Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	peace_n	spirit_n	unity_n	1,812	5	8.9331	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64451	A testimony concerning the life, death, trials, travels and labours of Edward Burroughs that worthy prophet of the Lord who dyed a prisoner for the testimony of Jesus, and the word of God, in the city of London, the 14th of the 12th month, 1662 / [by] F.H.	Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.; Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.; Coale, Josiah, 1632?-1668.; Fox, George, 1624-1691.	1662 (1662)	Wing T809; ESTC R34657	20,023	27

elect Seed known blessed be the Name of our God for ever and ever G●orge Whitehead London the 12 th day of the first month 1663. A Testimony of truth concerning the Servant of the Lord and Minister of Jesus Christ Edward Burroughs FRiends a necessity is upon me and I am even constrained and pressed in my spirit to bring in and give my Testimony concerning my beloved Brother before-mentioned that it may remain and stand upon Record for Ages and Generation● to come And this first I say and declare unto all people unto whom this shall come That he was a man endued with the Almighty Power of God which lived and reigned in him ●nd the treasury of pure Divine Heavenly Wisdom was opened in him c. and understanding in the things that relate unto God's Kingdom of peace and righteousness and in the things that concern the everlasting peace and well-being of all mankind was plentifully manifested unto him by the good Spirit of God which I may say he had received in a plentiful measure And this many can testifie unto and his own Writings which remain upon record will in a large measure manifest the truth thereof And this spirit dwelt plentifully in him so that thereby he wa● able to instruct many in the way of life peace and true holiness and if any were afflicted in spirit or mind by reason of the wiles of the Enemy of their souls or if they met with any difficulty in their journey as they passed from death to life he was a man able through the large experience that he had of the dealings of the Lord and also of the wiles of Satan having followed the Lamb in the regeneration to administer a word in season to their refreshment and comfort and for their establishment in the most precious holy Faith and this I know the Witnesse of God in thousands must and shall testifie unto who are the seal of his Ministry And moreover he was a man that was able through the wisdom and blessed gift of God that was in him to convince and stop the mouths of all gainsayers of the truth which he with us professed and lived in And it is well known unto many that he was never backwards but always ready and willing to appear in a way of publike conference as in vindication of and against any that should oppose the blessed Truth of God which he held and professed and also to manifest the grounds and reasons wherefore we deny and dissent from the National Prie●ts of the World and their traditional ways of Worship and the hypocritical professors thereof who have not the life and substance of what they profess in words And these things it is well known unto many he was oft exercised in and he did not go about in corners nor creep into dark places hiddenly nor secretly but preached the Truth of God and Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ boldly and openly even upon the house tops and his valour for God's Truth on Earth was well known unto many and his voice was as the sound or ratling of the Charriots of God's Host upon the tops of the Mountains and was oft uttered forth in the Name of the Lord even like thunder and the voice of the Son of God was uttered forth through him by which the dead was raised the Witnesses are now alive let them bring in their testimony that the truth hereof may be confirmed His Doctrine dropped as the Oyle of joy upon the Spirits of the mourners in Sion His Life extended it self as a sweet stream into the hearts of the children of Light that thirsted after righteousness He was one of the Cloud of Witnesses that dropped down the dew upon the tender plants of God He pleaded the cause of the innocent suffering Seed and earnestly contended with the Powers of the Earth of all sorts in the behalf and for the freedom of the suffering people of God He fore prophesied unto them that were in Authority in the days past of their destruction and of their overthrow because of their deceitfulness to God and their false and cruel treacherous and merciless dealings towards his people who had made many fair promises both to God and man in the time of their adversity That they would grant free liberty of Conscience in things relating to the Worship of God and that Oppression should be removed and the like but in the time of their prosperity when they were waxen fat and grown great and lived at ease and in pleasures then they forgot God and regarded not to perform their Engagements neither to God nor his people for which cause the Lord cut them off in hi● sore displeasure and brought an utter desolation upon them according to the words of his Servants and this Prophet of God lived to see their desolation come which was sad to behold and his Prophesies was fulfilled in his own days And he also warned the present Rulers of this Nation to take heed of walking in the steps of them that are gone before And for these things and for the publishing of the Truth of God and for bearing his Testimony with boldnesse against all Oppression and Cruelty he was hated of the men of this gener●tion but chiefly by some of the Rulers of the City of London He sealed his Testimony with his Life in bonds and so they have wilfully brought innocent blood upon themselves and heavy will it lye upon them in the day of account which greatly hastens wherein the Lord God wil make inquisition for the blood of the innocent and reward every man according to his deeds then wil his blood be upon you as the blood of a thousand men and how wil you bear your sentence from the Lord of Hosts because you will be found guilty of the blood of his Prophets Messengers and Servants which he sent unto you in love to your souls to forewarn you of the evil which greatly hastens to come upon you Yet notwithstanding you have done all these things and the cry of innocent blood hath been heard so loud amongst you yet have you hardened your hearts and go on in stiff-neckedness and persist in your cruelty towards the servants of the Lord that are left behind and are found casting them into prison Oh wo is me for you where will a place be found for you in the day of the Lord or what covering will you hide yourselves under Or how wil you appear before the righteous God of Heaven and Earth Have you no consideration in you of your latter end Or else do you believe that the Lord sees not your cruelty towards his people that you will not answer his requirings which is to do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with the Lord and to do unto all men as you would they should do unto surely if the consideration of these things was in your hearts or if you had any regard to keep your consciences clear in the sight of God

generation Howbeit after all this and much more which time would fail me to write of neither is the purpose of my spirit bent that way at this time we did come through very great tribulations extream distresses great perplexity and passed out oftentimes hungry and hard put to it both within and without yet such wa● our love to the Lord and such fervency in our he●rts that we rather chused to dye and to undergo every difficulty than to dishonor or deny the Name of Christ in the midst of suffering because of that taste that we had of his goodness and immortal life revealed in our hearts this young man of whom I am speaking had his share though but a youth at that time of 16. or 17. years of age because of the Truth which crossed all the Worlds way his nearest Relations even his own Parents cast him off as an Alien and turned him out from their House as not to have any part or portion therein as a son nay not so much as a hired servant which this young man bore very patiently without murmuring or complaining having a taste of that then which was better than all the World and through conversing with his people and among them the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and the Spirit of Wisdom and understanding entered into his heart and the spirit of knowledge and sound judgment came to be seated in his reins and the Spirit of Prophesie came upon him like as it did upon many more through the Holy Ghosts power and operation and he spake of the wonderful things of God amongst them that believed and was one of the first among us which the Lord opened the mouth of to shew forth his praise and to speak of the things of his Kingdom to as many as he met with who waited for the consolation of Israel for the riches of the Gentiles and to as many as desired and hoped after eternal life At last the Lord singled him out commanded him to go forth into Countreys unknown to him as he did some more besides upon whom he laid a necessity to preach the Gospel freely without money without price without tythes augmentations gifts or rewards and in that he was as faithful a man none exceeding him in his generation for those things were an abhorrency to his heart where he met with any such hireling Shepherds deceitful workers which had gull'd the Nations and cheated the people for dishonest gain and kept them in blindness the indignation of the Lord was kindled in his heart and the sword of the Lord was very sharp in his hand and whomsoever he met with which walked after this sort they were sure to feel the weight of his Weapon and the force of his blow by which many have been deeply wounded that they have grinned like Dogs on him as greedy Dogs indeed because of their present wound blow that he did give them and though he was but young in years yet he was full of fortitude and true valour The Lord often times when he exercised him in such War as this hath filled his Qui●er full of polished shafts and made his Bow to abide in strength and he was as dextrous and as ready handed as any that I knew in his day against the Dragon and his Power against the Beast and his followers and indeed he was very even-handed and had a special good arm and seldome mist the Mark God had fill'd his mouth with arguments so that he hath often made a breach a breach in the face of an Host. And it was my lot which I cannot but say fell in a good ground to be his companion and fellow-labourer in ●he Work of the Gospel whereunto we were called for many years together And oh when I consider my heart is broken how sweetly we walked together for many Months Years in which we had perfect knowledg of one anothers hearts perfect unity of spitri not so much as one cross word or one hard thought of discontent ever rose I believe in either of our hearts fo● 10 years together but our souls were bound up in unity and peace having the frame of our hearts bent after one and the self same thing to wit the propagation of that Truth by which liberty was obtained and salvation received through Jesus Christ the true Light of the World seeing through his Light ●he whole World to lye in wickedness a necessity laid upon this person of whom I am speaking being constrained by the Spirit of the Lord by which he was made an able Minister of the everlasting Gospel to preach repentance conversion salvation and remission of sins and accordingly he went forth in ●he Name and Power of the Lord Jesus the Saviour of mankind and was an able Minister of the glad tydings of salvation in many or most parts of this Land and also he travelled thorow again and again the whole Nation of Ireland and in some part of Scotland and some part of Flanders and his Ministry ●as made effectual through the Almighty Power of God in turning many from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God there are many thousands who are living in the body and alive in the Truth who can in the Spirit of the Lord bear testimony to the power and verity of his Ministry in many Countreys where he travelled for he laboured much in divers places even in the heat of the day though he began early in the morning and in the beginning of his travels and labours it was his share to break up rough places and un●illed ground to walk amongst many bryars and thorns which scratched and pricked and teared and travelled with some other not without great opposition and he often trod the pathes and wayes which had not been occupied in the Truth and where darkness had the Dominion and was as a covering he brake through as an armed man not minding the opposition but the victory and the good of all souls though to my knowledg his sufferings and trya●s hath not been small nor his exercise a little on the right hand and on the left in travels often often times buffered sometimes knocked down by unreasonable men who had not faith loaded with lyes slanders calumnies and reproaches often in weakness yea in deaths often in watchings fastings and temptations often in straits and necessities in perils among rude multitudes in perils in Idol-Temples in perils in Streets and Markets where the Lord did move him often to go in the beginning of his time besides the exceeding weight of service from Weeks end to Weeks end in so much that he had seldome many hours of repose and of●en suffered by those spirits who lost their first love and rose in opposition He was very diligent and faithful true-hearted and valiant and the yoke at last came to be easie unto him though no ease at all in the body as to the outward man for he made the

appertaining to God in matters of Religion and Worship against the persecution and compulsion which had its Original ●nd Rise from the Power of the Beast which hath made war against the righteous seed that men might be left free to the guidance of the infallible Spirit of God which is not to be limited in these matters and not be compelled nor brought under the corrupt wills of men nor their fallible judgements nor invented forms in these cases And the Name of this Mini●●er of Righteousness is written in the L●mbs Book of Life and all the Enemies of his Life can never be able to blot it ou● nor extinguish his memorial Oh! the remembrance of his integrity uprightness and sincerity hath deep impression upon my heart that tender love and affection in God's Truth which he was filled with towards all the upright who are lovers of peace unity in the Lord is never to be forgotten by u● who are yet remaining in the Work of the Lord and the everlasting Gospel for which he hath left a glorious Testimony the glory of which shall never be extinguished but thousands shall praise the Lord our God because thereof yea even the Seed that 's yet in the lower parts of the Earth where darkness covers it and the child that 's yet unborn in many that 's curiously framed in the Mothers Womb w●ose Members are written in the Book of God shall glorifie the Lord on his behalf And this testimony many have already concerning him that though his Body be dead his Spirit liveth in the immortality of that Life that is immutable and shall never dye nor wax old and is felt among the righteous who walk in their integrity and constancy to the Lord. And this faithful servant of the Lord and valiant Souldier of the Lamb as in his day was evidently apparent as to live to him was Christ to dye was gain And though in his time many were the sufferings and aff●ictions which his life went under and his upright spirit suffered by both from his open enemies and persecutors in the World because of the valour and courage for the Truth of God and from deceitful and transforming exalted spirits which burthen the holy Seed but now his Life is caught up above them all and is out of their reach in the transcendent and unspeakable glory in the everlasting habitation and firmament of God's Power where he hath shined and doth shine among the Stars that have kept their habitations as one that hath turned many to righteousness and that hath overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of his Testimony with those holy Prophets and Martyrs who rejoice over Babylon and her abominations in whom their blood is found and against whom he was a faithful Witness and valiant Warrier whose living and absolute Testimony therein God hath blessed made prosperous and wil fulfil to the uttermost And though he be ceased from his labours his Works do follow him which wil be had in living remembrance and precious esteem among the upright when his persecutors shall be broken and laid low in the desolation and ruine of Babylon and all that continue in enmity and deceit and all the deceitful spirits that have burthened his righteous soul shall fall and their blossome wither and come to nought And if any of his persecutors or oppressors be yet so impenitent and obdurate as to triumph and be elevated in an exalted or prejudiced spirit because of his death and in their exaltation and pride of heart say he was taken away in judgment or in wrath To such in Gods fear I answer That thousands of the servants of the Lord are of another perswasion not questioning but it was in Gods tender love as to his own particular that he was removed out of the Earthen Vessel in which he though a man as in the prime of his years endured great travel in his time for the Truth 's sake and the gathering of many into the way of the Lord and in which his travel was the greater when the time of his dissolution drew near to be dissolved because of his suffering and the extremity of his sicknesse occasioned thereby which many others were partakers of who suffered persecution and imprisonment by unreasonable men in this City of London for the cause of God and of a good Conscience as chi●fly for their meeting together fingly in the Worship of God But this I testifie in the Lord as in him I have felt that his being removed was in judgement from the Lord against his persecutors who desired and sought his destruction and what they have done against him hath greatly added to the fulfilling of their iniquities that the blood of the righteous which cryes for vengeance may be avenged to the utmost upon them who would not suffer the righteous to have a being amongst men nor lay to heart their being taken away from the evil to come And they who in a byassed or prejudiced spirit of enmity are lifted up because of his decease they were not worthy of him nor of his Testimony and they have cause to mourn and lament amongst those that have pierced the just and slighted and despised the Messengers of Truth and Righteousnesse whom God hath therein honored and God will debase such and their vain glory unto the dust and exalt the testimony and life of his faithful Witnesses over all their heads But we who have been well acquainted with the deep suffering of the righteous Seed and with the worth of true unity in the weighty body and spirit of Christ and therein do behold the glory and compleatnesse of the City of our God which is at peace within it self cannot but prize the Ministers of Righteousnesse and every Member of the same Body and oh how blessed and precious is the memorial of the righteous in our eyes And how deeply is my soul affected with that comfortable communion and those many and living refreshments that we have enjoyed one with another even with him and others who have finished their course Well however in this I am satisfied that though we be left in travel and our days have been days of affliction and suffering for Christ and the gospels sake as in the World yet in him whom the Prince of this World hath nothing in we have peace being come into communion with the Spirits of just men who are the Family of God written in Heaven and called by one name both in Heaven and Earth and the God of Life is their portion and his glory is the Rereward of his called and chosen and faithful ones who have dealt their Bread to the hungry and brought the poor to their House even to the habitation of the righteous where the living Bread is received and the Heavenly Mansions lived in and enjoyed by all who abide in the Truth and retain their first Love and habitation therein in which true fellowship is enjoyed and the prosperity of the