Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A62880
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A faithful vvarning to all backsliders, who hold the truth in vnrighteousness, for to return to the Lord and cleave to the light which leadeth out of darkness
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Tompkins, Anthony, d. 1699.
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1668
(1668)
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Wing T1829; ESTC R10283
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9,718
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11
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in the Conscience which did discover to man his thoughts with many words more used insomuch in the time that I was speaking she was in the mind to hear them but after I was gone her own wisdom got up and so could not become a Fool that she might be wise So after a little time as I came to depart from committing of some sins I became a prey he that was like to begin with me first was the Priest of the Parish whose name was Cooper a Presbyterian counted his threats caused some fear to arise in my wife who did make it known to her Sister on which they considered a way how to keep me from suffering which was they would pay the Priest and my Wife should pay them again which thing did continue obscure for a time hid from me but my Brother-in-law buying some Goods of me did when I came to reckon with him stop some of my money which it is like I might dislike but at last it become customary to me to do it for a time but in the performance hereof I found my strength decay more lighter and vain I grew and at last upon some difference he refused to pay the Priest any longer insomuch the Priests man who gathered money for the Priest came unto me and did acquaint me what this person had said which was that he would not pay the Priest for me when that this come before me in hast being led captive at the Enemies will he quickly transformed himself into an Angel of light and did signifie to me that it was but under-hand dealing and that I might more lawfuller do it with my own hand also the Devil to cause me to perform this work shewed me the actions of some that were esteemed Friends in that business and in other things also the which ought not to have been minded for he that leadeth out the mind is the Enemy the same that shewed me that it did appear the more lawfull in doing it with my own hands but as Friends are kept to the true Light even the Light of Jesus they will come to see and to divide between spirit and spirit that is to say between the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of Antichrist as they continue faithfull to the measure of Light they have received but if that any grow weary of well doing and so become slouthfull and sluggish then comes the Enemy and soweth Tares which if I had continued in diligence to have made my calling and election sure then had I answered the will of the Lord for the end of Gods Love in giving his Son a Light into the World was that all men through him might be saved Therefore I warn all to follow the Light that ye may become children of the Light Yet more I am to acquaint ye with as touching the former how the Lord did appear unto me at last after I had resisted his Will for years past yet the Lord who is full of compassion whose mercy endureth whose Love is never to be forgotten by me if ever forgetfulness should enter again I must never look God in the face more who hath helped me when I saw no helper in the Earth then did the Lord appear in two of his Stewards whom he had committed this charge unto for to speak unto me and to lay this before me that I did not do the thing that was right in paying the Priest withal signifying unto me that I did it through fear of him the which the witness for God in my Conscience did bear him record that what he said was true also he signified to me the reason why he said I was afraid which was true for I was afraid otherwise I had never paid him but meerly for fear of man whose breath is in his Nostrils Also my Friend did lay before me that the Priest was one of those that the Prophet of the Lord cried out against that would prepare war against those that put not in their mouthes the Witness of God in me did bear him record that what he said was true but the Enemy began to rage in me and to stand in defiance of the Friends words he did advise me putting me on and bidding me to charge him to mind his Trade and let me alone for he was worse then he should be as well as I the Friend would have known what I had to charge him with but away I shuffled but Gods Witness I could not flee from but it did condemn me that night and in the morning but still the Devil did strive to keep the Seed in bondage I think the day following or soon after came another Friend to me in some business and whilst I was talking with him the Lord who is the Author of all good from whence it doth spring caused him to open his mouth unto me charging me concerning paying the Priest Tythes said he was lately at a Meeting with some Friends and there he heard them relate things against me that did grieve his heart laying his hand on his brest which did smite me but still the Roaring Lion was ready to act his part signifying to me that I should charge him and sound him whether he was not faulty in the same thing he replied he never did pay the Priest a penny notwithstanding the Priest I think would have received the value of a Pint of Sack what then said I hast not thou done as some others have done given the Goaler a Bribe to be thy Friend thus the Enemy did still endeavor to keep me by his cunning but the Witness of God in my Conscience he reached I could not have any peace but still was disquieted all that nigh whilst I was awake in the morning I was also troubled insomuch that I spoke to my wife whose love is great towards me though not of capacity to determine of many things the Enemy caused me to stear a new way laying before me and her also that because she never had contended for the Truth therefore she might pay the Priest when the man come to demand it this was concluded it should thus be and this did minister a false peace which lasted but a little while for I hastning to the Meeting at Devonshire-house as I was going the Witness of God did awaken me and shewed me that I had made a bad mornings work in making such a conclusion to pay money to him when I knew it to be contrary to Truth and therefore ought not to have been done insomuch that I was fain to deal plainly with my self the Lord in his Love did appear unto me in his power and might and shewed me that he was not to be mocked for such as I sowed such must I reap therefore I found I should not flatter my self any longer but deal plainly with my own Soul that I might not be cheated of the inheritance that is layed up for all those that love Gods appearance Then was my hard heart broken tears
A Faithfull VVARNING TO ALL BACKSLIDERS Who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness FOR To return to the Lord and cleave to the Light which leadeth out of Darkness IT is now in my heart to discover unto you the manner of my falling from the Truth notwithstanding I had tasted of the Lords Love and did come in measure to see what was laid up for them that love him in his appearance VVHâ—n the time of Trials came on that the Lords People were carried to Prison the reasoning part got up in me the which the Enemy soon joyned with shewing me the danger that might happen if I went to Meetings that then I should or might be put into a Prison then as I said the reasoning part got up insomuch that I began to take care for my Wife and Children and Family considering the weak capacity of my Wife she being altogether uncapable of mannaging my Trade it must of necessity fail which Friends I would have you to take notice this was whilst the reasoning part was gotten up which when that began first to enter if I had stood in that which did discover it not to be of God my heart had been kept clean but joyning to the evil that caused the Lords Presence to be withdrawn then did the Devil transform himself into an Angel of light shewing me that Friends did not do so well as the Infidels did for they took care of their Families then the thoughts of this began to minister to me a false peace insomuch that I became one that did weaken the weak and to lay a stumbling-block in their way so then when I had done this yet had I no peace but was still condemned in my Conscience then the transformed Angel had another way signifying to me that I might be serviceable in my bâ—â—ng forth of Prison for I might go and serve the Body of Friends which did for a little while satisfie but yet the Lords Love was such that he shewed me that was not enough but had I should go to the Meetings and bear my Testimony for God who caused the Light to shine and had shined into my heart which gave me to understand my duty towards God and man aâ—d walked in it and obeyed it But when I had thoughts of obeying the Will of the Lord then would my Wives tears flow from her eyes which drew me to be tender to her and not standing in the Cross I came more and more to lose my portion Then the Devil drew me to acquaint my self with those that did also flee the Cross and we began to daub our selves with untempered Morter and so grew light and vain and so come to speak our own words and to think our own thoughts and to do our own work and so become rebelious Children unto him that was our Father whilst we obeyed the Light in our hearts which shewed our duty towards God but we reâ—using to obey it the Enemy came amongst us and sowed his seed and so here was a waring in us for victory insomuch that we or I had no peace but continually filled with trouble at the very time when I was jesting and jearing the Light in my heart did condemn me and at my lying down or at my rising up I was so condemned that I had some breathings towards the Lord for to desire forgiveness and was ready to cry unto the Lord Father forgive me but before the word Father was uttered the Lords Witness would arise in my heart and shew me that I was not to call God Father for I had done the will of the Devil which caused me to remember what was said of some that was calling God Father and was doing the works of the Devil and I was out of the redeemed state as well as they but as for my dealing amongst men I have very little to charge my self with but can truly say as to that point I kept my self very much unspotted of the World and â—isplaid had some respect for the same of the Truth and could not endure to hear the Truth evil spoken of although I was in a great measure departed from it So by my plain dealing among men I was esteemed with many up and down the Country my name was famous insomuch that my Trade did much increase so that I came to be very much hurried in the World which did choak the Seed more and more and so became worse and worse so the god of the World blinded the mind that when I would have done the will of God something or other lay in the way which did hinder so Death and Darkness came to reign and to rule and have the preheminence insomuch that the Light which did shine once in me came to be darkned so then that wicked Prince began to reign over the Seed and kept it in bondage which would have reigned over the Devil had it been obeyed as it ought to have been for I could and did witness it so once but by disobedience I became a Captive to the Devil to do his will in a great measure But yet had there not been a Seed I may say I might have been as Sodom or made like unto Gomorrah but I can say I was kept out of the practice of many things which at some times was almost or altogether concluded in my mind to act therefore who is like unto the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob who left us a Seed or else what had become of me in this apostatising state When I was first convinced of the Truth and Living Way then accounted I all but dross and dung in comparison of Christ the Way the Truth and the Life insomuch that the Lord was pleased to manifest himself unto me in his Way which was by Christ the Light that lighteth every one that comes into the World so as I come to the Light of Jesus I come to see that I had done amiss in giving money to the Parish Priest whose Doctrine I could not own I had been a hearer of those people called Baptists before I came to hear Truth declared by the Servant of the Lord Edward Borough at which time when I went to hear him I went not to hear the despised people called Quakers so as to receive their Doctrine but rather gaze at them to see their manner when I first came in he that went with me seemed to be very much dissatisfied with what my dear Friend layed down for which cause he spake unto me my answer was to him I had heard nothing but what was truth at which time I come away when the Meeting was parted or the Friends one from each other with joy which I knew not how to express but coming to a Relations house I declared to the Woman that I had heard the Truth declared and that I did never know the way to which I could witness satisfaction but in this Way which was that there was the Light of Christ