviction in your Consciences for to that I appeal and to that alwayes the Apostles defired to be evident rebel no longer against it the Spirit of God shall not always strive with you and if you continue in rebellion against it you shall never know the Way Job 24. 13 of it and this is one main reason why the Light is so much opposed and spoken against because people through their rebellion to it know not the vertue and efficacy of it and so speak evil of that they know not but are incompetent Judges in the case and an other reason is because commonly they are men of perverse minds evil men concerning the Faith Reprobates And this Light reproves for evil deeds as Christ said He that doth evil hateth the Light and will not bring his deeds to the Light lest the Light should reprove John 3. 20. him so from Christ's own Words it follows they are evil men that hates the Light or speaks contemptibly of it they are such as are Enemies in their minds to it through wicked works Col. 1. 20. But may some say Do not our Priest and Professors with one consent yea as unanimonsly as ever the Jews called to have Christ crucified release not this man to us but Barrabas speak and exclaim against the Light Some say its a check some say a natural light and some a carnal light others an insufficient light and some call it an Ignus Fatuus and some a diabolical light but the truth is saith many an honest heart they are divided among themselves about it as the Elders was in accusing innocent Susanna some said under a Sick more Tree and some under an other Tree and none of all these testimonies in this case are true or to be regarded and we know not what to think of it but I dare not but think say some people that many of them are knowing men and good men and who shall we believe It s none but you Quakers commend the Light as it was said of Christ's Followers of old Do any of the Rulers of the People believe in him but this People that know not the Law are accursed Here what Christ saith He concludes them ignorant men against whom thou art not whosoever thou art to opose thy judgment He said to the learned Mat. 22. 29. Pharisees You err not knowing the Scripture though they had the Scripture nor the Power of God and testifies further against them They were evil men and a Generation of Vipers and herein their wickedness appeared in hating the Light He that doth evil hates the Light such as are reproved by John 3. 20. it and judged by it and condemned by it are the onely Haters of it I say such as would have Christ's Kingdom pulled down and Satans Kingdom set up it s no other that dare lift up a hand or a tongue against the Light whatever they may profess in words can you make me believe or any

Mother Then she made a little pause and said I see a Vision a little Youth came in in a Murry Gound the lovei●est Lad that ever I saw in all my life with a white cloth about his middle and a Crown upon his head and he pickt at my Nose but when I spake to him in the Name of the Lord his Crown fell from off his head and almost all his hair and so he vanished away the next day she again mentioned the loveliness of the Lad. This Vision is recommended to the Spirit of God that reveals secrets to them that fear him she not giving any Interpretation thereof When she saw one of her Sisters weep she said Weep not for me I am well she never took not●ce of death Then she said again I am very well I hope I shall never forget the Lord all serve the Lord that he may be your Portion that will be manner of boasting in my Fathers House there is bread enough there is fulness want of nothing yea there is fulness of Bread durable Riches and Honour I desire never to forget the Lord. The Reader may take notice that all these fore-going words were not spoken by her without intermission but of times she made a pause as being spent and out of breath and then her heart being lifted up unto the Lord and rejoycing in his Pure Holy Fresh Living Presence ●●e would sing unto the Lord inwardly with Grace in her heart and then begin again as the spirit of the Lord breathed through her for it was manifest to the Beholders and Hearers of her as it will be evident to the Consciences of all that hears this Relation that have any sence or feeling of the Life of God that it was not she that spoke but the Spirit of her Heavenly Father that spake in her and that thus inabled her rightly to divide the Word of Truth and to give to each of her Brothers their Portion in due season which I hope will take root downward and bring forth fruit upward to the Honour Glory and Praise of the Husband-Man whose Handy-Works Praise him to whom be Glory Honour and Praise for ever and Dominion in the highest and Heavenly Halelujahs for ever Amen Written by the Father of this dear Lamb who is a Companion to all that fear the Lord In scorn called a Quaker J. F. Postscript ALl young Lads and Girles that reads this Relation read it with seriousness and good consideration and as you feel desires that your latter end may be as this dear Child's was then consider what led her to that end and whether the same doth lead you whether her way be your way her delight your delight and such Companions a she chose be your Companions Her Way was the Light in her own heart which made her to eschew evil words and actions which others ran into forlack of taking heed thereto Her delight was to be obedient to her Parents and to be serviceable to the least of God's People without repining nay she never thought any thing that she was capable of doing for any of the Servants of God a burthen Her Companions were them that feared the Lord and for children she bore most affection to those that were most sober and innocent to be short she lived as she dyed that was In subjection to that pure Principle of Light that was in her by which she was taught obedience to that godly discipline and government to those that were over her in the Lord so all that would lay down their heads in the like joy and peace as she hath done and would be crowned with honour and immortality must diligently search to find and know that pure Principle of Light in you that is a Reprover of every evil thought word and action and then walk in obedience and subjection thereunto that it may not be your Reprover but your Comforter and speak peace unto you in your own bosoms morning and evening that so when the last morning and evening of your lives come you may be sure of that Peace that none can take from you that so death may be no more terrible to you then it was to this tender Plant who walking in innocency dyed in peace and is gathered into Glory and hath a Name and Place among the Faithful S. C. SInce the departure of my dear Lamb hearing what Lyes hath been broached concerning her in dispite of Gods precious everlasting Truth as if in her life time she walked not amongst those People called Quakers but gave her Brothers charge to have a care of them at her death which thing being as false and contrary as Light is to Darkness I could not but bear my Testimony against it The Child was alwayes a Lover of those People to go to their Meetings it was as her appointed food their company was her delight she never knew when she had enough of it or did enough for them Both in her life and at her death also she chose to forsake Father and Mother to live in the City of London because she could enjoy more of their Meetings and Company then at Colchester she was a Child that feared the Lord loved and obeyed his Light in her heart according to her Measure which God had placed in her she feared and hated a Lye and lived and dyed in the Truth which the People called Quakers do profess I say hearing this false Report concerning my dear Child for the Truth 's sake I cannot be silent but am constrained to bring in my testimony concerning her life and death That it was in God's precious Truth to wit the Light Christ Jesus the Rock of Ages which she was built upon which is the Way the Truth and the Life which hath led her to her Heavenly Father where she resteth in his Bosom and her good Works follow her as you may see by the foregoing Treatise and the Lord knoweth that it is not so much to commend my Child as the Truth and the Way in which she walked which preserved and kept her unspotted of the World to the coming of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in whom she is now at rest And I would advise all both old and young that have not yet walked in obedience to the Light which shineth in their hearts now to delay no longer but speedily to give up to be led thereby for the Light is the Way to Life eternal to all such as walks in and are given up to be led by it as she was for Wisdom is justified of her Children a good Tree cannor bring forth evil fruit neither can an evil Tree bring forth good fruit as the Scripture of Truth Testifieth by the fruit you shall know whether the Tree or Root which it grew upon be good or evil so I shall leave this to the Witness of God in all Consciences to judge of the Root which she was ingrafted upon and of the Way which she walked in by the fruit which she brought forth to the Praise and Glory of God who loved her and hath taken her to himself who knoweth what is best for us to whom be all Glory and Praise rendred who alone is worthy By me her dear Mother Anna Furly THe Lord having in measure made me sensible of that blessed Truth which the People of God called Quakers do own and which my dear Sister bore testimony unto both in her life and at her death I could do no less then bring in my testimony also to the same Truth that there is no other way but that to Heaven and Happiness and that I may be found walking and abiding therein to the end of my dayes is the desire of my soul knowing that he or she that turns their backs upon the Light which is the Way of Life the Lords Soul shall have no pleasure in such yea better were it for such they had never been born then having once professed this Truth they should turn aside from it into crooked and by-pathes surely to such the Light will be their condemnation but unto them that walk in the Light as he is in the Light there is no occasion of stumbling Thus having born this my Testimony I have peace therein not minding the reproaches of Amoleck nor the revilings of the Children of Moab for I esteem it greater riches to suffer afflictions with the People of God then to dwell in the tents of wi●kedness or injoy the pleasures of sin for a season Anna Furly jun. The End

A TESTIMONY TO THE True Light Which is the VVay of Life and Righteousness to all that obey it and are subject to its requirings Being a Serious Admonition to all People to turn to the Lord but more especially intended for the Inhabitants of the Town of Colchester and Parts adjacent By John Furly Also A true Relation how the Lord made manifest strength in weakness and raised up a living Testimony to his Eternal Truth in a Child of his named Elizaboth who deceased the 16th of the twelf Moneth called February 1669. to the admiration of all that were about her My Son if thy heart be wise my heart shall 〈◊〉 even mine yea my reins shall rejoyce when thy lips speaketh right things Pro. 2● 15 16. The lip of Truth shall be established for ever Prov. 12. 19. Every man will kiss his lips that giveth a right answer Prov. 24. 26. The Tongue of the Just is as choice Silver Prov. 10. 20. 〈◊〉 unto the Righteous it shall be well with them for they shall eat the fruit of their doings Isa 3. 10. Printed in the Year 1670. A Serious Exhortation to my Neighbours and Acquaintance in and about the Town of Colchester to improve their time before the day of their Visitation be over TO praise my dear deceased Child who is entred into her Rest and her Works follow her or to exalt my self the Lord is my Witness I do not expose this Relation to publick view but to exalt the Name of our God and of his Everlasting Truth whose Name alone is excellent throughout all the Earth who rather then fail will and doth raise up Children to be the Heralds to proclaim his Goodness making good his Promise to ordain praises out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings I say for Psal 8. 2. this cause am I made willing it should be communicated to publick view and that others may be excited and stirred up thereby to enquire after the Way of Life and Happiness that they with her may find rest also for their immortal Souls There are many I know with Balaam will desire to dye the death of the Righteous and that their latter end may be like theirs who never so much as chuse the Lord to be their Portion as she did nor scarce set one foot forward in the Way which is Everlasting but are rather walking in the many by-paths and in the crooked and broad way which leads to perdition when as the Way is but one and its a plain Way in which the Wayfaring-man though a Fool giving heed Isa 35. 8. thereunto shall not err It s the Way in which this Child was educated from her child-hood and it led her and it is of ability I do affirm it in the Name of the Lord and give it in as my Testimony for his everlasting Truth to bring all that shall obey it to the same Haven of Rest and Happiness as it brought her Quest Now many an honest heart may say Let me know that Way and acquaint me with that Principle for rest is that which I desire and is that which I have long been seeking after Answ To such I answer Christ Jesus is the Way who hath lighted every man and woman that cometh into the World who is come a Light into the Joh. 9. Joh. 3. 17. World to the intent that all men through him might believe and be saved according to his own assertion I am the Light of the World he that believeth John 12. 46. Joh 8. 12 Joh. 1. 12 Joh. 3. 19 in me shall not abide in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life And as many as did receive him to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God And to those that believe in him he is the same at this day but those that did not believe on him but reject him and his Counsel against their own souls those were condemned by him because they believed not in him for so himself affirms This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and men love darkness rather then Light That is the very cause of condemnation and the cause why the Wrath of God comes upon men and women to wit Because they are disobedient to the Light with which they are enlightned which if they did obey it would lead them to the Light of Life Quest But some are ready to say Why is it called Light Where doth this Light shine Or where is it to be found And what effects when it is obeyed will it produce Answ For the sake of the simple-hearted I shall lay it down as I have received it of the Lord. First Most properly it is called Light because it maketh manifest according to the Apostles own words What ever is reproved is made manifest by the Light for whatever maketh manifest is Ephe. 5. 13. Light Secondly This Light shineth in the heart making manifest the evil that lurketh and lodgeth there discovering the very hidden things of dishonesty 2 Cor. 4. 6. making a difference there between the precious and the vile And it is a Discoverer of the very thoughts intentions and purposes of the heart so Heh 4. 12. that the Enemy of the soul cannot lay a bait to insnare you or with his cunning wiles come to tempt you but as you apply your selves to the Light of Christ which shineth in your hearts for direction and believe therein and flee thereunto as unto a strong Tower ye will find safety Thirdyy I do affirm that this Light of Christ which shineth in the heart hath Power Vertue and Efficacy in it to overcome the evil One in all his appearances and therefore the Apostle Paul rightly Rom. 13. 12. calls it Armor commends it to be the Armor of proof commands it to be put on Saith he Put on the Armor of Light by which you shall be able to resist Ephe. 6. 16. the fiery Darts of the Devil not onely be able to resist temptations from wicked men without you but a●so the Devils temptations within you Yea his Darts his most piercing Darts his fiery Darts and not onely some of them but all his fiery Darts are to be resisted by this Light which is Armor Friends and People there is but Christ or Belial there is but Light or Darkness ruling in every man or woman that is in the World the Darkness and the power of it is that which leads and hurries men and women into sin and evil The Light and Power thereof is that which makes sin and evil manifest convinceth of sin repoveth for it and leads out of it and this Light is not at a distance from Joh. 16. 8 you but it shineth in your hearts in which the aboundant Love and Kindness of God unto man hath appeared that as the Enemy of mens Souls hath got a Seat in man and is near to him for as it s said He ruleth in the hearts of the Children of Ephe.