The works of the long-mournful and sorely-distressed Isaac Penington, whom the Lord, in his tender mercy, at length visited and relieved by the ministry of that despised people called Quakers; and in the springings of that light, life, and holy power in him, which they had truly and faithfully testified of, and directed his mind to, were these things written; and are now published as a thankful testimony of the goodness of the Lord unto him, and for the benefit of others

m

/'S iC'

THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY

OF CALIFORNIA

LOS ANGELES

THE

WORK S

OF THE

Long- Mournful and Sorely- Diflreffed

ISAAC PENINGTON,

WHOM

The Lord, in his tender Mercy, at length, vifited and
relieved by the Miniftry of that defpifed People
called

(QUAKERS;

AND IN THE

Springings of that Light, Life, and Holy Power in him,
which they had truly and faithfully teftified of, and directed his
j^Iind to, were thefe Things written j

AND

Are now publifhed as a thankful Teftimony of the Goodnefs of the
Lord unto him, and for the Benefit of others.

** ThcY alfo that eircd in Spirit, fhall know Underftanding ; and they that
•' murmuri;d, fliail learn Doctrine." Ifai. xxix. 24.

V O L. IIL
THE THIRD EDITION.

LONDON:

Printed and Sold by J A M E,S PHILLIPS, George- Yard,
Lombard-Street.

M. DCC. IXXXlVi

BX

[ iii ]

P37A
,'784

THE V.3

O N T E N T S

OF THE

THIRD VOLUME.

SOME Things of Great Weight and Concernment to All,
Pages
A Queftion to the Profeflbrs of Chriftianity, — — 28

Some Queries concerning Chrift and fais Appeai"ances, 45

An Incitation to ProfelTors, — — — 58

Some Propofitions and Confiderations, concerning Church
Worfhips and Ordinances —^ — — — 64
The Sounding of Bowels towards thee, O England ! — 69
A faithful Guidance to the Principle and Path of Truth, 72
Some Queftions and Anfwers from the Tenth of John, 79

To fuch as are not fatisfied with a Profeffion, — — 84

Concerning Applying the Promifes, - ■ . ■ 90

A Poftfcript concerning Deceit and being Deceived, — 94

A brief Account of my Soul's Travel, &c. r— - 97

Some Things relating to Religion, propofed to the Royal So-
ciety, — — . ■■, , ■ — — 105

Concerning the Ground of Certainty in Religion, — 109
Of Tendernefs of Spirit, and Perfecution, . 1 13

A Query concerning Separation, — — — IJ4

Concerning the Wafliing away of Sin from the Confcience, 1 16
Some Quellions and Anfwers, concerning the Church of the
New Covenant, — — — •— 120

Some Queries to Profeffors, — 128

Of the Church in its firft and pure State, in its declining State,

in its declined State, and in its Recovery, — - 131

The Way of Salvation in the Covenant of Life opened, 156

Queries concerning the New Covenant, • 170

An Exhortation to all People, but more efpecially to fuch as

are Defolate and Diflrefled, ■ 1 73

A Vifit of Tender and Upright Love, to fuch, as among the
many Profeffions and Ways of Religion, retain any Meafure

of Sincerity, ■ ■■ lyy

A brief Account of the Ground of Certainty and Satisfaflion,

which it hath pleafed the Lord to citablilli in my Heart, 192

a 2 A Queftion

C

-» 60NT^NTS.

A Queftlon anfwered, about the Way of knowing the Motions,
Doftrines, ond Teachings of Chrift's Spirit, — 195
Somewhat Touching the Gofpel Relt, or Sabbath, — 203
Some Queries to fuch as complain of Want of Power, 207
A Poftfcript containing further Queries concerning the New
Covenant, — — — — — — 215

An Enquiry after Truth and Righteoufnefs, and after the People
whom the Lord Eftabliflieth, and will Eftablilh therein, 226

Some Queries on Ifaiah liv. •— — 223

The Holy Truth and People defended, in Anfwer to the chief
Faffages in a Letter, — — — — — 233
The Ancient Principle of Truth, or the Light within afferted, 288
An Appeal to God's Witnefs in all Confciences, — 306
Naked Truth, or Truth nakedly manifefting itfelf, — 331
Some Experiences added, — — — — 357
A few Words concerning the true Chrift, — — 394
A few Words to my Native Country, — — 397
The Flefh and Blood of Chrift in the Myftery, and in the Out-
ward, - — — 401

A brief Account concerning the People called Quakers, 419

A few Words concerning the Way of Peace, — — 425

Poftfcript, containing a few Words concerning the People called

Quakers, — — — — — — 430

An Exhortation to true Chriftianity, .^ — — 433
To the Jews Natural, and to the Jews Spiritual, — — 444

A few Words to England, my Native Country, — 463
Three Queries upon three Verfes of the 46th Pfalm, — 466
Concerning the true Church and Miniftry under the Gofpel,

468

Some Queftions anfwered, concerning the Lamb's War, 472

Some Senfible and Weighty Queries, concerning fome Things very

fweet and neceiTary to be Experienced in the Truly Chriftian

State, — — — — — 484

Poftfcript, containing fome Queries on Ifa. 1. 10, 11, 490^
The Everlafting Gofpel of Our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the Bleffed
EfFeds thereof I'eftificd to from Experience, — — 494

S O M £

SOME

THINGS

O F

GREAT WEIGHT

AND

CONCERNMENT to ALL;

Briefly opened and held forth

From a true Senfe and Underftanding,

FOR THE

Healing of the Ruins and Breaches, which the Enemy
of Mankind hath made in Mens Souls.

A S

I. Some Aflertions concerning
the Principle and Way of
Life,

II. Some further Diredlions to
Christ, the Principle and
Fountain of Life.

in. The End of Christ's Ma-

nifeftatlon, his Salvation, and
whom he faves.

IV. Three Queftions anfwered,
concerning Juftification.

V. Of the pure, conilant, eter-
nal, unchangeable Nature of
God's Truth.

Written in the Time of my Confinement in Aylefbury, when
Love was working in me, and the Life of God in me
travailing and wreftling with the Lord for the Salvation of
Others.

By ISAAC PENINGTON.

Vol. III. A

[ 3 ^

SOME

T H I N G S

O F

GREAT WEIGHT

AND

CONCERNMENT to ALL.

Some Assertions concerning the Principle
and Way of LIFE.

THAT it is a great and hard matter to come
into a capacity of knowing and receiving the
truth. It is no hard matter to take up any
religion that a man finds in the world. To read fcrip-
tures, to believe what a man finds related there, ac-
cording to his underftanding of them ; yea, to believe
that he hath the light and help of the Spirit in his
reading and underftanding ; to apply himfelf alfo to
pradtife and obferve what he finds therein required;
and to aim at holinefs, &c. this is no hard matter;
every man that is ferious, and feeks religion of any
kind but in the weight of a man's fpirit, may go thus
far. But all this adminifters not the true capacity,
but he that meets with it, muft; go farther than thus.

A 2 2. That

«|. Some Assertions concerning

2. That which gives the true capacity is a principle
of life from God, and there alone, and no where elfe,
can man meet with it and receive it. This principle
is the feed of the kingdom, or heavenly leaven, with
which the mind muft be in fome meafure leavened,
ere it can come into a true capacity of underftanding
and receiving the truth. And in this leaven muft it
abide and grow up, if it abide and grow in the true
knowledge, &c.

3. That from this principle, and in this principle,
not only the true light and knowledge of the Lord
Jefus Chrift and all fpiritual things is given and re-
ceived ; but alfo the true faith, the true love, the true
fanftification, the true juftification, the true peace, the
true joy, &c. And what of thefe is not received and
held here, is not of the truth, but a garment of mens
own forming, and not the covering of the Spirit.

4. That the Spirit himfelf fows this principle, and
is received in this principle. And he that receives
this principle, and is born of this principle, receives
and is born of the Spirit ; and he that receives it not,
nor is born of it, neither hath received, nor is born of
the Spirit; but is but in the imagination and felf-con-
ceit about the things of God, but is not in the truth,
as it is in Jefus.

5. That in this principle the new covenant is made
with the foul and entered intOi and he that receives
this principle from the hand of God, receives life,
and enters into the covenant of life, and feels the pure
fear, wherein God cleanfeth the heart, and whereby he
keeps the heart clean, and feels the laws of God daily
writing there by the finger of God's Spirit, and feels
the power and fenfe of the Spirit to teach and caufe
pbedience; fo that the yoke, which is hard to the
tranfgrefiing nature, (alienated from the life and pow-
er) is eafy (and as I may fay natural) to him that is
born of this nature. For being dead with Chrift,
and rifen with Chrift, and changed into the nature
of Chrift, by the principle which is of him, through
the power and Spirit of Chrjft, which worketh there-
in ;

THE Principle and Way of Life* 5

in ; he can fay as Chrift did, when the Lord calls
hinn to any thing; Lo, I come; it is my meat and
drink, yea, my great delight, to do thy will, O God!
yea, thy law is written in the midfl; of my bowels !

6. Among thofe who are gathered into this princi-
ple, and abide in the fenfe, light, and life of this
principle, there is great love and unity. They are of
one mind, of one heart, of one foul, of one fpirit,
of one life, gathered into one demonfhration of truth;
and there is no jarring, no doubting, no dillenting,
&c. All this is out, in the world, in the earthly
wifdom, in the earthly profeiTions and walkings; but
it is excluded the principle of truth, and them that
are gathered into and abide therein.

7. That all that are not gathered into, nor walk
nor live in this principle, they are yet in the darknefs
and error from the pure power of God, and ftand and
walk in flippery places ; and though their way may
feem very right, and their eftate and condition fure
(as to God-wards) in their own eyes and judgment,
yet it is not really fo ; but they are but in a dream
concerning the truth, not in the truth itfelf; which
(how ftrange foever it may feem to them at prefent
to be affirmed concerning them) yet they fliall cer-
tainly feel it to be fo, when the Lord by his powerful
voice and bright appearance of his Spirit awaketh
them. For many things go for truth now with men
in the dark, which will vanifli like fmoke before the
light of the day; and then that only which is truth
indeed (hall have the glory and praife of being ac-
counted fo ; and then what will become of thofe who
have miflook about truth, and are not clothed with
the pure wedding- garment, (the fpotlels life and
righteoufnefs of the Son) but only with that which
they have accounted fo ?

y. That to thofe that fee in the light of this princi-
ple, the mountain of the Lord's houfe is difcovered ;
and thofe that abide and grow up therein, they know
and experience it eftablifhed 'above all mountains, and
exalted above all hills; all earthly knowledge, earthly

A ,3 reli-

n6 Some Assertions concerning

gions, earthly ways, earthly worfhips, earthly fpirits
and minds, &c. in their greateft exaltations and glo-
ry, being far beneath it. And here the feaft of fat
things, and wines on the lees well refined, even the
fruit of the vine which gladdeth and refrefheth the
very heart of God, is fed on and partaken of by thofe
that dwell here. For the Father, and the Son, and
the Spirit is here revealed, in the holy houfe and
tabernacles which are built here ; and here they
make their feaft, bringing forth the riches of their
nature, fpirit, and precious life, on which they feed
with the foul, and give unto the foul favour and abi-
lity to feed with them ; in which food there is the life,
ftrength, righteoufnefs, and joy of the kingdom given
forth and received.

9. That in the heart which difcovers iniquity, re-
proveth it, witneflfeth againft it, and ftriveth with the
mind to turn it from it, and to wait for life and power
from on high, that is this very principle. In that is
the divine nature, even the nature of God's Spirit,
which was always againft lin, and ever will fo be, and
in all its appearances teftifieth againft it, and in love
to the creature ftriveth with the creature to convince
it of that in it which is contrary to God, and to draw
it to that ftrength and divine virtue which ftoppeth it,
beateth it back, and worketh it out of the mind and
nature of the creature, as it can get entrance, and is
hearkened and fubjefted to. For there is no falvation,
but by the crofs and yoke of our Lord Jefus Chrift ;
for in that is the power to crucify the affections and
lufts, which lead into fin and death, and will not ceafc
to tempt and lead afide, till the foul be gathered into
unity with that, and become fubjed to that which is
contrary to them. So that this is the main thing in
religion, even to know Chrift revealed in the foul as
a ftandard againft corruption, and to be gathered un-
der his banner, which is the crofs, or that living prin-
ciple in the heart which refifteth the corrupt princi-
ples and he that is gathered hither, and continueth

faith-

THE Principle and Way of Life. ^

faithfully fighting here, fhall receive mercy, help, and
ftrength from on high, in every time of need.

lo. That the true and certain way of knowledge of
the things of God, is in the faith and obedience of
this principle. It is not by reafoning and confidering
things in the mind (after the manner of men) that a
man comes to know fpiritual things -, but they are fpi-
ritually revealed by God, after a fpiritual manner, to
the believer, to the obeyer; and they are revealed to
him in his believing, in his obeying, in his waiting, in
his holy fearing, in his diftrufting of himfelf, and
feeling his own infufficiency, either to attain them or
retain them, but as the Lord God makes them manifeft
in him, and preferves him in the fenfe of them. " He
** that doth my will, fhall know of my doftrine," faith
Chrift. This is the way. Wouldft rhou know what
God requires of thee, what this or that is which ap-
pears in this or that fort as truth, whether it be fo or
no ? Mind this principle in thee, mind the pure, the
holy light, inward touches and leadings of this pure
divine principle; that will make manifeft to thee what-
ever is fit for thee in thy prefent ftate to know ; and
thou art not to defire more, but as a child to reft
contented with that portion of knowledge and ftrength,
which the wife and tender Father judgeth fit for thee;
and as thy ftate groweth capable of more, he will not
fail to adminifter to thee. And what he giveth thee
is good, feafonable, and proper for thee, which thou
mayeft fafely feed upon and enjoy in the fenfe and fear
of him. But if thou prefs after what he would not
as yet have thee know, thou entereft into the will and
wifdom of the flefh ; and there are the difputes, dif-
contents, murmurings, and ill tempers and difpofitions
of the mind, which there v^ill encreafe and grow upon
thee to thy hurt.

II. That the mind that is gathered here, will find
great oppofition, both within and without-, infomuch
as he ftiail not eafily pafs from out of the kingdom ot
darknefs, into the kingdom of the dear Son, but
through many trials, temptations, oppofitions, and

A 4 dangers

$ Some Assertions concerning

dangers many ways, for turning the back on the king-
dom of darknefs, by joining to the principle of life,
in hearkening and fubjedling to the light thereof;
hereupon the powers of darknefs both within and
without beftir themfelves to hinder the foul's progrefs,
and to bring it back again into fubjedion under the
will and wifdom of the flefh.

Oh ! how doth the will and wifdom ftrive within
in a man's own bofom 1 What rifings of the impure
are felt againft the pure ! What fecret and fubtil rea-
fonings to enfnare and entangle the mind ! and if they
cannot draw the foul back from the Lord and the
living path, then they ftrive to vex, afflidl, and tor-
ment it ! There is none knows what is felt inwardly
by the followers of the Lamb, but thofe that travel
with him in the living path; they are often fenfible of
that they meet with in their travels, and how it is to
abide in the path of falvation, infomuch as they un-
derftand the truth of that faying, " If the righteous
** fcarcely be faved." It is fcarcely indeed ! fo fubtil,
fo ftrong, fuch a many holds, fo many ftratagems
hath the fubtil, twining, crooked, piercing leviathan,
to enfnare, perplex, over-run, and entangle them with.
And then outwardly, the fame flefh, the fame earthly
fpirit and wifdom, the fame crooked hellilh will, is
ftriving in men without alfo, to bear down and fubjedt
the pure principle in them who are born of God, to-
their devices and inftitucions, decrees, ways, cuftoms,
&c. which are of the will and wifdom of the flefh.
So that, as the apoftle fuid, through much tribulation is
the entrance of the foul into the heavenly kingdom ; and
there is no avoiding the many tribulations, but by
turning afide out of the way (which though thereby
the flefh get eafe for a time, it will be to the greater
lofs and forrow in the end). For the fpirit of the
world, the wifdom of the world, the nature, religion,
worlhip, and whole courfe of the world, is contrary
to the way of the pure wifdom and Spirit of God,
and ufeth it as its enemy, wherever it findeth it; and
they that will not bow to the fpirit, wifdom, and

way

THE Nature and Principle of Life. 9

way of the world, muft feel the force of its beaftly
claws. For is it not a beaftly thing (even far beneath
the nature of a man) to perfecute that which is good ;
to hurt, reproach, and purfue the innocent life of the
Lamb? And yet this is that which the fpirit of the
world (which is not of God, but wife, and feemingly
juft and righteous in another wifdom, nature, and
principle) always hath done, ftill doth, and will do
to the end.

12. That there is a glorious crown prepared for
all thofe, who are gathered to the Lamb in this prin-
ciple, and abide with him faithful therein to the end,
hearing his voice, believing the demonftration of his
Spirit, obeying him in all his motions and requirings,
undergoing every yoke, (which is appointed by him
to yoke down the fieflily nature and mind) and taking
up every crofs of every kind in meeknefs, patience,
and fear. And there is not only a crown laid up for
them at laft, but the power of the Lord God is nigh
unto them to work all in them, to bear them up
through and over all, and to keep them to and in that
principle, whereby and whereinto his tender mercy
and powerful arm gathered them. For as the power
of the Lord began the work (for there could never
any heart be gathered from under the power of dark-
nefs to the light which leads out of it, but by the
power of the Lord ; for the powers of darknefs ftand
between, and would hold and keep their own, did
not a greater power appear and put forth itfelf for
the foul againft them) ; 1 fay, as the power of the
Lord began the work, fo tlie fame power alone is able
to go on with it and perfe6l it; and it will go on
with it and perfedl it upon the fame terms it began,
and no other. How were the terms at firft, but on a
giving up of the foul in the faith to the Lord, in the fcnfc
of his love and goodnefs and mercy, touching, and
drawing, and making willing? And how is the Hand-
ing, but in the fame giving up ftill ; in abiding with
the Lord, in hearkening to the voice of the Lord, in
waiting for the wifdom and counfel of the Lord ? But

if

lo Some Assertions coNCERNrNG, &c.

if any man draw back from this, if he defpife the
Spirit and his motions and counfels, and hearken to
the voice of a contrary fpirit, believing and following
it, like the angels that fell, he departeth from his
place and habitation, which he had in the drawings,
life, and power of God, and is not to God what he
was before, nor is God to him what he was before ;
but the Lord, who loved him before, and delighted
in him to do him good, hath now no pleafure in
him, he being turned from that which the Lord
loveth, and in which he hath determined and ap-
pointed to choofe, love, and own the children of
men j who, as they are gathered thither, are his chil-
dren ; as they that are gathered from thence, into a
contrary principle, are the children of the wicked
one.

And now what is of man in all this ? Where is the
man that can boaft before the Lord, who is thus faved?
He hath all from a principle; yea, he is gathered
into, preferved in, and abidcth in this principle by
the power, goodnefs, and mercy of the Lord. The
power begins the work in him, the power accompanies
him; the power carries him through, or he falls and
mifcarries. There is no man can ftand any longer
here, than he fubmits to and is upheld by the power,
nor a6t nor fuffer, but as the power a6ls in him and
helps him to fuffer. Let the man that boafteth, bring
forth fomewhat of his own, if he can, here. Is the
will at any time his own ? Doth not he that is fpiri-
tual, and in the true fenfe, always find God to work
in him to will, whenever he willeth rightly and holily?
And if he cannot will of himfelf, can he do any thing
of himfelf? Can he believe of himfelf, pray of him-
felf, wait of himfelf, refill enemies and temptations
of himfelf; nay, fo much as give a look to the Lord
at any time of himfelf? Indeed in the grace of the
Lord, and principle of his life, there is fufficiency :
and therein he that is joined to the Lord, and become
one Spirit with him, what can he not do here ? but
that is, as he is new-made in Chrift, and as Chrift

arifeth,

Some FURTHER Directions TO Christ, &c. h

arifeth, lives, and afls in him : which he that is in
the true fenfe and feeling will ftill acknowledge, not
only in his words to men, but in his heart and fpirit
before the Lord.

Some further Diredlions to Christ, the Prin-
ciple and Fountain of Life, by Way of Quef-
tion and Anfwer.

Queft i.TTTT/yfr is Chriji?

y Y •^'!/- He is the word of eternal life,
who is appointed of the Father to give life, and who
giveth life to them that receive him, and obey his gof-
pel. He is the Son of God, the wifdom of God, the
power of God, the righteoufnefs of God, the Saviour
and falvation of God. The peace, the reft, the joy,
the life of the foul. The King, the Prieft, the Pro-
phet, the Shepherd of the fheep. The way, the truth,
the door, the vine, the olive-tree, into which the liv-
ing are gathered and engrafted. And he is alfo an
hammer, an axe, a fvvord, a fire to the corrupt tree
and fruit.

Queft. 2. Hgw is ChriJI knozvity received^ and obeyed ?

AnJ. As a feed j as the feed of life, as the feed of
the kingdom, as a leaven, as fait -, as a little fmall
thing, rifing up in the heart againlt all that is great
and mighty. As a branch out of a dry ground; as a
little child to lead, which all the wifdom of man and
flefti cannot but defpife j and therefore that iivuft firft
be brought down in fome meafure in the heart, before
Chrift can be owned in the heart, and fubjected to.

Queft. 3. Ho\jo is the feed received?

Anf. By feeling its virtues, manifeftations, and ope-
rations in the heart, and fubjeding thereto.

Queft. 4. What are its -uirtueSf manifejlationsj and
operations ?

AnJ,

12 Some further. Directions to Christ, &d.

Anf. They are all living, and have all living and
powerful effects upon the heart, as they are let in.
They are all againft darknefs, fin, and death ; tend-
ing to difcover it, to turn the mind from it, to lead
out of the captivity, power, and reach of itj and
they are alfo all for God, tending to prepare the heart
for him, and to bring it into union and covenant with
him.

Queft. 5. fVhat is the fir ft operation of the feed to the
Jouly wherein it is to he waited for, and clofed with, that
the foul may come into the farther Jenfe and feeling of it ?

Anf. It is according to the ftate of the foul s which
being in darknefs, fin, and death, it appears as a light
to difcover the darknefs, fin, and death, and to lead
out of it to the redeeming power. And then, to them
that thus receive it, and wait upon it in the fear and
humility which it gives and begets, it appears as life,
quickening the foul, and as power, enabling it in
fome meafure to live to God, and to walk with him in
the way to the kingdom.

Quell. 6. How comes this way to he hid from fome that
dejire after the Lord, and to know his truth as it is in
Jefus?

Anf From the fubtilty of the enemy, who blinds
the eye which alone can fee, and Hops the ear which
alone can hear, and hardens the heart which alone can
underftand ; and hath devices, fnares, and baits, and
falfe reafonings from fcriptures, and from experiences,
which any one that hearkens unto, and is entangled
and enfnared in, is his captive, and cannot be at li-
berty to fee, or know, or embrace the truth as it is ;
but his heart is deceived about it, and filled with pre-
judices againft it. (Therefore fuch fhould wait for the
true circumcifton, that they might hearken to the Lord,
come out of the enemy^s fnares andjuhtil devices, and live)
as Ifa. Iv. I, 2, 3.

Queft. 7. But may not thefe he faved notwithftanding ?

Anf. There is no falvation but in and by Chrift
Jefus i and the falvation is nOt to them that received a
bare notion of him under the law, or another empty

notion

Some further Directions to Christ, &c. 13

notion under the profeflion of the gofpel ; but only to
them that receive him as he was promifed, as the holy
feed : for in that alone is the redemption, freedom
from fin, and power of life felt, and no where elfe.
So that he that hath not this knowledge of him, hath
not the true knowledge ; nor he that doth not fo be-
lieve in him, doth not rightly believe; nor he that
doth not fo hope in him, doth not rightly hope : and
without the true knowledge, the right faith and hope,
how can any man be faved ?

Therefore awake ! awake ! O weary, thirfty fouls !
come to the fpring of life; come to the living waters.
Become little, that ye may learn of Chrilt ; wait to
have your eyes anointed, that ye may fee him, and
your hearts opened, that ye may know and receive
him. Oh ! wait for the manifeflation of this feed in
you, be abafed before him, join to him, receive his
checks, receive mourning and repentance from him ;
wait for the light and faith that he gives, and the
power that ilTues from his throne, and ye fhall find
him the bruifer of the ferpent's head, (which none
elfe is able to do) and the breaker of the bond of
iniquity, which keeps down the juft, and fets the un-
jull at liberty, till he diffolvc it. And this is fufficient
to manifeft againft all the"difputes of the mind, that
this is he, and no other, by his doing that which
none elfe can do. This demonftration he gave to the
Jeivs in the fti'JIj, in his appearance in flefli ; and this
demonftration he giveth now to the Jezvs injpirit, in
his appearance in Spirit, whereby he fatisfieth their
hearts, and putteth them out of doubt that it is he.
And we mull profcfs to the world (as our hearts are
drawn and guided by the Lord, to give forth the tef-
timony we have received ot him) that we look not,
yea, we cannot look, for another. Whom fliould we
look for befides the Lamb, befides the Word which
was in the beginning, befides hi-m wlio is one with the
Father, and hath the eternal life, wifdom, righteouf-
nefs, and power of the F'uher, and manifefleth it in
us ? W^e look indeed for more of the fame, and the

mote

14 Some further Directions to Christ, Sec,"

more univerfal and powerful breaking of it forth;
but another thing, another Chrift, another life. Spirit,
power, &:c. we cannot look for. And this we further
teftify, that whoever receives this teftinnony in the
truth and uprightnefs of his heart, waiting on that
•which dilcovers fin to him, and in finnplicity joining
and giving up thereto, and walking with him in for-
faking the evil and cleaving to the good, in the faith
of him and of his power, he fball witnefs the fame
thing with us; and all the reafonings, imaginations,
and ftrong-holds of his mind Ihall be battered down,
and come to nothing, before the virtue, power, and
life of him who thus is pleafed to appear and manifeft
himfelf after the apoftafy, even as he did before, even
in an inward principle, an inward feed, an inward
light, an inward life, an inward word, an inward pow-
er. And friends and people mark in your minds,
and learn to put a right difference between that which
Humbles you, and that which draws and convinces
you. What makes any of you own truth at any time ?
Is it not an inward, lively, powerful touch and de-
monftration of God's Spirit ? What makes you after-
wards doubt and queilion ? Is it not another thing, of
a different nature from this? Is it not a fubtil reason-
ing, whereby the enemy twines into your fpirits, and
begets firft a doubt concerning, then a prejudice, and
at laft a great ftrength againft that, which before ye
had fome fenfe of, and fome unity with, in the teach-
ings and quickenings of the Spirit of the Lord ? And
what fpirit is it in you, that thus worketh in your
minds ? And whither doth he lead you by thefe work-
ings and fubtil reafonings ? Oh ! that ye might fee,
oh ! that ye might feel, the fnare, and know with us
the preferver therefrom ! for we have met with much
of this; and had we not been helped by the Lord,
and given up to him, we had been entangled to this
very day, as ye are. And he that hath helped us,
waits to be gracious to you ; and oh ! that you would
not rejedl: his help, that he might deliver you alfo !
that ye alfo might blefs his name, in feeling the be-
nefit

The End of Christ's Manifestation, &c. 15

ncfit and joy of his prefervation. And this is written
in true bowels and tender yearning love, that ye might
be a little itirred up to wait to know the Father's
houfe, and might feed on the bread which abounds
therein, and drink of the water which makes frelh
and living to God, and be clothed with the raiment
which the mafter of the family gives to his fpoufe,
children, and iervants.

The End of Christ's Manifeflatlon, his Salva-
tion, and whom he faves.

CHRIST came (and is manifefl in the hearts of
thofe that receive him) to deftroy the works of
the devil, and to fet the foul free from fin ; and
whom he maketh free, are free indeed. Is the liberty
which the Son giveth inferior in this life, in its kind,
to the captivity and bondage of the enemy in its
kind ? Which of them is flrongerj the enemy to en-
thral, or the Lord Jefus Chrift to fet free from his
thraldom ? Yes, the Lord Jefus Chrift, the Captain of
our falvation, the mighty Saviour (who is more able
to fave than the enemy to deftroy) delivereth his Ifrael
out of the hands of their enemies, and fo mightily
and powerfully delivereth them, that they are able (in
the power of his might) to ferve him, without fear of
them any more, in holinefs and righteoufnefs before
him all the days of their life.

It is true, there is a ftate of darknefs, fin, and
death, wherein Satan reigns ; and there is a ftate of
weaknefs, wherein Satan much prevails, if the watch
be not ftriclly kept to him, who is the everlafting
ftrength ; and there is a ftate of fighing and groaning
under the body of fin and death, and crying out who
Ihall deliver from it! But there is alfo a ftate of
growth in the life, and of victory (through the life)
over that which captived and caufed to cry out. There

is

i6 The End of Christ's Manifestation, Sec,

is a treading down of Satan under the feet by the
God of peace, infomuch as not only the elders, but
the very young men in Chrift, overconne and triumph
over him, feeling the entrance miniflered to them
abundantly into the everlafting kingdom, into which
no unclean thing can enter. Oh! wonderful is the
travel to the holy reft of the pure life ! Happy are
they that meet with the true leader, and faithfully fol-
low him, till they have travelled through and over-
come all that ftands in their way \ For to them, and
to them alone, is the promife of the pofTefTion of the
everlafting inheritance-, and fuch find and feel the
Lord to be their God indeed, and themfelves to be
his children, (brought forth in his holy life and na-
ture) which to feel in truth and certain knowledge is
more than tongue can utter.

Chrift faves only thofe that come unto him, and
believe in him, and fo are born of his Spirit, and by
the faith, and through the ftrength and virtue of his
Spirit, overcome the wicked-one, his works, fnares,
and temptations in their hearts. And thefe feel in
themfelves the root of his life, the holy feed of his
kingdom fpringing up in them, into which they are
ingrafted, and become one with him, and fo bringing
forth the holy fruit, the living grapes, the new and
righteous converfation, wherein the life of God ftiines,-
and is glorified. Now it is not knowing, or believing,
or receiving any thing into the old underftanding that
avails with God, or the reformation which is there
wrought; but the new creature alone, created of God
in Jefus Chrift. This is born of God, this lives in
him, this is clothed with him. This puts off the old
man, with his deeds, and puts on the newnefs of the
nature and Spirit of the Lord Jefus Chrift; fo that
this man is as really in Chrift, in the Spirit, in the
new Adam, found in him, formed in him, covered
with him, as the firft man, or nature, is in the old
Adam. Therefore this is the main thing in religion,
to mind the feed of the kingdom, the leaven of the
kingdom, its growth in the mind> foul;, and fpirit,

and

TttRtfi Questions atJswe^bd. i^

and the mind's, foul's, and fpirit's gathering into, and
growth in it. And here is faith, the true faith, the
true love, the true hope, the true meeknefs and pa-
tience, the truejuftification and fanftification felt, and
not elfewhcrc j but thofe that are out of this, out of
Chrift the feed, out of Chrift the Word, out of Chrift
the wifdom, righteoufnefs, and power of the Father,
are only in a dream concerning thefe things, but kno\f
not the truth and real nature of them, as they are felt
in Jefus, by thofe who are truly ingrafted in him, and
livingly grow up in him.

Three Questions answered, concerning

JuSTIflGAtlON.

Queft. I • T X r HAT is jujlifyingt or jujiification with

AnJ. It is God's owning the flate, works, or adions
of a creature, either inwardly in his own mind, or
manifeftly to them. This is God's juftifying of them,
or his juftification J his difowning or difallowing them,
is his condemnation. As for inftance : God's owning
Adam in the upright eftate of his innocency, wherein
God created him, and any thing he did in that ftate
and fpirit, was his juftifying of him and his works.
God's difowning and difallowing his hearkening to his
wife and the ferpent, and his eating the forbidden
fruit upon their temptation, was his condemnation
thereof.

Queft. 1. What is it Gcd jujiifes, and what is it he
condemns ?

AnJ. That which God juftifieth is the Spirit of hi^
Son, the life of his Son, the nature of his Son, brought
forth in any creature, the faith which is in himj and
fo the creature, as it is in the obedience which is of
him, and the works that are wrought in him. But the

Vol. III. B fallen

i8 Three Questions answered.

fallen eftate of man from him, and all that is done by
man out of him, God condemns.

Queft. 3. How is juftification received^ kept^ and grown
up in J and what is the prejervation out of condemnation ?

Anf. Juftification is only received by receiving him,
who is the righteoufnefs and juftification, and only
kept by abiding in him, and only increafed by grow-
ing up in him. For as every one that is found in him
is juftified j fo he that hath more of him, more of his
life, more of his faith, more of his nature, more of
his Spirit, more of the pure obedience, more of the
garment of righteoufnefs and falvation drawn over
him, he is more juftified. For there are degrees of
juftification, as the foul that is really in the thing, and
is acquainted with the true nature and difpenfation of it
from God, feels and knows. A father is more or lefs
pleafed with his children, yea, with the fanne child
fometimes ; which is a true figure to man who is come
under God's teachings. And the prefervation out of
condemnation is, by being preferved out of that which
God condemns : for no man upon the earth, that hath
the true fenfe and feeling, fhall ever find the Holy
and Juft One juftifying him in his fmsj but as the
heart is turned from them, and by the power of life
kept out of them. He that will be kept in the jufti-
fication, muft be kept out of that which the juftifica-
tion is not to : for there he is not juftified j but in his
being drawn again out of it, and turning again from
it, his juftification in the tender mercy of the Lord is
renewed. Juftification under the law was according
to that covenant. He that walks with God in that co-
venant, he that walks in and after the Spirit of Chrift,
he is therein juftified; but he that walks after the
flefti, and doth any thing that is flcftily, that is not
juftified with God, nor he in that j but in the faith
which cleanfeth and giveth viftory over it, in that is
the juftification from it, and the pure heavenly peace
jwith the Lord God of life witnefTed.

He that is in Chrift, and receiveth his knowledge
From Chrift, and is kept in the pure fear and fenfe of

him.

Three Questions answered^ 19

him, he underftandeth the truth of thefc things j but
he that is erred in fpirit, and holds but up a literal
knowledge (though from, or at lead accompanied
with, fome remembrance of formdr feelings and expe-
riences) he errs about thefe things alfo, and deceit
and a lie hath prevailed over him, as he will find,
when the Lord confounds his wifdom and prefent ap-
prchenfions of things, by awakening his witnefs in
him. For religion, the true religion, is a myftery,
life is a myftery, Chrift is a myftery, the Spirit is a
myftery, faith is a myftery, obedience (the pure obedi-
ence) is a myftery, worftiip (the Jpritual worjhip in
and according to the new covenant) is a myftery, hid
from the eyes of all the wife fearchers of the world ;
but revealed to the leaft babe that is of God, and
abideth in the quickened life of his Son. But many
that are out of the myftery of truth, are in the myf-
tery of deceit, and have a knowledge or profeflion
concerning Chrift, his Spirit, faith, obedience, the
fpiritual worftiip, &c. in that myftery of deceit,
which they for the prefent account the true, and by it
venture to judge, difallow, and condemn the truth
itfelf •, but that is not at all to the hurt of the truth,
or fuch as are in it ; but rather to their own hurt and
great danger. For the fparks which man kindles will
never light him to God j the garments of man's right-
eoufnefs (either according to his apprehenfions of the
letter of the law, or letter of the gofpel) will never
clothe him ; but for all that, he muft lie down in
fhame and forrow, when the truth of God appears in
his confcience, and all his fliadows and deceits flee
away.

Therefore hearken to the teftimony from thefe whom
the Lord hath awakened, whom the Lord hath quick-
ened, whom the Lord hath led out of the darknefs of
the night, into the light and brightnefs of the day;
who have feen Jefus, and teftify what they have feen,
heard, felt, and handled of that eternal Word, which
was from the beginning, which appeared in flefli, and
afterwards in Spirit, before the apoftafy, and hath

B 2 aoain

lb Of the pure, constant, &c.

again appeared (fince the apoftafy) as a Ihepherd, as
a gatherer, as a leeker-out and preferver of his wan-
dering fheep, who were driven from him in the cloudy
and dark day. And if ye would hearken aright,
breathe to the Lord, in that which defires and longs
after him, that he would circumcife the heart, and
open the right ear in you, that the ear may hear his
witnefs in you, that fo ye may indeed know the
voice of the Shepherd, and in true underftanding,
fenfe, and conftant experience, bear witnefs to that
true teflimony which Chrift fpake in the days of his
flefli: " My fheep hear my voice, and follow me ; but
" a ftranger they will not follow : for they know not
*' the voice of ftrangers."

Of the pure, conftant, eternal, unchangeable
Nature of God's Truth. _

TRUTH is of God, and was with God, and in God,
before any thing elfe had a being. Truth was
before error or deceit : for it was from the truth that the
error was, and it was about truth that the deceit was.
There was fomewhat which erred from truth, and.
brought in deceit into the world, and hath propagated
deceit in the world -, but truth remains the fame that
it was, keeping its pure, eternal, unchangeable na-
ture ; and is not, nor ever was, nor ever can be, de-
filed or tainted with any error or deceit; but teflifieth
againft it, reproveth it, and condemneth for it, draw-
eth out of it, and delivereth from its bands and cap-
tivity, all thofe that hearken and cleave to it, in the
faith which is of its nature and begetting.

The Father, the fountain of truth, is the fame.
The Son, his exprefs image, (whom he fills with him-
felf, and in whom he appears) is the fame. The Spi-
rit, the anointing, who is Irufhi and no lie) is ftill

the

Of the pure, constant, &c, 21

the fame. The principle or feed of truth is flill the
fame. The dodrine and way of truth is ftill the
fame; for it was the fame truth which was preached
in fhadows under the law, the fubftance whereof ap-
pears, and is witneiTed in the gofpel : and it was the
fame before the great apoftafy, in the latter days from
it, and all the time of the apoftafy, and again after
the apoftafy. It hath the fame nature ftiil, the fame
properties, the fame operations and effedls, and gives
forth the fame teftimony in the ears and hearts of all
that are open to it. Indeed the minds of men, and
the ftates of men, may often change in relation to
truth ; but truth itfelf changeth nor, but is equal, fair,
and juft to all men upon the earth, in all ages and
generations, always condemning that which is unjuft,
erroneous, and deceitful, and always juftifying what
is pure, holy, and righteous.

Now is not this a pearl ? Nay, is not this the pearl
indeed, the precious pearl of price ? Who would not
buy it ? Who would not fell all for it ? Who would
not dig in the field, where this treafure is hid, until
he find it ? The field is near thee, O man ! which
thou art to purchafe and dig in, and muft feel torn up
by the plough of God in fome meafure before this
pearl or treaiiire appear to thee; and thou mull take
up and bear the yoke and crofs of Chrift, until all be
bowed down and crucified in thee which is contrary
to its nature, before it be poliflied in thee, and thou
come to behold and enjoy its riches and everlafting
fulnefs. Oh ! happy are they that are begotten and
born of it ! happy are they that know its voice, and
give up to it, to be gathered and redeemed by it, out
of all deceits, out of all errors, out of all that en-
tangles and enfnares the foul in fin, mifery, and utter
perdition ; for deftru6tion and mifery everlafting is out
of it, and life and falvation is alone to be found in it.
There is a witnefs in every heart, which knows thefe
things, and will teftify it to their faces, when the
light of God is opened in them, and its tongue fpeaks

B 3 there-

22 Of the pure, constant, &c.

therein to them. Oh ! happy they that wait for, know,
hear, and fubjeft to the heavenly voice, while the
day of their vifitation and reclainning lafteth, wherein
they oiay travel fronn fin to holinefs, from death to
life, by its help and guidance ! Oh ! why fliould man
perifh ? Why fhould man hearken to that which hates
him, and feeks his deftrudtion, and flop his ear againft
that which loves him, and warns him of his danger
in the dearnefs of love, and in tendernefs of bowels
towards him ?

A OUES.

A

(QUESTION

TO THE

PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY,

WHETHER

They have the true, living, powerful, faving Know-
ledge of Christ, or no?

WITH

Some Queries concerning CHRIST, and his Appear-
ances; his taking upon him our Fleih ; as alfo concerning
his Flefli and Blood, and our being formed thereof, and
feeding thereon.

AND

An Incitatlon to ProfefTors ferioufly to confider, whether they or we
fail in the true Acknowledgment and Owning of the CHRIST
which died at Jerufalem.

LIKEWISE

Some Propofitions and Confiderations concerning the Nature of
Church- Worfhips and Ordinances fince the Death of the Apoftles,
for the Sake of the Simplicity, which hath been long held cap-
tive therein.

WITH

The Sounding of Bowels towards thee, O England !
Alfo a faithful Guidance to the Principle and Path of Truth.

WITH

Some fenfible experimental Questions and Answers, from the
Tenth Chapter of John.

By ISAAC PENINGTON,

Prifoner in Aylesbury, who (by the Counfel of the Lord) hath
ehofen rather to fuffer AfRidion^with the defpifed People of God»
than to enjoy the Pleafurcs of Sin for a Seafon,

B 4

[ 25 ]

THE

PREFACE.

•* r I A H I S is life eternal, tBat they might know
J[_ " thee, the only true God, and Jelus Chrifl;
" whom thou haft fent." Whom did the Father fend?
Did he not fend the Son of his love ? From whence
did he fend him ? Did he not fend him out of his
o^n bofom ? Whither did he fend him ? Did he not
fend him into the world, to take upon him a body,
and glorify the name of the Father, doing his will
therein ? He laid down his glory, dripping himfelf of
the form of God, and appearing in habit as a man,
in their raiment, with their garment upon him; in
which, as a fervant, the feed (the heir of all) ferved.
the Father. And now his work being as good as done*
he looks back at the glory which he had laid down
for the Father's fake, looking up to the Father for the
reftoring of it to him again. " I have glorified thee on
" the earth," faith he, " I have finifhed the work
*' which thou gaveft me to do. And now, O Father,
'^ glorify thou me with thine own felf, with the glory
'* which I had with thee before the world was,"
John xvii. 4, 5.

Now having fought and travelled (from my child-
hood) after the true knowledge of God, and of his
Chriil ; and having been fatisfied with nothing elfe
that ever 1 could meet with, and having at length
(through the tender mercy of the Lord, and guidance
of his Spirit) met with this, and been fatisfied there-
with, finding it to be the eternal life, the true food,
the living power, the pure reft, the joy and falvation
of my foul, I cannot but 'teftify it to thofe that lay

out

[ »6 ]

out their money for that which is not bread, and their
labour for that which fatisfieth not.

We (fome of us, at leaft) laid out as much of our
money as others, who now defpife us, have done j and
as much of our labour ; and (I may fpeak it in the
fear of the Lord, and in true fenfe, without boafting)
fome of us had as much of that which they feed on,
and call bread, as they have now. Yet when the Lord
brought us to the true balance, we found it not to be
bread, nor able to give the foul true fatisfadion.
The bread was not that which we then called bread,
but that which we overlooked, and wift not what it
was. But the eternal life which was hid with the Fa-
ther, and is manifefted in the Son, and made known
to the foul, (as the Son is manifefted to it, and revealed
in it) that is bread indeed, that is meat which perilh-
eth not, but will endure when all literal and outward
knowledge of God and Chrift fails, and will fall fhort
of fatisfying that hunger of the foul, which is after
the fubftance itfelf.

Now to draw mens minds to a fenfe of truth, to a
fenfe of that which is the thing, that they might know
the bread indeed, that they might know the living
waters, come to them, and drink thereof, and find>
Chrift in them a well of water fpringing up to eternal
life ; therefore was it in my heart to give forth thi&
queftion, and the enfuing queries j which he that
rightly anfwers, muft know the thing; and he that
doth not rightly know the thing, by his inability to
anfwer, may find that he doth not, and fo may wait
upon God that he may receive the knowledge of it,
and come to it for the eternal life which it freely
giveth.

The Jews were puzzled with a literal knowledge of
the law and prophets, and about the Mefllah to come,
according to their underftanding of the prophecies
concerning him, and fo were kept from the true know-
ledge thereby. Moft forts of thofe that now profcfs
Chrift, are puzzled about a knowledge concerning thq
outward body, flefti, and blood of Chrift, according

as

[ 27 1

as they appreliend the fcriptures to fpeak ; and fo the
the veil is over their hearts likewife, and they cannot
fee the eternal life and fubflance, no more than the
Jews, but by an outward literal knowledge are kept
back from the thing, a^ the Jews were. Now the
breathing of my heart to the Lord is, To take away
the veil of all hearts that fincerely defire after truth,
and to open the true eye in them, that they may fee
the defire and beloved of their fouls, and may be led
by him into the true travel, out of felf, towards the
kingdom ; yea, into the very land of the living,
where the food of life is fed upon, where the living
fprings flow, where are vineyards which we planted
not, and dwelling-places which we built not, where
the fruit of the vine of God's planting (the wine of
the kingdom) is drunk of, even new in the kingdom,
with the Father and Son in the Spirit, who are One
and All there.

The Lord give a fenfe and underflanding, that the
ear of the needy, the afflidled in fpirit, the mourners,
the captives, the bowed down may hear, and may be
drawn to touch that which hath the virtue in it, and
which effedlually redeemeth thofe that wait upon it,
from all that boweth down and opprelTe^h.

A QUES-

[ 25 ]

(QUESTION

T O T H E

Professors of Christianity,

THE Queftlon is not, whether they know what is
faid of Chrift in the fcriptures j but whether
they know it/avingly, truly j livinglyy powerfully ? Yea,
they may know what is faid of him, and yet not know
hini of whom thofe things are faid. As it was with
the Scribes and Pharifecs j they knew what was faid
of Chrift in the law and prophets; but they knew
not himfelf, when he appeared in that body of flefh.
So men may now know what the apoftles and the
evangelifls have faid concerning his appearance in a
body of flefh, (concerning his birth, circumcifion,
baptifm, preaching, dodrine, miracles, death, refur-
redion, afcenfion, interceflion, &c.) and yet not
know him of whom thefe things are faid. Yea, they
may know what is faid concerning the Word which
was from the beginning, and yet not know the word,
the power, the life itfelf.

Since the prevailing of the apoftles teftimony, the
Vray of the enemy hath not been direcStly to deny
Chrift, but to bring men into fuch a knowledge of
Chrift, as faves not. And as the enemy did own
Chrift, when he appeared in that body of flefti, fay-

A QJJ E S T I O N, &c. 29

ing, " I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of
«' God ;" fo he hath found it for his advantage, al-
moil ever fince, to own that appearance of his. So
that this he dorh not oppofe, nor mens knowledge
and underftanding of fcriptures, fo as to confirm them
in this. But the faving knowledge, the true know-
ledge, the living knowledge, the powerful knowledge
of truth, that he always oppofethj for that alone over-
turns and deflroys his kingdom in man, and brings
man from out of his reach.

Now there is a vaft difference between knowing the
relations concerning a thing, and knowing the thing
related of. And there is alfo a great deal of differ-
ence between believing the relations concerning a
thing, and believing in the thing which is related of.

Spiritual things cannot be favingly known, but in
union with them, in the receiving of them. A man
can never really know the Spirit of God, by all that
can be faid concerning it, but he muit firfl feel fome-
what of it, whereby he may truly know it. So the
peace, the joy, the life, the power, they pafs the
underftanding J and a man can never rightly know
them by reading, or comprehending ever fo much
concerning them; but by coming out of himfelf, and
travelling thither where they are given and made ma-
nifeft, he may come into acquaintance with them.
And if the peace which Chrift gives, the joy, the life,
the power, cannot be thus known by literal defcrip-
tions ; how can he, who is the fulncfs of all, the
fountain of them all, the treafury of all perfection, in
whom are hid all the riches and trcafures of wifdom
and knowledge ; how can he be known by outward and
literal defcriptions ?

Now WQ have travelled through thefe things. We
knew formerly what ye know now; and we alfo know
now, what God hath given us further; and what our
former knowledge was, and what our prefcnt know-
ledge is. And this is it which gives us fatisfaftion.

Our knowledge is in a principle, wherein we receive
our capacity of knowing, and wherein the Father

(from

30 A QJJ E S T I O N to the

(from whom the principle came) teacheth us. And
this is his way of teaching us i by making us one with
the thing he teacheth. Thus we learn Chrift, by be-
ing born of him, by putting him on. Thus we know
his righteoufnefs, his life, his wifdom, his power, by
receiving a proportion of them, which giveth an abi-
lity to difcern and acknowledge the fulnefs. And in
this we receive the underftanding of the fcriptures,
and know the feed of the woman, (which bruifeth the
ferpent's head) by receiving the feed, by feeling its
growth in us, and its power over the enemy. Then
we know the thing; likewife we know the woman that
brings forth this feed after the Spirit, which is the
Jerufalem above j and we know alfo, and fingly ac-
knowledge, the bringing forth of it outwardly after
the fielh. This feed we know to be the feed of Abra-
ham, the feed of David after the flelh, and the feed
of God after the power of the endlefs life j and we
are taught of God to give the due honour to each .;
to the feed of God in the firft place, to the feed of
David in the fecond place. There was the feed that
wrought the thing, which feed was the life ; and the
feed in which he wrought it, which was formed into a
vefTel like ours, but without fin, in which the pure
Lamb appeared in the pure power of life, which kept
the vefTel purej and fo he (who was to be the firft
fruits) had the honour above all his brethren, being
anointed with the oil of gladnefs above his fellows.

But we alfo are born of the fame feed. He is
formed in usj we are formed of him -, we are as well,
of his flclh and blood, as he was of ours. And by
being thus formed, and feeling him grow up in us,
and receiving an underftanding from him, and in him,
thus we come to know him, and to underftand the
words of fcripture concerning him. By feeling and
knowing the Lamb in our vcfTels, we know alfo what
was the Lamb in his veflel.

Thus we know things in the certainty and demon-
(Iration of God's Spirit, even in the light which (hines
from him, and in the life which he_ begets j and wc

fpeak

PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY. 31

fpeak of things as they are, and as we feel them to be
in the true life, which the Spirit of Chrift hath begot-
ten in us. And we can truly fay concerning the
fcriptures. That now we believe, not fo much becaufe
of the relation of things concerning Chrifl, which we
have found in them ; but becaufe we have feen and
received the thing which the fcriptures fpeak of, and
find it to be the very thing indeed, the very Chrift of
God, the fpotlefs one, the living garment of right-
coufnefs and falvation, wherein God findeth no fault,
and in which the foul appears without blame before
him. And concerning this, can we fpeak words of
its nature, words of its virtue, words of its life, pow-
er, and righteoufnefs ; which that which is of the flefh
cannot hear, but that which is born of God, naturally
owneth and underftandeth. Why fo ? Becaufe it
knoweth the nature of the thing, and receiveth them
in the favour thereof. Can life deny life? Can the
birth of life deny that which fprings out of the fame
womb ? No, no. The children which are born of
wifdom, do juftify wifdom in its feveral fproutings
forth and appearances; but that which denies it, is a
birth after the letter, a birth after the literal and out-
ward knowledge of things, a birth of the compre-
hending wifdom i that indeed reproacheth and blaf-
phemeth the incomprehenfible wifdom, in its incom-
prehenfible ways, and would reftrain life to what they
apprehend, or can comprehend by the letter concern-
ing it.

And this may be a great evidence to profeflbrs,
that they know not indeed Chrift in his nature. Spi-
rit, life, and power; becaufe they fpeak not of him
as perfons who feel the thing, and fpeak from the
prefent fenfe of it, and acquaintance with it, but only
as perfons that bring forth a notion they have re-
received into their underftandings. And yet they fail
therein alfo ; for they fpeak not of Chrift according as
the fcriptures hold him forth, compared one with an-
other, but as they have.grofsly apprehended con-
cerning him from fome fcriptures, as the Jews out-
ward

32 A Qja^STION TO THE

ward did. For the fcriptures fpeak not 6nly of i
body, but alfo of him that appeared in the body; hof
only of bodily fiefh, blood, and bones, but alfo of
fuch flefh and bones, whereof Chrift and his church
confift. He is Chrift (fay the fcriptures) who is on^
with the Father, who came from the Father, in whom
the Father was, and who was in the Father; fo faid
Jefus of himfelf (lifting up his eyes to heaven, and
praying to the Father of his difciples, arnS the chil-
dren whom the Father had given him) more than once
in that feventeenth chapter of John. Yea he is Chrift,
whom a man cannot fee, but he muft fee the Father
alfo i and whom, whofoever feeth the Father, feeth ;
who was before Abraham was i whom hb man could
know whence he was, even as no man can know whence
the Father is. Chrift granted the Jews that they
knew him, and whence he was as to his body ; and
yet for all that, he was the Chrift who was to come,
whom no man knew from whence he was. What was
that, Chrift called mey fpeaking to Philip ? " Haft
*' thou not known me, Philip ? Haft thou not feea
** me ?" What, doft thou know me after the flefti,
after the body ? Doft thou take that for me ? Have I
been fo long with you, and do you know me no better
than fo ? The body is from below, the body is like
one of yours (only fandified by the Father, and pre- ^
ferved without fin) j but I am the fame Spirit, life,
and being with the Father. We are one fubftance,
one pure power of life, and we cannot be divided j
but he that fees one, muft needs fee both j and he that
knows one, muft needs know both. This is the Lamb
of God which John bare witnefs of, which he faid was
before him, John i. 15. which' the body was not.

Now friends, if you have this living fpiritual know-
ledge, if ye hold it in him that is true-, then own and
acknowledge it, (as it is expreffed in the fcriptures,,
and as God hath now brought it forth in his people)
that ye may manifeft yourfelves to that which is of
God, that ye are of him. There is an underftanding
and wifdom of man, and there is a witnefs of God,

which

PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY. 33

which witnefs gives true judgment. Man (at beft)
judgeth but according as things appear to him from
the fcriptures ; but the witnefs judgeth of the things
of God in the.demonftration of the Spirit, according
as they are felt and known to be in him.

But if ye have not this knowledge, but have long
laid out your money and labour for that which is not
bread, nor can yield the true fatisfadtion ; Oh ! come
to the waters, and receive that which is given freely,
without money and without price ! Oh ! fell all for
the pearl, for the knowledge which is of life, for the
knowledge which is life ! " I am the way, the truth,
" and the life," faith Chrift i this is life eternal to
know. And wait to feel the rock laid as a foundation
in you, even the feed of God, the life of Chriil, the
Spirit of Chrift revealed in you, and your fouls born
of it, and built upon it. Oh ! that ye could come
out of your own underftandings, that ye might feel
and receive the love of my heart, and know the travail
of my bowels for you ; that ye might be born of the
truth, and know and receive it as it is in Jefus, and
as it is felt in the Spirit, and its own pure power.

Now a little further, to remove the fcruples and
prejudices out of the minds of fuch as fometimes have
been touched with the power of truth, and have had
the witnefs of God reached to in their hearts; but
afterwards the enemy hath raifed mifts, and cad: blocks
in their way, ftirring up in them hard thoughts againft
us, as if we denied what the fcriptures affirm in this
thing, and indeed (in efFeft) that Chrift which died
at Jerufalem, and fet up a natural principle within, in-
ftead thereof:

To remove this out of the minds of the honeft-
hearted, (who in the guidance of God might light
on this paper) I fhall open my heart nakedly herein.

I. We do own that the Word of God (the only
begotten of the Father) did take up a body of the
flefti of the virgin Mary, who was of the feed of Da-
vid, according to the fcriptures, and did the will of

Vol. III. C the

34 A QU E S T I O N TO THE

the Father therein, in holy obedience unto him, both
in life and death.

2. That he did offer up the flefh and blood of that
body (though not only fo j for he poured out his foul,
he poured out his life) a facrifice or offering for fin,
(do not, oh! do not ftumble at itj but rather wait
on the Lord to underftand it : for we fpeak in this
matter what we know) a facrifice unto the Father, and
in it tafted death for every man ; and that it is upon
confideration (and through God's acceptance of this
facrifice for fin) that the fins of believers are pardoned,
that God might bejuft, and the juftifier of him which
believeth in Jefus, or who is of the faith of Jefus.

3. What is attributed to that body, we acknowledge
and give to that body in its place, according as the
fcripture attributeth it, which is through and becaufe
of that which dwelt and a6ted in it. But that which
fandlificd and kept the body pure (and made all ac-
ceptable in him) was the life, holinefs, and righteouf-
nefs of the Spirit. And the fame thing that kept his
vefiel pure, it is the fame thing that cleanfeth us. The
value which the natural flefh and blood had, was from
that; in its coming from that, in its ailing in that, in
its fuffering through that : yea, indeed, that hath the
virtue; that is it which is of an unchangeable nature,
which abideth for ever; which is pure, and maketh
pure for ever; and it is impofllble for a man to touch
it, but he muft feel cleanfing by it. Now this living
virtue and power man was Ihut out from by the fall ;
but through the true knowledge of the death of
Chrift, the way is made open for it again, and man
brought to it to be baptized, wa(hed, cleanfed, fanfti-
fied, fitted for and filled with life. So that this it is
that doth the thing ; this is it from whence Chrift had
his own flefh and blood (for we are taught, both by
the Spirit, and by the fcriptures, to diftinguifh between
Chrift's own flefh and that of ours, which he took up
and made his); which flefh and blood we feed of in
the Spirit ; which they cannot feed on which ferve at
the outward tabernacle j nor they neither which know

only

PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY. 35

only the outward body j but they only that feed in the
Spirit.

Now of this thing we might fpeak yet more clearly
and plainly, could men hear our words. But if we
have fpoken to you earthly things, (in parables and
figures) fuitable to your underftanding, and ye believe
not, how fliall ye believe, if we fpeak to you heavenly
things i if we fhould tell you plainly of the Father,
in whom is all the life of the Son, and all the virtue
and falvation that ever the Son had from him ? The
Jews were to learn in types, figures, and (hadows, till
Chrifl came. And after Chrift: came, he alfo taught
them in refcmblances and fimilitudes of things : and
the apoftle wrote and fpake much to perfons, asjuft
coming out of that ftate, in a language fuited to that
ftate. But he that comes into the thing itfelf, and
is taught there by the Spirit, after he is grown up and
made capable, he is taught plainly the nature of the
heavenly things, and the words of the apoftles, (con-
cerning the deep things of God) which are myfterious
to others, are manifeft and plain to him. Yea, the
Lord fo teacheth him things, as words cannot utter;
that is, he fo knoweth the peace of God, the joy of
his Spirit, the life and power of the Lord Jefus Chrift,
his wifdom, righteoufnefs, and pure precious ways of
fandifying the heart, the tender mercy, faithfulnefs,
and rich love of the Father, &c. as he cannot utter
to any man ; nay, fo as he never learned (nor could
learn) from words about the things; but by the fenfe
and experience of the thing itfelf, the Lord (in whom
are the depths of lire, and who giveth the ienfe and
underftanding of the deep things of the Spirit) open-
ing them in him, and manifefting them to him. And
indeed this is the right and excellent way of know-
ledge, to come into the union, to come into the thing
itfelf; to learn in the union, to fee and know in the
thing. This is the way that the Lord teacheth all his
children in the new covenant, by the inward life, by
the pure light within, by the inward demonftration of
his Spirit, by the power and virtue of the truth itfelf,

C 2 which

5* • A QUESTION to thb''^-^^'^

which it hath in him that h true. And he that is in
the Son, hath fome meafure of this lifej and he that
hath not fome meafure of this life, is not in the Son j
but in a talk and wife knowledge of things after the
flefh, which will perilh, and he with it, who abideth
there. For no man can be faved, but by coming into
the knowledge which is of a pure, eternal, living,
faving nature. Can an opinion which a man takes up
concerning Chrift from the fcriptures (and calling
himfelf thereupon) fave him ? For it is no more than
an opinion or judgment unto a man, unlcfs he be in
the life and power of the thing itfelf. Then indeed
it is truth to him, knowledge in him, right know-
ledge; otherwife it is but knowledge falfely fo called;
knowledge which will not fubdue his heart to truth,
nor hath its feat there ; but in his head, making him
wife and able there to oppofe truth, and fo bringing
him into a ftate of condemnation, wrath, and mifery,
beyond the heathen, and making him harder to be
wrought upon by the light and power of the truth,
than the very heathen. Therefore confider your ways,
O profeflbrs of Chriftianity ! and do not defpife the
hand which is ftretched forth to you in the love of
God, and in the motion and guidance of his Spirit,
who condefcends to you exceedingly, that he might
reach to his own in you, and fcatter your apprehcn-
fions, imaginations, and conceivings about the mean-^
ings of fcriptures, (which are as fo many chains of
death and darknefs upon you) that ye might come to
him in whom is life, and who gives life freely to all
who come to him. Oh ! obferve what bars were in
the way of the Scribes and Pharifees ! They would not
come to him that they might have life i nay, indeed,
they could not, as they ftood. There are greater bars
in your way i yea, it is harder for many of you to
corne to him, than it was for them. My upright de-
fire to the Lord for you is, that he would remove the
Itumbling-blocks out of your way, that he would bat-
ter and knock down the flelh in you, that he would
ftrip you of all your knowledge of fcriptures according

to

PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY. 37

to the flefh, that ye might be made by him capable
of knowing and receiving things according to the
Spirit, and then ye will know how to underftand, ho-
nour, and make ufe of the letter alfo ; but till then
ye cannot but make ufe of it both againft your own
fouls, and againft Chrift and his truth.

And then for fetting up a natural principle, we are
further from that than ye are aware. For we were as
Ihy of this, and jealous that it was a natural principle,
as ye can be, and ftarted from it, divers of us, till
the Lord, by his eternal power, and demonftration of
his Spirit, reached our hearts, and fhewed us that it
was the feed of the kingdom, (even the root of all the
fpiritual life, that either we ourfelves formerly, or
ever any elfe received at any time) and gave us the
fight of the things of the kingdom in it, and at length
wrought that in us, and for us, by it, which never
was wrought in us before, and which can be wrought
by nothing elfe but the power of the Spirit. Now
having certainly felt and known the thing in our own
hearts, and having alfo feen the fnares and nets
which the enemy lays for you, whereby he keeps you
from the true bread, and from the water and wine of
the kingdom, (even as he kept us formerly) how can
we hold our peace, but witnefs to you (in the love
and drawings of the Spirit of the Lord) of the truth,
life, and power which we have felt in Jefus, though
ye become our enemies therefore ? Nor do we this to
bring you to another opinion, or outward way (that is
not our end) ; but that ye might feel the thing itfelf,
and know aiTuredly what is the truth, in that which
never was deceived itfelf, nor ever deceived any ; nor
will fuffer any to be deceived who are joined to it,
and abide in it. Oh ! why fhould ye wander in the
dark opinions and uncertainties of the night ? Why
fhould ye not rather come to that wherein the light
of the day fprings, and out of which it Ihines ? And
can the natural man (who hath his eyes) be deceived
about the light of the natural day ? Doth he not know
the light of the day, both from the lights^ and alfo

C 3 from

38 A QJJ E S T I O N TO THE

from the darknefs of the night ? Ten thoufand times
more certain and inwardly fatisfied is he, who is born
of the fpiritual day, brought forth in the light there-
of, and who fpiritually fees, lives, and walks therein.
So that there is no doubt in him who is grown up into
the thing; but he hath the afiurance of faith, (which
is far above the affurance of outward fenfe or reafon)
and the aflurance of underftanding. Oh ! bleffed is
he who hath an eye to fee, an ear to hear, an heart to
underftand, the things which God hath revealed by
his Spirit in this our day, the living way which he
hath now made manifeft, the principle of life that he
hath raifed out of the grave of death. But he that
reproacheth and fpeaketh evil of this, (that will nei-
ther enter in himfelf, nor fuffer others) he is far from
receiving the bleffing or bleffednefs of this feed ; but
groweth up in the wrong nature and fpirit, the end
whereof is to be burned, with all that is in union with
it, and groweth up from it. Therefore come out
from that fpirit j come out of that dark mind and na-
ture, which never faw, nor can fee the truth; but fet-
teth up opinions and appearances of things inftead
of it ; and receive the anointing which is given with
and in the feed, which is raifed in fome, and vifited in
many, in this day of the Lord's love and tender
mercy ; to whom the living, the fenfible, the redeemed
fmg praifes, and on whom they wait, for the further
manifefting of his power and glory in them daily more
and more.

Now, friends, if ye will know aright, or believe
aright, ye muft know and believe in him, who was
with the Father before the world was; who was the
Saviour, the Jefus, the Chrifl: from everlafting. For
what makes him fo ? Is it not his nature ? Is it not the
power of falvation in him ? His taking up a body
made no alteration in him, added nothing to him ;
only it was neceflary that he fliould take it up, to ful-
fil the will in it, and to offer it up a facrifice in his
QVVn life and Spirit to th^ Father, This we firmly be-
lieve J

PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY. 39

lleve; and this alfo we cannot but fay further, that
the virtue, the value, the worth, the excellency of
what was done by him in the body, was not of the
body, but it was in him before time, in time, and
will be after time, and for ever : yea, it is he to whom
the name Jefus and Chrift did of right belong before
he took up the body : and he only put forth in the
body the faving virtue which he had before, which
belonged to the nature, to the anointing in him,
whether ever he had faved any with it or no. And
this virtue, this life, this Spirit, this nature of his, is
the food, the righteoufnefs, the garment of life and
falvation, which he (through the death of the body)
made and prepared a living v/ay for the foul to come
to, to feed on, and be clothed with. I can hardly
flop fpeaking of thefe things for your fakes, that
through my words (or the words of whom the Lord
ihall pleafe) ye might come to feel that which is able
to give you the holy underllanding, and might come
to the true fenfe and experience of the truth itfelf,
and might fee who hath blinded you, and how he
hath blinded you, and fed you with hulks and dry
food, inllead of that which hath the true living fap
in it. But while ye fee and judge in that which is
wrong, ye muft needs judge amifs both of yourfelves
and others, and alfo of the truth itfelf, and of the
words fpoken, either formerly or now, concerning it,
whereby ye expofe and bring yourfelves under the
righteous judgment of the truth itfelf, even of the
Son, and the light of his day, which hath power from
the Father to judge all falfe appearances, deceits, and
deceivers,

4 POST-

[ 40 ]

POSTSCRIPT.

IT hath pleafed the Lord, as he manifelled his Chrift
glorioufly before the apoftafy, fo to manifeft him
fo again. For he was not only born (in the flefh) of
the virgin Mary j but he was alfo born in the Spirit of
the woman clothed with the fun, which had the moon
under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve
ftars. She alfo brought forth the man-childj who was
to rule ail nations with a rod of iron. Rev. xii.

Now of this appearance and return of the Lord
Jefus Chrift, and his frefh bringing forth of his life
and power in his body, the church, there are many
witnefles, who have feen, felt, and tafted thereof, with
the eyes and fenfes which are of God, and of the new-
birth. And of this (in the love and good-will of
God, and from the drawings and requirings of his
Spirit) they bear witnefs to others, that they alfo
might come to fee the glory and brightnefs of his
day, and rejoice therein. For indeed it is a glorious
day inwardly in fpirit, to thofe that are quickened and
gathered to the living Shepherd and Bilhop of the
foul, by the eternal arm of his power. And happy is
the eye that fees the things that they fee», and the ear
that hears what they hear, and the heart which under-
ftands the things which God hath revealed in and unto
them by his Spirit.

Glorious was the appearance of Chrift in the fleftij
but there were blocks in the way of the Jews, that
they could not know, own, believe and receive him.
And glorious is the adminiftration of his life in Spirit,
in^ this day of his power; but there are alfo blocks
lying in the way of them to whom it is fent, which

caufc

POSTSCRIPT. 41

caufe them to flumble at it, and keep them both from
letting it into them, and alfo from giving up to it.
But bleffed was he who was not offended in Chrift
then, and blefled is he who is not offended at him
now. For he that is offended at him, who is life, and
gives life, ftumbling at the prefent way of difpenfa-
tion which God hath chofen to give it out by, how
fhall he live ? This is the caufe that fo n^any poor
hearts lie mourning and grovelling on the earth,
groaning becaufe of their fins, fearing becaufe of the
ftrength of the enemy, and the corruptions of their
own hearts, which are continually ready to betray them
into his hands; becaufe they know not him who hath
ftretched out his arm, and is come in his power to
deliver; but are prejudiced againft the way wherein
he hath and doth deliver. Yea, they know not his
voice who calls, Come unto me-, I am the refurre^lion and
the life. He that helkveth in me^ jhall receive my Jlrength ;
and though he were ever fo weak, fhall become as David \
and though ever Jo unclean^ fhall find the waters which
fpring from my well to cleanfe him, and nourifh him to life
everlafling.

How tenderly did Chrift vifit the Jews in the days
of his flefti ? How powerfully, and in the true autho-
rity of God, did he preach among them ? What mighty
works did he (hew ? And yet they could not believe.
Why fo ? The enemy had entered them with his temp-
tations, had got fomewhat into their minds of a con-
trary nature, to keep out thereby the i'enfe, know-
ledge, and acknowledgment of him. So that when
their hearts were even overcome with his power and
fweet precious do6lrine, and ready to yield that this
was he, this was the Chrift indeed, then the enemy
raifed up fome argument or other to prejudice them
againft hiirj, that he might thereby beat them off, and
drive them back again from owning or receiving him.
" This man is not of God," fay fome; *' for he
*^ keepeth not the fabbath." He cannot be a pro-
phet, fay others, becaufe *f he is of Galilee, out of
** which no prophet arifeth." He " cannot " be

Chrift,

42 'POSTSCRIPT.:

Chrift, faith a third fort, becaufe '' we know whence
" he is i but when Chrift cometh, 'no man knoweth
** whence he is." He is not holy, ftrid, and zealous,
according to the Jaw, fay others j but a loofe perfon,
" a man gluttonous, and a wine-bibber ; a friend of
*' publicans and finnersj" one who teacheth not his
difciples to faft and pray, (as the Pharifees did theirs,
and John, who was generally looked upon as a prophet,
did his) but juftifieth them in plucking the ears of corn
on the fabbath-day, and fo thereby rather encouraging
them to break it, than ftridly to obferve and keep it ac-
cording to God's law. He is a " blafphemer," fay fome,
(fpeaks moft horrid blafphemy) " making himfelf equal
<* with God." He reproacheth the moft ftrift and zeal-
ous men that we have, (even our teachers and interpre-
ters of the law and prophets) calling them " hypocrites,
*« painted fepulchres, blind guides," &c. and pro-
nounceth woe upon woe againft them. And thofe that
are the children of Abraham he calls the children of
the devil ♦, and faith, " He that committeth fin, is
" the fervant of fin; but if the Son (meaning him-
" felf) make you free, ye fhall be free indeed."
And if we will have life in us, we muft believe in
him, and eat his flelh, and drink his blood. (Did
ever Mofes, or any of the prophets, teach fuch doc-
trine ?) Again, he faith, " If a man keep my faying,
" he fliall never fee death-," whereas Abraham and
the prophets (who believed God, and kept his fay-
ings) are all dead. (This made them even conclude
he had a devil, John viii. 52. So how could they
underftand him when he faid, he was " the good
*« Shepherd, and the door," &c. and " that all that
<* ever came before him were thieves and robbers j"
would they not look upon this as witneffing of him-
felf, and endeavouring to fet up himfelf ? And when
he faid, " Verily, verily, before Abraham was, I am ;"
were they not ready to ftone him, for fpeaking a falfe
and impoflible thing, as it feemed to them ; he mani-
feftly being not yet fifty years old ? But fuppofe it to be
true, that he was before Abraham, how then could he

be

POSTSCRIPT. 43

be tKe MefTiah, who was to 'come of Abraham^ and
out of tlie loins of David, according to the fcriptures?
And then for his miracles, having beforehand con-
cluded that he was a bad man, a finner, a breaker of
the fabbath, a blafphemer, a deceiver of the people,
&c. how eafy was it for them to harden themfelves
againft them, and to infer that he wrought not thefe
things by the power of God, but by the aid and aflTift-
ance of the devil, to overthrow the laws and ordi-
nances of Mofes, and to fet up himfelf and his new
dodrine by ? Indeed many (and fome feemingly ftrong
and unanfwerable) were the exceptions which the wif-
dom and underftanding in them (which was out of
the life and power of truth) formed againft Chrifl,
whereby they juftified themfelves in their refufal of
him, who was fealed and fent of the Father, and {o
excluded themfelves the kingdom, and the righteouf-
nefs thereof.

This is paft, and they can condemn them now, who
themfelves are a<5l:ing over again the fame thing in
fpirit. It pleafeth the Lord thus to fufFer things to be,
ftill fo to give forth the difpenfations of his life, as they
alone that are in fome meafure of his life can difcern
them. And the fame fpirit (under a new guife) ftill
oppofeth truth in its prefent appearance and difpen-
fation, and ftirreth men up to flight and blalphemc
that holy name and power, which they that believe in
are faved and fanftified by. Well, what Ihall I fay
to you ? Oh! that ye could difcern fpirits! Oh! that
ye could fee what fpirit ye are of, and whom ye ferve,
in oppofing the prefent difpenfarion of life 1 Oh ! that ye
could fee how ye read fcriptures out of that which wrote
them, and bend them againft that which wrote them,
making yourfelves wife and ftrong in a wrong wifdoni
and knowledge againft the Lord, and againft hisChrift,
whom he hath fet upon his holy hill of Sion, and who
appeareth there, though you fee it not. For Sion is
not now literal, or after the flefti (the day is come,
the ftiadows are gone) ; but Sion is the holy hill of

God

44|. POSTSCRIPT,

God in Spirit, upon which the heavenly Jerufalem was
built, which is revealed, come down, and conning'down
fronn heaven, and many of the heavenly citizens dwell
there already, and more are coming thither to dwell ;
for even from the eaft, weft, north, and fouth, Ihall;
the gathering be, to fit with Abraham, Ifaac, and Ja-
cob, in the kingdom which cannot befhakenj which
kingdom was received by the Chriftians formerly be-
fore the apoftafy, and is now received again, bleffed be
his name who lives and reigns in power over all the
fpirits of darknefs and deceit, maintaining his pure
life and truth in the hearts of his children, in defpite
of them all.

But why fhould you thus err in heart from the pure
truth? Why Ihouid you not open to him that knocks
in his holy power, and in the demonftrations of his
Spirit to your confcience ? Why ftiould a fubtil device
of the deceiver be let in and hugged by you, to caufe
you to thruft him back from your hearts who is the
Word of eternal life, and with whom are the words
of eternal life ? The Lord God diicover the deep de-
ceits of the enemy to you, where he captivateth your
hearts and underftandings, that it may not be always
faid of you, as it was of the Jews, " he came unto his
*' own, and his own received him not!" But to as
many as received him, he gave power in the day of his
flefhj and he giveth much more power to them that
receive him in fpirit (in the day of his Spirit) to be-
come the fons of God. And becaufe they are fons, h^
poureth out abundantly of his Spirit upon them j and
he that hath the Spirit, hath the Son j and he that
hath the Son, hath life : but he that hath not the Son
(but blafphemeth the appearance and light of his Spi-
rit) hath not life; but is yet in that wifdom and know-
ledge which is death, and which keeps him dead.

Now the Lord of his tender mercy make you (en-
able of, and pardon your oppofing and relifting
his uuth i and alfo caufe the light of life to fhine

in

Some QJJ E R I E S, &c 45

in your hearts, quickening and guiding you
thereby out of the land of death and darknefs,
into the holy land of life? that all that fincerely
breathe after truth may (through the faithful
travel) come to fit down, dwell, and feed toge-
ther in it, in the one power, in the one life,
in the one Holy Spirit, where is pure reft and
peace, perfeft joy and fatisfadion for evermore.
Amen.

Some Q^U E R I E S

CONCERNING

CHRIST, and his Appearances ; his taking
upon him our Flefh : As alfo concerning his
Flefh and Blood, and our being formed thereof,
and feeding thereon.

^ery i.TTTHETHER there was not a necefllty
W of Chrift's taking upon him our flefh,
■for the redemption of thofe that had finned, and the
fatisfa6tion of the juftice offended ?

^ery 2. Whether the Father did not accordingly
prepare a body for him, to do his will in all things
in J and particularly to offer up to him the acceptable
facrifice for the fins of the whole world ?

^ery 3. Whether it was not neceffary, in this re-
fpedt alfo, that Chrift fhould take upon him our flefh,
that he might have experience of our temptations and
infirmities, and become a merciful and faithful high-
prieft and interceffor for us ?

^ery 4. Wherein lay the value and worth of his
facrifice, and of all he did ? Did it lie chiefly on the

thing

4$^ Some QJU E R I E S

thing done, or in the life wherein he did it, in that he
did it in the pure faith and obedience to the Father?
He becanne obedient unto death, even the death of the
crofs; and he through the eternal Spirit offered him-
felf without fpot to God ?

^ery 5. What was he, for whom the Father pre-
pared a body, and who took it up to do the will, and
did the will in it? Was he not the arm of God, the
power of God, the Saviour and falvation of God, the
Jefus and Chrift of God ?

^ery 6. To whom do the names and titles Jefus
and Chrift chiefly and in the firft place belong? Do
they belong to the body which was taken by him, or
to him who took the body ? The body hath its nature
and properties, and the eternal Word, or Son of God,
(the pure fpotlefs Lamb, the fountain of innocency)
its nature and properties. Now the query is, which
was the appointed Saviour of the Father ? Which was
the anointed of the Father, chiefly, and in the firft
place ? Whether the body prepared, or he for whom
the body was prepared, to do the will, and offer up
the acceptable facrifice in ?

^ery 7. Which is Chrift's flefh and blood which we
arc to partake of, whereof we are to be formed,
which we are to eat and drink, and which is meat and
drink indeed, nourifhing to life everlafting ? Is it the
flefti and blood of the body, which was prepared for,
and taken by him, wherein he tabernacled and ap-
peared ? Or is it the flefh and blood of him, who took,
tabernacled, and appeared in the body ? For that which
he took upon him was our garment, even the flefh and
blood of our nature^ which is of an earthly perifliing
nature ; but he is of an eternal nature, and his flefh,
and blood, and bones are of his nature, ^fow as the
life and nature which is begotten in his, is fpiritual j
fo that which feeds, and is the nourifhment of it, muft
needs be of a fpiritual and eternal nature.

^ery 8. What is the bread which came down from
heaven? Is not the bread and the flefh all one? Out-
wardly-vifible flefh and blood was not in heaven, nor

came

CONCERNING CHRIST, &C. 47

came down from heaven ; but the bread of life did
come down from heaven, which the heavenly birth
feeds on and lives by. For that which redeems, that
whic'^ is Jefus, (the Saviour) came down from heaven,
and took upon him a body of flefh here on earth, in
which he manifefted himfelf as King, Prieft, and Pro-
phet, and did the work appointed him by the Father,
John xvii. i, &c.

^ery Q. What was that which faved people out-
wardly from their outward infirmities and difeafes,
while Chrift was on earth in that body ? Was it the
body, or the life, power, and Spirit of the Father with'
in the body, and manifeft through the body ? And can
any thing lefs fave inwardly? Now that which faves,
that which hath the virtue and power of falvation in
it, that the eye of faith is to fix upon, and not to
flick or flop in that through which the life works it.

^ery lO. Who was he that humbled himfelf, that
made himfelf of no reputation, that took upon him
the form of a fervant, and was made in the lilcenefs of
men, and found in fafhion (or habit) as a man ? Was
it the body of flefh, or was it he that was glorified of
the Father before the world was ? And who is to have
the honour and exaltation ? At whofe name is every
knee to bow ? Is not the reward to him who laid down
his glory to take upon him the body of flelh, and ap-
pear in it, that he might honour, glorify, and fulfil
the will of his Father ?

^lery 1 1. Are not the children and he of one ? Are
not he and they of the fame flock ? (*' Both he that
'^ fand:ifieth, and they who are fan(5lified, are all of
*' one," Heo. ii. ii.) Is it not from thence that he
is not afhamed to call them brethren, even becaufe he
finds the nature, Spirit, and life of his Father in them?
What makes a child to God ? Is it not the being be-
gotten of the Father, and born of the Spirit ? And
that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit. Now
mark: have we the denomination and relation with
Chrifl from that which is Spiritual, and hath Chrift
himfelf the name from or becaufe of the body of flefh ?

Nay,

4% ,- Some Q^U E R I E S

Kay, nay J the name Chrift was from the anointing
which was in the body, which ran into and filled the
ve0el. It is true, the body, in and by the union,
partakes with hirn of his namej but the name be^
longs chiefly and moft properly to the treafure in the
veflel.

^ery \i. What is it to put on Chrift, or whet is
the putting on of Chrift ? Is it the putting on of that
body of flefh ? Or the putting on a belief concerning
him, according to what is laid of hinn in fcripture ?
Or is it not rather a putting on of his nature, his
feed, his Spirit, his life, wherewith the fouls of thofe
that are born from above are clothed, as the body is
with a garment ?

^ery i,^. Who was it that faid, I am the refurrec-
tion and the life ? Was it not Chrift ? And what did
he fay it concerning ? Did he fay it concerning the
body, or did he fay it concerning the power and vir-
tue of the Father which was in the body ? Did he not
fay it concerning that which had the power of life in
it before it took up the body, and had alfo the power
of life while it was in the body ? yea, and could raife
up not only other bodies, but that alfo after it had
laid it down ? For after it was laid in the grave, he
could raife it up, and take it on again, as well as
he did at firft, when it was firft prepared, John x,

11. 18.

9^ery 14. If I, or any one elfe, have felt the faving
arm of the Lord revealed in us ; if we have felt a
meafure of the fame life, power, and anointing re-
vealed in our veflels as was revealed in his, is it not
of the fame nature ? Is it not the fame thing ? Is not
Chrift the feed ? And is not this feed fown in the
heart ? Now if this feed fpring and grow up in me
into a fpiritual fhape or form, (though it be but of a
babe) is not Chrift then formed in me? If \ be in--
grafted into, and grow up in it, am I /lot ingrafted
into Chrift, (the true olive-tree, the true vine) and do
I not grow up in him ? And is not this the fame Chrift
that took upon him the body of flelb, aod offered it

without

CONCERNING CHRIST, &C, 49

without the gates of Jemfalem ? Is there any more
than one, or is there any other than he ? Is Chrift di-
vided ? Is there one Chrift within, and another with-
out ? He that knoweth the leaft meafure of the thing,
doth he not know the thing in foine meafure ? And he
that is in the leaft meafure of the thing, is he not in
the thing ? He that knoweth the Son, doth he not
know the Father ? And he that knoweth the Spirit,
doth he not alfo know the Son ? And he that is in the
Spirit, is he not in the Son ? For they are one nature
and being. A man may have notions of the one,
and not of the other; but their nature, their being,
their life, their virtue is infeparable. And as Chrift
faid concerning the Father, That he was in the Father,
and the Father in him ; and that he that faw him, faw
the Father; fo may it not be as truly affirmed (in the
true fenfe and underftanding of life) concerning
Chrift, that he is in the Spirit, and the Spirit in him;
and that he that feeth the Spirit, feeth him ; and he
that feeth him feeth the Spirit ? For he is the Spirit,
according to that fcripture, i Cor. iii. 17. " Now
'* the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the
" Lord is, there is liberty." What to do? Why, to
fee and read within the veil, and to behold the glory
of the Lord, which is revealed there ; which they
whom the veil was over formerly, or whom the veil is
over now, have not liberty to do. Here is confufion
and impoffibility to man's wifdom ; that Chrift ftiould
be all one with the Spirit; that Chrift fhould fend the
Spirit in his name, and alfo himfelf be the Spirit
whom he fends. (This is an hard faying, who can
bear it ?) And yet this confufion to man, is God's
wifdom, and precious in their eye who are taught of
him.

For it is one and the fiime Chrift that was flgnified
in types and ftiadows under the law, revealed in the
fulnels of time in that prepared body, and afterwards
ia Spirit. Nov/ after he was afcendcd^ he received the
Spirit fo as he iiad not rec(?ived him before; and fo
having received the promile of ibe Patlicr, lie fo dif-

VoL, HI, D perJe-h

50 Some Q^U E R I E S

penfeth the Spirit to his brethren and difciples, as it
had not been difpenfed before. Indeed he comforted
and refrefhed his people under the law by his Holy
Spirit, which was their inftriiftor then, Neh. ix. 20»
and taught them the things of God under types, Iha-^
dows, and refemblances. When he came in the body,,
he chofe out difciples, whom he taught the things of
the kingdom, and was a refreflier and comforter of
them therein. And was not this another comforter
than thofe had under the law ? Had the Jews before
ever any fuch comforter, as Chrill was to his difciples
in his bodily prefence ? Now when he afcends, he
receives the Spirit from the Father, as the Father had
promifed him ; and having fo received him, he fends
him to them for their comforter. And may not this
juftly be termed another comforter than Chrift was in
his bodily prefence ? And yet is it not alfo the fame
Spirit of life, that had been with them in that body ?
So that it is another in the way of adminiftration, but
the fame in fubftance •, even the Word which was
from the beginning, the Spirit which was frorn cver-
lafting; and to everlafting there is no other.

Now as the Father fent the Son, and yet was with
and in the Son j fo the Son fending the Spirit, he alfo
is with and in the Spirit. And as it is the Father's
will, that the fame honour be given to the Son as is
given to him j fo it is the Son's pleafure, that the fame
honour be given to his Spirit as is given to him. Yea,
as he that will worfhip the Father, muft worlhip the
Son, mull come to him in the Son, muft appear be-
fore him in the Son, muft reverence and kifs the Sonj
fo he that will come to Chrift, will worlhip him, muft
come to him in the Spirit, muft bow to him in the
Spirit. Yea, he that will know and worlhip Chrift
in his fulnefs, (in the majefty of his glory, dominion,
and power) muft learn to bow at the loweft appear-
ance of his light and Spirit, even at the very tect of
Jefus ; for that is the loweft part of the body.

^ery 15. Did not the bridegroom go away, as to
his appearance in flelh, that he might come again in

Spirit ?

CONCERNING CHRIST, &C. 5 1

Spirit ? Did not the apoftles, who knew his appear-
ance in fleih, and his tabernacling among them, know
alio afterwards his appearance in Spirit, and his taber-
nacling in them ? And were not their hearts filled
with joy unfpeakable, and full of glory, becaufe of
the prefence of the bridegroom ? Did they not know
the man-child born and brought forth in Spirit, as
really as ever he was born and brought forth in flelh ?
Yea, did they not travail and help to bring him forth I
Were there not many in that day, who could fay con-
cerning the fpiritual and inward appearance of the
bridegroom. We know that the Son of God, the
eternal life, the pure power and wifdom of the Father,
is come ? Did they not receive from him the under-
ftanding which he gives in and by his coming ? Yea,
were they not in him that is true, even in Jefus Chriil
the Son, who is the true God, and life eternal ?
(i John V. 20.) Had they not received the kingdom
which could not be fliaken ? And did they never fee
and converfe with the King in the kingdom P Nay,
did not he walk in them, and they in him, and he fup
with them, and they with him, in the kingdom ? Oh !
that ye could read in Spirit ! Oh ! that ye did receive
that meafure of life from Chrift, which the Father
hath allotted you, that ye might read therein i but the
letter (read out of the Spirit) darkeneth and killeth.
^ery 16. What is the laver of regeneration, or the
water wherewith thc/oul is wafhed, and whereof a man
is born again ? Is it outward or inward ? Is it the wa-
ter which ran out of the fide of the natural body,
when it was pierced with a fpear ? Or the water which
fprings from the fountain of life, the water which
floweth from the Spirit ? What are the v/aters which
corrupt, mud, and defile the mind ? Are they outward
waters ? And what are the waters which purify and
cleanfe it? Can they be of a lower nature than fpiri-
tual ? What are the waters which anfwer the thiril of
the foul after life, after purity, after falvation ; that
refrefli and glad the heart of him that drinketh there-
of? Are they not from the pure river, clear as chryf-

D 2 tal,

52 Some Q^U E R I E S

tal, which runs from the throne ? And if the vvatcf
which cleanfeth and nourifheth the foul be fpiritual j
can the flefh and blood (which falleth not Ihort of the
water in its virtues, properties, and operations) be in-
ferior to it in nature and kind ?

^.ery 17. Can outward blood cleanfe the confcience?
Ye that are fpiritual confider. Can outward water
wa(h the/(?»/ clean ? Ye that have ever felt the blood
of fprinkling from the Lord upon your confciences,
and your confciences cleanfed thereby; did ye ever
feel it to be outward ? It is one thing what a man ap-
prehends (in the way of notion) from the letter con-
cerning the things of Godj and another thing what a
man feels in Spirit.

^ery 18. Seeing the apoftle fpeaks of purifying the
heavenly things themfelves, Heb. ix. 23. it would
ferioully be inquired into, and the Lord waited on, to
know what nature thefe facrifices muft be of, which
cleanfe the heavenly things ? Whether they moift not
of neceflfity be heavenly ? If fo, then whether was it
the flefh and blood of the veil, or the flefh and blood
within the veil ? Whether was it the flefli and blood
of the outward earthly nature, or the flefh and blood
of the inward fpiritual nature ? Whether was it the
flefli and blood which Chrifl: took of the firfl: Adam's
nature, or the flefh and blood of the fecond Adam's
nature ?

^ery 19. What is that, wherein they that are in the
Spirit, behold as in a glafs, with open face, the glory
of tlie Lord ? Is it not Chrifl: ? And how is Chrifl: fo ?
Is it not as he is made manifefl: in Spirit ? Doth he
know Chrifl: aright, or believe in him aright, that
knoweth him according to his bodily appearance,
(that can relate, and flrmly believe, what he did
therein) or he that knoweth and believeth in his Spirit
and power ? Henceforth know we no man after the
flefli ; no not Chrifl, (faith the apoftle) though we
have known him fo. What meaneth that ? The fame
thing may be known feveral ways : outwardly, in-
wardly ; according to xhc flejhy according to the Spirit,

Now

CONCERNING CHRIST, &C, ^J

Now, if ye are of the Spirit, live in the Spirit; if ye
live in the Spirit, know in the Spirit the things of
God after the Spirit, as the Spirit reveals, as that
whi(^h is born of God receives ; and not as the wif-
donn, underftanding, reafon, and flefh of nnan can
receive; and then ye will come into fellowfhip with
Chrift, both in his death and reilirreflion, and know
indeed the refurredtion both of the life and of the body :
•which to know, and be able to acknowledge in Jeius,
is very precious.

^icry 20. Hath not Chrift made us kings and priefts
to God, even his Father ? What is it that is the king
and prieft in us ? And if we be priefts, muft we not
have fomewhat to offer ? What have we to off^r ?
And what makes our facrifices favoury and accepta-
ble ? Is it not that of his Spirit, that of his life, which
is in them ? Is it not the faith, the love, the obedi-
ence (which are all of him) wherein they are offered ?
If we fhould give our bodies to be burned, (in the
way of teftifying to truth) without this would they be
accepted ? If we give but a cup of cold water in this,"
is it not accepted ?

Now, is the life, the faith, the obedience of the
Son, the thing which is of value in us ? And was it
not the fime which was of value in him ? What did
the Father require of the Son, for fatisfaclion for
Adam's difobedience ? Was it not the obedience of
-the fecond Adam, which weighed down the tranfgref-
fion and difobedience of the ftrft ? Doth not this make
all righteous, (who are of him, and found in his na-
ture) as the tranfgreffion of the firft made all unright-
eous ? Rom.. V. 19. Saciifice and offering thou wouldft
not. Lo, I come to do thy will, O God ! (He taketh
away the firft, that he may eftablifh the fecond.) By
the which will we are fanclified, through the offering
of the body of Jefus Chrift once for all, Heb. y,
9, 10. What can be plainer to that v/hich hath truth's
ear .'' So, by truth manifcfted in the heart, there is
nothing denied of what is faid concerning Chrift in

D 3 fcrip-

54 Some CXJJ E R I E S

fcripture, but every thing owned, believed, and re-^
ceived ia its proper place.

^ery i\. Who is the Captain of our falvation?
Who is it that girdeth hinnfelf with might, riding on
conquering and to conquer all the enemies of the foul ?
Is it not the Lamb ? Is it not Chrift ? Is it not he
whofe name is called the JVord of God? And yet how
can it be he ? Is not he to fit at God's right hand,
until his enemies be made his footftool ?

^lery 12. What is the water and Spirit, whereof a
man muft be born again, or he cannot fee the king-
dom of God? Is it Chrift's flefh and blood or no?
His flefh faw no corruption j and incorruptible flefh
and blood may enter the kingdom, though corrupti-
ble cannot.

^ery 23. What did all the types, veils, and fha-
dows under the law fignify ? Did they fignify another
veil ? Did they fignify or Ihadow out that which was
outward ? Or did they fhadow out and fignify that in-
ward life, virtue, and faving power, which was the
lubftance of all ?

^ery 24. Is not the fubflance, the life, the anoint-
ing called Chrifl:, wherever it is found ? Doth not the
name belong to the whole body (and every member
in the body) as well as to the head ? Are they not all
of one; yea, all one in the anointing? Was not this
the great defire of his heart to the Father, that they
all might be one, even as the Father and Chrifb were
one, John xvii. 21, 23. And fo being one in the
fame Spirit, (one in the fame life, one in the fame
divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. even partakers of God's
holinefs, Heb. xii. 10.) Chrifl is not aihamed to
call them brethren, Heb. ii. it. nor is the apoftle
afhamed to give them the name Chriji together with
him, I Cor. xii. 12. The body is the fame with the
head ; one and the fame in nature j and doth not the
name belong to the nature in the whole ? So that the
name is not given to the veflTel, but to the nature,
to the heavenly treafure, to that which is of him in

the

CONCERNING CHRIST, &C. 55

the veflel, to that which the Lord from heaven begets
in his own image and likenefs, of his own fubftance,
of his own feed, of his own Spirit and pure life.

^uery 25. What was that live coal from the altar,
whereby the prophet Ifaiah's iniquity was taken away,
and his fin purged ? Ifa. vi. 6, 7. Can any thing
purge away fin, but the blood of Chrift ?

^ery 26. What are the leaves of the tree of life,
which are for the healing of the nations ? Is not Chrift
the tree of life ? Is there any other tree of life befides
him? Is there any other healer? And what do thefe
leaves of the tree of life heal the nations of? Do they
not heal them of their fins, and of the ficknelTes and
dillempers of their fouls becaufe of their fins ? And
have thefe leaves any of the blood of Chrift in them
or no ?

^ery T]. Is not Chrift the true vine, the true olive-
tree; the living vine, the living olive-tree; the fpiri-
tual vine, the fpiritual olive-tree; into which all the
fpiritually-living are ingrafted ? As the Father is the
huft)andman; fo is not the Son the vine? And hath
not this fpiritual, this eternal vine in it juice and fap
of an eternal nature ? And is not this fap its blood ?

^ery 28. Is there not a choice vine, to which the
foal and afs's colt of the feed of Judah is tied ? And
are not the garments and clothes of the true Jews
waftied in the wine, and in the blood of the grapes
of this vine ? Gen. xiix. 11.

^ery 29. What is that which the earthly nature
flays ? And what is the blood which the earthly nature
ftiall difclofe, and the flain which it fliall no more co-
ver ?

^ery 30. What are the robes which are waftied and
made white in the blood of the Lamb ? And how are
they wallied and made white therein ? And what is the
blood (of what nature ? earthly or fpiritual ?) wherein
they are waftied and made white ?

^uery 31. What is it to have, or how come we to
have, fellowfhip with Chrift in his death, and to fuffer
and be crucified with him ? Is it by having our natural

D 4 bodies

S6 Some C^U E R I E S

bodies crucified on the fame crofs of wood (or fome
fuch-like one) as his body was crucified on ? Or by
having the flefhly nature crucified, fubdued, and worn
out of our fouls, minds, fpirits, &c. by the power
of the Spirit ? Rom. viii. 13. Now if the flefh we
are to put off, be of fuch a nature and kind -, to wit,
inwardly and fpiritually corrupt; muft not the flefh
of Chrilt, which we are to put on inftead thereof, be
of as deep, inward, and fpiritual a nature ? What is
the flelh whereof we are to be unclothed, before we
can be clothed with Chrift ? Is it outward or bodily ?
And what is Chrift's flefh we are to put on ? Is that
any more outward or bodily, than that which we are
to put ofi^?

^ery 32. Is not the flefh and blood, which they
that have eternal life feed on, and which nourifhetli
them up to life eternal (they continuing to feed there-
on, and not feeding afterwards on flrange flefh, and
flrange blood) j I fay, is not this flefh and blood Spi-
rit and life ? For that is it which profiteth, John vi.
6^, Is it not the flefh and blood of the Word ? Was
not the Word made flefh ? And did not the Word,
who was made flefh, dwell and appear in a tabernacle
of flefh, and caufe the glory of his own divine flefli to
fhine through that earthly flefh ? Oh ! read and con-
fider, that ye who have flumbled and murmured againfl
the truth, may flumble or murmur no more, but now
at length receive the pure and precious doctrine there-
of, (and fo come to witnefs the fulfilling of that pro-
mife, Ifa. xxix. 18. — 24.) and praife him who giveth
underftanding.

^ery 23' Is not the true church, flefli of Chrifl's
flefh, and bone of his bone ? Is not the falfe, or anti-
chriftian church, flefh of antichrifl's flefli, and bone
of antichrifb's bone ? What is the flefh of the fpiritual
whore, which is to be flripped naked and burnt with
fire ? Shall ever the church, which is of Chrifli's flefli,
be flripped naked and burnt with fire ? Nay, doth not
his flefh make able to abide the devouring fire, and to
dwell with the everlafting burnings ?

CONCERNING CHRIST, &C. 57

^gr^ 34. What is the pure milk of the word, which
is milked out to the babes from the pure bread? And
what is the bread from which it is milked out? Is it
of the flefh of Chrid or no ?

^ery 25- Are not the wicked of the feed and flefli
of the ferpent ? Is not that the body of fiedi, of fin,
of death, which is to be put off? And are not they
who are renewed in fpirit, of the feed and fledi of
Chrid ? Is not that the body or garment of holinefs,
of righteoufnefs, of life, which is to be put on ?

^lery 36. Is it not as necelTary that the eternal
Word be made flefli inwardly, that fo the children
may feed on him, as it was for him to take on him an
outward body of fledi, to fuffer and die for them, and
to fulfil all righteoufnefs, both of the law of the let-
ter, and of the law of the Spirit in ?

^lery 37. Is there not that which fpiritually is called
Sodom and Egypt ? And do not they which dwell
there, indead of eating Chrid's fledi, and drinking
bis blood, put his fiedi to pain, crucifying it in and to
themfelves, trampling underfoot the Son of God, and
counting the blood of the covenant an unholy thing?
Read the figure. Did not outward Ifrael fuffer in out-
ward Egypt ? Did not jud Lot fuffer in Sodom ? Doth
not the fpiritual feed fuffer in and by fpiritual Egypt?
Doth not the flefh of the holy and jult one fuffer ia
and by fpiritual Sodom ?

^«try 38. What is that which the Gentile-Chridians»
who are not Jews inward, circumcifed in heart and
fpirit, who know not the inward temple, (the place of
the true Jews wordiip, where they wordiip the Father
in Spirit and truth) but only worihip in the outward
court, which God hath cad off, and left out of his
meafure. Rev. xi. 2. I fay. What is that holy city
which thefe Gentiles tread underfoot forty- two months?
Is it the church, which is of the flefh and bones of
Chrid, or no ?

He that knoweth the fubfrance, the feed of the
kingdom, the birth of the Spirit, knoweth the flefh
^nd blood which is of the fded. And this flefh is flefh

indeed.

5S SoMiE QJU E R I E S, &c;

indeed, this blood is blood indeed, even the flcfh and
blood of the feed's nature; but the other was but the
fiefh and blood of diir nature, which he honoured in
taking upon him, in which he did the will, in which
he offered up the acceptable facrifice ; but yet did not
give the honour fronn his own flefh and .blood to it.
For the flefh and blood of our nature was not his
own naturally, but only as he pleafed to take it upon
him and make it his. But that whereof he formeth us,
(and which he giveth us to eat and drink) is the
flefh and blood of his own nature ; and this was it
wherein was the virtue, and wherein is the virtue, life,
and power for ever. Happy ! oh ! happy is he who is
of it, who is taken out of and formed of him, (as
Eve was of Adam) and fo becomes flefh of his flefh,
and bone of his bone. Then will he know the myf«^
tery of life, feed on the thing itfelf, and not ftumble
about appearances and exprefllons, as thofe that are
out of and from the thing itfelf do, through the dark-
nefs of their mind, and becaufe of their ignorance of
the thing fpoken of in the fcriptures.

An Incitation to Professors feriouily to con-
fider. Whether they or wc fail in the true Ac-
knowledgment and Owning of the Christ
which died at Jerusalem.

WE, who are commonly called Quakers, being
a people whom the Lord hath gathered (out
of the wanderings, out of the many profelTions, out
of the feveral fcattered eftates and conditions, wherein
his eye pitied us, and his love found us out) into a
meafure of the eternal reft j where we have found that
Jife, that power, that manifeflation of the eternal
Spirit, and that redeeming virtue, which we never

were

An Incitation to Professors, &c. 59

were before dillindly acquainted with j I fay, having
rafted of this, having known this, having felt this, ■
and come to a real enjoyment of it, in fome degree,
in our feveral meafures ; we could not pofTibly conceal
this treafure, but in bowels of love (and in the mov-
ings of the life and power of the Spirit) have been
drawn to teftify of it to them who are left behind,
grovelling under the burden of corruption, and crying
out becaufe of the fin and bondage from the powers
of darknefs, who have in a mift with-held their eyes
from beholding that living virtue, which is able to
fave (and doth fave, blefied be his name) therefrom.

Now this we have often found j That this our tefti-
mony hath not been received in the fame Spirit and love
wherein it hath gone forth ; but the enemy (by his
fubtilty) hath raifed up jealoufies concerning us, and
prejudices againft us, as if we denied the fcriptures
and ordinances of God, and that Chrift that died at
Jerufalem ; profeiTing him only in words, (to win upon
others by) but denying him in reality and fubftance.

To clear this latter, (for my heart is only at this
prefent drawn out concerning that) we have folemnly
profefled, in the fight of the Lord God, (who hath
given us the knowledge of his Son in life and power)
thefe two things.

Firft, That we do really in our hearts own that
Chrift, who came in the fulnefs of time, in that pre-
pared body, to do the Father's will (his coming into
the world, do6lrine, miracles, fufFerings, death, re-
furreftion, &c.) in plainnefs and fimplicity of heart,
according as it is exprefled in the letter of the fcrip-
tures.

Secondly, That we own no other Chrift than that,
nor hold forth no other thing for Chrift, but him who
then appeared, and was made manifeft in flefh.

Now it would be nakedly inquired into by profef-
fors, what is the reafon that their jealoufies ftill re-
main concerning us, and why they are ftill fo ready to
caft this upon us ? Certainly if thev did know and
own the fame thing with us', (in the Spirit, and in the

power.

€o An Incitation to Professors, &c.

power, in the life, and in the love, which is of the
truth) this prejudice and thefe hard thoughts could
not remain. But if they thennfelves do not know
Chrift: in the Spirit, (but only according to a relation
of the letter) no marvel though they mifs both of the
Spirit, and of the true intent and meaning of the
letter ; and likewife be liable to clafli againft the truth,
as it is made manifeft in others.

And indeed the Lord hath (hewn me in Spirit fe-
veral times, that they themfelves are guilty of that
very charge (and that he will fo implead them at his
judgment-feat) which they caft upon us, even of de-
nying that Chrift which died at Jerufalem to be the
Chrift. For he that owneth the words of fcripture,
as he apprehends or conceives them in the reafonings
of his mind, and doth not wait to have them revealed
in the Spirit, keeping out of his own reafonings and
conceivings, and waiting patiently till the Lord open
the thing in the Spirit, he fetteth up his own conceiv-
ings, or an image in his mind, of the mind of the
Spirit, but mifleth of the thing itfelf, which alone is
known in the Spirit, by them who wait upon the Spi-
rit, there to receive it, and are not hafty to fet up
their own reafonings and imaginations concerning the
thing in the mean time.

No man can in truth call Jefus the Lord but by the
Spirit. But any man that is any thing ferious, and
weighs the fcriptures in the natural part, may fo learn
to acknowledge his coming into the world, and that
he is Lord and King, &c. and may thus call him Lord,
yea, and kindle a great heat in his affections towards
him i but all this (out of the life, out of the Spirit)
is but man's image, which he forms in his mind, in
his reading the fcriptures, and obferving things there-
from. But the true calling Jefus Lord, is from the
feeling of his eternal virtue in the Spirit, and finding
the fcriptures opened to him by the Spirit, in a prin-
ciple which is above the reafon, comprehends the rea-
fon, and confounds and brings it to nothing.

Again i

As: Incitation to Professors, &c. 6i

Again ; there is no true knowledge of Chrifl, no
living knowledge, no faving knowledge, no knowledge
which hath the eternal virtue in it ; but that which is
received and retained in a meafure of light given by
God to the creature, in the faith which is the gift, in
the grace which is fupernatural and fpiritual ; whereas
the reafoning part is but natural. And fuch as have
received the fpiritual underftanding, know it to be
diftintl from the natural ; and we experimentally find
a very clear diftindion, between fcriptures fearched
out by the reafonings of the mind (and fo pradlices
drawn therefrom) and fcriptures opened by the Spirit,
and felt in the life.

Now that profelTors generally have not received
their knowledge of Chrift from the Spirit, or from
fcriptures opened in the Spirit, (and fo know not the
thing, but only fuch a relation of the thing as man's
reafoning part may drink in from the letter of the
fcriptures) is manifeft by this, in that they are not
able in fpirit and underftanding to diftinguifh the
thing itfelf from the garment wherewith it was clothed,
though the fcriptures be very exprefs therein. Speak
of Chrift according to a relation of the letter, there
they can fay fomewhat ; but come to the fubftance,
come to the fpirit of the thing, come to the thing it-
felf, there they flutter and ftammer, and fhew plainly
that they know not what it is. /. ■ ^ f.c

Now the fcriptures do exprefsly diftinguifh between
Chrift and the garment which he wore^ between him
that came, and the body in which he came; between
the fubftance which was veiled, and the veil which
veiled it. " Lo ! I come •, a body haft thou prepared
" me." There is plainly he, and the body in which
he came. There was the outward veftel, and the in-
ward life. This v/e certainly know, and can never
call the bodily garment Chrift, but that which ap-
peared and dwelt in the body. Now if ye indeed
know the Chrift of God, tell us plainly what that is
which appeared in the body ? Whether that was not

the

^y

6i An Incitation to Professors, tec,

the Chrift before it took up the body, after it took up
the body, and for ever ?

And then their confining of Chrift to that body,
plainly manifefteth that they want the knowledge of
him in fpirit. For Chrift is the Son of the Father ;
he is the infinite eternal Being, One with the Father,
and with the Spirit, and cannot be divided from either;
cannot be any where where they are not, nor can be
excluded from any place where they are. He may
take up a body, and appear in itj but cannot be con-
fined to be no where elfe but there; no, not at the
very time while he is there. Chrift, while he was here
on earth, yet was not excluded from being in heaven
with the Father at the very fame time j as he himfelf
faid concerning himfelf, " The Son of man, which is
** in heaven," John iii. 13. Nor was the Father ex-
cluded from being with 'him in the body^ but the Fa-
ther was in him, and he in the Father : whereupon he
faid to Philip, " He that hath feen me, hath feen the
** Father." What 1 did every one that faw that bo-
dy, fee the Father alfo? Nay, not fo •, but he that
faw Chrift, the Son of the living God, whom flelh and
blood revealed not, but the Father only, (Mat. xvi.
16, 17.) he faw the Father alfo.

O friends ! look to your knowledge of Chrift, and
to your faith and knowledge of the fcriptures, and to
your prayers alfo; for it is eafy miffing of the living
lubftance in all thefe, and meeting with a fiiadow ;
which may pleafe and make a great ftiew in the earthly
part, in the natural underftanding and afteflions, but
fatisfieth not the foul, or that which is born after the
Spirit, but ftill the rry there goes out (where the foul
is awakened) after truth, fubftance, life, virtue from
God's Spirit in the fpirit, which it alone can fee^
upon.

Thefe four things following I am certain of; whicfai
he that cometh into the true light, fliall infallibly ex-
perience them there.

Firft, That nothing can fave but the knowledge of
Chrift, even of that very Chrift, and no other, who

took

An Incitation to Professors, &c. 63

took upon him the prepared body, and offered it up.
at Jerufalem.

Secondly, That no knowledge of Chrifl; can fave
but the living knowledge. Not a knowledge of him
after the letter, (which the carnal part may get much
of, and value itfelf much by) but a knowledge of him
in the Spirit; which is only given to that which is be-
gotten and born of the Spirit, and only retained by
that which abides and remains in the Spirit, and runs
not out into the flefhly reafonings, imaginings, and
conceivings, about the things mentioned in the fcrip-
tures.

Thirdly, That that man who knoweth not Chrifl in
fpirit, nor keepeth clofe to him in fpiritj but (through
darknefs and mifguidance of the fpirit of deceit) call-
cth the Ihinings of his light (his reproofs, his checks
for that which is evil, and his fecret motions to that
which is good) natural ; this man, though he feem to
own Chrifl ever fo much according to the letter, yet
in truth denies him.

Fourthly, He that denies Chrifl (in his knockings
and vifitations of him in his own heart, and before
men in the truths which he holds forth by his fervants
and minifters of his Spirit) him will he deny before
his Father in heaven.

Oh ! I befeech you do not trifle about thefe things^
(for they are exceeding weighty) left ye perifh from
the way ! For milTing of the Saviour, ye mull needs
alfo mifs of the falvation. Oh ! that ye knew your
ftate, as God knows it to be, and as it is certainly
known and felt, in the meafure of his Aifc and Holy
Spirit, by thofe which God hath gathered thither, and
whofe eyes he hath opened, and prcfervcth open there;
glory be to his name therefore : yea^ Z^ory^ glory^ glory^
and everlaft'mg praijes be Jung to him throughout all the
holy land; yea, in the very heights of Sioitf by the fouls of
the redeemed, from henceforth (md for evermore. Amen :
•whofe mercy , love, grace, wifdom, fo-mer,, and rich goad-
nefs remaineth and endureth for- ever -^ by and in -which the
redeemed live to his praife, zvbfi have ov^erconte by the blood

of

64 An Incitation to Professors, &c.

of the Lamhj whofe blood they know what it is, and nofii
elfe knoweth it, but they who feel the fpr inkling and virtue
of it. Lo I this is our God, we have watted for him,
and how can we but be glad, and rejoice in his falvation !
Oh / let all that live by the breath of thy power, and drink
of thy jir earns, fing ■praife unto thee, and exalt thy great
and wonderful name for ever and ever I

Some Propositions and Considerations
concerning the Nature of Church-Worihips
and Ordinances fince the Days of the Apoftles,
for the Sake of th'e Simplicity which hath been
long held captive therein.

HE that would know the true ftate of the church,
and ordinances thereof, muft wait upon God in
fear and humility of heart, who alone is able to give
the true knowledge and underftanding of thefe things.
And he that cometh to the Spirit, waiteth in the Spi^
rit, and receiveth the true light from the Spirit, he
fhall be able to meafure ages and generations paft as
with a fpan, and fee clearly (in that light) how things
were before the apoftafy, how while the church was
in the wildernefs, and how things Ihall be again after
the apoftafy, when the church cometh out of the wil-
dernefs. She herfelf is the fame in all ; but her ftate
is different, according to the wifdom and good plea-
fure of him who variouOy difpofeth of her. One
while ftie is clothed, appearing in the beauty and glo-
rious drefs which the Lord had put upon her. An-
other while ftie is ftripped of her outward garments,
and the harlot drefled therewith, and appearing there-
in. After which feafon flie is adorned again as glo-
rioufly (if not more glorioufly) than before ; but

whether

Some Propositions and Considerations, &c. 65

whether ever fhe appears more in thofe garments
wherein the harlot had been drelTed, and wherein fhe
had long appeared, (even all the time of the apof-
tafy) the Lord would be inquired of, and waited on
to know. Now to help the tender and upright hearts
towards the true CenCe of thefe things, the Propor-
tions and Confiderations following are given forth,
which he that fincerely waiteth on the Lord, from him
may receive the true underftanding and right acknow-
ledgment of.

1. That upon the coming of Chrift, and the change
of that outward covenant, the diftindlion between the
outward Jew and Gentile fell, they becoming all one,
as in relation to Chrift; and then another diftinftion
arofe in relation to the faith, believers becoming Jews
now, and unbelievers Gentiles.

2. That thefe true and inward Jews had not only
the inward faith, the life, the power, the Spirit; but
alfo a miniftry, ordinances, and gifts of the Spirit re-
lating to their prefent ftate.

3. That there was a time, after a long and fharp
fight between the true minifters, who appeared in the
true light and power of the true Spirit, and the falfe
minifters, who alfo appeared as minifters of righteouf-
nefs, and as in the power of the Spirit, but were not
fuch indeed, but inftru6ted by Satan to transform
themfelves into a refemblance and likenefs of minif-
ters of righteoufnefs : for though they faid they were
apoftles, and feemed fo in appearance ; yet their fpi-
rit (being tried) was found not to be the Spirit of
the apoftles : I fay, there was a time, when there was
a divifion (or fepararion) made, between the inward
temple and the outward court.

4. That when this divifion was made, the outward
court was given to the Gentiles ; not any longer re-
ferved by God for the true worftiippers, who worfhip
in Spirit and truth ; but given to the unbelievers, the
worihippers out of the true faith, the worftiippers out
of the Spirit, and out of the life.

Vol. III. E 5. That

60 Some Propositions and Considerations, &c»

5. That henceforward (fince this reparation) the
believers, or true Jews, are not to be expefted in the
outward court (in the worfhip thereof, wherein they
were found before this feparation) but the unbeliev-
ers, the Gentiles (who have not the true nature, but
at beft but the appearance of the Jew) are to be ex-
pcdted there, and the true Jew is to be looked for and
found more inward.

6. That therefore which allureth to look for God
there, and to wait for him in the ways and worftiips of
this time of the feparation, is not the true Spirit
(which rightly guideth the fimple heart to the place
where God appears, and where he is to be waited for) ;
but the wrong fpirit, who, when he cannot ftifle the
fimplicity, and hinder it from breathing and feeking
after God, waits to draw afide and miflead it.

7. That the great way of that fpirit's mifguiding
and mifleading the honeft heart, in its breathing and
longing ftate, is not by a diredt taking it off from
feeking after God; but rather by pointing it to a way
to feek him in, wherein he once appeared, and was en-
joyed, but is now withdrawn from.

8. He that will keep clofe to God, and not be
withdrawn from him, muft watch to his Spirit, and
know the leadings of it, elfe he will not follow the
Lamb whithcrfocver he goes ; but ftay behind in fome
obfervation or pra£tice which the Lamb is gone out
of J and fo mifs of his leader, and meet (inftcad there-
of) with another leader, even the fpirit of antichrift,
who enters into the outward court, and outward prac-
tices, fo foon as ever the Spirit of God hath left
them.

9. That God's people, fince his withdrawing in-
ward, and giving the outward court to the Gentiles,
have been much deceived by the antichriftian fpirit,
and led captive into Babylon ; infomuch as God, when
he Cometh to overthrow antichrift, with the Babylon
of his building, finds them there, and calls them out
from thence. For the light growing low, and the
deceit great, and the fpirit fubtil ; how can the poor,

weak.

Some Propositions and Considerations, &;c. ^y

weak, innocent babe efpy that fpirit, and efcape his
fnares, when he tennpts to thofe very paths and ways
of worfhip wherein the faints had walked and met
with God, before the Spirit of the Lord departed out
of them, and gave them up to the Gentiles ?

10. That there is danger to the people of God of
not underftanding his call out of Babylon, but abiding
there, through the fubtil entanglements of the falfe
fpirit, who bewitcheth (with the cup of fornication)
to make Babylon appear as Sion, her do6lrines as the
truths of the gofpel, her ordinances and ways of wor-
fhip as the true ordinances and ways of worfhip. For
the deceit is exceeding deep, and the myftery of ini-
quity very great, following the heart clofe which the
Lord is drawing to depart therefrom ; and if the Lord
God is not ftrong and vigilant, who judgeth the whore,
fhe would ftill keep her hold of the heart ■, and if the
heart be not kept very clofe to the Lord in the judg-
ment, it cannot come out of Babylon, but will ftill
be entangled and held in fome part or other of the
myftery of its deceit.

11. Such of the people of God as do not wait to
underftand and receive the full call, and fo do not
follow the Lord perfedlly out of that city of abomina-
tions; but by her fubtilties, and inward and outward
witchcrafts, are held captive therein, and found in
any part thereof when the Lord cometh to judge herj
fuch muft partake of the plagues from the hand of the
Lord, who will not fpare her, nor the fpirits of his
deareft people who are found there, in the day of his
vifitation and righteous judgments.

Therefore come out of her, come out of her, O ye
that love your fouls, and the pure prefence and frefli
light of God's countenance ! Ye that know what it is
to provoke him to jealoufy, and fear the weight of
his hand upon your fpirits ; ye that love the holy land,
the holy city, and temple of the living God, oh !
come out of that impure building, that flefhly build-
ing, thofe fleflily ways and worfhips which that fpirit
adorneth, to make them appear as if they were fpiri-

E 2 tual.

68 Some Propositions and Considerations, &c.

tual. Oh! depart ye, depart ye, out of your new
removes ; for they are alfo polluted, and not your
reft ; but fhort of that wherein the reft, the peace, the
prefence of the Lord of life is felt by others, and to
be found by you.

And confider this, if ever ye will come to the holy
city, which was once built in the days of the apoftles,
but (fince the divifion of it from the outward court)
hath been trodden down, and trampled under the feet
of the unbelievers, even while they have been wor-
Ihipping in the outward court (which God once built
and chofe, but afterwards withdrew his Spirit from,
and gave up to the unbelievers) ; I fay, if ever you
will come to this holy city, the holy land wherein it
is built, and the holy hill whereon it was founded, ye
muft pafs through the wildernefs, be exercifed in the
wildernefs, even till ye are fitted for itj and not ftrive
to raife up a building yourfelves in the likenefs of it;
but wait till God hath hewn and prepared the ftones
by his Spirit, and then (by the fkill of the Spirit)
build up his Sion again.

Therefore, in the fear of the Lord, confider feri-
oufly, meekly, humbly, and brokenly, that the Lord
may manifeft your prefent ftate and condition unto
you, whether ye have not erred in thefe things as well
as others, and have not caufe to repent of your for-
wardnefs herein, and to acknowledge that your build-
ings have been raifed in the forwardnefs of your own
fpirits, and in the confidence of your reafoning upon
fcripture-words, without feeling the prefence (guid-
ance and holy power) of God's Spirit raifing up the
foundation of many generations, and rearing his own
pure houfe upon his own holy mountain.

In the Lord's hand is the time and feafon of build-
ing his own houfe. David, though his defire was ap-
proved, yet might not build the outward temple in
the time of his choice ; but God's time and feafon was
to be waited for, both for the firft building, ^d for
the rebuilding of it. There is likewife a feafon for
the rebuilding of fpiritual Sion, after the long capti-
vity

Some Propositions and Considerations, &c. 6^

vity of it in myftery Babylon. Now he that is for-
ward, building before the time and feafon of the Spi-
rit, buildeth without the Spirit, and his building is
not of the Spirit, but of the nature of Babylon, which
is wholly to be departed from, and left behind, in the
foul's travels and progrefs towards Sion : and whatever
is of the nature of Babylon, muft at length fall with
Babylon, (in the day of her terrible judgment) if the
Lord in mercy do not fliake it, and caufe it to fall
before,

Therefore, O all profeflbrs! awake out of the flefh^
and all flefhly reafonings, into the Spirit of life ; and
examine there both your inward and outward build-
ings, that your lofs be not great, and your anguifh
unutterable in the day of the Lord, when all thofe
buildings, which are raifed and preferved in the pure
life and power, fhall fhine in the beauty ancj glory of
God's Spirit, and the greateft glory of flelh and flelhly
buildings fade and wither.

The Sounding of Bowels towards thee, O
England !

EARLY in the morning, on the 26th day of the
fixth month, 1660, this, in the frelhnefs and
quick fenfe of life, fprang up in my heart again and
again. O England, England, England ! how good
had it been for thee,, that thou hadil known and walked
in the way of peace !

There is a way of peace for perfons and nations to
know and walk in ; but every perfon and nation doth
not know and walk in this^ way, but rather in the way
of trouble.

Quefl. ^Fhat is the way of peace ?

E 3 M,

70 The Sounding of Bowels, &c.

AnJ, It is the way of the "pure wifdom, the way of
the light and guidance of God's Spirit, frona whom the
creature came, and by whom alone it can be rightly
ordered. He that waiteth on him for counfel, he that
iubje6teth to, and walketh in his counfel, he walketh
in the way of peace.

Quefl. What is the way of trouble ?

AnJ. The way of a man's own wifdom and counfel.
For a man or nation to do that which is right in their
own eyes. This is the way of man, whereby he thinks
to eftablifh himfelf, and put an end to his troubles; .
but he errs therein, as in the end he ftill finds to his
woe.

Now, O England! confider; haft thou the guidance
of God ? Hath the light which hath guided thy fteps
been lighted by him, or by his and thy foul's enemy ?
For there is a fpirit (of a contrary nature to God)
near man, which he fuddenly taketh counfel of, when
his heart is not acquainted with, nor receiveth counfel
of the Lord. And this counsellor is the deftroyer
both of perfons and nations, leading them in ways of
ruin and fubverfion, under an appearance of being the
proper ways of peace and fettlement.

It is true of nations, as well as perfons, that what
they fow, that fhall they alfo reap. God meafureth
out their time unto them, and when that is over, his
time of judging and pleading with them comes.
And woe is then unto them who have afled in their
own wills and wifdoms, out of the pure counfel ^nd
. fear of the Lord, wherein they fhould have Hood and
been guided.

It is a day of trouble and diftrefs. The weight of
the iniquity of this nation begins to be felt upon it.
Oh ! let every one fearch and bow before the Lord,
under his righteous judgments ! that there may be no
going on in that which bringeth and will increafe the
judgment; but a turning towards that which inter-
cedes, and opens the fprings of mercy.

Two things lie heavy on this nation ; to wit, a run-
ning on in tranfgreflions of feveral kinds againft the

Lord,

The Sounding of Bowels, &c. 71

Lord, (forgetting his tender mercies, with the days of
former diftrefs) and an afflifting others whom he loves,
and hath led, and is leading out of tranfgreflion.
Oh ! that thefe things might come to an end, that the
anger of the Lord might ceafe, and the ways of his
judgments and pleading with this nation be ftoppedj
for who can Hand before him when he rifeth up in con-
troverly againft them ?

There is but one eye which can rightly fee the hand
and judgments of the Lord; yea, it pleafeth the Lord
fo to manage them, that only the eye which is of him
may fee them. Man muft be taken in his wifdom,
and caught in the fnare of his own underftanding-.
He that will fee the things of God, the ways of God,
the counfels of God, the love and fweetnefs of God,
(yea, the very judgments of God) muft receive from
him the eye that feeth them. Oh ! that men might
feel after, and come into, that wherein they might be
pitied, and fpared by their Maker. Man muft bowj
that which is of God in man (which hath long lain
under opprelTion) muft be exalted. It is the day of
his power, and he will reign in it. Oh ! happy they
that bow to his fcepter, and kifs the ftiinings of his
light, (even the ftiarpeft rebukes of it in their hearts)
that they may turn from, and travel out of, the dark-
nefs, (where is death, deftru6tion, and mifery, even
in all the counfels and ways of it) and come into unity
with that which is pure, and live.

Written in Ayleftury
prifon, 27th of
6lh month, 1666.

E 4 A faith-

C 7« ]

A faithful Guidance to the Principle and Path
of Truth, whereifi eternal Life is witneffed,
by thofe who are born thereof, and walk
therein.

THERE mufl be fomewhat let down from God
into a man's heart, to change his heart, and re-
deem it to God, or he cannot be faved. Pie muft
receive a feed, be born of a new and incorruptible
feed, or he cannot be renewed from his corrupt nature
and ftate. He muft be born of water and God's Spi-
rit, or he cannot enter into God's kingdom.

Now this is the true religion ; namely, to experi-
ence and be fubje£b to that power which redeems to
God ; which breaks the power of the wicked-one in
the heart, firft cafting him out, and then taking pof-
feflion of the veffel, and filling it with the holy trea*
fure.

Queft. Bui how frn^ a man meet with fuch a thing as
this?

Anf. The fcripture (which gives a faithful teftimony
concerning; the truth) (kith, Chrift, the Word of
faith, which the apoftles preached, is nigh, Infomuch
, as a man need not fay. Who (hall go up or down to
fetch it ? But what faith it ? " The word is nigh thee,
*' in thy mouth, and in thy heart." This is that
which reconciles to God, cutting down and flaying
the enmity by the power of the crofs, and bringing
up the feed. This is the adverfary in the way of the
finner, which he that maketh peace with fliall be re-
mitted all his trefpafles pall, and find power and
tlrength againft fin for the time to come, as he is ga-
thered into, and brought forth in his pure life and
nature.

Queft.

A FAITHFUL Guidance, &c, ng

Qiieft. But how Jh all I know and receive this ?

An/, That in the heart which is contrary to fin,
which difcovereth fin, which witnefl^eth againil fin,
and is drawing the mind from it, furnifhing thofe
with a new and holy ability, who wait upon the Lord
in it ; that, that is the thing, though in ever fo little
a feed or low meafure. Now he that minds this,
hearkens to this, turns from what this (in its pure
unerring light) fhews to be evil, follows (in the will,
ftrength, and ability which is of this) what this Ihews
to be good, he receives it; and waiting upon it, and
becoming daily fubjeft to it, fhall grow up in it,
increafe in the knowledge of it, and acquaintance
with it, and receive of it daily more and more. And
thus the man whole way was vile, whofe heart was
naught, formed in wickednefs, filled with corruption,
daily bringing forth fin and fruits unto death, fiiall
find thefe (by the pure light, and holy inflruftions of
life) daily purged out of him, and Chrift formed in
him, and the holy fruits of righteoufnefs brought
forth through his veflel, by the power and Spirit of
Chrift, to the glory of God the Father.

And then being in Chrift, being in the principle of
his life, and acting therein, here is peace in the foul,
reft to it from its enemies and God's judgments, and
acceptance with the Father in what the foul thus is
and works.

But then the world will perfecute and hate exceed-
ingly ; becaufe this foul, who thus fubmits to God,
and is thus changed by him, is not of the world, but
of the Father, which begat it in Chrift, and formed it
in his image and likenels.

Likewife in this light the eyes are opened to read
the fcriptures, and to underftand therein the conditions
of the people and faints of the Moft High in former
generations, and how the wicked fpirit wrought then,
to oppofe the truth and ^people of God, and to draw-
men into deceit. Yea, and many other ways the fcrip-
tures are exceeding fweet and ufeful, being read in

that

74 A FAITHFUL Guidance to the

that which gives the true fenfe and underftanding of
them.

But let him that once putteth his hand to the
plough (beginning to feel fomewhat of God, and to
lubjedt unto it, and fo to tafte of the peace and pure-
nefs of it) never look back to the world, nor mind
the temptations and oppofitions he will meet with
from that nature and fpirit, cither in himfelf or others;
for if he do, he will never be able to travel on, but
rather confult with flefh and blood, and fo return back
into Egypt, and lofe the crown which is laid up for
thofe who pafs on through the wildernefs, through the
trials, through the temptations, through the wants,
through the various exercifes to their journey's end.

This is the path of life in brief; happy is he who
feels the guider into it, and faithfully follows hiai
therein to the end.

There is another queftion fprings up in my heart,
which is this :

Queft. How may a man come to have his ftns wajhed
away by the hlood of Chrijl ?

AnJ. By coming into the light, and walking in the
light, which difcovers the blood, .ind wherein alone it
is fprinkled by God, and felt by the foul, he may
receive the cleanfing which is by it. This is accord-r
ing to the teftimony of fcripture, as i John i. 7.
«* If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we
" have fellowfhip one with another, and the blood of
*« Jefus Chrift, his Son, cleanfeth us from all fin.'*
By the light the darknefs is difpelled, and in the light
the corruption and filth is waihed away by the blood,
and the foul (mind and confcience) cleanfed from it.

<^ This then is the meffage that we have heard of
« him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and
** in him is no darknefs at all," ver. 5. What then X
Why then they that will know God, and walk with
God, muft by the virtue of his truth be turned frorn
darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan unto
God (as A6ls xxvi. 18.); and in that light he fh.ali
meet with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift,

and

Principle and Path of Truth. 7^

and have fellowfliip with them, ver. 3. and fhall be
wafhed (both v/ith the water and with the bloody and
kept clean and pure thereby in the fight of God.

Queft. But how Jhall I come into the lights and bow
may I walk therein .<*

Anf. Chrift is the light. (He is the light of the
world, the light of men, the light of life. And thou
needft not fay in thine heart, Who fhall go up to hea-
ven, or down into the deep for him ? For he is near,
in thy mouth, and in thy heart. This is the word of
faith, which thou art to believe in, love, and obey;
that in the love, faith, and obedience thereof, thine
heart may be circumcifed, and thou mayeft live. This
is the gofpel of our falvation, even this Chrift, this
word, this light, this life, which redeems from fin,
which deftroyeth the deftroyer, and fettetti the foul
free to ferve and live to the Lord. This was the
meffage the apollles had to deliver in their day, as
Rom. X. 8. And this was Mofes's meifage too, when
he fpake concerning the new covenant. For Mofes
did not only deliver the old covenant, but he alfo
fpake concerning the new, even another covenant than
that of Mount Horeb, Deut. xxix. i. And the word
of this other covenant was not the law written in ta-
bles of ftonej but the word nigh in the mouth and
heart, chap. xxx. 14.

Objeft. But that place fpeaks of doing (which is the
voice of the old covenant^ do this and live) j but the new
covenant Jl and s in believing.

Jnf. The end of faith is obedience. Why do I be-
lieve Chrift, but that I may receive the law of his
Spirit, and walk before him in the newnefs of the obe-
dience thereof? And lie that obeys is of the faith,
and in the truth ; and he that obeys not, is out of
it} is not in the power, not in the life, which brings
forth the obedience; fo out of the thing which re-
deems, and in which the redemption is witneffed :
but he that obeys, he that doth the will, he is in the
righteoufnefs, in the power, in the life, from which
the obedience fprings.

And

y6 A FAITHFUL Guidance to the

- And here the wafhing and purifying of the foul is
truly known and witnelTed. Outward facrifices under
the law were vain, as to cleanfing the foul j and an
outward belief of what Chrift did and fufFered, effedls
not the thing now. What then ? The new creature
doth; the pure faith dothj the pure obedience doth.
It did it formerly, it doth it ftill, and nothing elfe can
do it. " Bring no more vain oblations j but wafh ye,
'* make you clean j put away the evil of your doings
" from before mine eyes j ceafe to do evil, learn to
«* do well," &c. But how fliould this be ? Could
they ever attain this by the old covenant ? Nay j but
Mofes had not only delivered them the old covenant,
but alfo had directed them to the new, to the Word
of faith, to the Word of life and power in the heart
and mouth, through the obedience whereof they might
•wafh themfelves, (as Peter, even in the gofpel-times,
fpeaketh, i Pet. i. 22.) put away the evil of their
doings J ceafe to do evil, learn to do well, &c. And
what then ? Why then they Ihould receive the cleanf-
ing through the blood of the Lambj for then, though
their fins were as fcarlet, they fhould be as white as
fnow J though they were red like crimfon, they Ihould
be as wool, Ifa. i. 16, 17, 18.

So Micah tells them, (when they a(ked how they
might come before God to pleafe him ?) " He hath
" ihewed thee, O man, what is good j and what doth
*' the Lord require of thee, but to do juftly, and to
<' love mercy, and to walk humbly with God," Mic.
vi. 8. Where or how doth God fhew this to man ?
Had not Mofes told that before ; to wit, by the Word
nigh in the mouth and heart ? There is fomewhat
near man, even in his mouth, which divides his words
one from another, (hewing him (at fome times, and
would do it oftener if he heeded it) which are bad
words, and which are good words. What is that that
doth this ? The fame thing alfo is in his heart, as a
difcerner of the thoughts and intents thereof, Ihewing
him "when there is a good thought, defire, or inten-
tion in his mindj and when there is a bad or wicked

one.

Principle and Path of Truth. 77

one. What is this? Oh! that men knew what it is! Oh'.
that they could fear the Lord, and become fubjed to
it, and they fhould Icnow what it is !

Every man that will be fanftified, and inherit God's
kingdom, muft be born of the will of God. He
muft deny his own will, (as Chrift did ; not my will,
faid he. Father, but thine be done) that muft be cru-
cified. He muft fufFer in the flefh, die to the fiefh,
and live in and to the holy nature and Spirit of
God.

Now thus a man comes to be born of the pure will ;
to wit, by hearing the word nigh in the mouth and
heart, and becoming fubjed to it. This cuts down
his own will day by day, and brings up the will and
nature of God in him, through which he is changed
and fandified, and becomes a new creature. For the
old creature is made up of the old underftanding and
will; but the new creature is made up of the new.

" Wherewithal ftiall a young man cleanfe his way?
** By taking heed according to thy word," faid Da-
vid. What word was that ? Was it the word of the
old covenant, or the word nigh in the mouth and
heart? And " thy word," faith he, " is a lantern to
" my feet, and a light to my path." What word
was that, the word of the firft covenant, or the word
of the fecond ? "The law of the Lord is perfed,
«* converting tke foul." What law is that? " The
** teftimony of the Lord is fure, making wife the fim-
*f pie." What teftimony is that ? " The ftatutes of
" the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart." What
ftatutes are they ? (Were not the ftatutes of the old
covenant heavy and burdenfome ?) " The command-
*^ ment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes."
What commandment is that ? Yea, what is that which
is " fweeter than the honey, and the honey-comb,"
which overcomes with fweetnefs ? Oh 1 that men could
read ! Oh ! that men could fee the thing which is
pure, and maketh pure; which is righteous, and
maketh righteous. After men have feen the thing,
there is a great way to travel to it; but how far are

they

.^8 A FAITHFUL Guidance, &c*

they off, who do not fo much as fee it, but are in tho
darknefs and prejudices of that nature and fpirit which
is contrary to it.

Now if the Lord, in his tender mercy and love to
thy foul, bring thee to a fenfe of this thing, and thou
beginneft to feel this precious fearching word difco-
vering any evil to thee, either in thy heart or ways,
oh ! do not difpute, do not reafon againft it ; but
blefs the difcoverer, bow to the Son, become obedient
immediately, faithfully following the Lamb therein,
left he remove his light from thee, and fufFer darknefs
and the difputing wifdom to overtake thee.

Chrift is not of the world, and he leads out of the
world; out of its vanities, ways, cuftoms, fafliiofls,
&c. A man cannot ferve Chrift and the world. Can
any man be born of the Father, be begotten by him
out of the fpirit of the world, and yet live in that,
walk in that, which is not of the Father, but of the
world ; which came from the worldly part, is of the
worldly part, nouriftieth and pleafeth the worldly part
in man, but pleafeth not the Father ? Can that man
who is not of the world, but of the Father, do any
thing that upholdeth the luft of the flelh, the luft of
the eyes, or the pride of life, either in himfelf or
others ? Doth not the Spirit of the Lord, where it is
hearkened to, draw out of thefe, and out of all things
which are of thefe ? Therefore confider well what it
will coft, and how hard it is to follow Chrift ; that
thou who defireft to be the Lord's, mayeft receive
help and ftrength from him to be faithful, that in his
Itrength thou mayeft overcome all that ftands between
thee and life, that fo thou mayeft receive the crown,
and inherit the kingdom which is prepared for, and
given to, the faithful, who labour and fight not in
vain J but gain ground and conquer (yea, at length
become more than conquerors) through the mercy,
love, might, and power of the Lord.

Some

[ 79 ]

Some fenfible experimental Questions and An-
swers from the Tenth Chapter of John.

Quftft. I . T X r ^O is the good Shepherd of the JJjeep ?

y Y Anf. The wifdom, life, and power
of the Father (which dwelleth in, and is manifeft
through the Son) is the Shepherd. He that is the
truth, the way, and the life, he alfo is the Shepherd
and Bifhop of the foul.

Quell. 2. JVho are the jheep?

Anf. They that are born of this wifdom, gathered
by this life, turned to this power, they are the Iheep.
They who are changed by him into his nature, they
are of him ; fheep of him, the Shepherd ; lambs of
him, the Lamb ; doves of him, the Dove.

Que ft. 3. JVhat is the fold of the fheep ?

Anf The wifdom, life, and power of the Father,
even the fame that is the Shepherd. The Father's
hand wherewith he covers them, wherein he inclofeth
them, that is the fold. For it is the power, wifdom,
and life of the Father, which gathereth the fheep ;
and he gathereth them into his wifdom, into his life;
and that is a wall or fold about them.

Objefl. Is not the church the fold '^

Anf. This in the church, or the church in this, is
the fold ; but not out of this. For there is no fafety
or prefervation among any fort or gathering of people,
but as they ftand and abide in this. And ftanding
and abiding in this, they have authority and power
from the chief Bilhop of the foul ; but none out of
this.

Queft. 4. Who is the door ?

Anf. The Shepherd is the door alfo, who lets into
the fold, and fhuts out, at his pkafurci and none can
rightly enter but by him.

Queft.

8o Some Questions and Answers, &c.

Queft. 5. What are they that run before the -power ^ or
farther than the -power leads and guides them ?

Anf. They are thieves and robbers, and they may
deftroy the life and frelhnefs in thofe that are not
watchful ; but they cannot help to fave or build up,
becaufe they themfelves are out of that, come out of
that, and aft out of that, which alone can do it.

Queft. 6. How may the fheep he difcerned from the
goatSy and from fuch alfo as put on the fheep* s clothings
hut yet are not fheep in nature andfpirit?

Anf. By their lamb-like nature, by the meeknefs
and innocency in them which is of the Lamb, which
none can have but they that are of himj for it is not
to be,found in man's nature, nor to be attained by his
art. They alfo know and hear the voice of the Word
nigh in the mouth and heart, and follow the law of
his Spirit, received from his mouth, which none elfe
but his fheep do, or can do j for this is given by him,
and it is given by him only to his Iheep.

Queft. 7. What doth Chriji the Shepherd (the eternal
Wordy the wifdom^ lifcy and power of the Father) do for
his fheep ?

Anf. He doth great things for them, which who
can utter ? But happy is he that feels and knows them.
He gives them a new nature, a new fpirit, a new
heart, a new name, which none knoweth but he that
hath it; for it is written on the white ftone, which
none elfe receives, nor none elfe can read, but he that
hath the eye which is of him, what is written thereon.
He giveth them eternal lifej he leadeth them into the
paftures of life j he giveth them to drink of the wa-
ters of life. He putteth them forth out of the prifon-
houfe, out of the chains and fetters, out of the dark-
nefs, out of the bonds, and from under the burdens
of the foul, into the pure light and liberty of the
Spirit, where they tafte, know, and enjoy of his free-
dom, and dwell with him, and reft with him, and lie
down with him, and rife up with him, even in the
fame eternal life. Spirit, and power, wherein his dwell-
ing-place is, And all this they enjoy fafely, hearken-
ing

Some Questions and Answers, &c» 8i

ing to the voice of the Shepherd, and turning from
the voice of the ftranger, which it is natural to them
to do. For being turned froin man, born of that
which is immortal, and keeping to that-, that ear
which is there received will alone hearken to the voice
of him who is immortal) and the voice of the ftran-
ger (who fpeaketh of himfelf) is prefently difcerned
and turned from, by him that hearech with the true
ear. The Lord God, who is the fpring and fountain of
all goody ivifiame -people ijvith deftres after the pure Itfe^ and
holy nature y which is of and from Chrifi the feed, his Son,
andfatisfy thofe defires which arefingly and uprightly after
him^

THE

CONCLUSION.

GLORIOUS was the eftate of the church before
the apoflafy, for purity of doctrine, for holy
order and difcipline, for love to God, one to another,
ind to all men, (even of enemies) for faith in God,
for the prefence and power of his Spirit among them,
(infomuch as the unbeliever coming among them,
might find his heart and ft:ate reached to, and be forced
to confefs and report that God was in them of a
truth) for finglenefs and uprightnefs of heart, meek-
nefs and innocency of fpirit and converfacion, for zeal
for God and his truth, fufFering the fpoiling of their
goods, imprifonments, ftripes, and many other ways,
both from the heathen, and alfo from the profeiling
Jews, who had been the church once. Oh ! what fhali
I fay concerning the beauty and lovelinefs of that
ftate ? Ye that would know it, oh ! wait to feci it in
that which gives the true fenfe of it.
Vol. in. F Bat

82 The C O N C L U S I O N.

But over this glorious ftate came a dark, thick,
corrupt night, wherein the kernel was loft, and the
Ihell defaced j wherein the houfe, which had been
fwept and garniftied, became again recovered and pof-
fefled by the wicked fpirit. And how great hath this
darknefs been ! Oh ! what a kind of church hath ap-
peared in the world, wherein the fpirit of enmity hath
dwelt and aded in men, under the name of Chrif-
tianity ! So that inftead of loving and feeking the
good of enemies, they are ready to rend and tear one
another for every little difference, and will be lords
over mens faith, requiring men to praiflife things in
religion before the Spirit of the Lord teacheth them
fo to do, which the apoftles did not. For though
they had from God the exprefs knowledge of what
was truth, and could certainly inftrufl and build up
men therein, yet they were not lords over mens faith ;
but if men were otherwife minded than according to
what they knew and taught, they could wait and bear
with them, bidding them walk fo far as they had
attained, and God in his due time would reveal the
reft alfo. Oh ! that men were come to this fpirit
again ! then they would be Chriftians indeed, and then
they might be known to be Chrift's difciples, by their
loving the brethren and fellow-difciples. But with-
out this love, mens religion is but a tinkling cym-
bal, making a noife and found of fomewhat, but not
having the true nature or virtue of religion in it.

Now will it not be a glorious day, when the Spirit
. of the Lord cleanfeth away this thick darknefs, and
caufeth the light of his pure truth to arife and appear
again ? Why there is fuch a day to be, wherein the
true church (which was reproached and driven into
the wildernefs) is to come out of the wildernefs again,
and her witneffes ftand on their feet again, and her
feed to fpring up in the power of life, following the
Lamb, who marcheth on fighting with the fword of
the Spirit, (the word of his mouth) conquering and
to conquer thereby the corrupted antichriftian world,
even as he did at firft the corrupt hcathenilh world.

The

The C O N C L U S I O N. 83

The Lord will purify his temple, and cleanfe the
world by the plagues of his angels which he hath
prepared, making way for the beauty of his truth,
and the church of his gatherings wherein he will
bring forth his righteoufnefs, wherein his power fhall
appear, wherein his prefence Ihall be made manifeft,
wherein that which fhined before in the primitive
church, fhall fhine again in this new-reared building
of his, infomuch as men lliall be forced to fay, 'This
is the church of Chrifi indeed, God is here of a truth ;
this is the Gofpel-Jerujakm indeed , zvhich is built upon the
holy hill of Sion -, in ivhich innocency, right eoufnefs, truths
love, fweetnefs, peaceablenefs, and the gentle nature and
Spirit of the Lamb lives and reigns ; and the Lord blefs
thee, O habitation of jujlice, and mountain of holimfs.

Now of a truth this work is begun. The times of
refrefliment are come from the prefence of the Lord.
The Lord hath heard from heaven, pitying the cries of
his leed, and hath vifued their fouls, cauling the light
of life (even the pure light of the everlaiting cove-
nant) to fhine upon their tabernacles. But whoever
would know thcfe things, and partake of them, muft
come in at the door, by the guidance of the Spirit,
through the light which is with him. And he that
would enjoy the full light (even the (hinin^s r'oith of
the fun at noon-day) ruuft begin with it.-, glimmerings,
even that in the heart, which difcovereth and draweth
out of the corrupt ftate of the world towaids the Fa-
ther. Oh ! hear and live. Do not difpuce about it,
but wait to feel itj upon the feeling of it, dcfpifmg
the fhame, and taking up and enduring the crois, and
fo bearing the reproach and fuiferings of Chriil in thy
age and generation. And as thou obeyeft, thou flialt
know of its do6lrine; but out of the pure faith and
obedience, there is no true, found, deep, rooted
knowledge; but all of that kind mufh be parted with,
for the knowledge which is of the faith, and which is
made manifeft and increafed in the obedience; which
knowledge is of a far more excellent kind and nature,
than that which thou art to part with for it. Tht;

F 2 Lord

84 The C O N C L U ^ I O N.

T^rd guide thy mind, and ftrctch forth his hand to
help thee, who from the leafl: touch of a pure nature
and fpirit, defireft after the pure truth and way of eter-
nal life. Amen.

This teftimony (here held forth) is faithful and
true, and (I know) the witnefs of God in many hearts
will anfwer to it ; and happy is he that maketh a right
ufe of it. For, fo doing, his foul will not fall fhort
of the pure living truth, nor fet up any thing elfe for
truth which is not.

To fuch as are not fatisfied with a Profeflion,
without the true Life and Power, but have
lincere Defires in their Hearts after the Lord
himfelf, and a Willingnefs to be acquainted
with his pure living Truth, and with the
Soul's true Guide and Leader ^ this Experience
is in my Heart to exprefs unto you, which wc
have all along witneiTed in our Travels out of
the dark corrupt Land, into the Land of Life
and Purity.

WE have ftill found the wilier, the runner, the
felf-ftriver, the wife comprehending part, &c,
left behind ; and the grace of God alone able to lead
towards him, and the birth which is of and by grace
ftill to obtain the mercy. And Chrift is our life, and
in the union with his Spirit lies all our ability and
ftrength; and that knowledge of Chrift, which wc
witnefs to be life eternal, we did not meet with whilft
we thought to have it in the fcriptures, but it hath
been all along revealed to us by God's Spirit -, fo that

wc

To SUCH AS ARE NOT SATISFIED, &C. 85

we can truly fay flefh and blood did not reveal the
Son to us, but the Father. Yet that which the fcrip-
tures teftify concerning Chrift is exadlly true accord-
ing as it is there related, and is fo acknowledged and
really owned by us; though we obtained not our
knowledge of Chrift by the letter, but by receiving a
principle of life from God j and coming into union
with his Spirit, we came to the true knowledge and
owning of the letter; which as it came from the life,
fo can it only be rightly read and underftood in the
life from which it came : fo that he that is out of that,
cannot but err concerning the letter, and misjudge
concerning the things of God ; whereas he that is
guided by, and lives in, God's Spirit, (receiving his
knowledge there) cannot err concerning the Spirit, or
concerning the letter; but hath that within him, which
gives to him, and preferves him in, the true fenfe and
underftanding of both.

Now, friends, this is an excellent thing indeed, to
come to, and be acquainted with, and receive that,
which the fcriptures teftify of; to wit, to receive
Chrift, to feel union with him in his Spirit, to enter
into the new and holy agreement with God, into the
cverlafting covenant of life and peace, to feel the par-
tition-wall broken down, and the wall of falvation
reared up, and the defence which is thereby; to find
the law of God, the law of life, the law of the new
creation, written in the heart; the pure fear planted
there by God, which keepeth the mind and fpirit from
departing from him; to have his Spirit put within,
caufing to walk in his ways, and to keep his ftatutes,
and judgments, and do them ; and fo to have union
and feiiowftiip with the Lord in that which is pure
and living of him, in Chrift the new and living way,
which was before the fall, and leads the obedient out
of the fall, even beyond Adam's ftate, into himfelf
who never fell, in whom li no fin, nor erring, no not
for the wayfaring man, though a fool, who often erred
and wandered before he came thither ; but there the
Father's hand, even the hand of the eternal power,

F J , is

86 To SUCH AS ARE NOT SATISFIED, &C.

is felt, which none can pluck out of. Oh ! that ye

knew the infallible leader, and were turned fr6m dark-
nefs to the light, (and did believe therein) and from
the power of Satan unto God, that ye through his
Spirit might undeniably witnefs the myfteries of his
kingdom, and partake of and enjoy that which his
love, grace, and mercy, plentifully diftributes among
his children that wait upon him in one way, under the
holy ordering of his Spirit -, which was long harped at
and longed after by many of us ; but we could never
meet with it, till the Lord in his mercy caufed the
light of his day to fhine into our hearts, which chafed
away the darknefs of the night, and made the things
of the day manifeft.

Are ye of the houfe of Jacob ? Are ye of the right
feed ? Are ye of the true breathers after God's holi-
nefs, after the life and righteoufnefs of his Sion ? Oh !
then come ye, know, acknowledge, receive, and wait
to walk in the light of the Lord ; and do not join to
that in you which is feparated from, and knoweth not,
the light of the Lord, but oppofeth it. And, friends,
1 befeech you, take heed in this point; for he that
denieth, refufeth, oppofeth, fpeaketh evil, or thinketh
hardly of any thing that is indeed of Chrift, doth it to
Chrift himfelf, in Chrift's account, (that is, Chrift
looketh upon it as if he had denied him, refufed him,
oppofed him, fpoke evil of him, &c.) and it will be
fo laid to his charge in the day of the Lord. And in-
deed fuch is my love to you, and fuch my defire after
your eternal good anJ welfare, that I would not have
you ftumble at the light and power of life, which the
Lord hath revealed and ftretched out (in this day of
his mercy) to gather and fave with; but feel the ga-
thering by it from all that fcattereth from the Lord,
with the prefervation which is thereby, and the cffed-
jng of that in your fpirits which it is able to effect,
as it comes to manifeft itfelf unto you, and to put
forth his ftrength in you. So wait for the gathering
\]nto the light, (the light of the everlafting day of
God) and into the power which is able to redeem and

defend

To SUCH AS ARE NOT SATISFIED, &C. S7

defend the foul from all that is contrary to God. And
when ye are there, be diligent and faithful to the
Lord : and feel (oh ! daily wait to feel from him)
the unclothing of your fpirits from all their own un-
righteoufnefs ; yea, from all their own righteoufnefs
alfo, (which is but as filthy rags before the Lord,
even of the fame nature with the unrighteoufnefs)
that ye may be clothed upon with the new and living
garment, wherein there is neither fpot nor wrinkle,
nor any fuch thing. For they that are of Chrift, and
in Chrift, do as really put on the nature, the Spirit,
the garment of the fecond Adam, as ever they did put
off the old garment, nature, and fpirit.

This is from one, who uprightly and fingly de-
fireth your union with the Lord in his pure
truth and holy anointing, and your difunion
from all that is contrary to him.

ISAAC PENINGTO'N.

A QJJERY added, with its Answer,

WHA'T is the true confejjion of Chrift ^ even that con^
fejjion which arifeth from the knowledge which is
life eternal?

Anf. Friends, I witnefs it to be this ; A confeflion
of his nature, a confefTion of his Spirit, a confefllon
of his life, a confeffion of his power. To confefs the
prefent living appearance of Chrift, that is to confefs
Chrift. " Behold," faith he, " I ftand at the door
" and knock." He that heareth his voice, acknow-
ledgeth him, letteth him in, fubjefteth to his truth
and Holy Spirit; he confefleth him. But, though a
man ftiould acknowledge and confefs all that is re-
corded in the fcriptures concerning him ; yet if he
know not his knocks, ^o as to let him in, and become

F 4 fubjecl

88 A Query added, with its Answer.

fubjecl to his power, he doth not confefs Chrift as he
ought to do, and as God requireth of him. Oh ! that
ye could learn thus to know Chrifl:, and thus to con-
tlfs him ! For until ye thus know him, ye cannot thus
confefs him ! and your knees muft firfl: bow at his
name, before your tongues can rightly confefs him, to
the glory of God the Father ! For if ye will indeed
glorify the Father, ye muft bow to the Son, who is
the light wherein God dwells, in the Ihinings whereof
he appears to, and vifits the fons of men. And as
the Son himfelf is fpiritual j fo is the light wherewith
he vifits dark man. His law is fpiritual, able to con-
vert ^he foql of any man in whofe heart it is written,
and to make wife (the moft fimple among men) unto
falvation. For the law of God, writ ip the heart, is
from the covenant of life ; and delivers and preferves
from the law of fin and death, having the light, pow-
er, and Spirit of Chrift in and with it^ (ron\ whom it
comes.

Now if ye will know thefe things clearly, certainly,
and infallibly ; wait to feel fome touches, fqaie draw-
ings, fome conviiStions of God's Spirit upon your
hearts. And then difpute not againft them i but im-
mediately become fubjed, fo far as the light and draw-
ings of the Father incline and lead the mmd -, and
then ye ftiall fee what he is that draws, and of what
nature his drawings are. And if once ye come to,
f?el the prccioufnefs of his ointment ; and to partake
of it, receiving it and following it, it will bring you
into the pure virginity, which loves and longs after the
Xiame that anoints with the pure living oil.

Friends, I was once where ye now are ; and in that
^ay, I aifo (through error and miftake) called the
light wherewith Chrift hath enlightened man, natural,
as ye now do. But the Lord hath fince Ihewed me,
that it was not the true birth of life in me which fo
galled it; and it is alfo manifefted to me in his Spirit
of truth, (which deceives not) that it is not the true
birth in you, which fo judges of it. Oh 1 that ye
were born of the Spirit, and in it knew the names of tha

things

A Query addid, with its Answer. 89

things from their nature, and might be taught of the
Father to worfhip in the Son ! which ye can never do,
till ye come into the Son's light; and that is the Son's
Ijcrht, even that wherewith he hath enlightened men,
that they might believe in the Father through him !
The fcriptures (or any words fpoken or written) are
not the light itfelf, but teftimonies concerning the
light. Now that which ye are to come into, and to
dwell and abide in, is the light itfelf; which light was
before any words that teftify of it, and is the fub-
ftance of all thf fhadows, and the end of all the tef*
timonits concerning it. He is A^pha and Omcga^ the
Beginning and the End of the new creation of God.
Oh ! that \e fo knew him !

That from which the fcriptures came, is the thing,
the life, the Spirit, the power itfelf; which is able to
write inwardly, as well as outwardly. And he that
knows the thing, and is led to the thing by the inward
writing, (which is the teftimony of Jefus, the Spirit
of prophecy) he by the teftimony of Jefus, by the
Spirit of prophecy, is led to the Holy Power ; which
he believing in, it prevails to fave him out of the con-
trary Ipirit and power. And this the Gentiles without
the law, the Jews under the law, and the believers
under grace, had fpiritually all one and the fame way
and path of life unto falvation; and God will be clear
and juft in judging them all according thereunto, who
had all fome manifeftation of the gofpel and power
which faves, according to the difpenfation of the good
pleafure of the free giver. And mens perifhing in
the time of every difpenfation, is not for want of light
and power from God, but from mens withdrawing
and apoftatizing from the light and power, which in
every difpenfation of life ftretched forth its hand and
arm fufficiently to gather and fave.

There

[ 90 3

^here /x One Thing more in my Heart unto
Tou, at this ^ime, which is

Concerning applying the PROMISES,

THE Promifes of God are great and precious,
and give to partake of the divine nature thofe
that wait upon the Lord in the faith and obedience of
his truth. Now there are eftates and conditions to
which they do belong j and there are eftates and con-
ditions to which they do not belong : and if any one
apply any promife to himfclf, he not being in that
cftate and condition to which that promife belongs, he
deceives his foul, and fucks not in the true fweetnefs
and comfort of the promife, but of his own imaginary
apprehenfions concerning the promife.

There is a ftate of wounding, of judging, of God's
pleading with the foul, becaufe of fin and tranfgref-
fion. Now he that breaks and wounds, he alone can
bind up and heal j and the Lord is to be waited upon
in the way of his judgnients, until he fee meet to
bind up and heal. Now the Lord heals by the fame
Spirit apd power wherewith he wounds; but it is hard
to lie under the judgment, to bear the indignation of
the Lord, and fo keep the wound (which he makes)
open, till he pour in the oil, and heal. For there is
that near, which will be offering to heal before the
feafon, and will be bringing in promifes, and apply-
ing promifes, otherwife than the Spirit of the Lord
intendeth or applieth them. Now this is diligently to
be watched againft, that the hurt of the foul (judged
and wounded by the Spirit of the Lord) be not healed
(lightly, and peace fpoken to it (and an expedation
and hope raifed in it) which is not of the Lord. But
this is the right way, even to give up to feel that

whiclx

Concerning applying the Promises, 91

which wounds, and to receive the woundings of thy
foul's friend, and lie low before him in the wounded
ftate, waiting upon him in the way of his judgments
and righteous indignation ; till the fame that wounded,
ipeak peace. For the fame is to fpeak peace, and not
another; " I the Lord wound, and I heal; I kill, and
" I make alive." Judgment is mine, and mercy is
" mine; and they both iflfue from my lips." (See
Ifa. xii. I.) So every one, that would not be deceived
about, nor mifapply the promifes, wait to feel that in
yoLi, which leads into the condition to which the pro-
mife belongs, and to be led into and kept in the con-
dition by it. And then, the fame that leads into the
condition, will apply the promife to him who is in the
condition, the ear being open to him, hearkening to
the Lord, waiting what he will fpeak, who fpeaks
peace to his people in his feafons; and having the
ear fhiit againft the voice of the unrighteous troubler
of the fouls of God's heritage. Yea, he that applieth
the promifes to the foul, (having brought it into the
ftate to which they belong) he alfo will lead and bring
unto the fulfilling of the promifes, even to the re-
ceiving of the good things promifed and waited for;
fo that the foul fiiall witnefs the gofpel to be a glori-
ous ftate indeed ; a ftate of life, a ftate of liberty, a
ftate of power, a ftate of dominion, a ftate of holi-
nefs, a kingdom of righteoufnefs and peace, wherein
there are everlafting manfions and dwelling-places in
Chrift Jefus, for the feed of the righteous for ever-
more. The Lord God of everlafting mercy, life, power,
and rich goodnefs, caufe the light of his own Holy
Spirit to ftiine into your hearts, guide you thereby
into and in the true way, even in the pure living
path, (which was and is but one for ever) that ye may
come into the true pofteffion, and full enjoyment,
and infallible witnefiing of thefc things.

33d of the Second month, 1668,

There

[ 9^ ]

There is another Query, of great Concernment^
which fpringeth up in my Heart towards you.

^ery, T S not the Spirit, or anointing, the great gof-
A pel-promife, and the great gofpel-ordi-
nance ? Is not he truths and no //>, and the leader out
of all lies and deceits into the truth, and the preferver
of the mind and fpirit therein ? " Little children,'*
faid the fame apoftle, who had diredted to the anoint-
ing, " keep yourfelves from idols/' Is there any pof-
fibility of being kept from images and idols, but by
him ? Can any underftand the things of the Spirit, or
the words fpokcn by the Spirit concerning fpiritual
things, but by him ? And then, is not every apprc-
henfion, that ye take up from the fcriptures concern-
ing fpiritual things, which ye have not from him, (but
comprehend and gather of yourfelves) an image, or
conceiving of your own, concerning that thing, and
not that true knowledge and underftanding of the
thing which he alone can give ? Oh ! that all the
chambers of imagery were thrown down in you, and
every idol of the heart and mind difcovcred to youJ^
and broken down by the light and power of the Lord;
that ye might come to that which is pure and living,
and by its purifying know the pure heart, the pure
mind, the pure confcience, and offer up the pure per-
fe6l offering ; not the lame, blind, imperfect, &c.
which were not accepted (in the figure) under the law,
nor acceptable under the gofpel, Mai. i. ii. 13. ancl
chap. iii. 3.

Friends, ye mufl know that which is pure from
God, and ye mufl come into it (out of that which is
impure, into that which is pure). Now that ye may
do fo, ye mull: know the purifying; for nothing that
is impure, can enter into that which i$ pure. Yea,

Another Query of great Concernment. 93

yc muft become priefts to God, and wear the prieft's
garment, the pure garment, the living garment, the
fine linen, without mixture of the woollen. Ye mufl:
be born of the innocency, be clothed with the inno-
cency. The ftony, hard, defperately-wicked heart
muft be taken away, and the tender heart of flefli re-
ceived, the mind renewed to God, the fear put with-
in, (which cleanfeth and keepeth clean) the law writ
within, the Spirit of the Lord put in the inward parts,
and felt powerfully operating and changing there.
Yea, and the infide muft not only be clean, but the
outfide alfo; for ye muft be clothed with the Spirit,
clothed with the Lamb's righfeoufnefs and holinefs ;
and thus ye muft appear before the Lord in his tem-
ple, which is the beauty of holinefs, whofe houfe ho-
linefs becomes for ever ; where ye are never to appear
in your own filthy rags, but in the nature, Spirit,
righteoulhefs, and life of Chrift. And thus ye are
well-pleafing to God, even in that which is of God;
being born of that, formed of that, found in that,
appearing in that. But in his own, no man can be
accepted j for it is determined of God, and ftands ir-
reverfible for ever, that in his own (in his own know-
ledge, in his own faith, in his own obedience, in his
own righteoufnefs, in his own willing and running,
&c.) fhall no flelh for ever be juftified in his fight;
but only and alone in. the nature. Spirit, life, right-
eoufnefs, faith, obedience, and holinefs of his Son.
Therefore wait for the feed, that ye may know the
feed, feel the feed, the pure feed of life, (the leaven
of the heavenly kingdom) and may witnefs it arifing
and come in you to do the will, and you in it quick-
ened and enabled to live to and ferve the living God.
And when ye know this feed, ye know Chrift j and
when ye receive this feed, ye receive Chrift; and if it
live in you, Chrift lives in you ; and in it (being in
it, and abiding in it) are ye heirs of the life, king-
dom, and power, which hath no end j and ftiall daily
feel the promifes and bleftings belonging to the feed,
flowing in upon your fpirits. But if ye content your-

ielves

94 Another Query or great Concernment.

felves with the knowledge of Chrift, which the erring
and apoftatifed fpirit of man from the life and power
may gather out of the letter of the fcriptures, and
feed thereon j that will not nourifh you up to eternal
life, but death and fin, and the gates of hell will have
power over you notwithftanding that; but if ye,
through the Spirit, receive power over that which is
contrary to God, and through him mortify the deeds
of the body, ye Ihall live. Therefore wait for the
manifeftation of the pure power of the endlefs life,
which is now difpenfed from on high, (blefied be the
name of the living one) and wait to know and be
joined to that feed of life, wherein and whereby it is
difpenfed, that ye may witnefs Chrift's kingdom come
to you, and the reign of your fpirits with him there-
in, over all that captivateth from him, loadeth the
foul, boweth down and opprelTeth.

POSTSCRI PT,

Concerning Deceit, and being Deceived,

THERE is that which deceives, (where it is
hearkened to) and there is that which is liable
to be deceived by it. There is likewife that which
deceiveth not ; and there is alfo that which cannot be
deceived. So likewife there is a pure fear and watch-
ing in the truth againft the deceit, left by any means
it Ihould enter and betray. As alfo there is a fear that
is a fnare, (which the true faith preferves out of)
whereby many are entangled in the very bowels of
deceit, even concerning thofe very things about which

they

A POSTSCRIPT. 95

they are afraid they fliould be deceived. This hath
been experienced by tliofe, who have been acquainted
with the Lord's precious truth, and thereby are come
to know and difcern the wiles and devices of Satan ;
who often hath quenched what the Lord hath kindled,
by his flirring up a fear, left it fhould not be of the
Lord, but from the fpirit of deceit.

It is true, that in the apoftafy from the life and
Spirit of truth, deceit did generally prevail and over-
whelm the minds of people. And fo far as people arc
yet in the apoftafy, (not being gathered and redeemed
out of it, by the Spirit and power of the Lord) they
are yet under deceit; though perhaps they little think
fo. Little did we think formerly, (and little do they
think now, who are now in that ftate we were then
in) that while we fo much feared being deceived, we
were already deceived, being Ihort of the life and
power of truth, which alone is able to make free and
preferve from deceit. When the Lord cometh to
bring to the primitive light and principle, that he
might perfe6tly deliver out of deceit; what can the
enemy do more advantageoufly towards keeping his
hold in the mind, (and towards keeping the mind in
the deceits wherein he hath already entangled it) than
to ftir up and heighten a fear in it, left the precious
truth, which God maketh manifeft to deliver the foul
by, fliould be deceit ? And they that hearken to and
let in the voice of the deceiver, muft needs believe it
to be fo. And thus with them light cometh to be
called darknefs, and darknefs light. Yea, who is it,
at this day, who efcapeth this fnare, of calling evil
good, and good evil ? Surely none but he, whofe
foul is led into and lives in the light and power of
truth.

For moft men take up principles, (according to
their own, or other mens underftanding of the fcrip-
tures) and judge according to thofe principles; and
fo the Spirit; and light of the Lord judgeth not in
them, but they themfelves judge according to an af-
lumed knowledge. So that flefti is not filent, the

man

96 A POSTSCRIPT.

man is not dead in them and brought to nothing, but
only lives in an higher region than he did before.
Before, he lived in an apparent unrighteoufnefs i now
he lives in an imagined righteoufnels and faith ; but
not in the Son's righteoufnefs, not in the Son's faith,
not in the Son's power, not in the Son's dominion ;
but at beft only in that which he apprehendech and
ftrongly imagineth to be fo.

Oh 1 happy is he, who is come through all his
qwn imaginings and conceivings about the things of
God, and his own apprehenfions about fcriptures and
promifes, and is come into the thing itfelf, into the
Spirit of life, (into the truth and into the power) and
who walks with God therein, daily witnelTing the re-
dennption which is of him through his Son Jefus
Chrift, who is known and partook of in the pure
quickening Spirit, and not otherwife. And he that is
truly begotten of God, and dwells with him in the
light which is eternal, knows that he is of God ;
which others may ftrongly imagine they are, but none
clfe can truly know it, but may eafily err and be en-
tangled in the deceits of the enemy, (about the new
birth, and other weighty things) while they are greatly
afraid of being deceived by him, and fo (through that
fear) fly the pure truth, which frees from deceits, left
it ihould deceive them.

A Brie?

[ 97 ]

A Brief Account of my Soul's Travel towards
the Holy Land, and how at Length it pleafed
the Lord to join my Heart to his pure, holy,
living Truth ; wherein I have witnelTed the
New Covenant, and Peace with the Lord
therein. With a few Words concerning the
Way of Knowing and Receiving the Truth :
which is not done by Difputes and Reafon-
ings of the Mind about it ; but in waiting
aright for the Demonftration and Power of
God's Spirit to open the Heart and Under-
ilanding, and by fubmiffive Obedience to it,
even in its lowefl Appearances in the inward
Parts.

My heart from my childhood was pointed to-
wards the Lord, whom I feared and longed
after from my tender years j wherein I felt, that 1
could not be futisfied with (nor indeed feek after) the
things of this perifhing world, which naturally pafs
away -, but I defired true fenfe of, and unity with, that
which abideth for ever. There was fomewhat indeed
then ftill within me (even the feed of eternity) which
leavened and balanced my fpirit almoft continually;
but I knew it not diftindlly, fo as to turn to it, and
give up to it, entirely and underftandingly. In this
temper of mind 1 earneftly fought after the Lord, ap-
plying myfelf to hear fermons, and read the bcR books
I could meet with, but efpecially the fcnptures, which
were very fvveet and favoury to me ; yea, I very ear-
neftly defired and prefled after the knowledge of the
Vol. in, G fcriptures.

98 A BRIEF Account of my Soul's Travel

fcripturesj but was much afraid of receiving mens
interpretations of them, or of fattening any interpre-
pretation upon them myfelf j but waited much, and
prayed much, that from the Spirit of the Lord I
might receive the true underftanding of them, and
that he would chiefly endue me with that knowledge,
which I might feel fandiifying and faving. And in-
deed I did fenfibly receive of his love, of his mercy,
and of his grace, which I felt ftill freely to move to-
wards me, and at feafons when 1 was moft filled with
the fenfe of my own unworthinefs, and had leaft ex-
petflations of the manifeflation of them. But I was
exceedingly entangled about election and reprobation,
(having drunk in that do(5trine, according as it was
then held forth by the flri(5teft of thofe that were
termed Puritans, and as then feemed to be very ma-
nifeft and pofitive from Rom. ix. &c.) fearing left,
notwithftanding all my defires and feekings after the
Lord, he might in his decree have pafTed me by j and
I felt it would be bitter to me to bear his wrath, and
be feparated from his love for evermore; yet, if he
had fo decreed, it would be, and I fhould (notwith-
ftanding thefe fair beginnings and hopes) fall away
and perifh at the laft. In this great trouble and grief,
(which was much added to by not finding the Spirit of
God fo in me and with me, as I had read and be-
lieved the former Chriftians had it) and in mourning
over and grapling with fecret corruptions and tempta-
tions, I fpent many years, and fell into great weaknefs
of body ; and often cafting myfelf upon my bed, did
wring my hands and weep bitterly, begging earneftly
of the Lord, daily, that I might be pitied by him,
and helped againft my enemies, and be made con-
formable to the image of his Son, by his own renew-
ing power. And indeed at laft (when my nature was
almoft fpent, and the pit of defpair was even clofing
its mouth upon me) mercy fprang, and deliverance
came, and the Lord my God owned me, and fealed
his love unto me, and light fprang within me, which
made not only the fcriptures, but the very outward

creatures

TOWARDS THE HoLY LanD. 99

creatures glorious In my eye, fo that every thing was
fweet and pleafant and lightfome round about me.
But I foon felt, that this eltate was too high and glo-
rious for me, and I was not able to abide in it, it fo
overcame my natural fpirits ; wherefore, blefTing the
name of the Lord for his great goodnefs to me, I
prayed unto him to take that from me which I was not
able to bear, and to give me fuch a proportion of his
light and prefence, as was fuitable to my prefent ftate,
and might fit me for his fervice. Whereupon this
was prefently removed from me; yet a favour remained
with me, wherein I had fweetnefs, and comfort, and
refrelhment for a long feafon. But my mind did not
then know how to turn to and dwell with that which
gave me the favour, nor rightly to read what God did
daily write in my heart, which fufficiently manifefted
itlelf to be of him, by its living virtue and pure ope-
ration upon me ; but I looked upon the fcriptures to
be my rule, and fo would weigh the inward appear-
ances of God to me by what was outwardly written,
and durft not receive any thing from God mimediately,
as it fprang from the fountain, but only in that me-
diate way. Herein did I limit the Holy One of If-
rael, and exceedingly hurt my own foul, as I after-
wards felt and came to underftand. Yet the Lord
was tender to me, and condefcended exceedingly,
opening fcriptures to me, frefiily every day, teach-
ing and inftru6ting, warming and comforting my heart
thereby; and truly he did helj) me to pray, and to
believe, and to love him and his appearances in any j
yea, to love all the fons of men, and all his crea-
tures, with a true love. But that in me which knew
not the appearances of the Lord in my fpirit, but
would limit him to v/ords of fcriptures formerly writ-
ten, that proceeded yet further, and v/ouid be raifmg
a fabrick of knowledge out of the fcriptures, and
gathering a perfe^l rule (as I thought) concerning my
heart, nw words, my ways, my v/oiiliip ; and accord-
ing to what I thus drank in (after this manner, from
the fcriptures) 1 practifed, and with much ferioufnefs

G 2 of

loo A BRIEF Account of my So-ul's Travel

of fpirit and prayer to God fell a helping to build up
an Independent congregation, wherein the favour of
life and the prefence of God was frefh with me, as I
believe there are yet fome alive of that congregation
can teftify.

This was my ftate, when I was fmitten, broken,
and diflrelled by the Lord, confounded in my wor-
fliip, confounded in my knowledge, ftripped of all in
one day, (which it is hard to utter) and was matter
of amazement to all that beheld me. I lay open and
naked to all that would inquire of me, and ftrive to
fearch out what might be the caufe the Lord fhould
deal fo with me. They would at firft be jealous that
I had finned and provoked him fo to do ; but when
they had fcanned things thoroughly, and I had opened
my heart nakedly to them, I dp not remember any
one that ever retained that fenfe concerning me. My
foul remembereth the wormwood and gall, the ex-
ceeding bitternefs of that ftate, and is ftill humbled
in me in the remembrance of it before the Lord. Oh !
how did I wifh with Job, that I might come before
him, and bowingly plead with him ; for indeed I had
no fenfe of any guilt upon me, but was fick of love
towards him, and as one violently rent from the bofom
of his beloved ! Oh ! how gladly would I have met
with death ! For I was weary all the day long, and
afraid of the night, and weary alfo of the night-fea-
fon, and afraid of the enfuing day. I remember my
grievous and bitter mournings to the Lord j how often
did I fay, O Lord^ why haji thou forfaken me? PVhy haji
thou broken me to ■pieces ? I had no delight hut thee^ no
defire after any hut thee. My heart was bent wholly to
Jerve thee, and thou haji even fitted me (as appeared to
my fenfe) hy many deep exercifes and experiences for thy
fcrvice i wJoy dojt thou make me thus mijerable'i Sometimes
1 would caft mine eye upon a fcripture, and my heart
would even melt within me; at other times I would
defire to pray to my God, as I had formerly done $
but I found I knew him not, and I could not tell
how to pray, or in any wife to come near him, as I

had

TOWARDS THE HoLY LaKD. IOI

had formerly done. In this condition I wandered up
and down from mountain to hill, from one fort to
another, with a cry in my fpirit, Can ye tell news of
my beloved? Where doth he dvjell? Where doth he ap-
■pear? But their voices were ftill flrange to me, and
I flioLild retire fad and opprefied, and bowed down in
fpirit, from them.

Now furely, all ferious, fober, fenfible people, will
be ready to inquire, how I came fatisfyingly to know
the Lord at length; or whether I do yet certainly
know him, and am yec truly fatisfied ?

Yes indeed, I am fatisfied at my very heart. Truly
my heart is united to him whom I longed after, in an
everlafting covenant of pure life and peace.

Well then, how came this about? will fome fay.

Why thus. The Lord opened my fpirit, the Lord
gave me the certain and Icnfible feeiing of the pure
feed, which had been with me from the beginning;
the Lord caufed his holy power to fall upon me, and
gave me fuch an inward demonftration and feel-ng of
the feed of life, that I cried out in my fpirit, T^his is
hCy this is he ; there is not another , there never was an-
other. He was always near ine^ though I knew him not
(not fo fenfibly, not fo diftindlly, as now he was re-
vealed in me and to me by the Father); Oh! that I
might now be joined to hi'm^ and he alone might live in me.
And fo in the willinp-nefs which God had wrou2;hc in
me, (in this day of his power to my foul) 1 gave up
to be inltrufled, exercifcd, and led by him, in the
waiting for and feeling of his holy feed, that all might
be wrought out of me which could net live with the
feed, but would be hindering the dwelling and reign-
ing of the feed in me, while it remained and had
povver. And fo I have gone through a fore travail,
and fight of afflictions and temptations, of many
kinds ; wherein the Lord hath been merciful to me in
helping me, and preferving the fpark of life in m.e, in
the midil of many things which had befallen me, whofe
nature tended to quench and extinguifh it.

G ^3 Now

I02 A BRIEF Account of my Soul's Travel

Now thus having met with the true way, and walked
with the Lord therein, wherein daily certainty, yea,
and full aflurance of faith and of underftandino: is at
length obtained ; I cannot be filent, (true love and
pure life ftirring in me and moving me) but am ne-
ceflitated to teftify of it to others; and this is it, To
retire inwardly, and wait to feel fomewhat of the
Lord, fomewhat of his Holy Spirit and power, difco-
vering and drawing from that which is contrary to
him, and into his holy nature and heavenly image.
And then, as the mind is joined to this, fomewhat is
received, fome true life, fome true light, fome true
difcerning; which the creature not exceeding (but
abiding in the meafure of) is fafe ; but it is eafy err-
ing from this, but hard abiding with it, and not go-
ing before its leadings. But he that feels life, and
begins in life, doth he not begin fafely ? And he that
waits, and fears, and goes on no further than his
Captain goes before hinri, doth he not proceed fafely ?
Yea, very fafely, even till he cometh to be fo fettled
and eftablilhed in the virtue, demonftration, and power
of truth, as nothing can prevail to fhake him. Now,
blelTed be the Lord, there are many at this day, who
can truly and faithfully witnefs, that they have been
brought by the Lord to this ftate. And thus have
we learned of the Lord; to wit, not by the high,
ftriving, afpiring mind ; but by lying low, and being
contented with a little. If but a crumb of bread,
(yet if bread) if but a drop of water, (yet if water)
we have been contented with it, and alfo thankful to
the Lord for it; nor by thoughtful nefs, and wife fcarch-
ing and deep confidering with our own wifdom and
reafon have we obtained it; but in the ftill, meek,
and humble waiting, have we found that brought into
the death, which is not to know the myfteries of
God's kingdom, and that which is to live, made alive
and increafe in life.

Therefore he that would truly know the Lord, let »
him take heed of his own reafon and underftanding.
I tried this way very farj for 1 confidered molt feri-

oufly

TOWARDS THE HoLY LaND. IOJ

oufly and uprightly; I prayed, I read the fcriptures,
I earneftly dcfired to iinderftand and find out whether
that, which this people, called Quakers, teftified of,
was the only way and truth of God (as they feemed to me
but to pretend); but, for all this, prejudices multiplied
upon me, and ftrong reafonings againft them, which
appeared to me as unanfwerable. But when the Lord
revealed his feed in me, and touched my heart there-
with, which adminiftered true life and virtue to me,
I prefenrly felt them there the children of the Mod
High, and fo grown up in his life, power, and holy
dominion, (as the inward eye, being opened by the
Lord, fees) as drew forth from me great reverence of
heart, and praifes to the Lord, v/ho had fo appeared
among men in thefe latter days. And as God drawcth,
in any refpe6t, oh! give up in faithfulnefs to him!
Defpife the fhame, take up the crofsj for indeed it is
a way which is very crofs to man, and which his
wifdom will exceedingly be afhamed of; but that
muft be denied and turned from, and the fecret fenli-
ble drawings of God's Spirit waited for and given up
to. Mind, people : He that will come into the new
covenant, muft come into the obedience of it. The
light of life, which God hath hid in the heart, is the
covenant; and from this covenant God doth not give
knowledge to fatisfy the valt, afpiring, comprehend-
ing wifdom of man; but living knowledge, to feed
that which is quickened by him; which knowledge is
given in the obedience, and is very fweet and pre-
cious to the ftate of him that knows how to feed up-
on it. Yea, truly, this is of a very excellent, pure,
precious nature, and a little of it weighs down that
great vaft knowledge in the comprehending part,
which the man's fpirit and nature fo much prizeth and
preffeth after. And truly, friends, I witnefs at this
day a great difference between the fweetnefs of com-
prehending the knowledge of things, as expreffed in
the fcriptures, (this I fed much on formerly) and raft-
ing the hidden life, the hidden manna in the heart
(which is my food now, bleiled for ever be the Lord

G 4 my

104 A BRIEF AcdoUNT, &C,

my God and Saviour). Oh ! that others had a true,
certain, and fenfible tafte of the life, virtue, and
goodnefs of the Lord, as it is revealed there ! Surely,
it could not but kindle the true hunger, and inflame
the true thirflj which can never be fatisfied but by
the true bread, and by water from the living fountain.
This the Lord (in the tendernefs of his love, and in
the riches of his grace and mercy) hath brought us
to; and this we earneftly and uprightly defire and en-
deavour, that others may be brought to alfoj that they
may rightly (in the true filence of the flefh, and in
the pure ftillnefs of fpirit) wait for, and in the Lord's
due time receive, that which anfwers the defire of the
awakened mind and foul, and fatisfies it with the tru^
precious futillance (or evennQre, Jnteff.

SOME

SOME

THINGS

RELATING TO

RELIGION,

PROPOSED TO THE CONSIDERATION OF THE

ROYAL SOCIETY,

so TERMEDj

TO WIT,

Concerning the rigKt Ground
of Certainty therein.

Concerning Tendernefs of Spi-
rit, and Perfecution.

A Query concerning Separation.

Concerning Wafhing away Sin
from the Confcience ; and
the Garment of Salvation,
and what it is that is covered
therewith.

LIKEWISE,

Some QUESTIONS and ANSWERS, concerning the
Church of the New Covenant, the Rocic or Foundation
W'hercon it is built, and its Prefervation by and upon the
Rock.

WITH

Some QUERIES concerning the fcattered and hidden Eftate of the
Church ; and concerning that Church which got up in the View
of the World, inftead thereof; and was acknowledged by the
World as if fhe had been the True Church ; though in Deed and
Truth flie was not fo.

Whcreunto arc adde:l,

Some QUERIES to Professors, who fpeak of high Attain-
ments, &c.

Written by one, whom It hath p!cafed the Lord (of his great Goodnefs, and
tend'.-r M?rcv) to lead out of the Darknefs, into his marvellous Light j known
arnoHj; Men by the Name of

ISAAC P E N I N G T O N.

[ I07 ]

TO THE

ROYAL SOCIETY,

so TERMED.

Friends,

I HAVE heard that ye are feeking after the excel-
lency of nature and learning, lam not for dif-
couraging any man, in endeavouring after that which
is good, ufeful, and excellent in its kind and place;
but it is the advantage of every thing, to know and
abide in its place; and to honour and ferve him, from
whom all good gifts and endowments come. Man
hath but a moment in this world, and he is here no
more ; and then the " fpirit returneth to God that
*' gave it," to give an account of the talent which he
gave it, and its improvement thereof, to the glory of
him that gave it, and to the falvation of its own foul.
Now, this talent is of an higher kind than nature,
and will lead higher than nature; giving a man to
partake of that wifdom from which nature came; and
teaching him to order all that is natural to its right
end. For God is not an enemy to nature, but to the
corruption and diforder of nature. I defire ye might
know and partake of the true wifdom, and feel union
with God in the principle of his own life; and the
incorruptible and heavenly feed of God receive domi-
nion over the earthly and corruptible. For this end
fingly, in the love fpringing up in my heart towards
you, (as it often dorh,^ both towards particular per-

fons

[ Io8 ]

fons and focieties ; for I am a friend to all, and a
lover of all j fincerely defiring the good of all, and
the right guidance of their fouls to happinefs) have I
propofed thefe things following more particularly to
your view, though they concern others alfo, that ye
thereby might be awakened to fearch after that which
is moft excellent in you, and be acquainted with the
virtue and precious effects thereof, to the full fatif-
fadion and complete joy of your fouls, in that which
alone is able fully to fatisfy, and give them ground
of durable joy and rejoicing, in that which is not of a
perifhing nature ; but which was, and is, and will be
the fame for ever.

From a friend to the everlafting peace of your
fouls, and a defirer of your welfare and prof-
perity in this world,

ISAAC PENINGTON.

SOME

[ 109 ]
SOME

H I N G

RELATING TO

RELIGION, &c.

Of Certainty, and rightly-grounded AfTurance,
in Matters of Religion.

THERE is a witnefs of and from God in every
confcience; which, in his light, power, and au-
thority, witriefleth for him, and againit that which is
contrary to him, as he pleafeth to move upon it, vifit-
ing and drawing the hearts cf the fons of men by it.

From this witnefs proceeds the true and well-
grounded religion in the mind towards God : for this
witnefs both teftifieth and demonftrateth that there is
a God, and alfo inclineth the mind to defire and feek
after the right knowledge and true worlliip of him.

And fuch who keep to this witnefs, and wait upon
God therein, are taught by it the true fpiritual wor-
fhip J the true and pure fear of the Molt High ; the
faith which he giveth to his faints ; the love which is
chafte and unfeigned j the hope which purifieth the
mind, and anchors it on the eternal rock j the meek-
nefs, patience, gentlenefs, humility, &c. which is not
of man's nature, but the gift of God, and the nature
of the heavenly Giver.

And

no Of Certainty, and RiGHtLY-CROUNDED

And then for exercifes of religion, as praying to
the Father of fpirits, hearing the heavenly voice, read-
ing in the Spirit, and with the renewed underftanding,
ringing and making melody in the heart (and alfo with
the voice) to the Lord, as his life is felr, and the
Spiritual bleflings and treafure received j all thefe,
and whatever elfe is judged necefTary for the foul, are
taught by this witnefs of God in the confcience, as
the foul groweth up in the light. Spirit, nature, and
holy power thereof.

But now, when the Lord reacheth to his witnefs in
men, and is teaching their hearts by it, then the ene-
my, the other fpirit, whofe feat is in the other part,
keepeth a noife there, to overbear the voice of tlie
witnefs, and to make men take up religion in another
part, which is Ihallow, and reacheth not to the depth
and weight of truth, which is in the witnefs of God,
and which the witnefs of God gives to them that come
thither.

Thus the enemy ftirreth up reafonings, imaginations,
and confultations about God, and his worlhipj where-
in he raifeth up the vain fhallow mind, forging and
bringing forth fomewhat pleafing and fuitable to the
earthly underftanding J taking up the mind therewith,
and engaging the heart in fome fuch practices there-
from, as may quiet and fatisfy that part in men. For
the ways that men take up in their reafonings and un-
derftandings, fatisfy their reafonings and underftand-
ings ; and fo they walk in the light of the fparks,
and warm themfelves by the fire of their own kin-
dling; but all this anfwers not the witnefs of God in
them, nor will be approved by his light in their own
confciences, when it comes again to be revealed and
made manifeft in them.

This was the ground of the error both of the Jews
and Gentiles.

The Gentiles were enlightened by God with his true
light} what might be known of God (fuitable to
their ftate and capacity) being manifefted in them;
infomuch as it is witneiTed concerning them in the

fcrip-

Assurance in Matters of Religion. m

fcriptures (which are a true record and teftimony)
that they knew God. But when they knew him, they
glorified him not as God, but became vain in their
imaginations, and fo their foolifh heart was darkened
concerning him : and they worfhipped him not as the
witnefs taught them he was to be worfhipped, not
according to the manifeftation of his light in them;
but according to their own foolilh imaginations and
reafonings, which taught them to make images of
him, and fo to worfhip him in and through creatures,
according to their own inventions j which is not the
true worfhip, Rom. i. 21, 22, 23.

So likewife the Jews, not keeping to the manifefla-
tion of his light within them, (to the word or com-
mandment nigh in the mouth and heart, to which
Mofcs diredled them) which would have taught and
enabled them to have kept to the law of the letter
without them j they alfo ran into the nature and fpi-
rit of the heathen, and fell into imaginings and rea-
fonings, v/hich led them to worfhip like them ; info-
much that they alfo changed their glory into the image
of an ox that eateth grafs, Pf. cvi. 20.

Now from this part in man arifeth all the uncer-
tainty, and doubts, and difTatJsfadtion about religion.
And hence arife the opinions, and judgments, and
reafonings, in the minds of men : yea, indeed, the
bell of mens religion here is but an opinion or judg-
ment, which the breath of God's Spirit will fhake and
difTolve every where, fooner or later. All flefh is
grafs J and all the beauty of mens knowledge, reli-
gion, and worfhip here, will wither like grafs. All
the buildings and churches that are raifed here (how
beautiful foever) are but Babylon, built by man's
underilanding, by man's knowledge, by man's com-
prehenfion, by man's wifdom, by man's Ikill, and in-
deed in man's will and time, and their Handing,
beauty, flrength, and glory, is but from man, and in
man's day, and will fiide away like a flower.

But the true certainty' is in the day of God, from
the light of his Spirit fliining into man's fpirit, from

God's

Iia Of CERTAmxy, AND RtGHTLY-OROUNDED

God's inward reaching to his heart by his power, and
teftifying his truth there. And this all the powers of
darknefs cannot prevail againft in itfelf; no, nor
againft that man that is kept to it. For it is the rock
(the only rock) upon which the whole church is built,
and which cannot fail to preferve every member of
the church which is built upon it.

Ye then which would come to certainty in religion,
obferve the way which is made manifeft from God in
this our day, bleffed be his name, which is this t
mind the witnefs of God in thy heart, and come to,
and build upon, the light thereof. Dwell not in rea-
foningSi take not up thy religion in reafonings of the
mind ; but pafs through them, pafs beyond them,
into a light of an higher nature. Wait to know the
birth which is from God, and the light which he gives
to that birth. What is the birth ? Is not the birth of
and from the fecond Adam ? And what is the heavenly
birth's light ? Is it not the light of the fecond Adam ?
Is it not in nature and kind above the light of the
firft Adam ? Where is the feat of reafonings ? Is it not
the earthly mind, the fallen mind ? Here lies man's
Itrength j here is man's wifdom j here is man's life.
It is fo indeed ; but the wifdom of Chrift, the light
of Chrift, the life of Chrift, the power of Chrift, is
a crofs to thisj finds it in the enmity againft God,
crucifies it, flays it, brings it to nothing j and he that
will become wife as to God, muft become a fool unto
all this, a child, a babe, entering the kingdom with-
out this, and muft there remain naked as to this, and
never put it on more.

Now obferve (ye that have underftanding and true
fenfe) the difference between the religion which God
hath taught us, and led us into, and the religions of
all men upon the earth befides.

Our religion ftands wholly out of that, which all their
religion ftands in. Their religion ftands in the com-
prehenfion, in a belief of a literal relation or defcrip-
tion. Our religion ftands in a principle which chang-
eth the mind, wherein the Spirit of life appeareth to,

and

Assurance in Matters of Religion. 113

and witnefTeth in the confcience to and concerning the
things of the kingdom ; where we hear the voice, and
fee the exprefs image of the Invifible One, and know
things, not fronn an outward relation, but from their
inward nature, virtue, and power. Yea, here (we
muft profefs) we fo know things, that we are fully
fatisfied about them, and could not doubt concerning
them, though there never had been word or let-
ter written of them ; though indeed it is alfo a great
comfort, and fweet refrelhment to us, to read that
teftified of outwardly, which (through the tender
mercy of our God) we feel and enjoy inwardly. And
in this our whole religion confiils ; to wit, in the fi-
lence and death of the flefh, and in the quickening
and flowing life of the Spirit. For he who is of the
new birth, of the new creation, of the fecond Adam,
(the Lord from heaven) is as really alive to God, and
as really lives to him in his Spirit, as ever he was re-
ally dead in trefpafTes and fins in the time of his alien-
ation and eflrangement from God.

Of Tendernefs of Spirit, and Perfecution.

HE which is born of God, he who is of the love,
and in the love, cannot but be tender. He who
is born of the earthly wifdom, who taketh up and
holdeth forth a religion there, cannot but perfecute.
Why fo ? Becaufe he cannot but judge that any man
may take up religion as he hath done, and fo, by rea-
fonings, may come to acknowledge and take up what
he hath taken up, and holdeth forth, or elfe he is wil-
ful and (lubborn, as he judgeth. But now he that is
born of God, and hath received his light, knowledge,
religion, and way of worfliip from him, he knoweth
that no man can rightly receive them but the fame
way; to wit, from God, by the light which he caufeth
to fliine into the heart at his pleafure, and in the faith
Vol. III. H which

114 Of Tenderness of Spirit, &c»

which he gives. So that God's free and powerful
Spirit is to be waited upon, for the working of all
in his people, and not any forced to act beyond, or
contrary to, the principle of his life and light in
them.

A Query concerning Separation.

^ery,\ "TTHETHERy after the apoftafy from the
W Spirit, life, and power of the apoftles,
and the getting up of the antichriftian ftate, church,
and worfhip, there muft not of ncccflity be a fepara-
tion from all thefe, before there can be a recovery of
the life and power again, and of the true church-ftate,
which was brought forth in the days of the apoftles ?
Muft there not be a perfedl coming out of the corrupt
ftate (in the whole nature, feveral parts and degrees
of it) before there can be a reftoration to, and wit-
nefting of, the true and pure ftate ? Muft not the
Chriftians now come out of all the antichriftian in-
ventions and churches, as well as the Chriftians of
old came out of all the heathenifh worfliip, yea, out
of the Jewifti worfhip and church, (which once was
of God) before they can become an holy building, an
habitation to God in the Spirit ? Yea, doth not the
fame Spirit which cried to the people of God then,
** Come out from among them, and be ye feparate,"
&c, call and cry now, Come out of her, my people,
out of Babylon, out of the falfe church, out of all
the antichriftian buildings, which are reared up after
the feveral forms and ways of mens inventing, being
out of the Spirit, life, and power, which alone is able
to build up in and unto the Lord ? And what is that
which cries out againft feparation, in the day of the
Lord's dividing and fcparating, but that fpirit which
would hold back the foul from being gathered to the
Lord, in the chains of darknefs, and in the land of
death and confufion ?

Oh!

A Query concerning Separation. 115

Oh ! that men knew that which divides and fepa-
rates, and which is appointed by God to divide and
leparate both inwardly and outwardly, and might feel
the full work and effedt of it, even perfeft reparation
from all that is not of God, that lo they might be
joined to him, and built up in him, who is the life,
reft, peace, joy, and pure breath of the foul for ever!
The word of God is quick and powerful, fharper than
any two-edged fword ; and what doth it do ? Why it
feparates between nation and nation, between church
and church, between people and people, between cat-
tle and cattle, between foul and foul, yea, between
the thoughts and intents of the fame heart •, ov/ning
and cherilhing all that is of the pure, and condemning
and deftroying all that is of the impure. And happy,
oh ! for ever happy is he, who can witnefs the work of
this v/ord perfected in his foul, even the axe of the
Lord powerfully laid to, and having cut down all that
is corrupt in him, that the pure plant of God may
flourifh, and bring forth fruit in him in peace, without
annoyance or interruption of the impure. Then the
river of life, as the ftreams of everlafting righteouf-
nefs, fhall flow into the vefl^el, and Jerufalem become
in and to him a quiet habitation, and nothing be able
to hurt or deftroy any thing of life in him, who dwells
in, and abides on, the mountain of God's holinefs.
Oh ! blefled is the race of travellers, which in the
pure light of the everlafting day are travelling thither-
wards, even with their hearts and faces faithfully bent
towards Sion, which is the holy, fpiritual, heavenly
hill of God ! And blelfed, oh ! blefTed for ever is the
Lord God of life and power, who is the faithful
guider, leader, and conductor of all that follow the
footfteps of the flock, in the way which is pure, true,
living, and everlafting.

H 2 Con-

[ n6 ]

Concerning the wafhing away o^ Sin from the
Confcience, and the Garment of Salvation, and
what it is that is covered therewith.

THERE is fomewhat appointed by God to walli
away fin, which is the water of regeneration,
the water of Hfe, the Spirit's water, and the blood
of the Lannb, which are known, received, and felt
by faith in the light of the Spirit, wherein alone his
work is wrought.

Thus now, upon believing, the foul is wafhed; the
faith brings in, or lets in, the water 'and blood, which
cleanfe and purge the confcience from the fin, which
before ftained and defiled it : and according to the
faith, fo is the water and blood let in, and accord-
ingly is the wafhing. And he that is baptized, he
that is wafhed by the Spirit, comes out of the water
clean; and watching to the light wherein he was pu-
rified, witnelTeth the powerful word of life as able to
preierve in cleannefs, as it was to cleanfe.

But if there be not a watch to, and faith in, and
fingle-hearted obedience to, that which purified, and
keepeth pure, there is that near which will defile,
where it is hearkened to and let in j there is that
which will tempt to luft and fin, and fo draw into
darknefs and death again. And if any man fin after-
wards, fin defiles again, and the flain thereof will lie
upon the confcience, till by repentance and faith the
■water and blood be let in again, and the cleanfing
virtue from it received and reftored again. So that if
any man fin, there is an advocate,* an interceffor, a
divine helper, one who hath the water of life, and the

• But this is not the ftate of them that fin wilfully after they
have received the knowledge of truth.

blood

COXCERNING THE WASHING AWAY OF SiN, &C. II7

blood of life to wafh with. There is a fountain fet
open for fin, and for uncleannefs, for Judah and Je-
rufalem to wafh therefrom ; but every defilement and
pollution flicks until it be wafhed off.

Now there are fins of feveral kinds. Some are ea-
fily remitted and wafhed ofi^, infomuch as the ftain is
hardly felt by the foul, the tender mercy and pure life
doth lb readily and naturally flow over them. Some
again are long held and bound by the Spirit upon the
confcience, and often remembered to the heart, which
is apt to backflide : yea, there is in Ibme cafes a fe-
vere judgment, and a long waiting on the Lord for
his mercy, and for his renewing and enlivening of
faith, before the water and blood which wafheth can
be again felt. For faith is not in a man's power, nor
repentance neither; but they are given of God, to
whom and when he pleafeth. And a man that is in
part converted, may give ear to the enemy, and let
in fin and death upon the foul ; but he cannot repent
again prefently, nor believe again prefently ; but as
God breathes upon him, and revives the work of faith
and repentance in him.

There were fins under the old covenant, and there
are fins under the new. The fins of the old covenant
did lie upon him that committed them, until they
were expiated according to the law of che old cove-
nant; and fins under the new covenant lie alio upon
the foul and confcience, until they be expiated accord-
ing to the law of the new covenant; which is until
the Advocate interpofe and plead with the Father, and
give faith and repentance to the foul, and fprinkle
upon the heart and confcience that water and blood
which hath virtue in it. to wafh. And if it were not
for this after-wafhing (as 1 may fo fay) no man could
be faved : but tbiough he were once waflied, yet fin-
ning again afterwards, he would die in his fins, (and
fo fall under condemnation) unlefs he were again
walhed. Oh ! bleficd be the name of the Lord, for
the water and blood of the covenant, and for his con-
H 3 tinual

Ii8 Concerning tH£ washing away of Sin, &c.

tinual pouring them out upon the fouls of his, in the
light that is eternal !

Now as men come to the truth as it is in Jefus, they
will find their own apprehenfions about thefe things
to have been but dreams, wherewith the enemy hath
fed and pleafed them, while he hath lulled them afleep
in the night of darknefs, that he might the better
ileal away the true weighty knowledge of the things
of the kingdom from them. Thus men have dreamed
about juftification, about fandification, about regene-
ration, about redemption, about faith, hope, love,
righteoufnefs, peace, joy, &c. And have been mif-
taken about them, miffing of that power and light
whereby and wherein they are revealed and made ma-
nifeft. Now he that will rightly know thefe things,
muft know them in the feeling and true experience j
and therein he fhall find all thefe are wrought in a
myfterious way of pure life's operation, out of the
reach of man's comprehenfion ; and no man can un-
derftand them, but as the new and holy underftanding
is given him j nor retain the fenfe and knowledge of
them, but as he abides in the new nature, and retains
the new underftanding.

So for the garment of falvation j that is Chrift, the
righteoufnefs of Chrift, the nature of Chrift, the Spi-
rit of Chrift. This is the holy covering. He that
puts on Chrift, puts on this : he that wears Chrift,
wears this : he that appears before God in Chrift, ap-
pears in this; and the foul puts on this, as it puts off"
the other. It is the purified foul that only puts on
him that is pure : and as a man is cleanfed from the
impure, fo only hath he in him a capacity of receiv-
ing and being clothed with Chrift. And this now is
the work of the true miniftry ; to wit, to preach the
Word, to reveal the Word, and bring the mind to the
Word, (which changeth it, and begets the new capa-
city) and fo to begin the work of life and reconcilia-
tion, wherein and whereby there is fome unclothing
of the old, and fome clothing with the new ; and fo
to carry on this work in the Spirit and power of the

Father

Concerning the washing away of Sin, &c. 119

Father until it be perfeded. And this is a blefTed
work, and blefTed is the miniftry which is called to,
and entrufled with, this work, being faithful in it:
and blefled are they that witnefs the truth of, and re-
ceive the effect of, this miniftry, and are fubjeft to it
in the Lord. For through and under this miniftry
there is a receiving of a perfed gift in fome meafure
at firft (wherein fome true union and little acquaint-
ance with the Lord of life is at firft witnefTed, and
fome operation of the light and power of his Holy
Spirit) : and a growing up in it unto perfedlion, as the
foul is exercifed by ir, and faithful to the Lord in the
exercife, under the daily crofs, which daily worketh
againft and crucifieth in the heart, mind, life, and
converfation whatever is contrary to God, as it is
fingly waited for, taken up, and fubjefted to.

H 4 SOME

[ lao ]

SOME

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS,

CONCERNING

The Church of the New Covenant, the Rock or
Foundation whereon it is built, and its Pre-
fervation by and upon the Rock, With fome
Queries concerning the fcattered Eftate of
the true Church, and concerning that Church
which got up in its Stead, and made a great
Shew with her golden Cup, for the Time while
the true Church was fcattered.

Qyeft. I. "TXT HJ'T is the church of God under the
YY new agreement or covenant ?

AnJ» It is a company of living (tones, quickened by
God, and knit together in the unity and fellowfhip
of his Spirit, to worlhip God together in his Spirit,
and offer up unto him fpiritual facrifices, acceptable
to God by Jefus Chrifl. What was the church of the
old covenant ? Was it not the feed of Abraham, the
outward Jews, the children of the old covenant ? And
what is the church of the new covenant ? Is it not the
feed pf God, the Jews inward, the children of the
new covenant ?

Queft. 1, How are theje Jl ones joined together?

AnJ. By the Spirit of life, which begets them all in
one nature, and knits them together in that nature.
By the inward circumcifion, cutting off" that which

caufeth

Some Questions and Answers, &c. 121

caufeth enmity and difunion, and fo fitting them to be
made one new lump in Chrift. By Chrift's baptifm,
which is the baptifm of fire and of his Spirit, which"
burns up the old earthly rtature, and fo baptizes them
into one new living body, fuitable and fitting to their
head, which is the fountain of life, and diftributes life
through all the body, according to its capacity, need,
and fervice.

Queft. 3. Upon ivhat is this church built?

AnJ. Upon the rock or foundation of God, which
God hath laid in his fpiritual Sion j which rock is
Chrifl:. For " other foundation can no man lay, than
** that which is laid, which is Jefus Chrift j" nor other
rock did the Lord ever choofe for his church to be
built upon ; nor hath any other rock fufficient ftrength
to bear up the building againft the ftorms and ftrefs of
the powers of darknefs, which it often meeteth with,
even every member, in its travels ^ after it is once
built on the rock, the gates of hell prefs hard upon
iti but abiding on the rock, it feels the ftrength and
prefervation of the rock. For as they cannot prevail
againft Chrift, fo neither can they prevail againft that
vvhich is built upon him. But if there be a going
forth from the ftrength and prefervation, there is a
liablenefs to be made a prey. And the promife is
not abfolutely and perpetually to that perfon or con-
gregation which is received or let into the truth; but
to that perfon or church which abideth and continuetK
in the truth unto the end. The Jews were fafe in the
faith and obedience of their covenant J and the Chrif-
tians, or Chriftian churches, are not fafe but in the
faith and obedience of theirs. For if they walked not
humbly with the Lord, and in his fear, which keeps
the heart from departing from him, and in the faith
whereby they ftand, they were to be cut off" from their
church-ftate, as well as the Jews were from theirs, as
the apoftle Paul exprefsly tells the church at Rome,
Rom. xi. 21, 11.

Queft, 4. What was Paul?

JnJ.

122 Some Questions and Answers, &c.

Anf. The apoftlc of the Gentiles, who laboured
abundantly, even more abundantly than all the other
apoftles i and hath left more inftrudions relating to
the Gentiles than all the apoftles befides ; and was
tender of them, in ftanding for and defending tlieir
liberty in Chrift:, when Peter a little warped, and was
to be blamed. Gal. ii. ii. For indeed man cannot
be certain and infallible, further than he keepeth to,
and is exercifed by, the certain and infallible Spirit;
which he is fubjed to be tempted to err from, further
than he ftands upon the watch, and cannot but err
from, unlefs he feel a continual prefcrvation in the
fear, and by the power of the Lord. And the cer-
tainty of truth doth not depend fo much upon the
perfon from whom it is received, as upon the demon-
ilration and evidence to the confcience wherein it is
received. The apoftles were not lords over the true
Chriftians faith j but helpers of their joy. And Chrift
did not require his difciples to believe whatever he
knew to be true^ but prepared their capacities, and
dropped in according to their capacities. And this is
the way of the true minifters, to wait on God to be-
get, and on him again to water the begotten foul, and
carry on his work in it; to make them know Chrift
their Matter, from whom they are to receive light,
life, inftrudlion, and direflion ; and to feel the Head,
and be joined to the Head, and receive from the Head
their knowledge, as well the leaft as the greateft,
Heb. viii. What is Paul ? What is Apollos ? What
is Cephas ? Were not they carnal that cried up thefe
one above another ? Yet the younger ought to be fub-
je6t to the elder, and all to be fubjed one to another
in the truth, i Pet. v. 5.
Queft. 5. What was Peter?

Anf, One of the difciples of Chrift, a precious ftonc
in the building, (John i. 43.) one of the moft emi-
nent apoftles, even the chofen minifter to them of the
circumcifion, as Paul was to the Gentiles. But he
knew that Chrift was the only rock or foundation, as
well as Paul, and that Chrift alone was able to bear

thQ

Some Questions and Answers, &c. 123

the weight of that building, and to defend it againft the
gates of hell j and he never had commiflion, nor can
it be proved that he ever preached himfelf the rock,
but he preached Chrift the foundation-ftone, the rock
of offence, the rock of defence, &c. fee i Pet. ii, 4.
and ver. 6, 7, 8. And if an angel from heaven, or
any man or church on earth, fo interpret any fcripture,
as to hold forth any fuch thing, that any elfe befides
Chrift is the rock, they plainly fliew that they are
erred from the truth, and that their interpretation is
of their own private fpirir, and not that publick Spi-
rit which all the prophets of God, and apoftles, and
truly holy men, were guided by.

Queft. 6. IVas the church always to be a gathered com-
pany ? Or was there a ■pojfihility of their being feat tered?

AnJ. There was a poffibility of their being fcactered;
yea, a certainty, if they grew corrupt in dodlrine and
practice, and kept not the faith, Rom. xi. For the
Lord God intended a pure building, a fpiritual build-
ing, fit to offer the fpiritual facrifices, i Pet. ii. 5.
An holy people, feparated from the world, 1 Cor.
vi. 17. in which he might dwell and walk, ver. 16.
If therefore any church depart from the Spirit, and
life, and power of the apoftles, and mix again with
the world, lofing their own proper pale which fenced
from the world, they foon lofe that which maketh
them a church of God, and fo become a fynagogue
of Satan.

Now it is in my heart alfo to propound a few que-
ries concerning the fcattered and hidden eftate and
condition of the church, and concerning that church
which got up in the view of the world, and was ac-
knowledged by the world inftead thereof afterwards.

^efi, I. Whether the true church did retain her
miniftry outwardly, and her outward ordinances, and
way of worfhip of the outward court, after her fcat-
tering? Or whether the falfe church, which appeared
in her room as if fhe had been the true, caught up
and appeared in the outwardnefs of thcfe ? The grounds
of this query are tliefc following.

I. Be-

124 Some Questions and Answers, &c.

1. Becaufe, upon God's meafuring of his temple
and worfhippers, the outward court (confider well
what that is, and how far it extends) was left out of
God's meafure; fo that he intended to reckon it, no
longer as his, but given by him to the Gentile Chrif-
ftians; fuch as were Chriftians or Jews in name, but
Gentiles in fpirit and nature, Rev. xi.

2. Becaufe in the laft days, when that ftrange gene-
ration of Chriftians was to fpring up, who fhould be
lovers of their ownfelves, covetous, proud, blafphe-
mers, difobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
without natural affeflion, truce-breakers, falfe-accu-
fers, incontinent, fierce, defpifers of thofe that are
good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of plea-
fures more than lovers of God j yet thefe Ihould have
a form of godlinefs, but deny the power thereof,
2 Tim. iii. i, to 6. Now mind : the temple wherein
was the power, God had removed with the true wor-
fhippers; but the outward court (wherein was the ap-
pearance of fome kind of a form of a church, minif-
try, and ordinances) thofe had got, and were found
worfhipping in it, in the midft of all this great wick-
ednefs and abomination of fpirit.

3. Becaufe the Jews (who were the type) while
they were in captivity in Babylon, could not fing the
longs of Sion, nor had the worlliip of the outward
Jerufalem there.

And can the fpiritual Jews fing the fpiritual fongs
of fpiritual Sion, in Myftery-Babylon f No ; there
they are but witnelTes to that life and power which the
true church enjoyed and floyrilhed with, in her built
eftate.

^eft. 2. Whether this is not an infallible mark,
and moft certain demonftration of the falfe church,
her fitting upon many waters j which waters are peo-
ples, multitudes, nations, and tongues \ Did not the
Spirit of the Lord thus mark her out to John, Rev,
xvii. 15. Did the true church ever fit upon many wa-
ters ? Was not the church a gathering out of the na-
tions into the power and life which the nations perfe-

cuted I

Some Questions and Answers, &c, 125

cuted ? But the falfe church fits over the nations with
a form of godlinefs, but without the true power there-
of. Then if this be a mark that God hath fet upon
her, let every one wait to read it aright, that he
may know thereby which is fhe, and praife the name
of the Lord for difcovering her to him.

^ejl, 3. Whether this falfe church be not rightly
called Babylon, even an heap of confufion (in a myf-
tery) as to God's eye, though to man's eye her ap-
pearance may be orderly and decent ? And whether
ilie be not juftly termed, by the Spirit of the Lord,
the great whore, both for largenefs in bulk, and for
the greatnefs of her fornications, having whored from
the bed of the hufband, and entered into the bed of
a ftranger j and having taught and compelled others
to acknowledge and worfhip in her forms ; which, thus
held forth and maintained by her, are not only with-
out, but alfo againft, the true power ?

^ieji. 4. Whether antichrift be not entered into,
and become the head of, this falfe church ? And whe-
ther he doth not fit there ruling in it, even as Chrift
was head of the true, and fat ruling in the true ? And
whether antichrift doth not keep his hold of this
church, and pofiefs his feat in it, for many ages and
generations, even from the time he got in after the
days of the apoftles, till the very coming of Chrift in
his power and brightnefs ? 2 Theff. ii.

^ejl. 5. Whether the great plagues, woes, terrible
thunders, and cups of God's indignation, fpoken of
in the book of the Revelations, are not to be poured,
in their leveral orders and degrees, upon this falfe
church, and upon antichrift, her beloved head and
king, even till (he be (tripped naked, made defolate,
and her flefh burnt with fire, and her head bruifed and
deftroyed by Chrift, the true Head and King of the
true church ?

i^eji. 6. Whether the people of God, fuch as feel
fomewhat of the power, and bow to the Lord in Spi-
rit and truth in forne meafure ; yet thefe, if they mind
not his call out of this Babylon, and come not fully

out

126 Some Questions and Answers, &c.

out of her, but abide in any part of her, obferving
any of her ways or worjfhips, till the time of God's
controverfy with her, and judging of her, whether
they alfo fhall not partake of her plagues ? Rev.
xviii. 4.

^eji. 7. Whether all people have not great reafon
to fear before the Lord, and to look to their ways and
worfhips, left they be found in any thing therein
which is not of him, but contrary to him, and fo
bring upon theii» fouls and bodies that wrath and fore
judgment from God, which they are not able to bear?
Rev. xiv. 9, 10, II.

^eft. 8. Whether it was not the great love and
mercy of God to warn the churches of thefe things
in the book of the Revelations ? And whether he can
be fafe in thefe refpec^s, who either doth not under-
ftand, or not obferve, the warnings given by the Spi-
rit of the Lord therein ? How often is it therein faid,
" He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
" of God faith to the churches." It is alfo faid,
" BlefTed is he that readcth, and they that hear the
** words of this prophecy, and keep thofe things which
'* are written therein : for the time is at hand." He
then that rcadeth not, that hath not an ear to hear the
words of this prophecy, how can he keep what is-
written therein ? How can he beware and avoid the
feeming beauty and glory of the falfe church, or fuffer
with the faithful witnefles of God in their teftimony
againft her ? And if he do not thus, but is entangled
by the falfe church with her golden cup of fornica-
tions, (Rev. xvii. 4.) he mifleth of the bleflingj
and ah! what is he to meet with inftead thereof! My
heart hath often melted within me, and my bowels
rolled at the confideration and deep fenfe which the
Lord hath given me of thefe things; and this I fay
therein, to thofe that defire life and peace from God,
Oh ! wait on him for the eye which fees in his light,
for the ear which hears his voice, and for the heart
which undcrftands the words and meffages of his Spi-
rit, that ye may feel his gathering, guidance, and pre-

fervation

Some Questions and Answers, &c. 127

fcrvation out of that, to which his wrath is for ever,
and againft which his wrath is to be made more mani-
feft, and poured out more fully and abundantly than
ever it yet was. For the Lord will empty his love
and his life into Sion, and empty the very dregs and
thick mixtures of the cups of his indignation into the
very heart and bowels of Babylon ; and her ficknefs,
mifery, woe, death, and deftru6tion will be exceeding
dreadful and unutterable. Therefore wait on the
Lord in fear and finglenefs of fpirit, crying and
mourning unto him to difcover to you the extent and
limits of this falfe church, this falfe building, this
building in a form and outward order, without the
life and power of the Spirit; and then fly as faft out
of her, and from her, (and as far) as the Spirit of
the Lord leads, even till ye come to the holy building,
which is of him, and the heavenly places which are
prepared there by him, for every one of his (accord-
ing to their growth and ftature in his Son) that ye
may fit down in him.

Som*

[ "3 ]

Some Queries to Professors, who fpeak of
high Attainments and Experiences in Religion,
and yet do not witnefs, nor can acknowledge,
the Truth, as the Lord hath now revealed it,
(and done great Things by it in the Spirits of
his People) but look upon it as a poor, mean,
and low Thing.

^ery i. T T AVE ye known the great and terrible
j[~J day of the Lord, wherein he arifeth to
Ihake terribly the earth ? And have ye known that
fhaken down in you which muft be Ihaken down and
removed as a cottage, before the everlafting kingdom
can be eftablifhed in you ?

^ery 2. Do ye know the living, powerful, eternal
■word, which is quick and piercing, fharper than any
two-edged fword, dividing between thought and
thought, grace and grace, (as I may fo fpeak) light
and light, life and life, fpirit and fpirit, power and
power ? &c. Have ye known it an hammer, a fire,
an axe laid to the root of the corrupt tree? And do
ye know the corrupt tree (root, branches, leaves, and
fruit) fo cut down by it as to cumber the ground no

more

^ery 3. Do ye know the paradife of God, and the
tree of life there? Do ye indeed feed thereon? Have
ye pafTed through the flaming fword to the tree of
life ? And is the flaming fword (which once fenced
from life, and the power thereof) fet now to fence up
the way to the tree of knowledge, that ye may feed
no more thereon, and die, but feed only on that which
is life, and gives life, and fo live for ever ?

Query 4. Have ye witneflTed the efi^edts of the great
and terrible day of the Lord in your fpirits ? Is anti-
chrift deftroyed, the whore burnt, flefli confumed,
man ceafed from, both within and without ? Is the

loftinefs

.Some QJJ E R I E S, &c. 129

lofcinefs of man bowed down in you, the mighty re-
moved out of his feat, and the meek, holy, humble
feed raifed up to rule in righteoufnefs in your hearts ?
Is every high tower battered down, and every fenced
wall laid flat ? Are all your imaginations, and con-
ceivings, and fleflily apprehendings upon fcriptures,
yea, every pleafant pidlure and image of the things in
heaven (formed in your minds) brought to an end,
and the pure living truth of the Father waited for,
received from him, and lived in ? Yea, is the Lord
alone exalted in your fpirits, and all other dominion,
authority, rule, and lordfhip put under?

^lery 5. Do ye know the mountain of the Lord's
houfe, and the Lord's houfe built and eftablifhed by
his own Holy Spirit and power upon his own holy
mountain ? And do ye worihip the Lord alone there-
in ? Do ye come up to the New Jerufiilem, to offer
your facrifices there, according to the inftitution of the
gofpel ? And do ye worfhip the Lord there, on his
own day, which he hath fpiritually made ? And do ye
bear no burden, kindle no fire, do no work on that
his day ? Do ye never warm yourfclves at any fire, or
by any fparks of your own kindling ? Or are ye yet
worfhipping upon fome of the many mountains and
hills which the Lord hath not formed nor eftablifhed ;
but have been formed and fet up by man in the night
of darknefs, before the everlafting light of the day
brake forth ?

^e?y 6. Do ye know the wildernefs through which
the palfage is from Egypt to Canaan ? And have ye
faithfully travelled in the leadings of God's Spirit
there-through ? And are ye entered into the pure reft
ihereof? Are ye not under the law, but under grace;
not under the enemy's power, but under the Spirit's
power, out of the other's reach, fo that the wicked-
one cannot touch you ? Have ye gone through the
exercifes and trials of the wildernefs ? Have ye fed on
the manna dropt down from heaven upon your fpirits
therein ? Have ye drunk pf the water of the rock ?
Have ye feen the ferpent lifted up, and felt the heal-
VoL. III. I ins

130 Some QJJ E R I E S, &c.

ing thereby ? Have ye witneffed the piljar of cloud
by day, and the pillar of fire by night, to be your
defence and leader ? And have ye now at length re-
ceived the kingdonn of life, and fit under the fhadow
of it, drinking water out of your own ciftern, and
eating under your own vine and fig-tree the fruits of
the good land, after the fliaking of that which was to
be fhaken ; now being come to, and enjoying the
kingdom which cannot be Ihaken ? Have ye really
felt thefe things, or have ye been in the dreams and
imaginings about them ?

^ery 7. Do ye walk in the light of the Lord, as
the fpiritual houfe of Jacob is to do ? Have ye re-
ceived the Spirit ? Do ye live in the Spirit ? Are ye
truly united, fo as to become one Spirit with the
Lord ? Are all the walls of partition broken down ?
And IS there nothing now between you, but of two ye
are made one in that which uniteth ?

If it be thus with you, then hold forth the right-
hand of fexlowfhip to thofe whom the Lord hath broughc
hither ; and know and acknowledge that whereby the
Lord hath wrought in them. But if ye be not really
in the thing itfclf, but only in the apprehenfions and
conceivings about it, ye can never fo be witnefTes
concerning thefe things, nor concerning the truth
whereby God works thefe things : and ye will find
there is a great gulph between you and us, which ye
cannot poflibly pafs over, till ye meet with our princi-»
pit and guide, and faithfully travel with him in the
footfleps of the flock, that ye may come to the Shep-^
herd's tents, (even the tents which the Shepherd pitch-
eth, and which no man can pitch) and may know the
true tabernacle, faadtuary, and temple, whereof he isi
the Miniiler,

O F

H,

O F T H E

C H U R C

IN ITS

First and Pure State,

I N

Its Declining State, in its Declined State,
and in its Recovery.

WITH THE

Way of Salvation in the Covenant of Life opened,

AND

Some Stumbling-Blocks Removed out of the Way of the

SlMPLE-H£ARTED.

Likewife Tome Queries concerning the New Covenant.

WITH

An Exhortation to all People; but more efpecially to fuch as
are Defolate and DiftrefTed.

By one who teftifieth what he hath feen, and heard, and tailed, and
handled of the Word, and Life Eternal,

ISAAC PENINGTON.

Wiiercunto is added,

A Vifit of tender and upright Love to fuch as retain a Sincerity
towards the LORD.

Alfo, A brief Account of the Ground of Certainty and Satisfac-
tion, which it hath pleafed the Lord to eftablifh in my Heart
concerning Religion, and the Things of his Kingdom.

And a Question anfwered, about the Way of knowing the Mo-
tions, Dodrines, and Teachings of Christ's Spirit.

With fomewhat relating to the Gospel-Rest, or Sabbath.

And fome Queries to fuch as complain of Want of Power to be-
come the Lord's, and ferve him.

I 2

[ ^3 ]

THE

PREFACE.

TH E true church is a myflery, and fo is the falfe
alfoi neither of which the outward eye of
man's underftanding is able to difcern j but he alone
who is enlightened and taught of God. Who can fee
how the Spirit of God works, changing mens hearts,
gathering them into his truth, and building them up
into an holy temple in his Son ? And who can difcern
how the fpirit of deceit works with an outward know-
ledge, docflrine, and form of religion, perfuading or
compelling men thereunto, and fo builds up a falfe
church ? Yea, who can tell when the Spirit of the
Lord withdraweth from a church, which was once his,
leaving it to the other fpirit to re-enter and polTefs ;
from which time it becometh a fynagogue of Satan ?
There was need of the anointing of God's wifdom and
Spirit to try Jews and apoftles (for there were fuch,
even in the apoftles days, as faid they were fo, buc
were not) ; and there is alfo need of the fame wifdom
and fpirit to try churches, whether they be indeed the
churches of Chrift, (in and of his Spirit and power)
or only in the name and outward profeffion of the
thing, without the nature. Spirit, life, and power
thereof,

I 3 The

The apoftle Paul, (who Was the apoftlc of the Gen-
tiles, and knew what was likely to be their future
ftate) writing to the Romans, tells thenn, that the
Gentiles were cut out of the olive-tree, which was
wild by nature j and were, contrary to nature, in-
grafted into the true Olive-tree, and fo came to partake
of the root and fatnels thereof. But withal he tells
them, that unlefs they did continue in the faith, and
in the goodnefs of God, keeping out of the high-
mindednefs and conceitednefs of their own eftate and
condition, lii the fear (which makes the heart clean^
and preferves it iri the cleannefs from that whic'R
would defile, and caufe it to depart from the Lord)
they likewife fhould be cut off, Rom. xi. 17. and
ao, &c.

Now it would be fcrioufly confidered, whether the

Gentile churches did abide in the fa,ith, and in the

goodnefs and power of the Lord, which gathered

them ? Or whether they grew high-minded, holding

their eftate in a prefumption (as if the promife was fo

to them, that they mull needs be the church for ever)

out of the fear, and fo were cail off by God, and cut

off (according to the apoftle's words) from God's

Spirit, and fo have not partook of the root and fatnefs

of the olive-tree, for many generations ? It would alfo

further be inquired, (If it prove thus upon true fearch

and examination, that they have been cut off) whether

they can partake of the root and fatnefs of the true

Olive-tree any more, till he that caft them off, gather

and build them up again ?

It is true, there have been witneffes againft the cor-
rupt ftate, even a feed who have been perfecuted by
it J and thefe have, in feme meafure, partook of the
root and fatnefs of the Olive-tree, all this time of the
degeneration. But hath the church-ftate of the Gen-
tiles, which provoked God, and was caft off, and per-
fecuted the witneffes of the Lamb, his holy feed, who
could not but, in his nature and Spirit, teftify againft
their corruption ? Have they partook of the root and

fatnefs

[ ^3S ]

fatnefs of the Olive-tree, or have they not rather growa
lip from, and drunk in of, the fap and juice of another
flock?

The fame apoftle fpeaks of the man of fin, that
wicked one, the fon of perdition ; who fhould gee
into the temple of God, fit there, and fhew himfelf as
God ; and yet oppofe and exalt himfelf above all that
is truly called God, and that of right ought to be wor-
fhipped, 1 Thef. ii. 4. Now when he gets into the
temple, doth not he leaven it with his wicked fpirit,
making it become wicked, like him that fits and
reigns in it, and is the head of it ? And not the
church or temple, all the while he fits in it, partake
of the root and fatnefs of the Olive-tree ? (Of Chrift its
former Vine, of Chrift its former Head ?) Or doth it not
rather fuck in, and partake of, the venom and poifon
of this new head ? And how long is this new head,
this falfe head of the church, to fit in the temple ? Is
it not from the very time of his getting inj till Chrift,
by the Spirit of his mouth, confume and fcatter him ; '
and by the brightnefs of his appearance and coming,
utterly deftroy him ? ver. 8.

This is certain, (as certain as ever there was a true
church in the days of the apoftles) that after the
apoftles days there got up a falfe church, which the
Spirit of the Lord calls the great whore (indeed fhe
v/as far bigger, by multitudes of degrees, than ever
the true church was). This great whore had a golden
cup in her hand, wherewith fhe made the kings and
inhabitants of the earth drunk. And fhe fat upon
many waters ; which waters are peoples, nations, mul-
titudes, and tongues. Did ever the true church do
thus ? That was a little flock, gathered out of peo-
ples, nations, multitudes, and tongues, reigning in
the Spirit and power of the Lord, over them only
who were thus gathered; but never fat upon whole
peoples, nations, multitudes, and tongues, as this
great whore hath done ? Rev. xvii. i. — 15.

Now it would be worth the inquiry what this cup is
(this golden cup, waich appears like gold) ? And

I 4 wha:

[ 135 ]

what this wine is, wherewith fhe made the kings and
inhabitants oT the earth drunk ? Afk her, and fhe will
tell you, It is the cup of falvation, and her wine the
wine of the kingdom, even the do6lrine and difcipline
of holy mother-church ; out of which, and without
which, no man can be faved. But afk the Spirit of
the Lord, (or hear what the Spirit of the Lord faid to
the churches concerning it) and he will tell you, ic
is the wine of fornication, the cup of deftrudtion, full
of abominations, and filthinefs of her fornication j
and that fhe fhall be fo far from faving others, that
fhe fhall be deftroyed and perifh herfelf j and whoever
drinks of her wine fhall perifh, unlefs he vomit it up
again, and drink of the pure blood of the Lamb after
it. See Rev. xvii. and alfo chap, xviii. and chap. xiv.

9i 1G, II.

Now one word, in the love and truth of God, to
all that have feparated from this church. Have ye
feparated fully ? Have ye feparated wholly ? Have ye
feparated from her in nature and fpirit ? Have ye waited
for the building which God alone can rearj for the
church which he alone can frame ? Or have ye built
up another church, in the refemblance and likenefs of
that ye feparated from ? This is a weighty thing : ye
mufl anfwer it to God, and ftand by his judgment
therein. I befeech you confider it. " What will it
" profit a man," faith Chrifl, " if he gain the whole
" world, and lofe his own foul ?" So fay I in this
cafe : What would it profit you, if ye could make
your church ftand, and be approved in the fight of
the whole world, if the Lord difown and difallow it,
and they that are gathered into it perifh by it ? If it
be not of God's building, if it have not his prefence,
virtue. Spirit and power in it, it cannot fave. Oh !
hear, hear! for the Lord will ftrip Babylon, and fill
her with dreadful plagues and judgments; and fhe
fhall appear naked as fhe is, and become the fcorn of
every eye, and the reproach of every beholder: and
that which hath been reproached, fcorned, hated, and
perfecuted by her, the Lord will honour,

No\f

[ ^7 ]

Now confider, and wait on the Lord, to know the
extent of Babylon ; that ye may not be found by the
Spirit of the Lord (nor by his angels, which pour
out his plagues upon her) within her linnits. For
the Great Whore is not Babylon only, or alone j
but ihe is the Mother of harlots, and ail her Daugh-
ters are harlots alfoj even all that have built up
churches, like her, (in her fpirit, with her materials)
out of the leading, guidance, and power of the Spi-
rit of truth.

O F

[ ijs 3

O F T H E

H U R C H.

I. Of the Church in its Firft and Pure State,
when it was clothed with the Sun, had the
Moon under its Feet, and was crowned with
the Crown of Twelve Stars, travailing to
Bring-forth, and Brought-forth the Man-
Child, which was to Rule all Nations with
the Rod of Iron*

IT pleafed the Father to fend his Son into the world,
(in his name, power, and authority) to gather out. •
of the world ; and to manifeft his name to the men * •
whom he fhould gather out of the world. The Jews. •'
(for all their great profeflion, and high efteem of.
themfelvcs) were but a worldly polity, having but '•
worldly, elementary fhadows of the good things to
come, and to be let up in the kingdom of the Mef- .-
fiah. John preached, 'That the kingdom was at hand', •
Chrift faid, // was come : John prepared for it; Chriil
brought it. He came in the Spirit, in the life, in the
virtue, in the dominion of the Moft High; and he
gathered difciples unto him, by the word and power
of the Father. And thofe that continued in his word,
were his difciples indeed j of his gathering ; fuch as
the Father had fent the Son out to feek ; even the new
fort of worlhippers, who Ihould worihip neither at

Samaria,

Of the church, &c. 139

Samaria, nor Jerufalem ; nor with reference to any
other outward place -, but in Spirit and in truth. They
(hould meet together in that name, wherein Chrift
had gathered them-, and meeting ib, he would be in
the midft of them, and they fhould feel the prefence,
power, and authority, which belonged to his church.

Now, if any would know what kind of perlbns thcfe
difciples are, Chrift giveth many defcriptions of them.
They are fuch as are born from above, fuch as are
changed by the name and power which gathers them.
They are Jews inward, circumcifed inwardly j fuch as
are baptized with the Holy Ghoft, and with fire ;
fquared ftones, hewn by the Spirit, for the fpiritual
building; not old, rough, fierce, cruel, implacable,
unregenerate, unholy fpiritsj but meek, gentle, lowly,
tender, poor in fpirit, merciful, peaceable in them-
felves, and making peace among men, renewed,,^nd
fan6lified in fpirit; holy in converfation, fuitering
(both from the heatheniih, and from the worldly-pro-
fefling fpirit) for that power of truth and righteouf-
nefs, which they profefs and bear witnefs to. They
are the fait of the earth, having that in them which
feafoneth their own hearts, and which hath virtue in
it to feafon others. They are the light of the world,
having that in them which cafls rays of light, con-
vidlion, and demonftration, wherever they go. They
being changed into the leaven of the kingdom, be-
come a leaven, and fo a weight upon iniquity; tefti-
fying againft, yea, bowing down and afflicting that
fpirit, as the power of life fprings in them and breaks
forth through them.

Now, if the church be thus ; if it be a p-atherina:
by the power into the power-, by Chrift, who came in
the name, into the name in which he came ; muft
not the miniftry needs be much more thus ? Muft not
they be grown in the name, be grown in the power,
who are to minifter to thofe who are gathered into the
name, who are gathered into the power? Muft not
they be well grov/n in the Spirit, if they be able mi-
nifters of the Spirit ? Did not Chrift, when he fent

out

140 Of the C H U R C H, &c.

out his difciples to preach in his name, give them of
his Spirit and power ? And afterwards, when he was to
go away, and they to fucceed hinn, what were they to
fucceed him in ? Were they not to fucceed him in his
Spirit and power? And did not he bid them wait
for it, and receive it, before they went forth to preach
and fet up his kingdom? And was it not by this the
church was gathered ? And can the church be pre-
ferved by any thing beneath this ? Yea, falling fhort
of this, is it not in a degenerated and fallen cftate ?

After that thofe who had been gathered in the
name, had waited as Chrift direfted them, for the holy
Spirit and power, and after it had fallen upon them,
then the glory began, then the miniftry fhined, then
the church (or people gathered in the Spirit and
power) fhined ; then great life was in them all, then
greac grace and holinefs was upon them all; then
faith (which fprings from the Spirit and power) was
frefh, then love abounded j then they minded not
earthly things, but the kingdom, the life, the glory,
which was come upon them in power j then Satan's
kingdom fell down like lightning, and they went on
(in and with the Spirit which led them) conquering
the Jewifli profeflbrs, and the heathenifti wor(hippers
alfo J none being able to refift the power and Spirit
wherein they fpake and miniftered. Read the fcrip-
tures of the New Teftament, and wait on God for the
opening of the true eye in you ; and thefe things will
be manifeft and plain to you therein -, for the fweet-
nefs, freflinefs, precioufnefs, and beauty of that ftate,
may abundantly be read there, by thofe whofe eyes
the Lord opens. To inftance in fome places.

Peter writes two general epiftles, in one whereof
he fpeaks of their having received like precious faith
with them, 2 Pet. i. 1. and in the other, that they
did rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full of glory,
I Pet. i. 8. Yea, he fpeaks alfo of their being as
lively (tones, built up a fpiritual houfe, an holy prieft-
hood, (mark ; all God's people who are gathered into
the name, who are of the faith, who are in the life

and

Of the church, &c. 141

and power, are priefts unto him) to offer up fpiritual
facriftces, acceptable to God by Jefus Chrift, i Peter
ii. 5. Now was it a Imall thing to be a prieft under
the law, to offer up the outward facrifices thereof?
What is it then to be a prieft in the Holy Spirit and
power of life ?

John alfo writes a general epiflle, wherein he divides
Chriftians into three eftates, (children, young men,
fathers) fpeaking great things and glorious of them
all. He faid, " The darknefs is paft, and the true
'^ light now fhineth." Paul had faid. The night is
far fpent, and the day is at hand; but he faid, the
night is paft, and the day is come, i John ii. 8. And
he writes to all, (children, young men, fathers) as
being paffed from the darknefs, and in the light of the
day. The little children had had their fins forgiven
them for his name's fake, and had known the Father,
ver. 12, 13. The young men were ftrong, and the
word of God did abide in them, and they had over-
come the wicked one, ver. 14. The fathers knew
him that was from the beginning, ver. 13, 14. and
knowing that, they knew enough , for that was it
which appeared to fave, and that was it which was to
be preached, even that which was from the beginning,
the light which was with God, the light which was
in Godj the light which was God, in which is no
darknefs at all, chap. i. 1. 5. Yea, the little children
had an unftion from the Holy One, and they knew all
things ; and John wrote not unto them as not knowing
the truth, but becaufe they knew it, chap. ii. 18.
20, 21. Yea, they had received the anointing, and it
did abide in them, and they needed not that any man
Ihouid teach them, but as the fame anointing taught
them of all things ^ and it fo taught them, as that no
feducer nor antichriftian deceiver could impofe or pre-
vail upon them, they keeping to it, ver. iB. — 26, 27.
What a glorious ftate was here, when the little children
were thus advanced in the ftrength and power of
life ? Sure that promife was now made good indeed,
" Ye ftiall be all taught of God," when the li'tle

children

142' Of the C H U R C H, &c.

children were thus taught. Yea, and they were taught*
to abide in him, i'o as they might not fin i for how
could they, the anointing abiding in them, and teach-
ing them of all things, and they being in fubjeftion"
thereto i for that preferves out of lln the veffel in
whom it dwells and reigns. Sin is a tranfgreifion of
the law J but they that are in the anointing, taught:
by the anointing, fubjeit to the anointing, are far
above the righteoufnefs of the law, even in the right-
eoufnefs of the Son; the righteoufnefs of whofe nature
is far above the righteoufnefs which the law requires
of man's nature. And let men talk and imagine what
they will, the finner is not in the redemption and'
power of righteoufnefs, which is by Jefus Chrift. For
that which is born of God doth not commit fin, but
the feed remaineth in him which is born of God, pre-'
ferving him from the nature and fpirit of the devil,'
and from the works which flow from that nature arid
fpirit, chap. iii. 4, &c. Yea, they might fo walk as
that their hearts fhould not condemn them -, but that
they might have confidence towards God, ver. 20, 21.
And as Chrift faid to the Father, " Father, thou al-
•* ways heareft mej" lb could they fay, " Whatfoever
** we afk, we receive of him, becaufe we keep his
** commandments, and do thofe things that are pleaf-;
** ing in his fight," ver. 22. even as Chrift had faid;
" He that fent me is with me," &c. " for I do always'
*' thofe things that pleafe him," John viii. 29. Yea,
thefe little children, having received the anointing,'
were able to try fpirits, and had tried and overcome
them, (notwithftanding the fubtilty and ftrength of
all their deceits) becaufe that light, life. Spirit, and'
power which dwelt within them, was greater than that'
which was in the world, chap. iv. i, 4. And can the
lefs overcome the greater, the greater keeping to its
ftrength? Nay, nay: thefe that are of the love, and
dwell in the love, are (by the power and virtue of
the love) kept out of all the fnares and devices of the
enmity; for the enmity cannot enter the love, nor the;
foul that abides in the love; but only him that dc-

part%

Of the C II U R C H, &c. 145;

parts out of it. Here is a munition of rocks, here
is fafety indeed ; let him that hath an ear hear, and
let him that hath a fpiritual eye read and" confider.
What fhould be faid more of them? They were ia
the love which keeps the commandments, of the birth
to which the vidtory is given, and in the faith which
gives the yiftory, chap v. 3, 4. Yea, did they not
lb keep themfelves, as that the wicked one could not
touch them? ver. 18. How could he, when they had
overcome him, and abode in that which overcame
him ? Satan falls like a flafh of lightning before the
power of truth, before the living faith; the faith
which is from, and {lands in, the power. And if the
devil would fly from thofe that refilled him, how
much more would he fly from thofe that had overcome
him, and fl:ood armed with that armour which is pam- "
ful and dreadful to him ?

Again, the apoftle that writeth to the Hebrews,
fpeaketh of their work and labour of love, (which
advanceth the foul apace towards the kingdom) and
of their patient enduring the trials, perfecutions, af-
flictions, and crofTcs, (through which perfection is at-
tained, James i. 4.) Heb. vi. 10. and chap. x. 32,
33. Yea, he fpeaketh exprefsly concerning them,
that they were come to Mount Sion, and to the city
of the living God, the heavenly Jerufalem, and to an
innumerable company of angels; to the general af-
fembly and church of the firft-born which are written
in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the
fpirits of juft men made perfect, and to Jefus the Me-
diator of the new covenant, and to the blood of
fprinkling, chap. xii. 22, 23, ■24. and that they had
received, or were receiving, a kingdom which could
not be moved, ver. 28.

There is another place in my heart to mention,
which fpeaks great glory and an high ftate, in the fenfc
of my fpirit, attributing glory and dominion to Chrift
for his loving them, and walhing them from their fins
in his own blood, and making them kings and priefis
unto God and his Father, Rev. i. 5, 6. What is he

who

144 Of the CHURCH, &c.

who is both a king and prieft to God ? Surely he is
wafhed, furely he is clothed with the prieft's raiment,
fureiy he is in the dominion and purity of life, who
reigns and offers up therein holy facriftces to the
Father.

Thus far have inftances been given in reference to
the general ftate. Now it is alfo in my heart to give
fome inftances in particular churches, wherein tefti-
mony is given to the frefhnefs of life in them, and of
their precious ftate therein.

Firft, I ftiall inftance in that church at Jerujalem :
in what a beauteous glory and luftre did they fpring
forth! Ads ii. 41. to the end. Confider the place
well, and tell me, if this was not the beginning of
the fpiritual and hesivenly Jerufalem; if the glory of
it did not defcend upon this new-gathered people and
converts? So likewife fee chap. iv. 31, &g.

The church at Romey the apoftle Paul fays, were be-
loved of God j and that their faith was fpoken of through-
out the whole world, Rom. i. 7, 8. Now what a glorious
precious ftate was this ! For by faith is water drawn out
of the wells of falvation : and how much might they
draw, who abounded in faith ! True faith fprings
from the power of life, and it brings the power of life
into the foul in which it fprings, according to the
degree and growth of it. He that is beloved of God,
and abounds in faith towards him, what glory, what
life, what virtue, what power can he want ?

The fame apoftle, writing to the church at Philippic
faith, he did thank God, upon every remembrance of them\
making requeji for them with joy always^ in every prayer
of his for them all, for their fellowfhip in the gojpel
(which is power and life to them that have fellowfhip
therein) from the firjl day until now, Phil, i, 3, 4, 5.
And he calls them dearly beloved t^nd longed-for^ bis joy
and crown^ chap. iv. i.

So writing to the faints and faithful brethren at Co-
lofuis, he gives thanks for their faith, and their love to
all the faints, chap. i. 3, 4. And faith further con-
cerning them, that the word of the truth of the go/pel

had

Of the church, &c. 145

htid hrcught forth fruit in them^ fince the day they heard
and knew the grace of God in truth, ver. 5, 6. To
what then were they grown ? Surely very far into the
myftery of life in Chriil j in whom they had been cir-
cumcifed and baptized, and were complete, abiding
in him, and drinking in of the life, virtue, and power
which floweth from him.

Lii<;e\vife he writes to the church of the ThefTalo-
nians, as being in God the Father^ and in the Lord Jefus
Cbrifly I Their, i. i. Ah! how excellent and glo-
rious was the (late and condition of Chrift, to be in
the Father ! How glorious is the ftate of that church,
which is both in Chrift and in the Father! He fpeaks
alfo of their work of faith, and labour of love, and
patience of hope, ver. 3. Yea, he writes to them
again as fuch, Ephef. i. i. Surely they did abide
in the vine ; they did dwell in the name and power
into which they were gathered ; and fo did feel the
dews from above, and the fprings from beneath j {o^
that their faith did grow exceedingly, and their love
abound •, and the apoftles did find caufe of glorying
in them, in the churches of God, for their patience
and faith in all their perfecutions and tribulations that
they endured, ver. 3, 4.

Writing alfo to the Ephefians, he giveth an high
expreffion of the goodnefs of God to his people in
thofe days, and of the bleflednefs of their eftace, ia
that God had bleffed t!iem "js^ith all Jpritual blejfings in
heavenly places in Chriji, chap, i. 3. That is hard to
be underftood ; yet this may be fenfibly faid : in the
heavenly places in Chrift, the fpiritual bleflings are
received i and they that are raifed together with him,
and live in and with him, do alfo fit with him in the
heavenly places in him, even in the manfions which
he hath prepared, and is preparing; for he raifeth the
foul higher and higher, from glory to glory, at his
pleafure. The apollle alfo faith, that they were fel-
low-citizens with the faints, and of the hciifehold of God;
and were built together in Chrifi, for an habitation of
God, through the Spirit, chap. ii. 19, 22.

Vol. III. K So

146 Or THE CHURCH, Bzc.

So the church of Smyrna; Chrift owneth her works,
and tribulations, and poverty, and pronounceth her
rich, Rev. ii. 8. Chrift knoweth how to value things.

And the church of Philadelphia was in a very pre-
cious ftate indeed ; Chrift owning her works, and
having fet before her an open door, which no man
could fhut ; and promifing to make thofe who made a
profeflion of the truth (of being Jews) but were not
in it, to come and worlhip before her feet, and to
know that he had loved her^ as alfo that he would
keep her in the hour of temptation, becaufe fhe had
kept the word of his patience. Rev. iii. 8, &c.
Thus it is manifeft that the church in general, and
many churches in particular, was once in a pure, frefti,
living, powerful, glorious ftate.

II. Of the Church In Its declining and falling;

Eftate.

B

UT all the churches were not thus -, nor did thole
__ who were thus always continue thus : but therC'
was a declining and falling from this glorious eftate
by degrees, even from the light, brightnefs, purity
and power of the day, into the darknefs and corrup-
tion of the night again.

And thus the apoftafy came inj to wit, by not
keeping to the anointing, by not abiding in that Spi-
rit, life, and power whereinto they were gathered ; by
not keeping fingly to the voice of the Shepherd. For
then another ear got up in them, and that itched after
^ new and ftrange things ; not being contented with the
fimplicity of truth which is in Chrift, with the plain
,\ heavenly bread. For truth is a naked fimple thing to
look at J not anfwering man's wifdom at firft, nor ever
afterwards : but in the crofs to that its power is felt,
and its beauty feen. But if the wifdom of man get
up from under the crofs, if it be not ftill kept down

by

Of the church, &c, 147

by that, it will prefently be judging the wifdom of
God, and the plain way of truth, foolifhnefs, and be
iiftening after fomewhat elfe.

Thus the church of Corinth, who did abound in
fpiritual gifts, yet were apt to run out, and be lifted
up above their meafures, and think they reigned as
kings, without (if not beyond) the apoftles ; and fo
came into danger of hearkening to falfe fpirits and
minifters of unrighteoufaefs, i Cor. iv. ' 8, &c,
2 Cor. X. II.

And the churches of Galatia, which began well,
and very zealoufly, even fo as they could have
plucked out their eyes for Paul's fake ; yet were after-
wards fo far bewitched and prevailed upon, that the
apoftle profelTed he flood in doubt of them, and was
afraid left he had beftowed upon them labour in vain.
Gal. iv. 1 1. 20.

When the enemy could not prevail in open battle,
by manifeft afflicStions, oppofitions, perfecutions, &c,
then he tries by deceit, getting into the form, to fee
what he can do there, how he can pleafe and fatisfy
men therewith, and fo work them from that power
which redeems. And thole that do not eye the power,
keep to the power, walk in the power, and judge by
the power, to be fure he catcheth this way. " The
" falfe prophets," faith Chrill, *' which come in iheep's
" clothing," (with the good words, as minifters of
righteoufnefs ; but not with the living powerful fruits
of righteoufnefs) come with fo fubtil an appearance,
as, if it were poffiblc, they would deceive the very
ele6l : but God keepeth that eye in his eledl open,
which cannot be deceived i but all clfe are. They
that depart from the power, they that err from the
faith, they that are in the high-mindednefs and con-
ceitednefs, out of the fear, they eafily hearken to fe-
ducing fpirits, and drink off their poilbn. And Peter
plainly forefaw that thefe would be many, 2 Pet. ii»
I, 2.

See alfo what complaint Paul makes to Timothy,
about the declining of many from the truth i he ex-

K 2 horts

148 Or THE CHURCH, &c.

horts him to " keep faith and a good confcience ;
*' which fome having put away, concerning fajth have
'' made fhipwreck •, of whom is Hymeneus and Alex-
" ander," i Tim. i. 19, 20.

Again he fpeaks of fome that were ** already
" turned afide after Sataji," chap. v. 15, And of
fome that had " erred from the faith, and pierced
** themfelves through with many forrows," chap. vi.
10. Again : " All they which are in Afia be turned
*' away from me," 2 Tim. i. 15. Likewife he fpeaks
of fome, who " would increafe unto more ungodli-
" nefs," and whofe word " will eat as doth a cank-
<' er," chap. ii. 16, 17, and that " evil men and
*' feducers fhall wax worfe and worfe, deceiving and
«' being deceived," chap. iii. 13. Yea, " the time
'f will come," faith he, " when they will not endure
*« found doflrine," chap. iv. 3. " Demas hath for-
*« faken me, having loved the prefent world," ver. 10.
" Alexander the copperfmith did me much evil : the
" Lord reward him according to his works," ver. (4.
*' At my firll anfwer, no man Hood with me, but all
** men forfook me," ver. 16. Surely love was grown
very cold, iniquity likely to abound, and the apoftafy
from the truth to increafe.

And among the churches of Afia, how many of
them were warping! Ephefus, though fhe had much
good remaining in her, yet llie had left her firfl love,
and was fallen from her firfl: fl:ate and works. Rev.
ii. 4, 5. Pergamos alfo had them which held the
dodlrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing Chrifl: hated,
ver. 15. Thyatira, Hht likewife fuffered the woman
Jezabel, which called herfelf a prophetefs, to teach
and feduce God's fervants, ver. 20. (Now this Ihe
ought not to have done, the churches having the
Spirit, the holy anointing, to try fpirits and prophets
byi yea, to try apoftles j which will faithfully difco-
vcr which are truly fuch, and which are not, as ver. 2.)
Sardis had a name that Ihe lived, but was generally
dead; there being but a few names left in Sardis,
which had not defiled their garments, chap. iii. i. 4.

Lao-

Of the church, &c: 149

Laodicea was lukewarm j neither cold nor hot; in the
profefTion, in the form and appearance of truth; but
without zeal, without life, without power, ver. 15.
Now being. in this ftate, (having the form and appear-
ance of all) (he judged herfelf rich, and increafed
with goods, and to have need of nothing, ver. 17.
This indeed is a pleafant (late in man's eye, but very
loathfome to God, ver. 16, This church fcemed to
have all, but indeed had loft all, and wanted the gold,
the raiment, and the eye-falve ; and fo was wretched,
miferable, poor, blind, and naked, ver. 17, 18.

In this declining ftate fome fell from the do6lrine
of truth, giving heed to feducing fpirits, and doc-
trines of devils, I Tim. iv. i. Some from the fellow-
fhip and worlliip ; it being the manner of fome to
forfake the aflembling themfelves together, Heb. x.
25 ; which the church, when firft gathered, was very
diligent in, A6ls ii. 42. 46. Some held the form of
knowledge and profeflion, but fell from the life and
power, 2 Tim. iii. 5, Yea, many ways did the wolf-
ilh faife fpirits drive and fcatter from the flock, as
they could get entrance into mens minds.

Obje6t. Buf hciv could the church decline thus in the
apojiles days ; the Spirit of God being Jo powerful in the
cpojiles, and being cilfofo generally then bejiowed upon be-
lievers ? as Gal. iv. 6.

Jnf. It is true, they had great advantages of ftand-
ing, by reafon of the prefence and power of the Spi-
rit v/ith them. But yet withal, the Spirit of the Lord
is tender, jealous, and might be grieved and provoked
by neglects, (his warnings being flighted, and his
motions quenched) and fo might draw back from
fuchj as either received not the truth in the love of
it, or grew cold and carelefs afterwards ; and then the
fpirit of darknefs and deceit thereby had advantage to
blind them, gain upon them, and enter into that part
of them, which the Spirit of the Lord had before
recovered and poflTeflTed. Now the enemy having got
entrance, prevails and captivates more and more, un-
lef? the Loii'd in tender love and mercy vifit it again,

K 3 lift'

150 Of the church, &<:.

lifting up a ftandard for the foul, and fo drawing it
back by degrees into his light and power again.

Befides, it is eafy to decline (eafy for any foul, eafy
for any church); but there is need of niuch care,
fear, faith, obedience, watchful nefs to the I..ord, and
againfl the enemy, &c. to preferve and keep the ef-
tate of an heart, or the eft ate of a church, chafte and
pure. " Ye are kept by the power of God, through
" faith unto lalvation." Can any thing preferve a
foul, or church, but God's pow^er? And doth God
preferve any foul, or church, but in the way he hath
appointed ? A church is like a garden, needs digging,
drefTing, watering, and fun-fhine, to caufe it to thrive
and flourifh. Do not weeds eafily fpring up in a gar-
den ? yea, ranker weeds than in common ground ;
which fpread apace and over-run it fafter, if it be not
looked to and kept by the gardener ? Read the figure,
and underftand. Are not fpiritual weeds as corrupt
and fpreading as the outward ? Are they not like
leaven i have they not a poifonous, infcfiing nature
in them ? " Know ye not," faith the apoftle, " that a
'* little leaven leaveneth the whole lump ?" i Cor,
V. 6. If but one root of bitternefs fpring up in a
church, it may defile many, and trouble the whole,
Heb. xii. 15. .^nd as one corrupted perfon, fo alfo
one corrupted church, may infe<5t and poifon many
more. Yea, was it not thus in the apoftafy ? When
it once got head, did it not break in and overflow
apace ?

III. Of the declined and fallen State of the

Church.

WHEN antichrift (or that fpirit which wrought
againft that fpiritual appearance of Chrift, and
power of his truth) was revealed, and got into the
temple, appearing and being acknowledged there as
God, then (without controverfy) was the declined

flate.

Of the church, &c. 151

ftatc. He had been a long while working under-
ground by his agents and miniflers, appearing as mi-
nifters of righteoufnefs, in a form thereof, out of, and
againft the power; but the power (in the true apof-
tles and minifters) flood in his way, and wrought
againft him, fo as he could not for a long time get
up. Yet he prevailed more and more in the corrupt
part in men, till at length he drew many (of the very
Itars from heaven) after him; and then fighting an
open battle, gets rid of the true church, vomits out
a flood after her, (as if flie were an harlot, and not
worthy the name of Chrift's fpoufe) and fo gets into
the temple, and is owned there (as Chrift) in the ftead
of Chrift.

Obje6l. IVill any man own antichrifl^ worjhip antichrijty
and acknowledge antichrijl (injiead of Chrijl) to be God ?

Anf. Read 1 Theff. ii. 4. and fee if it be not fo.
See if he do not get into the temple, and fit ruling
and governing in the temple (that which was once
fo, and ought ftill to be fo) till the very coming and
appearing of Chrift in his Spirit and brightnefs,
ver. 8.

Queft. But ho'-ju could this fojfibly ever hcj or how can
it be ?

Jnf. He doth not directly get up, nor ftiew himfelf
directly as he is; but in a myftery of deceit. He
doth not appear as antichrift, (crying up all manner
of filthinefs, abomination, and contrariety to Chrift,
in diredt words) but as Chrift", preaching righteouf-
nefs, crying up fcriptures, ordinances, church-minif-
try, holinefs, &c. Yet, for all thefe words and fair
pretences, he is not the true fpirit, but the falfe, the
antichriftian •, and thofe that receive him, or bow to
him in any of thefe, they bow not to Chrift, but to
him. He hath a mark, he hath a name, he hath a
worftiip, he hath a church, he hath a miniftry, he hath
laws and ordinances of worftiip ; which, whofoever re-
ceives, worftiips not the Lord Jefus Chrift, but that
fpirit which under a dilguife thus appeareth, which
hath horns as it were of a lamb, or like a lamb ; but

K 4 not

152 Of the church, Sec.

not the Lamb's horns, nor the Lanmb's nature, nor the
Lamb's Spirit, nor the Lamb's meeknefsi but the old
nature of the dragon, who gives him both fubtilty and
power.

Now mark : when Chrift brought forth his church,
it was a pure, holy, fpiritual building, built up of re-
newed fpirits i fuch as were new-born, fuch as were
wafhed, fuch as were fanflified, fuch as were juftified
in the name of the Lord Jefus, and by the Spirit of
our God. Chrift's church was Sion, even the holy
feed, built upon the holy hill of God, into an holy
city or temple. But antichrift's church is Babylon,
which hath the wifdom and order of man in it, fuch
as man's eye judgeth right, but is foolilhnefs and con-
fufion in the eye of God. Now the Lord hath moft
terrible plagues to pour out upon this antichrift, and
upon his Babylon ; yea, upon every one that hath his
mark or name, or that which amounts to his name,
though it be not diredly fo called. Therefore, oh!
fear the Lord God ! and ye that love the peace of your
fouls, pray to be delivered from that which his wrath
is to ; for the dregs of the cup of trembling are to be
poured out on antichrift inward and outward, and on
Babylon inward and outward. Let him that readeth
underftand the tender warnings, which are given forth
in the tender nature and Spirit of the Lord ; for the
day of mercy fpreads apace, and the night of anguifh
and tribulation haftens.

The true church of Chrift was gathered by his
Spirit into his name and power, and was a fpiritual
building, or building of fpirits therein ; wherein the
Spirit of the Lord was as prefent fpiritually, as ever
he appeared in the outward temple or ark outwardly.
And the minifters of the New Teftament were made
by the Spirit, and fent forth by the Spirit, and in the
power. ** Stephen (though but a deacon) was full
<* of faith, and of the Holy Ghoftj" and if any man
taught in the church, he was to " fpeak as an oracle
<* of God," Flelh is to be filent there, and only the
Spirit's voice to be heard in the fpiritual building.

But

Of the church, &c. 153

But now in the apoftafy, the minifters there, are as
wells without water, clouds without rain, who liave
only the fhew of the thing after the flefh, but not
the truth of the tiling after the Spirit } an-d fo being
not in the thing, nor in the Spirit, they defpife the
dominion, and fpeak evil of the dignities which are
of the Spirit, and for advantage fake cry up the do-
minions and dignities which are of the earth.

In the apoftles days the minifters of the church
were not of man, nor fet over the flock by man -, but
made by God, and fet over the flock as overfeers by
him, Ads xx. 28. For the fame Lord who gave
apoftles, prophets, and evangelifts, gave alfo pallors
and teachers, Ephef. iv. 11. And though the hands
of the prefbytery were laid on thofe that were made
minifl:ers •, yet that was not done fuddenly, or lightly,
but by the guidance of God's Spirit ; and there went
a gift and power of the Spirit along with it, accord-
ing as Paul faid to Timothy, *' Negledl not the gift
*^ that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy,
*' with the laying on of the hands of the prefbytery,"
I Tim. iv. 14. But now, in the declined fallen eftate,
there is no fuch thing; but an empty form, a form
of worlhiip, a form of godlinefs, a form of miniftry,
a form of dodrine, a form of difcipline ; without the
life, without the Spirit, without the power, from
which the true form came, and whereby alone it could
be preferved.

This declined ftare hath been a very fink of ini-
quity, wherein the Chiillian love hath not only grown
cold, but hath been quite dead, and plucked up by
the very roots •, yea^ wherein all that iilthinefs which
was fprouting forth and getting up in the declining
flate had reigned in power, defiling the very name of
Chriftianity, opprefTmg the good feed, and corrupting
the earth. Read 2 Tim. iii. 2, &c. and fee v/hat a
generation of Chriftian profeflbrs were to grow up (and
did grow up) in the time of the apoftafy.

IV. Of

154 Of the church, &c.

IV. Of the State of the Church in its Recovery;
or what State the Church fhall be in after it is
recovered out of the Apoftafy.

TH E date of the church after the apoftafy, is to
be like the ft ate it was in before the apoftafy
(for purity, power, brightnefs, and glory, &c.)i yea,
^all it not be more glorious, after its conning through
all this darknefs, and fhining over it, than it was
before ? The New Jcrufalem is to come down from
God out of heaven j the bride is to be clothed and
adorned as the Lamb's wife, meet for the delight of
her huft)and. The power and Spirit of the Lord,
which cleanfeth away all this rubbilh, will make his
truth fliine, his church fhine, his fuffering lambs (that
come out of the great tribulation) fhin©. more than
ever before. The Lord God Omnipotent will take his
great power unto him to reign, and will reign accord-
ing to his power in the hearts of his children, and
over the earth. He will break that which ftands in
his way with a rod of iron j and he will embrace and
exalt that which boweth to and kifleth the fceptre of
his Son, who is to appear upon the holy hill of Sion :
and the law is to go forth out of Sion, and the word of
the Lord from Jcrufalem ; the power whereof Ihall
break down the power of iniquity, and bring up the
fuffering feed into the dominion and glory of life.

In this reftored ftate antichrift fhall be worfhipped
no more, nor the beaft, nor the dragon, who gave his
power to the beaft j but the Lord God fliall be wor-
fhipped and magnified over all. It ftiall be faid n6
more, Who can make war with the beafi? after the Lamb
bath overcome him; but. Who is like to thee, O Lord,
O King of/aintSj who bafi taken to thee thy great power^
and haft reigned, and daft reign j who haji brought down
this lofty city, and trod it under the feet of the poor, and

made

Of the church, &c. 155

made thefieps of the needy to pafs over it ; who hafi made
it an heapi (the city fenced by all the might , wifdom^ and
power of man) a ruinous heap^ a place no more for thy
dear children to be captived in and opprejfed ; but an ha~
bitation of dragonSi and a cage of every unclean and noi-
fome bird for ever ? — JVho fhall not fear thee, O Lord,
and glorify thy name ? For thou only art holy -, for all na-
tions fhall come and worfhip before thee ; for thy judgments
are made manifejlj Rev, xv. 4. Thou haft judged down
Babylon, which was exalted ; thou haft pitied Sion,
which lay in the duft for many ages and generations,
and haft raifed up thine holy building again, and wilt
give to thy children to be clothed, and to walk before
thee in pure white linen (which is the righteous nature
and Spirit of thy Son) for evermore; and the dark-
rels fhall never come over them again, but the bealt,
dragon, and falfe prophet ftiall be caft into, and bound
down in the lake; and the fprings of life fhall open,
and whofoever will may come freely, and drink of the
water of life. And the people in heaven fliall fay,
*' Hallelujah ! falvation, and glory, and honour, and
" power unto the Lord our God."

And the voice of great multitudes, and the voice
of many waters, and the voice of mighty thunders,
fhall fay, "Hallelujah!" and fhall be glad, and re-
joice, and fhall give honour to the Lord, for the
bride's marriage with the Lamb, and for her rich
adorning for her bridegroom. Yea, the earth fhall
rejoice, and the multitudes of the iQes be glad. Why
fo ? Becaufe the Lord reigns, who is tender even of
the earth, and hates the oppreffing not only of his
{etd, but alfo of his creatures : for he will reign and
judge in righteoufnefs, and tendernefs, and much
mercy, to all that is of him; and none fliall feel his
judgment and feverity, but that which is contraryto
him, and joineth to his enemy. For the Lord will
make war with that fpirit, which is contrary to his life
and nature, for ever and ever. And he that joineth
to that fpirit, ftiall find woe, mifery, and tribulation

(tribu-

156 Of the church, &c.

(tribulation and anguifh fhall light upon every foul
that continues in the evil doing) ; but he that comes
from under that fpirit by the leadings of God's Spirit,
bowing to and kiffingthe Son, fhall tafte of the Father's
love to the Son, and partake of the mercy, peace, and
reconciliation which is treafured up in him. Amen.

THE
Way of Salvation in the Covenant of LIFE

OPENED:

And fomc Stumbling-Blocks removed out of the
Way of the Simple-hearted.

THERE are many whom the Lord hath raifed
up, in this day of the manifeftation of his
power, and of his everlafting love, to bear witnefs to
his truth J among whom I alfo (who was an outcaft,
and miferable beyond expreflion) have obtained mercy
to partake of the virtue, life, and power of his pre-
cious truth (which redeems from the bondage of fin
and iniquity) ; and am alfo many times moved by
the Lord to teftify of that which he hath made known
unto me, and given me to experience.

This brief touch fprang in me by way of preface.
Now to the thing itfelf.

The Father, in whom is the whole virtue and power
of redemption, fent his Son to gather the fcattered
and loft fheep of the houfe of Ifrael j and not only fo,
but he gave him alfo for a light to the Gentiles, that
he might be his falvation to the ends of the earth ;
and fending him, he fent his Spirit and power with
him : for that which is begotten by the Father is not
able to do the work, unlefs anointed and affifted by
the Father: therefore the Father, who fent him tq
preach the gofpel, anointed him^ and filled him with

The Way of Salvation in, &c. 157

his Spirit, that he might preach the gofpel according
to that fcripture, Ifa. Ixi. i, 2, 3. " The Spirit of the
'* Lord God is upon me, becaufe the Lord hath
'' anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek ;
*' he hath lent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to
" proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening
" the prifon to them that are bound j to proclaim
*' the acceptable year of our Lord, and to comfort all
*' that mourn," &;c.

Quell. But how came thefe meekj thefe broken-hearted,
theje captives, thefe hound in prifon, thefe mourners, to
meet with the redemption and blejfmgs which he is anointed
to preach to them ? Or which way do they come to receive '
and partake of them from him ?

Anf. In faith. This all his 'outward healings d\d.
fignify, being thus difpenfed. (" If thou wilt be-
" lieve, thou fhalt fee the glory of God. Thy faith
" hath made thee whole. O woman ! great is thy
'^ faith! be it unto thee according to thy faith").
And thus all his inward healings are bellowed upon,
and received by, the foul •, to wit, in the faith.

Quefl. But how came they to have faith ? Or how com-
eth any man to have faith in the redeeming power ?

Anf It is bellowed upon them by God, in the fenfe
which is from him. His Word goeth forth from his
mouth i there is a witnefs of him in the heart, towards
which it reacheth. Now it reaching to the witnefs,
immediately it brings into a fenfe, and in that fenfe
begets faith; and being mixed with this faith (which
is of its own begetting) in them that hear it, begins
the work of life and redemption in that heart where ic
is not yet begun, or carries it on in that heart .wherein
it is already begun. Thus faith hath a work, a work
from the beginning of the hearts's turning to God
even to the end 3 which he that abides in the faith till
the end, finds accomplilhed.

Objed:. But this faith is bejlowed on fome few whom
God hath ele^ed, not on all men.

Anf, God hath lent his gofpel to be preached to
every creature, and his Word is able to reach the wit-
nefs.

158 The Wat op Salvation im thi*

iiefs, and work fenfe in every creature ; and in whom-
foever there is a fenfe wrought, they liftening to God
in that fenfe, he works faith in thenn ; and waiting on
the Word, hearkening to the Word, and (laying
their minds there- through on the Lord, he will fpeak
peace to them, and keep them in peace, daily removing
them more and more out of the reach and power of
that which troubleth them.

Queft. Doth the new covenant lay all upon God, and
require nothing of the creature? Or is there fome thing re-
quired by God of the creature, in and by virtue of the new
covenant ?

Anf. Confider wellj Doth not God require of the
creature in the new covenant what he gives in the new
covenant ? Doth he not require the faith, and the ex-
crcifing of that faith, which he himfelf works and
gives in the fenfe, from the power and demonftration
of his truth, to the foul ? The new covenant requires
more of the creature than ever the old did •, but it re-
quires them not of the creatures as weak in the fall,
but as taught (ftrengthened and enabled) to walk with
God in and by virtue of the covenant. Yea, all man-
ner of holinefs, and righteoufnefs of heart, life, and
converfation is required in 'and by the new covenant:
for as the Lord works out of all therein in the crea-
ture, fo the creature works out all thereby in the
Lord, according to that known fcripture, " work out
** your own falvation with fear and trembling: for it
*« is God which worketh in you, both to will and to
** do of his good pleafure." And as the creature is
able to do nothing that is good of itfelf j fo being
grown up into the lile and ability, which is of God,
it is able to do all things through Chrift that ftrength-
cneth it.

Queft. But why is it faid that Chrijl wds anointed t9
f reach the go fp el to the poor y the meek, the broken-hearted,
the captives, the bound in prifon, the mourners (for want
of righteoufnefs, life, and peace) ? Did not God 'give his
Son in love to all? Was he not made a ranfom and propi-
ticUim for all? Tea, was he not anointed to preach the

gofpel

Covenant of Life opened.

159

gofpel to all ? How then comes it here to he thus limited and
rejirained tojome ?

AnJ. It is true, God had a general refpcft to man-
kind, in the gift and anointing of his Son: but yet
there are fome in a better capacity to receive; already
in the fenfe of the want of him, and panting and
longing after him. Yea, there are fome, who are
grievoufly fick in foul, and deeply wounded in fpirit;
the fadnefs and mifery of whofe condition cries aloud
for the help of the phyfician. Now the eye and heart
of the Lord is more efpecially towards thefe ; and fa
he bids his prophets be inftru6bing and comforting
thefe, concerning the falvation, the healing, the oil
of gladnefs, the Mefliah to comej and when he comes,
he fends him up and down to feek out thefe, to ke?p
company with thefe, to help and relieve thefe ; having
given him the tongue of the learned, to fpeak a word
in feafon to thefe weary diflrefTed ones. Thefe are
not like the common, rough, unhewn, knotty, rugged
earth; but like earth prepared for the feed, and fo
eafily and naturally receive it. The gofpel is preached
to others at a diftance-, which, it is true, they may
have, if they will hearken to it, and wait for it, and
part with what muft firft be parted with; but they
have a great way to travel thither. But thefe are
near the kingdom j thefe are near that which opens,
and lets in life; thefe are quickly reached to, melted,
and brought into the fenfe, in which with joy they re-
ceive the faith j and with the faith the power ; which
brings righteoufnefs and falvation to their fouls.
Though alfo the enemy is exceeding bufy, to darken,
difturb, and bow down thefe; that he might ilill keep
them in the doubts, in the fears, in the chains, in the
fetters, in the prifon-houfe, from the liberty and
healing which the word of the anointing brings.

Now mind. God is real towards all ; he defires the
life and falvation of all; not the deftruflion of any
one foul that ever he created (it is unnatural to him).
And the way that he holds forth, he (lands ready to
meet any man in, Whom is it that he doth draw ^

And

1^0 The Wav of Salvation in the

And who is it that may not come in the drawing ? Is'not
his word an hammer ? And whom can it not break ?
Is it not fire ? And whofe corruption can it not burn
up ? Is it not water, wine, and blood ? And whom
cannot it wafh and nourifti ? Therefore, let no man
think to lay the blame upon God, becaufe of his pe-
ri'lhingj for he will be deceived therein: and God will
prove true, who faith, Man's defiru^ion is of himfelfi
and every man a liar, who layeth any blame on him,
for not giving him further afliftance with his power.
Neither let him blame God for hardening him j for
God hardeneth no man, but him who firft refufeth and
grieveth the power and love which would melt and
foften him. It is truej we are the clay, and God the
potter : and may not the potter make what veflels he
will of his clay ? This parable came from the Spirit
of the Lord to Ifrael of old : but what ufe did the
Lord make of it ? Did he fay to them. Do what ye
will J fome of you I will caft off, and others of you
I will fhew mercy to ; for I have determined fo ? Nay,
not fo : but I have this power over you ; therefore do
not provoke me. [Read Jer. xviii.] Was not God
exceeding tender to that outward people, in that out-
ward covenant ? Did he ever give them up to pain
and fufFerings, without great provocations on their
parts ? " He doth not afflidt willingly, nor grieve the
" children of men. Wherefore doth a living man
" complain ; a man for the punifliment of his fins I
" Let us fearch and try our ways, and turn again to
*' the Lord." And the Spirit of the Lord never failed
to do what was his part, towards the turning them
from iniquity, towards the Lord, in that covenant.

And when they did believe, confent, and obey, and
did eat the good of the land, was it not pleafant and
delightful to him ? And when they 'provoked him to
jealoufy, and drew down judgments upon their heads,
was it not irkfome and painful to him ? [Read Deut,
V. 29. Ifa. v. Ezek. xx. Jer. xliv. 4. and chap. xxxi.
20. Ifa. Ixiii. 7. to ver. 15.] And will God fail to
do his pare towards any man for the falvatipn of his

foul.

Covenant of Life opsnjd; i6i

foul, which is fo precious, of fo great concern, and
the lofs whereof he knoweth to be fo invaluable ? No,
no J the Spirit of God fufFers, in every man upon the
face of the earth, that fins againft him j and is grieved
and wounded by their unjuft and unrighteous conver-
fations, from day to day, againft the teftimony of
fomewhat of him in them, which is contrary thereto.
Now this is of a precious nature ; and being fo de-
fpifed and rejedted by men, can it be wondered that
God doth not proceed to make it more manifeft, and
to work more in men by it ? Nay, may it not rather
be wondered that God doth continue to manifeft it fo
much i What man could endure to behold a thing fo
precious in his eyes (as this is in God's) fo continually
abufed by, and to fufFer fo much from, that which
is fo far beneath it, as God daily doth ? Therefore,^ if
there come a day of reckoning for this. With all men
upon the face of the earth, (for who hath not had a
talent from God ; even of the pure eternal light in
him, witnefling in his heart and confcience againft the
darknefs ?) there will be no caufe of wondering at it.
And is not this light and Spirit (which fhines in all
mens darknefs in fome meafure, ftirring and witnefling
againft it, and endeavouring to perfuade and draw the
mind from it) the very fame, in nature and kind, with
the light and Spirit of the Father, which appeared in
that perfon of Chrift ? And, if hearkened unto, and
followed, would it not bring into union and fellow-
fhip with him, and into a partaking of the benefit of
all he did in that body ? Yea, would not the Spirit
reveal whatever is necellary to be known, to that foul
which receives and follows it ? Oh ! what hath God
done (in his rich and tender mercy towards all) for
mankind 1 And how clear will he be, when he opens
and manifefts the righteoufnefs of his judgment! He
will not clear himfelf after this manner -, that he hath
difpofed of them to deftrudtion, according to the
power and prerogative of his will} but that they have
run headlong into deftru(5tion, againft the light and
leadings of his will and power; to which it is natural
Vol. Ill, L to

1 62 The Way of Salvation in the

to fave, but not to deftroy. That is the a6l v;hich
is proper to another nature and fpirit, but ftrange
to his.

Obje<5l. But could not God fave any if he would? Who
can refill his will or his power ? Who can flop or reftfl him
in the work of redemption, or deflru^ion ?

Anf. God can fo put forth his will and power, as
none can refift. Yea, the will and power of God
(which ofFereth to fave, and ftandeth ready to fave)
will bring deftrudlion upon all that fo dally with it, as
to negleA and let pafs the day of their vifitation : and
thus none can refift his will, or his power. But in
the way wherein he appeareth, and hath chofen to
work out life and falvation, Satan, and man's corrupt
heart and mind, may and do often refift the will and
power of the Lord. Now that which refifteth, is not
of God, but againft him ; yet it is the patience of the
Lord, to fuffer it. I find drawings in my heart from
God, or 1 durft not open thefe things. For I dare not
hold out to men what the Lord hath given me to
know and experience, but only what he giveth and
choofeth for me to hold out : and that will be life to
them that receive it. But if I Ihould hold out any
thing of myfelf, that would not reach to life, but only
feed the wrong part in men j and fo help to build up
that, which God will again throw down, before he
faves that foul which is built up with the knowledge
of things after this manner.

There is fomewhat fprings up in my heart, which
may perhaps open this thing further to the minds of
fome.

Cain was the firft wicked man that we read of; and
how tender was God towards him ! even him that fa-
crificed not after the Spirit, but after the flefli, and
flew his brother Abel ? Now can any man lay Cain's
wickednefs either upon the will, or upon the decree
and counfel of God t Might he not have done well ?
Might he not have facrificed to God in the faith, as
well as his brother Abel ? And if he had done well,
and offered in the faith, had he not found forgivenefs

and

Covenant of Life opened. 163

and acceptance with the Lord ? God accepteth no
man's perfon ; God rejefleth no man's perfon j but
there is a feed he hath chofen j and to gather man into
this feed, is his delight and work; as it is the delight,
nature, and work of another fpirit to fcatter from this
feed.

Now in this feed he doth accept, and not out of it.
Yea, in this feed fhall all the families of the earth be
blefled, as they are gathered into, and abide in it.
And this feed is a word nigh in the mouth and heart,
both of Jew and Gentile; which, as it is hearkened
to, writes the law of the Spirit of life in the heart,
either of Jew or Gentile. And as they become fons,
fo the Spirit of the Father is poured out upon them i
even the Spirit of adoption, which crieth Abba, Father,
either in Jew or Gentile. And this is the gofpel bf
the kingdom, which is preached more fparingly, or
abundantly, by the mouth of the feed, as the Lord
pleafeth.

For God's power, wifdom, mercy, love, goodnefs,
patience, long-fufFering, &c. is his own ; and he
may fow of it, or exercife it, more fparingly or abun-
dantly, as he pleafeth. Yea, he doth exercife it more
abundantly towards the vefTels of mercy; fo that the
caufe of their falvation doth not fo much arife from
their embracing of mercy, as from God's exercifing
of it. He vifiteth nations as he pleafeth, and perfons
in nations as he pleafeth ; and who may fay unto him,
What doft thou ? Why art thou fo good and kind here ?
Or, PFhy art thou Jo Jhar'p and fever e there '^ But Itill in
the way, and according to the path, of the covenant,
doth the Lord walk, in and towards all : and his
mercy endureth for ever towards the feed of the
righteous, and his juftice and indignation for ever to-
wards the feed of the evil-doer: and man (fimply
confidered) is not either of thefe ; but as he is ga-
thered into, and brought forth in, the root and fpiric
of either of thefe. Now every man hath a day for
the life of his foul ; and power and mercy is near him,

L 2 to

1^4 The Way or Salvation in tub

to help him to travel from death to life. Happy, is
he, who is taught of God to make ufc of it.

And let not men puzzle themfelves about the myf-
tery of e/e^ion and reprobation i which cannot be un-
derftood by fuch as are out of the thing whertin it is
made manifeft. Only thus, at prefent : Pharaoh and
Ifrael, Efau and Jacob, Ilhmael and Ifaac, &c. were
parables, fignifying fomewhat inward. "What was
Pharaoh ? Was he not the oppreflbr of God's Ifrael ?
What was Efau ? Was he not the firft birth, which
fold the birth-right and inheritance ? What was Ifh-
mael ? Was he not the birth after the flefh ? Thefc
arc rejefbed, and caft off by God for ever -, and the
fpiritual Ifrael, the fpiritual Jacob, the fpiritual Ifaac,
are accepted.

Shall I fpeak out this thing yet more plain ? Why
thus then : it is not the creature which is rejeded by
its Maker ; but fomewhat in the creature, and the
creature in that. Nor is it the creature (fimply) which
is elefted; but fomewhat in the creature, and the
creature in that. And as any man comes into that,
the election is begun in him : and as any man abides
in that, he abides in the eleftion : and as that is made
fure to any man, his calling and eledlion are made
fure to him. But as any man departs from that, he
departs from the election into the reprobation : and
going on in that into the full impenitency and hard-
nefs, he will for ever mifs of the elcdion, and the re-
probation, and fealing up to condemnation, will be
made fure to him. For God is no refpefter of per-
fons i but every where, he that receiveth his holy feed,
and therein worketh righteoufnefs, is accepted of
him. And he that receiveth the wicked feed, and
therein worketh wickedncfs and unrighteoufnefs, is
with it rejefted.

Objeft. But (may the honeft heart fay) this may be
truth, for aught I know ; but indeed I did not apprehend
things to be Jo : for I thought man and his works had
been wholly excluded by the covenant of grace i but this
feems to take both him and them in upon a conjideration.

Anf

Covenant of Life opened. 165

AnJ. Man is wholly excluded the covenant of grace,
as in himfelfi as he ftands in himfelf, and in his own
ability, out of the newnefs of life and ability which is
of the new covenant. But he is not excluded as he
is renewed, and receivech a new being, life, virtue,
and ability, in the new covenant. But here much is
required of him j and whatever he thus doth, is owned,
acknowledged, and accepted by God. Here the true
Jew hath praife of God. He is commended for his
faith, and for his obedience in the faith : for his lov-
ing the Lord his God with all his heart, and his neigh-
bour as himfelf : for his wafhing his garments in the
blood of the Lamb, and keeping them clean in the
fame blood, while others defile theirs: for his merci-
ful nature and aftions to Chrift in his members, while
others are rough and cruel: for his watching agai nil
fnares and temptations, while others are running into
them : for his crucifying that in himfelf, which others
feed in ?hemfelves : yea, for his denying and turning
from all yngodlinefs and worldly lufts, even of the
flelh, eyes, and pride of life; all which are not of
the Father, (whom he is born of, and feeks after) but
of the fpirit of the world, which the earthly-minded
man is born of, and feeks to pleafe. So that (mark)
though man is ercluded in his corrupt nature and
ftate, yet not the new man, not man in the regenera-
tion. But man mull be regenerated \ and thus mar^
muil enter into the covenant of life-, and thus man
mud abide and be found in the covenant of life, in
the nature, in the righteoufnefs, in the holinefs, in the.
power thereof, if ever God own him.

Obje£l. But this Jeems to lay difference on man's a5f^
and not zvholly on the grace of God. For the grace j in it-
felfj is equally powerful towards all; but it is my receiving
of it J which maketh it effe£fual unto me ; which others not
receiving, it is not fo to them.

Anf. The grace, in itfelf, is of its own nature every
where. This is true. And that it hath power in it
every where, and that this, power is over and above
fin i this is true alfo. But yet there is a greater or

L 3 lelTer

j66 The Way of Salvation in the

leflfer proportion of it given, according to the plea-
fure and good-will of the giver : and according to the
meafure of it, (which is freely given) and the foul's
growth therein, fo is the power of it manifefted in
the heart.

Now the difference in every man is by the grace.
Not of himfelf : for he can do nothing that is good,
as of himfelf: but only by the grace j which is alone
able to work that which is good in him, and to caufe
him to work in it. Yet thus it is : as the grace reach-
eth to him, draweth him, quickening and caufing
him, in the virtue, life, and obedience of the grace,
to anfwer the grace -, fo doth the work thereof go on
in him. And there is matter of condemnation to him,
"who doth not anfwer the grace ; and there is matter of
juftification and praife to him, who doth anfwer the
grace. Yet this whole ability arifing not from him-
felf, but from the grace, the acknowledgment of
what is effefled thereby, doth of right and due belong
to the grace. And therefore they who are juftified,
fandified, and crowned by the grace, do of right and
due call their crowns at the feet of the Lamb, at the
throne of grace j giving honour and glory to him who
is worthy, and to his grace which hath wrought all in
them.

Now if any man would know this thing groundedly
and certainly, let him not run into difputes of the
mind and brain, but come to heart-experience. Halt
thou ever found the work of God's grace in thy heart ?
Haft thou found thy heart, at any time, believe and
obey, in and through the ftrength of the grace ? Haft
thou found thy heart at another time negligent of, or
rebellious againft, the grace ? When thou wert rebel--
lious, wert not thou condemned, and that juftly too ?
When thou didft believe and obey, to whom did the
honour thereof belong ? to thee, or to the grace ?
Canft thou anfwer this ? Why, as it is in thyfelf, be-
tween thee when obeying and difobeying, the fame is
the ftate of the cafe between godly and wicked men.
There was a difference between thee when thou obey-

cdft

Covenant of Life opened. 167

edft the grace, and when thou difobeyedfl; it : fo
is there between the unre2:enerate and re2;enerate.
When thou obeyedft not, that which called for obe-
dience condemned thee; fo it doth them. When
thou obeyedft, thou didft fenfibly feel the praife was
not thine, but belonged to the grace which wrought
in thee; fo is it alfo in the regenerate, in whom the
Lord works by his grace, and who work out their
falvation through him, and make their calling and
eledion fure in him. Leave brain-knowledge, and
come to true fenfe, (where the myfteries of God
are made manifeft) and this will ibon be eafy and
clear to thee. But thefe things were never intended
by God to be found out by man's difputing wifdom :
for God (who giveth the knowledge) hideth them
from that part, and giveth them to the innocent fim-
ple birth of his own Spirit.

Objedt. But ivlj^n the Father draweth, can any man
refiji or hold off ■^ Doth not the ■power of the Lord make
any man willing^ ivhom he exercifeth his power towards ?
And is it not thereupon Jaidy " Ihy people fiall be willing
*' in the day cf thy power T'

Anf. The power of the Lord is great, and hath
dominion over all evil fpirits that can tempt, and over
all the corruptions, backfiidings, and withdrawings
of the heart. But the Father doth not fave man
by fuch an abfolute act of his power (for then there
would need no more to be done, but an immediate
tranOating of a man from death to lifej which if the
Lord pleafe to do, nothing could come between to
hinder) ; but the power of the Lord works in and
according to the way that he hath appointed. And
in this way the devil hath liberty and power to tempt
from, oppofe, and rcfift the work of God : and they
that hearken to him, and enter into the temptation
and fnare which he lays, let his power in upon them,
and withdraw from the virtue, operation, and flr^ngth
of the power of God. Yet for all this, the Lord not
only begins his work, but alfo carries it on in the day
of his power J giving not only to will, but alfo to do

L 4 what

i68 The Way of Salvation in the

what is right and pleafing in his eyesj but ftill in and
according to his own way and covenant.

Object. And Jo whereas Jome men fay, If God put forth
his power to fave, and the devil interrupt and Jiop his
work ; then it feems that the devil is fironger than God.
Is the devil fironger than God^ fay they ? If he be not,
how can he rejifi and withjiand him in the work of his
power ?

Anf, Nay; the devil is not fironger than God;
though he is very ftrong. But if the heart let in the
enemy, grieve the Spirit, beat back his power in the
way wherein it hath appointed to work, the devil may
be more prevalent with him than the power of God.
But in thofe that btflieve, and become obedient and
iiibjeft to the power of God, his power is far fironger
in them to defend and carry on his work, than the
power of the devil is to work againfl and hinder it.

There are objeflions alfo relating to free-will, and
falling from grace, which flick much in the fpirits of
many, and they cannot get over them; but it hath
pleafcd the Lord to clear up thefe things to us, and
to fatisfy our hearts concerning them, fo that with us
there is no difficulty nor doubt about them.

As touching free-will : We know, from God, that
man in his fallen ellate is fpiritually dead, and hath
no free-will to good; but his underflanding and
will are both darkened and captivated by the enemy.
But in Chrifl there is freedom, and in his word there
is power and life : and that reaching to the heart,
loofeneth the bands of the enemy, and begetteth not
only a freedom of mind towards good, but an incli-
nation, defires, and breathings after it. Thus the
Father draws, and thus the foul (feeling the draw-
ing) anfwers in fome meafure; and the foul, thus
coming, is welcomed by Chrifl, and accepted of the
Father. But for all this, the enemy will tempt this
^oul ; a^d the foul may hearken to, let in, and enter
into the temptation, and fo draw back from the
plough to which it put its hand, " Now if any man
" draw back, my foul fhall have no pleafure in him,"

faith

Covenant of Life opened. 169

faith the Lord. " And he that putteth his hand to
" the plough, and looketh back, is not fit for the
" kingdom of heaven."

So concerning falling away; The Lord (hews us
what it is that is apt to fall, and what cannot fall,
Chrift cannot fall ; and that which is gathered into
him, (lands and abides in him, (and fo partakes of
his prefervation) cannot fall. There is no breaking
in upon that power, which preferves in the way that
it hath appointed : but there is a running and perifli-
ing out of the way. Out of the limits of the cove-
nant, the prefervation and power of the covenant is
not witnefTed. But in coming to Chrift in the draw-
ings of the Father, in the fenfe and faith which he
begets, and abiding with him that drew, in the fenfe
and faith which he daily and frelhly begets anew (for
he reneweth covenant and mercy daily, and keepetli
covenant and mercy for ever) in this is the power felt,
the prefervation feltj in this the Father's hand en-
compafieth the foul, which none can pluck it out of.
Now he that feels and experiences thefe things every
day, that fees and feels daily how he can fall, and how
he cannot fall ; how he meets with the prefervation,
and how he miffcs of the prefervation -, how he abides
in the pure power, (which is the limits of this holy
covenant) and how he wanders out of this power,
into the limits of another covenant, fpirit, and power;
he knows thefe things, how they are indeed ; whereas
other men (who are not exercifed in the thing) do
but guefs at them ; driving to comprehend them in
that part which God hath fhut out of them.

Now mind a parable, with which I Ihall conclude
this.

Though the natural and outwardly-vifible fun be
rifen ever fo high upon the earth, yet he that is natu-
rally blind cannot fee it, nor partake of the light
thereof. So alfo, though the fpirkual Sua, the Sun

of

170 The Wav of Salvation in, &c.

of righteoufnefs, the Sun of the inward world, be
rifen ever fo high, and appear brightly in ever fo many-
clouds ; yet they that are fpiritually blind cannot dif-
cern it, nor reap the benefits of his light, nor par-
take of the healing which is under his wings.

S O M £

Q^ U E R I E S

CONCERNING THE

NEW COVENANT.

^ery i. TTTHAT is the covenant of hell and
y Y death, which muft of neceflity be
broken, before a foul can be gathered into the cove-
nant of life ?

^lery 1. What is the covenant of life and peace,
into which God gathers the foul ?

^ery 3. How doth God gather ? 'By a mere ad of
power, which none can refifl: ? or in a way wherein his
power (though much refifted) fhall prevail for the
falvation of thofe, who are faithful in the covenant;
who come to Chrift, abide in Chrift, refill and fight
(in Chrift) againft all that is contrary to his nature and
Spirit, and overcome through him ?

^ery 4. Are there any terms in this covenant ? Or
can there be any terms in this covenant, fuitable to
the nature of the covenant? Is believing in the power,
as abfolutely required in this covenant, as obedience
to the law was under the covenant of the law ?

^ery

Some Q^U E R I E S, Sec. 171

^/ery 5. If faith in the power, and obedience to
the power that redeems, be required as terms in the
new covenant; yet if they be not required of the
creature in its own capacity and ability, but as
firengthened and enabled by the virtue, life, and power
of the covenant, are they not free terms, noble terms,
worthy and becoming a free coveaant ?

^iery 6. Is not this the gofpel, or new covenant.
That whofoever beiieveth, and receiveth the baptifai
of the Holy Gholl: and fire, (fulFering in the fiefh,
and having his fins and corruptions purged away by
the Ipirit of judgment, and by the fpn-it of burning,
and fo walketh no longer after the flefh, but after the
Spirit) I fay, is not this the gofpel, or nev/ covenant,
that he that thus oelieveth, and is thus baptized, fhail
not be condemned with the world, but jufliified and
faved by that Spirit and power which cleanfeth him?

^ery 7. Doth God write his laws in mens hearts,
or put his fear therein, or his Spirit v/ithin them,
caufing them to walk in his ways and ibuutes, and to
keep his judgments, &c. 1 fay, doth God do this to
men out of t;ie f^iith ? Is not the work of falvation
begun in the faith, and carried on and perfefted in
the faith ? And he that maketh fhip wreck of faith,
and of a good confcience, can he groundedly hope to
have the work of falvation carried on in him ?

^iery 8. Doth not God beget, increale, and per-
fe6l the faith, which is available unto falvation? Is
any man accepted in the faith, which is of his own
nature ? Or is tlie acceptation in and through the faith
which is of the Son's nature ?

^ery 9, May the temptations of the devil, with a
man's hearkening thereto, hinder God's begetting faith
in him or no? Or if it be begotten, can they hinder
the growth and increafe of it ?

^(ery 10. When God drav/s, mud a man necelTarily
come to the Son ? Or may the devil fo tempt, and he
fo hearken thereto, as that his coming to the Son may
be hindered, notvvithftanding the Father's drawing ?

172 Some Q^U E R I E S, &c.

^ery ii. Is there not jiiftification to them that re-
ceive the feed, to them that obey the light ? And is
there not condemnation to them that refufe the feed,
and obey not the gofpel of its falvation ?

^ery ii. Do men perifh for want of power from
God ? Or through their cleaving to another power,
and refufing the ftrength of that which is over that
other power ; whofe hand would help their fouls, and
bring them through and over it, did they receive it,
and cleave to it in the way the Lord hath appointed ?

^ery 13. They that receive the power, believe in
it, and live j do they do it by their own ftrength ? Or
in the ftrength and virtue which flows from the power,,
which enlivens, draws, and makes able to follow ?

^ery 1 4. Thofe that are weak as to the power, and
in whom the enemy and corruptions are ftrongj is the
dcfeft on God's part? or on his covenant's part? Or
in the way of life, which he hath pitched upon as fuf-
ficient to redeem and deliver fallen man by ? Or is*
God (and his covenant and way of life) wholly clear
of the defefl, and refts it wholly on them ?

A N

t ^n ]

A N

Exhortation to All People,

fiat more efpeclally to Svcu as arc

DESOLATE and DISTRESSED.

"V TOW is the acceptable time, now is the da/' of
1\| falvation. Now is the life arifen, and now the
light Ihines, to guide out of the darknefs and death,
into the land of the living. Oh ! awake, ye that
fleep in the duft of the earth ; arife up from among
the dead, and Chrift fhall give you light, to walk
along in the path of the living ! Come to him whom
the Father hath fealed ; who is life, and who giveth
life freely to all that come; yea, abundantly, to thofc
that wait upon him, and walk faithfully in his cove-
nant. Oh! therefore come into covenant with him;
mind the words of his lips, which beget fenfe, and in
that fenfe his life ftirsj and in the ftirrings of his life
the drawings of the Father are felt. And when the
Father draws, he whom-ever he draws may come j and
him who comes, Chrift will in no wife caft out, but
receive into his arms, and defend by his power, againll
that which v/ould draw or force back from him into
perdition. Therefore hearken to the little movings
and ftirrings in you, after that which is eternal ; for
any defire which is in truth after him, he will not
quench (it is his nature to cherilh it) j but he will be
a ftrength and relief to the foul, againft that which
would quench and put oilt the breathings and pantings
aft6;r him, that it might ftill hold the foul in bondage

and

174 An Exhortation to All People, Scd

and captivity. And, people, mind this (it is a true
teftimony). Tlie door of life is now fo opened, by
him who hath the key and power, that whoever will
may enter. For the power of life is arifen, againft
the power of death and the deftroyer of the foul : fo
that great, yea, very great advantage is there in this
day, to all that are willing to follow the Leader and
Captain of falvation, out of the land of captivity.
Mind but his vifits, and be faithful in the Itrength
which flows from him j and nothing fhall hinder thy
foul from overcoming what (lands in thy way, to ftop
thee from attaining the eternal crown and inheritance
of life.

And as for you afflided mourners, who are feeking
the way to Sion, bewailing the abfence of your be-
loved, in whofe prefence is life and redemption, re-
furredtion from the dead, and viflory over finj yea,
all that your hearts have defired, or can defire : what
Ihall 1 fay to you ? O my friends, and dear brethren !
May I fpeak a little freely to you concerning the Lord
Jefus ? How that he was born of the virgin Mary,
according to the flefh, fulfilled his miniftry and fcr-
vice in the flefh, and was taken up to God j and how
that the fame Lord Jefus was afterwards born in Spi-
rit, of the fpiritual woman the church; even fo born
as to rule all nations with an iron rod; and yet did
not come forth to rule the nations, but was taken up
to God again, and hath not fince appeared in that
Spirit, power, and dominion ; but only in fuch a
itrength of life, as might enable his witnefies to bear
witnefs to him all along the apoftafy, until the church
Ihould come out of the wildernefs, and the man-child
appear again.

And now hear the joyful news. The apoftafy is
ended. Mark j I do not fay the apoftafy is generally
ended. No, no; there are many woes, plagues, judg-
ments, and terrible thunders to come upon perfons,
and nations, before they feel it ended. But it is
ended in fome veflels, which are upon the earth.
The man of fin, that wicked one, the fon of perdi-
tion.

An Exhortation to All People, Sec. 175

tion, hath been difcovered by the Spirit of the Lord ;
chafed, confumed, and deftroyed by the breath of
his mouth, and by the brightnefs of his appearance
in fome. Yea, the church is come out of the wilder-
nefs, and the man-child is come along with her^ for
Ihe is not come without her beloved, but leaning upon
her beloved ; and he is known ruling with his golden
fcepter, and with his iron rod battering down the cor-
rupt, felfifh, ftubborn, earthly fpirit, and raifing up
that which is meek, tender, lowly, and lay bowed
down and opprefled.

Now as Chrift faid, preaching in the days of his
fiefh, " This day is this fcripture fulfilled in your
** ears," Luke iv. 21. Was it not then fulfilled out-
wardly among the outward Jews ? Were there any
fick, or weak, or blind, or lame, or lepers, or pofTef-
fed with devils, whom he was not ready to cure? And
did he not go about doing good, and feeking them out
to cure them ? So may it not now be faid in the Spi-
rit and power of the Lord, among the fpiritual Jews;
this day is this fcripture fulfilled fpiritually in your
cars. Yea, what he did then outwardly, is known in
fpirit to be done among you inwardly and fpiritually.
How many that were before blind do now fee ? That
were before deaf do now hear ? That were formerly
lame do now v/alk ? That were very leprous are now
cieanfed ? That were very dead are now raifed ? That
"were quite dumb do now fpeak ? And the poor, the
empty, the naked are now clothed, and filled with the
riches and treafures of the everlafting-kingdom ? May
it not be truly faid, by many poor diiirelfed hearts,
that the wildernefs and folitary place is now glad, be-
caufe that which once v/as parched with drought and
barrennefs, now feels the living fprings, and the break-
ing forth of tlie pure clear river of life, the ftreams
whereof make glad the city of God, and caufe melody
in the heart to the Lord ? Where is the envious,
cruel, dragonifh nature, may fome fay ? Yea, where is
the place where dragons kiy ? Is there not a new crea-
tion ? a new heaven, a new earth j and are not all

things

176 An Exhortation to All People, &c/

things become new therein ? Are not the old things of
the night, and of the darknefs, pafTed away, and all
things become new in this day, which the I^ord hath
made, in the hearts which have received and been fub-
je6t to his light?

And now what hinders, but that ye alfo Ihould lift
up your heads, and fee the coming of the Son of man
in the clouds wherein he comes, and partake of the
redemption, virtue, and power of his appearance ?
What are the clouds wherein he comes ? Is his coming
outward ? Or are the clouds outward ? Or is his com-
ing inward and fpiritual in ten thoufands of his faints ?
Did not Enoch fee that he was to come fo to judge the
world ? Doth he not come to be glorified in his faints ?
Are not they to judge the world ? They in him, he in
them ? Oh ! read aright ; read with the Spirit, and
with the underftanding which is thereof j and then the
truth of the letter will be manifeft and Ihine to you.
There is nothing ftands in your way, but want of a
fpiritual eye to fee his fpiritual appearance in others,
(and fo to wait for it in yourfelves) even the eye of
faith, which fees the invifible power and glory, as the
Lord openeth it and maketh manifeft to it.

Now this I have to fay to you, in true fenfe and un-
derftanding. Come down to the Gentile's light, come
down to that which God hath difpenfed to the Gen-
tile, as well as to the Jew i which is the word (or
commandment) nigh in the mouth and heart. This hath
been the loweft of all, defpifed by all •, and this is in
the heart of God to exalt over all ; for it is above all.
The loweft in its defcent from the Father; the higheft
in its afcent to the Father. This is the thing which
man ran from, when the veil came over him ; which
all the fliadows of the law were to point out and fig-
nify. And as man is brought again to this, life fprings
in him, and the powerful redemption of the eternal
word is witnefled by him. Yea, he that hears the
voice of this, though he were ever fo dead in trefpafles
and fins, fhall feel life fpring in him, and the covenant
of Jifc inwardly revealed, which by the pure faith and

obedience

An Exhortation to All People, &c." 177

obedience is the entrance into, and the abiding in«
And this is the one truth, the one pure eternal word
and way to the Father, which was from the beginning,
and remains the fame unto the end. This is the
door, at which all hitherto have entered into life, at
which all do flill enter, and there is no other. BlefTcd
for ever is he, who hath made it fo manifeft and plain
in this our day; and blefled are they that fee it, and
enter into life at it !

Vifit of tender and upright Love

TO SUCH AS,

Among the many Profeffions and Ways of Reii-
ligion, retain any Meafure of Sincerity of
Heart, and true Defires after the Lord.

THE main thing in religion is to receive a prin-
ciple of life from God, whereby the mind may
be changed, and the heart made able to underftand
the myfteries of his kingdom, and to fee and walk
in the way of life j and this is the travail of the fouls
of the righteous, that they may abide, grow up, and
walk with the Lord in this principle; and that others
alfo, who breathe after him, may be gathered into,
and feel the virtue of, the fame principle.

But there is one that (lands in the way to hinder
this work of the Lord, who with great fubtilty drives
to keep fouls in captivity, and to prejudice -them
againft the precious living appearances of the redeem-
ing power of the Lord.

V ol. in. M One

i78 A Visit of tender ANt) upright LoVe.

One great way whereby he doth this is, by raifirlg
up in them a fear left they fhould be deceived and be-
trayed, and inftead of obtaining more, lofe that little
of God which they have. With this was I exercifed
long; and ftill, when life ftirred in my heart, then
this fear was raifed in me ; fo that I durft not in judg-
ment clofe with what fecretly in fpirit I felt to be of
God, it having a true touch of his quickening, warm-
ing, convincing, enlivening virtue in it.

Now that this fnare may be efcaped by fuch as
breathe after the Lord, oh ! let them wait, mourn,
and cry to himj that he would write his pure fear in
their hearts, and teach them when to fear, and how to
fear, and what to fearj and in that (or as that is
brought forth in them) they Ihall fee that they have
more caufe to fear their ^relent ftate> than to fear that
which, in the quickening warmth and virtue of God,
comes to make a change in their prefent ftate j yea,
they fliall then fee how the enemy now caufeth them
to fear, where no fear is i and keepeth them from fear-
ing, where the fear is. For what is the ground of
fear now ? This is the great thing that they fhould fear,
left they fhould not hear the call of the Spirit of the
Lord out of Babylon j out of that part of Babylon out
jpf which they have not yet travelled j and left they
ihould not hear and mind the call of his Spirit unto
Sion, the holy mount of God, towards and unto
which he leadeth his people, in this day of the reve-
lation and manifeftation of his glorious love and
power.

Oh ! therefore, my friends, ye that long after the
Lord, ye that defire to feel the power of his truth,
vait for the principle of life from him to be revealed
in you, and the pure fear which is therefrom, that ye
may feel the Lord thereby, and therein (even in and
through that principle) writing his fear, his pure fear,
his holy fear, his powerfully-preferving fear, in your
hearts; that ye may know the way to him, the feed '
(which is the way) may come and join to him there-,
in, and never depart from him. The fear of the Lord,

from

A Visit of tender and upright Love. 179

from the principle of his life, will (without fail)
efFe6l this in you as ye receive it from the Lord j but
the otiher fear, the fear which the enemy begets, will
not do it J but will be a bar and fore flop in your way,
till the Lord, by his holy power, through his tender
mercy, remove it from you.

And now anfwer me one queflion uprightly, as in
God's fight, from whom it is in my heart to propound
it to you.

Are you come to Sion, or are ye travelling thither-
ward rightly and truly? Have ye ever known any of
the travellers, that ye have been acquainted with, that
could in truth fay, that they were come to Sion ? The
Chriftians, in the primitive times, were come to Sion,
and they were acquainted and dwelt with God and
Chrift there i and knew Jenifalem, the heavenly build-
ing, the city of the living God. Oh ! where, are ye?
Nay, are ye yet come out of Babylon ? Do ye yet
know the wildernefs, the intricate paflages therein,
wherethrough God alone can lead the foul ? Oh ! de-
part ye, depart ye from your prefent flations, (in the
leadings of God's Spirit) unlefs ye can fay, in the true
unerring light, that they are your reft, your fouFs
true reft, even the everlafting kingdom, which the
primitive Chriftians received, (and into which they
found entrance) which could not be fliaken.
- And, friends, let me tell you one thing further,
(for my heart is at this prefent opened to you by the
Lord) that as the foul (in its travels) comes to Sion,
the lav^ of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus is witnefled,
which makes free from the law of fin and death.
And then there is no more fuch a crying out of the
body of fin as there was before j but a blefilng
of him who hath delivered, and daily doth deliver,
from it : yea, the body of fin is known and felt to be
put off, and Chrift put on in the ftead thereof. For,
my friends, there are feveral ftates witnefled by the
foul, in its true and fenfible travels towards the holy
land. As for inftance :

M 2 I. There

i8o A Visit of tender and upright Love.

1. There is a ftate of Egyptian darknefs and bon-
dage, in which the power of death reigns and rules in
the heart, fubjefting it to fin and death. And here
the foul is in the grave, and under death, captivity,
and bondage,^ in the midfl of all its profefTions of
religion, and talk of God and Chrift, and reading
fcriptures, and obferving ordinances and duties, &c.

2. There is a wildernefs-ftate, wherein the (Irength
of captivity is fonnewhat broken, and the heart drawn
to mind the leadings of life, and to follow after the
Lord through the trials, through the preparations,
through the feveral exercifes which the Lord feeth good
to exercife it with.

And here the mercy and goodnefs of the Lord is
experienced, and the deceitfulnefs and treachery of the
heart. This is the place of humiliation and breaking,
■wherein the foul daily feels how untoward and unac-
cuftomed it is to the yoke, which fhould break the
fpirit, and fubdue it to God. Here the Lord fhews
the foul what its heart is, that he might humble it,
and do it good in the latter end. Here the very law
of God appears weak, through the ftrength of the
flefh, which is not yet fubdued. Now here is mourn-
ing, and groaning, and crying to the Lord night and
day, both becaufe of the violence and multitude of
the enemies, and becaufe of the naughtinefs, diftruft,
and unbelief of the heart.

3. There 'is a ftate of reft, a ftate of peace, a ftate
of life, a ftate of power, a ftate of grace, a ftate of
dominion, in the life, and through the power of the
Lord, wherein the law of life is manifefted in domi-
nion in the heart over the law of fin ahd death. There
is an everlafting kingdom, wherein God and Chrift
reign, in which God treads Satan down under the
feet of the foul, and makes the foul a king and a
prieft ih the Son of his lovej and the foul feels it is
one with, and accepted in, the beloved.

Now, friends, that ye may know this kingdom,
travel faithfully towards itj feel and come into the
reiga of- Ghrift in -itj- fit down in tijc heavenly places

in

A Visit of tender and upright Love, i8i

in Chrift Jefus, and inherit fubilance ; know the ga-
thering to Chrift in the nan"ie, and fit down in the
name, where the enemy cannot touch you ; but feel
the prefervation and powerful 1-ife and dominion of
that feed which is over the enemy, and wherein and
whereby the Lord fcatters the enemy, bruifing the fer-
pent's head, and anointing the foul with the oil of
gladnefs, and clothing it with the beautiful garments
of his righteoufnefs and falvation ; and that ye may
know the precious and glorious building of life in the
Spirit, even of the holy houfe and city of God, where
the v/alls are falvation, and the gates jDraife, For this
end it is in my heart from the Lord to write thefe
things unto you j and the Lord God of his mercy open
the door of entrance to you into thefe things -, for
there is but one door of life, and there is not another;
which door is Chrift the feed ; which feed is revealed
within, there to break the wifdom, ftrength, and head
of the ferpent j and fo far as he breaks it there, re-
demption and freedom js witnefted from it, and no
further.

Oh ! that ye might receive an underft^nding from
the Lord, and be taught by him to deny and part with
the underftanding which is not of him, that ye might
fee things (from him, and in his light) which ye have
not yet feen ; and confider aright of that, which the
enemy hitherto, by his fubtiky, hath prejudiced you
againft.

And now as for us, v.-ho experience the truth as it is
in Jefus, and with the Lord our God in his light, and
by virtue of his life and love ftied abroad in our hearts;
I lay, what is it to us to be judged by you in your
day as perfons that deny Chrift, deny fcriptures, deny
ordinances, deny duties, &c. ? We are fatisfied in our
hearts as touching your judgment, knowing from the
Lord what it is in you that thus judgeth of us, even
the fame thing. that judged amifs of Chrift (in the
Scribes, Pharifees, and profefling Jews) in the days
of his flefh. And indeed riiat in you can never judge

M 3 aright;

i82 A Visit of tender and upright Love.

aright; but is to be judged, condemned, and de-
fbroyed by the life and power of the Lord.

And oh ! that ye knew (fenfibly knew) what is to
live, and what is to die in you, that ye might feel the
fifing of your fouls out of the grave, through the im-
mortal feed of God, and the bringing of all your
wifdom and knowledge of the things of God (which
ye hold, and make ufe of out of the compafs and
limits of his holy life and covenant) into death.

For, friends, let me tell you, that which hath been
parted with (for the kingdom's fake, and the right-
eoufnefs thereof) in fome, was more precious than
what ye hold fo Itiffly, and fo magnify in your own
thoughts and reafonings againft the truth, ifea, that
which was once of high efteem, and very glorious in
our eyes, is now become as drofs and dung, for the
excellency of the pure living knowledge of, and fel-
lowfhip with, Jefus Chrift, our Lord ; and if ye had
the true meafure and balance to weigh things in, yc
would acknowledge it : but the letter, and literal or-
dinances and duties, and apprehenfions of things out
of the life, kills you, and keeps you under the veil,
and from the fight of the things which arc within the
veil.

Oh ! that God would rend the veil in you ! Oh !
that God would give you the feeling of, and union
with, that whereby he rends the veil! Oh ! that he
would humble you, and bring down the mighty from
his feat of judgment in you, to be judged and abafed,
and exalt the meek and lowly into that which is his
proper place !

Oh! that ye might -feel the work of God, even the
redemption of the foul, begun and carried on by him
with power in your hearts 1 Then would ye know
Chrift indeed, the fcriptures indeed, the ordinances
indeed, the duties indeed, the everlafting fabbath, the
cverlafting worfhip j even the fubftance of all that was
Ihadowcd out under the law, and fit down under the
wing of the Almighty, from whence the power, the
life^ the virtue, the healing, drops into the foul.

And

A Visit of tendir and upright Love. 183

And now, to give a little touch at thofe things be-
foremen tioned, which ye fo ftumble at, a little to help
to remove them from your fpirits, if it pleafe the
Lord.

1. We do not deny that Chrift which died at Jeru-»
fakm i but own him, and no other: and own what
he did, his obedience to the Father always, and in all
things; his fufferings in the virtue and power of the
Father, and the value of them with the Father. This
the Lord our God teacheth us to own, and to blefs
the name of the Lord, for him who is the Captain,
and worker out of our falvation ; a meafure of whofc
life and power we have received, and embrace in our
hearts; and in this is He, the fulnefs, made manifeft
to US; and we, through this, and by this, and in this,
ingrafted into him; and fo come to partake of the
fweetnefs and fatnefs of the olive-tree. Yea, this we
certainly know, that Chrift was not only made mani-
feft in that body of flefti, but is alfo made manifeft in
our mortal flelh, as we are gathered into his life, and
his life brought forth in us. And he is not only anti-
chrift, that denieth Chrift's appearance in that body
of" fielh ; but he that deniech him (the hope of glory)
in his faints, his fpiritual body. Yea, 1 befeech you
confider, whether it hath been the work of antichrift
^11 along the apoftafy to deny the appearance of Chrift
in that body of flefh, or to deny the appearance of
his life and Spirit in the Pk'IIi of his faints ? ** We
*' know (iaith the apoille John) that the Son of God
*^ is come, and hath crivca us an underftanding to
" know him that is true." How was he come ? Was
not he that was with them come in them? Did he not
live in them, aft in them, fpeak in them ? And did
not they that were of God hear the voice of Chrift,
the voice of the Shepherd in them r But they which
were not of God, which were not the ftieep, could
not hear the voice of Chrift in his apofties and be-
lievers ; could not Own him come in their fiefh, though
they could preach the faine Chrift in words, and own

M ij. iv>

i84 A Visrr of tender and upright Love.

his coming in that body of flefh which he had ap-
peared in, 1 John iv. 6.

2. Wc do indeed really, heartily, fingly, as in
God's fight, own the fcriptures -, the fcriptures written
by the prophets and holy men of God under the law j
the fcriptures written by the evangelifts and apoftles
in the time of the gofpel ; and we read them with
delight and joy, and would draw no man from a right
reading of them to the benefit of his foul j but only
from giving their own judgments on them without the
Spirit of God j left, in fo doing, they wreft them to
their own deftrudion.

This is that which the Lord hath drawn us from,
and which we know it would alfo be profitable to
others to be drawn from too ; to wit, from imagining
and guefling at the meaning of fcriptures, and inter-
preting them without the opening of that Spirit from
which they were given forth ; for they who fo do, feed
that part (with a gathered knowledge) which fhould
be famiihed, die, and perifh, that another thing might
come to live in them, and they in it.

Now to us, being taught of God, and led by him
into the things and through the conditions the fcrip-
tures fpeak of, the fcriptures are very precious, the
relation of things under the law precious, the inftruc-
tions, promifes, and comforts precious, yea, the very
reproofs and denunciations of judgment to that part,
nature and fpirit which the judgments are to, precious;
and it is impoffible for any heart to conceive (wha
hath not the experience of the thing) how life fprings
in us; and how fweet, pleafant, and profitable the
words of life in the writings of the holy men of God
are to our fpirits; and in reading them wc often meet
with refrefhment, comfort, hope, and joyj from the
working of the fame Spirit in us, which gave forth
the good words through them.

3. As touching ordinances, we own all the ordi-
nances and appointments of God to the Jews under
the law, and God's prefence with them, walking with
the Lord, and worlhipping him in the faith according

thereto.

A Visit of tender and uprigh-b Love. 185

thereto. Yea, what if I fhould fay, that we know
and are exercifed in the fame worfhip in Spirit towards
the Lord our God, who hath called and taught us to
worfhip him in fpirit and truth, fo as he taught them,
according to the fhadow and letter ? What if I fhould
fay that we worfhip the Lord in fpirit on the Lord's
day (which is inward and fpiritual, the true reft, the
fubftantial fabbath) and that we offer up to him the
living facrifices, which the High Prieft of our profef-
fion prepares in us for the mofb excellent majefty and
glory of our God therein ? Were not the facrifices
under the law, which they offered up according to the
letter, types and fliadows of what the Lord teacheth
us, and giveth us to offer up to him in fpirit, when
we appear before him in his houfe built on his holy
mountain ? For, friends, tlie houfe wherein we appear
is fpiritual (an houfe of God's own building) j the
worfhip fpiritual, the facrifices fpiritual, the day of
worfhip fpiritual, even the day which the Lord hath
made. And here we know and enjoy the things fha-
dowed out under the law fpiritually, eating that which
is meat indeed, and drinking that which is drink in-
deed, even the flefli and blood of the Son of man ;
in which we feel and partake of his nature, his virtue,
his life, his fubftance, and both take ir in into us, and
put it upon US; fo that we have Chrill both to be our
food and clothing; and in the birth, nature and Spi-
rit which is of him, cannot be deceived concerning
him.

But the great matter ye feem to have againft us as
to ordinances, is about the baptifm of water, and
breaking outward bread, and drinking outward wine ;
concerning which 1 have two or three weight)' queries
to propound to be ferioully confidered of.

^ery i. Were thefe things themfelves the things of
the kingdom, or figniffcations of fomewhat relating
to the kingdom, as the fhadows under the law were?
And fo, though they might have a ufe and fervice in
the paffage from the law, yet could they have an ab-
folute place in the day ? For as the day dawns and

breaks.

i86 A Visit of tender and upright Love,

breaks, the fhadows fly away. What fhoiild the flia-
dow do, when that which the Ihadow fignified is
come ? What place is there for fhadows in the fub-
flance, in the everlafting kingdom ?

Now though the apoftle condefcended fo as to cir-
cumcife for the fake of the Jews, yet circumcifion
was not to abide. So he condefcended alfo as to
John's baptifmi to wit, the baptifm of water (for
that was not Chrift's baptifm, but his baptifm was that
of the Holy Ghoft and fire) j 'yet he bleffed God he
did not make ufe of it, and faid, he was n»t fent to
hapize. What was he not fent to baptize with ? Why
not with water, not with John's baptifm ; but he was
fent to baptize with Chrill's baptifm j to baptize into
the name, into the Spirit, into the power, (and fo
were all the apofllps) as well as to preach the gofpel.
Gal. iii. 5. Mat. xxviii. 19.

Then for the outward fupper : was not that a fha-
dow of the true fubftantial fupper of the Lord, of the
breaking of the true bread, and drinking of the true
•wine (the fruit of the vine of life) in the kingdom
of God ? Which kingdom was at hand in John's time,
and the difciples of Chrift were to pray it might
come J and the apoflles, and they afterwards (that
were in the power, in the life, in the righteoufnefs, in
the joy eternal) did witnefs it come. For mark : the
promife was not only of a kingdom of glory hereaf-
ter, when the body is laid down ; but they were to
receive the kingdom, and feel an entrance (yea, an
abundant entrance) into the everlafting kingdom mi-
niftered to them even then : and they were to eat
bread in the kingdom, and drink wine in the king-
dom, even new bread, and new wine, frelh from the
table of the Lord, yea, and with the Lord, in his
prefence, according to the promife, he would come and
dwell in them, and walk in themy andjup with them^ and
they with him. And thus they in their day, and we in
our day (bleffed be the name of the Lord our God)
cat and drink of the heavenly bread and wine of the
kingdom with Chrift therein j every one fitting in the

heavenly

A Visit of tender, and upright Love, 187

heavenly place, and manfion of reft, which the Lord
hath built up and prepared for him.

^lery 2. Have not thefe outward things been much
abuled, and the antichriftian fpirit (even the whorifh
fpirit, which hath adulterated from the Jife and poweit*
of God) appeared in them, and cried them up ? And
furely, as fo cried up by that fpirit, they are neither
of nor for Chrift.

And confider well what that outward court was
which God gave to the Gentiles, and what the worfhip
and ordinances of the outward court were -, and whe-
ther they were not given to the Gentiles alfo, and
whether thefe are any part of them ; for if fo, then
they belong not to, nor are required by, the Lord, of
the inward Jews, who are of the circumcifion in the
heart, and are come to inherit the fubftance.

^ery 3. Whether there be any virtue in thefe
things in themfelves, without God's requiring of
them ? Can outward water waili the foul ? Can out-
ward bread and wine feed or refrelh it ? Indeed if
God require a man to wafh his body with water, he
ought to be fubje<5b, and there will be profit to him
in his fubjeflion s but of itfelf it is but a bodily cx-
ercife, and without God's requiring it, it would be
but will-worlhip, and profit him nothing at all.

Now truly the Lord did never require this of us ;
but hath fhewn us the water which our fouls and bo-
dies had need of to be wafhed with, and the bread
and wine which they are to be fed and refrelhed with:
and in following the Lord according as he hath led
us, and required of us, we have found reconciliation,
life, reft, peace, and joy with our Father, and pure
refreftiment from him.

^ery 4. As touching duties : Thefe are the two
great duties v/e are taught, To love the Lord our God
'with all our hearty foul, andjpirit ; and our neighbour as
ourfelves. And thefe we learn by believing in him
whom God hath fent, and receiving the feed of life
from him J in the growth whereof in us we live, and
are made one with him, and partakers of the ability

which

i88 A, Visit of tender and upright Love.

which is of him. For not by working of ourfclves
do we attain to thisj but by the working of his pow-
erful life in us, through his mercy to us. He cir-
cumcifeth us, he cuts off the enmity, he brings under
the old nature and fpirit in us, and then the new
fprings up, and we are renewed in it. And in this
we learn and are made able to love the Lord, and his
children, and his creatures, yea, all that is of him.
And this love conftrains us to obey the Lord, and de-
ny all for him j fo that we can fuffer any thing
(through his ftrength) but fin, but corruption, but
unbelief, but difobedience to him. Yea, this makes
us fo tender towards him, that we can rather part with
all of this world, than the integrity smd fubjeftion of
our fpirits to him in the leaft thing that he requires
of us J his truth (and our tcftimony thereto) in every
refpefl being far dearer to us than our lives, and all
the enjoyments and pleafures of this prefent world.

From thefe two great duties flow many others as
towards Godj to fear him with the fear which is not
taught by the precepts of men, but which he writes
in our hearts ; to wait upon him night and day in
his temple, even in the holy place of his building j
to call upon him in the motion, guidance, will, and
help of his Spirit (for indeed when once we learn of
God, we are taught to pray no more after the flefb,
no more after the will, wifdom, or way of man) j as
alfo to be fenfible of his goodnefs, and give thanks to
him in every condition.

And in this we feel his prefence and acceptance, as
the Lord is not forgotten by us j but when we eat and
drink, walk abroad, o** flay at home, we feel him
near, and our hearts acknowledge him, bow to him,
wait upon him, blefs him, prai,fe his nan^e, and fpeak
words concerning him, or to him, with the outward
voice, when he gives them, and requires them of us s
but of a truth we dare bring no facrifices of our own,
nor kindle any fire or fparks of our own j but wait
for the holy breath. Spirit, and power of our God, to
perform all in us, and by us.

Rut

A Visit of tender and upright Love. 1S9

But now, becaufc we do not pray at certain fet-
times, (as we formerly were wont to do) nor fpeak
words before and after meat as formerly, and the like,
ye are offended with us, and fay we deny this duty.
No, no ; we do not deny to God the prayer which is
from the birth immortal 3 but this we fay, and fenfibly
feel, prayer is a gift, and the ability thereof is in
God's Spirit ; for wc know not what to pray for as we
ought, nor have we a power in us to pray when or as
we will ; but in the Holy Spirit, in his breathing in
ns, is our ability j and we are to wait on him for the
moving and breathing of his Spirit, and not to pray
of ourfelves, or in our own wills or times, but in the
Father's. And it is a mighty thing to fpeak to God
aright in prayer. Flefli muft be filent before him,
and laid ftill and low in his prefence, that the pure
fpring may open, the pure breath breathe, and the
pure voice ilTue forth; for God heareth not finners,
but the born of him that doth his will. This muft
every foul witnefs in his meafure, as Chrift witnefTed
it in the fulnefs ; and there is no ferving God aright,
or performing any duty or ordinance of worfhip to
him aright, but in a meafure of the fame life and Spi-
rit wherewith Chrift fervcd him.

Now I do not only own the ftate of the Jews in
their integrity, and of the primitive Chriftians in
theirs, and of what the Lord hath caufed to break
forth in this our day, but I alfo own all the appear-
ances of God all along the night of the apoftafy in
the holy martyrs and witneffes, which he raifed up,
and enabled to bear teftimony to his truth, and againft
the antichriftian practices of many in that dark night
of the apoftafy. And thus alfo I own all the work of
God in my own heart, and in the hearts of others
(whom he pleafed to work upon) in former times v
yea, the breathings and defires which are yet in the
hearts of any after the Lord, fo far as they are in the
truth, and of and from the Lx)rd, I cannot but own.
But the Lord hath ftiewrt me that there is a great mix-
ture in mens defires and endeavours after him; and

that

190 A Visit or tewDir and upright Lovi*

that the evil fpirit (by his fubtilty) doth often get
the managing of them, and turn the very zeal and
earneftnefs of the mind (through prejudices and mif-
apprehenfions) againft the Lord and his truth. Now
this is a very dangerous ftate, and there arc fome (who
little think fo) in this ftate, doing that againft the
Lord, and againft his Chrift, his truth, his people,
which, if ever their eyes be opened, they will mourn
bitterly over; and if their eyes be not opened, but
they walk on by a wrong light, (even by a light of
their own gathering, imagining, and conceiving)
whither will it lead them, and what will their end be ?
Oh 1 that ye could hear ! Oh ! that yc could fear
aright ! Oh ! that ye could rightly confider ! Oh ! that
ye could feel the life and power of the Lord near
you, the "Word of life near you, even as near as ye
have felt the enemy and his temptations, that ye
might partake of, and witnefs with joy, the virtue and
redemption of it ! Oh ! that ye could once aright
look upon him whom ye have pierced, and yet daily
pierce, and cannot but pierce, until the righteous
judgments of the Lord be poured out on the head of
the tranfgrelTor in you, and the Lord waited upon,
feared, and fubjedled to, in the way of his judgments,
that ye may feel the refining work finilhed, the drofs
burned up, the temple prepared, the veflel brought
pure out of the furnace ! What then ? Why when the
Lord hath built up Sion, prepared his temple, cleanfed
his houfe, will he not appear there in his glory ? Shall
it not become an houfe of prayer, of pure prayer, and
of pure praifes ? Shall there be any lame or blind fa-
crifices offered up ther<;? Shall it not be the beauty
of holinefs indeed ? Shall not the appearance of the
Lord be more glorious there than ever it was in the
temple and ordinances under the law ? Shall not every
living ftone in this building feel the God of life and
power prefent of a truth, and feel not only the earth,
but the very heavens melt before him and pafs away,
and nothing remain but the pure light and life of the
Lamb ?

Words

A Visit of tender and trpRiGHT Love. 191

Words and promifes fpoken concerning things to
be brought forth in the gofpel-ftate do not go beyond
the things fpoken -, but the things brought forth ex-
cel and go beyond the words, being fo felt and en-
joyed by that which is fitted and prepared by the Lord,
as words cannot utter. The Lord God lead all that
rightly defire after him into the right way (and pre-
ferve thenn therein) of meeting with and enjoying
what their hearts rightly defire, and beat back the
enemy in all his devices of entangling, perplexing,
and drawing them afide ; that they may receive the
covenant, the new covenant, walk with God in the
light thereof, live in the life thereof, obey through
the power thereof j and may know what kind of meat
and drink, what joy, delight, and plcafure it is to the
foul to do the will, in the principle, and by the power,
of the new life. So the Lord God Almighty, the
Creator, Guider, and Preferver of his Ifrael, lead you
out of the darknefs, bring you through the wilder-
nefs, reveal the hope in you, and ftay your minds
thereon, and give you to feel the true travel and
faithful walking with him in the footfteps of the
flock, which he hath led and is leading his in, and
unto fome of whom (in the tender mercy which from
on high hath vifited them) he hath given full reft and
fatisfadion in his truth.

A BRIEF

[ 192 ]

BRIEFACCOUNT

OF THE

Ground of Certainty and Satisfaction,
which it hath pleafed the Lord to cfl:abli(h in
my Heart concerning Religion, and the Things
of His Kingdom*

I HAVE been afflifted from my childhood, mourn-
ing and feeking after the Lord, and feeling very
much grief and pain of fpirit, through my fenfe of
the want of him. I have not been contented with
the way of religion I was educated in, but (through
that of God which ftirred in me) found great defcds
in it, and was drawn and led by his Spirif to travel
through it, and feek further. That which I ftill
fought after was the refting-place, the life of my
foul, and power and prefence of the Lord, that de-
monftration of his Spirit (as touching truth and the
way of God) which was witnefled in the days of the
apoftles. Now, breathing after this, but not meet-
ing with it, caufed unutterable anguifh, mifery, and
diftrefs in my heart, fo that my condition could not
be hid within mine own breaft, but my forrow alfo
brake forth in the fight of others.

But at length the eternal bowels have pitied me,
and have Ihewed me the place of the foul's reft, and
I have felt the eternal arm gathering me into, and
giving me fome poflfefllon of, a meafure thereof; fo
that my heart is fatisfied about religion and the things
of God's kingdom, being taught of God how to

know

A BRIEF ACCOUNT, &c. ipj

know the Pearl, and the way alfo how to come to
inherit and enjoy it ; and in that way I have had great
experience of the love, mercy, wifdom, goodnefs,
power, and righteoufnefs of the Lord ; and notwith-
ftanding all my foul's enemies, 1 ftill feel his prefence,
life, and power, to his praife, which doth the work in
me, and which giveth me to hope in him, and wait
upon him. And now in love and tendernefs of bow-
els to others, it is in my heart to anfwer a queftion
or two about the ground of the affurance and fatisfac-
tion which God hath given my foul •, it being in my
heart not to grieve or trouble any, but only to be
helpful in holding forth what the Lord hath demon-
ftrated to and written in my heart, as he fhall draw,
move, and enable my fpirit thereunto ; to whom my
foul boweth, and giveth the praife of all that he hath
done in me, and pleafech by his Spirit and power to
work through me.

Queft. J. // may he inquired by fome, How I come to
knozv the Spirit of God, and his church, and the fcriptures
of the holy men to be written by the infpiration and lead-
ing of his Holy Spirit ; and how I know the motions and
drawings of his Spirit in me, from the motions, Juggeflions,
and temptations of the evil fpirit ; and how I amjatisfied
that I am in the way of truth and life eternal^ and do not
wander out of it, and err from it ?

Anf. Thus I know ; By receiving, joining to, abid-
ing and growing up in that holy feed, which the Fa-
ther of fpirits hath fown in me. There is an eledt
feed which cannot poflibly be deceived, which feed
the Father foweth, and caufeth to grow in the hearts
of them that receive it ; whofe earth is by him digped
and prepared for it. Now 1 have felt this ieed from
God, this holy pure thing, which there is nothing like
for virtue and excellency. Nothing hath its nature
befides it, nothing manifefts the Fatner but it; the
heart is changed, renev/ed, reftored into the i.oly
image by this alone.

In this feed there is no deceit j no deceit ever came
from it, no deceit ever entered into it, nor can ; and

Vol. III. N from

194 A BRIEF ACCOUNT, &c.

from the day that 1 have known it, 1 have always felt
prefervation by it, while my heart hath been kept to
it. Mine eye never mif-faw in it, mine ear never
mif-heard in it, my heart never mifunderftood in it;
but here I have felt given to me, and maintained in
me by God, the eye which fees, the ear which hears,
the heart which underftands the things of his king-
dom ; and here the entrance hath been minifteied into
the everlafting kingdom, where God reveals by his
Spirit the myfteries of his kingdom, which all elle arc
Ihut out of, but this feed and the birth which is of
it. And when the enemy hath at any time in my
travels, by any temptation or device, got in any de-
gree between my foul and this feed ; then a darknefsj
a lofs, doubts, fears, troubles, &c. have fo far come
over my foul.

Queft. 2. But how know I this feed, may fome in*
quire .^

j4nf. By its nature, by its properties, by its mani-
fefting of itfelf in my heart. It hath that light, that
life, that power in it, which I never met with any
where elfe. It bruifeth the head of the ferpent at its
pleafure, whereby I know it to be the feed of the
"Woman. It dafheth in pieces (through fubjedtion to
it) whatever is contrary to God, and bringeth up his
holy nature in me. It fo bringeth me into the very
image of his Son, that what I read in the fcriptures
concerning the nature, righteoufnefs, and work of
falvation by Chrift, 1 find formed and fpringing up
in mine own heart, as I am gathered into, and brought
forth in, this feed. Yea, I really feel that I am born
of God's Spirit, fo fa** as I am born of this. Here I
feel, know, underftand, and am acquainted with, the
fubftance, the thing itfelf, that which all the types
and figures of the law fhadowed out. Here I meet with
the circumcifion which is without outward hands j the
baptifm which is without outward water; the fupper
of the Lord, which is without outward bread or wine;
and here I know the true Jew, whofe nature, fpirit,
works, and ways, are all of God, in and through his

Son

A BRIEF ACCOUNT, &c. 195

Son Jefus Chrift. And here I muft profefs, I cannot
doubt concerning the things of God; but in the light
and anointing of this feed, fee both the myftery of
iniquity, and the myftery of godlinefs, and the ways
and workings of each fpirit, both inwardly and out-
wardly; and my unity with the one, (through the
tender mercy, goodnefs, love, and power of the Lord,
ail which are herein revealed) and my feparation from
the other.

And this is the true way of certainty and fa-
tisfadion, which is of God, and will ftand, when
all the feveral ways of mens inventions will fail of
what they promife to men, and fall in the fight of
men. For this feed and birth of God are to be ac-
knowledged, and reign in the day of his power, and
not another. And it is the day of his power in fome,
and fhall be the day of his power in others -, for dark-
Jiefs or death (hall not prevail to bring the life of the
rifen Son into the fepulchre or grave again ; but he
jfhall ride on conquering and to conquer, fubduing and
to fubdue, reigning and to reign, until he hath
brought ail things under the dominion of the Father's
power.

A QJJESTION anfwered about the V/ay of
knowing the Motions, Do(flrines, and Teach-
ings of Christ's Spirit.

Queft. T_T OIV may a man know the motions, doSfrines,

\_ J[ and teachings of Chrijt's Spirit inwardly, from
the deceivable movmgs, appearings, and workings of a
contrary fpirit ? And how may a man know concerning tks
do^rines that others teach, whether they fpeak from Chnji,
or whether they fpeak of thenf elves ?

AnJ. This is a great matter indeed, and he muft
firft receive fomewhac from God, who is able to ^o

N 2 this.

196 A QUESTION ANSWERED.

this. He muft be born of the wifdom that is from
above, he muft receive a fpirit of difcerning from
God, he muft receive fomewhat of the flieep's ear,
fomewhat of the holy underftanding, whereby he may
be made able to diftinguifti fpirituals, and put a dif-
ference between the pure and impure; between the
pretender to the things of God, and him which is in-
deed of God. There is a balance of the fandtuary
appointed to weigh fpiritual things and appearances
in ; and by this balance alone are they truly and
rightly difcerned and diftinguiftied ; and this balance
is in the fandluary, in the holy heavenly place in
Chrift Jefus, where the true weight of fpiritual things
(or things that pretend to be truly fpiritual and liv-
ing, but are not) is given and difcerned. But he
that weighs without this, he that weighs by his own
judgment and underftanding, by his own comprehen-
fion and conceivings; he weighs by that which is un-
certain, changeable, and fallible, and turns up and
down according to the appearances of things to him,
but judgeth not the righteous judgment, which is from
the fenfe, arid in the light, of truth.

Therefore, oh ! that men were humble, tender,
meek, and fenfible of their inability to judge as of
themfelves, that they might fee their need of this
gift of God, and wait upon him for it; being in the
mean time as the weaned child, not meddling with
things too high for them, but keeping and abiding
low in fear and fubjedion to that which the Lord hath
already made manifeft to them. For what man is
there, to whom the Lord hath not already (in his
tender mercy and go^^dnefs) made fomewhat of him-
felf manifeft ? Who is there, who by the light of the
Spirit of God in his confcience, knoweth not fome
evil which he ought to leave undone, and fome good
which he ought to do ? Now this is the way of God,
and the work which man ftiould be exercifed in, to
feel his mind gathered into that which teacheth this,
that he might receive power from the Lord to ceafe to
do the evil which he is thus warned by him of, and

to

A QUESTION ANSWERED, 197

to do the good which is thus required of him. For
thus the Spirit of the Lord teacheth and requireth of
men, even inwardly in their fecret parts, fecretly
quickening and enlivening them in fome meafure,
and giving them a fenfe of their fin, death, feparation
from him, mifery and danger thereby; for where there
is any fight of fin, and any fenfe of the burden there-
of, there is fome life, fome light, fome little ftirrings
of the life, and fome quickenings thereby, without
which this {enfc could not be. Now mark.

Are not here the drawino-s of the Father? Are not
here the teachings of the Father, tnough but in a
little meafure; yet true, yet living? Is not here fome
little difcerning given betv^een the precious and the
vile ; between fomevvhat that is of God, and fome-
what that is againft him ? Well then, here is the gift
of difcerning, though in a poor, low, little, weak
meafure j and that man who receiveth this, receiveth
the beginnings of the gift, fomewhac of the gift,
whereby he may be able to difcern and diftinguifh a
little about fpiritual things, fo far as the light and
ability of the gift in him extendeth.

Now this is man's work, (and in this lies his fafety)
to come hither, abide here, and grow here. Not to
judge out of this; to judge no farther concerning the
things of God, than thisjudgeth in him; to keep the
judgaient which he hath from this; not hearkening to
the fubtil devices of the enemy, which will ftrive af-
terward to cloud his mind, delude and deceive him,
with a falie appearance of wife reafonings and difput-
ings of his own, or from other men, to make him
believe otherwiie. And fo keeping what ground he
hath gained, he is to wait for more of this light, more
of this life, more of this virtue, that his foul may
grow up and increafe therein, that his eye may be
Itrengthened to fee further, and his ear to hear fur-
ther, and his heart to embrace more of the inftruflions
und diredlions of the Spirit of the Lord, unto and in
the way of the kingdom. ^

N 3 There-.

198 A QUESTION ANSWERED.

Therefore the man that would meet with, and re-
ceive from God, the gift of difcerning, let him mind
the prcfent manifeftation of God's light from his Spi-
rit in his heart j embrace that, fall in with that, take
heed of tiie reafonings of the mind againft the con-
vidlions and demonftrations of God's Spirit, but re-
ceive the truth in the love of it, even the loweft ap-
pearance of truth, about the leaft and moft defpifablc
things, and give up faithfully to the Lord therein,
without murmuring, without difputing, without con-
fulting with flefh and blood. And he that is faithful
to the light of the Spirit (and to the difcerning which
is thereby) in the little, he Ihall receive more, he
fliall have his light and difcerning thereby increafed,
as his need requireth. But he that (lands difputing,
and would have all his way made clear to him, before
he fets one ftep in itj he is far from becoming that
child, which the Father teacheth, and adminiftereth
an entrance into the kingdom to.

This, in efFeft, was the very anfwer which Chrift
gave to this thing in the days of his flefh, when there
were great difputes concerning his doctrine, how to
know whether it was of God or no. What was the
refolution he gave of this j " If any man," faith he,
** will do his will, he fhall know of the doftrine
" whether it be of God, or whether I fpeak of my-
" felf," John vii. 17. Wouldft thou know of the
Son's doftrine? Wouldft thou know whether it be the
dodlrine of the Son indeed, the doftrine of him who
comes from the Father .'' Yes, very fain, will the up-
right heart fay; oh! that I might know concerning
what rifes and opens in my heart, whether it be from
the Spirit of God, or from the root of deceit in me !
Why this is the way; do the Father's will.

Object. Do the Father's will; why what an anfwtr is
this ! The difpute is about the Father's will. Is not the
do5irine of the Son the Father's will ? How can I do the
Father s willy which the Sou is to teach me, until Ifirji
know of the Sons doctrine ?

Anf

A QUESTION ANSWERED. 199

AnJ. It is true, the Son's doftrine is the Father's
will, and thou canft not do the Father's will, but as
thou receivell the Son's doctrine. But mark; There
are difputes in thy mind about fomewhat of the Son's
dodtrine, whether it be his do6t:rine or no ; fomewhat
alfo about inward motions, workings, and flirrings in
thee, which thou wouldlt fain know whence they are.
Now the queftion is concerning the way how thou
mayeft attain to this j how thou mayeft come to a
certain and fatisfa6tory knowledge herein ? Which is,
not by entering into reafonings and difputes about
thefe things whereof thou doubteft, but by coming
into that wherein and whereby they are made mani-
fell; and that is by coming into obedience to the Fa-
ther in that, which he hach already made m^nifefl j
for in that light (to them that believe in it) and in
obedience thereto, (be it ever fo little, or the mani-
feftation ever fo fmall) the Father will reveal more,
and give to that heart and mind to be fenfible of what
is of him, and what is of the enemy, fo far as it is
needful for it as yet to know. For wife and abfoiute
judgment in all things, is not neceflary for a babe j
but {zn{t to know the bread, and to receive from it
the milk, by which it is to be fed that it may grow.
This is enough in its prefent flate ; yet if there be
need of flrength at any time to dill the enemy and
the avenger, the Lord will reveal it in the heart, and
bring it forth out of the mouths of the babes and
fucklings, to the perfe6ling of his praife.

So mind and learn the way, O ye that are fimple-
hearted, (and truly defire after the Lord, and the pu-
rity and power of his kingdom) and take heed of the
wrong way; take heed of man's way, which is by
confuking with his own wifdom, and weighing things
in the balance of his own reafon and underdanding ;
and thus he may weigh fcriptures written in former
ages, and the appearances of God in this age, and err in
heart, mind and judgment concerning them both, all his
days. But he that waits on the Lord in fear, and in
obedience to that which is already made manifed, not

N 4. defir-

200 A QUESTION ANSWERED.

defiring knowledge from God in his own will, time,
or way, but in the Lord's, who perfectly knows every
one's ftate, and what is fit for him ; he fhall know
concerning every doftrine his heart defireth to be in-
ftrufted in, in the Lord's feafon ; and in the mean
time the Lord will feed him with food convenient, and
clothe him with clothing convenient; and there fhall
be no want to him, who boweth before the Lord in
what is already made manifeft, and waiteth for his
further manifellations and appearances. But the wife
hunter after knowledge, before the Lord leads, and
further than he leads and teaches i this is the firft
birth, which is excluded the kingdom and the myf-
teries thereof: this is he who always defpifed and
would ftill kill the heir, that the inheritance might be
hisi but the inheritance is appointed for, and given
to, another; even to the Lamb's nature, the Lamb's
Spirit, the Lamb's innocency, the birth of another
wifdom, which is a foolifh weak birth in his eye, and
not worthy at all to inherit; but it is the Father's
pleafure to give the kingdom and inheritance of life
everlafling to thefe.

To fpeak yet a little more plainly, and bring it yet
a little clofer to the heart, if it may be. It hath
pleafed the Father, in this day of his love and power,
to gather a little flock out of the world (and all
worldly profefTions of worfhip and religion) to him-
felf. This flock he hath gathered by a poor, little,
low thing in their hearts, exercifmg them thereby in
poor, mean, and contemptible ways to the eye of the
world, and to all the profefTions of man's wifdom ;
and by this, and conccning this, he teftifieth (through
thofe whom he hath gathered) to others. And the
teftimony doth evidence itfelf (through the power of
the Spirit) to all that wait upon God for an ear, and
hear in the fimplicity thereof.

Now when we tell men of a divine principle, of a
feed of God, wherein their religion is to begin, and
from which it is to grow, and whereof they are to be
born ; this will enter into many, yea, many will affent

to

A QUESTION ANSWERED. 201

to be drawn fo far as to wait inwardly for, and upon
this. But now when this begins to (tir and move in
them, it is in fuch a way, and many times about
fuch low, mean, contemptible things in their eyes,
that they are very apt to defpife it, and enter into dif-
putes againft it, and fo mifs of the entrance, and caa
never thus enter into it -, but inftead thereof are filled
with doubts about the leader and his motions, and
puzzled and entangled in their minds, and ftopt at
the very beginning. And fo, though they defire
much, and hope much, yet all comes to little, becaufe
the enemy hath pofTeiTed their minds with a device of
his fubtilty, as if thcfe were fmall things, and of little
concernment. That which they want is the powerful
life, the clear light, &c. and fo their minds are taken
up with thoughts about thefe great things, and defires
after thefe great things, and they overlook the way
wherein and whereby thcfe are to be witneflcd and
obtained.

For the Lord God, in his infinite wifdom, picked
out thefe contemptible things to exercife his flock by,
and to lead them in. And whatever men may think
of them, yet none knows (but they who experience
it) how hard it is to follow and fubjedt to the Lord in
thefe, and how much they bow down and break the
earthly and uncircumcifed fpirit in a man. Now,
friend, thou who defireit life from God, oh ! take
heed thou dofl: not beat back the beginnings of
his life, and the redemption of thy foul, by defpifing
and overlooking the day of fmall things. Why may
not God choofe to lead thee in the way that he hath
led the reft of his flock ? Why fliouldfl: not thou alfo
come to deny the cuiloms and vanities of this world,
(and come into that which is fimple and plain) and
ftand in the will and life of God out of them ? Are
not the ways, cuftoms, and vanities of the world, of
the fpirit of the world, and not of the Father ? Did
they not come from the corrupt part ? Are they not
of the corrupt part? Do ^ they not pleafe the corrupt
part ? Muft they not be left behind by him that travels

into

2oa A QUESTION ANSWERED.

into the feed, is one with the feed, and lives in the
feed ? Why wilt thou ftick in thefe things ? Why wilt
thou difpute about thefe things ? Oh ! feel the Father's
drawings, firft out of the world, firft out of that
which is not of the Father, but of the world i that
he may draw thee further and further, even into the
kingdom and power everlafting, which are many days
journey beyond that which thou ftickefl: at.

Now mind and remember this which followeth :

In the days of Chrift and his apoftles, God chofe
the fooHlh things, and the weak things, and things
that were not, to hide the path of life, and the myf-
teries of his kingdom, from the wife fearching eye of
man in thofe days. Why may he not choofe the like
things now ? Why may he not now reveal things to
the babes, and not to the wife of this age and gene-
ration ? Why may it not be to his glory, to have it
now faid alfo, *' Where is the wife? Where is the
** fcribe (where is the learned man) ? Where is the
*« difputer of this world ?" Can any of them find out
that, or any of them difcern that, which God revealeth
to his little ones ? No, no : they are generally got too
high above that little, low, tender, meek, fenfible prin-
ciple, in the faith whereof, and in obedience whereto,
the teachings of God are received, and his life and
power witnefTed. And becaufe of their riches, wif-
dom, and knowledge out of this, therefore is the en-
trance into the pure living truth (which cleanfeth the
mind, and keepeth it clean, which quickeneth it, and
keepeth it living) to them fo exceeding difficult.

And as the principle is little, the feed of the king-
dom little, (like a grain of muftard feed) the leafl of
all feeds J fo, why may not its appearance alfo be lit-
tle, even in low weak things, defpifable to man*s eye
and wifdom; which man fees nothing in, and may
account of no value ? And yet, the power of the
crofs, (which brings down, and flays the corruptible)
and the refurredion of the life, may be witnefTed and

felt

A QUESTION ANSWERED. 203

felt in theni-. " The fooliflinefs of God is wifer than
** men, and the weaknefs of God is ftronger '^ -r-^
" men :" and he knovveth what he doth in leading ^^
children in this contemptible path, and by thefe con-
temptible exercifes, which all that is wife, high, lofcy,
and afpiring, according to the flefh, may eafily over-
look and flight, but can hardly iloop down and fub-
je(5t to.

God is the fame that ever he v/as -, and he ftilj ap-
pears in the way of his own wifdom, and out of man's ;
and he that will partake of God's wifdom muft deny
and keep out of his own. His touches, his drawings,
his teachings, his blefTings, his love, his peace, his
joy, his fvveetnefs, &c. are let forth upon, felt, and
enjoyed by the foul, in the new creation, in the new
fenfe, in the denial and paffing out of the old.

S O M E W PI A T
Touchinjr the Gospel-Rest, or Sabbath.

WHAT is the gofpel-reft? What is the gofpel-
fabbath ? Is it a fhadow, as that of the law
was ? Or is it the fubftance of that which the law fha-
dowed out ?

" The law was given by Mofes." Mofes, by the
command of God, gave forth the fhadows of the hea-
venly things under the law; "But grace and truth
** came by Jefus Chriil." The true fabbath, the true
reft, the law of the Spirit of life, in and to the true Jews,
comes by him. The law of Mofes had the fhadow of
the good things to come; which good things them-
felves the gofpel contains, bringing life and immor-
tality to light, and the foul into the enjoyment and
poiTefTion of the heavenly things themfelves.

The

204 Somewhat touching the

The apoftle difputes the cafe about both thefe, Heb.
iv. both about the leventh day of reft, and about the
]and of reft ; ftiewing that they were neither of them
the fubftance ; they were but the refts which were to
pafs away. But befides them, there was a reft remain-
ing, a day of reft remaining, a land of reft remaining ;
whereof they both (both the outward fabbath of reft,
and the land of reft under the law) were figures.

Now, for whom did this reft remain ? Why, it re-
mained for the true Jews, for believers, for the fpiritual
circumcifion in the times of the gofpel. " And wc
«' (faid he) who have believed, do enter into reft."
The faith gives entrance, the Son's faith j the faith
which ftands in the power, the faith which is vidlory,
and gives vi6tory over fin and the world, removes the
mountains and difficulties which ftand in the way,
and gives entrance into the gofpel-reft. Faith, which
is from and of the power of the endlefs life, puts fin
under, brings down felf, gathers man into a new prin-
ciple, brings man forth in a new principle, caufeth
him to live and aft in a new principle, &c. And as
man comes thither, and that life rifeth and hath power
in him, it caufeth him to reft from his own works,
and to wait for and experience God, In and through
Chrift, to work all, and be all in him.

The apoftle Peter alfo fpeaks of this reft, and de-
clares how it is attained, even by fuffering in the
flefh, *' He that hath fufl?cred (faith he) in the flelh,
" hath ceafed from fin," i Pet. iv. i.. It is the
fleflily part, the motions in the flefli, from whence fin
arifeth.

" Luft, when it is conceived, bringeth forth fin.'*
Now Chrift hath prepared and appointed a crofs, a
fpiritual yoke, to bring down the flefli, which caufeth
great fuffering in the flefli to him that taketh it upon
him. To deny all ungodlinefs, and every worldly luft,
motion, defire, and delight of the flefhly mind and
nature, there is a fore fuffering ta the earthly part j
but yet this bringeth down the earthly part in all that
take it up, and helpeth and caufeth to ceafe from fin,

An4

Gospel-Rest, or Sabbath.' 205

And he that hath taken up the crofs wholly, and felt
the thorough work of ic, and fuffered in the flefh the
parting with and crucifying all that is of the flefh,
that which would caufe him to fin is flain in him, and
he ceafeth from fin. Then he is in the reft; then he
keeps the reft fully ; then he knows the yoke and
crofs, which was once burdenfome to him, to become
eafy and delightful, that being worn out in him to
which it was painful.

Now he that is in meafure delivered, that hath in
meafure fuffered, findeth fome reft, and may in fome
meafure keep the fabbath -, yea, in the faith, the
weakeft babe (abiding therej cannot but keep the
fabbath, and offer up the facrifices, and perform the
fervices thereof to the Lord. For the worfhip of the
New Teftament relates not to outward times or days;
but is in the Spirit, in the truth, in the name, in the
power, in the fubflance, on the day, and in the times
and feafons which the Lord hath made, and makes, in
the fpirits of his people.

And here that fcripture is witnelled to thofe that arc
born of the Spirit, and live in the Spirit, and walk
after the Spirit : " Sin fliall not have dominion over
" you ; for ye are not under the law, but under grace.*'
Who are not under the law, but under grace ? Why
they that are gathered by the grace, that hear the voice
of God in the grace, drawing and enabling them to
follow; they whom the grace overfhadows from the
power and dominion of fin ; they are under it, they
are fheltered, faved, and preierved by it.

He that is born of God finneth not^ hut obeyeth the
grace -i but he that committeth fin, is the fervant of
fin, and not yet made (inc by the grace and power of
the Son from it. Yea, the Son gives that freedom in
his day from fin, and the power of Satan, as they that
are out of the light of his day cannot fo much as
believe ; but they that are gathered into, and walk in
the light thereof, they witnefs the law of the Spirit of
life in Chrift Jefus, making them free- from the law

of

ao6 Somewhat touching the

of fm and death. What I is the ftronger than the
ftrong-man come, with his law and power of the
^ndlefs life, and fhall not he manifeft his dominion in
the heart, over the law of fin and death ? Yea, as it
is received, and let in, it works out, overcomes,
bears down, over-runs the law of fin and death j and
that promife is witnefled, fulfilled, O death ! I will be
thy death.

And if God, by the power and breath of his Holy-
Spirit, with the living powerful laws thereof, kill fin
and death in the heart, what fhall make them alive
again ? No, noj then they are dead indeed, and the
kingdom and reign of Chrift is witncflfed in that
foul.

Then the birth of life is witnefled j then the man-
child is witnefled, ruling with a rod of iron, dafliing
in pieces all motions and temptations to corruption,
and all that would defile, fo that they cannot enter the
mindj and guarding it in the pure peace, unfpeaka-
ble joy, and refl: of the Son continually. And there
it is as truly witnefled inwardly (as ever it was at any
time enjoyed or hoped for by the Jews outwardly)
that this horn of faivation, which God hath raifed up
in the houfe of his fervant David, breaks all the horns
of the oppreflfors, and gives reft: to the foul from them
round about, that, without fear of them any more, it
may ferve him in holinefs and righteoufnefs before
him all the days of its life.

There are fome good defires in many people, for
which bleflTed be the name of the Lord j but there is
great error of judgment, and wandering up and down
from the truth, for want of that which is able to flay
the mind upon the Lord, and to guide it in the right
way. Some run to this mountain, and facrifice there ;
others to that hill, and offer there j but few know the
true relling-place, or the place of the true worfhip.
Kow in thefe their errors they can witnefs no accept-
ance with the Lord. Oh 1 that they knew the accept-
able thing, the acceptable way of worlhip, and might

appear

Gospel-Rest, or Sabbath. 207

appear before, and be found of, the Lord therein!
Then might they begin in that which is fubftantial,
(in the gofpel Spirit, life, and power) and come to
inherit and fit down in that which is fubftantial and
cverlafting.

SOME

Q^ U E R I E S

TO SUCH

As complain of Want of Power to become the
Lord's, and fcrve him ; and who are not yet
Co acquainted with the Truth as to witnefs the
Cleanfing by it, and ceafing from Sin.

^uery i. XX/"'^^ "°^ Chrift made a king and prieft
W after the power of an endlefs life ?
And doth he_ not communicate of the power of that
endlefs life to all that rightly believe in him, receive
the truth as it is in him, and obey his gofpel ?

^ery 1. Was it not the end of Chrift's coming to
deftroy fm in the heart, and to fet the foul free there-
from, that it might ferve the Lord in the liberty, life,
and power of his Spirit ?

^ery 3. To them that believe in and receive him,
doth not Chrift give power to become fons to God ?
And to them that are fons, doth not the Father give
the Spirit of the Son ? And hath not the Spirit of the
Son power over the contrary fpirit ?

^ery 4. Were not the deliverances of the Jews
under the law real deliverances from their outward

enemies t

2o8 Some Q^U E R I E S, &c.

enemies ? 'And are not Chrift's deliverances as real
from the inward enemies ? Whom the Son maketh
free, are they not free indeed ? Free from fin, free
from Satan, being under the fliadow of the wing of
the Almighty, which preferveth out of the darknefs,
and guardeth the mind from the evil and danger there-
of?

^ery 5. Is not Chrift ftronger than the ftrong man,
whom he cometh to difpofTefs ? Are not his weapons
ftronger than the weapons of the enemy ? Is not he
able to difpofTefs him, to caft him out, to fpoil him
of his goods and ftrength ? And when he hath gained
the houfe, is not he able to cleanfe it, and garnifh,
and keep it clean and pure in the way of his covenant,
againft all the enemy can do ?

^ery 6. Doth not Chrift dwell in the heart by
faith ? And is not Chrift*s nature and Spirit pure, and
will he dwell in any thing that is impure ? Is not the
fpiritual temple under the gofpel to be as pure in-
wardly, as ever the outward temple under the law was
to be pure outwardly, or by way of reprefentation ?
Muft not they be cleanfed from all filthinefs of flefti
and fpirit, who witnefs the Father dwelling in them,
and walking in them ?

^ery 7. Who offer up the incenfe and the pure
offering in the times of the gofpel ? Can any do it
but the fons of Levi, whom the Lord hath purified ?
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? Who
can compafs the altar of the Lord, or offer up an ac-
ceptable offering there, whofe heart and hands are not
waftied in innocency ?

^ery 8. Is not the worftiip of the New Teftament
to be in fpirit and truth ? Is not the Spirit pure, the
truth pure ? Can any thing unclean enter into it ? Can
any be in it, can any worftiip in it, but they which
be cleanfed, purified, and changed by it ?

^ery 9. How did the apoftle exprefs the right
manner of drawing nigh to God in the fpiritual gofpel-
worlhip? Was it not to be thus, with the heart cleanfed
from an evil confcience, and the body walhed with

cle^

Some QJJ E R I E S, &c. 209

clean water ? And is not the prefence, power, and ac-
ceptance of God witnefTed by them that appear before
him and worfhip him thus ?

^ery 10. Had not other lords dominion over the
heart, to fubdue it to fin, and defile it, before Chrifl:
was known and received in his Spirit and power ?
But when Chrift is known and received in his Spirit
and power, have the other lords power to do fo ftill ?
Is not Chrift's law, the law of his Spirit of life, able
to bring under, and make the foul free from the law
of fin and death ? Infomuch as now it may be faid in
truth, by the fouls whom he hath fet free, " O Lord,
" our God ! other lords befides thee have had domi-
" nion over us j but (now henceforward) by thee only
" will we make mention of thy name.'*

^ery 1 1. Was it not a brand of ignominy on thofe
who had got the good words and high notions about*
Chrift, but were not in the authority and power of
his Spirit, that they had eyes full of adultery, and
could not ceafe from fin ? Can any ceafe from fin, but
he that rcceiveth the power ? And he that receiveth
the power of the new life, is it not natural to him to
ceafe from fin, and unnatural to him to commit it ?

^ery 12. Is not the Lord the teacher of his people
under the new covenant ? Was it not promifed of old
concerning the gofpel times, and is it not fulfilled in
the gofpel times, that *^ all thy children Iliall be
'' taught of the Lord ?" And what doth the Lord
teach ? Doth he not teach to ceafe from doing evily and
to learn to do well? And ihall his children never learn
this lefibn of him ?

^ery 13. Whofe fervants are they that obey un-
righteoufnefs ? Are they clothed with the fl:rength of
God? Do they fi:and in the power of his might againft
the power of the enemy ? Are they overcomers of the
wicked-one ? Or are they not rather daily overcome
by him ?

^ery 14. What is the whole armour of God pro-
vided and appointed for ? Is it not to keep out the
enemy wholly ? And is it able to do it, or no ?

Vol. 111. O ^ery

*%0 Some Q^U E R I E S, &c.

^try 15. Will not Chrift fay to all men upon the
earth, profefs they what they will, hope in Chrift, and
caft themfelves upon him for falvation ever fo much,
and ever fo often j yea, though they have received
fuch power from him as to preach in his name, and
to caft out devils in his name ; yet if they have not
fo received the power as to overcome fin in their own
hearts, and to caufe them to ceafe from working ini-
quity, though they call him Lord, and cry to him with
confidence, " Lord, Lord, open to us," yet will he not
fay to them, " Depart from me, ye workers of ini-
" quity, I know ye not;" ye are not of the birth of
my power J ye are not thofe which have done my will;
ye were never by me redeemed out of the evil-doing;
but have ftill all your days (notwithftanding your
profefiion, notwithftanding your knowledge, notwith-
ftanding your owning me as your Lord, and preach-
ing in my name) been workers of iniquity ?

^ery 16. He that receiveth the fpiritual circumci-
Son and baptifm of Chrift, doth it not caufe him to
ceafe from fin ? And doth not the new life fpring up
in him, which caufeth him to live holily to God ? He
that hath the offending eye plucked out, the ofi^ending
hand cut off^, is not that taken away from him which
caufed him to fin ? And he who is created a new crea-
ture in Chrift, doth he not naturally do that which is
holy and righteous? i John iii. 7, 8.

^lery 17. Doth not the true faith, the faith of the
Son of God, give vi6tory over fin ? Can any believer
be conquered by the enemy, he ftanding in the faith,
abiding in the covenant? Doth not the power ftretched
out by the Father of life defend the foul in the way
of the covenant againft all the aflaults of the enemies,
fo that the gates of hell cannot prevail againft any
here, but the name of the Lord is felt a ftrong tower
againft them; and though they encompafs like bees,
yet in the name of the Lord victory is witnefled over
them, and againft all that they can do ? And doth not
the Lord teach and enable his to keep covenant ?

Some Q^U E R I E S, &c. 211

^lery 18. Was not fuch a thing witneflcd by Paul,
(and may not fuch a thing be witnefled by the be-
lieving and obedient travellers now) " I can do all
" things through Chrift that ftrengthens me. I know
'* how CO want, I know how to abound j every where,
" and in all things I am inftrufted," &c. I am
armed with the whole armour of God, and taught to
ftand fo upon my guard in the power of his life, that
the enemy cannot come at me; but the power of the
cndlefs life fo preferveth me, as that the evil one
cannot touch me, cannot enter me with any of his
temptations in any condition ?

^ery 19. Was there not fuch a condition once wit-
nefled, and may it not be witnefled again, of being
more than conquerors through the love and power of
Chrift? When the life doth arife in its power and
dominion in the heart, doth it not foon fcatter the
enemies ? Do they not fly away, and are chafed at the
blatt of God's Spirit ? When the foul is filled with the
love and with the power, is not the land cleanfed of
what annoyed it ? And this, which is fometimes felt
by many of the travellers, may it not be an abiding
ftate ? Are there not dwelling-places on Mount Sion,
(on the mount of God's holinefs in the gofpel time)
and is not there fecuricy from fin, Satan, the foul's
enemies, and dangers ? " They fliall not hurt nor
" deftroy in all my holy mountain, faith the Lord j"
and will he not fulfil it to thofe that wait upon him in
the way of his covenant ?

O a The

[ 212 1

The CONCLUSION.

* I ''HERE is a principle of darknefs in the hearts
■*' and minds of men, which is as a feed or root
of corruption in them, bringing forth in them fruits
of fin and unrighteoufnefs unto death.

And there is alfo a principle of the pure heavenly
light, as a free gift from God, to difcover the dark-
nefs, turn man's heart againft it, and lead him into
the way and path of life.

Now as Satan rules in the principle of darknefs,
and there is the power of death therein ; fo God rules
in. the principle of light, and there is the power of
life and redemption manifefted by God therein.

For this principle is of the Father, of the Son, of
the Spirit; yea, the Father, Son, and Spirit are in
this principle J and here the foul meets with them,
and is brought into union and fellowlhip with them,
and feels the everlafting arm revealed and ftretched
forth for its delivery from corruption, and the capti-
vity thereof, into the liberty of the fons of God.

And he that is here meets with the fubftance of
things, and that which all the types of the law fha-
dowed out j meets with the one offering, the cleanf-
ing which is thereby, the imputation of righteouf-
nefs, or of faith unto righteoufnefs j yea, and with
fomewhat more, even with the everlafting righteouf-
nefs itfelf brought into the heart, and dwelling there;
infomuch as his nature is changed, (truly changed)
his fpirit changed, his mind, heart, foul, and confci-
ence changed, his converfation changed, the leopard's
fpots and the Ethiopian's Ikin walhed away, the de-
ceitfulnefs of the heart removed, and the new gar-
ments of righteoufnefs, life, and falvation put on in
the ftead thereof; fo that he is unclothed of the evil,

unholy

The conclusion. 213

unholy nature and fpirit, and clothed with the Spirit
of the Lord.

For Chrift is really made unto him wifdom, right-
eoufnefs, fanflification, and redemption. How is
that ? Why he that once was a fool, is now made wife
unto God, and the things of his kingdom, by the
myftery of his Son's life and pov/er revealed^ in him.
He is a child of wifdom, and he hath heard the wif-
dom of his mother, and learned wifdom of her. So
putting on Chrift, who is the righteoufnefs, being in-
grafted into him, being brought forth in him, he par-
takes of the fweetncfs and fatnefs of the olive-tree,
and is renewed into the image of the true righteouf-
nefs and holinefs, and drinks in the virtue and life of
the precious promifes, wherein and whereby he is
made partaker of the divine nature, and fo cannot but
witnefs redemption from the earthly corrupt nature.*

Now it is not any ftriving, believing, or obedience
of man's own fpirit, which can effe6t thisj he may
will ftronglvj he may run hard, and yet never obtain ;
he may fo caft himfelf upon the mercy of God, and
hope concerning his mercy in Chrift, as to mifs of it.

But the principle of life which is from God, and
faith in God from that principle, without fail efFe6ls
this, and no other faith doth. But out of this are the
mvfterious imag-es and idols, and fubtil worls.ings and
devices of the cunning-one, to take up the mind with
fomewhat which appears as fubftantial and truly ex-
cellent, but is not io indeed. His birth hath defires
after the kingdom, (and makes no queftion but it
ftiall be his) wills, runs, ftrives, believes, hopes, prays,
reads fcriptures, obferves duties and ordinances; and
in thefe they mieet with a wrong knowledge, a wrong
fan6lification, a wrong joy, a wrong confidence and
alTurance, a wrong reft and peace ; in which there may
be a great warmth, and feeming life and pleafure,
from the fire and fparks of their own kindling and
blowing up, which the mind that is blinded by him
can hardly fufpecl that at is not true; yea, may be
taken with it, and ftrongly juftify it in its own

O 3 thoughts

214 THt C O N C L U S I O N.

thoughts for the true, and fet it above that that is in-
deed the true. Thie, this is the great myftery of ini-
quity, which hath great fubtilty of deceivablenefs in
it, to pick up and fteal away the good feed out of the
heart, and to fteal in a falfe innage and likenefs there-
of, which nnay have a more glorious appearance to
man's eye than the true feed itfelf (for that is the leaft
of all feeds, makes the Icaft fhew of any), but hath
not the fame nature, virtue, and power.

Ah! the Lord God of tender mercy help all the
poor fouls that breathe after him, that they may not
be thus deceived. And thofe that are thus deceived,
and in the fnare of the enemy (and do not witnefs the
faith which hath the Son's dominion in it, and gives
vidlpry over fin, Satan, and the world, and wherein
the blood of fprinkling, which livingly walheth, is
felt, in the light of life, wherein the redeemed walk
to the praife of their Redeemer) j the Lord guide them
alfo to that wherein all deceits are made manifeft, and
where the truth, which is of the Son, is made to fhine
jn fuch who were once in the barren places, and in
the thick darknefs, but now are light in the Lord, and
who have a dwelling-place with the Lord in his
light, which is the pure and cverlafting habitation.
Amen.

A POST-

[ 215 ]

POSTSCRIPT,

CONTAINING

Some further Queries concerning the New
Covenant.

^ery i. TTTHAT is the new covenant? Is it not
y y an agreement between God and the
foul in Chnil, according to the law of faith, as the
old covenant was an agreement between God and the
people of the Jews, according to the law of works ?

^ery 2. Who is the Mediator of this covenant ? Is
it not the Lord Jefus Chrift ? Doth not he prepare the
heart for the covenant, bring into the covenant, keep
in the covenant, preferve peace between God and the
foul, and keep the foul in the way of truth and
peace?

^ery 3. Who is the Shepherd, King, and Prophet
in this covenant ? Is it any other than Chrift the Me-
diator ? Is not he the King and Prophet raifed up to
rule in righteoufnefs, and to inilrudt in the path of
life ? And is not his Spirit able to teach and inftru6t
in all things, and able to govern and rule in right-
eoufnefs all that are fubjeft to his breathings, quick-
enings, and holy movings, and inftru6tions in their
hearts, who writes his law there, and guides and go-
verns by the law which he writes ?

^uery 4. How come men into this covenant or holy
agreement with God ? I^ it not by repentance and
faith ? Is it not by turning from the darkncfs, which is

O 4 not

2i6 A POSTSCRIPT.

not of him, to the light, which is of him ? Is it not
by turning from the fpirit of Satan to his Spirit j from
the flandard and power of the wicked -one, to the
ftandard and power of the Holy One ? What is it that
God lifts up againft the darknefs of the enemy, but
the light of his Spirit, which difcovers where a man
has been, (and what he hath done) and gives him to
repent thereof; and forfake all his dead works, and
turn to the life and power which inftru6ls and quick-
ens him, in and by the Holy Spirit ? And this is true
converfion j and thus a man feels the covenant of fin,
death, and hell broken, and enters into a new cove-
nant, a pure covenant, a living covenant, a powerful
covenant, and comes to feel thofe things which the
covenant contains, as his condition requires, and as his
capacity is made able to receive.

^ery 5. How do men come to abide in this cove-
nant ? Is there any abiding but according to the en-
trance ? Is there any {laying in the covenant, but in
and by the faith that lets in ? Doth not unbelief and
difobedience keep out from it at firft? And doth not
unbelief and difobedience cut off from it afterwards?
For there are fins againft this covenant, as well as
againft the old i and the fins againft this are more
dangerous to the foul than the fins againft the old.
*« Take heed (faid the apoftle) left there be in any
*« of you an heart of unbelief, to depart from the
«' living God." And faith Mofes, fpeaking of the
prophet, or angel of this covenant, " Beware of him,
<f and obey his voice; for he will not pardon your
<« tranfgreflions, for my name is in him; and whofo-
<* ever hearkeneth not to this prophet, he fhall be cut
« off." How can it be otherwife ? For he fpeaks life,
and he fpeaks it in the covenant to the circumcifed,
ear, to the foul in the faith, in the obedience. Hear,
and your fouls Jhall live. So then he that hears not
muft needs abide in death ; and he that departs from
hearing him, muft needs return to death.

^ery 6. Whether there be any purifying of the
heart, or any juftification, or keeping the ve&l clean,

out

A POSTSCRIPT. 217

out of the obedience of the truth ? " If a man keep
•* my fayings (faith Chrift) he fliall never fee death."
** If ye (faith the apoftle) through the Spirit, mor-
*' tify the deeds of the body, ye fliall live." But if
the deeds of the body be not mortified by the Spirit,
if a man do not keep the fayings of Chrift, doth he,
or can he live then ? Is not this then the main thing
in religion, that a man receive the truth in the faith,
and that he feel the power of the Spirit of life bring-
ing him into, and keeping him in, the obedience
thereof For it is the truth that laves ; the living
truth, the living knowledge, the living faith ; the law
of the Spirit of life that makes free from the law of
fin and death ; and it makes free by its powerful work-
ing in the mind, working out, and preferving from,
that which defiles, captivates^ and deftroys. For
Chrift comes with his power to fave, with his power
to break the bonds of darknefs, and to fet the captive
free: with his power to diflodge and difpofTefs all the
enemies, and fanftify the veftel to himfelfi and the
effedts of his power in and upon the heart are his fal-
vation ; and he that hdleth fhort of the miniftratioa
of the power of life to his foul, and of the effefts
thereof in his foul, is fo far defedtive in point of fal-
vation; for no man is faved farther than he is redeemed
and delivered from that which Chrift comes to lave
him from.

^lery 7, Whether the firft thing of all to be wit-
neded in religion is not the Spirit of Chrift? Is not
the whole work to be done by him ? And how can a
man be certain concerning any work wrought in him,
unlefs he be certain that it is he that works ? How can
I be certain concerning the knowledge given me,
unlefs I be fure it be he that gives it? How can I be
certain concerning any prayers or breathings arifing in
my heart, unlefs I be fure they be from him ? How
can I underftand any fcripture concerning Chrift, or
the knowledge of any fpiritual thing, unlefs I be fure
he open it to me ? And Ipw can I be fure of any thing
that he giveth or openeth to me, further than I know

himj

2i8 A POSTSCRIPT.

him, and have the true fenfe of him in his nature
and operations ? So then, if the Spirit be my leader,
guide, teacher, inflruflor in the way of life, in the
covenant of life, in the things of the kingdom, in the
knowledge of fcriptures, &c. it is of great concern-
ment to me to receive that ear and heart from God,
which knows and underftands his voice-, for, for want
of this, are all the defects, miftakes, mifcarriages,
and errors, in and about religion. But as men conse
to this, they come out of error into certainty, and
know the one Chrift, the one faith, the one baptifm,
the one body, the one church, and aflfembly of the
firft-born, the pure love, which is of and in the truth,
the pure path of the kingdom, the way of holinefs,
which the ranfomed and redeemed walk in ; yea, the
Lord is OnQ, and his name One among all that arc
here, and the pure One language, which is of the
Spirit, wifdom, and teaching, is here received, and
the One voice of the Shepherd heard, &c. But out
of this are the jaaglings, ftrifes, contentions, debates,
difputes V fubtil, wife, entangling reafonings of the
earthly, one with another, and all as one againft the
heavenly and fpiritual.

^ery 8. Did not the meflage which Chrift fent hit
apollles to preach, ^' He that believeth and is bap-
** tized fhall be faved," contain the fum of the cove-
nant ? What doth God require of the foul, but be-
lieving in his Son, (which includes repentance from
the dead fpirit and works) and receiving his baptifm ?
To be baptized into him, into his death, into his life,
into his nature, into his Spirit; to take up his crofs,
to bear his yoke, to be circumcifed in him and by
him, that he may love the Lord his God with all his
heart, that the power, virtue, and life of love may
conftrain him to live wholly in and to God. And then
doth not the promife of falvation to him that believ-
eth and is baptized into Chrift contain writing the law^
in the heart, putting the fear into the heart; putting
the Spirit within to become the teacher, guide, ftrength,

s^nd

A POSTSCRIPT. 219

and comforter, and whatfoever elfe is neceflary ro the
foul in the way to the kingdom ?

^ery 9. How is God merciful to mens iniquities,
and remembers their fins no more ? Is it not in the
covenant, and according to the covenant ? Is there not
a warfare to be accomplifhed before the foul come to
witnefs the perfedl blotting out of fin ? Is not Chrift
the Mediator, the Judge to whom ail judgment is
committed ? And doth not he judge his people for
their tranlgreflions againft the law of his Spirit and
life ? And muft not the foul, who will witnefs the days
of refrefhment, and the perfedl blotting out of fin
therein, wait upon the Lord in the way of his judg-
ments, even till fin be judged and brought under,
and God's righteoufnefs perfectly revealed ? Under
Mofes's law every tranfgreffion received a jufl recom-
pence of reward, and fhall he efcape in the gofpel
who grieves the Spirit, who defpifes the Son, and gives
ear to the enemy? Nay, nay; the fame covenant that
holds forth mercy to the tender broicen- hearted, to
the believing, to the obedient, contains alfo righteous
judgment againft the tranfgrefi!br of this covenant.
Yea, judgment begins at the houfe of God, and ceaf-
cth not till that ceafe which judgment is to. The
Lord Ihall judge his people; fhali not Chrift judge
his own family? Yes, yes; they that are of the family,
and in the true fenfe, feel the Lord pleading with
whatever is contrary to him in them, and they can
rejoice therein, and fiiig of mercy and judgment, after
the Lord hath done his work in them, and brought
forth the quiet fruit of righteoufnefs in their hearts
thereby.

BlefiTed is he that experienceth thefe things, wit-
nefiing that from the Lord which preferveth out
pf all miftakes and deceits about them.

A N

M t 22° ]

A N
Enquiry after Truth & RighteousnesSj^

AND

After the People whom the Lord eftabliflieth,
and will eftablifh therein ;

In fome QU E R I E S on Isaiah Iviii. and alfo on
Chap. liv.

^ery i. A RE there any people to be found who
•*^ exceed the ftate fpoken of in ver. 2.
of feeking God daily, and delighting to know his
ways, as a nation that did righteoufnefs, and forfook
not the ordinance of their God ? They afk of me, faid
the Lord, the ordinances of jufticcj they take delight
in approaching to God. Arc there not nnany profef-
fions and forts of profefTors at this day, who in God's
fight fall fhort of this ftate, and yet think highly of
themfelves ? Yet thefe the prophet of the Lord was
not to fpare j but to lift up his voice like a trumpet
againft them, becaufe of their tranfgreflion and fin
which they committed, notwithftanding their thus daily
feeking the Lord.

^ery 1. What was the tranfgreflion and the fins
which the prophet was not to fpare them in, but lift
up his voice like a trumpet againft them for ? Was it
not (among other things) for their wrong fafting,
their wrong affl idling their fouls, their wrong feeking
of God, out of the meek, tender, merciful fpirit ?
Doth God require fuch fafting or praying of any man ?
Or will the Lord accept fuch fafting or praying at any
man's hand ? Ah ! how many faft and pray at this day,
who never rightly confidered, nor truly underftood,
what the faftings, and what the prayers are which God
rcquireth, and which alone he will accept I

^ery

An E N CI.U 1 R Y, &c. 221

^ery 3. What is the faft which God requireth,
and will accept in all ages ? Is not this it, " To loofe
** the bands of wickednefs, to undo the heavy bur-
" dens, to let the oppreffed go free, to break every
*f yoke?" &c. ver. 6, 7. Who can underfland or
learn this faft, but he that is taught of God ?

S^4ery 4. Are there any whofe light breaks forth as
the morning, and whofe health fprings forth fpeedily,
and whofe righteoufnefs goeth before them, and whom
the glory of the Lord gathereth up, or is a rereward
to, (as is promifed to thofe who obferve this faft) and
whom the Lord is ready to hear and anfwer in all
that they call upon him for, as ver. 8, 9. ? Doth not
God teach his children in the new covenant to obferve
this faft ? And they who are taught by him to keep
it, (and do faithfully keep it) do they not inherit
this promife ?

^ery 5. Are there any now among the fons of
men, whofe light hath rifen in obfcurity, and whofe
darknefs hath become as noon-day ? Whom the Lord
guideth continually, and whofe foul he fatisfieth in
droughts, and makes fat their bones ; and makes them
like a watered garden, and like a fpring of water,,
whofe waters fail not ? Surely if there be any, who
are truly taught of the Lord to obferve that which
leads hereto, they cannot mifs of enjoying thefe pre-
cious promifes : for he is faithful and true who hath
promifed, ver. 10, 11.

^ery 6. Are there any at this day, whom God ho-
noureth in building the old wafte places, in raifmg
up the foundations of many generations; in repairing
the breach, and reftoring the paths to dwell in ? W^iat
are the paths that are to be dwelt in ? Are they not
the fame which the foul is to walk in ? Is not the juft
man's path and his dwelling-place all one, even the
light of the living, which he is both to walk and
abide in? See i John i. 7. and Prov. iv. 18.

It is faid concerning Chrift, " He that faith he
*' abideth in him, ought himfelf alfo fo*to walk, even
" as he walked," i John ii. 6. How did Chrift walk ?

Did

122 Am E N Q^U I R Y, &c.

Did he not walk in the light of God's Spirit ? In fub-
jeclion to God's Spirit ? Was not the fulnefs given
liim ? Was not the Father always with him ? And did
not he a6t in the Father, and the Father in and through
him ? Now, doth not he give forth a meafure of the
fame Spirit, of the fame anointing, of the fame power
to become fons, unto all his ? And are not they to
walk according to the meafure of light and life they
receive from him ? And he that walks according to
this rule, can he err in fo walking? Is not this the
pure path, the living path, the path for the ranfomed
in the days of the gofpel, who walk not after the
fielh, but after the Spirit; not in the oldnefs of the
letter, but in the newnefs of the Spirit? Oh! that
men could confider this with the true underftanding,
and know the way of life in the true fenfe and expe-
rience thereof! That which enlightens and gives life
to my foul, is fomewhat from Chrift, even a meafure
or appearance of his pure Spirit; it is no lefs : and
the law of life written inwardly is more to the foul
than words written outwardly, though aU the words
that ever come from God's Holy Spirit are very pre-
cious, and greatly ufeful, to thofe to whom he vouch--
fafcth to give the underftanding of them.

G^ery 7. What is the fabbath fpoken of, ver. 13. ?
Is it the law-fabbath, or the gofpel -fabbath ? Is it in-
ferior in nature to the faft before mentioned ? What
is God's holy day, which is the foul's delight, the holy
of the Lord, honourat>le, wherein the fouls that enter
into the true reft (by faith in him who is life) honour
the Lord, in ceafing from their own ways, pleafures,
and words ? See alfo Heb. iv. 3. and 10.

^ery 8. They that keep God's holy fabbath, do'
they not delight themfelves in the Lord ? Do they not'
feel the pleasure of his day, and of his appearance in-
his day ? Are not thefe of the true feed of Jacob (who-
prevail with the Lord for the bleffing) ? And doth
not the Lord feed them with the heritage of Jacob
their Father, even with the blefling of the covenant of
life and peace for evermore.

SOME

[ 223 1

SOME

(QUERIES

O N

ISAIAH LIV.

i^ery i.TS there fuch a (late to be witnefled, either
J^ in the particular, or in the general, where-
in the womb that was barren fhall travail and bear,
and fing for joy of heart and fpirit before the Lord ?
Sec ver. i.

^ery i. Is there fuch a ftate to be witnefied, as of
the Maker to become the hufband ? Is not this a glo-
rious ftate indeed, and a name better than of fons
and daughters, lignifying nearer intimacy and union
than any other relation with the Holy One, the Re-
deemer of Ifrael ? And do not fuch as come to this
ftate (even to be married to the Lamb) partake more
abundantly of his redeeming power and holy prcfence ?
See ver. 6.

^luery 3. Are there feme fo vifited and rede med
by the Lord, as that they ihall never be call off
more, as that the floods of wrath [hall never overtake
them more, nor the covenant of their peace be re-
moved ? Ah 1 precious ftate ! BleflVd are they doubt-
lefs, who have been fo vifited and redeemed by God's
mercy, aa to be made partakers of it.

^sry

224 Some Queries on Isaiah liv,

^ery 4. Who is this that hath been afflidled, tofled
with tempeft, and not comforted ? Have there been
any fuch in our days, who have been deeply afflidled,
for want of the prefence of the Lord God of their
life, who have been toffed up and down with tem-
ped after tempeft, and could meet with no comforter
to fpeak a word in feafon to their weary fouls ? And
hath the Lord appeared to thefe, vifited thefe, built
upon thefe, comforted thefe ? Surely then, the poor
whom he hath raifed out of the duft, and the needy
whom he hath lifted off from the dunghill, cannot but
praife his name.

^ery 5. Who is this, whofe ftones God lays with
fair colours, and her foundation with fapphires? Whofe
windows God makes of agates, and her gates of car-
buncles, and all her borders of pleafant ftones ? Was
not the covenant of life fo adorned in the apoftlcs
days ? And is ftie not fo adorned now again ?

^ery 6. Whofe children are they, who fliall be all
taught of the Lord, and whofe peace fliall be great,
who ftiall be eftabliftied in righteoufnefs, who fhall
be far from oppreflion, fo that they fliall not fear ;
and from terror, fo that it fliall not come near them ?
Are there fuch a generation of the heavenly birth, of
the covenant of life, brought forth in this our day,
who fan(5lify the Lord of hofts himfelf, and make him
their fear and their dread, but are not terrified with
the wicked one, nor with the fnares and engines of
the ungodly ? Surely they who are taught of God,
have peace from him and in him, and are cftabliflied
in the righteous Spirit and life of his Son -, they arc
like Mount Sion, which cannot be fliaken or removed,
by all the terrors and opprefling devices of the un-
godly.

^ery 7. By whom do they gather together, who
gather together againft fuch a people ? Certainly it is
not by the Lord, nor by any advice or counfel from
him J but by the advice of that fpirit which oppofeth
himfelf againft the power and work of the Lord : and

that

Some Queries on Isaiah liv^ 225

that fplrit muft fall for the fakes of thofe whom God
hath raifed up by his power, and undertaketh to de-
fend. How tender was God of Ifrael after the flefh
in the day of his delivering them ! See i Chron. xvi.
19, &c. And will he not be as tender of his fpiritual
Ifrael, in the day of his redeeming and delivering
them ? Indeed the oppofition will be very great, but
confider who fhall have the vi<5lory, fee Rev. xvii. 14,
Certainly it is true, and fealed by the Spirit of the
Lord, that patience, meeknefs, innocency, love, right-
coufnefs, &:c. fhall at length overcome all unright-
coufnefs, enmity, oppreflion, cruelty, wrath, &c. and
that fpirit from which they proceed ; and as they are
overcome, and when they are overcome, the Lamb's
Spirit fhall reign and fhine in the glory of the Father.
Oh ! the fweet fenfe of this day, and further hop-e
thereof; how doth it bear up the fuffering lambs, in
the midft of all their trials and tribulations 1

^ery 8. Hath not God created the waiter to def-
troy ? And hath not' he power over him ? And doth
not he limit him in the midft of his deftroying work ?
But did God create him to deftroy his heritage ? Or
will God fuffer him fo to do ? They may indeed def-
troy the buildings which are not of God; but God is
the wife, great Mafter-builder, who counted his colt
before he began, and knew he was able to maintain
his building, againft all the oppofuions and oppofers,
which could rife up againft it.

^ery 9. Can any weapon formed againft the cove-
nant of life, and the children thereof, who are taught
of God, and have peace from him, and who are efta-
blifhed by him in righteoufnefs ; I fay, can any wea-
pon formed againft thefe profper ? Every tongue that
rifcth up in judgment againft them, doth not the holy
tongue condemn ? Is not this the heritage of the fer-
vants of tlie Lord, in this our day ? And doth not
the Lord fay (whatever men fay to the contrary) that
their righteoufnefs is of him ? Indeed, whoever re-
ceiveth the true righteoufnefs, receiveth it from the
hand of the Lord, and knoweth it to be of him.

Vol. III. P And

2i6 Some Queries on Isaiah liv.

And this teftimony we have, even from the Spirit of
the Lord, who taketh away our unrighteoufnefs and
filthy garnnents, and giveth us righteoufnefs fronci and
in his Son's righteoufnefs, even the very fanne where-
with the Son himfelf was clothed. For as the feed is
but one, and of one, Heb. ii. ii. fo the righteouf-
nefs is but one neither. Be not hafty in fpirit, but
wait to underftand in the light and Spirit of the Lord,
■which is wifdom's place of giving true underftanding
to her difciples.

It is true, there hath been great darknefs, and the
true church hath been in the wildernefs, and the rem-
■ nant of her feed hunted and perfecuted up and down
the earth by the falfe church, which hath been cried
up for the true. But, bleffed be the Lord, the dark-
nefs is paffing away, and the true light Ihining again ;
which light difcovers and redeems out of all that is
falfe, into that which is true ; fo that he that is truth,
and no lie, is again known, and he fpeaketh truth and
no lie, and he anointeth with the true and holy oil of
life and falvation, all that are truly living. And now
the kingdom of darknefs is going down, and the king-
dom of our Lord Jefus Chrift raifing up and exalting;
which is an inward kingdom, a fpiritual kingdom, a
kingdom of life, a kingdom of peace, a kingdom of
righteoufnefs, a kingdom of holy power and dominion
over fin and death in the heart. And this will fpread
and increafe, to the blefling of perfons, families, and
nations, (as they come to be fenfible of, and fubjedt
to the holy light and power thereof) with the bleflings
of Abraham, wherewith all families and nations are
to be blefied, as they come to be unleavened from
the ferpentine fpirit and wifdom, and leavened with
the innocency and righteoufnefs of the Lamb's nature
and Spirit.

The mighty God carry on his work, by the fame
mighty arm of ftrength wherewith, he began it; and
open the eyes of this nation, that they may fee their
proper hope and intereft; for indeed the Lord hath
great love to this nation, and bleffing in ftore for it

(for

Some Queries on Isaiah liv. zzy

(for the feed's fake which he hath fown and caufed to
fpring up in it)i though many trials and tribulations
mud firft be pafled through, and the fpirit of enmity
and oppofition againft the appearance of God's Holy
Spirit and power worn out. Oh ! that men could
come to that which gives the eye-fight, that thereby
they might fee aright, and no longer take the rife of
their feeing from that fpirit and wifdom, which mifre-
prefents things.

Written in Reading-gaol, in the tender love, true
innocency, and uprightnefs of my heart; which
the Lord hath given me to fufFer with for his
truth's fake ; about the latter end of the 4th
month, 1 67 1.

4SAAC PENINGTON.

P 2 THE

^;mt3»T:

THE

HOLY TRUTH and PEOPLE

DEFENDED:

AND SOME OF THE

WEAPONS and STRENGTH

OF THE

Power of Darkness, Broken and Scattered

BY THE

LIGHT and POWER of TRUTH, *

IN AN

ANSWER

TO THE

Chief Pafiages in a LETTER, written to me, and replied
to by me, before my Imprifonment in this Place.

Where I have been a Prifoner above a Year and a Half, without
any Law broken, or Caufe given on my Part ; who only came
Innocently and Peaceably to Vifit my Friends in Prifon.

By me ISAAC P E N I N G T O N,

Prifoner for the Testimony of Truth, (for could I have denied
Truth, I might have avoided the Snare) at Reading-Gaol,

The JJo'.vs of the Mighty are broken ; and they that ftumbledj arc girt with
Strength, i Sam. ii. 4,

P3

^f"K

1 H.T

; * * * 'J /I ^ 7. u ! .->

avfo^

;^?i(,'^'"( lo ^/!:r^o^

[ 231 ]
THE

PREFACE.

ALETTER was fent me from a dear friend of
mine, (bearing date tiie fifth of the eleventh
month, 1 671) who had long been greatly diftrefled,
and could not find relief in the way of her former
profefllon and church-fellowlhip ; for whom I greatly
travailed with the Lord, and towards whom my fpifit
was made very tender by him. I fbiil felt the feal of
God's love and mercy towards her, even in her lowefb
condition, deepeftdefpair, and foreft captivity, through
her great and manifold temptations ; and my tefli-
mony to her at times, from the Lord, on this behalf,
was fometimes of ufe to her, to bear up her fpirit,
till the day of God's vifiting and redeeming her, with
the virtue and healing power of his falvation; which,
bleffed be his name, fhe hath fince had fweet experi-
ence of, and true peace and joy in knowing the true
Head, holding him in the faith, and being held by him.
Now, this letter of an ancient acquaintance of
mine, which I had anfwered long ago, one that be-
longed to Sir Henry Vane (as fhe fignified in her letter
to me) defired fhe fliould fee ; which is faid to be an
anfwer to a letter of mine. If my anfwer had gone
along: with it, I fliould have took no further notice of
it J but it going without my anfwer, left it fhould do
hurt to thofe to whom the Lord hath done or is doing
good, I am engaged in fpirit to reply Ibmewhat to
it, and to give forth to others what the Lord giveth
in to me, upon this new occafion. How greatly, truly,
and purely I have loved the man, I will not boalt (the

V 4 Lord

[ 232 ]

Lord knoweth, with whofe knowledge herein I am
content) : but, oh ! that this his paper might not be
laid to his charge at the great day ! which (I am afraid)
it will, unlefs he repent of it j for, indeed, it is not a
fruit of life from God's Holy Spirit ; but of the growth
of Egypt and Babylon.

It was fent me in the form of a book, as if it had
been fent abroad for fpecial fervice. There was no
name at it, as if it were an arrow to fly in the dark,
and wound fecretly: but no weapon formed againft
the Ifrael of God fhall profper, either from this hand,
or any other; and every tongue that rifeth up againft
them to judgment will God condemn. This is the
heritage of the deipifed people and fervants of the
living God in this our day; whofe righteoufnefs is the
righteoufnefs of his Son beftowed upon them, where-
with he himfelf hath clothed them, as the anointed
eye now feeth, and all eyes fliall one day fee, and
tongues confefs, to the glory of God the Father.

THE

[ 233 1
THE

HOLY TRUTH and PEOPLE

DEFENDED.

HE excepteth againft thofe words of mine to him
in a former letter, (of Jan. 24. which I have
not here by me) That when his eyes are opened by
the Lord, he (hall then acknowledge that we oppoTe
no truths of the Lord, but hold forth what we have
received from him.

To which he thus replieth. Is redemption by Chriji^s
Hood no truth of the Lord's ? Which he chargeth one
of us in particular, and many others in general, with
denying.

Anf. We are gathered into that, and abide in that,
in which no truth can be denied ; ?.nd are in him that
leadeth into all truth, and teacheth to deny no truth,
that ever was held forth by the Spirit of the Lord.
Some of lis may not yet be grown up in underftanding
into the myfterics of the kingdom, which God hath
revealed and made manifeft to others; but yet we do
not deny, but own one another in our feveral meafures
of knowledge and fenfe of things, and in our feveral
growths. And we own and acknowledge, in God's
fight, the feveral difpenfations he hath brought forth,
both before the law, and under the law and prophets,
and in the time of Chrifl's appearance in the fiefli ;
and after, when he fent his Spirit, and all the time the
church was in the wildernefs, and now fhe is coming
forth again, in the brightnefs and glory of the Father,

look-

234 The holy Truth and People defended.

looking fair as the morning, clear as the fun, terrible
as an army with banners. Nor do we difown any thing
that is of God in the profefTors of this age; but only
that which we know, and are required by him to tef-
tify againft, as being not of him. Oh! that they
could weigh our words and teftimony in a right fpirit !
for they would not then be fo offended at, and (peak
fo againft us, as now they do. And the Lord knoweth
we would do any thing that lieth in us to remove the
ftumbling-blocks that lie before them J but it cannot
be done to that fpirit in them, before which God Al-
mighty hath laid the ftumbling-block, that it might
flumble, and fall, and be fnared, and broken, and
taken. But if they could come into another Spirit,
and feel unity with, and the birth of, another Spirit,
the birth of that pure wifdom fhould find no ftum-
bling-block or offence in this precious difpenfation of
truth, wherewith God from on high hath vifited us.

And as for denying redemption by the blood of Chriji,
oh ! how will he anfwer this charge to God, when none
upon the earth (as the Lord God knoweth) are To
taught, and do fo rightly and fully own redemption
by the blood of Chrift, as the Lord hath taught us to
do ! for we own the blood of the Lord Jefus Chrift,
both outwardly and inwardly; both as it was fhed on
the crofs, and as it is fprinkled in our confciences;
and know the cleanfing virtue thereof in the everlaft-
ing covenant, and in the light which is eternal; out
of which light men have but a notion thereof, but do
not truly know nor own it. And let him confider, be-
fore the time of antichrift, it was a great matter to
know and own Chrift outwardly, as he appeared in
that body; but fince the antichriftian fpirit hath got
that, the diftinguifhing knowledge and owning of
Chrift is, to know and own him inwardly. The out-^
ward knowledge and confeffion now (as it is gene-i
rally feparated from, and held forth in way of diftinc^
tion from the inward) is but the knowledge and con^
feffion of Babylon, and not the true living knowledge
and confeffion of Chriftj^ in and by the Spirit of the

Father,

The holy Truth and People defended 235

Father, which is the knowledge and confefllon of all
the children of the true and heavenly mother, which is
the mother of all that are born of the Spirit.

He repeateth thofe words of mine, 'that we do not
make any finite thing our righteoufnefs ; but Cbriji of God
is made unto us righteoufnefs. Thisy he faith, is luelifpoken,
and wifheth we may always abide in this confejjion.

Anf. Thefe words arofe in me from an inward feel-
ing of him who giveth righteoufnefs, and of the
righteoufnefs given j and the Lord preferving me in
that life, I fhall feel fo for ever, and confefs fo for
ever. And truly I can teftify of no other righteouf-
nefs ; for, blefied be the name of my God, I feel the
righteoufnefs of his Son revealed in me daily, from
faith to faith. In his name I have been gathered, in
his name I live, and in him I feel righteoufnefs ; and
indeed there is nothing but righteoufiiefs, holinefs,
truth, life, and falvation (and the like) in him.

And he that is truly in him, is righteous and holy in
him 1 there beinoj in him a new creatino; of all that are
there, and a renewing into the holy and heavenly
image, which confifts in the righteoulnefs and holinefs
of truth.

He defireth me to give a plain anfwer to this quef-
tion :

h Chrift of God made our righteoufnefs hy faith in his
bloody or in his Spirit ?

Anf A pretended faith in Chrifb's blood, without
faith in his Spirit, is but dead and notional. " Ex-
" cept ye eat my flefh, and drink my bioqd (laich
'* Chrift) ye have no life in you. It is the Spirit that
" quickeneth: the fiefii (faith he) profiteth nothing,"
Now the faith muft be in that which quickeneth, and
the faith in that which quickeneth is holy and right-
eous, and the man who is found in it is juftiiied,
through that faith in the quickening power, in the
fight of God. Thus Abraham was juftified in the
fight of God ; and thus are the children of Abraham
to be juftified, even throHjgh believing in that holy
power and Spirit which requireth obedience, and jufti-

fieth

^;^6 The holy Truxh and People defended.

fieth the obedient, and condemneth the difobedient for
ever, Rom. iv. 24.

He faith. He fears a fnake in this green grafs, when I
Jayj From his life^ virtue, and power revealed in us, is
our conformity to him.

AnJ. It were better and fafer for him to fear at
home J for the fnake is in his own grafs, and many
notional, high, foaring expreflions, without true know-
ledge. But can there be any conformity to Chrifl
without his life, virtue, and power inwardly revealed ?
What elfe can conform unto, and bring forth in, the
image and likenefs of Chrifl ?

He faith. He feareth leji I make this life and virtue
our right eoufnefs^ which is indeed the fruits of it.

Anf. Who is this that darkeneth counfel by words
without knowledge, and runneth out from the truth
into his own imaginations ? What was Chrift's right-
eoufnefs ? Was it not the life, the virtue, the Spirit
of the Father in hinrj, he being one with it, in the
faith of it, and in the obedience to it ? And is not the
righteoufnefs of the head and the body the fame,
communicated from the head to the body ? Are they
not all of one, and the righteoufnefs one and the
fame in both ? So much of Chrift's Spirit, fo much of
his righteoufnefs ; and out of his Spirit, out of his
righteoufnefs for evermore. For the righteoufnefs of
the Son is revealed, and communicated from faith to
faith,, in his Spirit; and fo Chrift is indeed made
righteoufnefs to them that are found in his Spirit ;
and they are covered with the garment of righteouf-
nefs and falvation, who are covered with, his Spirit,

He faith. Our righte'^ufnefs is before thix.

Anf. What ! Is our righteoufnefs before any of the
life, virtue, and power of Chrift revealed in us ? Is
God a refpeder of perfons ? Doth he juftify any out
of the holy covenant before he hath made a change
in him ? How doth this man, with his vain imagina-
tions, turn the whole way and counfel of God upfide->
down ?

He

The holy Truth and People defended, 237

He brings a fcripture to prove this, I'he fpirit is life
for right eoujnef 5 Jake.

Anf. That fcripture (which is Rom. viii. 10.) fpeaks
of thofe in whom Chrift is and dwells -, and there in-
deed " the body is dead becaufe of fin, and the fpirit
*' is life becaufe of righteoufnefs." This is plainly
fpoken, and plainly felt and known as it is fpoken.
Oh ! that he had the true fenfe and underftanding of
it as it is in Jefus !

He faith, Righteoufnefs is in order of ttature before
Jan5liJication.

Anf, That which is holy is righteous ; there is no-
thing righteous in the eyes of the pure God but that
which is holy. The head was really holy and right-
eous, and they that are in him partake of his holinefs
and righteoufnefs, and are really holy and righteous
in him; and faith, which purifies the heart, and
through which fandification is, muft needs be in order
of nature before the juftification which is by it; for
God juftifieth no unbelievers, but believers only.
Yea, the wicked muft forfake his way, and the un-
righteous man his thoughts, and turn unto the Lord ;
which cannot pofTibly be without fome degree of fanc-
tification, before the Lord will have mercy, and par-
don the foul its fms, Ifa. Iv. 7. and chap. i. 16,

He faith, Jujlification is an a^ of grace pajfed upon us
hy God freely i without reJpeSi to us as godly ; r.ay^ properly
fefle£iing on us in that moment as ungodly.

Anf. I charge this in the fight of God for abfolutely
falfe dodrine, and contrary to the gofpel. For God
juftifieth no man as ungodly; but callenh upon men
to repent, and turn from their ungodlinefs, and he
will have mercy upon them, juftify and fave them.
Now men are not ungodly in turning from their un-
godlinefs, but changed ; and fo their Itate is in fome
meafure changed before juftified. If Abraham was
ungodly when God called him ; yet in forfaking his
own country, and following the Lord, and offering up
his fon, he was obedient, and not ungodly, and in

that

238 The holy Truth and People defended.

that obedience he was juftified. A man may have no-
tions of juftification in his mind, and accordingly take
himfelf to be juftified, when he is not ; but there is
no man juftified by the Lord till he be changed, tranf-
lated into him in whom God juftifieth, out of the
place of condemnation into the place of juftification.
For till men are changed by the Spirit and power of
the Lord, they are but darknefs, and in the darknefs,
where no juftification is. It is the believing, the obe-
dient, the children of light, that are juftified by the
Lord.

He faith, TVere we godly he f Ore or at that time^ it were
no aB of grace to pronounce us righteous,

AnJ. He that witnefleth falvation in Chrift Jefus,
witnefleth it to be a continued a6l of grace. Grace
appears to the foul, grace teacheth, grace enableth,
grace maketh a change from the ungracioufnefs of the
heart and ftate ; and then grace (or God by his grace
in and through Jefus Chrift) forgiveth the fins that
were committed before. For though the Lord vifit
me with life, quicken me thereby, make a change in
my heart and ftate j yet it is his mercy to accept me,
and to pafs by for his name's fake my former debts
and trefpafles againft him. Alas ! the new covenant
is wholly a covenant of grace and mercy; and the
giving of Chrift, drawing the mind to him, accepting
and juftifying in him, are works of grace and mercy
towards his. So the fpiritual Ifrael may well fing this
fong in the land of holinefs and redemption, " O
** praife the Lord ! for he is good, and his mercy en-
«' dureth for ever.'* I can truly fet my feal to this
thing J that the more holy and righteous the Lord
maketh me in his Son, the more fenfible am 1 of his
love, grace, and mercy, in juftifying of me j and it is
precious to me to witnefs juftification and acceptance
ii^ith him in and through his Son.

He faith further. But this is the hountyy the freenefs,
the munificence^ the riches of the grace of God, to call
things that are not as though they were*

AnJ,

The holy Truth and People defended. 239

Anf. Take heed of abufing that fcripture. God fent
Chriil to renew, to redeem, to change, to make holy
and righteous, to make people fuch as the Father
might be pleafed with, accept, and jliftify; and as
Chrift maketh them fo, the Father receiveth and ac-
cepteth them as fuch. But God doth diftinguifh and
call things as they are. He doth not call an ungodly
man an holy man, a juftificd man; but when he hath
changed him, new created him in Chrift Jefus, took
him out of his old ftock, and planted him into the
new J then he accounteth and calleth him fo, and not
before. It were better for men to wait upon God
to underftand what his Spirit meant in what he fpake,
than to put formed meanings of their own upon his
words.

He wrefts my words, charging and reproving me,
as if I faid, The love of God was a bare thing.

Anf. Thofe were not my words, nor did my words
fo fignify J but my words were. That it is not by bare
loving (or mere loving, or only loving) that God
makes a man righteous ; which is very true and mani-
feft : for there is, befides his love (in and through
that love) the fending of his Son, and revealing of his
Son, drawing to and tranfplanting into his Son, to
make holy and righteous in him. For holinefs, though
it may be diftinguifhed, yet it cannot be divided from
righteoufnefs i nor can a man poiTibly be righteous in
God's fight, unlefs he be alfo holy in fome meafure.
His reflecting words hereupon I pafs by, though very
unjuftly and unchriftianly caft upon me, (without any
juit occafion given him by words) which 1 defire the
Lord may make him fenfible of, that he may be for-
given ic.

He blameth me for faying. We make no finite thing
our righteoufnefs, and yet he faith, fVe make the mea-
fure of the Sprit (which each member of Chriji receives)
cur righteoufnefs.

AnJ. A meafure hath the fame nature with the ful-
nefs. A meafure of the Spirit and life, of the grace
and truth which comes from Jefus Chrift, hath the

fame

440 The holy Troth and People defended.'

fame nature that the fulnefs hath. All the life, all
the new creation that comes from him, and dwells in
him, is righteous, and found righteous wherever it is
found. Yet I do not remember that we have thus
exprefled it, that that meafure is our righteoufnefs ;
btft it is he who is the fulnefs, who is revealed in that
meafure i and it is he who is our righteoufnefs, our
wifdom, our fanftification, our redemption j but it is
in the holy pure meafure of the heavenly gift that he is
made thus of God to us, not out of it.

He faith, The Lord our righteoufnefs redeems us, not
froperly by the life and Spirit of his Godhead j though that
was in the work, fupporting^ enabling hint) and carrying
him upy in that great undertaking ; but by the death and
fufferings of his manhood.

Anf. This is ftrange doftrine, to make the manhood
the main Redeemer, and the life and Spirit of thfr
Godhead but the fupporter and carrier up of the man
in the work of redemption ; whereas it v/as the Word
which created all, which alfo redeemed j he that left
his glory, and made himfelf of no reputation, but
came in the form of a fervant, to do the will. It was
the Spirit and life of the Father (even the eternal Son)
which took up that body, appeared in that body, of-
fered it up a pure and acceptable facrifice to the Fa-
ther, finilhing the work therein which the Father gave
him to do, John xvii. 4, 5,

He faith, Shall we think to anjwer the law by our obe-
dience ?

Anf. We do not look upon the law of Mofes, which
was given to the Jew outward, to be the difpenfation
of [the new covenant, or to be the law of the Spirit of
life in Chrift Jefusj but thofe who are in the new co-
venant, and have God's law written in their hearts,
and his fear put there, which preferveth from depart-
ing from him, and hjs Spirit put within them, to caufc
them to walk in his ways, and to keep his ftatutes
and judgments, and do themj and who live in the
Spirit, and walk not after the flefh, but after the Spi-
rit, the righteoufnefs of the law is fulfilled in thefe.

Yet

The holy Truth and People defended. 241

Yet they do not magnify and cry up their own obe-
dience, (nor call it their righteoufnels) but him from
whom their obedience comes. For in the meafure of
his grace and living truth the foul is one with him ;
and all that he is, and all that he hath done, is theirs;
and it is he himfelf that is the righteoufnefs of all
that are in him : and they that abide in him partake of
his righteoufnefs from day to day, which fioweth in
like a ilream upon them.

I wifh he could confider in what fpirit it is that he
calls the white ftone a ticket for the righteoufnefs.
Doth he know the white ftone with the new name ?
It is no lefs than the foundation-ftone, than the right-
eoufnefs itfelf i and what doth he talk of bringing that
as a ticket for the righteoufnefs ?

He feemeth to pafs by fome things (which I fpeak
in tender love and weightinefs of fpirit to him) as
the judgment of man in his day; but let him take
heed, when he comes to appear before God, he then
find it was the judgment of God's Spirit in the light
of his day; which day is inward and fpiritual, which
believers are to haften to, and which approacheth in
every heart, as the night fpendeth and pafleth away.
And all true Chriftians and believers ought to wait for
the pafTmg away of the night, and the dawning of this
day, and the arifing of the day-ftar in their hearts.

He faith, Chriji is now ready to be revealed.

Anf. I believe he is to be revealed further, and in
fuller glory; but he is truly already revealed as the
Saviour, Shepherd, and Bifhop of the foul ; and many
are gathered home to their retting-place in him,
which, while they were fcattered up and down upon
the barren mountains (before the Shepherd appeared
and made himfelf manifeft) they could not find.

He feems to ftrike at the peace and joy v/hich is of
God, and to give it a dafh, Becaufe minds ejiranged
from the ojlightnings and conviSfions of God, have much
feace in their ways, and fufh are under deluftons.

Anf. We do not tell men of the peace and joy we
have in our God boaitingly ; but in a faithful way of.

Vol, III. Q^ tefti-

242 The holy Truth and People depended.

teftimony concerning, and invitation to, what we once
wanted, but now h^ve found, under the leadings of
the true Shepherd. And the peace and joy which he
gives, is an evidence and aflfurance in the hearts or
thofe to whom it is given by him. And they that
have been greatly diftreffed for want of the Lord, and
his powerful arm of falvation, having met with it, it
rifeth up from life in them to teftify and fay to others,
Lo ! this is our God^ we have waited for him, and we
will he glad and rejoice in his falvation. And oh 1 that
ye alfo were ftripped of this dead, notional, compre-
henfive knowledge concerning the Saviour ! That ye
might meet with the Saviour himfelf, and receive that
knowledge from him which is life eternal. And this,
with the true peace and joy thereof from him, yc
would find no delufion.

He fpeaketh. Of fuffering lofs, and of phrafes and ex-
preffions: Better (faid he) to fuffer lofs in thefe, than
themfelves to he defiroyed.

Anf. Let him apply this home. Oh ! that he faw
how thofe phrafes and exprefllons, and imaginary
knowledge, which he hath brought forth in this let*
ter, ftands in his way to hinder the true knowledge;
and that he cannot poffibly receive the true knowledge
without being emptied of thefe, and parting with
them for the excellency of the knowledge of the
truth as it is in Jefusj and without the true know-
ledge of Jefus men cannot but perifh, and be over-
taken with deftru6tion.

Then for being helpful to ejlahlifh perfons in grace,

Anf. Such kind of doctrines as thefe do not tend
thereto.

They may eftablilh men in fuch a notion of grace as
he hath formed j but they neither tend to lead to, nor
eftablilh in, the grace itfelf, but keep men from it.
Nay, I can truly fay it from him that is true, that he
himfelf cannot receive the grace, the thing itfelf, till
he part with thefe notions. And oh ! that he might
know the (tone cut out of the mountain without hands
to dafh his image I that the Living One (who gives

life)

The holy Truth and People defended. 243

life) might be received by him, in that meafure of
grace and truth which he inwardly difpenfes to all that
travel out of the darknefs of their own imaginations
and conceivings upon the fcripcures into his pure
light.

The main reafon he giveth why he is not fatisfied
with that which I fent him, concerning the fum and
fubftance of the true religion, is ; becaufe it fights
with his notions, even a ftating of our righteoufncfs
with God, according to his imagination; which is ab-
folutely a mere dream, which he hath dreamt of in
the night, and not feen in the light of the day. For
the cry of the Spirit of the Lord is in the gofpel-day;
Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation^ which keep-
ith the truths may enter in. This is the truth, as God
hath revealed by his own Spirit, in this our day ; but
to fay this fpeaks of our ftate in him, without witnef-'
fing it in ourfelves, is but a mere dream; and men
cannot bring forth fruit to God, nor be lovely and
pleafing in his eyes, but as their fallow ground is
ploughed up, the thorns, thiftles, briars, and that
v/hich is unclean and unholy, removed.

Chrift, he faith, is the heavenly man, and manjion in

'whom we are thus blejfedy and in whom we fit down in a

Jlate of reft and reconciliationy heavenly and divine, before

and zvithout the confideration of any works of righteoufnefs

- which we have wrought, l^c.

Anf, If he means this concerning the full fitting
down in reft, it is direflly contrary to fcripture. For
none fit down in that full reft, before and without
confideration of works of righteoufnefs wrought by
them. For that great judgment is a time of render-
ing to every man according to his works. Reft is the
reward of the traveller, and his travels arc not defpi-
fed, but confidered in his reward. Mark 3 every one
that improved the talent, had a reward from his Lord.
" And come ye blefted of my Father, inherit the
" kingdom prepared for you : for I v/as an hungred, and
" ye gave me meat," &c. Mat. xxv. And the apoftle
is of the fame mind with Chrift, when he faith, " It is

0^2 <* a right-

244 The holy Truth and People defended*

" a righteous thing with God, to recompence tribu-
'* lation to them that trouble you, and to you reft,"
&c. 2 Thef. i. 6, 7. So that perfons do not fit down
in eternal bleflednefs in Chrift, before or without con-
flderation of any works wrought by them.

And then for fitting down in an heavenly divine
Hate of righteoufnefs, reft, and peace in him here ; it
is a glorious ftate to be travelled to. There muft be
a tranflating out of the kingdom of darknefs, into the
kingdom of the dear Son firft. The kingdom muft
firft be come, and the foul prepared to enter into it,
at the gate which the Spirit opens to him in the way
of the gofpel. For it is one thing to know fomewhat
of Chrift, and to begin to become a difciple j and an-
other thing to learn of him fo to deny a man's own
wifdom and will, as to come to receive and be born
of that which is true and living of him ; and to learn
to wait aright for the opening of the gate, and enter-
ing into the kingdom and land of life, and to be pre-
pared to fit down with him.

For there is a ftate of difcipleftiip, wherein a man
hardly knoweth a fettlement, fo much as how to
watch with Chrift rightly and conftantly; but it is a
great matter to be able to dwell and abide with him.
None can do this, buf he that can dwell with devouring
fire and everlajiing burnings : for the pure word of life
is a fire, and he that fits down in the heavenly place
in him, muft fit down in that fire.

This he reckons the firm ftable ftate, which indeed
is no ftate at all. There is not a ftate in Chrift with-
out being in Chrift j and then the ftate is according
to the foul's being in Chrift : for then the work of re-
generation, the work of fanflification, the work of
juftifying, &c. goeth on j and a man is with God,
according as he is framed and new created in Chrift,
and not otherwife. So that the life and power of the
Lord Jefus Chrift is found judging and condemning
whatever is not of God ; and juftifying only what is
of God in him. For the foul then comes into the
new covenant, which requireth and juftifieth that which

is

The holy Truth and People defended. 245

is new, all that is wrought in God; and condemneth
all that is wrought out of him. And fo here is the
true (enCQ and knowledge of fin, by the new and pure
law of the new covenant; and the Advocate known,
and repentance given by him upon all occafions, to
thofe that wait upon him, and the fprinkling of the
blood, and the remilTion upon repentance. This is
the new living way of the Lord Jefus Chrift, which he
hath confecrated for all his, (made known in the de-
monftration of his Spirit) which will (land for ever;
whereas mens apprehenfions about thofe things, which
they have gathered and comprehended of themfelves
out of the fcriptures, (in the fuppofed light of their
natural reafon and underftanding) are but dreams, and
will vanilh even in their own hearts, if ever the true
light arife there.

He faith, This ft ate can never fall, nor be finally fallen
from.

Anf, There is a way of coming to Chrift, and there
is a way of prefervation in Chrift. For there is a
power that redeems; and men are preferved by that
power in fubjeftion to it. And fo every one, that
thinketh he ftandeth^ is to feary and to take heed left he
fall; and not to boafb and fay, I am in a ft ate of j lift i-
fication, which is firm and cannot be moved; and it cannot
fall, nor be finally fallen from. " For ye are kept by
" the power of God, through faith unto falvation."
Keep to the power which preferves, " hold that faft
" which thou haft, let no m^an take thy crown." Keep
the faith, make not fhipwreck of it, and of a good
confcience. Oh ! that men knew the right doctrine
and way of coming to Chrift ! which they cannot do,
rill they are taught of the Father, John vi. 45. and
the right dotlrine and v/ay of ftanding and abiding in
him. For truly mens profelTed coming to Chrift, be-
lieving and ftanding at this day, is generally notional,
outward, without -, but not in the inward life and
power itfelf, without which no man can come to him,
nor ftand nor abide in him.

0.3 He

24^ The holy Truth a^d People defended;

He chargeth us, With Jetting up a covenant of works %
always doing and never done ; a covenant to he 'performed
by uSy for our/elves j not by Chriji for us.

Jnf I would he faw in the true light how unjult
and untrue this charge is. For the Lord God of life
knoweth that he himfelf hath taught us the new co-
venant, and thereby taught us to wait upon himfelf in
his Son, to work all our works in us and for us ; and
this we daily experience, that we can work nothing,
but as he works \v\ us. Therefore our whole courfe
is a waiting on him in ftillnefs, to witnefs him appear-
ing and doing all in usi and blefled be his name, wc
do not wait in vain. But if he think all works arc
excluded out of the new covenant, he greatly errethj
for the works of God's Spirit are required and have a
place therein; and God and Chrift (the King and
Shepherd) 's the Judge of his people in the new co-
venant, and juftifieth or condemneth according to the
law thereof. In the faith and obedience he juftifieth;
in the unbelief and difobedience he condemns, with-
out refped of perfons.

And it is a precious thing in the gofpel miniftration
to come to God the Judge of all, and to witnefs true
judgment'' fet up by God in a man's own heart; that
by the miniftration of the pure judgment there, the
foul may come to learn righteoufnefs, of the holy
Teacher and Shepherd, even the Lord Jefus Chrift,
■who is juft and faithful under his Father, in the impar-
tial miniftration of the new covenant.

Hereupon fever^l charges he brings againft us,
through his own miftakes and mifapprehenfions of us^

As, Firft, 'That our doSirine implies free will and power
fn the creature,

Anf. We have never experienced free will nor power,
as of ourfelves, but as we have been turned to God's
power, and received it from him; nor did we ever
teftify to others, that they could receive and embrace
truth in their own will^ and by their own power. Oh !
that this perfon had true difcerning of, and were fe-
vered from, that fpirit which thus chargeth us 1 For

whoever

The holy Truth and People defended. '247

■whoever receives this teftimony concerning the inward
light of our Lord Jefus Chrift, fliall never find him-
felf able to do any thing therein by his own will and
power ; but there witnelfeth God's begetting him out
of his own will, by the life and power of truth.

Secondly, He chargcth it, ^bat it maketh the eleSlion
of God altogether frujlraneous.

AnJ, Ele6tion of the feed, in the feed, it doth not
at all make fruftraneous ; but mens wrong apprehen-
iions concerning election out of the feed, twz true
dodrine of eled:ion doth not confift with. He hath
chojen us in him. So that in him, to wit, in ChriJ}, the
choice is j and he that will make his eleSIion fure, muft
make the feed fure to him\ growing in the nature there-
of, wherein the eleftion is to the truly obedient.

He faith. Our rightcoujnejs with God is the foundation.

Anf But is there not fomewhat, which is the foun-
dation of our righteoufnefs with God ? And can we "be
righteous with God, till we come to that foundation,
and be made righteous by it ? Mutt we not firft be-
lieve in him ? And is not faith a gift which comes
from the holy root, and maketh a change in them in
whom this gift is found ? Doth not faith make a dif-
ference between them that believe, and them that be^
lieve not? So that, fo foon as ever there is true faith,
and it thus works, the Jiate is changed , and there is no
juftification before faith. For in the unbelief is the
condemnation for ever. " He that believeth not, is
" condemned already." And what! is he juftified
there too, at the fame time ? Was Abraham, our fa-
ther, iufi-ified in the unbelief and dilbbedience ? Or
in believing and obeying God ? For what faith the
fcripture? " Abraham believed God, and it was counted
" to him for ris;hteoufnefs."

That which I fpoke of, he faith, Is but Phe fruit and
fuperjlruofure,

Anf. Wlien Chrift dircds men to the feed of the
kingdom, doth he dired' unto the fruit and fuperftruc-
ture ? I fpoke there of tl;|e feed, of the light, of the
holy Spirit, of the quickening virtue 3 is that the fu-

0^4 perftruc-

248 .The'holy Truth and People defended.

perftrufture ? Or is that the fruit of mens being made
righteous? Nay; muft they not turn to that, receive
that, believe in that, even in the light of God's Spirit,
(for they are the true and right believers) before a
man can come to be made righteous, or accounted
righteous in the eyes of the Lord ? For none are
righteous, but in him ; and all are out of him, till
they be gathered into him.

He inllanceth in one paffage of mine (in a book
entitled, ' 'The Sum or Subfiance of our Religion ^ who are
* called Quakers,'), the words are thefe : This is the
Jum of all, even to know and experience what is to be
brought down into death, and kept in death ; what to be
brought up out of the grave, to live to God, and reign in
his dominion i and what to be kept infuhje5iion and obedi-
ence to him, who is to reign. Now to experience it thus
done in the heart, the Jlefh brought idown, the feed of life
raijed, and the foul fubje£i to the pure heavenly power,
whofe right it is to reign in the heart, in and by the feed-,
this is a blcjfed fiate indeed; for here the work is done y
i^c. Thefe were my words.

Now mind -, God is the teacher in the new covenant.
Now he that hath learned this of him, hath he not
learned the true religion ? And is not this a full fum
^nd fubftance of religion ? When the apoftle faith,
<* Pure religion, and undefiled before God, is to vifit
*« the, fatherlefs," &c. Alas! might this fpirit have
faid againft the blefled apoftle, that is not the pure
religion, (not the fum or fubftance of pure and unde-
filed religion) that is but a fruit or fuperftrudure 1
Oh ! that men had true fenfe and underftanding ! That
they might favour the words that come from God's
Spirit, and the words that come from their own fpirit;
and might not be offended at thatAvhich is true, pure,
and living of him.

But having difliked this fum, he giveth one of his
own, in thefe words following : I fay, the Jum, and that
which firji and mainly imports us to know, as the Lord
hath taught me, is-. That the old man is crucified with
Qhriji^ and brought down into his grave, and that we are

rifen

The holy Truth and People defended. 249

rijen together with him, hy the faith of the operation of
God; and from this faith to be working with God; to moT"
tify our memhers that are on the earth.

AnJ. Doth not Chrift fend his apoftles to preach the
gofpel, and give them this mefHige, " That God is
" light;" and to turn their minds to the true light,
that they might be enlightened by it ? Doth it not
import men firft to know that, whereby they might
be crucified, before they can know themfelves crucified
thereby? So that Chrift did judge this as the iirit
thing neceflary to be known in the preaching of the
gofpel ; and bid men preach the light, and turn men
to the light, and to the inward appearance and voice
of God's word in their hearts. And what ! are men
rifen together with him, by the faith of the operation
of God, while they are yet in their iins, in their un-
godly ftate ? And how can any witnefs the faith of the
operation of God in this (late ? Now it had been better
he had forborne affirming, that the Lord taught him
thus; for truly the Lord never taught any thus. This
is not truth from God, nor will it be owned by the
Lord as his truth, when he comes to appear before
him ; and he fhould have took it to himfeif, and not
have put the name of the Lord to it.

But againft this his own dodlrine, he raifeth an ob-
jeftion in thefe words j Shall we mortify that which is
mortified already ?

His anl'wer is ; Tl'he old man, which is crucified toiether
with Chrift, is the flate of the flefj, and of enmity. 'This
is pajl away, and in this is the concern of our righteouj-
nefs, and jufli fie alien properly.

That which remains to be mortified, are our memhers
upon earthy which are the fruits of that evil flate ; and in
the mortifying of thefe, is the ccncjrn of our fan^ification.,
The will of God is done in heaven, ivc.

ylnf Paul fpeaks of the law of fm in his members i
and he alfo fpeaks of the body of death, and cries out
againft that; *• Oh ! wretched man that lam," faith
he, '^ who fliall deliver me from the body of this
*' death ?" He felt fomewhat that nouriflied and ga/e

ftrength

250 The holy Truth and People defended.

ftrength to the law of fin in his members, and looked
upon himfelf as wretched, till he could meet with de-
liverance therefrom. Now fome are of opinion that
there is no being delivered from the body of fm, while
in this life. Doll thou look upon it to be done in
Chrift, for us, without us ; but never to be done by
Chrift in us ? Let me tell thee, if evec thou come to
witnefs the pure eternal light of the Lord Jefus Chrift
revealed in theej that will not find out fome members
on earth only, but the very body thereof; and fiiew
thee the necefiity of the putting off that body from
thee, and that circumcifion whereby it is to be done,
which is the circumcifion of Chrift. Mark the pro-
mife of the new covenant, " I will circumcife thine
« heart, and the heart of thy feed, to love the Lord
" thy God with all thme heart, that thou mayeft live."
Is not this the circumcifion of Chrift ? Doth not this
cut off the body of the fins of the flefh, in the par-
ticular where this is witneffed i This is the truth, as
it is in Jefus, even *' to put off the old man with his
" deeds." It doth not fay, The body is put off in Chrift
without uSy and men muft only put off the members or
deeds; but, they mujl put off the body, and come to witr
nefs in themfelves the very nature, fpirit, root, and
principle from whence they proceed, cut down and
deftroyed in them. They muft feel the axe laid to the
root of the corrupt tree^ and it cut down in them (not
think it enough to fay, it is done in Chrift for them) ;
yea, they muft alfo witnefs the Lord arifing to Jhake ter-
ribly the earthy in which the tree grew; that fo the
place of dragons and ferpents (where each lay in times
paft) may henceforward become the place of holinefs ;
where gy^Js may grow, and the new plants and flowers of
the paradife of God.

And how is the will of God done in heaven ? Is it
done in heaven after this manner ? Flave mercy and
righteoufnefs the prehcminence, the leading of the
van ? (they are his own words) and faid to go before,
and look down from heaven after this manner (the
body of fin being put off in Chrift there) ? Are there

not

The holy Truth and People defended. 251

not thofe here on earth, who dwell in heaven ? whofe
converfation is in heaven ; even the witnefTes to God's
holy truth, who are afcended up above the fpirit of
this world, and dwell in God's holy Spirit j and who
walk in the light, as God is in the light? Hell is not
far from the wicked ; nor is heaven far from them who
are renewed in the fpirits of their minds, and who
witnefs the pafling away of the old things, and the
new creation in Chrift. Oh ! that he could look back
(in a true fenfe) and fee how he hath wrefted thofe fcrip-
tures! Pfal.lxxxv. 9, 10, 11. Ifai. iv. 2. andEphef. ii. 6.
after his own imaginations: and, indeed, in this fpirit,
men cannot but turn the precious truth of God into
a lie ; that is, as to themfel vcs, as to their own know-
ledge of it. It is known how the branch of the Lord
is beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth
excellent and comely, and in what day it is loi which
day is. When the Lord jhall have wajhed away the filth
cf the daughter of Siotty and Jloall have purged the bloody
&'c. hy the fpirit of judgment ^ and by the fpirit of burn^
ingy Ifa. iv. 4. Then every one that is left pall be called
holy, and the branch of the Lord ffoall be glorious in the
tnidjl of them^ and the fruits of the earth excellent and
comely for them. And then they that are thus purged^ fhaU

fit with Chriji in the heavenly places ; there being an abun-
dant entrance minifiered to them into the everlafling king-
dom^ 2 Pet. i. II.

Thirdly, He chargeth it with making the obedience and

Jufferings of ChriJI fuperfluouSy except only a^ a pattern.

Anf. Chrift came to do the Father's will ; to obey,
to fuffer, to tajie death for every man j to fight with and
overcome the devil ; to offer an holy, fpotlefs facrifice
for all mankind, that through him they might witnefs
atonement and acceptance. And the Lord faw the
ufe of this, and we witnefs the ufe of this, and find
every thing in its proper place and fervice in him,
who is God's covenant of life and peace in us, and to
us. But the work of this day is not to preach up a
notional knowledge of jhefe things, (the Chriltian
world, fo called^ hath been drowned and dead in them

long

0.^2 The holy Truth and People defended.

long enough) but to bring to that meafure of the
Spirit, to that fenfe of grace and truthy which is come by
Jefus Chriji ; wherein the benefit of thefe things is
truly reaped and enjoyed ; and, indeed, that is the
work connmitted unto us from the Lord, who gave us
this teftimony to bear, whatever men may think or
fpeak of us.

And whereas he [peaks of oiir laying hold of pajfagesy in
his printed fermons, to favour our caufe :

Anf. That is his miftake as to me ; it was for his
fake I mentioned it. There was, indeed, at that time,
fomewhat ftirring in him, which would have gathered
him, had he known and obeyed its voice, and not run
out into lofty notions concerning it. He had fome
fenfe then of a glory approaching, which he might
have from the true Prophet j though even then he ran
out in his imaginations concerning it, and did not
rightly apprehend, nor know how and when it ap-
peared.

He hath further charges againft usj Of crying up
works againft the work-man ; mans grace and righteouj-
nejs againft God's ', conformity to Chrift againji Chrijt \
yea^ to make a Chrift of our righteoujnefs, a Saviour of our
conformity.

Anf. Oh ! what will this man do, when the Lord
Ihall fhew unto him that he hath charged not fo much
us, as the Spirit and power, and precious appearance
of the Lord Jefus Chrift, with thefe things ! We cry
up works no otherwife than we are taught of God,
and as the apoftles and prophets have cried them up.
Faith is neceflary, and works are neceflary in their
places ; and the juftification of each follows them.
And he that receiveth the Spirit of the Son, and there-
in doth righteoufnefs, is therein efteemed of God
righteous, as the Son is righteous, i John iii. 7. God
juftifieth us in his Son, and loveth his holy feed too
therein, and the faith that comes from him, and all
the works that are wrought in him i and out of this
holy root of life and power is no man, nor his faith,
por his works juftified.

Thea

The holy Xruth and People defended. 253

Then for man's grace and righteoufnefs. Where
doth he hear us fpeak of man's grace? Oh ! what doth
he mean ? Will he mifreprefent the caufe of his neigh-
bour or brother, to make it bad ? And for man's
righteoufnefs, we do not cry it up or put it on, but
teftify men muft be unclothed of it; and we ourfelves
were fain to part with it, and put it off, before we
could be clothed with God's righteoufnefs. But the
works of life, the works of God's Spirit, the works
of the new creature, the works of the new covenant •,
thefe are not man's works, nor unrighteous works,
condemned by God; but juftified in and through him
that works them. The works wrought in us are truly
acceptable, and we in him who works them, who is our
righteoufnefs. And concerning this people (thefe
children of the new covenant) which the Lord hath
begotten and brought forth in tliis our day, that fcrip-
ture is fulfilled in them, and upon them : " Their
" righteoufnefs is of me, faith the Lord," Ifa. liv. 17.
Well ! as long as the Lord faith fo, we matter not
though others fay, that our righteoufnefs is of ourfelves^
and that it is our own righteoufnefs; being alTured
that God's teftimony in our hearts (as to this thing)
will ftand.

He aggravateth this charge thus : And this to be
done by thofe that have been fo far enlightened, and that
account all the religion and frojeffion in the world below
them as carnal.

Anf. Indeed we magnify truth, life, the anointing,
the fpiritual, the inward appearance of our Lord Jefus
Chrift, to which we have been turned, and in it made
fpiritual; and all other knowledge, faith, profefTion,
religion (which hath not its rife here) we cannot but
call carnal. For the enlightening Spirit of the Lord
hath given us this teftimony to bear, againft all the
dead notional profelfors of this age, v/ho build from
the letter (or rather their apprehenfions of the letter)
out of the life ; all which cry up names of the founda-
tion and corner-ftone; but refufe, rejed:, deny, and
turn from the corner-ftone himfelf j and have neither

fkill

i54 ^^^ HOLY Truth and People DEfENDED*

Ikill nor patience to try what he is, in this his pure»
precious, Jiving, powerful, and glorious appearance
in the fpiritual light of his inward day, after the long
thick darknefs of the foregoing night. And woe
would be unto us, if we did not thus teftify ! For, for
this caufe we were born and brought into the world,
to teftify to the prefent appearance of our God, and
of his Chrift, in this our day. Glory to him who
hath called and chofen us to, and (in a true and pre-
cious meafure and degree of his own pure life) made
VIS faithful therein.

This (faith he) is /o far from giving us a lift nearer
heaven, thai I cannot more properly refemhle it than to the
coming forth of Amaleck, who met Ifrael by the way whem
they were eome forth out of Egypt y and fmote the hindmoji
of them, i^c.

Anf Do not talk of having a lift nearer heaven.
Oh ! learn the way, the holy way, the living way,
wherein no dead, unclean thing can walk. Learn to
know God's Spirit in yourfelves, from that which op-
pofeth his Spirit. Ye have been long learning, after
your old conceivings and apprehenfions of the letter;
oh ! at length come to learn the truth as it is in Jefus,
which difcovers fin and death, and the body of it,
and crucifies and puts it ojff, and makes room in the
heart for him that is true and pure.

And then for Amaleck's fmiting Ifrael, Oh ! how
greatly are ye miftaken 1 Ye take yourfelves for Ifrael,
and us for Amaleck; whereas, if your eyes were
anointed, ye would fee that we have been begotten
and born of God's Spirit, through the Word of life,
which was from the beginning, wherein we have been
circumcifed with the circumcifion made without hands,
that we might worfhip God in his. own pure Spirit,
and in his living truth ; and that our God hath in-
wardly appeared to us, and led us out of Egypt's
land, and out of Babylon alfo, and all the lands where-
into we have been fcattered in the cloudy and dark
day : and that this is Amaleck's fpirit in your feveral
forts of profeflbrs (through your dark imaginations

and

The holy Truth and People defended. 255

and conceivings about the letter) which rifeth up
againft us; and this fpirit in you feareth not that God
who hath appeared, and by his own holy arm of power
hath led, and is leading us. So that we niay take up
the complaint of the prophet in this day, " Who hath
<^ believed our report ? And to whom is the arm of
" the Lord revealed ?" For though we fpeak what we
have heard, feen, and felt of the life which is eternal,
and of the " Word which was in the beginning;" yet
ye are fo far from the witnefs of God in your own
hearts, that ye cannot receive our teftimony, but op-
pofe it with your dead, dry, notional, conceited, ima-
ginary knowledge, which will (land you in no ftead at
all when ye come to appear before God,

Then he proceedeth, complaining againft us thus :
Ah, Sir ! injiead of clapping us on the back^ and minij-^
tering to us in our journey , you clog our march^ and fall
upon our rear. Injiead of Jerving the kingdom of Chrifty
which the church is now in travail of you deny the fir ji
principles of the gofpel, and wholly difown the hope of
Chriji^ s Jecond appearing and kingdom ; knowing or acknozv-
ledgingy as no other Saviour, fo no other kingdom, but a
principle or a light in your/elves.

Anf. " God is light, and in him is no darknefs at
'« all i" and this is the meflage of the gofpel, i John

i- 5- . . .

And Chrift, who is one with the Father, he is one

and the fame light with him ; and we confcfs we look

not for another befides him, nor for another kingdom,

befides the kingdom which is revealed in him ; for the

kingdom which is revealed and manifefted in and by

him, is the fpiritual, eternal, everlafting kingdom,

and there is not another. We do not fay the fulnefs,

or that the full glory of the kingdom, is now revealed

or enjoyed (nay, we confefs we have but the earneft,

in comparifon, but a meafurc, a proportion) ; but this

is the fame in nature and kind with the fulnefs itfelf.

And all that is of Chrift, of his Spirit, of his nature,

is faying ; the leaft meafure of his grace that appear-

eth in any heart bringeth falvation with it; the leaft

touch

a^S The holy Truth and People defended.

touch of his finger hath pure life and faving virtue in
it; yet this is not diftindt nor feparate from the ful-
nefs, and fo it is not another, though it be not the
fulnefs.

Biit whereas thou complained of our not miniftering
to you in your journey, but clogging it : Oh ! that
you knew what your journey is, and whither ye are
marching and travelling in that prefent fpirit wherein
ye atl ! We acknowledge it God's great love and
mercy to us, to deliver us from that fpirit, and from
that way of knowledge, religion, and worfhip wherein
ye flill abide. And what we have feen and known
from the Lord, that are we required of him to teltify
to you ; and if your eyes were opened (by the princi-
ple of light from him) in the holy anointing, ye
would bow to the teftimony; but judging of it in a
contrary wifdom and fpirit, ye not only turn from it,
but fight againftitj and reproach and flander us for
cur faithfulnefs to the Lord, and good-will to you;
which the Lord make you fenfible of, and forgive you,
that at length ye may know and receive him (who is
the defire of all nations) in his pure, living, inward,
and fpiritual appearance.

And as for denying the firft principles; that belongs
to yourfelves ; for do ye not deny that light which is
the foundation of all, and wherein and whereby all
the myfteries of God's kingdom are feen ; and inftead
thereof, fet up a notional comprehenfive knowledge of
your own conceiving, comprehending, and gathering
from the letter ; whereas no man can underftand the
letter but as he comes into and abides in the light ?
This we have experienced in ourfelves formerly ; for
we were but guefling at and imagining concerning the
letter, until we were turned to, and our minds ga-
thered into, and comprehended in, the light of God's
Spirit.

And as for difowning the hope of Chrift's kingdom,
the Lord knoweth that is far from us; for we ourfelves
blefs him for what of his kingdom is already appeared,
and wait and hope for the further and fuller appearance

thereof.

The holy TautH and People defended. 257

thereof. But this we confefs, another Spirit, another
Chrift, another light, another life, another power, an-
other kingdom, befidcs him who hath already ap-
peared, we do not expedt: for he is our king and
kingdom both ; and the lead proportion of his life
and Spirit received (l^ought with the lofs of all, and
fo purchafed and poirefifed) is no lefs than a pearl of
great price, and an heavenly kingdom to him that en-
joyeth it.

He addeth further: If Chrifi he hut a principle^ then
we are no other \ and only principles Jhall he favedj and
no per Jons : Is this your go [pel?

Anf. Chrifi is the promifed feed, to which all the
promifes are, in which feed all the families of the
earth are blefied, as they are gathered unto, and
grafted into, him. But he is not only the feed, but
the feedfman alfoj who foweth of his life, of his na^
ture, of his Spirit, of his heavenly image, in the
hearts of the children of men. He giveth a meafure
of the grace and truth u^ito them, the fulnefs whereof
he hath received of his Father. Now this meafure of
the light eternal is very precious, and is that wherein
he appears and manifefts himfelf. Yea, indeed, glo-
rious things are both fpoken and witneffed of the feed
of life, of the feed of the kingdom, of the grace and
truth which comes by Jefus Chrift; but we never faid
that this feed or meafure of life is the fulnefs itfelf,
but that which the fulnefs imparts to us, and brings
falvation home to our doors by. And if any man will
receive Chrift, he muft receive that from Chrift where-
in he manifefts himfelf. There is a difference between
the light which enlighteneth (the fulnefs of light,
which giveth the meafure of light, the meafure of
anointing to us) and the meafure or proportion which
is given ; the one is Chrift himfelf, the other is his
gift ; yet his gift is of the fame nature with himfelf,
and leavens thofe that receive it, and abide in it, into
the fame nature : fo that not only the gift is one with
him, but we alfo are one with him in the gift. Come,
be not thus wife after the flefh, nor do not ftrive io
Vol. III. R (in

258 The holy Truth and People defended.

(in thy wifdom and knowledge out of the truth) to
triun:iph over the truth, and truth's teftimony, in this
the day of God's great love, and glorious arm of fal-
vation, revealed in the midft of his people, which he
hath gathered out of Babylon, and the dark know-
ledge thereof, into the light and kingdom of his own
dear Son ; where he giveth them eternal life, and of
•the fruits of the good and heavenly land.

He addeth, I firmly believCy and fo have all thejaints
that have gone before^ that Chrijl is a ferfon^ and his
Spirit is a living ■principle in the hearts of all the faithful \
but it is not the Spirit or p'incipk in us that did redeem
us, but the man Chrift Jefus.

Anf. If he mean by the man Chrift Jefus, thefecond
Adamj the quickening Spirity the heavenly man^ the Lord
from heaven, he who is One with the Father, the Word
which was in the beginning, which created all things, I
grant him to be the Redeemer : for it was he who laid
down his glory, wherewith he was glorified before the
world was, and made himfelf of no reputation, but took
upon him the form of afervant, and came as a fervant, in
the fafhion of a man, to do the will. But if he diftin-
guifh Chrift from this Word and Spirit, and make the
man's nature the Saviour, and the Godhead only afTift-
ant to him, (as he feemed to word it before, and as
thefe his words feem to imply) that I utterly deny.
For fo teftifieth the fcripture, " 1 am the Lx)rd, and
*^ befides me there is no Saviour. I am a juft God,
'* and a Saviour," &c. So that Chrift is the Saviour,
as he is one with God. It was God's arm and power
(revealed in him) that effeds falvation. Yea, if I
may fo fpeak, his obedience was of value, as it came
from the Spirit, and it was the offering it up through the
eternal Spirit that made it fo acceptable to God. So
that we muft not attribute redemption originally to
him as a man, but as he came from God ; and bring
the honour all back to the fpring and fountain from
whence he had all, that God may be all in all, and the
very kingdom of Chrift may endure and abide for
ever, in the root of life from whence it came.

And

The JiOLY Truth anp People defended. 259

And fo he is not a foundation or the corner-done
didinft from God. He, as the foundation, was and is
the rock of ages, the fpi ritual rock, both before and
fince he took upon him the body prepared for him.
It is the Spirit, the life which was revealed in that
man (by which he did his Father's will) which was
and is the foundation whereupon all the living ftones
are built. There is a foundation of death, and that is
the wicked fpirit •, there is a foundation of life, and
that is the Holy Spirit, by which Chrift himfelf was
led and guided, (in that his appearance in the flelh)
which defcended upon him, and he was anointed with>
and all his are to be anointed with, and live in, the
fame Spirit. And he that knows Chrift in this Spirit,
he hath the true and abiding knowledge of him, and
no otherwife. And though the names Mejfiahj Jefys,
Chrijiy Saviour, Anointedy &c. were given to him d5
in the fiefh, or as man, they moll properly and ori-
ginally belong to him with refpect to the divine life
and birch in him, as the fent-one, and only-hegotten^
-proceeding from the Father., the brightnefs of his glory^
&LC. For he, as the eternal Son of God, was the fpi>
ritual rock before he took upon him that body which
was prepared for him, which exprefsly was called '* the
" body of Jefus," and which he called '* this tem-
" plcj" and diftinctly, he being called Jefus Chriji
come in the fiefoy which every fpirit that confeffeth not, is
not of God, but is that fpirit of antichriji, i John iv. 3.
He fpeaketh of fitting on the throne of David,
Anf, It is a great matter to know that throne which
David's throne fignified, and Chrift fitting thereon.
His kingdom, his throne, are not of this outwar4
worldly nature, but inward and fpiritual ; and his
throne is in his kingdom and temple, where he reigns,
and is worfhipped. He that knoweth Satan dilho^
noured and call out, knoweth alfo Chrift come in, an(J
fitting on his throne. Oh! that men did give over
their dreaming about the heavenly glory, and comc
thither in the leadings of Gpd's Spirit where j.t is re^
vealed,

R 2 Was

26o' The holy Truth and People defended.

Was the fcripture written in vain concerning the
glorious ftate of the gofpel ? " But we all with open
" face beholding, as in a glafs, the glory of the
" Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory
" to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Cor.
iii. 18.

He putteth up a prayer for us. That the Lord would
awaken us, and make us do our fir ji works, and return to
our firfi love.

AnJ. Ah ! poor man, how is he blinded ! Not dif-
cerning how the Lord hath done this for us, and much
more. But it is he himfelf that hath loft his firft
love, and doth not do his firft works j but is found
Ihort of that tendernefs, quicknefs, and favour that
once was in him. Oh ! that he might fee it, and re-
turn to him whofe quickening virtue reftores and
heals.

He concludeth with the words of the prophet Jere-
miah, chap. xiii. ver. 15,' 16, 17. " Hear ye, and
" give ear; be not proud, for the Lord hath fpoken.
** Give glory to the Lord your God, before he caufe
«' darknefs, and before your feet ftumble upon the
** dark mountains; and while ye look for light, he
<' turn it into the ftjadow of death, and make it grofs
<f darknefs. But if ye will not hear it, my foul fhall
" weep in fecret places for your pride, and mine eyes
*' fhall weep fore, and run down with tears, becaufe
". the Lord's flock is carried away captive."

Anf. How doth this man miftake in his fight and
application of fcriptures, feeing and applying in a
wrong fpirit ? It is true, the Lord hath fpoken j but he
himfelf, and many fuch as he is, have not given ear.
And what is the reafon \ but becaufe they are exalted
above the pure principle of life in their own hearts.
And are not fuch proud ? Hath not he brought forth
thefe weapons, thefe falfe charges and reafonings, in
this paper, againft the heritage of God in the pride of
his heart ? As for us, the Lord God hath humbled us,
and taught us, who have learned, and daily learn of
him, in the humility, and in humilty and fear do we

give

Th£ holy Truth and People defended. 261

give forth our teftimony, though alfo in the authority
and majefty of our Mafler's name, whofe name ftands
over and is exalted above every name, and his moun-
tain and gathering is (in the pure authority and power
of his Spirit) above all other mountains and gather-
ings whatfoever. And as for God's caufing darknefs,
let him, and fuch as he is, look for it; for God doth
not, nor will, caufe darknefs to them whom he hath
gathered into the light of his Spirit j but faith to
them, Arife^ jhine j for thy light is come, and the glory
of the Lord is rifen upon thee, O city and dwelling-place
of the living God. But thofe that know not, or turn
againft his appearance, and cry up former difpenfa-
tions of the fame life and power, but reproach and
blafpheme the prefent, on them doth he caufe the grofs
darknefs to fall and cover them. And this which he
threateneth us with, is already fallen upon himfelf,
when his feet are fallen upon the dark mountains;
and whilft he looks for light, he hath loft that which
once he had; and his very light (as he efteems it) is
become obfcurity and grofs darknefs, as this dark pa-
per of his (from the dark fpirit and principle) makes
manifefl to all that fhall read it in any meafure of true
fenfe or difcerning. And truly my foul doth weep in
fecret For his pride and height of fpirit, in oppofing
the Lord, his truth, and people. And for this caufe
fliali thofe, who have looked upon themfelves as the
children of the kingdom and flock of God, be laid
wafte; and know, that as it was a dreadful thing to
oppofe Chrift Jefus, the Lord, in his appearance in
fielh, fo it is alfo dreadful to oppofe his appearance
in his Spirit and power, wherein he is arifen to fet up
his kingdom, and to throw down Babylon, which is
built in the likenefs of Sion, but by and in another
fpirit. ■

Thofe in whom there is any tendernefs towards God
(and true breathings after him left) the Lord give
them the fenfe and true underftanding of this inward
fpiritual appearance of his Son, and of what they
have been doing, and are doing, againft it ; that they

R 3 may

tSi Ttit fioXt TaAk ANfe Tt6ttz '6tftn6'Et>:

itray ri6t corltirtue to fight agairift the Lord, and kick
^gainfl: that Which is able to wound and prick, to
their* own hurt, and eternal ruin. I*'or there is rtot fal-
Vdtion in any other name than in that v/hich is now re-
pealed ; bleffed are all they that truft therein, it being
BOt another, but the fame" that ever was.

To Hig POSTSCRIPT.

HE beginneth it with the juftification of that paf-
fage of his in a foregoing letter of his to me,
"Wherein he faith, Chriji is heaven, and I am hell.

Anf. When God vifiteth man, he finds him in union
with hell, death, and darknefs : and the man is dead,
is dark, is of an hellifh nature and fpirit in that ftate :
but when the Lord hath converted him, cut him off
from that root, leavened him with the Spirit and na-
ture of his Son, is he hell ftill ? *' Ye were darknefs,
« (faith the apoftle) but now arc ye light in the Lord.
" And fuch were fome of you j but ye are wafhed,
" but ye are fandtified, but ye are juftified ifl the
•* name of the Lord Jefus, and by the Spirit of out
« God."

A man can be but hell before he is waflied, be^
lore his filth be purged away by the Spirit of judg-^
m<fnt and burning, before the old leaven is purged
Out, and he fan6tified and made a new lump; but afte#
the Lord hath thus changed him, and new-created him
in Chrift, is he ftill hell I

He faith, He doth not call the new creatwr6 belly but
there is an old man^ an outward many as well as tbi
n^w man, and the irtward man \ flejh as well as Spirit
in the regenerate.

Anf. \¥hat doth he- meafi b;f the outward man?
The finful body, the body of flefh, il within. Th:«
outward body, that is not hell ; that is the temple of

God.

To HIS POSTSCRIPT. 26^

God, where the heart is fanftified : and the pure Word
of life fandifies throughout, even in fou}, in body, in
Spirit, thofe that are fubject to it. " Know ye not
" that your bodies are the temples of the living
God?" And your fpirits much more; for God is a
Spirit, and he dwells in a fpiritual temple, and his
temple is holy.

He addeth, Jnd unlefsjour attainmmt he beyond Paurs,
be found that in him (that is, in his fiejh) dwelt no
good thing ; and the fle^h lufting againjl the fpirit, fo that
he could not do the thinz that he would.

Anf. Paul did once experience fuch a (late ; that he
felt himfelf f/zr«rt/, fold under fin \ when he did not
find ho'TV to -perform that which was good-, but did what
he hatedy the law of fi,n being firong {in his members)
c.gainft the law of life in his mind, which ftate he calleth
a fate of captivity to the law of fin in his members j and
calleth it a wretched fiate^ Rom. vii. 23, 24. But did
Paul never experience another ftate ? Did he never
witnefs the virtue and power of the new covenant,
even the law of the Spirit of life^ and the power thereof
freeing him from the ftrength and captivity of the law of
fin in his members? There were young men, John
fpeaks of, who were Jirong, and had overcome the wicked-
one. Did Paul himfelf never attain to that ftate ?
He bid others be firong in the Lord, and in the power
of his might, and ftiewed them how to refift in it, ^o
as to overcome. Did he never experience and witnefs
it himfelf? He faid, He had fought a good fight, and
was more than a conqueror. What ! was he then a cap-
tive to the law of fin in his members, and did he
then cry our, Who foall deliver me from the body of this
death ? He faid. He could do all things through Chrifi^
that firengthened him. Was not that a ftate different
from that other wherein he found only to will, and could
not do the good he defined, but did the evil he allowed not,
hut hated '^ And blelied-be the Lord, there are many
at this day who wirnefs a farther ftate of redemption
and deliverance from fiq, and the law thereof in the
members, than that ftate of captivity was, which Paul

R 4 there

a64 To HIS POSTSCRIPT.

there exprefleth his former groanings and complainings
under. For he was not in that ftate of captivity
when he wrote that epiftle, but knew the dominion of
grace over fin, and bid that church he fubje£i to the
grace, and not give way to Jin, but yield their members
Jerv'ants to righteoufnefs unto holinejs, chap. 6. For that
other place, of the fiejh lufiing againjl the/pirity and the
fpirit againji the fiep. Gal. v. 17. he doth not there
fpeak of himfelf, but of the Galatians, who were in a
■weak, low, and (indeed) fallen ftate, from the Spirit
and power of the gofpel, having let in that which was
contrary thereunto. And fo he ftrives to gather them
into the Spirit again, and bids them live in the Spirit,
and walk in the Spirit, and fo they fhould not fulfil the lufis
of the fiefh: for in the new covenant man is taught of
God the holy leffon of ceafing from evil, and doing
good i and taught in the virtue and power of the co-
venant j fo that he learns daily, and grows daily out
of deceit into truth, until he come to be a true Ifrael-
ite, in whom there is no guile. And fo in the fpiritual
war, the houfe of Saul grows weaker and weaker, and the
houfe of David Jlronger and fironger, until Saul's king-
dom be at length overturned, and wholly deftroyed,
and the kingdom of David eftablifhed in righteoufnefs
for ever and ever. Then Jerufalem, the holy build-
ing, the city of the living people, the city of right-
eoufnefs (the habitation of righteoufnefs, and moun-
tain of holinefs) is known, and Jerufalem is witnelTed
a quiet habitation, there being peace in all her borders.
Then the mind is fully ftayed upon the Lord in all
conditions, and he keeps it in perfect peace. Then
the foul is careful for nothing; but in every thing
makes its requefts known to God by prayer and fup-
plication, with thankfgivingi and the peace of God,
which pafleth all underftanding, keeps the heart and
mind through Chrift Jefus. Surely the apoftle had
learned himfelf (when he taught others this) in every
Jiate to be content. He knew how to be abajed, and how
to abound, &c. O glorious ftate ! O pure ftate of pure
life in the heart ! ^nd if I ftiould add, O perfect ftate 1

The

To HIS POSTSCRIPT. 265

The apoftle James faith, Let patience have its perfe£f
worky that ye may be perfect and entire^ wanting nothing,
or in nothings James i. 3. When Paul had fo learned
Chrift, that abundance could not lift him up, nor want
deje6t him, or caufe him to repine or diltruft, what did
he want of this perfeft ftate ?

His next words are, If you have no fenfe of this^
your Jiatc is never the better to be liked.

Anf. Chrift led captivity captive ; and the fame
power is revealed to lead captivity captive in us. And
truly when God leads our fouls out of captivity,
putting his fear within us, writing his living powerful
law of life in our hearts, and putting his Spirit into
us, leading us in the way of holinefs, and caufing us
to walk therein, we find this a better ftate than when
we were groaning under deep captivity.

Further he faith, If your peace and joy Jland in feeing
no fin yonrfelf (in yourfelf I fuppofe it ftiould be) /
fhall more than fufpc£f it not to be the peace and joy of
Paul and all the faintSy but a delufion.

Anf. Our peace and joy is in him who is without
fin ; and it abounds in us, in his cleanfing and deli-
vering us from fin; and we have found him remove
fin as far from us as the eaft is from the weft ; and as
he removeth tranfgreflTion from us, and bringeth fin
and the power of Satan to an end in us, he giveth us
of his peace and joy. And truly we do not only
witnefs him deftroying fin and the works of the devil,
but breaking the very head of the ferpent, cafting
him out, and piercing Leviathan^, that crooked ferpent,
and flaying the dragon that is in the fea. And though
fuch as he may fufped: our peace and joy; yet, while
Chrift gives it us, and maintains it in us, it is very
fweet and pleafant to us ; and the time may come, that
he may wifti from his heart that he might partake with
us therein.

He concludes the matter thus : IVe are without fin
pi him, but in ourfeives nothing but fin.

Anf. He fpake of delufion juft before; a greater
than this I do not kaow. For Chrift doth make a real

change j

^66 To fiis POSTSCRIPT.

change ; if any nnan be ift Chrift, there is a new cre-
ation, there is a real change. The man is not what
he was before j but he puts off that which is old, and
puts on that which is new; and fo is really changed
in his ftate, and in the fight of God, and is not what
he was before. The heart, when it is really renewed,
and wafhed by the water, blood, and Spirit, u not the
old, abominable, wicked, deceitful heart that it was
before. If this be his knowledge and experience, let
him keep it to himfelf : fof my part I defire not to
partake with him therein; but to be like Chrift, my
Lord and Mafter, even fan6bified throughout in foul,
body, and fpirit, that I may become wholly his, and
the enemy of my foul have no part in me.

He faith, Chriji JJoall appear without fin to falvaticn.

AnJ. I grant it ; but when, and how ? Doth he not
inwardly appear without fin to falvation to thofe who
have waited for, haftened, and come to the inward
day ? Doth not Chrift appear without fin to falvation
inwardly in the day of his own Spirit ? Is not falvation
then witnefled for walls and bulwarks ? Is not the
glorious falvation of the gofpel brought forth in the
gofpel-day? And is not there in the life and dominion
of grace a pure defence about all the glory ? Is there
any fin in the grace and Spirit of the gofpel which ap-
pears and fiiines in the day of the Lord ? And doth
not this grace bring falvation to them that wait for th«
revealing of it ?

He Jeemetb to clear himfelf of watching for our halt---
ings.

Anf. Had he not watched for our haltings, and re-
ceived things into, and confidered them in the preju-
diced part, he could not have written fuch a paper
^ainft truth and us, fo far from true underftanding
and judgment as this is.

But he faith. He hath watched for our repentings..

Anf. If we fliould repent of having our eyes opened
by the Lord, and turnmg to his truth, and receiving
Jvis Holy Spirit, and of having the precious promifes
of the fcripture made good to us, and fulfilled in us,

we

To HIS POSTSCRIPT. 267

we might juftly lofe our portion and inheritance 'of
life for ever. We have repented from dead works;
but we cannot repent of God's pure truth, and the
living way, fpirit, and power thereof. But this I can
tell him, and that from the Lord, whofe name I re-
verence and worfliip in, that the Lord watcheth for
his repentings, and turnings from that fpirit in him
which darkeneth him concerning, and prejudiceth hiiit
againft, the truth.

He bejeecheth me in lo'vCj 6?r. and req^uireth me to
dear myjelf of free-willy falling from grace y denying elec-
tion of -perfons^ and imputed right eoufnefs.

AnJ. What the Ix>rd requireth of me, that I mufi
mindi and I have divers times exprefled my hearc
nakedly in thefe things.

The principle of life which the Lord hath rai fed in
me, in that is the freedom to do. good, and in that
am 1 made free by Jefus Chrift, my Lord. And \
had rather witnefs him upliolding me by his power,
than contend about a notion of falling or not falling
away. And my care hath been about making my
calling and eledion fure in him, who is fure to thofe
that are of him for ever. And I have witnefTed the
righteoufnefs of the Lord Jefiis Chrift revealed in me,
and imputed to me, and my foul clothed therewith in
his fight; blefled be his name.

Oh ! that the profeffors of this age might come to
the anointing, and fee thofe things in the anointing!
then would they know the truth and harmony of the
fcriptures therein. But men, by the letter without tb^
Spirit, can never difcern or find out the myftery of
life; but only gather into their minds and retain a
literal knowledge, that killeth.

He bids me. Love the truth hetter than a party.

Anf. The Lord knoweth he hath taught me fo tO
do : for had it not been for the evidence and den>on-
ftration of God's Spirit in his people, I could ncvcf
have owned them. (For oh ! how low was the know-
ledge they held forth, in my eye, before the power of
the Lord reached to my heart, raifing up his own feed

in

268 To HIS P O S T S C R I P T.

in me, wherein I knew them 'J And the Lord alfo
knoweth, that it is in him that I love, and difcern,
and honour them to this very day : yea, I fee his name
written on their foreheads, and them brought forth in
the glorious image and heavenly life of his Son, (though
it be hid from the wife eye of the profeflbrs of this
age) and in the true light, with the true eye (which
God hath opened in me) have I feen it.

He fpeaks of Clinging together t and keeping up a party
againft all right.

Art/. Nay, nay; this is the gathering of the Lord
Jefus Chrift by his Spirit and power, after the long
night of darknefs ; and we are kept up by the fame
Spirit, and power, and life of truth, which gathered
us.

He faith, // is not a calling for a work within, which
will give you authority to lay wajle Chrifi and the gof-
pel, in the mojl fundamental and concerning truths there-
of, and thoje above-mentioned, &'c. And above all the
rcjl, defying the perjon of our Lord Jefus Chrifi, and
making him hut a light, or notion, or principle in the
heart of man.

Anf This is but his own miftake, not a true and
juft charge againft us, as he will one day fee. The
|_Qrd hath not taught us to lay wafte, nor do we lay
wafte any truth of the gofpel j but own every thing in
its place. And though our religion do not lie in no-
tions concerning him, but in the principle of life it-
felf, even in the grace and truth, which is by Jefus
Chrift (which is'a meafure of light from him the full
light) ; yet we do not learn thereby to deny the full
light, but the more to acknowledge it. And we own
him to be the true and full light, and his outward
appearance in that body, in the fulnefs of time, to
fulfil the Father's will therein? and his appearance in
Spirit and power in the hearts of his people in the day
of the gofpel ; and his fetting up his fpiritual and
glorious kingdom there, where he reigns as King on
^he thfone of David pver the fpiritual Ifrael of God.

Come,

To HIS POSTSCRIPT. 269

Come, confider ferioufly i Do not ye yourfelves fall
(hort of not only the principle and power of life, but
alfo of the true knowledge of things according to the
letter ?

He confelTeth, T^here is too little -power i and with-
tut it profejfion is little worth.

AnJ. Oh ! that the profeflbrs of this age knew the
fcriptures and the power of God, and had that know-
ledge which connes from, and ftands in, the power I
For then that evidence and demonftration of truth
would be witneffed which puts an end to the difputes
and reafonings of the mind j and then the great care
would be to live the life of that which God makes ma-
nifest and requires in the new covenant.

He faith, To pull down the pillars and principles of
the gofpely is the work the devil employs his power in.

Anf. I grant what he faith is true (and wifli he knew
how rightly to apply it) -, but there is a great error
and miftake in his judgment about it. For the Lord
is pulling down that which men have built up, (which
they may, in their miftaken judgments, call princi-
ples and fundamentals) and is building up that which
men have trampled on, even the tabernacle of David,
which hath long been fallen down j and the city of
the living God, which hath long been trodden under
foot of the falfe Chriftians ; and the power of the de-
vil is greatly at work to oppofe this appearance and
mighty work of the Lord in this day. Let him take
heed of blafpheming the Lord's power,, calling it the
devil's, and owning the devil's power for God's.

He concludeth thus : Come to the point. IVhatfm-
gular thing do you more than moding and wording it,
Jave O/dy that out of you have rifen meny that have more
audacioufy lifted up ajiandard againjl the fealed and ex-\
perienced truths of the gofpely than ever I have heard or
read of any before you ? Tou talk of words, and hoaji of
perfe8ion : I tell youy an humble fenfe of a man^s no^
thingnefsy driving him out of himfdf to live and glory in
Chriji aloMy is better than all fuch boafled perfekions a
thcufand times* Sir, accept my zeal for your foul.

Anf

Qtfo To «is P O S T S C R I P T.

An/. We are a people (many of us) who have gone
through great diftrels for want of the Lord our God,
and exceedingly waited and longed for his living and
powerful appearance. And for my own part, this I
can fay, that had not this appearance been in power,
and in the evidence and demonflration of his Spirit to
my foul, (reaching to, and anfwering that which was
of him in me) 1 could never have owned it j (o deeply
was I jealous of it, and prejudiced againft it. And
fince my mind hath been turned to the pure Word of
life, even the fVoni which was in the beginnings (I fpeak
as in the Lord's prefence) it hath had fingular effedts
on my heart. The light hath fo fearched me #5 I
never was fearched before, under all my former pro-
ieflions ; and the Lord hath given me a true and pure
difcerning of the things of his kingdom, in the light
•which is true and pure; and fingular quickenings have
I met with from his Spirit, and the faith which ftands
in his heavenly power, and giveth vidory and domi-
nion in him ♦, bleffed be his name. And the love
which he hath given me is not notional, but arifeth
from his circumcifing my heart, and anfwereth his
nature j fpringing forth purely and naturally towards
him, and thofe of his image, and all his creatures}
yea, towards thofe who are enemies to me for his
name's fake.

I might mention the patience alfo, and faithfulnefs
to his truth, with the long-fuffering fpirit, which can-
not be worn out; which his Spirit teilifieth in me to
be of a fingular nature ; with many other things. Nor
am I alone, or the chiefefl ; but have many equals ;
yea, there are fuch as far exceed me in the heavenly
ar^d divine image of my Father. And the fruits are
according to the root of life in us ; and fo acknow^
ledged by all who look upon us with the true eye, with
the eye of God's giving and opening.

Now the fame that hath wrought thus inwardly ia
us, the fame hath required fome outward behaviour
and exprefTions from us, which are foolilh and weak
to the eye of man's wildom, but chofcn of God to

hide

To HIS POSTSCRIPT. 271

hide the glory of this life from that eye which dif-
cerns it not, but defpifes the day of fmall things.
And though this be the leaft part of our religion,
(yet fubie(5led to, becaufe it is of God, whom we
dare not difobey in the leaft) yet the fpirit which is
contrary to God cafteth this upon us, as if this were
all, or at leaft the main, wherein we differ from others.
Some call the living words of truth from us (when
God, according to his good promife, giveth them us)
but canting; and thou calleft all that is fingular in
us but moding and wording of it, Alas ! it is in the
main we differ from you ; we holding our religion as
we receive it from God, in the light and life of his
Spirit : you as you apprehend it from the letter.
Chrift is our rock and foundation, as inwardly re-
vealed ; yours but as outwardly conceived of. We
believe with the faith which is of the nature of him
whom we believe in, which faith is mighty through
God, and works through all the powers of darknefs,
giving vi(5tory over them all in God's way and time;
ye believe with a faith which efteems victory, and a
perfefb and entire ftate, (wanting nothing) as impofilble
while in this world. And as our root diiicrs, fo all
that grows up in us differs from yours : fo that indeed
all is fingular that is in us, and all alfo is fingular
that is brought forth by us, as the Spirit of the Lord,
who knoweth the difference of things, witneffeth.

Have we fo long walked in the name and Spirit of
our God amongft you, fhewing the fingular virtues of
his Spirit daily in our faithful teftimony, fufFerincrs,
patience, and converfation ? And do ye fciil cry, What
Jingtdar thing do ye '^ Juft like the Jews, who, after all
Chrift's mighty works, and demonftrations of his Fa-
ther's virtue and power outwardly, ajked for a fign.
Oh ! that your eyes and hearts were opened by the
Spirit and power of the Lord ! for then ye would foon
fee otherwife in this refpe6t than now ye do.

And then as for that expreflion. Of audacioufly lift'
ing up a Jtandard againji the fealed and experienced truths
of the gofpely that is but aa over-confident exprelfion,

through

27* To his POSTSCRIPT.

through prejudice and miftake of judgment at leaft :
for I can truly teftify I have never learned^ fince the
pure heavenly light of the Lord Jefus Chrift hath
ihined on my fpirit, to deny any one truth that ever
was fealed to me, or experienced by me, in the days
of my former profeflion ; for whatfoever was then of
God hath been reftored to me, and that only which
was of the flefti pared off. And I have ground alfo to
believe, that it is fo with others in this refped: as it
hath been with me.

He fpeaks, As if our difference 6r talk were about
words.

Nay, it is about things: for though we own the
fame Lord Jefus Chrift to be the foundation of life ;
yet after a different manner. Ye, as ye notionally
apprehend concerning him j we, as we experience
him to be the precious ftone and foundation of life in
us. And we teftify of juftification and fandtification,
as we witnefs him beftowing it upon us, and working
it in us.

But for boafting of perfeilion, I wonder how he
dares fpeak thus ! What ! is there no fear of God be-
fore his eyes, or in his heart, that he dares charge us
with that which is fo utterly falfe ? Where is any of
us that did ever boaft of perfection ? But that God's
power and covenant is able to make perfed, and that
God's will is our perfedl fanftification in foul, body,
and fpirit ^ even that we be wholly leavened with the
fait of the kingdom, and become a fit temple for him.
This we humbly and reverently teftify of, and prefs
towards, in his holy name and fear.

And as for that humble fenfe, of a man's own no-
thingnefs^ drawing him out of himfelf, to live and glory in
Chrifi aloney this we meet with, and witnefs in that
light which this generation of profeflbrs defpifeth.
But others, though they may talk of it, can never
come truly to witnefs it, but in that light whereia
God beftoweth and preferveth it.

Well; the profeffors of this age, who defpife the
light, ihall one day find, that what they take them*

V felves

To HIS POSTSCRIPT. 273

fclves to be, they are not, in God's fight ; nor are we,
before him, what we are reproachfully reprefented by
them i but " we are his workmanlhip in Chrift Jefus,
** created by him unto good works;*' and that it is
natural to us to bring forth the fruits of righteouf-
nefs and holinefs to our God, however men reproach
us.

As for his zeal for my foul, which he dejired me to
accept^ it is ftrange zeal, and would tend to my utter
deftrudion, had it power over mcj but bleffed be my
God, who hath called me into the light of his Son,
and I am fatisfied that he will preferve me therein,
even in that holy Spirit of life which he hath gathered
me into, from all deceivable fpirits of darknefs what-
foever, in that holy covenant wherein his ftrength ap-
pears to me, and is revealed in me. And oh ! that
he might know what that fpirit is wherein he hath thiis
appeared againft the Lord, (though under a pretence
as if it were for him) and bring forth no more the
fruits of it.

For a clofe, I fhall add a few words on that fcrip-
ture, Phil. iii. 3. " For we are the circumcifion,
" which worfhip God in the Spirit, and rejoice in
" Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence in the flefh."
It is a precious thing to witnefs this fcripture fulfilled
in the heart -, to experience that there, which inwardly
circumcifeth, which cutteth off the forefkin of the
heart, which lieth over it and veiltrth, till it be cut
off by the inward appearance of the life and power of
the Lord Jefus Chrift inwardly revealed. Then when
this is done, I can truly and fenfibly fay, I am a Jew
inward. How fo ? How can that be proved ? "Why I
am inwardly circumciicd. I have felt that within
which circumcifeth the heart, and have borne the in-
ward pain and cutting thereof, and am circumcifed by
it. That which ftood between me and the Lord is cut
off, the veil is taken away, the ftiff-neckednefs and
unfubjedion to God removed, the wall of fcparation
is inwardly broken down, and now I am in true unity
of Spirit and communion with my God, even with the

Vol. III. . S Father,

274 To MIS P O S T S C R I P T.

Father, and the Son, in that One Holy Spirit wherein
they are One.

Now I can bow before the Father of our Lord Jefus
Chrift, and worfhip him in his own Spirit, even in the
new and frefh life thereof day by day. Now my re-
joicing is in ChrifV Jefus, whom the Father hath fent,
both outwardly in a body of flelh to fulfil the holy
will, and do what therein the Father had for him to
do, and alfo inwardly in his Spirit and power unto my
heart, to deftroy the works of the devil there, and fo
to work me out of the enmity and unreconciled ftate,
into the love and reconciliation. And I cannot but
rejoice both in what he did in his body of flefh for
me, and in what he doth by his Spirit and power in me.
And, bleffed be the Lord, I feel him near, his Spirit
near, his life near, his power near, his pure virtue near,
his holy wifdom near, his righteoufnefs near, his redemp-
tion near ; for he is my rock, and my Jirength, and my
Jahatiofii day by day. And I have no confidence in the
flefh, in what I am, in what I can do after the flelh ;
but my confidence is in him, who hath weakened me,
who hath (tripped me, who hath impoverifhed me,
who halh brought me to nothing in myfelf, that I
might be all in him, and that 1 might find him all
unto me. He is my peace, he is my life, he is my
righteoufnefs, he is my holinefs, he is the image
wherein I am renewed j in him is my acceptance with
the Father ; he is my Advocate, he is my hope and
joy for ever. He hath deftroyed that in me which
was contrary to God, and keepeth it down for ever.
He is my Shepherd, his arm hath gathered me, and
his arm encompalTeth me day by day. 1 reft under
the fhadow of his wings, from whence the healing
virtue of his laving health droppeth upon my fpiric
day by day. Oh ! I cannot tell any man what he is
unto mej but, blefled be the Lord, I feel him near,
his righteoufnefs near, his falvation daily revealed be-
fore that eye which he hath opened in me, in that
true living fenfe wherewith he hath quickened me.

- • " ' . And

To HIS POSTSCRIPT. 275

And now, ye that have high notions, and rich
comprehenfive knowledge concerning thefe things, but
not the thing itfelf, the life itfelf, the Spirit itfelf, the
new and living covenant, and law of life itfelf, where-
in alone Chrift is livingly revealed. Ah! how poor,
miferable, blind, and naked are you, in the midft of
all your traditional knowledge and pretended experi-
ences concerning thefe things !

Come, be quiet a while, and ceafe from bitternefs
of fpirit, and reviling the work and people of the
Lord i for the Lord knoweth> and will make manifefl,
both who are his, and who are not his. All the living
itones are his ; but the great profeflbrs of the words
of fcripture, without the Spirit and life of the fcrip-
tures, are not his^ nor ever were, nor ever will be
owned by him.

Come, learn to diftinguifh from God by his life, by.
his anointing, by the everlafting infallible rule, and
not by words without life, where the great error and
miftake hath been in all ages and generations. The
great way of deceit hath long been (and (till is) by a
form of godlinefs, without power : be fure ye be not
thus deceived j for if ye mifs of the power which
faves, ye cannot but perifh for ever. And what if the
appearance of the Spirit and power of our Lord Jefus
Chrift inwardly, which is that which faves, be as
ftrange to your fenfe, underftanding, and judgment,
as his outward appearance was unto the people of the
Jews ? Take heed of their fpirit, take heed of their
judgment, who judged according to the appearance of
things to them, which they imagined and conceived
from the fcriptures, but judged not the true and right-
eous judgment, which only the children of the true
wifdom can.

Sa POST^

[ 2^6 1

POSTSCRIPT.

THERE are four or Jive things very precious,
which were generally witnefled in the days of
the apoftles among the true Chriftians, which are all
mentioned together, Heb. vi. 4, 5.
Firft, 'They were truly enlightened.
The minifters of the gofpel were fent by Chrift, to
turn men from darknefs to liglit, and from the power
of Satan to God, A6ls xxvi. 18. i John i. 5. And
they were faithful in their miniftry, and did turn men
from the darknefs and power of Satan to the light of
God's holy Spirit ; and they were enlightened by it,
and received power through it, and fo came to be
children of the light, and to walk in the light, as God
is in the light.

Secondly, 'They tajled of the heavenly gift*
"What is the heavenly gift which Chrift gives to
• thofe who come unto him, and become his fheep ? He
gives them life, eternal life, John x. 27, 28. He
brings them out of death, and gives them a favour
and tafte of the life which is eternal. This was it
which the apoftles teftified of, even of the life which
was manifefted in that body of flefh of our Lord Jefus
Chrift (i John i. 1.') i and they that turn from the
darknefs to his light, he gives them a tafte of the fame
life.

Thirdly, 'They tJbere made partakers of the Holy Ghoji,
The gofpel is a day of bringing forth the fpiritual
feed, and of pouring out the holy Spirit upon them.
The law ftate is a ftate of fervantsj the gofpel of fons \
and becaufe true believers in Chrift are fons, God fent
forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts to cry^ Abba^
Father, And God cannot deny his own Spirit to his

children

POSTSCRIPT. 277

children that afk it of him ; he knoweth how abfo-
Intely neceflary ic is to the ftate of a fon ; and who-
foever truly receiveth Chrift, Chjiji doth give him power
to become afon\ which power is in, and with, and can-
not be feparated from, his Spirit. Yea, the Spirit of
Chrift is lb necelTary and infeparable from him that is
Chrift's, that the apoflle exprefsly affirms, that " if
** any man have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none
" of his." Rom. viii. 9.

Fourthly, They tajled of the good Word of God.

Of that Word from which the gift comes; of that
Word which was in the beginning of the world, which
is ingrafted into the hearts of thofe that truly believe j
'which IV or d is able to fave the foul.

Fifthly, 'They tafted of the powers of the world to ccr/ie.

Of the power of the endlefs life, whereof Chrifl is
the Minifler, and according to which he minifters life,
in that holy, true, living, inward, fpiricual temple,
which he pitcheth and reareth up for an habitation to
God in his own Spirit.

Now in the apoflafy and night of darknefs, which
hath come over tiie Chriftian liate, thefe things have
been greatly loft. For there have been none that have
been found able to turn people to that light which the
apoftle direfted to. None could tell men where the
light is to fhine, and where men were to expert it, and
wait for it. None were able to dire<5l men to the
feed of the kingdom within, to the Word of faith,
the Word of the kingdom, nigh in the heart and
mouth ; much lefs were they able to inftrucl men how
they might know and diftinguifh it from all other
feeds, and the voice of the Shepherd from all other
voices. Here it came to pafs, that though at times
God vifited and opened mens hearts, a little warm-
ing them by the breath which came from himfelf;
yet they not knowing how to turn to the Lord, and
wait upon him for prefervation in the gift and mea-
fure of his own grace, the^good hath foon been fbolen
3way from them, and the building which hath been
r^ifed up in them hath not been a building of life ac-

S 3 cording

278 POSTSCRIPT.

cording to the Spirit, but a building of wifdom or
knowledge concerning the things of God according to
the flelh -, and fo the building that hath been raifed up
in mens fpirits hath been Babylon, inftead of Sion.

But the Lord hath had a remnant all along the
?ipoftafy, who felt fome begettings of life, and had in
meafure fome fenfe and tafte of the heavenly things.
Thefe mourned after that ftate which was once en-
joyed, and felt their want of it, travelling from moun-
tain to hill, feeking their refling-place, which none
could rightly inform them of. Now, for the fakes of
thefe, God hath at length appeared.
How appeared F may fome Jay.

Why thus: he who is light hath appeared inwardly,
caufing his light to Ihine inwardly, caufing his life to
Spring inwardly j fo that he who is light, who is life,
"who is truth, is felt and known in his own inward
vifits, breakings-forth, and appearances. For God,
who is a Spirit, his appearance is fpiritual, his day is
fpiritual, his kingdom is fpiritual, his light is fpiri-
tual, his life is fpiritual, his day-ftar is fpiritual ; and
his day dawneth, and his day-ftar arifeth in the heart.
Thus the day -fpring from on high did vifj usy whojat
in darknefs, and in the region of the fhadow of death.
And here we have met with what the apoftles met
with, the very fame light of life, the very fame en-
lightening Spirit and power, and have been enlightened
by it, and tafted of the fame gift.

The very fame grace that appeared to them, and
taught them, hath appeared to us, and taught us ; and
of it we have learned the fame leffons, in the fame
covenant of life wherein they learned ; and now can
we feal to their teftimony in the fame Spirit wherein
they gave it forth, and witnefs to the fame eternal
life, and the fame holy oil and anointing, our eyes
having been opened and kept open by it. And though
there be great difputes about our teftimony in this our
day (and the prefent profeflbrs rife up againft «j, as
the former profeftbrs did againft them) ; yet let but
^y man ^o^iie rightly to diftinguiftx in himfelf ber

tweea

POSTSCRIPT. 279

tween that which God begets in the heart, and all
other births, and let that Ipeak and judge in them,
that will foon confefs that our teftimony is of God,
and given forth in the authority and by the commii-
fion of his own Spirit, True wifdom is juftified by
the children that are born of her; it is the other birth
that doth not, nor can own her. The other birth can
own fornner difpenfations (according to the letter of
them) ; but not the life and power of the prefent.

I have known the breaking down of much in me by
the powerful hand of the Lord, and a parting with
much (though not too much) for Chrift's fake. The
Lord hath brought the day of diftrefs and inward
judgment over my heart -, he hath arifen to fhake ter-
ribly the earthly part in me, (yea, what if I fliould
fay that the powers of heaven have been fhaken alfo)
that he might make me capable to receive and brihg
me into that kingdom which cannot be fhaken. And
now that which God hath fhaken, and removed in me,
I fee others build upon, and they think it fhall never
be fhaken in them ; but fuch know not the day of the
Lord, nor the terrible fearching of his pure light, nor
the operation of his power, which will not fpare in
one, what he hath reproved, condemned, fhaken, and
overturned in another. He that knows the living
ftone within, and comes to him as to a living ftone,
and is built upon the revelation of his Spirit, life, and
power, (revealed inwardly againfV the power of dark-
nefs) is not deceived. All that otherwife build (I mean
upon an outward knowledge concerning Chrift, and
not upon his inward life) their building will not be
able to ftand in the day of the Lord. I vvifh they
might have a fenfe of it in time, that they might not
perifh for ever-, but experience that life and power of
our Lord Jefus Chrift, which redeemeth and preferveth
pV!t of the perifhing ftate for ever and ever. Amen.

S 4 THE

THE ANCIENT

PRINCIPLE OF truth:

O R,

The LIGHT WITHIN Afferted ;

AN D

Held forth according to true Experience, and the
faithful Teflimony of the Scriptures :

In the ANSWERS to FOUR QUESTIONS.

I. What this Light is which we
teftify of, and what is the
Nature of it ?

II. What it doth inwardly in
the Heart >

III. How it Cometh to be
lighted, fet up, and incrcafed
there ?

IV. How it comcth to be dirai-
nifhed or extinguifhed in any i

ALSO

An APPEAL

TO THE

WITNESS of GOD in all CONSCIENCES,

Which is the More Sure Word of Prophecy?

The Teilimony of the Scriptures without, or the Voice and
Teflimony of the Light and Spirit of GOD within, in the
Heart.

By one once greatly diflrefied, but now at length, in the tender
Mercy of the Lord, effeaually Vifited and Redeemed by the
JL,ight and Power of Truth,

ISAAC PENINGTON.

^ i i _ Ji '-> y% ,4

; b'iT^-^h.jn

C >■'

[ ^83 ]

THE

PREFACE.

THE true mlniflers of the gofpel, the minifters
of the new covenant, were ordained and appointed
by God to be miniflers of light, minifters of right-
eoufnefs, minifters of the Spirit, Mate. v. 14. 1 Cor.
xi. 15. chap. iii. 6. And this was their work and
fervice, even to preach the light, to deliver their mef-
fage concerning the light, which they heard of Chrift,
and were fent by him to preach, as is recorded i Joha
i. 5. So that they were to tell men what the light
was, and where it was to be found j and to turn men
from darknefs to light, from fin and unrighteoufnefs
to purity and righteoufnefs, from the fpirit and power
of Satan to the Spirit and power of the living God,
(Dan. xii. 3. A6ls xxvi. 18.) that fo they might
come from under Satan's authority, power, and king-
dom of darknefs, into the light, wherein Chrift reigns
as King, Prieft, and Prophet, unto and over all his ;
who is faithful in all his houfe, and Son and Lord of
all, diftributing life, righteoufnefs, mercy, and peace
to his whole family, as they abide in him, and walk
in fubjeclion to his Spirit. So that there is no con-
demnation to them that are gathered unto Chrift, in-
grafted into him, and who abide in him (walking not
after the fleftj, but after the Spirit) who is the quick-
ener, guide, and rule of all the children of the new
covenant. For Chrift is the way, the truth, and the
Ufe^ in and to them all, and is made by God all in all

unto

[ 284 ]

unto them. He is their Shepherd, their King, their
Captain, their vine, their olive-tree, their leader, their
door, their path, their rule, their righteoufnefs, their
holinefs, their wifdom, their redemption, their altar,
their facrifice, their prieft, their prophet, their fab-
bath, their light, their day-fpring, their bright and
morning-ftar, their fun, their fhield, their rock, and
their high tower.

What fhall I fay ? God hath gathered together all
things into One, even in him, whofe Spirit, life, and
light eternal is the One fubftance, which anfwers all
the figures and Ihadows of the law, and they are all
comprehended, and fulfilled, and end in him. So
that he is the end of the law for righteoufnefs, to all
that believe in him. And he minifters righteoufnefs,
he minifters truth, he minifters life, he minifters fal-
vation, he minifters power, he minifters pure heavenly
tvifdom j and no good thing will he with-hold from
them that come unto him in the drawings gf his Fa-
ther, and follow him whitherfoever he leads, and obey
his gofpel, which is everlaftingly new and living,

Now, this precious mjniftry hath been withdrawn,
and hid from ages and generations, in the long night;
of the great apoftafy and thick darknefs. And how
could it be otherwife ? For men being iri the d^rk,
and having erred from the true Spirit, and let in a,
wrong fpirit, and built up wrong churches ; and hav-
ing not known the true wildernefs, (nor being willing
to flee into it) whither the true church fled, and was
nourifhed by God with the true food, even with the
true living virtue and nourilhment, all this dark night
of the apoftafy J I fay, how could they come at the
true light, the true Spirit, the true power, (from
which the true miniftry is) which did not vifibly now
appear, but was with the true church in the wilder-
nefs ? So that there hath been a true church all this
while, which the gates of hell have not been able tQ
prevail againft, as to her inward temple and altar^
ppr over the WQrftii|>^er§ whjch have wprlhippe^

there*

t 185 ]

therein) although they have gained the outward court;
God having fevered it from his inward building, and
given it to the Gentiles in fpiritj who are not true
Jews, who are not worfhippers in the Spirit, and in
the truth, Rev. xxi. i, 2.

But now, at length, bleffed be the Lord, the long
night of darknefs draws towards an end ; yea, is come
to an end in many fpirits ; and the true light is broken
forth again, (and fhineth again inwardly in many)
and the true miniftry is revived again, and the ever-
lafting gofpel (the everlafting covenant of life, mercy,
and falvation, in and through Chrift Jefus, the light
and life of men) preached again. For now it is not
only outwardly read, that "God is light;" but the
meflage hath been received, and perfons chofen, and
fent forth by God to publifti it; and to turn men from
darknefs to light, and from Satan's power to God.
And, bleffed be the Lord, the publifhing of this
precious teftimony (in the power and authority of the
Motl: High) hath not been in vain. But the captivity
of many hath been broken by the power of light,
and the power and ftrength of darknefs (inwardly)
overturned by it. Oh ! how hath the ftrong man,
which kept the houfe, before the ftronger than he
appeared in the name and authority of his Father; I*
fay, how hath he trembled at the inward and fpiritual
appearance of him that was flrongcr than he ? And
how have the pillars of the old building been Ihaken ?
How hath the witnefs of God been reached to in
mens fpirits ? How have the dead been raifed, the
blind eye opened, the deaf ear unftopped, the dumb
tongue loofed, the lame caufed to leap as an hart,
and the tongue of the dumb to fing, the inward fpi-
ritual leprofy cleanfed, and done away for ever, the
wounded healed, the broken-hearted bound up ? And
what hath not the Lord done inwardly and fpiritually
for his people, who have been fenfible of his appear-
ance, and gathered by his Spirit and power to th^
true Shiloh, who is the true Shepherd, the land of the

living,.

[ 286 1

living, the holy city and temple, the light of the city,
the life of the city, the gates and wail of the city,
the king and kingdom both ? For his life, his nature,
his Spirit, is AH, and in All. Ah ! what do we de-
firc to have, but Chrift the feed, and this feed fown in
our hearts, and abiding in us, and his life, righteouf-
nefs and glory, his holy power, dominion, and king-
dom, fpringing up in it ? And as, in the apoftles
days, there was the feal to their teftimony in peoples
hearts, where their miniflry was ordered by the Lord,
and was received j even fo it is now. Oh ! how doth
the witnefs anfwer in mens hearts and confciences I
And they that keep to the witnefs, and its teftimony,
not hearkening after words to the wifdom of the flefhj
how do they become living epiftles, to be feen and
read of all men, as the Lord pleafeth to open that eye
in any, which can fee and read.

Now, to be often teftifying of this light (which the
Lord hath vifited us with, and wherein we experience
the knowledge of his Son, and redemption by him),
to us it is not grievous j and it is good and fafe for
others. Therefore, it arifing in my heart, in the
fpringings of life, and lying upon me (as in the fight
of the Lord) to give forth this further Ihort teftimony,
for the fakes of fuch as have any delire to know and
experience the truth, as it is in Jefus ; I am given up
in fpirit to ferve my God therein j and do give it forth
in humility, in fear, in tendernefs of fpirit, in true
love, with breathings to my God, that he would pleafe
to open the hearts of thofe that Ihall be inclined to
read it, that they may feel fomewhat of that in them-
felves, from which the teftimony came j and fo there-
from may hear, in true fenfc and undcrftanding, the
true and good report of the found of life and falvation
in this our age, and may learn fo to turn inwardly
from the darknefs to the light, from the power of
Satan to God's Spirit and appearance inwardly, that
the arm of the Lord may be revealed in them, and
powerfully fljretched out for them.

And

t 287 ]

And this is the precious knowledge of Chrift in-
deed, even to know Chrift the power of God, Chrift
the wifdom of God, inwardly revealed and working
in the heart, deftroying fin there, and building up the
holy building, where he hinnfelf will dwell and reign.
Oh ! that all that truly breathe after him, might not
be with-held from him (and his living teftimony, and
inward appearance) by the power of darknefs and
deceit, which works fubtilly in the heart againft the
appearance, power, and work of the Lord there, but
might thus come to know him ! Amen.

T HB

[ 288 ]
THE

Ancient Principle of Truth;

The Light Within Afferted, &c.

Q^ U E S T I O N L

WHAT is this light which we fo earnefily tefiify ofy
and whereof we affirntj That all men are (or have
been) injome meajure enlightened by it ? And what is the
nature of it ?

ANSWER.

It is that which (hineth from God in the heart,
wherein God is near to men j and wherein and whereby
men may feek after God, and find him.

God is a Spirit ; and his Spirit and prefencc is near
to all men. " Whither fliall I go from thy Spirit ?
«* Or whither Ihall I flee from thy prefence ?" Pfal.
cxxxix. 7, &c. It is impoflible for any fo to do. For
God, who is a Spirit, (and the Father of Spirits) is
nigh to every fpirit. Every fpirit depends upon him
the fountain of fpirits ; and hath its being, life, and
motion from him, and in him, after a fenfe -, though
not after fuch a fenfe, as they who are quickened by
him experience.

Now God, who is light, being fo near every man,
doth he never ftiine upon them ? They are darknefs ;

but

The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c, 289

but doth he never appear in the darknefs ? He who is
light, loveth mankind j doth he never vifit them with
his love ? He knoweth what and how great inward
and fpiritual enemies mankind have ; doth he never
make any difcoveries of their enemies to them? Yes;
the light is near all mankind, to difcover to them,
and help them againft the darknefs ; and the love is
near to help them againft the enmity which deftroyeth,
and fo to fave them. For whofoever joineth to the
light of God's Spirit, cannot but witnefs falvation
thereby; for it is of a faving nature, and bringeth
falvation with it to all that receive it. Chrift is in it,
and is known by it, (inwardly, fpiritually, livingly
known) and he is not, nor can be known without it.
He that knoweth the light of God's Spirit, knoweth
Chrift ; and he that believeth in it, believeth in him ;
and he that knoweth not, nor believeth therein, nei-.
ther knoweth nor believeth in Chrift. So that as the
Jews circumcifion outward, and their knowledge and
thinking to be juftified by the righteoufnefs and works
of the law (which mofi of them brake, and were
tranfgreflbrs of; though Paul laid, he was, *^ touch-
*^ ing the righteoufnefs which is in the law, blame-
*^ lefs"); I fay, as this was difowned, and denied by
Chrift and his apoftles ; and the circumcifion, and
work of God on the hearts of the Gentiles fet over it,
■and exalted above it, as Rom. ii. fo is it now alfo.
The knowledge of thofe, and belief ot thofe who own
the light, and believe in the light, is owned by God's
Spirit (in this our day) for the true believing in the
Lord Jefiis Chrift, and for that knowledge which is
life eternal ; and the knowing and believing on him,
as men account it, according to their apprchcnfions of
the letter, without this, is reckoned with God for
ignorance and unbelief.

So that in this is God known, in this is Chrift be-
lieved in. Here God draws nigh to every man, and
is a God not afar off", but ,nigh at hand ; and his fal-
vation is nigh, and his righteoufnefs ready to be re-
vealed here; and here every man may feek after and

Vol. III. T obtain

290 The Ancient J^rinciple of Truth, &c,

obtain the knowledge of him, the faving knowledge,
the knowledge of the grace, of the gift of grace
which brings falvation. In this is the Son kiffed, in
this is he drawn nigh to, and come to by the foul,
and not out of it. Here are the drawings of the Fa-
ther felt. Let any man feel this, he feels that which
begets to God j he feels that which comes from the
Son, is of the nature of the Son, wherein the Father
draws the heart of the child whom he begets, to the
Son. And in this as the foul comes, it comes out
of the darknefs wherein Chrift is not nor dwells, into
the light wherein Chrift is with the Father ; and fo in
this the foul is ever near, and out of it ftill afar off.
In this is the holy root witnejOfed, and the ingrafting
thereinto; out of this the holy root is not known, nor
can men underftand what it is to be ingrafted into
him, and how he is an Olive-tree, a Vine, a Door, a
Shepherd, a Leader, a Captain, a Redeemer. Nor
can men poflibly know the voice of the true Shepherd
from the voice of a ftranger, till they come hither;
nor how the true Shepherd walks before his fheep,
and what it is to follow him out of that which def-
troys, into that which regenerates, makes new ana
living, till they come hither.

Now this inward light is abundantly teftified of in
the fcriptures.

As firft by Mofes, who fpeaking of the other cove-
nant, the new covenant, the covenant of circumcifing
the heart, turncrh or diredleth the mind to this word
or commandment nigh, whereby alone it can be done,
as Deut. xxx. And this was the reafon why God fo
often commanded the Jews to circumcife their hearts,
and to wafli them and make them clean from their
wicked ways and vain thoughts ; becaufe Mofes had
direded their minds to that, and that was near to them,
wherein and whereby it might be done. In another place,
he bids them make them a new heart, Ezek. xviii. 31.
How could that be done ? Why, by turning to God's

Spirit

The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c. igt

Spirit which ftrove with them, his power would ejffeit
it in them ; and men are faid to purify their hearts,
through the Spirit, in loving and obeying the truth
which doth it, i Peter i. 22. John xvii. 17.

Secondly, By Job, who fpeaks of God's candle
fhining upon his head, and of walking through dark-
nefs by his light, chap, xxix. 30. He fpeaks like-
wife of thofe that rebel againft the light, that know
not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof,
chap. xxiv. 13.

Thirdly, By David, who by it faw through the types
and fhadows to the fubftance, and grew wifer than
his teachers, he knowing the word within, and having
his candle lighted by it, fo that he knew the inward
law which converts the foul, and was led by God's
light and truth fhining in his inward parts, Pfal.
xliii. 3.

Fourthly, By Solomon, " The commandment is ^
" lamp, and the law light, and the reproofs of in-
*' ftrudtion the way of life," Prov. vi. 23. Every
one that experienceth the light, the law, the com-
mandment within, knoweth it to be thus. Again,
faith he, " The path of the juft is a fhining light,
'^ that Ihineth more and more unto the perfect day,"
chap. iv. 18. Juft as a light, which Ihines outwardly,
is to the outward man ; fuch is the inward light to
the inward man; yea more: for inwardly the lighc
and the way is all one. Chrift is the way, the truth,
and the life, which are three names of one and the
fame thing. And he that walks in the light, walks
in the way of life and holinefs; which he that walks
in the darknefs walks out of. I fhall mention but one
place more, which is very differently rendered, it is
chj]). XX. 27. The new tranllation renders it thus,
" I'he fpirit of man is the candle of the Lord, fearch-
"■ ing all the inward parts of the belly." The old
thus, " The light of the Lord is the breath of m.an,
" and fearcheth all the bowels of the belly." The
heart of man (the unregenerate mind, the unregene-
rate fpirit) is deceitful above ail things, and defpe-

T 2 ratciv

292 The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c.

rately wicked j that whereby God fearcheth it, is his
light, his candle, his own Holy Spirit.

Fifthly, By the prophets, as Ifaiah, Jeremy, Eze-
kiel, Micah, &c. who faid, " He hath fhewed thee,
" O man, what is good. And what doth the Lord
*' require of thee, but to do juftly, and to love mer-
** cy i and to humble thyfelf to walk with thy God ?**
chap. vi. 8. How doth God fhew this to mankind,
but by the inward light of his Spirit.

Sixthly, By John Baptift, who was the fore-runner,
and teftified of Chrift as of the inward and fpiritual
baptizer, who had his fan in his hand. What is that?
What doth Chrift fan with ? What doth he fan, and
with what ? The light within is a fan, the Spirit within
is a fpirit of judgment and burning; it fcatters the
darknefs j yea, it confumes and burns up the drofs and
ilubble there.

Seventhly, By Chrift himfelf, who faid, " This is
«* the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
*« and men loved darknefs rather than light, becaufc
«' their deeds were evil," John iii. 19. Mark how
Chrift preached the light, (the feed, the kingdom, the
leaven) and bid men bring their deeds to it, and
blamed them that did not, ver. 20, 21. How can
there be an inward Jew, an inward circumcifion, with-
out an inward law, inward light, and inward tefti-
mony ? And to this inward law and teftimony, muft
the inward Jew daily have recourfe, and bring his
deeds thither, to be judged and fcanncd there.

Again, Chrift faith, " I am the light of the world :
** he that followeth me ftiall not walk in darknefs,
" but ftiall have the light of life," chap. viii. 12.
How is Chrift the light of the world ? Or liow was
Chrift the light of the world ? Was he only fo, as he
appeared in that body of flefli ? Is he not fo in his
inward and fpiritual appearance ? Is he not the univer-
fal light, the Sun of righteoufnefs, which enlighten-
eth the whole dark world ? Yet again he faith, " Yet
« a little while is the light with you j walk while ye
" have the light, left darknefs come upon you ; for

" he

The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c. 295

" he that walketh in darknefs, knoweth not whither
" he goeth. While ye have the light believe in the
" light, that ye may be the children of light," chap,
xii. 25} 3^' This is Chrift's direftion to men how
they may become true believers ; to wir, by believing
in the light. The light fhines in the darknefs, (" ye
" were darknefs) and by believing in it, men become
children of it.

Eighthly, By the apoftles and evangelifts. They
were fent to turn men from darknefs to light, Adls
xxvi. 18. and they teftified of the light they were to
turn men to ; delivered their meflage that God was
light, and that in him was no darknefs at all. They
preached Chrift the light, the life, the way, the truth;
they turned men from Satan's fpirit, which is dark-
nefs, to God's Spirit, which is light.

John the evangelift teftified of " the Word which
*' was in the beginning," and faid, " In him was life^
" and the life was the light of men. And the light
*' fhineth in darknefs, and the darknefs comprehended
*^ it not," chap. i. 4, 5. And again faith, fpeaking
of him, " That was the true light, which lighteth
" every man that cometh into the world," ver. o.

Paul faith, " Whatfoever doth make manifcft is
" light," Ephef v. 3. Wherefore " Awake thou
" that fleepeft, and arife from the dead," ver. 14. for
God hath fent forth the light of his Son to roufe
thee. Again, he profelTedly averrcth, that the word
nigh in the mouth and heart, was that word of faith
which he preached, Rom. x. 8. If fo, then that is
the word of faith which is to be believed in, if men
would believe in Chrift, and be faved by him.

James fpeaketh of God as the Father of lights,
from whom every good and perfect gift proceedeth,
chap. i. 17. Then furely from him is the grace, and
the gift (the free gift) by grace, which is upon all to
juftiftcation of life, that receive it, and follow the
teachings of it.

Peter fpeaks of the more fure word of prophecy,
to which men fhould take heedj and wait (in taking

T 3 heed

294 The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c.

heed to that) for the dawning of the day, and the
atifing of the day-ftar in the heart, 2 Peter i. 19.
Indexed, all men ought to wait for, and give heed
to, the light of God's Holy Spirit, and the holy pro-
phecies, warnings, and directions thereof in their
hearts.

And John, at laft, as I may fay, in that book of
the Revelation, (clofing up the teftimony of that age
and generation) fpeaks of walking in the light of the
Lamb, chap. xxi. 23, 24. (which every one that comes
to witnefs the true light ought to do, elfe there is no
true fellowfliip with God, nor with his fandificd ones,
who are gathered into and walk in the light, even as
God is in the light, i John i. 7.) And the angel
that opened the prophecies and myfteries of that book
to John, faid, that " the teftimony of Jefus is the
<* Spirit of prophecy," chap. xix. 10. So then, he
that hath this fpirit of prophecy, he that hath this in-
ward light, hath the teftimony of Jefus ; but he that
hath it not, hath not the teftimony itfelf, but only
words concerning the teftimony. For this is the dif-
tinftion between the true believer and the falfe : the
true believer hath the fpirit of prophecy, the witnefs
in himfelf, i John v. 10.: the falfe believer hath but
the outward teftimony or relation of things j but not
the inward fubftance, the covenant and law of life
within.

Q^ U E S T I O N II.

}fn:)at doth this light Sn inwardly in the hearts of tho[e>
that receive it 3 believe in it 3 and give up to it ^

ANSWER.

It doth all that is requifite to be done, from the
foul's coming out of fpiritual Egypt into the land of
reft i and all that is heedful for its growth and pre-
fervation there.

Firft,

The Ancient Principle of Truth, See. 295

Firfl, It enlighteneth. It fheweth what is evil, and
alfo what is good, according to the meafure and pro-
portion of it, and according to God's caufing it to
lliine in the heart. It difcovers the myftery of dark-
nefs, the myftery of ungodlinefs, the myftery of ini-
quity, the myftery of deceit in all its myfterious work-
ings i for nothing is hid from the light of him with
whom we have to do. And it alfo difcovers the myf-
tery of godlincfs, the myftery of holinefs, the pure
way and commandment of life ; and gives all the be-
lievers (the true believers in Chrift) this experience,
that *^ his commandment is life everlafting." There
is nothing the heart needs defire to know of God, but
this makes it manifeft in the due fcafon. It opens
the very myftery of the fcriptures, gives the right un-
derftanding and application of the promifes, and ful-
fils the prophecies thereof in the heart.

Secondly, It doth not only manifeft the good and
evil, but likewife inclines the mind to choofe the
good, and refufe the evil. It draws from the evil,
and towards the good ; yea, and the foul is made wil-
ling in the day of him who is light, and who appears
in the light, and reveals his power there. There is a
way, an highway, fpoken of, Ifa. xxxv. 8. called the
way of holinefs, which the unclean can neither difcern
nor pafs over to i but the light of the Lord Jefus
. Chrift, the meafure of grace and truth wherewith he
enlightens men, fo manifefts and leads into this way,
that they that are taught and guided by him, (hall
walk therein, and not err.

Thirdly, It fcatters the darknefs, breaks the power
of the enemy •, it makes one with him who is all
power, and giveth to partake thereof j fo that power
is given to become fons in the light, to the children
of the light; power given to become kings and priefts
to God J power given to reign in the dominion of
his life, in the dominion of his truth, over fin, over
death, over deceit; and to offer up the holy living
facrifices to God.

T 4 What

i^6 The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c.

What fhall I fay ? It is one with Chrift, it is of his
heavenly Spirit and nature, it makes way for him, it
leads to him, it fills with him, it brings into unity
and fellowfhip both with the Father and the Son,
where the peace which palTeth underftanding, and the
joy unfpeakable and full of glory, abounds. This is
the gofpel meffage, that God is light; and they that
are gathered into and abide in this light, they are ga-
thered into, and abide in unity and fellowfhip, both
with the Father and the Son.

David had great fenfe, and great experience of this
light of God's Holy Spirit, and of his truth fent
forth, manifefted, and revealed in his inward parts, as
is fignified, Pfal. li. 6. and again, in that vehement
prayer of his, Pfal. xliii. 3. "Oh! fend out thy light
" and thy truths let them lead me, let them bring
** me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Then
^' will I go unto the altar of God, unto God the
*' gladnefs of my joy; yea, upon the harp will I
" praife thee, O God, my God." Indeed when the
light Ihines, and the truth fprings up in the heart,
it leads to him that is true, it leads to the holy hill
and mountain of the Lord, and to the inward altar ;
which they have no right to, who ferve and worfliip
at the outward J and the harp is known whereon the
Moft High is praifed, even that inward harp, where-
of David's outward harp was but the figure. There-
fore they that come to the holy hill of God, to the
mountain of the Lord's houfe, and to that holy build-
ing which was reared there, they invite and encouf
rage others to walk in that light which led them thi-
ther, wherein communion with God, and one with
another, and the bleflings of life and peace are en-
joyed, Ifa. ii. 5.

But what Ihould I fpeak of the fufficiency of the
light and grace of the Spirit of our Lord Jefus Chrift,
or of what it is able to do, and of what he is pleafed
to work by it ? I fhall only fay this, that as the ful-
nefs was enough for Chrill, and to fit him for the
work which he had to doj fo the meafure of grace

and

The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c. 297

and truth which he beftows, is enough for every man»
** My grace is fufficient for thee," faid God to Paul ;
and fo it is for every nnan. There is no want of fuf-
ficiency in the grace of God, in the feed of the king-
dom, in the pearl of price, in the holy leaven, in the
heavenly fait 3 but the virtue and ftrength of it is
greater than the enemy is able to wlthftand ; and he
that keeps to it, and departs not from it, fhall feel
life and power fpringing up in it, to quicken him and
carry him through all that God requires of him. For
the water which Chrift gives is a well, fpringing up
(in him to whom it is given) unto life eternal •, and
this water is able to wa(h, able to nouriih, able to fill
the foul with living virtue, which waiteth for it and
partaketh of it. And all the nations of them that are
faved, are to walk in the light of God's Spirit. To
this men are to be turned, unto this they are to be
gathered, into this they are to be tranllated (even'
from the kingdom of darknefs, into the Son's mar-
vellous light) ; and being changed by it (into its na-
ture) become light in the Lord, and ought to walk in
the light, as God is in the light, 1 John i. 7.

(QUESTION III.

Ho'W doth the mind come to he enlightened^ and the can^
die of the Lord come to be Jet up in the foul ?

A N S WE. R.

By God's caufing it to fhine there, and the mind's
being turned to it, and given up to be exercifed by it,
as it pleafeth the Lord to caufe it to Ihine.

The power of the Lord reacheth to the pure prin-
ciple of life and light in the heart, in the iVafons of
his good pleafure. This being reached to and touched
by the Lord, anfwers his touch, his vifit, his call ;
and the mind being turned to it, fenfible of it, and
willing to let it into its nature and fpirit, and to be-
come

298 The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c.

come one with it (fufFering with it, and bearing Its
crofs) J the feed cometh to grow there, the light which
■was hid and overwhelmed under the earth (under the
earthly wifdom, the earthly will, the earthly know-
ledge, the earthly defires, the earthly delights, &c.)
cometh to be lighted up there j yea, the life cometh
to be quickened more and more, and the holy leaven
to fpread more and more there. And this fenfible
plant of God's renown being thus entertained, and
being not afterwards grieved, defpifed, quenched, or
hurt, by the giving way to, and letting in of that
which is contrary to it, it Ihooteth up into a kingdom
of righteoufnefs, into a tree of righteoufnefs, within
the compafs whereof, and under the IhadOw whereof,
the foul fitteth down in peace and reft, and is defended
and nourilhed with that which is pure and living, and
full of the pure fap and virtue, and fo becomes ftrong
in the Lord, and in the power of his might, againft
the power and ftrength of darknefs. Now this all
men may experience, (at firft in fome low meafure and
degree, and afterwards more and more) as they come
to feel after, and have a fenfe of that which is of
God, and good in the heart, and come to join and
give up to it. For then it will be working againft,
and purging out, that which is of a contrary nature,
and overfpreading the heart with its own natures in-
fomuch as that which was the leaft will become the
greateftj and that which was the loweft of all (and
indeed trampled under foot) will rife up into domi-
nion and power over all, and bring all under. So
th^t the lofty city, the lofty building of fleflily wif-
dom, and of fin and iniquity in the heart, will be
laid low, and the feet of the feed ftiall tread it down ;
even the feet of that which was once poor and needy,
until it was anointed, and its horn exalted by the
Lord.

QUES-

The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c. 29^

(QUESTION IV.

How is the light or candle of the Lord diminijhedy and
at length extinguijhed or put out injome ? Or how cometh
that dbout ?

ANSWER.

By their neglecling, defpifing, quenching itj heark-
ening and giving way to the contrary fpirit in its mo^
tions and temptations. For as the good let in, flops
and works out the evil ; ib the evil let in, ftops and
works out the good : fo the Philiftine nature given
way to, ftops the inward well which Jacob had digged
and opened. There is a time when life is a myftery,
a fountain fealed -, and there is a time wherein God un-
feals the fountain, and opens the myftery in the heart."
Oh ! then great care is to be had, and the foul is to
lie very low in the pure fear, that it may continue in
his goodnefs, and walk worthy of his love, that the
fountain may be kept open, and the pure fprings of
the holy land flow, and not be fealed and fhut up
again. For there are fome that rebel againft the light,
and they dwell in a dry land. There were fome that
did always refift and vex God's Spirit, and the Lord's
•Spirit ceafed ftriving with them, and gave them up
to a reprobate {^vS.^ and judgment concerning the
things of God. There are fome that do not improve
God's good talent, and from them that which was
once given is again taken away. Yea, the candle
of the wicked fhall one time or other be put out, and
they Ihall be filent in darknefs, and their mouth
ftopped from having any thing to fay againft God, his
truth, and people, for evermore. And all men had
need to take heed how they be wanton with the grace
of God, or defpife the day of their vifitation by the
holy light of God's Spirit ; for if God take away the
talent, if God put out the inward candle, who can
light it again ? Oh ! how did poor David, the man

after

^00 The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c.

after God's own heart, fufFer by letting the enemy's
temptations in upon him ! " Cafl: me not away from
** thy prefence," faid he, " and take not thy Holy
" Spirit from me.'* Indeed he did lofe his condition
at the prefent, and he fpeaks as a man in danger
of being quite undone; though afterwards he came
to comfort and aflurance that God would reftore him
to the joy of his falvation, and light his candle, and
enlighten his darknefs again.

But I am not infenfible of what doubts and dis-
putes there are in mens minds about this teftimony
which we give (from certain knowledge and true ex-
perience) concerning the light wherewith God enlight-
cneth fouls. At firft, when the teftimony firft came forth,
men would not grant fuch a thing as a light from God
in men, which convinced of and reproved for fin ;
but now there are many will afTent to that, who yet
cannot believe it to be a meafure of the grace and
truth which comes by Jefus Chrift, and that in it the
fufficiency and power of God is revealed, againft the
' ftrength and power of Satan. But let fuch ferioufly
confider,

Firft, Who they are that have teftificd, and teftify,
of this light. They are perfons who generally have
been deeply exercifed in religion : perfons who have-
read the fcriptures very diligently, with much praying
and waiting upon God, for the true, certain, and
clear underftanding of them : perfons who (feveral
of them) have had experience of moft (if not all
other) feparated ways, but could never meet with the
anfwer of the cry of their fouls, nor with fatisfadlion
to that birth which breathed in them after the Lord
night and day.

Secondly, What their teftimony is j which is mani-
fold. As firft, that they were by the Lord (even by
his Holy Spirit, and the fhinings and fpringings of hia
precious feed in ,them) turned to this light, and
ihewn it to be of God. Secondly, That in turning
to it, they ftill meet with the prefence, appearance^
and powei: of the Lord working in their hearts.

Thirdly,

The Ancient Principle of Truth, Sec. 301

Thirdly, That it did not only difcover fin to them,
but alfo powerfully refift it, fight againft it^ and bring
it under; which no light and power befides the light
and power of God's Spirit can do. Fourthly, That
the life of the Son is manifefted and revealed in it,
and they come therein truly to fee, and tafte, and
handle the Word of eternal life. Fifthly, That in this
light they come to witnefs cleanfing by the blood of
the Lamb, and the everlafting covenant made with
them, (even the fure mercies of David) and the holy
precious promifes fulfilled in them, "hereby they are
made partakers of the divine natu*-^, and come to
witnefs an entrance into the holy city, and drink of
the ftreams of the pure cryftal river, which refrelh
and make glad the city of our God, and all the taber-
nacles wherein he dwells. Laftly, to mention no
more. The Lord hath fhewn them how this had been
formerly with them, even in the days of their former
profeiTion ; and how God had wrought by this in them
in former times, though they then knew it notj and
that all their ability then to underftand any thing of
God aright, or to pray unto him, or reap any true
benefit from the fcriptures, was through the ftirring
of this in them, whereby God even then, in fome
meafure, enlightened and quickened their minds. For
there being fuch a principle in man, it works vari-
^oufly, and many times when he is not aware of it:
and he hath benefit thereby, if he refift it not, but
receive its influence and operation, though he hath
not the ftrideft knowledge and difcerning of it.

Thirdly, Again confider whether the light of
Chrift's Spirit, or the grace and truth which is come
by Jefus Chrift, hath not this property of difcovering,
convincing, and reproving for fin. Doubtlefs the
law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus, in the loweft
miniftration of it, is of that nature, that it difcovercth
and fighteth againft the law of fin and death, where-
ever it finds it And whether the Comforter, the Holy
Spirit of truth, who leads but of all error and falfe-
hood, and into all truth, is not as well to be known

by

302 The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c.

by this, even by his convincing the world of firl,
and inwardly reproving for fin, as by his comforting
of the faints, in their holy travels out of fin, and
battles againft fin.

Confider, Fourthly, whether any thing can convince
of fin but the light of God's Holy Spirit Ihining in
the heart ? There may be an outward declaration of
fin by the law outward j but it never reacheth the
heart and confcience, but by the fhining of the light
inward. Nay, it cannot fo much as reach to the un-
derftanding, but as God opens the heart, and brings
home the convidion by his light and power. This
we have experience of in the Jews ; who though the
prophets came with certain evidence and demonftration
from God's Spirit, yet they were not convinced there-
by, but flood it out againfl the prophets, and juflified
themfelves againfl the voice and Word of the Lord ;
their eyes being clofed, their ears fhut, and hearts
hardened againfl that of God in them, as may be read
in Jeremiah, chap. ii. and divers other places, even
to admiration. And what wickednefs is fo great
which the hardened man will not plead for, and be
defending and juflifying himfelf in! Yea, if God do
open mens underflandings in fome meafure, fo that
they cannot but confefs fuch and fuch things to be
evil in general, (as pride, covetoufnefs, drunkennefs,
riotoufnefs, excefs in apparel, lying, fwearing, &c.)
yet they are not able to fee the evil and danger of
thefe things in and to themfelves, but have covers and
excufes to hide them, unlefs the inward light and Spirit
of the Lord fearch their hearts, and make them mani-
fefl to them.

Fifthly, Confider the weight and proper tendency
of thefe two fcriptures, and do not form another mean«
ing, and fo put off the drift and intent of God's Holy
Spirit in them. The firll is that of the apoflle, Ephef.
V. 13, 14. " But all things that are reproved, are
«* made manifefl by the light : for whatlbever doth
" make manifefl, is light. Wherefore he faith. Awake,
** thou that flcepefl," &c. Every man is bid to

awake.

The Ancient Principle of Truth, Sec. 303

awake, becaufe every man hath fome proportion of
that in him, which (if hearkened to) will reprove,
roufe up, and awaken him, and lead him from among
the dead, to him who gives the light, and caufeth it
to fhine in him, even in the midft of his darknefs and
corruption, that it might awaken him out of it. The
other fcripture is that of Gal, v. 27. where the apofile
fpeaks of the flefh lufting againfi the Spirit, and the
Spirit againfi the flefh, and thefe two are contrary.
Did not God's Spirit ftrive with the old world ; not
only with the fons of God, who had corrupted them-
felves, but with the reft aifo ? And what is it that
hath ftriven with wicked men fince, and that doth
flrive with wicked men ftill ? Is it not the fame good
Spirit? What is it alfo that inwardly refifts and lufts
againft the will and ftrivrngs of God's Spirit ? Is it not
the fiefli ? So here are the two feeds, the two princi-
ples (which are contrary one to the other) near man.
For there is the creature man, (which of right is the
Lord's) into whom the deftroyer hath gained entrance,
and in whom he rules by the law of fin and death.
Now he who made man, feeketh after him, and find-
€th out his enemy in man, and giveth forth a law
againft him inwardly in the heart ; which, fo far as
any man gives ear to, believes, and receives, there
arifeth prckntiy a fight and ftriving between thefe two
contrary principles in him, fo that this man cannot do
the things that he would. Now that which thus
ftrives againft fin in any 'man, and troubles him be-
caufe of fin, reproving and condemning him for it,
that is of another nature than the fieih, (which har-
bours fin) and contrary to it.

Laftly, Confider the great love of God to mankind,
and the great care he hath of them. Firft, as touch-
ing their bodies ; how doth he provide for the bodies
of all mankind ! He would have none hurt, none de-
ftroyed; but feedeth all, nouriflieth all, making plen-
tiful provifion, and giving fruitful fcafons ; caufing
his fun to fliine, and his rain to defcend on all. Then
as to their fouls, he knoweth the precioufuefs thereof,

and

304 The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c.

and what the lofs of a foul is ; yea, he knoweth how
eager the devourer is to deftroy, and fetteth himfelf
againft him. He is the Father of fpirits, and his Son
the Shepherd and Bifliop of fouls, whofe nature it is
to gather and fave -, and it is faid exprefsly of God,
by the teftimony of the Spirit of truth, that he would
have all to be faved, and come to the knowledge of
the truth. And whereas it was faid to the Jews, that
God was as the potter, and they as the clay, and he
could make them veffels either of honour or diflionour
at his pleafure, Jer. xviii. 6. yet it was to this end,
even to invite and encourage them to be fubje6t to
him, that they might be made veffels of honour by
him, as appears ver. 11.

Now confider, if God be as tender of fouls as of the
bodies of men, doth he not make provifion for the
foul as well as for the body ? Would he not have the
foul live, and would he not have the foul fed as well
as the body ? If fo, then needs muft the light of his
Holy Spirit fhine inwardly throughout all nations,
and the faving grace and power be manifeft every
where, even in every heart, in fome meafure, and the
flefh and blood of the Son of God (which is the foul's
food) be diftributed to all. And truly the Lord is
not an hard mailer to any (as the unprofitable fervant,
in every difpenfation, is ready to account of him) ;
for the times of ignorance and darknefs God winketh
at, or paffeth over, being very tender towards men in
thateftatej yea, a little that is of him turned to and
heeded, according to the meafure of underftanding
that God gives, will be owned and accepted, even in
the midft of a great deal of darknefs and evil working
againft it.

There was a time before the law (for the law was
given by Mofes) : what faved then ? Was it any thing
but the faving grace, the faving light, the faving
Spiiic, the holy anointing, could any be faved but
thereby ?

What faved under the law ? Did the fhadows then
fave, or the fubftance of life veiled under them ? Did

not

The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c. 305

not the Spirit then work inwardly, redeem inwardly,
fave inwardly ? Did not the word or cominandmcnt
nigh in the mouth and heart (to which Mofes, by
God's diredlion, had turned their minds) enlighten
and fave inwardly ?

And any of the Gentiles, as the Word or Spirit of
life did work in them, did it not circumcife inwardly,
and fave them alio ? So that though they had not the
law or miniftration of Mofes outward, yet they had
the inward writing from God on their hearts, and
fhewed the work and efficacy of it there, and Ihall at
laft bejullified by, and according to, the everlafting
gofpel, which juftifieth all whatfoever, fo far as in
any meafure they receive and are fubjecft to the light
and law of God's pure Spirit, which the carnal mind
cannot receive, nor be fubject to.

Oh! that men could die to themfelves, even to,
their own wifdom and prudence, and not lean to their
own underftandings, nor idolize their own apprehenfions
and conceivings, but wait to receive underflanding
from God, who giveth liberally of the true wifdom
to thofe that afk and wait aright ! And how doth God
give true wif.iom and underflanding ? Is it not by the
fhining of his lio;ht in the heart? Oh ! that men were
turned inwardly thither, and inwardly dead to that
wifdom and prudence from which God ever hid things,
and ever will ! He that will be truly wife, muft firft
become a fool, that he may be wife; that is, he mufl
not ftrive to learn in the comprehenfive way of man's
wifdom and prudence, the things of God's kingdom;
but feel the begectings of life in his heart, and in that
receive fomevvhat of the new and heavenly under-
flanding, and fo die to the other, and know no more
the tilings of God after the flefh } that is, as a wife
man, as a learned fcribe, as a great difputant, (for
where is the wife ? Where is the fcribe ? Where is the
difpucer of this world? Can they find out the myftery
of life, tiie myftery of God's icingdom in this age,
any more than they could in former ages?) but become
a babe, a fool, and (o receive and bow to that which
Vol. III. U his

3o6 The Ancient Principle of Truth, &c,

his own wirdom will call foolifhnefs, and account
weaknefs j but the other birth, which is begotten
and born of God, will know, and daily experience,
to be the wifdom and power of God unto falvation.

A N

APPEAL

TO THE

Witness of GOD in all Consciences,

WHICH IS THE

More fare Word of Prophecy ? The Teftimony
of the Scriptures without; or the Voice
and Teftimony of the Light and Spirit of
GOD within, in the Heart.

TH E apoftle Peter fpeaks of a more fure word of
prophecy (or a more fure prophetical word, as
the Greek hath it) than that voice which came from
heaven, which they he'ard when they were with Chrift
in the holy mount, 2 Pet. i. 18, 19. Now what this
more fure word is, which ought to be given heed to
in the moft efpecial manner, more than to fuch an
eminent voice and teftimony from heaven, even from
the excellent glory, is a very great and weighty
queft:ion. Now Ibme affirm, that it is the word and
teftimony of the fcriptures without; others affirm,
that it is the voice, found, and teft;imony of the Word
of Life within.

I do

An Appeal to the Witness, Sec. 307

1 do not know a fcripture that my heart hath been
more tenderly folicitous about, defiring to give due
honour both to the Spirit of God, and to the holy
fcriptures, and allb to undcrftand what the Lord would
have me in the moft efpecial manner give heed to,
until the feafon came from him, in which he (hould
caufe the day to dawn, and the day-ftar to arife in my
heart. And now, that others might come to the fame
underllanding and fatisfaftion alfo, are thefe following
confiderations propofed in the weight of my fpirit to
tliem.

Fufb, Confider how fure the word of prophecy was,
how fure the voice and tertimony from heaven was ;
than which, the apoftle direfts them to fomewhat as
more fure. This 1 may clearly fay of it, it was un-
doubtedly from God, and that in a very extraordinary
manner, even in Chrift's prefence, when Mofes and
Elias were with him, and God beftowing upon him
honour and glory, transfiguring him before his difci-
ples, caufing his face to fliine as the fun, and making
his raiment white as the light, Matr. xvii. 2. And
the intent of it was to give the difciplcs full evidence
and fatisfa(5cion, (for the voice was not for his fake,
but for theirs) or rather that they might have a full
ground, after his death and rcfurre6lion, to tellify for
the fatisfaction and confirmation of others j for till
then they were to keep it fecret, ver. 9, Now that
which was provided for this end, doubtlefs was very
fure, and teilified by them who were chofen to be
faithiul witnefTes in this lefpetl.

Secondly, Confider whether the teilimony of the
prophets concerning Chrid were furer than the imme-
diate voice from God himfelf? Were they furer to
thofe that lived in thofe days, or to thofe that fliould
come after, than this teftimony was to the apoftles,
and to thofe that did communicate it in the will and
counfel of the Lord ? The prophets did teftify from
God's holy unerring Spiri^t ; but they that lived in
thofe days did not always believe and receive their
prophecies, but fometimes doubted of them, and

U 2 queftioned

3o8 An Appeal to the

queftioned them : yea, their prophecies were not al-
ways evident, and clearly underftood by thofe who
defiled to underftand ; but their vifions were many
times a book fealed, both to the learned and unlearned.
But this teftimony, this word of prophecy, this voice
from the excellent glory, " This is my beloved Son,
*' hear him") is a very plain, evident, full teftimony,
eafy to be underftood by any in that prefent, or in
after ages. And I muft confefs, as to myfelf, the
reading of it did always deeply afFe6t and fatisfy my
heart.

^ Thirdly, Confider the manner of God's appearing
to the prophets, and compare it with the manner of
this appearance. God appeared to them fometimes
in vifions, fometimes in dreams. Mofes faw a bufti

\[^ burning, and heard a voice. " The vifion of Ifaiah,
" the Ton of Amos," Ifai. i. i. And Ezekiel faw
vifions, chap. i. i. And Daniel had a dream and
vifions on his bed, Dan. vii. i. And Jeremiah had
that fweet prophecy (of God's fatiating the weary foul,
and replenifhing every Ibrrowful foul) in his fleep,
Jer. xxxi. 26. Now here to thefe blelTed apoftles was
a vifion given of the glory of Chrift, and of Mofes
and Elias with him ; not in the mind or head, as
Daniel's vifions were, Dan. vii. i.; but the excellent
glory did appear, and Chrift, Mofes, and Elias were
really there together on the mount, (which is more
than a prophetick vifion of a thing) and Chrift was
clothed with, and fwallowed up in, the glory. For
God the Father did fct himfelf to glorify him, fo as
never man was glorified before ; and the voice came
(the certain voice j what voice could be more cer-
tain?) from the excellent glory, " This is my beloved
*' Son, in whom I am well pleafed," 2 Pet. i. 17.
And this pure vifion of glory (even of God's thus
appearing, and Chrift's thus transfiguring) they faw,
and heard the voice which came from heaven, when
they were with him in the holy mount. Now were
the prophecies of the prophets that Chrift fliould be
born in Bethlehem, and that he fhould be thus and

thus.

Witness of God in all Consciences. 309

thus, &c. equal to this in evidence and demonftration ?
Why was John greater than the reft of the prophets ?
Was it not in that he was choien to be the immediate
forerunner and preparer of the way, and could point
with his finger to the Mcfliah ? And yet is not this
immediate teftimony from the excellent glory greater
than the teftimony of John ?

Fourthly, Confider whether Chrifl's own words in
the flefh to his difciples were furer than the voice
from the excellent glory ? If I fhould extol the words
of Chrifl: in the flelh above the words of the prophets
which teftified of him, fhould I therein do the words
and teftimonies of the prophets any wrong ? He was
the Son ; he had the fulnefs of life, the fulncfs of the
Spirit, the great authority and virtue of God his
Father. " God (faith the apoftle) who at fundry
" times, and in divers manners, fpoke in time paft:
" unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in thefe laft
" days fpoken unto us by his Son," Heb. i. i, 2.
feeming to exalt and magnify God's fpeaking by his
Son, and the way of this miniltration above the mi-
niftration of the prophets (which miniftration was firft
by him in the fleih, afterwards in Spirit, which is pro-
perly called the miniftration of the Spirit, 2 Cor.
iii. 8.) Now confider whether this fure word of pro-
phecy from the excellent glory, fo immediately from
"the majefty on high, was not intended by him as a
feal to the faith of the difciples, as a feal to Chrift's
appearance in the flcfh, and to what he had taught
them (which was fometimes in parables, and not fo
fully underftood by them) ; and Vv'hether this was not
more bright, more ravifliing, more certain, more
eibiblifhing, than his common prefence and appear-
ance among them, and than tiiC words wluch he from
the Father, not the Father fo immediately himfelf,
fpake to them ? For that which is given to confirm a
thing, is (in order of nature, and for evidence fake)
more certain and clear than that which it is given to
confirm,

V 2 Fifthly,

^JIO An Appeal to the

Fifthly, Confider whether the voice of God's Spirit
and light within in the heart be not more clear and
certain to him that hears it, than any word or tefti-
mony from without? Is it not a furer word of pro-
phecy than this relation or teftimony of the apoftles,
of what they heard from the excellent glory ? Yea, is
it not furer than any teftimony of the fcriptures, or
than all outward teftimonies put together ?

Sixthly, Confider whether they who are turned from
darknefs to the light, even to the inward manifefta-
tion of God's Holy Spirit, ought not to give diligent
heed unto it, until the day dawn, and the day-ftar
arife in their hearts ?

Laftly, Confider what is the difference between this
light ftiining (as a word of prophecy) in the dark
place, and the day dawning, and the day-ftar arifing
in the heart ? Is it not the fame light, only further re-
vealed and ftiining in its glory, in the holy and pure
place ?

The apoftle Paul excellently openeth the thing,
Coloff. i. 25, 26, 27. Firft, he fpeaketii of the Word
in general, which he was to fulfil, or fully to preach.
Then he flieweth how this Word is a myftery, hid in
the Gentiles, (for fo the Greek, ver. 27. is) even in
them that believe not -, the Word is nigh there, the
inftruftion and commandment of life nigh there. But
in thofe that receive the grace, and believe in the
light, and fo become children of the light, and walk
in the light, as God is in the light : in them Chrift is
rifen, and they are rifen together with him, and he is
in them the hope of glory. So that the day hath
dawned there-, the day-ftar hath rifen, and they know
not only a meafure of grace from Chrift, but Chrift
himfelf arifen, dwelling, living, acting, walking in
them, and they in him.

Let thefe things be duly confidered of, and equally
weighed in the holy balance, and then I dare appeal
to every ferious and fober heart and mind, whether
the inward light, the inward Word, the Word nigh
in the mouth and heart, and the holy living teftimony

Witness of God in all Consciences. 311

thereof, the voice of the witnefs within, of the pro-
phecy within, be not furer to that man that hath it,
and hears and knows the voice of it, than any out-
ward voice or teftimony whatfoever?

Obie6l. But Jome may obje£i thuSy or after this manner:
I amjatisfied that there is a }Ford nigh in the mouth and
hearty {to which Mofes did dire£i the Jews, and the apof-
tles the Chrijiians) and that this Word doth enlighten the
mind^ and dothjefarate in the mouth between words and
words y and is a fwift witnefs againfi the bad words y and
a jujlifier of the good words y which come from the truth
and upri'^htnefs of the hearty and are feajoned with grace,
I alfo believe that this Word is quick and powerful in the
hearty feparating and dividing between the thoughts and
intents there ; and that the teftimony thereof is Jurer and
clearer (as to the hearts in which it fhineSy and to them
whojc fpiritual ears are opened to hear its voice) than any
words and teftimonies from without. And I atnfitified
alfoy that they who are the fjeep of Chrifty do thus bear
the Shepherd's voice y and do know both the voice behind
theniy when it comes after them to reprove their wander-
ings, and diretl their minds into the true way ; and alfo
the voice before theniy when the Shepherd (who is the
leader) pinteth forth his iheep, and goeth before
them, and they follow him j for they know his voice,
"^John X. 4. Tea, I have had the experience hereof in my
own heart: for I have felt that work withiny and thai
living fweet teftimony of God's Spirit in my own heart,
which hath been more to me than all that ever I heard or
read from without ; Jo that I can truly fay (with the Sa-
maritansy John iv. 22.) Now I believcy not becapje of
the teftimonies or words I have heard from without y but
from the evidence and demonftration of lifcy and of God's
holy Spirit in my own heart. Nor can I fee how the
apofile Petery in this placCy can prefer the teftimonies of
the prophets (for that which is called the New Teftament
was not yet written and added to the old) before this
glorious immediate teftimony^ from God Aimightyy zvhich
Chrift was honoured withy and they were greatly honoured
in being admitted to be beholders and witneffes of. Tet

U 4 fomewhat

312 An Appeal to thx

Jomewhat flicks with me ; namely^ thoje words of the apof'
iky ver. 20, 21. wherein he plainly Jeems to me to /peak
of the fcriptures or writings of the prophets^ as if they
had been the more fure word of prophecy ^ which in this
place he had dire5fed to. For why Jhould he Jay thus,
" Knowing this firft," &c. unlefs he had intended the
fame Word of prophecy which he had been /peaking of be^
fore^ and direSfing their minds how they might make u/e of
that Word of prophecy f

Anf. Peter was the minifter of the circumcifion,
and he was to deal with people who were great admi-
rers and ftudiers of the letter; therefore, though he,
as well as Paul and John, and the other apoftles,
(Ron[i. X. and A6ls xxvi. 18. and i John i.) was to
direft men to the Word within, and light within, yet
he knew it was of great concernment to them rightly
to read and be able to underftand the letter without.
Therefore, having firft diredled them to the Word of
prophecy, to the path of the juft, which is the inward
Ihining light, to the light which Ihmes more and
more in the dark place to them that give heed to it;
in the next place it was very proper, ufeful, and ne-
ceffary to direft them how to read the fcriptures
aright. For indeed the oracles of God were given to
them, RoiTi. iii. 2. and they ought to be diligent in
the reading of them, that they might underftand the
holy prophecies, and precious promifes, &c. and reap
the hope and comfort of them, and be made parta-
kers of the divine nature, which is the thing pro-
mifed. And not only to the Jews, but to the Chrif-
tians gathered from among the Gentiles in that age,
Avere the fcriptures greatly ufeful : and fo they are alfo
to fiicn as are gathered by the Holy Spirit and power
of God in this age. The prophecies, the judgments,
the promifes, the mercies, the experience, &c. are all
ufeful, and profitable to thofe that read and under-
ftand them in tiiC light of God's Holy Spirit. But
the firft thing needful is, to turn a man's mind to the
light, that he may have fomewhat to guide him, fome-
what to ftay his mind upon in reading the fcriptures,

fgrne-

Witness of God in all Consciences, 313

fomewhat to open and unfcal the holy and divine words
and nnyfteries to him. For no man can truly and
rightly underftand the fcriptures, but as his mind is
opened by the Lord, and the underftanding of words
and things given him. So that this is exceeding ne-
ceffary to be known (after a man is turned to the
light and Word of prophecy within, and comes to
read the outward oracles and teftimonies of the Holy
Spirit) that all the holy men fpake not in their own
wills, nor in the will of the flelh, nor in the will of
man, but as the Spirit of God gave them words,
and moved them to fpeak. And thofe words fpoken by
God's Spirit knoweth none, but that Spirit which
fpake them. So that no man ought to venture by
his private fpiric to undertake to open and interpret
thofe words ; but he muft firft receive the fame Word
of life, the fame Spirit of prophecy within, and wait
upon him, and learn to know his voice, who openeth'
what and when he pleafeth to the fons of men. And
fo when the fame Word of life fpeaks in a man's heart
now, fhewing things to come, either concerning a
man's felf or others, that man muft be careful to re-
tire, and lie very low before the Lord, waiting upon
him for the true underftanding and right interpretinf>-
of his own words, elfe a man may eafily mifunder-
fland and mifapply what was truly and rightly fpoken.
So that this is the right way of underftanding the
words of prophecy from the holy men of God in for-
mer ages, and the inftruftions of the Word of life in
the heart. " The fecrets of the Lord are with them
*' that fear him." In the true fear the ear is opened,
and the right underftanding given ; but in the wifdom
of the flefli, and in the confidence thereof, it is eafy
erring at any time from the true fenfe and right ufe
of that which was opened and given by God, either
for the foul's own good, or for the good of others.

To conclude this appeal : there is one confideration
on my heart to propofe to the ferious and fober-
minded j and oh ! that they might rightly confider
and underftand id David was a man after God's own

heart,

314 An Appeal to the

heart, a wife man, an inwardly-exercifed man, an ex-
perienced man, an holy, ijpiritual, heavenly man ; a
man who knew the inward everlafting kingdom, and
had the Spirit of God, and witneffed his truth in the
inward parts : can ye think that David did not know
the Word and commandment of life within ? Did not
God write his law in his heart ? How elfe could he
become a man after God's own heart ? Did not he wit-
nefs the everlafting covenant, and the law thereof, the
new law, the living law, even the law of the Spirit
of life in Chrift Jefus ? Now when David faid, " the
" law of the Lord is perfed, converting the foul,"
what law did he mean ? What is the law which con-
verts the foul to God ? Can any thipg lefs than an in-
ward power, an inward light, an inward law, an in-
ward life, than the inward drawings and teachings of
God's Spirit, convert the foul to God ? And what tef-
timony is that which makes wife the fimple ? Is it not
the inward teftimony ? What made him wifer than
the ancients, and his teachers, who knew and could
teach the law outward ? Were they not the inward
teachings and inward precepts of God's Holy Spirit
from the Word of life within, which doubtlefs was
very nigh him, he being a man fo exercifed by God's
Spirit, and fo formed after his heart ? And what are
thofe right ftatutes which rejoice the heart, and the
pure commandment which enlightens the eyes, and
the clean f^rar and righteous judgments ? Are not all
thefe things known within, and received within ? Doth
not God put his fear within, in the heart ? Doth not
God reveal his righteous judgments within againft lin
and iniquity ? Oh ! how did JDavid cry out becaufe of
God's dreadful judgments upon him for fin, and faid
his fore ran in the night, and he watered his couch
with his tears ! And in another place, " My flelh
" trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy
** judgments." And when he fpeaketh fo much (as
in Pfal. cxix.) of God's word, God's law, his tefti-
monies, precepts, ilatutes, judgments, &c. what doth
^le fpeak of? Doth he.fpeak of the outward or inward

Oiiniftra-

Witness of God in all Consciences. ^15

miniftration of the Word in the heart ? Doth he not fpeak
of the inward writing, of the law in the heait, of the
commandment in the heart, of the teflimony of life
there ? For he had the teftimony within, the Spirit
within, the law within, the light within, the inward
and fpiritiial kingdom (wherein the holy dominion of
God is revealed) he knew within j and fo believing,
could Ipeak of the power and glory thereof, and of
God's wondrous works, Pfal. cxlv. And when he faid,
** thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto
*' my path," what Word did he mean ? Did he mean
the letter or law outward, or the Word nigh in the
mouth and heart, which Mofes had tellified of, and
directed the Jews to, and he himfcif had been very
well acquainted with? Vs hen again he faith, *' Where-
" withal fhall a young man cleanfe his way ?" and
immediately giveth tlie anfwer, '' By taking heed ac-
*' cording to thy Word, Doth he iiiean the letter'
without, or the Word within ? What is it that cleanf-
eth tlic heart, that cleanfeth the way? Is it any thing
lefs than the water of life, than the blood of the ever-
lalling covenant, than the Word of life and truth
witliin ? " San6lify them by thy truth; thy Word is
" truth." In the fenfe of that inwardly, and obedi-
ence to it, is the renewing and fanilificacion f^^it. And
fo this brings to be underiied in the way, and to keep
"the teilimonies of life, and preferves from doing ini-
quity. '' BlefTed are the undefiled in the wav," iaith
he, "^ wlio walk in the law of the Lord. Blelk^d are
" they that keep his teftimonies, that feek him with
*^ the whole heart. Tliey alfo do no iniquity," tkc.
Had he no experience oi' thefe things lumfelf ? Yea,
furely. lie knew the holy heart, the pure heart, the
new and heavenly image, the heart after God's own
heart; and he knew wliat it was to walk in innocencv,
and to be kept out of fin. Hear what he hunlelf
faith, Pfal. xviii. 21, &c. *' For I have kept the
" ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed
<' from my God. For all his judgments were before
^f mc, and 1 did not put away his itanuces from me,

" I was

3i6 An Appeal to the

** I was alfo upright before him, and I kept myfelf
" from mine iniquity." What was that ? Was not
that it which had moft power over him, and was
moft apt to entangle and enfnare him ? Now he that
arrives here, he that doth this, that keeps himfelf
from his iniquity, doubtlefs witneiTeth great power
and vi6tory over lefler and fmaller fins. Was not
David ftrong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might ? Did not the Word of God abide in him ?
Did not he overcome the wicked-one by the power
thereof? How elfe could he walk thus in the ways of
the Lord, as he exprefleth, and keep himfelf from his
iniquity ?

Now this Word of life, thefe living teftimonies and
precepts, yea, the everlafting ordinances and ftatutes
of the new covenant, with the fure mercies of David,
which Word Mofes had teftified of, and dire6led to,
and David had experienced, (it being the pearl he had
treafured up and hid in his heart) and which was the
Word of faith which Paul and the other apoftles
preached and teftified of, turning men from darknefs
to this inward light j I fay, this Word, this living
Word (and the inward miniftration thereof) God
hath revealed and made manifeft in this our day, and
hath turned the minds of many to it, and is daily in-
viting men to Shiloh's ftreams, to the living waters,
to the light and habitation of the living. Bleflfed are
they that hear the joyful found, and come to the holy-
mount and city of our God, where life lives and reigns,
and is fed on by all the living ; who are God's eled,
God's heritage, God's vineyard of red wine, God's
inclofed garden, whom he watcheth over night and
day, and watereth every moment ; and in whom he
dwelleth and walketh, and is to them a God and Fa-
ther, and maketh them daily fenfible that they are his
fervants, children, and fpoufe, in whom is his great
delight, and on whofe hearts and foreheads is written
** Holinefs to the Lord." Yea, and the Lord will
blefs thee for ever, " O habitation of juftice, and
•' mountain of holinefs !" And every tongue that

Witness of God in all Consciences. 317

rifeth up in judgment againft thee will the Lord God
■condemn for evermore. This is the heritage of the
fervants of the Lord, whom the Lord hath gathered
by the arm of his mighty power, (inwardly revealed
and llretched forth in them, and for them) " and
" their righteoufnefs is of me, faith the Lord."

POSTSCRIPT.

There is a Scripture now openeth in me, as it
hath often done, and it hath been very fwee.t
to jny tafte ; but I have not had freedom to,
give it forth to others, as at this time it is
with me to do : it is that fcripture Rom. ix.
18. ** Therefore hath he mercy on whom he
*' will have mercy, and whom he will he
'* hardeneth."

NOW many apprehend from this fcripture, as I alfo
formerly did, that God hath chofen out a cer-
tain number of perfons on whom he will have mercy,
and fave by Jcfus Chrift the Lord; and that he hath
palTed over the reft, fo that they were never intended
to have any benefit by Chrift's death as to their eternal
falvation. This the wifdom of man, from the letter
of the fcripture and many other places, may eafily
apprehend and ftrongly reafon for. But as the Lord
openeth the mind, and men come to a fenfe of his
nature and Spirit, and his intent in fending his Son,
and receive the key which gpeneth the truth as it is in
Jefus, they will eafily fee that this is contrary to God's
nature, and his intent in fending his Son, and the

univerfal

ji8 P O S T S C R t ? T.

-liniverfal covenant of light arid life, and the manifeft
teftimony of the fcriptures.

Firfl:, As touching the nature of God. His nature
is love i love to all his creatures. He would not have
it go ill with any of them. He needeth not their mi-
fery to nnake himfelf happy. His nature is to love, to
blefs, to favej not to deftroy or cut off, nor to afflict
or grieve the children of men ; not to hurt either the
body or foul of any : he preferveth man and bead,
Pfal. XXX vi. 6.

Secondly, As touching his fending his Son. He
fent him in his love to mankind, to fave mankind.
His love was not to a few only; but he loved all his
creatures, he loved all lofl: fouls, and he fent his Son
to fave them all. He gave him light to enlighten
them all, and he gave him life to quicken them all j
only he difpenfeth this in different ways, according to
the infinite wifdom and good pleafure of his Father.

So that. Thirdly, The covenant of light and life is
tiniverfal, and nigh all mankind, by which the darkell
parts and corners of the earth are at fome times en-
lightened, and feel fomewhat of the quickening life.
For the life is the light of men, and the light comes
from the life, and is a quick, piercing, quickening
light, conveying warmth and life, yea, living virtue
into the darkell: hearts, as it moves and finds entertain-
ment in them.

Laftly, As for the teftimony of the fcriptures, it is
very clear that God would have none to perifli.
" All fouls are mine," faith the Lord, Ezek. xviii. 4.
« I have no pleafure in the death of him that dieth,'*
ver. 32. And again, " As I live, faith the Lord
<« God, I have no pleafure in the death of the wick-
<« ed," chap, xxxiii. u. I have fent my light to
enlighten all men, and turn all men, and I would
have all men receive it, and be turned by it. I have
Ihewed every man what is good, and what I the Lord
require of him; and I would have every man anfwer
the manifeftation of my light and Spirit in him. Do
ye not read God's charge againft the whole earth,

Ifai.

POSTSCRIPT. 319

Ifai. xxiv. 5. that they had tranfgrcfTed the law,
changed the ordinance, broken the everlafting cove-
nant ? Why then they all had the law, had the ordi-
nance, had the everlalling covenant; and for this caufe
it is that the curfe and judgment comes upon them,
ver. 6. So that this was the condemnation from the
beginning, and this is the condemnation Hill, " that
" light is come into the world, and men love darknefs
" rather than light, becaufe their deeds are evil."
Men are not condemned for want of light from
Chrifb Jefus ; but becaufe they do not believe in, and
obey that light which they have from him j becaufe
they believe in the darknefs, believe in the dark fpirit,
believe in the dark power, which rifeth up againd the
miniftration of light in the heart, and do not believe
in that which is given of God to difcover and work it
out. What fhould 1 multiply fcriptures for ? That
common fcripture is abfolutely undeniable, (as the
Lord opens the heart unto the fimplicity of truth, and
keeps it out of the fubtil enchanting wifdom) John
iii. 16, 17. " For God fo loved the world, that he
** gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believ-
*' eth in him (hould not perifh, but have everlafting
" life. For God fent not his Son into the world to
** condemn the world j but that the world, through
" him, might be faved." What can be more naked
and plain than thefe words of Chrift, who knew the
very heart of God in this particular, and plainly de-
clares what it is, even not to condemn, not to de-
flroy, but to fave men from condemnation and deftruc-
tion ? And v/ould Chrift have fo affectionately wept
over Jerufalem, had he known it to be his Fatiier's
will and determinate counfel that they Iliould have
periftied, and not have been gathered and laved by
him ? I ftiall add but one place more, where the apof-
tle (who knew God's counfel, and underftood the
myftery of election and reprobation, and liad the mind
of Chrift) faith exprefsly, ,that " God will have all
" men to be faved, and to come unto the knowledge
** of the truth," i Tim. ii. 4. What words can be

fpoken

320 POSTSCRIPT.

fpoken more plain and full ? And let people mind
that thefe words arc far plainer and eafier to be under-
ftood than thofe fcriptures which treat of eledlion and
reprobation j which is a deep myftery j and men muft
come to a growth in the truth, before they can receive
that capacity which is necelfary towards the under-
ftanding of them. But to open the thing a little, as
it is now in my heart.

There hath been a three-fold difpenfation of God
to mankind. A difpenfation of the law to the Jewsj
a difpenfation of the gofpel (or promife, which was
as well before the law as after it) to the called Jews
and Gentiles j and a fecret hidden difpenfation of the
myftery of grace, of the myftery of life and falvation,
which the apoftle calls the myftery hid in the Gentiles,
CololT. i. 27. For fomewhat of God, fomewhat of
the nature and Spirit of Chrift, the fouls of all man-
kind have had near them, to enlighten them, and to
turn them from Satan's power to God ; though it hath
not been a thing known to them, but a myftery hid
in them.

Now that God did caft off any Jew under the law,
or any whom he vifits with the grace and power of
the gofpel, from a mere abfolute will in himfelf, be-
caufe he would deftroy them and have them perifti, to
fliew forth the praife of his juftice, and his abfolute
fovereignty, this the true fenfe of life in me denies;
but all have a vifit of that which faves heartily and
in true good-will from God -, and he that is turned to
that which God hath fent to turn him, ftiail be owned
and faved thereby. He that believeth in the truth,
in the light, in the Word nigh, even in the very
loweft appearance of it, (for the loweft appearance is
the fame thing in nature with the higheft, and the
grace is faving in its very loweft appearance, as well
as in its higheft) ftiall be faved thereby.

Now mark : God's grace, God's mercy, God's love,
God's light, God's Spirit, God's power, &c. is his
own, and he may do with his own what he pleafeth.
Now it being by this that he ftrives, converts, and

faves }

POSTSCRIPT. 311

faves ; and it being in his own will and good pleafurc
how long he will flrive and contend to fave j it lieth
therefore abfolutely in him, even in his own will,
what he will do in this kind. He may take advan-
tage againft rebellious man, and cut him ofF when he
will ; and again, he may drive and raife true fenfe in
a man's heart, and give repentance, and pardon his
tranfgrelTions, as long as he pleafeth; yea, he may fo
change a man's heart, and fo create him a-new in
Chrilt Jefus, and fo bring him into unity with the
pure feed, and to that eftate in the feed, as that he
may have alfurance he fliall never be utterly caft off;
but that though he fhould fin, and tranfgrefs the holy
law of God's Spirit, his iniquity fhall be chaltifed with
flrip^s, and his foul recovered and brought back
thereby, but not utterly rejefted by the Lord. Now
it being thus, hath not God mercy on whom he will ? .
And doth not he harden as he pleafeth ? Did not God
give up the Jews to hardnefs, after much flriving
with them ? Did not God give up the Gentiles to
hardnefs, and to vain imaginations concerning the true
God, after they had rejected a meafure of the true
knowledge? Rom. i. 21. Have not the veffels of
wrath, who are fitted to deftrudion, a day of much
long-fuffering firft ? Rom, ix. 22. Had not the old
world, who were fitted for that deilruclion of the
"flood, a long day of patience and forbearance from
God, his Spirit reproving of them, and Itriving with
them ? To what end did God forbear them, and caufe
his Spirit to drive with them ? Was it not to lead
them to repentance, that thereby they might have
avoided tiiat deftrudion, which, by their rebellion and
ftiffnefs of fpirit again(t God's good and tender Spirit,
they were fitted for, and expofed toi* See Rom. ii. 4. So
for Cain, how tenderly did God deal with him ! how up-
rightly did God feek his good ! Would not God have
had him come to a true fenfe and repentance ? Would not
God have had him believed and offered in the faith,
and been accepted as his brother was ? And for Pharaoh,
God indeed was againft that nature and fpirit in him
which oppreffed Ifraelj but would not the Lord have
Vol. in. X had

322 POSTSCRIPT.

had him denied and turned from that nature and fpirit,
and let Ifrael go ? God would have no man do evil,
and bring upon themfelves deftru6lion ; though in his
jult judgment he is many times provoked to give men
up to that which leadeth into and hardeneth in evil.
So not only Pharaoh, but Ifrael alfo, was given up to
their own hearts lufts, when they would none of the
Lord, nor hearken to his counfel, Pfal. Ixxxi. 12. But
faith the Lord, oh ! that it had been otherwife ! " Oh!
'' that my people had hearkened unto me !" Sec. it
fhould then have been otherwife with them, ver.
13, Sfc.

So that God of himfelf doth not defire the dellruc-
tion of his creature j nor doth he defire to harden
them, or to give them up to a deluding fpirit, that
they might be damned j but men firft refufe the truth,
and turn from it, or let it goj not receiving it in the
love of it, or not liking to retain the knowledge of ic
(which is death to the man's corrupt nature, fpirit,
will, and wifdom, and fuch a crofs and yoke as he is
in no wife willing to bear) j and then the Lord, in his
juft judgment, gives them up to the deceitfulnefs of
fm, to be hardened by it. Now this liveth in God's
own breaft when and to whom to do it, according to
his own will, and according to his own wifdom and
counfel •, fo that it may be truly and properly faid,
" he hath mercy and compaflion on whom he will,
" and whom he will he hardeneth." But that God
hath determined to harden any, without giving them
a day of mercy j or that it is God's will and determi-
nate counfel that men fhould reject the day of his
mercy and precious invitation, that they might be
hardened by him and perilli ; this is not God's truth,
but mens mifapprehenfions upon true words, gather-
ing meanings therefrom in their own wifdom, and not
waiting upon God till he caufe the true light to Ihine
in them, and thereby give them the true knowledge
and underftanding.

Therefore, fince there is fuch mercy in God towards
all, and he hath given all men a day of vifitation,

greater

POSTSCRIPT. 323

greater or lefler; yea, fince of late he hath caufed his
light to (hine forth, and given this age fuch a vifita-
tion as many ages have not had, oh! let men take
heed how they clofe their eyes, (lop their ears, and
harden their hearts againft it, left they provoke God to
give them up to their own imaginary, conceited, fielhly
comprehenfive knowledge of the letter, and fo feal
them up in that hardnefs of heart and deafnefs of fpi-
rit which they firft gave themfelves up to. For the
letter, without the Spirit, killethj and fo doth all lite-
ral knowledge : and there needs no greater curfe from
God (it will fufficiently avenge the caufe of his re-
proached light, and holy covenant of life in Chrift
Jefus, now abundantly revealed and made manifeft)
than to clofe mens eyes, and flop their ears, and har-
den their hearts (in their literal knowledges and prac-
tices) from beholding and partaking of the preciou?
life and virtue of the holy and living miniftration in
Chrift Jefus the Lord, wherewith God vifiteth and re-
deem.eth his people.

Indeed the phyfician is come inwardly and fpiritu-
ally, and he inwardly heals and reftoreth his people,
faithfully feeking after the fick, the diftrefled, the
broken, thev/ounded; pouring oil into their wounds,
and healing them. But there are fome who are fo
found and whole in their notional apprehenfions and
practices, that they have no need of the phyfician, and
them the phyfician pafTeth by, as unworthy of him,
and whom he intendeth fliall have no fliare with him,
" Ephraim is joined to idols," (he is well, he hath
enough, he hath no need of me) " let him alone,"
faith the Lord. I will pour out the choice virtue of
my fpiritual life and redeeming power among my ga-
thered fheep and lambs, who have need thereof, and
will rejoice therein, Thcfe will know my voice j thefe
will juftify the appearance of my Spirit and power;
thefe love the favour of my anointing and precious
ointment, v.'hich runs down^from the head upon all the
living body, and thefe fhall have it. Thefe under-
itand how 1 have mercv on whom I will, and whom I

X 2 will

324 POSTSCRIPT.

will I harden j and it is my will to have mercy on the(c
my once-greatly-diflreffed ones, and to deftroy (in-
wardly to deftroy, oh ! who knows what that means !).
the fat and the ftrong, and to feed them with judg-
ment. Oh ! that men did know to whom the mercy
and to whom the judgment belongs ! To the wifdom
of the fiefh, to the wife comprehenders of the things
of God after the flelh, is the judgment : to the poor,
to the diftrefled, to the broken in fpirit, (not to them
that are at eafe in their literal knowledge, but to the
mourners in Sion after the holy God, and his living
power and righteoufnefs) is the everlafting gofpel,
the mercy, the love, the peace, the binding-up, the
redemption which is by Chrift Jefus, the living Minif-
ter in the holy fandtuary of our God.

NAKED

NAKED truth:

O R

Truth nakedly manifefting itfelf,

In Several Particulars,

For the Removing of Hindrances out of the Way
of the Simple-hearted,

THAT THEY MAY

Come to true Knowledge, Life, Liberty, Peace, and Joy in
the Lord, through the Virtue and Power of his precious
Truth revealed and working in them.

Given forth by Way of

QJJESTION AND ANSWER.

Whereunto are added.

Some Experiences, with fome Scriptures, very fweet,
and neceflary to be experienced in the Gofpel-State.

AS ALSO,

A few Words concerning the True Christ ;

AND

A few Words in the Bowels of tender Love and Good-will to
my Native Country.

By a long Mourner and Traveller after, b«t at length an happy
Experiencer of, the Truth, as it is in Jesus,

ISAAC PENINGTON.

*« Blcflcd are the Eyes which fee the Things that ye fee." Luke x. 13.

: H T

cT a

■k V:

[ 327 ]

THE

PREFACE.

TRUE knowledge and true experiencCj efpecially
concerning things of neceffity, and great con-
cern to the foul, is very precious. As -, to know the
true foundation, the corner-done, which God lays in
his fpiritual Sion ; and the heavenly Jerufalem, which
is the mother of all that are born of God ; and the
gathering out of the fpirit of this world (with the
vanity and falfliood thereof) into God's Spirit, which
is truth, and no lie ; and the building up of the holy
temple, in which God appears, and is worfhipped j
and the heavenly communion with the Father and Son,
in the one pure light which Ihines from them into
the heart i and the one faith, the one circumcifion,
the one baptifm, the one holy mountain, the one feaft
of fat things made thereon -, the one water of life, the
one bread, the one cup of falvation, &c.

Now the things of the kingdom are all at the dif-
pofal of the king thereof. To him all power is given,
in him are hid all the treafures of wifdom and know-
ledge; he hath life in himfelf, and he hath life to dif-
pofe of, and difpenfe to his. He gives the true
knowledge, which is life eternal ; he gives repentance,
and remiffion of fins. Fie teacheth to believe in the
P'ather, and he giveth faith alfo. He is the Shepherd
of the fheep, who by his voice quickeneth, and
maketh alive, and leadeth, and prefeiveth, and nou-
rifhcth up to life eternal.' Therefore, whoever will
underitand aright, mull receive underftanding from

X 4 himj

t 328 ]

him; and whoever will repent aright, muft receive
repentance from him ; and whoever will believe
aright, muft receive faith from him ; and whoever will
hear and fee aright, muft receive an ear and eye from
himj and whoever will come unto him, and receive
him, muft witnefs that new heart forming or formed
in him, wherewith and whereby he is received. Men
greatly miftake and err about the gofpel knowledge
and religion, by beginning therein without the gofpel-
fpirit and power.

Therefore that man that would not be deceived,
and lofe his foul for ever, let him take heed how he
begins, how he ftands, and how he proceeds in his re-
ligion. The Jews ftood in the revelation of God's
Spirit and power outwardly ; and the ftate of the
Chriftians, the new-covenant ftate, ftands in the reve-
lation of God's Spirit and power inwardly : for none
can beget a new-birth to God inwardly, but his own
Spirit and power working inwardly in the heart.

Therefore, thou that wouldft live with God for
ever, and not perifti from the prefence and glory of
his power, mind thefe three things :

Firft, God's inward vifiting thee, and making a
real change in thee. I do not mean a change in thy
mind from one notion to another ; but a change in
^thy heart from one nature and fpirit to another. This
is. the great work, which nothing but the mighty
power of God, which raifed Jefus from the dead, can
cfFed in the hearts of the children of men. Now
that this may be wrought out in thee, wait for the
appearing and working of that power, which (by its
iRppearing and working) doth effedt it daily more and
more in thofe that unite to it, and give up to its
operations. Oh ! wait to feel the power begetting
fomewhat of its own nature in thee, leavening thee
into its nature by the pure heavenly leaven where-
with God waits to leaven thy heart 1 Thus feel thy
beginning from the true root, from the holy princi-
ple, from the feed of the kingdom ; and then wait to
feci that grow up in -thee, and to grow up therefrom,

that

[ 3^9 ]

that as the beginning is pure, fo the growth may be
pure alfo. For after God hath vifited thee, and be-
gotten fomewhat in thee, and leavened thee in fomc
meafure, fo that there is true life, true fenie, true
hungerings, true breathings after the Lord and his
righteoufnefs, after the fountain of living waters,
then (in the next place) mind and wait to learn of
the true teacher how to come to the true waters,
that thou mayefb drink thereof, and of no dirty pud-
dle, of thy own or any other's forming. Where are
thefe waters difpenfed, and where are they to be found ?
Why in the new covenant, which God makes with the
hungry and thirfty fouls, as they come to the Shep-
herd, and hear his voice, and learn of him, and fol-
low him. Therefore thou muft wait to diftinguifli
fpirits, and the knocks of fpirits in thy own heart.
Thou muft know when the Shepherd knocks, and
when the ftranger knocks ; and let in the Shepherd'
■when he knocks, and not let in the ftranger when he
knocks. Thus, by knowing him, inclining thine ear
to him, and hearing his voice, thou comeft to have
the everlafting covenant made with thy foul, even the
fure mercies of David, wherein the union with God
is fure, the teacher fure, never more to be removed
from thee ; the fear which God puts into the heart
fure; the law of the new life fure, being fq written in
thy heart by the finger of God's Spirit, as none can
blot out ; the love of God fure, his prefervation fure,
the inheritance of life fure. O fweet covenant! O
holy covenant ! O bleifed covenant ! and blefted are all
thofe fouls with whom God makes this covenant, and
who are kept by him in the fenfe and enjoyment
of it!

Now, laftly, after God hath made this covenant with
thee, and fpoken peace to thee, and given thee of the
power, righteoufnefs, and joy of the kingdom, and
let the holy hedge of his power and wall of falvation
about thee, thou muft take heed of going forth after
any luft, after any defire of the flefti, after any temp-
tation of thq enemy ; thou muft keep within the holy

limits.

C 330 ]

limits, and not touch any dead or unclean thing, left
thou be defiled, and fo in degree feparated from him
who is pure, iy^'.-'^fttl: brn- ,»f

The occafion oFwhat follows was briefly thus :
There was a controverfy between me and another
about many of thefe things, towards whom my love
was in a travail j and having a fenfe on my heart that
the enemy makes ufe of the wrong apprehenfions and
miftakes he begets in mens minds about thefe things,
contrary to the true knowledge and experience which
God giveth to the children which are born of the hea-
venly womb, who indeed alone can rightly plead for
and juftify their mother, in this day of great ftrife
and contention about the kingdom, and the right heir
thereof; I fay, having this fenfe on my heart, and
thefe things naturally fpringing up and opening in me
upon this occafion, I was drawn in love, and in the
motion of life, thus to give tiiem forth to others,
hoping that the Lord may thereby open the minds of
fome towards, and confirm the minds of others in,
the fenfe and belief of the truth, and the inward ma-
nifeftation of his Spirit, which difcovers and ftrives
againft the darknefs, lulls, and corruptions in them.
The Lord give people the fenfe of the ftrivings and
reproofs of his Holy Spirit inwardly in their hearts,
and join their fpirits thereto, that they may receive
light, life, virtue, and ftrength from his Holy Spirit,
and thereby witnefs the overcoming and keeping under
the enemy of their fouls, that they may know what it
is to have the feed of the woman bruife the ferpent's
head in their own particulars, that fo the holy child,
Jefus may be exalted, "(his horn exalted in them) and
he may reign, and exercife his government in them,
and they may become kings and priefts to God, and
reign in him over all that his power is ordained to
break and keep under, yea, utterly confume and de-
ftroy, in the hearts of thofe that fubmit themfelves
willingly to him, and walk in the light and leadings
of his Holy Spirit. Amen.

N A K E n

[ 331 ]

NAKED TRUTH.

GIVEN FORTH BY WAY OF

QJJESTION AND ANSWER.

I. Concerning under/landing the Holy Scriptures
truly and aright,

Queft. '\'\JHE'THER the fcripures can he under-
VV fiood aright i without the light of God's
Holy Spirit JJjining inwardly in the hearty and giving the
true underftanding of them ?

Anf. No ; not poflibly. For as the outward eye
cannot poflibly fee without the fliinnig of fome out-
ward light, no more can the inward eye fee without
the ihining of the inward light. God, who com-
manded light to Ihine out of darknefs, caufeth the
light of his Spirit to fhine in the hearts of people
according to his holy pleafure, and thereby they come
to fee. God feeth all things in his own light, in the
light of his pure eternal Spirit j and in his light do
the children of light fee light. The things of God's
kingdom are holy myfteries, and the words which he
fpeaks concerning thofe holy myfteries none can un-
derftand, but as he pleafeth to open and reveal them.
He hath given us an underftanding to know him that
is true, i John v. 20. " The infpiration of the Al-
" mighty giveth underftanding," (Job xxxii. 8.)
without which, man is dead, and can neither hear,
nor fee, nor underftand any' of the things of God's
kingdom,

II. Con-

332 N A K E D T R U T H.

'II. Concerning the illuminating Spirit, andfanSii-
Jying Spirit.

Queft. Whether the illuminating and fan^fifying Spirit
he one and the fame Spirit or no ? becaufe it is affirmed by
fame (and written by one to me as a found dijtin^lion of
divines J which difiin£iion he faith he hath a mind I fhould
learn) that there is a Spirit of fanotif cation ^ and that is
peculiar to the godly ; and there is a Spirit illuminating,
and that is oft vouchfafed to the wicked, as it was to
Balaam.

AnJ. The Spirit which illuminateth, and the Spirit
\vhich fanftifieth, is one and the fame Spirit ; and the
illumination of the Spirit is in order unto fanflifica-
tion. The fame light which difcovereth the darknefs,
alfo chafeth away the darknefs, as it is received and
fubjefted to, and purifieth the mindj for the light
hath not only a property [of enlightening, but alfo of
cleanfing and fandifying. And the reafon why men
are not changed, juftified, and fandified, in and by
the light, is becaufe they love it not, a,nd bring not
their hearts and deeds to it ; and fo it is their reprover
and condemner, and not their juftifier ^nd faudifier.
But the fame Spirit, light, and life which enlighten-'
eth, alfo fandifieth, and there is not another.

in. Concerning the Holy Spirit of God, and the
Holy Scriptures,

Queft. Whether they be always joined -y or fome may
have the Spirit, who have not the fcriptures j andjome may
have the fcriptures, who have not the Spirit ?

Anf, The Holy Spirit of God, and the holy fcrip-
tures, are not always joined together; for fome in the
dark corners of the earth may be vifited by the Spirit,
become fenfible of the Spirit, and receive the Spirit,
who never heard of the fcriptures 5 and many may

have

NAKED TRUTH. 333

have the fcriptures, and yet be very ignorant of, and
ftrangers to, God's Holy Spirit j as the Jews were,
who had thenn read in their fynagogues every fabbath-
day, and yet Chrift told them, *' Ye neither know
** the fcriptures, nor the power of God."

IV. Concerning the Law of the Lord, which is
perfeSly and which converts the fouL

Queft. What is the law of the Lordy which is perfe5i,
and converts the foul? Is it the outward law or writing
in the letter, or the inward law and writing in the
Sprit ?

Anf. No man is, or ever was, or ever can be, con-
verted to God from the inward law of fin and death,
but by the inward law of life and righteoufnefs written
in the heart; and 1 am lure that law is perfed, the'
new covenant is perfecl, and the law thereof perfefl;
the law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus perfe6t,
which converts the mind to Chrift, the righteoufnefs
of God, and fets it free from the law of fin and
death. And David was a fpiritual man, and knew
the inward covenant, and the inward creating of the
heart anew, and God's holy and free Spirit, and the
law and teftimony thereof. I will grant a great deal
to the letter and miniftration outward j but I muft
attribute more to the inward ; or elfe God's light,
and the holy experience which he hath given me, will
condemn me. And as the Jew outward had the law,
and teftimony, and ftatutes outward •, fo I am fure
the true Jew, the Jew inward, hath the law, and tefti-
mony, and ftatutes inward, written in his heart by
the finger of God's Spirit ; yea, and the fame Spirit
put within him, to caufe him to keep this law, and
the holy teftimony, ftatutes, and judgments of the
Lord i and the fpiritual Jacob, and Ifrael of God, in
this the day of their redepnption and falvation from
on high, do follow the Lamb whitherloever he goes,
and walk in the light of the Lord,

V. Con-

^^4 NAKED tRUTH.

V. Concerning David*s longings, exprejfed in Pfah

xlii. xliii. cxix. and other places,

Qucft. JVere David's longings more after the law out'
ward, or after the law and light of God's Spirit inward?

AnJ. David was a man after God's own heart j a
man that knew an inward and clean heart of God's
creating, and knew the free Spirit of the Lord, and
the frefh fpringing life thereof, and the leadings of the
pure living truth inwardly in his heart, and this was it
he moft efpecially prized and longed after. *' Create
*' in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right
*< fpirit within me^ and take not thy Holy Spirit from
" me," &c. faith he (Pfal. li. lO, ii.) after his fall,
fhewing what he had been acquainted with before,
and what he now (God having touched his fpirit
afrefh) began to long after again. And faith he, in
another place, ** Oh! fend out thy light and thy
" truth; let them lead me, let them bring me unto
*' thy hill, and to thy tabernacles," Pfal. xliii. 3.
Oh! the fweetnefs of light within, truth within ! Oh!
the precious leadings and drawings thereof, which
were once felt, upon a frefh and tender remembrance
thereof, cannot but be longed after again! '' ^'

VI. Concer7iing the Sunt or Fountain of fpirit ual

light.

Queft. Whether the holy fcriptures, or written tejlimo^
flies y be ft he fun or fountain, and the light within but a ray
or Jlream from them ? (as is affirmed by my antagonifl).

AnJ. It is juft quite contrary : for the holy men
fpake the holy words from the inward light and quick-
ening life of God's Spirit within them j fo that that
'was the fountain in them, and is fo ftill. "With thee
** is the fountain of life j and he that believeth," as
•the fcriptures have faid, " out of his belly fhall flow
'* rivers of living water. This fpake he of the Spirit,*'

(John)

NAKED TRUTH. 33^

(John vii. 39.) that is the fountain. *' The water
" that I (hall give him, fhall be in him a well of
** water fpringing np into everlafting life," John iv.
14. Who efteems and honours the fcriptures aright?
He that believes their teftimony, comes to Chrift, and
makes his Spirit, light, and life all; or he that fets
the fcriptures in the (lead of that Word of life which
they came from, teftify of, and point men to, as the
fountain and foundation of life and falvation to all
mankind ?

VII. Concerning the Word's being a Jire and a
hamjner to burn up the chaffy and break the
rocks in pieces.

Que ft. Is the Word., which is afire ani hammer^ the^
tejlimonies and declarations of the holy fcriptures without^
or the Word nigh in the mouth and heart F

Anf. That which I have felt hammering inwardly,
that which 1 have felt burning inwardly, (unquencha-
bly, as the mind has been kept to it) has been the
Word of life itfelf, from which the good words and
holy teftimonics proceed. That which does the work
in the inward Jew, is the inward miniftration of the
inward covenant, the appearance of God there : he is
the confuming fire; he is the Spirit of judgment and
burning, who, by his holy flamings inwardly, burns
up the filth of the daughter of Sion. A man may be
exercifed in the letter all his days, and yet witnefs
nothing of this inwardly in truth and righteoufnefs ;
but he whom the Spirit of judgment and burning in-
wardly comes nigh, and whofe fiefh is kept in that
holy furnace, it will be confumed there day by day,
until it be quite v/afted and deftroyed, and fo he come
to be judged according to the flelh, and to live to
God in the Spirit.

VIII. Con-

3sS N A K E D T R U T H.

VIII. Concerning God's writing his law in the heart,

C^ueft. How doth God write his law in the heart ?

AnJ. By his Spirit and power working there, where-
by he both creates a new heart, and writes the new
law, even the law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus,
in the new heart. " The ifles (hall wait for his law."
Whofe law ? The law of the Mefliah, the law of
grace, which gives dominion ; the law of the anoint-
ing, the law of the new-birth, the law of the holy
{zt<^. " His feed remaineth in him," i John iii. 9.
In that feed is the new nature, and the new law both.
What is the law of fin ? What is the law of death ?
How is it written in the heart ? How doth the enemy
write it there, but by his corrupt fpirit and nature ?
And doth not God, by his holy Spirit and nature,
write the new law, the law of life, in the hearts of
thofe that are renewed and made tender to the ini-
preflions of his holy quickening power ? Every motion
and drawing whereof is a law to them who are born
of the Spirit, and taught of God to eye and walk after
the quickening Spirit.

IX. Concerning the inward light of God's Spirit,

Queft. What is it which the mind is to be turned to,
to enlighten it, and to work the darknefs and corruption
out of it '^

AnJ. It is no lefs than the light of God's Spirit ;
nothing elfe can do it. The day-fpring muft arife
from on high in the heart, or there will be night for
ever there. , All notions or apprehenfions concerning
the light will not do it ; it is the fhining of the light
alone inwardly which is able to expel the darknefs
there. It was not for nothing that Chrift came a light
to enlighten men, and direded men to follow him the
light, that they might not abide in darknefs, and that
he fent his apoftles with this meffage, that " God is

" light.

N A K E D T R U T H. 337

** light, and in him is no darknefs at all;" and fo
gave his apoftles wifdom, authority, and power to
turn men from the darknefs to the light. And if the
darknefs was within, which they were to be turned
from, furely the light mud fliine within, to difcover
the darknefs, and to that light muft they be turned.
And in this light the Holy Spirit is received, and
dwells there J but out of this light, and the limits
thereof, in every heart, dwells the unclean and dark
fpirit, and hath power and rule there j for nothing but
the light and ftrength of God's Spirit is able to break
his kingdom and dominion inwardly in the heart.

X. Concerning the minifters and minijlry of the gofpeh

Queft. Who are the minijiersj and what is the minijirjf
of the gofpel?

AnJ. They are the minifters of the gofpel. who have
received the Spirit and power wherein the miniftry of
the gofpel flands. For Chrift came in the Spirit and
power of the Father, and he fends his apoftles and
minifters in the fame Spirit and power, that they
might be able to beget, and reach to that birth which
is to be begotten and miniftered to. It is one thmg
to be a minifter of the law, and to minifter letter;
and another thing to be a minifter of the gofpel, and
to minifter Spirit. The apoftles were able minifters
of the New Teftamenti non of the letter, but of the
Spirit ; and fo are all in a degree, who fucceed them in
any meafure or proportion of their miniftry. For the
miniftry of the gofpel is in the light, Spirit, and power
of the Moft High, to turn j^eoples minds to a pro-
portion of the fame light, Spirit, and power in them-
felves, and fo to come to the manifeftation and quick-
ening of the fame life in themfelves, that fo they may
walk in the fame light. For the life is the light j and
he can never have light, or fee light, who comes not
firft to feel fome virtue from the quickening power.
Oh ! how precious is this miniftry 1 Blefl^d be the

Vol. Ill, y Lord

338 N A K E D T R U T H.

Lord for his renewing of it in thefe our days 1 And
this miniflry is not to be confined to an outward order
of men, as the miniftry of the law was j but whoever
hath received the gift, fo he is to minifter, as the Lord
guides, leads, and orders him in the ufe of that gift
which he hath beftowed upon him for that end. And
what if he be an herdfman, a filherman, a tent-
maker, or the like ? Yet if God hath poured out his
Spirit upon him, and openeth his mouth, he hath not
only liberty, but more, even authority, from the
Lord God Almighty to fpeak in his name, either for
turning men unto Chrift, the light and life of men,
or for building men up in their holy faith in him,
whofe Spirit and power was and is the refurre6tion in
tjie life for evermore.

XL Concerning trying of fpirits, and fear ching the

heart.

Queft. What is it which fearcheth the heart, and in-
fallibly tries fpirits ?

Anf. God's Spirit, God's word nigh in the heart and
mouth, feparateth and giveth true difcerning and
judgment there, to all whofe ears are circumcifed and
inclined to it. God's Spirit is the fpirit of judgment;
and where he is given, the Spirit of judgment is given,
and he judgeth in his children by the quickening life
and fenife he beftoweth on them, which diftinguifheth
between life and death, between truth and deceit;
yea, between the fame words, when they come from
the dead fpirit, and when they are fpoken in his living
power : Chrift gives his Spirit to his fheep, which
gives them to know his voice, to know when life
fpeaks, and when words are living, and food for the
living; and in. what mouth they are dead, and cannot
yield living nourifhment.

XII. C(?».

N A K E D T R U T H. 339

XII. Concerning things necejfary to f ah at ion,

Queft. Whether all things necejfary to Jalvation be
contained in the fcriptures ?

AnJ. The fcriptures give teftimony concerning the
one thing neceffary to falvation j but the thing itfelf,
Chrift himfelf, the feed itfelf, is not contained in the
fcriptures, but revealed in the fhinings of the true
light, and fo received or rejected inwardly in the heart.
'* Behold I (land at the door and knock." Blefied are
they that hear his voice, and believe him knocking,
and open to him, and receive him, who gives eternal
life and power to become fons of God to as many as
receive him, and believe in, and give up to, the in-
ward revealings of his redeeming arm and power
therein. " To whom is the arm of the Lord re-
*' vealed ?" To them in whom, and to whom, th'is
arm is revealed, Chrid is revealed i and they in whom,
and to whom Chrift is revealed, know the one thing
neceffary, even him who is life eternal, in whom all
other neceffary things are wrapped up, and by whom
they are conveyed to the foul, according to its need,
by him who is faithful in all his houfe, and takes care
of every flieep which the Father committeth to him.

XIII. Concerning the true gofpel-churchy orfociety,

Queft. IFbat is the true go/pel- churchy orfociety?

Anf. A company of true believers in the Spirit and
power of the Lord Jefus Chrift. A company of true
Jews, inward Jews, Jews in Spirit, of the true cir-
cumcifion, whom the Father hath fought out, and
made true inward worftiippers ; fuch as are gathered
to the name, and gathered together in the name of the
Lord Jefus, to offer up fpiritual facrifices to God
through him. A company of living ftones, who have
received life from him, 'the foundation-ftone i and
meet together to wait upon, and worlhip the Father,

Y 2 in

340 N A K E D T R U T H.

in the light and Spirit which they have received from
him. This is the holy church, or living aiTembly of
the New Teflament J blefled are they that are of it!
For about this church is the wall of falvation ; and
they that are added by God's Spirit and power to this
church, and abide in it, fhall certainly be faved.

XIV, Concerning the way to falvation,

Queft. Which is the certain and infallihle way tojal-
vation ?

AnJ. It is a new and living ways it is fuch a way as
none but the living can walk in. It is an holy way,
which none but the cleanfed, the ranfomed, the re-
deemed of the Lord, can fet One flep in. The way,
the life, and the truth are all onej blefled are they
that find it, and walk in it ! In plain and exprefs
terms, it is the Lord Jefus, the light of the Lord
Jefus, the life of the Lord Jefus, the Spirit of the
Lord Jefus, the truth as it is in him, his wifdom, his
power, he himfelf, the covenant or holy limit between
God and the foul. He that comes into him, comes
into the way; he that abides in him, abides in the
way i he that walks in him, walks in the way. He
that comes to his light, his life, his Spirit, his truth
in the inward parts, comes to him-, he that abides
therein, abides in him ; he that walks therein, walks
in him : and he that walks out of the light and lead-
ings of his Spirit, let him walk in what form he will,
yet he walks not in him the way.

XV. Concerning Chriji's faving the foul,

Queft. How doth Chrift fave the foul?

Anf. By vifiting inwardly, knocking inwardly, ap-
pearing inwardly, caufing the light of life to Ihine
inwardly, and fo enlightening and quickening in-
wardly, breaking the ftrength of the enemy inwardly,
and bringing out of the region and Ihadow of dark-

ncfs

N A K E D T R U T H. 341

nefs ii^wardlv, into the regjon and path of light. By
the light and power of his Spirit he begets a child of
light; which child of light he brings out of Egypt,
the dark land; out of Sodom, the filthy, unclean
land J out of Babylon, the land and city of confufion,
(where the Spirit of the living God, and the holy
order of life, and his precious government in the
Iieart, is not fo much as known) and brings him into
the light, where he and his Father dwells. And this
child of light is not of the nature of darknefs, bun
light in the Lord, and walks in the light, as he is in
the light; and by the further fhining and working of
the light and life in him, he preferves and faves him
daily more and more.

XVI. Concerning regeneration^ or the new-birth,

Queft. What is regeneration^ or the new-hirth?

Anf. It is an inward change, by the Spirit and power
of tiie living God, into his own nature. It is a being
begotten of his Spirit, born of his Spirit; begotten
into, and born of tiie very nature of his Spirit.
(" That which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit," John
iii.) It is not every change of mind which is the
right change; but only that which God, by the very
fame power wherewith he raifed our Lord Jefus Chrilt
from the grave, makes in the hearts of thofe whom he
vifits; who are fenfible of, receive, and are fubjedt to
his inward life, light, and power.

XVn. C oncer ni fig true holinefs.

QuefV. What is true holinefs ?

Anf. That holy nature, and thofe holy a6lions,
which arife from the holy root; all elfe are but imi-
tations of holinefs, not the true holinefs. The tree
muft be made good firft, and then the fruit will be
good aifo. There are many likenelTes of the true ho-

y ^ linefs

342 N A K E D T R U T H.

linefs up and down in feveral profeffions j but there is
no real holinefs to be found, nor righceoufnefs neither,
but in the trees of God's planting, in the branches
which are by him ingrafted into the true vine and
olive-tree, whofe ftrength of virtue and holinefs lies in
the fap, which they daily receive from him.

XVIII. Concerning Chrifi's works outwardly in the
days of his ftejh, and inwardly in the day and
inward fiining of the light of his Spirit in the
heart.

Queft. Which are greater ^ the works which Chrifi did
outwardly on the bodies of men in the days of his flejhj or
which he doth inwardly in mens minds and fpirits by the
powerful appearance and operation of his Spirit ? Becauje
Chriji faidi the works that he did, thofe that believed on
him fhould do, and greater alfo, becauje he went to the
Father, John xiv. 12.

AnJ. Doubtlefs to reach to the foul, and quicken
the foul, and raife the foul out of the grave of death,
and cure the blindnefs, deafnefs, hardnefs, and difeafcs
of the foul, is greater than the outward, and was fig-
nified by the outward.

XIX. Concerning the yoke, or crofs of Chrijl,

Queft. What is the yoke or crofs of Chrifi ?

Anf. It is inward, as that which is to be crucified is
chiefly inward. It is that gift of God, that light of
his Spirit, which is contrary to the darknefs, contrary
to all that is corrupt; which wills and wars againft it;
and being received, fubjeded to, and borne patiently,
takes away the life of the flefli, the will and wifdom
of the fielli, and all the fubtil reafonings and devices
of the flelhly part; and fo that languiflies and dies,
and God's plant is eafed of it; and the foul abiding
under this crofs, comes into the true, pure, and per-

fed

N A K E D T R U T H. 343

feet liberty, where it hath fcope unto holinefs, free-
dom unto righceoufnefs, and is in flrait bonds and
holy chains from all liberty to the flcfh, and from all
unholinefs and unrighteoufnefs of every kind.

XX. Concerning making our calling and elecilon fure,

Queft. How may a man make his calling and ele5fion
Jure ?

Anf. By making the gift of God fure to him; by
making that fure to him wherein his calling and
ele6lion is. For the choice is of the feed, the holy
feed, the inward feed, the feed of God's Spirit, and of
the creature as joined to the feed. God would have
none to perifh •, but would have all come to the know-
ledge of Chrifl the truth, who is the feed, in whom"
the election ftands : and his holy advice to men is, •
whom he begins to call and to lead towards the elec-
tion, " to make their calling and eledtion fure." So
that the way of making the calling and eledlion fure
is, to make the gift fure, the feed fure, the leaven
fure, the pearl fure, which God will never reject, nor
any that are found in true union with it, and in the
love and obedience of it. Oh ! thcrer'bre, as God
vifits with power, (with his powerful gift) and as thou
received power, dominion, and authority over fin,
(for in this gift is God's dominion and authority re-
vealed) be faithful to the gift, be faithful to the
power, give up to the truth in the inward parts, come
into it, dwell in it, that thou mayft feel its virtue
and delivering nature from every enflaving and cm-
bondaging thing, and then Hand fall in the liberty
wherewith Chrift the Lord (by the life, virtue, and
power of his truth) lets thee free. And fo here thou
wilt read thy calling, and read thy election day by
day; and find them fealed, and fure to thee, in that
truth, in that gift, in that heavenly light, in that holy
feed, which came from God,' and is of him, and which
he delights to own, and will never reject.

Y 4 XXI. Con-

344 N A K E D T R U T H.

XXI. Concerning Prayer,

Queft. What is the true prayer ?

An/. The breathings which arife from the true birth,
from the living fenfe which God gives to the true
birth ; thefe are the true prayer. There is a Spirit of
prayer and fupplication given by God to his children
to wreftle and prevail with him by. All prayer that
arifes from, and is given by, that Spirit, is true prayer;
all other prayer is not right and true, but at bcft but
an imitation of the true. " We know not what to
** pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit maketh inter-
*' ceflion for us with groanings which cannot be ut-
" tered." Mark : the very groanings that come from
God's Spirit, from his breathing and work upon the
heart, are right prayers in God's fight j but other fighs
and groans are not fo.

XXII. Concerning Repentance.

Queflr. Which is the true repentance?

AnJ. That which Chrift gives, whom God hath ex-
alted to be the Prince and Saviour, to give repentance
and forgivenefs of fins, Ads v. 31. It is not in man's
power to repent; his heart is hard and impenitent.
It is God's power which melteth, tendereth, and
changeth the heart. So that there is a great differ-
ence between the fenfe and forrow of man's nature,
and the fenfe and forrow which God gives to the heart
which he renews and changes. The one is of an
earthly, the other of a heavenly nature. The one is
like the early dew, or morning cloud, it foon paffeth
away ; the other is written in the new heart, and
abideth. So that in it there is a real forrow and
mourning over the corrupt nature, and all the dead
works of the flefh, and a turning from them, and
meddling no more with them. This is the repentance
of the renewed-ones, which is the gift of the Lord

Jefus

N A K E D T R U T H. 345

Jefus Chrift unto them, and is a godly forrow for fin
not to be repented of.

XXIII. Concerning Faith.

Quefl:. JVhat is the true faith ?

Anf. It is a belief in the power which faves, from a
true fcnfe and experience of it in the heart. For the
power which faves muft firft manifeft itfelf, before it
can be believed in; and how doth it manifeft itfelf,
but by fhining in the heart, which hath been darkened
by tranfgreflion, to open the eye of the underftand-
ing, which the god of the world hath blinded, and to
unftop the deaf ear, and fo it begets and creates fome-
what capable to receive its further manifeftation.
The fcripture fpeaks of a new creation in Chrift.
Indeed all true believers are fo: and they have the'
ability, the faculty, the power of believing from him
who creates them anew. There is that which is called
faith in unregenerate men ; but that is not the faith I
am now fpeaking of, but that which is the gift of
God to his own birth, to his own begotten. " To
" you it is given not only to believe," &:c. Phil. i.
29. Mark : // is given to believe. Oh ! this holy gift!
this faith of the new-birth is the faith which pleafeth
.God, prevaileth with him, purifieth the heart to which
it is given, giveth accefs to God, intereft in his power
and promifes, and viftory over the worldly nature,
and over all the foul's enemies. Blefled be the Lord
for beftowing and increafing it in the hearts of his
children.

XXIV. Concerning Obedience,

Queft. What is obedience?

AnJ. The obedience which flows from the true tin-
derftanding of God's will, and from the holy nature
which he begets in the heart. It is the obedience
which flows from true fenfe, true underftanding, and

true

346 N A K E t) T R U T H.

true faith. There is no birth can believe aright but
one ; nor is there any birth can obey aright, but that
birth which believes aright. The true believing is
from the quickening virtue of God's Spirit (all other
faith is but dead faith) ; and the true obedience is in
the newnefs of the Spirit, Rom. vi. 4. and vii. 6.
Man may ftrive to underftand and obey all his days;
but he can do neither, but as he is quickened, taught,
and enabled of the Lord. *« Teach me, O Lord, the
" way of thy ftatutes," Pfal. cxix. ;^^. There is a
myftical path of life. The way of wifdom, the way
of holinefs, the holy fkill of obeying the truth, is hid
from all living, from all mankind, but fuch as are
begotten and brought up by him in the holy fkill and
myftery of fubjeftion to the Lord. " Thy people
" fhall be a willing people in the day of thy power."
It is the power of God that works the will in the heart,
and the fame power works to do alfo j and none can
learn either to will or to do aright, but as they come
to be acquainted with that power, joined to that
power, and feel that power working in them. And
here, in this power, to this new-birth, faith and the
holy obedience are as natural, as unbelief and difobe-
dience are to the birth of the flefh. It is frequently
and abundantly experienced by his holy birth, by the
child of his begetting. Blefled be the name of the
Lord.

XXV. Concerning yuflification,

Quefl. TVhat is jujiijicatioriy or how is a man jujiified
in the fight of God^

Anf. By a true fenfe of, and faith in, that which
juftifies ; which is the Spirit, the life, the water, the
blood, the virtue, the power of the Lord Jefus. All
thefe are one in nature, and they go together. Man
is finful naturally, fallen from God, found a tranfgref-
for againft him. Now he needs juftification from his
fins, and he needs juftification in refped of what God

hath

N A K E D T R U T H. 347

hath intrufted him with, and requires of him ; and in
the new-birth, and joining to the Spirit of the Lord
Jefus Chrift, he meets with both. Being quickened
by his Holy Spirit, turned from the darknefs, coming
into the light, and walking in the light; there his
fins are done away, blotted out, as if they had never
been, for his name's fake j and there he receivech a
new ability, a new heart, a new Spirit, yea, the Spirit
of the living God, to quicken him, and work in him;
and whatever he doth in this Spirit (or rather what
God doth by him, in and through this Spirit) is jufti-
fied, owned, and accepted. God finds no fault in
any of the fruits of his own Spirit, (in any of the
children of men) but only in the fruits of the flelli.
And if, for want of watchfulnefs, the enemy fhould
prevail, and draw into a fnare ; yet upon turning ta
the light of God's Holy Spirit, which difcovers and
reproves for it, in the holy light the water flows, the
blood is fprinkled, the confcience is cleanfed, and io
becomes clean even in God's fight. Oh ! blefied is
he who is not deceived with dead notions of juftifica-
tion, but feels the iuftification which comes from
God, and is accompanied with a living fenfe, and with
the teftimony of his Holy Spirit.

XXVI. C oncer ?2i/2g good JVorks,

Queft. What are good works ?

AnJ. The works that flow from God's good Spirit,
the works that are wrought in God, they are good
works. The works of the new-birth, of the new-
creature, are good works j whereas all the works of
the flefli are bad, though never fo finely painted. All
its thoughts, imaginations, reafonings, willings, run-
nings, hunting to find out God and heavenly things,
with all its facrifices, are corrupt and evil, having of
the bad leaven, of the bad nature in them. Make
the tree good, or its fruit can never be good ; fo that
they are only the good works that flow from the good

tree.

348 N A K E D T R U T H.

tree, from the good root. And here all the works of
the flefh, though never fo glorious and taking in man's
eye, are fhut out by God's meafure, by God's line and
plummet of righteoufnefs and true judgment; and
every work of God's Spirit, the meaneft work of faith,
the leaft labour of true love, the leaft fhining of life
in the heart, and the giving up thereto, is owned by
God as coming from him, and wrought in him, whp
worketh both to will and to do, of his own good
pleafure. He that is gathered to the light which God
hath enlightened him with, hath received the light,
dwelleth in the light, and walketh in the light; the
Spirit of the living God is near him, and dwelleth
with him, and worketh in him ; and he bringeth his
deeds to the light, where it is manifeft that they are
wrought in God. But he that is out of the inward
light of God's Holy Spirit, his works are not wrought
in God, and fo can but make a fair fhew in the fielh,
(to the flefhly eye) but are not good in God's fight.
The erring man's way and works are often right in his
own eyes -, ah ! but blelTed is he whofe way and
works are good and right in the eye of the Lord,
in the judgment of his fearching unerring light and
Spirit.

XXVII. Concerning Love.

Queft. Which is the true love ?

Anf. The love which arifeth from the nature which
God begets, and froip this circumcifing the heart
from the other nature. Love is the beautiful thing.
What can be higher expreffed concerning God himfelf,
than to fay he is love ? Love is greatly commended
and admired, and there are many pretenders to it ;
but none have the true love, but only thofe that are
born of God, and circumcifed by him. " The Lord
*' thy God will circumcife thine heart, and the heart
** of thy feed, to love the Lord thy God with all
" thine heart, and with all thy foul, that thou mayell.

" live^*'

NAKED TRUTH. 349

*' live," Deut. xxx. 6. Mark : the true love arifeth
from the true circumcifion j and the more a man
comes to have his heart circumcifed from the flelhly
nature, and to grow up in the pure and heavenly na-
ture, the more he loves. God is love; and the nigher
any one comes to him, and the more he partakes of
him, the more he becomes love in the Lord, and the
more he is taught of God to love the Lord his God,
and his brethren in the Spirit, and all mankind who
are of his blood (for of one blood God made all man-
kind) according to the flefli, or according to a natural
confideration.

XXVI n. Concernmg Meeknefs and Patience,

Queft. What is the true meeknefs and patience ?

Anf. The me^"knefs and patience which arifeth from
the Lamb's nature. Deceit will put on an appearance
of love, and deceit will put on alfo an appearance of
meeknefs and patience; but it cannot put on the true
love, the true meeknefs and patience : that is only-
learned of the Lamb, and received of him by receiv-
ing of his Spirit and nature from him. And oh !
how precious is this ! how fweet is it felt in the heart!
To feel a meek, a quiet, a patient fpirit in the midft
of all trials, all troubles, all fears, all doubts, all
temptations of every kind. Indeed this is of much
price in the fight of the Lord, and alfo in the eye of
him who hath received it from the Lord, and enjoyeth
it in him, and polfelTeth his foul in him.

XXIX. Concerning the knowledge of the new
covenant.

Queft:. What is the knowledge of the new covenant ?

Anf. The knowledge which js given by God to the
new- birth: for to it the new covenant belongs, and
the knowledge thereof. The truly begotten of God,

the

350 N A K E D T R U T H.

the true difciples of Chrift, to them it is given to
know the kingdom of God j but to others it is not
given. The Jew outward, the firft birth, the birth
after the flefh, for them the prieft's lips were to pre-
ferve knowledge, and they were to feek the law at his
mouth j and to them God fent prophets to fpeak to
them, and taught them by his prophets : but concern-
ing the inward Jews, the children of the new cove-
nant, the children of the Jerufalem which is above,
concerning her feed it was prophefied, that they all
Ihould be taught of the Lord j they all fhould hear
and know the voice of the Shepherd himfelf ; they
fhould all be gathered to the Shepherd and Bifhop of
the foul, and taught by him. So that in this new, holy,
living covenant, God himfelf is the Shepherd, God him-
felf is the Teacher, not only of the greateft, but of the
very lead, Heb. viii. For he teacheth them all to know
the Lord, and to know his Son, and to come to his Son,
and to love him their Father, and one another. So that
he that is taught of God, he hath the true knowledge,
the living knowledge, the fubftantial knowledge, the
knowledge of the thing itfelf, of the life eternal it-
felf. All that are not thus taught (but learn only
from a literal defcription and relation of things) have
not the knowledge of the new covenant, the know-
ledge of the thing itfelf; but only an outward know-
ledge, fuch as the firfl; birth may catch at, lay hold
on, and comprehend;

XXX. Concerning the fear of the new covenant,

Qiieft. What is the fear of the new covenant?

AnJ. It is the fear which God puts in the hearts of
his children ; which fear cleanfeth their hearts, and
keepeth them from departing from their God. There
is a great deal of difference between the fear which
may be learned from precepts from without, and the
fear which God puts in the hearts of his children from
a root of life within j which fear is of an heavenly

nature.

N A K E D T R U T H. 351

nature, and is the free gift of God to his own heavenly
birth, and none elfe ; which no man can polTibly attain
by any thoughts or reafonings of his own, but only
by the fpringings of life from God. And he that
would have this fear, mud know the place of wifdom,
and wait there for it; and when he hath it, this fear
will foon begin to make him wife towards falvation,
and teach him to depart from evil, which is the caufe
of deftru(5lion. Job xxviii. 28.

XXXI. Concerning Hope,

Queft. What is the true hcpe?

AnJ. The ftay of the mind upon the Lord, the ftay
of the heavenly birth upon its Father: for we mult
diftinguifh between hope and hope. There is the
hope of the hypocrite, or falfe birth, which fhall pc-
rifhj and the hope of the true birth, which will never
fail it, nor make it alhamed ; becaufe that birth is
taught of God to hope aright. Now in hope, there is
both the ground of it, and the hope itfelf. The
ground of the hope is God's love, God's truth, God's
faithfulnefs, God's grace, his feed, his Chrift felt with-
in j being of him, united to him, in him, he in me:
here is the ground of my alTurance of the everlafting
glory and inheritance, v/hich is fure to the feed, and
to all that are of and in the feed. So knowing Chrift
within me, feeling Chrilt within me, living in him,
and he in me, I have an anchor fure and Itedfaft with-
in the veil, which no florms, no tempefts, no trials,
no temptations, prefent or to come, have power over
me. And then there is the hope, or hoping itfelf;
that is, the flaying of the mind upon the Lord, the
leaning upon the Lord, the retiring beyond all
thoughts, or reafonings, or lookings out, to the in-
ward life ; to feel fomewhat fpring from it, for
the foul to hope or truft in, beyond all outward ap-
pearance. And this hope never deceives nor makes
afhamed thofe who are taught of God tlius to ilay

their

352 N A K E t) T R U T H.

their minds upon him. Nay, though the ftatc be
darknefs, and no light feen ; yet beneath the darknefs
there is fomewhat to (lay the mind of the child and
fervant of the Lord till he appear, and caufe light to
break out of obfcurityj for light is fown for the
righteous, and joy for the upright, even in their dark-
eft, faddelt, and moft diftrefled conditions-, in all
which jthe Lord is near them, and there is ftill ground
for them to hope in him.

XXXIL Concerning Peace.

Que ft. Which is the true peace ?

Anf. The peace which God fpeaks to the foul j the
peace which Chrift gives to his own difciplcs. The
way of truth, the way of life leads to peace ; and the
peace which is found therein is of God's giving, and
is the true peace. Firft, God breathes upon the heart,
begets a right birth, a true child ; then he leads him
into the holy way, the righteous ways from that which
loads and burdens, to that wherein is the eafe and
reft. Thus in the believing and following him there
is joy and peace. This is experienced by all the true
travellers, and by none elfe. No man, with all his
wifdom, knowledge, and underftanding, can fo much
as guefs at what this peace is. The peace of God,
the peace which he fpeaks to his children, the nature
of it, the fweetnefs of it, the heavenlinefs of it, paf-
feth man's underftanding; but he who is born from
above, who hath a new and heavenly underftanding,
he knoweth the nature, excellency, and precioufnefs
of it i and would not for all this world, for any fear,
or danger, or expedation of any thing from without,
hazard the breaking off this precious peace and reft of
hi& foul in his God.

XXXIII. Con-

N A K E D T R U T H. 353

XXXIII. Concerning yoy.

Queft. Which is the true joy ?

An/. The joy which flows from God's prefence, and
the work of his power in the heart, and the alTured
expectation which he gives of the full inheritance and
glory of life everlafling. When the bridegroom is
prefent, when the foul is gathered home to him, mar-
ried to him, in union with him, in the holy living
fellowfhip; when he appears againft the enemies of
the foul, rifing up againll them, breaking, fcattering
them, and giving of his good things, filling with life,
filling with love, filling with virtue, feafting the foul
in the prefence of the Father -, oh ! what fweet joy !
oh! what fulnefs of joy is there then in the heart!
" In thy prefence is fulnefs of joy, and at thy right-*
" hand are pleafures for evermore," faid the pfalmift,
Pf. xvi. II. Surely he had had a tafte of the thing, he
had been in God's prefence, and that made him cry
out, " Caft me not away from thy prefence," Pfal.
ii. II.; and he had drank of the river of God's plea-
fure, which is at his right-hand, which made him
i'peak fo fenfibly of it, Pfal. xxxvi. 8. and xlvi. 4.
Chrift faid to his difciples, that becaufc of his going
away they fhould have ibrrow j but he would fee them
again, and their heart fhould rejoice, and their joy no
man fhould take from them, John xvi. 22. How or
when was this fulfilled? What were they forry for?
Was it not the lofs of his outv/ard prefence, which
had been fo fweet and comfortable to them ? Plow
would he come to them again ? Was it not by the
Comforter ? Was it not by his inward and fpiritual
prefence ? So that he that was with them fhould be in
them ? Before they knew Chrift with them i now they
fliould know Chrift in them; the Father in them, and
they in him ; Immanuel, the gofpel-ftate, God with
us, dwelling with us, tabernacling in us, living in us,
walking in us, and we living and walking in him.
When the apoftles came to this ftate, then they came
Vol. III. Z t».

554 N A K E D r R U T H.

to witnefs the joy in the Holy Ghoft, even the joy uil-
fpeakable, and full of glory. And hence it is that
the gofpel ftate is a ftate of joy and rejoicing in the
Lord, even in his glorious living prefence, and in the
glory of his power. For in the gofpel ftate the true
light fhines inwardly in the heart, the life is mani-
fefted } and being manifefted, they that come into the
jnanifeftation of it, come into the holy union, and in-
to the holy fellowfhip with the Father and Son, where
the joy is, and where the joy is full j where the power
is revealed which does away that which is contrary to
the holy fellowfhip, and hinders the holy joy and re-
joicing in the Lord. See i John i. 3, 4.

XXXIV. Concerning Poverty of Spirit and Humility,

Queft. JVhicb is the right poverty of Jpiritf and the
true humility ?

Jnf. That poverty and humility of fpirit which
fpringeth from the fame root from which the faith, the
love, the peace, the joy, and the other heavenly things
arife; and is of the fame nature. There is a voluntary
humility, and a voluntary poverty, even of fpirit,
which man cafts himfelf into, and forms in himfelf, by
his own workings and rcafonings. This is not the
true, but the falfe image, or counterfeit of the truej
but then there is a poverty which arifeth from God's
emptying the creature, from God's ftripping the crea-
ture j and an humility which arifeth from a new heart
and nature. This is of the right kind, and is lafting,
and abides in the midft of the riches and glory of
the kingdom. For as Chrift was poor in fpirit before
his Father, and lowly in heart in the midft of all the
fulnefs which he received from himj fo it is with thofe
who are of the fame birth and nature with Chrift,
They are filled with humility, and clothed with hu^
mility, in the midft of all the graces and heavenly
riches which God fills them and adorns them with.
Keep in the faith, keep in the truth, keep in the

light,

N A K E D T R U T H. 355

light, ke«p in the power j it excludes boafting in or
after the flelh, and keeps the mind in that humility
and poverty of fpirit which God hath brought, and
daily further and further brings it into; and fo the hu*
mility and poverty remains (poor in fpirit for ever,
humble in fpirit for ever, nothing before the Lord for
ever) even as that remains which brought into that
frame, and keeps in that frame for ever. And fo the
Lord of life is only exalted, and the creature kept
abafed before him, and low for ever j and is nothing
but as the Lord pleafeth to fill, and make it to be
what it is. So what I am, I am by God's love, by
his grace, by his mercy, by his goodnefs, by his
power, by his wifdom, by his righteoufnefs, by his
holinefs, which he of his own good pleafure commu-
nicateth, and caufeth to fpring in me, and filleth and
clotheth me with, as feemeth good in his fight.

THE

CONCLUSION.

THERE is mention made in the book of the Re-
velations, in the epiftles from Chrift to the
feven churches of Afia, of a tree of life, which is in
the midft of the paradife of God (the fruit whereof
is good for food, and the leaves thereof for the heal-
ing of the nations) J and of hidden manna, and a
white ftone, and in the ftone a new name written,
which none knoweth but he that receivethit; and of
a morning-ftar to be given, and power over the na-
tions, to rule their fpirit, even as Chrift hath received
of his Father; and of being clothed in white, and his
name confefled before the Father (This is the fheep

Z 2 Ox

3561 The CONCLUSION.

of my fold, the child of my Father's begetting, who
is named by me among the living, I know him by his
name, John x. 3.) j as alfo of his being a pillar in the
temple of God, and of going no more out, but bear-
ing the name of God, and the name of the city of
God, the new Jerufalem (which cometh down from
God out of heaven) ; and of Chrift's new name, (oh !
what is that!) and of fitting with Chrift in his throne.

This is the generation of fpiritual kings, who have
a fpiritual kingdom, and a fpiritual throne, even
Chrift's kingdom, and Chrift's throne, the royal prieft-
hood of God. Oh! precious things ! Oh! rich glory I
Surely eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, nor hath it
entered into the heart of men to conceive what thefe
things are.

Now he that would witnefs thefe things j he that
would know, experience, and enjoy thefe things, muft
mind that feed in which they are wrapped up, as in a
feed, and out of which they fpring, and ftioot forth.
The kingdom is in the feed, the throne in the kcd,
the pov^er in the feed. Pie that is united to the feed,
and abideth in the feed, receiveth power from the feed,
and overcometh, he fhall inherit all things -, and I will
be his God, and he ftiall be my fon. Rev. xxi. 7. But
he that will be fo, muft not be fearful or unbelieving
of overcoming fin, or his foul's enemies j but muft
depend upon the almighty, and all-fufficient power of
God, which will give him viftory over fin, and keep
him that he touch no unclean thing ; that he may be
holy, as the Lord his God is holy^ and righteous, even
as the Lord his God is righteous. Indeed it becometh
the heavenly children to partake of the divine life, of
the heavenly nature of their Father, and be like him.
And he that partaketh of his nature, of his holinefs,
Heb. xii. 10. is holy, as he is holy: and he that
from the holy root of purity and righteoufnefs, doth
righteoufnefs j is righteous, even as he is righteous,
I John iii. 7. So it is written without, and fo it is
teilified within, by him that is born of God in whom

the

The conclusion. 357

the feed remaineth, which overcometh the wicked
one, bruifeth him and keepeth him under : and the
juft live by die faith which giveth victory over him.

Some EXPERIENCES added.
I. Concerning the feed of the kingdom.

CONCERNING the feed of the kingdom, this I
have experienced ; that it confifts not in words
or notions of the mind, but is an inward thing, an
inward fpiritual fubflance in the heart, as real in-
wardly in its kind, as other feeds are outwardly in
their kind : and that being received by faith, and tak-
ing root in man, (his heart, his earth, being ploughed
up and prepared for it) it groweth up inwardly, and
bringeth forth fruit inwardly, as truly and really as
any outward feed doth outwardly. This feed is known
by its contrariety and enmity againft the feed of the
ferpent; againft all the feeds of evil in the hearts of
men; it difcovering them, turning the mind from
them, and warring againft them, and bruifing and
overcoming them in all that receive it, and let m its
holy nature ; which, as an holy leaven or fait, work-
eth out that which is unholy and unrighteous, dark
and dead, and feafonech with light, with life, with
grace, with the hoiinefs and righceoufnefs of truth.

II. Concerning the foul's food.

The foul's food is that which nourifheth it, which
is the fame with that which giveth it life. Every
word proceeding out of the mouth of God, every mo-

Z 3 tion.

55^ Some Experiences added, &c.

tion, every quickening, every operation of his Spirit
is living, and nourilheth the foul with life, which re-
ceiveth it and feedeth on it. The fpiritual manna,
the fpiritual water, from the holy well or fountain,
the milk of the word, the flefh and blood of the Son
of the living God, his words, which are fpirit and life,
nourifh up the living birth unto life everlafting. How
comes man to live at firft j but by hearing the voice
of him that giveth life ? And how comes man to live
afterwards, and to increafe in life, but by hearing the
fame voice ftill ? " Incline your ear, and come unto
" me : hear, and your foul Ihall live," &c. Ifa. Iv. 3.
This I have alfo experienced to give me life, to nou-
rifh up and ftrengthen me in life; even frelh life com-
municated from the living Fountain ; and fo my life is
hot in myfelf, not in any thing I can comprehend,
concerning Chriftj but in being joined to him, in
being ingrafted into him the holy root, into him the
true olive-tree, into his Spirit : and fo by the fap that
fprings up into me from him, my life is maintained
and increafed in me daily. Glory to his name fof
ever*

IIL Concerning God's power.

Concerning God's power, this I have experienced ;
that that is it which doth the work in the foul. It
beo-ets to God, it brings out of the land of darkncfs,
it leads through all entanglements, and preferves in
the midft of them all. It breaks down the old build-
ing of fin and iniquity, (both inwardly and outwardly,
both in heart, and alfo in life and converfation) and
raifeth the new and holy building. It makes willing,
it makes obedient, it gives to believe, it gives to fuf-
fer. Oh ! bleffed be the Lord for the day of his
power, which is inwardly broken forth ! Oh ! what
would the poor child do (the poor lambs in the midft
of the wolves, inwardly and outwardly) were it not
for the Father's hand, the Father's arm, the Father's

power.

Some Experiences added, &c. 2S9

power, which is ftill with them, and compafTeth them
about ! Oh ! blefled are they that know the miniftra-
tion of the life inwardly, the power of life inwardly *
For in life, in the feed of life, is the holy power;
which is manifeft, appears and works, as it gains
ground on the creature, to put forth and exercife in
it the virtue and ftrength which it daily receiveth from
its Father.

IV. Concerning Temptations,

Concerning temptations, this I have experienced}
that the ftrength and hurt of them, as to the foul, lies
in the foul's looking at them. For the ftrength of
God is revealed in his children againft the tempter ;
which being patiently waited for, and trufted in, wili
never fail them. The leaft babe, the Lord would not'
have let in temptation and fin : but watch to that,
and keep joined to that, which will preferve out of
temptation, and out of fin. God is faithful, who hath
care of all his, and whofe promife is to all his : and as
he would have none fin^ fo none that diligently wait,
fhall want his power to ftand by them, to preferve out
of fin. " Look unto me, and be faved, all ye ends
" of the earth." It is univerfally true. Look unto
me, truft in me; look not at yourfelves, truft not in
yourfelvesj look not at the enemy, fear not the ene-
my ; I will fave you from every fnare, every tempta-
tion, as your eye is ftedfaft upon me. What if the
enemy come in like a flood ? If the Spirit of the Lord
lift up a ftandard againft him, can he prevail ? Wha
though he caft fiery darts ? What though he befet
round about ? Will not the Ihield of faith quench
them all ? Will not the whole armour of God defend
and keep fafe from them all ? If the enemy be refifted
lawfully, (that is, in true faith in that power which is
engaged for the foul againft him) doth not the power
of the I^rd arife and fcatter him, and ftrengthen and
cftablifti the foul In the grace, and in the truth ? Oh !

Z 4 the

^$0 Some Experiences added, &c.

the holy myftery of the heavenly warfare, and of the
working of the pure power againft the enemy j which
overcomes all his impurities, and keeps clean from
them! Look not at the enemy j let not in the reafon-
ings of the mind ; keep in the patience, keep in the
pure fear, in the holy living fenfe -, be only what thou
art in the feed, in the new birth, in the life which God
hath begotten in thee; then art thou fafe, then art
thou in the name of the Lord, which is the ftrong
tower. The enemy indeed may make a noife about
thee with his lufts, with his temptations, with his
floods, with his ftorms, with his fiery darts : but he
cannot enter thy habitation. The fpirit of darknefs,
the prince of darknefs, is fhut out of the land of the
living. Abide thou there: dwell in the light, and
"walk in the light, as God is in the light, and he fhall
never have power over thee.

V. Concerning Prayer,

I have experienced prayer to be the breathing of
that birth which God begets, to the Father of life
which begat it -, who by his Spirit makes known to it,
its condition and wants, and gives a fuitable fenfe of
heart, and cries to it. For as it is not in man to beget
himfelf to God j no more can he pray to God in his
own will or time, but as God pours out the Spirit of
prayer and fupplication upon him, and by his Spirit
teacheth and helpeth him to pray as he ought. " Be-
*' caufe ye are Tons, God hath fent forth the Spirit
" of his Son into you^ hearts, crying, Abba, Father."
I have had a fenfe of the natural man, and of the
fpiritual man ; and of the cries and prayers of each :
and this I have been taught and learned of God, that
the gofpel-prayer is the prayer of that birth which is
begotten by the Spirit and power of the gofpel ; and
which prays in the Spirit, and in the fpringing of the
holy life and power-, whereby it rightly wreftles, and
prevails with God, obtaining the mercies and bleflings

which

Some Experiences added, Sec. 361

■which it wreftles with him for. For to this child there
is accefs from God in the faith, through that holy Spi-
rit of life which makes way for it, to obtain grace
and mercy in the time of need. And through this
Spirit it prays to God, and prevails with him on the
behalf of others alfo. For the prayers of the right-
eous avail much, as it is written.

VI. Concerning ^ujiijication and SanBtficatlon,
fome things which it hath pleajed the Lord, in
his tender mercy, to give me to experience.

Firfl, That it is the fame Chrifb, the fame Spirit,
the fame life, the fame wifdom, the fame power, the
fame goodnefs, love, and mercy, the fame water, the
fame blood, which both jultifies and fanclifies.

Secondly, That juftificacion and fanc^lification g6
hand in hand together. There is none juftified, but
he that is in meafure fanftified : and there is none fanc-
tified, but he that is in fome meafure juftified. For
(jod juftifieth by a rule (by the new covenant, and
according to the law thereof) j and men receive and
partake of juftification, according as they are brought
into, and keep within, the compafs of that rule. For
God afted of old toward, and juftified, the children
of the old covenant according to the law thereof; and
the children of the new covenant are juftified, and
partake of juftification, according to the law thereof.

Thirdly, That juftification and fandlification are
both of and through the grace It is fo in the begin-
ning, and it is {o all along. *' By grace ye are faved,"
faith tiie apoftle. The whole work of falvation is
begun and carried on through grace. It is through
that, God vifits and reaches to the foul, with his quick-
ening virtue and power. He regenerates alfo thereby.
Through that hejuftifies; through that he fanclifies,
&:c. So that as the work goes on, grace, grace, is
to be cried to him that does the work, from his very

laying

362 Some Experiences added, Sec,

laying the foundation, and faftening the foul there-
upon, to his very laying on of the top ftone.

Fourthly, Though juftification and fanftification be
of God's grace and mercy in Chrift j yet this doth not
exclude faith : but they are alfo through faith, and not
without it. God doth not juftify man in the unbe-
lieving Hate, in the dead ftate, in his abiding there j
but in the coming out of it, in the repenting and
turning from the dead works to the living God, and
in believing in him : and fo he alfo fanftifies him.

Fifthly, Faith and obedience are of the fame na-
ture, and always go together. So that wherever there
is faith, there is obedience likewife j and wherever
there is obedience, there is faith. Obedience flows
from faith, and cannot be without itj for the very
nature and virtue of faith is in it. And faith is obe-
dience. For this is the command of God, that the
foul believe on him (and in his appearances) whom
he hath fent to fave; and this believing is obedience
unto him that commands it. And this faith, and this
obedience, is holy and jufl in God's fight; and through
it (but not without it) the foul is both juftified and
fanftified.

Sixthly, That the works of faith, the works of the
new life, are not the works of the law, the works of
the old covenant; nor are excluded juftification, as
the works of the old covenant are. For I have found
the Lord, who hath condemned and excluded all my
doings, which ever I have been able to do of myfelf,
ftill juftify and accept what his Spirit and holy power
hath done in me. They are not of the fame nature
in themfelves ; nor are they fo accounted of in the
eye of the Lord. For the Lord diftinguifheth be-
tween root and root ; and what fpringeth from the holy
root, hejuftifieth as holy; and what arifeth from the
unholy root, he condemneth as unholy.

Seventhly, That by the law of faith all boafting i»
excluded, in the whole work both of juftification and
fandtification. What is the law of faith? Is not this
its law, to fetch all from the Son, to do all in the

Son?

Some Experiences added, &c. 363

Son ? to quit felf, and its own ability, and to perform
all in the newncfs of the Spirit, in the ability which is
of God, given and continued, in and through his
grace and mercy, to the foul in the Lord Jcfus Chrift;
all the veins of life, all the ftreams of the new cove-
nant run here. Here is no boafling of the creature ;
here can be no boafting: for all its ability and ftrength
is fliut out J and that which is given of God to it, is
all and doth all. Yet every Jew here hath praife of
God. His faith is commended, his love is com*
mended, his faithfulnefs is commended, his zeal for
the Lord, his obedience to the Lord, his patience in
fufFering, is commended, &c. But the praife and ho-
nour of all redounds not to his flefh, but to the Spirit
and grace of God in him. So that here flefh is laid
low, and kept in the duft for ever, and God alone
exalted in this day of his pure power in the heart.
He that truly believeth, entereth into reft. How into
reft ? From what doth he reft ? Why, from his own
works, from the works of the flelh j yea, from the
works of the old covenant j from the works that arife
from his own ability, from the works wherein he can
never be juftified with the gofpel-juftification. But
doth he ceafe from the works of faith ? Doth he ceafc
from the labour of love ? Doth he ceafe from obe-
dience to any thing that God requires ? Nay : then
furely he rather beginneth to work and labour in thfc
vineyard ; and his labour is not in vain in the Lord.

VIL Concerning 'Faith,

Several things I have experienced, both concerning
the nature, virtue, and operations of it j fome where-
of (as 1 feel them fpring up livingly in my heart) I
may mention at this time.

Firft, This I have often experienced ; that it is an
hard thing truly and rightly to believe. It is an eafy
matter to believe notions "concerning God, and con-
cerning Chrift : but to believe in God, to believe in

Chrift,

3^4 Some Experiences added, &c.

Chrift, to believe in him that raifed up Jefus, to be-
lieve in the light, life, and power, which flows from
Jefus; this indeed is hard, by reafon of the great
darknefs and ignorance which man is fallen into
through tranfgreffion.

Secondly, I have experienced this alfo ; that faith is
God's gift, and that it flows from the power of his
life. There is firft a quickening, firfl a touching of
the heart, by the holy pure power of the Lord -, and
when a man is touched and quickened, then in and by
and through that virtue which flows into him, he can
believe in that which toucheth and quickeneth him.

Thirdly, That faith never Hands in a man's own
power, but always in the virtue and power of the life
of the Son. So that he that will believe aright, mnft
wait to feel the life of the Son revealed in him, and
faith flowing therefrom. For the true belief fprings
from the life of the holy root; and from the flowing
up and fpringing up of that life, faith receives its
nourishment and daily virtue.

Fourthly, I have obferved this in my travels; that
the earthly wifdom, and notions therefrom got into the
mind, and held in the mind out of the fenfe of life,
are a great let to faith. For thefe ftrengthen and
tiourilh that in man, which is to be weakened and die;
that life, and the birth of life, may be all in the
heart. Man is to die -, man is to be ceafed from ; his
underftanding, his wifdom, is to be brought to
nought. But after it hath had a ftroke and wound
from God's Holy Spirit and power, (even the very
wound which tends to death) yet it will be getting
life again, (getting its deadly wound healed) and nou-
rilhing its life by thofe very notions, which came from
that life and power, which in meafure flew it. And
thus the Jew outward hath his life in the outwardnefs
of knowledge, in the outwardnefs of the law, in the
letter which killeth: for the relation and outward
knowledge of things killeth and deadeneth more and
more, unlefs man come into the inward life and vir-
tue, and daily feel them quickened there. " If ye

" live

Some Experiences added, &c, 365

" live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit," faid the
apoltle. A man cannot live in an outwardnefs of
knowledge concerning the Spirit and power of the
endlefs life ; but he that would truly live, muft live
in the Spirit itielfi and he that would rightly walk
on in his way, muft walk in that Spirit wherein he
received life, and wherein he that abideth lives before
the Lord.

Fifthly, This 1 have alfo obferved ; that all notional
faith, wherein is not the living virtue, (as concerning
Chrift, his fufferings, death, refurredion, afcenfion,
intercefllon ; and concerning juftification by him, &c.)
the enemy will let the foul alone with, and let him
enjoy peace in ; but his war is defperately againft the
true faith, againft faith in the true power, againft faith
in the light of life. Oh ! how many fore and fharp
aflaults doth he make againft the faith which receives
its virtue from God, and caufeth the foul to live to'
God ! And how fore is it with the foul, when faith is
weak, and the enemy comes on againft it with the
ftrength of his aifaults and temptations. " Lord in-
" creafe our faith," faid the fenfible difciples.

Sixthly, It is a precious thing to feel faith quick-
ened by God, and helped by God, againft the enemy.
For then the enemy cannot prevail againft the foul;
but the foul, through the virtue and power of life,
-prevails over the enemy in the faith. And this is the
great work of a Chriftian, not only to wreftle and
fight, but to learn fo to wreftle, and fo to fight, as
to overcome.

Seventhly, That in the pure fear (not that which is
taught by the precepts of men, but which God puts
into the heart) faith hath its ftrength, and exercifeth
Its ftrength. Oh ! who knows the precioufnefs of this
fear! The power of faith, the power of life, the
power of falvation, and everlafting prefervation is re-
vealed in it. Therefore, faith the Lord, when he
fpeaketh of providing for his children in the new co-
venant, that they ftiall abide with him for ever, and
not depart any more from him, as the children of the

old

^$^6 SoRTE Experiences added, &c.

old covenant did ; " I will put my fear in their hearts,
*' and they Ihall not depart from me." And when
the angel preached the everlafting gofpel, how did he
preach it ? *' Fear God, and give glory to him, for
*' the hour of his judgments is come," &c. Rev. xiv.
When the pure fear is felt, when that which is con-
trary to God is judged; then the gofpel is known, and
the work thereof experienced in the heart. And how
eafy is it, when the pure fear is felt, to diftruft and
deny onc*s felf, and trufl: in the Lord ! Oh ! how weak
are the reafonings and imaginations then, and how
ftrong is the power which fcatters them, and lifts up
the head over them 1

Now it concerns every one deeply to confider, of
what nature his faith is, and what virtue is in it, and
what it can do in and through the power of the Lord
for him J how it fetcheth in the true living nourifh-
ment every day, how it delivers the foul, and gives it
victory over that which faith was appointed to deliver
from. For he who through the faith overcometh that
which is contrary to God, ihall inherit ; and he that
fights the good fight of faith, (hall overcome : but he
that overcomes not his enemies, which Hand in his
way, (hall be fure to be hindered by them from at-
taining to his journey's end.

VIIL Concerning Obedience, fome experiences alfo,

Firft, True obedience, gofpel-obediencc, flows from
life, flows from the living faith. If I could obey in
all things that God requires of me, yet that would
not fatisfy me, unlefs I felt my obedience flow from the
birth of his life in me. " My Father doth all in me,"
faith Chrift. This was Chrift's comfort. And to feel
Chrift do all in the foul, is the comfort of every one
that truly believes in him.

Secondly, True obedience, gofpel obedience, is
natural to the birth which is born of God. It is un-
natural to the fleih, to man's wifdom, to deny himfclf,

and

Some Experiences added, he, 367

and take up the crofs j but it is natural to the birth
which is born of God's Spirit. " That which is born
*' of the Spirit, is Spirit;" and it is natural to it to
be converfant in, and exercifed about, that which is
fpiritual.

Thirdly, That honouring and pleafing, and anfwer-
ing the will of the Lord, is the proper aim of the truly-
obedient. Oh! how do they delight to do the will of
God 1 " I have meat," faith Chrift, " that ye know
<* not of." To do the will was his meat and drink:
and it is meat and drink to all that are of his nature
and Spirit. If I (hould never have any other reward,
but the pleafure of obedience ; yet I could not but fay
and teftify, that in anfwering the law of the pure life,
in keeping the holy Itatutes and commandments of
God's Spirit, there is great reward. But yet there is
a crown alfo, and a reaping after this life of every
thing that is Ibwn to the Spirit : and the crown is
weighty and everlaftingly glorious.

Fourthly, Gofpel obedience is exceeding necefTary
in and to the gofpel ftace. Mark ! T'be Lamb is the
leader: and can any be faved by him, but they that
follow him ? When Chrift calls out of the world,
muft not the foul come to him, who is the Shepherd ?
And muft not the Iheep daily learn to know his voice,
and follow him ; even till they come to be acquainted
with every moving, drawing, and leading of his Spi-
rit ; and fo come to follow the Lamb whitherfoever
he goes ? Mark ! what a weight Chrift laycth upon
doing. " If ye know thefe things, happy are ye if
" ye do them." Why then the difciple cannot come
to happinefs, but in the doing, in the obeying of the
will of Chrift, his Lord and Mafter. And " he
" that heareth thefe fayings of mine, and doth them,
<* I will liken him to a wife man, that built his houfe
" upon a rock." But the believer, without doing the
will, is the foolifti builder, whofc building will not
ftand. Again, faith Chrift, " As the Father hath
** loved me, fo have I loved you ; continue ye in my
*^ love. If ye keep my commandments, ye fhall

« abide

~^69 Some Experiences added, &c.

" abide in my love ; even as I have kept my Father's
.** commandments, and abide in his love." The dif-
ciples, whom he mod dearly loved, muft keep his com-
mandments, if they will continue in his love. And
his apoflles taught the fame, even the working out of
the falvation, and the purifying of the heart, through
the obedience of the truth. For mark ! Tliere is a
covenant of life, a way of life : and how can life be
reaped, how can the work of life go on, but in fub-
je6tion and obedience thereto ?

Oh ! blefled is he, who meets with the power of
life, which enables to obey; and who is obedient
and fubjed: to that power. For he that truly believes
in.Chrift, is turned by him to his light, and to the
power of his Father ; and the peace, growth, joy,
bleffednefs, &c. is witnefled in fubjedion thereto..

IX. Concerning the crofs of Chriji,

This I have experienced concerning the crofs of our
Lord Jefus Chrift ; that it is an inward and fpiritual
thing, producing inward and fpiritual efFedts in the
mind; and that this is it, even that which flays the
enmity in the mind, and crucifies to the world, and
the affeftions thereof. " God forbid," faid the apof-.
tie, " that I fhould glory, fave in the crofs of our
*' Lord Jefus Chrift, whereby the world is crucified
" unto me, and I unto the world." Now mark;
That which is contrary to the world, and crucifies to
the world, that is the crofs. The crols hath this power,
and nothing elfe •, and fo there is nothing elfe to glory
in. " The flelh lufteth againft the Spirit, and the
*' Spirit againft the flefli j and thefe are contrary one
'< to the other." Mind, here is the crofs: the Spirit
which is contrary to the flefti, which mortifies the
fiefh, through the obedience whereof the flelh is cru-
cified. " If ye, through the Spirit, mortify the deeds
" of the body, ye flaall live." Whatfoever is of and
in the Spirit, is contrary tg the flefli. The light of

the

Some Experiences added, Sec, 369

the Spirit is contrary to the darknefs of the fiefh.
The holinefs of the Spirit is contrary to the unholinefs
of the corrupt heart. The life of the Spirit is con-
trary to the life (or rather death) that is in fin. The
power of the Spirit is contrary to the power that is in
Satan, and his kingdom. The wifdom of God is con-
trary, and a foolifh thing, to the wifdom of man.
Yea, the new creature, which fprings from God's
Holy Spirit, is contrary and death to the old.
Now he that comes hither, out of his own wifdom,
out of his own will, out of his own thoughts, out of
his own reafonings; and comes to a difcerning of
God's Spirit, and to the feeling of his begetting of
life in his heart, and his ftirrings and movings in the
life which he hath begotten j and waits here, and re-
ceives counfel here ; he is taught to deny himfelf, and
to join to and take up that, by which Chrift daily crof-
feth and fubdueth in him that which is contrary to '
God.

And here is the fight of faith, and the good travel
under the crofs, v^'hereby the holy journey is gone,
and the enemies (which rife up to oppofe in the way)
vanquifhed and overcome. For here is the power re-
vealed ; the preferving power, the leading power, the
conquering power of him who rideth on conquering
and to conquer his fpiritual enemies in the hearts of
his children, who know his voice, and are fubjedt to
him •, who daily denying themfelves, and taking up
his crofs, follow him.. Woe is to them that are at
eafe in Sion, under any thing that is contrary to God ;
but bleflings are upon them whofe dwelling is under
the crofs, and who know no eafe but what it allows.
It will make truth, life, holinefs, righteoufnefs, faith,
obedience, mtcknefs, patience, love, feparation from
fin, communion with the Lord, and all the fruits of
the Spirit, as natural to them in the renewed (late, as
ever fin was in the corrupt ftate. And in that llate
they fhall be able to fay with Paul j who once com-
plained of his captivity, and that he did what he
hated ; yet after he had known the power of the crofs.

Vol. III. A a and

370 Some Experiences added, &c.

and was crucified with Chrift, he could then do no-
thing againft the truth, but for the truth j yea, then
being a conqueror, having overcome the enemies
which flood in his way, he could do all things through
Chrifl that ftrengthened him. The caufe of fo many
complaints and bowings down of the head, and going
mourning bccaufe of the prevailings of the enemy,
through temptations, fin, and corruption, is becaufe
the crofs of Chrifl, which is the power of God,
(which is his ordinance againfl the flrength of the
enemy) is either not known, or not taken up. And
this is the reafon that many that make a fair Ihew for
a while, yet afterwards come to nothing, (but are like
untimely figs, or like corn upon the houfe-tops,
which hallily fpringeth up, but foon withereth) be-
caufe they either never rightly learn, or keep not to
the crofs. For that alone hath power from God to
bring down and keep down that which is contrary to
him. So that from under the crofs of Chrifl, there is
no witnefTing falvation or prefervation from the Lord;
but out of the limits of the crofs, the enemy hath power
to recover and bring back under his dominion again.
And whofoever in his travels leaves the crofs behind
him, does draw back unto perdition, and not travel
on, in the living faith, and newnefs of obedience, to-
wards the falvation of the foul.

X. Concerning the Myjlery of Life, and the Myf-
tery of the Fellowjhip which is therein,

God is hid from man, as he lies in his finful and
fallen flate ; and no man can find or know him, but as
.he pleafeth to reveal himfelf by his own blelTed Spirit.
And Chrift, being God's image, there is no knowing
or confefTing him, or right calling him Lord, but in
and by the fame Spirit, i Cor. xii. 3. When he ap-
peared in the days of his flefh, flefh and blood could
not reveal him, but only the Father. And he is the

fame

Some Experiences added, &c, 371

fame to-day as he was yefterday. He is not to be
known now, but in the fame Spirit; in his own grace
and truth, in a meafure of his own life. The dead
cannot know him ; they only know him, who are his
fheep, who are quickened and made alive by him.
And this life is a myftery : none can underftand it, but
they that partake of it. Can a man that is naturally
dead, know what the life of nature means ? No more
can a man that is fpiritually dead, know what the life
of the Spirit means. The natural man may get the
words that came from life, and cry up them, and
fpeak great words of the fame of wifdom, and of her
children j but the thing itfelf is hid from^ them all.
Oh ! it is a llrait gate at which the birth enters, at
which none el!e can enter. The wife and prudent
knowers and fearchers after the flefh (and of the fcripr
tures, as they can put meanings upon them and com-^
prehend them) are lliut out in every age; but there is
a babe born of naked truth (born of the pure fimpli-
city) admitted by God, while men difdain and de-
fpife it.

And the feliowfhip of the faints is in the life, and
in the light, which is this myftery. The feliowfhip is
not outward, but inward. All they that meet together
in the outward place, are not in the fcllowfliip, or
worlhip ; but only they that meet together in the in-
ward life and Spirit. " They that worihip the Father,
" mud worfhip him in Spirit and truth." Look, there
is the worOiip, there ;u-e the worlhippers; they that
are in the Spirit, in the truth ; they that meet in the
Spirit, in tiie truth, they meet together in the one
fpiritual place, as I may call it. And fo we own no
man after the flefl"), no man according to the appear-
ance ; but in the righteous judgment of the Spirit,
thofe only who are of the Spirit. Indeed we are ten-
der, where there is the leaft beginning of the work
of God in any heart ; yea, where there is but fo much
as a conviction of the underftandino- ; but men are
not prefently of us, who own our principle in words
or outward appearance, but only fuch as are inwardly

A a 2 changed

yri Some Experiences added, &c.

changed thereby in the heart. It is true, perfons may
walk among us, and afterwards go out from us, who
were never of us, (as it was in the apoftles days)
that were never in the fellowfhip of life with us,
whom we could never own in the fight of the Lord,
as being born of him ; though we were willing to
wait and watch for their good, that they might come
to witnefs the true birth. Now from fuch come the
offences, even from the failing off of fuch as never
were truly ingrafted, and alfo from the flips of fuch
who are not watchful to that which preferves. And
woe is to the world, becaufe of the offences which
cannot but come. For they which are to be approved
in the fight of the Lord, mufl not fomewhat or other
happen to make them manifeft ? And when they are
made manifeft, the world's eye is offended, and is apt
to think hardly of, and reproach the truth itfelf, be-
caufe of them. Bleffed is the eye which fees into the
myftcry, into the life itfelf, where there is no offence.
Truth is one and the fame for ever.

XL Concerning judging according to the appear-
ance, and judging righteous judgment. Judge
not according to the appearance y (faid Chrift)
but judge righteous judgment y John vii. 24.

What is it to judge according to the appearance \
and what is it to judge righteous judgment ? I fhall
fpeak what I have experienced, having been deeply
cxercifed about this thing. Mark then:

The holy Spirit of life breatheth upon the heart j
and, by his breathing and working there, he quickens
and begets life, John iii. 8. And that which is be-
gotten and born of him, is begotten and born in his
nature, and fo is of the fame nature with him, as
verfe 6. of that chapter.

Now to that which is born of the Spirit, the Spirit
is the leader, the preferver, the fupporter, the com-
forter.

Some Experiences added, &c. 373

forter, the daily quickener. He can do nothing with-
out the Spirit, without the prefent life and power of
him that begat him : To that all the judgment which
the birth of life hath, is from, and of, and in the Holy
Spirit of the Father.

And here is true judgment, both concerning right-
eoufnefs, and againft: all unrighteoufnefs ; fo that keep
to the life, keep to the Spirit, keep to the birth, keep
to the power, then is the wTdom and righteous judg-
ment of God revealed : uuc any that go out of this,
and meafure ..'^hout this, they meafure in the un-
righteoufnefs ; and though they fearch the fcriptures,
and think in themfelves they meafure from the fcrip-
tures, yet they are miflaken, and meafure but from
their own knowledge and apprehenfions upon the
fcriptures, as the Scribes and Pharifees did, when they
feemed to conclude, upon fearching the fcriptures,
that Chrift could not be the Meffiah, John vii. 52.*
'^ Search and look, (faid they) for out of Galilee
" arifeth no prophet." How then can this Galilean
be he ? See by the fcriptures if this can be the Chrift.

It is faid of Chrift, " He fhall not judge after the
" fight of his eyes, nor reprove after the hearing of
*^ his ears, but with rigiiteoufnefs ftiall he judge,'' &c.
Ifa. xi. 3, 4. Chrift judged righteous judgment.
How came he to judge fo ? Why; he judged in and
- with the Spirit. He kept to the Spirit's judgment.
The Spirit of the Lord rcfted upon him, and made
him quick of underftanding in the fear of the Lord,
ver. 2, 3. And no man can judge aright concernbig
the things of God, but in and by the fame Spirit.
How fhall I know whether my duties be right, my
prayers right, my ways right, my worlhip right, my
faith right, my hope of the right kind, my knowledge
and underftanding of the fcriptures right, &c. ? Why
there is none but one can determine. He who be-
getteth life, knows whether that which is in thee be
from his life; and whether that which thou offcreft to
him^ be truly living or no: and when the Lord fepa-

A a 3 rates

374 Some Experiences added. Sec,

rates the living from the dead, what will remain m
many that make great profeflions at this day ?

I would have no man miftaken about thefe things ;
I know many are deeply miftaken, as their own hearts
will one day acknowledge, when the Lord fhall make
manifeft to them, how they have called evil good, and
good evil J and put darknefs for light, and light for
darknefs. Indeed it is juft as it was in the days of
Chrift's appearing outwardly in a body of flefh. The
fame life, the fame Spirit, is denied now as was then.
Then the Jews cried up Chrift CQcomej but they then
fpiritually faw him not. They faw the flefh, (or out-
ward form) but they faw not him who dwelt in that
flefh. And though the world of Chriftians now ac-
knowledge Chrift is come, and did appear, yet neither
do they know him who did appear, but deny his life,
his Spirit, his virtue, his power, which is revealed in
this day of his love and goodnefs to the eyes of the
children of the true wifdom. Oh! let not fiejh judge:
hejilenty 0 all fiejh , before the Lord^ and ceafe judging^ for
he is arifen to judge. He is Judge in the midfi of his peo-
flCi and he will judge the heathen alfo, ,

And every one bring this near. Wait to feel flelh
judged in thee, and brought down in thee, that it may
not judge in theej but Spirit and life may be exalted,
and fit upon the throne in thy heart: and when life is
exalted, and doth begin to judge. Oh ! take heed of
hearkening to the flefh, of letting in the judgment of
flefh afterwards, left the Spirit be grieved and quench-
ed ! For the wifdom of the flefh is near, and will be
ftriving to get in and recover its feat again ; and if the
watch be not fingly kept to God's Holy Spirit, fome-
what elfe will be judging in thee, which will judge
according to the appearance of things to thy mind,
and fo thou wilt mifs of the true and righteous judg-
ment of God's Spirit.

XII. A

Some Experiences added, &c, 37^

XII. A quejiion anfwered about knowing God's

Spirit,

Queft. How Jhall I know God's Spirit? How Jball I
know the motions thereof? How may I know whether the
faith and hope in my heart be from him ? Whether my
prayers and dejires arife thence j ^c.

Anf. No man of himfelf, or by any way he of him-
felf can take, can know God's Spirit : there mud firfl:
be a capacity given before any man can know the Spi-
rit of the Lord; his life, his power, mud firfl be felt,
and fomewhat quickened, fomewhat formed by him,
fomewhat begotten of him, which is Spirit, and this
can know him. Now man in this may know him,
but out of this can never know him. Therefore this
is the great fkill, and diligence, and wifdom of a
Chriflian, to keep to this, to wait for this, to have his
eye toward the pure fpring of wifdom, that, when
it fprings, he may difcern and receive it; and when
that which is of a contrary nature fprings, he may dif-
cern it under all its deceitful appearances, and turn
from it. For out of the heart are the ifTucs both of
life and death. There is all manner of deceivablenefs
of unrighteoufnefs in the unrighteous nature, in the
unrighteous fpirit j and if the watch be not diligently
kept, it is eafy to be deceived at any time : but the
true feed, the holy feed, the living feed, the eledl
feed, the immortal feed, is never deceived. Oh !
bleffed are they who have their eyes opened and kept
open in it, to difcern the myflery of godlinefs and the
myflery of iniquity, that they may be preferved fafe
in the one, out of the reach of the other !

A a 4 XIII. Some

37^ Some Experiences added, &c.

XIII. Some queries concerning the feed of the king-
dom, in which the kingdom itfelf is contained,

■ fas the nature and fubflance of things is contained
in the feed thereof) and out of which it fpringetb
up and arifeth in the heart.

^ery i. What is that feed which is fpoken of,
I John iii. 9. which remaineth in thofe that are born
of God, and preferveth out of fin thofe that are led
by it and comprehended in it ? Is it not the feed of
the kingdom ?

^ery 2. Do not the natural herbs and flowers, the
natural plants and trees, grow from a natural feed ?
Do not the fpiritual plants, the fpiritual trees, the trees
of righteoufnefs, grow from the feed of righteouf-
nefs?

^ery 3. Was it not the great doctrine of Chrift to
preach the kingdom ? and how did he preach it ? Did
he not preach it as a feed, as a grain of muftard-feed ?
and did he not liken this fpiritual feed to leaven, to
a precious pearl, to treafure hid in a field, to a piece
of filver loft, &c. Oh ! how happy is he who knows
and enjoys the thing itfelf which Chrift preached ! All
the prophets prophefied concerning him -, and when he
came, this was his doftrine, that men (hould mind
this, look after this, purchafe this, poflcfs this, feel
this planted and grow up in them, and themfelves in-
grafted into and growing up in it.

^ery 4. Can any man be born of God, and not
born of this feed ? Can any man be born of this feed,
and not be born of God ?

^uery 5. How doth grace and truth come by Jefus
Chrift ? Doth it not grow up from this feed ? Can it
grow up any other way in any heart ?

^ery 6. Is not falvation felt and witnefTed in every
heart (of thofe that are in any meafure redeemed) as
this feed grows up and overfhadows them ? Was not
this the falvation ready to be revealed in the laft time,

I Pet.

Some Experiences added, &c. 377

I Pet. i. 10. whereof the apoftle Peter himfelf was
made a partaker ? chap. v. 10. In the law were the
fhadows of good things to come; but in the gofpel
the fubftance, the feed itfelf, is revealed.

^ery 7. Is it not the right beginning in religion
to begin in the Spirit ? and can any begin in the Spi-
rit, but he that begins in and with the feed of the
kingdom ?

^ery 8. Is it not the main and chief thing in re-
ligion to know this feed, and to feel this feed, to be
joined to this feed, and abide in this feed ?

^ery 9. Is not all that flows fiom this feed true
and certain ? Is not the knowledge certain here ? the
faith here ? the love here ? the peace here ? the joy-
here ? the righteoufnefs here ? From this true root,
can thei^e grow or fhoot forth any thing but that which
is true ? Oh! every breathing here is from pure lif(^,
and precious in the eye of the Father. Is there any
certainty elfewhere ? Oh ! when the Lord appears, will
he not difown all the religion and worlhip which is
not of this growth ?

^ery 10. But fome may fay. How may I know
this feed, and how may I be joined to it ?

Anf. In the quickening life mayeit thou know it,
and no where elfe. Didtl thou ever feel that which
quickened thy heart towards the Lord ? Therein and
thereby, at that time, thou mayeft feel an eye and
heart opened, which can truly fee and know fomewhat
of God : and, keeping thy eye to the quickening
power of God, as that (lirs, moves and operates, in
thee and upon thee, thou mayeft know again and
know more.

Therefore eye the power which quickens, and eye
the feed which it reveals and raifcth in thee, and wait
to feel the power fubjecting thee to the {tttd^ that thou
mayeft come under it, and it may come over thee,
and prefs down in thee all that is contrary to its pure
nature.

And as thou comeft hither, thou wilt fini that
which death hath no power overi and, as thou abi.lcft

there.

378 Some Experiences added, &c.

there, thou fhalt find it to have no power over thee.
For, of a truth, in the holy covenant of life and
peace, death never had nor can have power ; but he
who abideth in him who is the covenant, who is the
Shepherd, who is the love, who is the wifdom and
power of God, witneffeth there a fure defence and
ftrong tower, where falvation is for a wall and bulwark
againft the enemy.

There are many forts of talkers concerning the
thing, but there are few travellers into itj but he
alone who is a true traveller into it, and takes up his
reft there, certainly knows and can truly witnefs what
is to be found there. And this is the reafon that fo
many (who feem great and experienced knowers) can-
not receive our teftimony, becaufe they know neither
the feed nor its voice, concerning which and whereby
we teftify. But wifdom is juftified of her children ;
and they that know the voice of the Shepherd, know
his prefent appearance in this our day, which is con-
trary to the wifdom and knowledge of all other feeds
and births whatfoever. " He that hath an ear to
** hear, let him hearj" but he that hath not the true
ear, cannot hear the true teftimony, though it fhould
ever fo often be declared unto him. But blefled is
he that knows and ftumbles not at the appearances of
the feed and power of life in his own heart, but is
turned from the darknefs to the light there, and from
the power of Satan to the manifeftation of God's Spi-
rit there. For the end of words (even of Chrift's
own direftions in the days of his flefli) is to turn men
to the holy life and power from whence the words
came; and thither ^man is to travel, and therein to
center, waiting on the Lord, in the way of his judg-
ments and tender mercies, to witnefs a tranflation
from darknefs to light, and from the kingdom of Sa-
tan into the kingdom of the dear Son ; which king-
dom is at firft but as a grain of muftard-feed, and
muft be fo known and fo received.

And now let every ferious heart examine concerning
himfelf. Doft thou know the kingdom ? Is the feed

grown

Some Experiences added, &c. 379

grown In thee ? doth it overfpread thee ? Art thou in
it as in a kingdom ? doft thou feel it overfhadowing
thee ? art thou in unity with it ? doth it fpeak peace
to thee from the Lord ? Is the wall of partition broken
down in thee ? Is there of twain made one new man ?
Doft thou feel than which is contrary to Chrift fubdued
in thee by his power ? and his holy nature, life, and
Spirit, reigning over it ? Canft thou read that fcrip-
ture fenfibiy and experimentally, *' if ye through the
" Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, ye (hall live?"

Ah ! how miferably do men talk of Chrift, the
power of God, and mifs of the effed: and work of his
power in them !

Faith is a powerful thing, it gives viflory, (true
faith gives victory) it fcatters that which ftands be-
tween, and gives real accefs to God, and lets in his
pure, frefti, living virtue, upon the heart.

Love is a powerful thing, it conftrains to obedience:
and the heart that is circumcifed to love the Lord
God, Oh! how doth life flow from him into it!

Oh ! away with empty notions, and come to the
miniftration of the Spirit, where the knowledge i$
living, the faith victorious, the love pure and undc-
filed, the worftiip truly fpiritual, even flowing from,
and comprehended in, the life and virtue of the Spirit.
Oh ! that all that truly breathe after the Lord, might
be gathered hither, found here, and dwell here. Amen.

Post-

m. . [ 380 ]

Postscript to the Experiences.

PERSONS that have had fome true touches of
life, and true breathings after the Lord, yet not
having their eye fixed rightly upon him, nor difcern-
ing from v^hcnce thofe come, may eafily lofe the true
fenfe of life, and another birth of another nature
fpring up in them inftead thereof. This was it we
generally wanted in the day of our former profefTion,
even the difcerning of that, and fixing upon that,
which begat life in usj through want whereof, many
of the mod tender-hearted came to a lofs ; whom the
Lord at length fhewed mercy to, manifefting to them
the light of their eyes, and the ftay of their fouls.
Now to all that have been gathered hither by the
Lord, life hath been renewed, and their former expe-
riences (of the Lord and his goodnefs to them in the
Lord Jefus Chrift) reftored again with advantage.
And here they fenfibly fee, and daily experience, that
nothing is of their own works, but all of grace and
mercy in and through Chrift, in whom they are created
unto good works, which God before ordained that
we fhould walk in them. And here the glory is re-
vealed j the glory of life, the glory of peace with the
Lord, the glory of righteoufnefs in and through his
Son, the glory of viftory over the foul's enemies, and
of leading captivity captive, and treading upon the
necks of kings, even of mighty lufts, which mightily
prevailed over and oppreflTed the foul, before the
Captain of our falvation appeared in the power and
authority of his own Spirit. But bleffed be the Lord,
there is not only this glory revealed, but there is a
defence over the glory; for there is that revealed
which is able to defend it, and doth defend it, in the
hearts of many, and in the living aflemblies which

have

Postscript to the Experiences. 381

have been gathered by God's holy power j which holy
power (which gathered) daily quickens and overlha-
dows, and is a rock unto, and will be fo for ever,
even to all that abide with him in his holy covenant j
but out of the limits of that into which God gathers,
and wherein and whereby he preferves, there is no
defence to any. The curfed thing, the unclean thing,
the earthly fpirit, the earthly mind and wifdom, the
Lord hath excluded, and it is to be excluded out of
his camp for evermore, that the inward Ifrael may be
kept holy to the Lord, and may ferve and worfhip the
Lord in the beauty of the inward holinefs, as the
outward Ifrael was outwardly, to be, and to do, in
that outward miniftration of the fhadows of the gofpel
ftate.

Some fcriptures 'very fweet, and necejfary to be,
experienced in the gofpel J}ate,

" This is life eternal, that they might know thee
" the only true God, and Jefus Chrift whom thou haft
*' fent," John xvii. 3. There is a knowledge of
God and Chrift, which is life eternal : and there is a
knowledge of them (or at lead that which men call
fo) which is not life eternal. The knowledge which
is life eternal, is that knowledge which God gives to
his own birth; even the fpiritual knowledge which
God gives to thofe which are born of the Spirit j
which is the knowledge of the myflcry of God, and
of Chrift in the myftery, inwardly appearing, and
working in the heart againft the myftery of fin and
death. Oh ! precious is the birth to which God gives
this knowledge, and precious is the knowledge which
he giveth to it. The knowledge (or that which men
call knowledge) which is not life eternal, is that
knowledge which man can get and comprehend from
without, of himfelf, v/ithout the enlightenings and
quickenings of God's Holy Spirit and power inwardly
felt, and operating in the heart.

« No

382 Postscript to the Experiences.

" No man can fay that Jefus is the Lord, but by
«* the Holy Ghoft,** i Cor. xii. 3. It is precious ti|
witnefs that confeffing and acknowledging Jefus to be
the Lord, which is by the Holy Ghoft. For only they
that are governed by the Holy Ghoft can fo confefs
him. The devil did confefs Jefus to be the Holy
One, the Son of the living God, &c. and many now
confefs Jefus to be the Lord, in the fame fpirit, being
alienated from the life of God, and having no true
fenfe or undcrftanding of that. But there is a con-
feflion which cannot arife but from God's Spirit, and
from the knowledge, fenfe, and undcrftanding which
he gives ; blefted are they that experience that.

*« It is written in the prophets, and they ftiall be all
" taught of God. Every man therefore that hath
*< heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto
*« me," John vi. 45. Ah ! bleffed is he that can in
true undcrftanding fay. The Lord hath made good
this promife to me 1 he is become my teacher. I have
heard his voice, as truly and certainly, inwardly in
my heart, as ever I heard the voice of Satan there. He
hath revealed his Son, his pure, holy, living child
Jefus in me. He hath drawn me to his Son j he hath
taught me to come to his Son : and indeed fo foon as
ever I heard and learned of the Father, I could not
but come to the Son, and receive the Son, and give
up myfelf to him : and he hath received me, and daily
preferveth me from death, and the fting and power
thereof, and giveth unto me eternal life.

" He that hath the Son, hath life j and he that hath
" not the Son, hath not life," i John v. 12. Ah ! this
is abundantly experienced ! bleffed be the name of
the Lord ! Many who had not life, while they had not
the Son, but mourned and lamented deeply after him,
(the Spirit of the Lord being grieved in them, and
his life not poffeffed by them) the Father revealing
his Son in them, and giving him to them, and they
enjoying and poffeffing him, feci that they are daily in
the enjoyment and poffeflion of pure and frefh life in
him.

« My

Postscript to the Expiriences. 383

*« My flefh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink
** indeed. He that eateth my flelh, and drinketh my
** blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him,*' John vi.
55, 56. We are of his flefh, and of his bone, faid
they that did eat his flefh, and drink his blood. They
that eat Chrifl: the one bread, are by that food made
partakers of his divine nature, and become one bread
(for we being many, are one bread, as faid the apo-
ftle) ; lb that now they are no longer darknefs, but
light in the Lord. Oh I the pure flefh and blood of
the immaculate Lamb ! Oh ! the incorruptible food
which gives life to the foul ! Oh ! the living word !
Oh ! the milk of this word, the milk of the heavenly
breafl, which nourifheth the babes I but the bread,
the flefh, the blood, is fl:ronger nourifliment. Oh !
how brightly might this be opened, in the demonfl:ra-
tion of life, to the fpiritual ear and underfl:anding I
but the carnal-minded are thick and grofs, being
drowned in their own apprehenfions and fenfe of the
letter, but having no fenfe of the myftery, what it is
myflically to eat and drink the flefh and blood of
Chrift, (of him who is life, and gives life) and to
dwell together with him in the one Spirit, light, life,
and power eternal.

" For with thee is the fountain of life ; in thy
" light fiiall we fee light," Pfal. xxxvi. 9. Oh! bief-
fed are they that can experimentally fpeak thus, who
know the fountain of life, and dwell there, where light
Ihines more and more !

** Ho, every one that thirfteth, come ye to the
" waters ; and he that hath no money , come ye, buy
'f and eat : yea come, buy wine and milk without
** money, and without price. Wherefore do ye fpend
" money for that which is not bread ? and your la-
" bour for that which fatisfieth not ? hearken dili-
*' gently unto me, and eat ye that which is good,
" and let your foul delight itfelf in fatnefs. Incline
*' your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your foul
*' fhall live J and I will make an everlafting covenant
" with you, even the fure mercies of David," Ifaiah

Iv.

384 Postscript to the ExPERiEiifCES.

Iv. I, 2, 3. Here is happinefs, true happinefs, full
happinefs ! He that experiences this one portion of
fcripture is happy. He that knows the true thirft
after the true waters, and comes to the waters which
he thirfts after, and knows how to buy, and hath
bought the wine and nnilk which is to be had at the
waters (Oh ! who knows what this buying is ! this is
beyond all talk and outward profeflion concerning the
thing, concerning the precious pearl j this is the real,
hearty trafficking of the wife merchant for it). And
then to hearken diligently, and eat that which is good,
and to have the foul delight itfelf in the fatnefs of
God's houfe, in the riches and fatnefs of his goodnefs
and mercy in Chrift Jefus ; and not only to tafle of
mercy, but to witnefs it fure in the everlafting cove-
nant, that God will never be wroth with me more,
never be a ftranger to me more, never depart from
me more, nor fuffer me to depart from him ; but pre-
ferve me pure and chafte to him, through his love flied
abroad in my heart, and his holy fear, which con-
ftrains me to abide with him, and to keep his com-
mandments.

" But whofoever drinketh of the water that I fliall
" give him, (hall never thirft: but the water that I
" (hall give him, fhall be in him a well of water
*' fpringing up into everlafting life," John iv. 14. Is
not this an univerfal promife, to be made good to
every one that drinks of the water of life, of the
water that Chrift gives ? Did not Chrift promife it
fhould be a well ? a fpringing well ? The fountain is
of a fpringing nature : and is not every drop of the
fame nature ? of a living nature ? of a fpringing na-
ture ? He that rightly drinks, doth he not receive a
.well ? Oh ! the water which Chrift giveth'! doth it not
become a well in the true difciple, in the living dif-
ciple, out of which well the water is ftill fpringing
and flowing, to nourifh up with life and unto life,
even with life of an everlafting nature, and unto life
everlafting. Oh ! the pure glory that is revealed in
the gofpcl difpenfation ! why is it fo hid from mens

eyes.

Postscript to the Experiences. 385

eyes, who profefs themfelves to know the Lord Jefus
Chrift, and to be his difciples ?

** For the life was manifefted, and we have feen it;
" and bear witnefs, and fhew unto you that eternal
«« life which was with the Father, and was manifefted
" unto us. That which we have feen and heard, de-
" clare we unto you, that ye alfo may have fellowfhip
" with us J and truly our fellowfhip is with the
" Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift," i John i.
2, 3. This is precious to experience the life inwardly
manifefted, and to come out of death inwardly felt,
into life inwardly manifefted, and fo to come into the
holy fellowlhip with the Father and Son, and with the
faints in light : for he that comes out of the darknefs
into the light, comes out of the fellowftiip of the dead
into the fellowfliip of the living.

" Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy

*< laden, and I will give you reft. Take my yoke

" upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and

*f lowly in heart : and ye ftiall find reit unto your

«' fouls. For my yoke is eafy, and my burthen is

*' light," Matt. xi. iS, 29, 30. This invitation of

Chrift was to be fulfilled in the hearts of his difciples j

and it is precious inwardly to witnefs it effedlually in

the heart, as really as ever it was fpoken by him.

To be able to fay, in the evidence and demonftration

of his Spirit, It is true, I did labour, I was heavy

laden, none could cafe or help me, till he called, tilt

he knocked at the door of my heart, and till I came

to him, and received him in •, and he hath made

good his word to my foul ; he hath given me reft from

my labours and heavy loads. He hath laid his yoko

upon me, and I have took it and borne it, and have

learned of him to be meek and lowly in heart like

htm, and I have found reft to my foul. And now I

lliall never complain more of his yoke or burthen, he

hath made it, and doth daily make it, i^o eafy and

light to me.

*' And we know that the Son of God is come, and

" hath given us an underftanding, that we may know

Vol. III. B b « him

2^6 Postscript to the Experiences,

" him that is true j and we are in him that is true,
*^ even in his Son Jefus Chrift. This is the true God
'* and eternal life," i John v. 20. There is an in-
ward, fpiritual coming of the Son of God into the
heart, by which coming (to them that receive him)
he giveth a new and fpiritual underftanding, whereby
they know him that is true, (and without it they can-
not) and are ingrafted into him and found in him ;
partaking of his life and righteoufnefs, to the glory
of God the Father j and fo in true underftanding are
able to fay, " Lo this is the God, this is the Saviour
*' we waited for. This is the true or very God, and
" eternal life." What are all notions about God,
and about his Son Chrift Jefus, to this inward fenfe
and experience of them ?

" God, who commanded the light to Ihine out
" of darknefs, hath (hined in our hearts, to give the
" light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
" face of Jefus Chrift," 2 Cor. iv. 6. Oh ! how pre-
cious is it to be able to witnefs this in meafure! to
experience God ftiining upon my tabernacle, (as Job
fpeaks. Job xxix. 2, 3.) and by his light my walking
through darknefs ! It is true, Chrift was the light, he
had the fulnefs of light, and the apoftles a very great
proportion : but, blcfled be the Lord, I have received
fome, and am changed by it, and become light in the
Lord; and walk with God, and dwell with God in
the light, even as he is light, and dwells and walks
in the light. Is not this a bleflfed teftimony ? and is
not he blefled who can fet his fcal to it ?

" Which veil is done away in Chrift," 2 Cor. iii.
14. It was promifed of old, that in the mountain,
where God would make the feaft of fat things, he
would deftroy, fwallow up, or do away the veil, or
that which veils the life and glory of the Lord from
man, and hinders it from being revealed in him,
Ifaiah xxv. 6, 7. Now in Chrift there is no veilj in
his light, life. Spirit, and power, there is no veil :
where they are inwardly manifefted and received, the

veil

Postscript to the Experiences. 38-7

veil is done away, and the glory of the myftery re-
vealed and beheld.

" If ye continue in my word, then are ye my difci-
" pies indeed -, and ye fhall know the truth, and the
" truth Ihall make you free," John viii. 31, 32.
What is this word which the difciples of the Lord
Jefus Chrift are to continue in? Is it any lefs than
Spirit and life ? And what is it to be a difciple in-
deed, but to learn the law of life at his mouth, and
to continue therein ? And what is the truth which
makes free ? Is it not the living truth, (the word
which lives and abides for ever) the powerful truth,
the operative truth ? This cuts between a man and his
lovers ; this divides between foul and fpirit, joints
and marrow, and makes the foul free from that evil
fpirit which hath embondaged it. It fandlifieth, it
cleanleih, itreneweth, it quickeneth, it giveth rtrengthj
it maketh free from the foul's enemies, from the bon-
dage of fin and corruption, and brings into the glo-
rious liberty of the fons of God : and they that are
made free from fin by that which is contrary to fin,
and which fubdues, overcomes, and deftroys fin, they
doubtlefs are free indeed. Oh ! precious is it to ex-
perience this, even the truth that is free from fin, and
makes free from fin all that truly know it, and arc
joined to it, and live and abide in it !

'' For fin fiiall not have dominion over you ; for
" ye are not under the law, but under grace," Rom.
vi, 14. What's the law? what's the miniftration of
the law? Is it not the miniftration of the letter? of
that which is holy and righteous, by an outward or
literal conunand ? What's grace ? Is it not the inward
teacher, which inv.'ardly inllrucleth to deny ungodli-
nefs and worldly lufts, and to live foberly, righteoufly,
and godly, 6ic. ? Is it not the miniiiration of the
Spirit and power? Is it not the minifiration of the
new covenant, where the law of the Spirit of life in
Chrift Jefus is written in the heart, and the command-
ment of life made eafy by the power of the Lord

B b 2 Jefus,

388 Postscript to the Experiences*

Jefus, who manifefts himfelf within to make willing
unto, and to ftrengthen to obedience ?

Now they that are under this grace, under this Spi-
rit, under this power, doth it not break the power
and dominion of fin in them, and fet them free there-
from ? Can fin break in upon thofe who dwell under
the (hadow of the Almighty ? Indeed a man may be
under a literal difpcnfation of holy commands againft
fin, and yet be under the power of fin : but he that
is gathered under the wing of Chrift, under the grace
and Spirit of the gofpel, turned from Satan's power
to God's power, and within the wall and bulwark
thereof, he witnefieth this true, Sin hath not dominion^
Jin cannot have dominion^ Jin Jhall not have dominion over
you. No device of the enemy fhall be able to hurt or
deftroy on God's holy mountain; for his light fliines
there to difpcl the darknefs, and his power is revealed
there, to fcatter and daih in pieces the fi:rength of the
enemy whenever it appears.

" Upon all the glory Ihall be a defence," Ifaiah
iv. 5. Oh! the Lord God, by the Spirit and power
of the gofpel, in the day thereof, is bringing many
fons to glory, into great, inward, fpiritual glory j yea,
into exceeding glory (for the miniftration of the Spi-
rit exceeds in glory). And as God hath ordained this
glorious miniftration for his fons and daughters under
the new covenant, fo by the Spirit and power of
the new covenant, when it breaks forth, he is daily
working, tranflating, and changing them, out of the
earthly nature and image, into his own divine nature,
into his own heavenly glory, 2 Cor. iii. 18. And,
blefled be the Lord, the defence of his power is fpread
over the glory of his holy mountain, fo that nothing
can make a prey of, or devour the birth of life, or
deprive of the inheritance of life there. The Lord
doth not only give a blefied lot and lines in pleafant
places, but he maintains the lot of his children; fo
that they can dwell in their Father's houfe, and feed
on the heavenly food and rich dainties of the kingdom,
in the majefty of the name of the Lord their God ;

which

Postscript to the Experiences. 389

which is fuch a dread unto the enemies, and fuch a
defence about them, as none can make afraid : but
they are kept in perfect peace, in perfed: reft, in pure
love, out of which life fprings and flows continually.

'* And in that day thou fhalt fay, O Lord, I will
*' praife thee ; though thou wall: angry with me, thine
** anger is turned away, and thou comforteft me.
" Behold, God is my falvation : I will truft and not
'^ be afraid j for the Lord Jehovah is my llrength and
" fong, he alfo is become my falvation. Therefore
'^ with joy (hall ye draw water out of the wells of
" falvation," Ifaiah xii. i, 2, 3. Oh ! precious to
witnefs the inward fpiritual day of redemption and
deliverance, wherein praifes from a living fenfe natu-
rally fpring up to the Lord ! to witnels the reproofs at
an end, the anger, indignation, trouble, and forrow at
an end, and the Comforter come, miniftering peace,
joy, and comfort to the foul ! Ah ! when the Lord is
felt, the falvation (his prcfence, his power, his life,
his virtue the falvation) ; when faith fprings towards
him, and the fear of the enemy (or concerning the
enemy) is banifhed; when he is experienced to be
the foul's daily ftrength againfl him •, yea, and doth
ib deliver, that inftead of the former fear, becaufe of
the fury and opprefTion of the enemy, the foul can
now fing, becaufe of that ftrength and heavenly au-
- thority, which the Lord putteth forth and exercifeth in
the heart againft him ! When the well of life, the
well of falvation, the Saviour's well, is kept open, and
the Philiflines, the uncircumcifed fpirir, power, and
nature, caft out, that they can flop it no more ; bur.
the foul can draw the water of life out of the well
and fountain of life with joyj ah! then the gofpel
difpenfation is indeed knov/n, and the bleiTed eftate
thereof witneiTed and experienced !

" I counfel thee to buy of me gold tried in the
" fire, that thou mayeft be rich; and white raiment,
*' that thou mayefl be clqthed, and that the fname of
''* thy nakednefs do not appear; and anoint thine eyes
<*' with eye-falve, that thou mayeft fee," Rev. iii. 18.

B b 3 What

590 Postscript to the Experiences.

What is the gold tried in the fire, which man is to
buy of Chrift, that he may be made rich therewith ?
What is the white raiment which the foul is to be
clothed with, without which It is naked in God's fight,
and in the fight of the truly difcerning (and there is a
time when the fhame of its nakednefs will appear more
generally, as it doth already to the eye of the fpiritual
man who judgeth all things)? What is the eye-falve
wherewith the eye is to be anointed, or it cannot fee ?
Is it not precious to purchafe this gold and raiment
of Chrift, and to have this eye-falve to anoint the eye
■ with, and to keep it open that it may daily fee its
way, and walk in the light of the Lord ? Certainly
this is all inward and fpiritual, as a remnant witnefs it
this day ; glory to the Lord God.

" But the anointing which ye have received of
*' him, abideth in youj and ye need not that any
" man teach you : but as the fame anointing teach-
*' eth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie;
** and even as it hath taught you, ye iTiall abide in
" him," I John ii. 27. The outward anointing was
a fiiadow of the inward, and had a glory in it under
the difpenfation of the lawj and the inward anointing
in the gofpel difpenfation is fpiritual and divine, and
exceeding glorious. Chrift, the anointed one, anoints
all his. No being a fon, without being begotten by
the Spirit and power of the Father; and no abiding
a fon, but by the virtue and power of the fame Spirit,
remaining in and with the foul ; fo that every fon re-
ceives of the anointing of the Father: Chrift received
the Spirit, the fulnefs, that he might give to them a
proportion. Now to experience this anointing, and
to experience it abiding and teaching all things ; and
(o know this voice, the voice of the Shepherd, the
voice of the anointing, which the fheep ftill finds to
be true, and no lie; and to abide in the vine, in the
life, in the Spirit, in the power, as this Spirit or
anointing teacheth : Oh ! here's the fweet ftate, the
clear ftate, the blefi!ed ftate ! Here the promifes and
bleflings are Yea and Aqnen in Chrift : and the foql

can

Postscript to the Experiences. 391

can fay, he is faithful and juft who hath promifed,
who hath opened the treafures of life to his family,
to his houfe, to his children, to his fervants, and blef-
feth them with all fpiritual blefllngs, in heavenly-
things, in Chriil.

" Surely his falvation is nigh them that fear him,
" that glory may dwell in our land : mercy and truth
" are met ; righteoufnefs and peace have kilTed. Truth
** (hall fpring out of the earth; and righteoufnefs
" fhall look down from heaven. Yea, the Lord
" fhall give that which is good ; and our land fhall
" yield her increafe. Righteoufnefs Ihall go before
" him, and fhall fet us in the way of his fteps," Pfal.
Ixxxv. 9. to the end. Is it not precious to witnefs that
fear of God in the heart to which falvation is nigh,
and the land wherein glory dwells ? Where mercy and
truth meet, righteoufnefs and peace kifs ? Where
truth fprings out of the earth, and righteoufnefs looks*
down from heaven ? Where God gives that which is
good, and the land of the living yields the increafe
of life to him ? Where righteoufnefs goes before him,
and he fets his in the way of his fleps ? Where the
Lamb goes before, and the way is not known, but as
the Lamb goes before, and leads into it ? Where God
is the Shepherd, and the foul doth not want, becaufe
he maketh it to lie down in paftures of tender grafs,
and leadeth by the waters of quietnefs, (where it
drinks of the brook in the way) and in the paths of
righteoufnefs for his name's fake ? See Pfal. xxiii. Is
there not a kingdom of darknefs, a land of iniquity
inwardly ? and do not they that dwell there, and fit
there, dwell in darknefs, and fit in the region and
fhadow of death ? And is there not a travel out of
this land into the holy land, (the land of light, the
land of the living) and a tranflation out of this king-
dom into the kingdom of the dear Son r And is not
God the Shepherd there ? Chrift the Bifliop of the foul
there ? and doth not he overfee and take care of fouls
there, leading them into ftelh paftures, and by the
foft flowing waters ? Is not falvation nigh there, yea,
raund about that land ,^ Do not mercy and truth meet

B b 4 there ^

39? Postscript to the ExfERiENCf.s.

there ? righteoufncfs and peace kifs there ? yea, doth
not the glory of the Moft High dwell in, and over-
ftiadow that land ? Is not the eye of the Lord upon it
for good, from one end of the year to the other ?
doth not he watch over it night and day, that none
hurt it, and water it in the proper feafons ? Oh ! who
can utter the goodnefs and glory of the Lord which
ig revealed and fhines here !

Rev. iii. 20. " Behold, I ftand at the door, and
" knock ; if any man hear my voice, and open the
*^ door, I will come in to him, and will fup with him,
** and he with me." Here are feveral things, which,
in their order and feafons, the living come to a certain
and fenfible experience of.

As, Firft, Chrift's {landing at the door, and knock-
ing. What is the door at which he Hands ? and how
doth he knock ? How doth the contrary fpirit knock ?
how doth his Spirit knock ?

Secondly, What is his voice ? and how is his voice
heard ? To hear Wifdom's cry within, in the inward
ftreets } his call at the door, at which he would enter;
muft not the true ear in fome meafure be opened firft .^^
Can any one hear without an car?

Thirdly, What it is to open the door ? There is a
door-keeper's ftate to be witnefled, and the right door-
keeper knows how to open and how to fhut the door,
and is exercifed in opening and fhutting the door.
The King of glory is to be opened to, and let in,
but no wolf, no ftranger, no ftrange fpirit, is to be
hearkened or opened to.

Fourthly, What Chrift's coming in is at the door
opened to him ? When he knocks, would he not come
in ? Would he ftand always at the door knocking ?
Nay, nay ; when the door is opened at which he
knocks, he who is the refurreftion and the life enters;
the King of righteoufncfs, the King of peace, enters;
he who is the wifdorn and power of God enters; and
what becomes of the power and goods of the enemy
then ? Doth he not kill ^nd deftroy them ? Doth he
not confume and devovir thenr Doth he not empty

the

Postscript to the Experiences. ^g^

the houfe of them, and garnilh the houfe with that
which is truly pure, glorious, and beautiful ?

Laftly, What is it to have him fup with the foul ?
And what is it for the foul to fup with him? Is not
here eating and drinking in his Father's kingdom ?
Doth he not firft deftroy the devil's kingdom, and
then fet up his own kingdom ? And doth he not fall
with the foul, and feaft with the foul, in the kingdom
which he fets up there ? Oh ! that all men knew how
near he who is eternal life, is to them ! Doth not God
fearch the heart ? Is not he near the heart ? Doth not
his light fhine there, in the midft of man's darknefs
and corruption ? Doth not his power reach thither,
and affault and trouble the enemy ? Doth not his pure
love wherewith he loveth man pierce thither ? Doth
he not knock ? Doth he not call ? Doth he not touch ?
Doth he not draw ? Doth he not give, at times, fomc
living tender {tnCe to many hearts, who too muclr
negleft and defpife him, and regard not the day of his
tender vifiting them, and calling after them ? Oh I
how is the love of God, the Spirit of God, the life
of God, the wifdom of God, the power of God, the
drawings and inftrudtions of his grace day by day
refifted by the wifdom and will of the flefh, in thofe
that are born thereof, and hearken thereto, and fo live
after the flefh, and not after that which reproves the
-flefh ?

Many more fcriptures might be mentioned, and
alfo fenfibly and livingly witnefTed toj but thcfe arc
enough to give a tafte. The Lord open mens un-
derftandings into the thing itfelf, and give them the
key which opens into the truth, even into the myftery
thereof, wherein is the hidden life and virtue. Amen.

A few

394 Postscript to the Experiences*

A few words concermng the true Chrifi ', how it
may be certainly and infallibly known which is he.

This queftion relates not to his outward appearance,
in the days of his flelli j but to his inward and fpiritual
appearance, how it may be known. To which the
anfwer on nny heart is, Even after the fame way, and
by the fame means is he to be known in his inward
appearance, as he was known in his outward; which
was by the revealing of the Father. For " none
" knows the Son but by the Father, and he to whom
" the Father reveals him." And when Simon Peter
confeffed him to be Chrift, the Son of the living God,
" BlefTed (faid he) art thou, Simon Bar-Jonaj for
<* flefh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but
<' my Father which is in heaven," Matth. xvi.

And if none could know Chrift in his appearance
in the flefh, notwithftanding fo many manifeft and
exprefs prophecies concerning him, but fuch only to
■whom the Father revealed him ; how fhall any know
his inward and fpiritual appearance, unlefs they be
taught of the Father, and hear and learn of him fo
to do ?

But more particularly to fliew how the Father re-
vealed his Son, and how they came to know in that
day that he was the Son of the living God, the Holy
One, the anointed Saviour ; and that the fame way,
and by the fame means, people that will truly know
him, muftcome to the knowledge of him now;

Firft, They came to know him by the manifeftation
of the life that was in him, by the fulnefs of the grace
and truth which dwelt in him, and put itfelf forth,
fo as to be difcerned by the inward and fpiritual eye
in them. "For the life was manifefted," i John i. 2,
The life which was in him was manifefted to the fpi-
ritual eye which was in them : ^nd thus they came ta
Icnow him,

Secondlyj^

Postscript to the Experiences. 395

Secondly, By his voice and knocks. Thus faid he
concerning his fheep in thole days, " that they knew
*' his voice," John x. 4. Oh ! he hath fuch a voice,
as none hath but he ! He fpeaks in his Father's au-
thority (not as the fcribes, not as earthly-wife, learned
men) ; he fpeaks in the evidence and demon ftration
of God's Spirit. The words which he fpeaks are
Spirit and life; they that hear his voice live; and
when he (lands at the door and knocks, he pierceth
deep.

(Dh ! the beatings of his hand upon the tender and
fenfible hearts and confciences ! Oh ! his fecret re-
proofs, his fecret inftructions, his fecret quickenings
and enlightenings ! How did they, and how do they,
eternally make him manifeft in the hearts and confci-
ences of his ?

Thirdly, By his baptifm, or by his baptizing into
his own Spirit and power. While people were in ex-.
pe6lation, and mufed in their hearts of John, whether
he were the Chrift or not, John anfwers the cafe, and
tells them how they might difcern and know the true
Chrift. It is not I, who baptize with water; but he
that baptizeth *' with the Holy Ghoft, and with fire;
** whole fan is his hand," &c. Luke iii. 15, 16, ly.
Was not this then, and is not this now, the way to
know the true Chrift ? He that knoweth him who
inwardly and fpiritually baptizeth, him who hath the
fan, who inwardly fanneth and purgeth the floor,
gathering in the wheat, and burning up the chaff,
dotli not he inwardly, truly, and fpiritually know
Chrift? He that knoweth the word, which is quick
and powerful, and (harper than any two-edged fvvord,
piercing, even to the dividing afunder of foul and
Ipirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a dif-
cerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart; doth
not he know " the word which was in the beginning,
" which was with God," yea, "which was God?"
For he is the only fcarcher of the heart, and trier of
the reins.

Fourthly,

^g6 Postscript to the Experiences.

Fourthly, By his mighty works. " The works
" which the Father hath given me to finifh, the fame
" works that I do, bear witnefs of me, that the Fa-
•* ther hath fent me," John v. 36. And when John
fent two of his difciples to Jefus with this queftion :
" Art thou he that fhould come, or look we for an-
" other ?" Chrift bids them go and tell John what
things they had feen and heard ; " how that the blind
** fee, the lame walk, the lepers are cleanfed, the
" deaf hear, the dead are raifed, to the poor the
" gofpel is preached ; and bleffed is he whofoever
*' fhall not be offended in me," Luke vii. 22, 23.
** Why herein is a marvellous thing," (faid the blind
frian) " that ye know not from whence he is, and
*' yet he hath opened my eyes" John ix. 10. He
who hath the power, and putteth forth the power in-
wardly; who openeth the inward eye, the inward ear,
loofeth the inward tongue, caufeth the inward feet to
walk in the way of life, and the inward hands to work
the works of God; he is the Mefliah, the Saviour,
the Word of life, the Son of the living God. They
that believe in him, in his Spirit, in his power, in his
inward appearance, have the witnefs in themfelves, the
living tcftimony, which none can put out, or take
away from them. He hath opened mine eyes, he
hath opened my heart, he hath raifed me out of the
grave, he hath given me eternal life. He hath
changed me inwardly, created me inwardly, by the
working of his mighty power ; and I daily live, and
am preferved, and grow by the fame power. I feel
his life, his virtue, his power, his prefence day by
day. He is with me, he lives in me; and 1 live not
of myfelf, but by feeling him to live in me, finding
life fpring up from him into me, and through me ; and
therein lies all my ability and flrength for evermore.

Afsm

Postscript to the Experiences, 397

A few words in the bowels of tender love and good'
will to my natroe country.

It is written, " When thy judgmeats are in the
" earth, the inhabitants of the world fliall leara
" righceoufnefs." Oh ! that this might be verified
concerning thee, O England ! even that thou mightefl:
learn rigiUeoufnefs, and that the days of thy untight-
eoufnefs mioiht come to an end ! Have not God's

O

judgments been upon thee ? Yea, are not God's judg-
ments (till upon thee ? And can any thing divert thenti
from coming more upon thee, but thy fpeedy return-
ing unto the Lord, in breaking off thy fins by un-
feigned repentance? Oh! -that thou mighteft be fen-
fible of the hand of the Lord, and mighteft hear the •
rod, and him who hath appointed it ! The Lord hath
power over all nations, and can break them in pieces
as a potter's vefiel. They are but as the drop of a
bucket, as the fmail dull of the balance j they are
before him as nothing, and are counted to him lefs
than nothing, and vanity.

Read Ifai. xxiv. fee how God will plead with na-
tions, and confidcr whether he be not dealing thus
with thee ? Oh ! hath not that been found in thee,
and is not that found in thee, which provoketh the
Lord exceedingly ? Oh ! that the weighty fenfe of thy
fins were upon thee, and that thou mighteft truly re-
pent, and turn from them; that thou mighteft reap
the benefit of God's judgments, and learn righteouf-
nefs, and his indignation might be removed from
thee, and his tender bowels of companion m.ove to-
wards thee.

But perhaps fome may fay. What is the rigbteoufnefs
we Jhould learn ?

AnJ, Oh ! learn to know God ; that is a righteous
thing. Learn to fear God ; learn to worfliip him
aright. How is that ? Why in his own Spirit and
truth, in which he leeks to be worlhippcd. Learn

humility

398 PoSTSCRIPt TO THE EXPERIENCES.

humility towards God j learn juftice and mercy towards
men; learn to love thy enemies. If ye will be Chrif-
tians, that is the law of Chrift j but that which is
called the Chriftian world, many of them have not
yet learned fo much as to love their friends : but hate
and perfecute fuch as fear the Lord, and feek their
good, and ftand in the gap to keep back the wrath
of the Lord from breaking in upon them, and are
wreftling mightily with him, with ftrong cries, that
he would ftay the fharpneft thereof, that it might not
break forth to their dcftrudion.

Learn to do to others as ye would be done to.
Do not do to any, becaufe of their religion and ten-
der confciences towards the Lord, what ye would not
have done to yourfelves becaufe of your religion.
How long will it be ere ye learn this ? How many
judgments and diftrefles fhall come upon you, before
ye bow in fpirit under the mighty hand of God, and
yield yourfelves in fubmiffion to him, to learn thefe
things of him ?

Queft. But how JhaJl we learn right e oufnefs ?

Anf. Retire inwardly to that, and hearken inwardly
to that, which gives the fenfe of judgments, and
learn of that ; and that will wean you inwardly from
all your unrighteoufnefs, and teach you righteouf-
nefs. There is that inwardly in the unregenerate which
hardens and mi (leads i there is alfo that inwardly
which tenders, melts, teacheth, and leadeth aright, as
it is believed in and obeyed.

Oh ! that men knew the difference between thefe
two, and how to turn from the one to the other ! For
out of the heart proceeds all that is evil and vain,
and out of the heart are the ilTues of life alfo. The
well or puddle of the muddy waters, of the waters of
Egypt, of the wine of Sodom, and waters of Babylon,
is there; and the well and ciftern of the pure waters
is there alfo.

Oh ! my native country, that thou mighteft be the
firft nation in this age of the world that might pafs
through the judgments of God, and be cleanfed

thereby.

Postscript to the Experiences. 399

thereby, and be happy ! Oh ! that thy rulers and go-
vernors were weaned from the fpirit and wifdom of
this world, and might receive of God's holy Spirit
and wifdom, and judge and govern themfelves and
the people thereby ! When the Jew outward was
chofen to be the people of God, did not he pour out
of his Spirit to govern them by ? Were the judges,
kings, and leaders thereof only anointed with outward
oil ? Were they not alfo anointed with God's Spirit ?
And can any Chriftian magiflrate govern aright any
Chriftian nation without the afliftance and guidance
of the fame Spirit ? And oh ! that all the people
were anointed alfo, that they might be inwardly kings
and priefts to the Lord, and the kingdom of Chrifl
might be inwardly fet up in all their hearts, and every
man might reign, in and through him, over the ene-
mies of his own foul ! Oh ! that the power and glory
of the Lord might cover thy governors and inhabit-
ants, O England! Oh! the prayers that have been
long put up in bowels of tendernefs for thee ! Oh I
the befom of the Lord, the befom of his righteous
judgments, that it might fweep the hearts of men in-
wardly, that this nation might be prepared for the
glory of the Lord (for the glory which he reveals in
his heavenly birth) to break forth outwardly, to the
admiration and m.agnifying of the work of his power
m the eyes of all beholders ! Amen, Amen.

T II E

THE

FLESH and BLOOD

O F

CHRIST,

In the Mystery and in the Outward,

Briefly, plainly, and uprightly Acknowledged,
and Teftified to ;

P'or the Satisfadion and Benefit of the Tender-hearted,.

WHO

Defire to Experience the Q^iickening, Healing, and Cleanfing
V1K.TUE of it.

WITH

A Brief Account concerning the People called Quakers,
in Reference both to Principle and Doctrine.

Whereunto are added,

Some few other Things, which, by the Bleffing of God, may be
experimentally found ufeful to the true Pilgrims and faithful
Travellers out of the Nature and Spirit of this World.

Written in true Love and Tcndernefs of Spirit by

ISAAC PENINGTON.

" And without Controverfy great is the Myftery of Godlinefs. God was ma-
«' nifeft in tlic flcfh, juftified in the Spirit, fccn of angel*, preached unto the Gcn-
*' tiles, believed on in the world, received up into Glory," i Tim. iii. 16.

" Of whom are the Fathers, and of w^hom as concerning the Fleflj Chrlrt:
*' came, who is over all, God blelleJ for ever. Amen." Rom. ix. 5.

Vol. III. C c

• %

[ 403 1
THE

PREFACE.

HAVING been lately at London, upon occafion
of a meeting between fome of the people called
Quakers, and fome of the people called Anabap-
tists, and other confederates, wherein I was fame-
what concerned, being charged or brought in by
Thomas Hicks, in his fecond book of Dialogues,
called Continuationy p. 4. to prove, that the Quakers.
account the blood of Chrift no more than a common
thing ; and having been at that meeting to clear my
innocency in that particular; but the thing not then
coming in queftion, and I being to return to my ha-
bitation in the country (though I ftaid alfo a fecond
meeting for that purpofe) i it was on my heart, in
the clearnefs and innocency thereof, to give forth this
teftimony, to take off that untruth and calumny of
T. H. both from the people called Quakers, and
myfelf J being both of us greatly therein injured, as
the Lord God of heaven and earth knoweth. I have
had experience of that defpifed people for many years,
and I have often heard them (even the ancient ones
of them) own Chrift both inwardly and outwardly.
Yea, I heard one of the ancients of them thus teftify,
in a publick meeting ftiany years fince, That if Chrift
had not come in the flefli, in the fulnefs of time, to
bear our fins in his own body on the tree, and to
offer himfelf up a facrifice for mankind, all mankind
had utterly perifhed.

What caufe then have we to praife the Lord God,
for fending his Son, in the likenefs of finful flefh,
and for what his Son did therein ! O profelTors ! do
not pervert our words (by reading them with a preju-

C c 2 diced

[ 404 ]

diced mind) quite contrary to the drift of God's
Spirit by us ! If ye fliould thus read the holy fcrip-
tures, yea, the very words of Chrift himfelf therein,
and give that wifdom of yours which fights againft us
fcope to comment upon them, and perverts them after
this manner, what a ftrange and hideous appearance
of untruth and contradiftion to the very fcriptures of
the Old Teftament might ye make of that wonderful
appearance of God ? For the words of Chrift feemed
fo foolifh and impoflible to the wife men of that
age, that they frequently contradided, and fometimes
derided him.

If we be not of God, we fliall come to nought j
nay, we had not ftood to this day, if his mighty
power had not upheld us. We could not have ftood
inwardly, nor could we have ftood outwardly, againft
the fierce aflaults we have met with both ways. And
as we have not had by-ends to move us inwardly, fo
neither have we had by-ends to move us outwardly,
as our God knoweth.

Ohl T. H. doft thou believe the eternal judgment
at the great day, not outwardly only in notion, but
inwardly in heart ? Oh 1 then confider how thou wilt
anfwer it to God, for faying fo many things in the
name of a people, as their belief and words, which
never were fpoken by any one of them, nor ever came
into any one of their hearts 1 Innocency in me, life in
me, truth in me, the Chriftian fpirit and nature in
me, is a witnefs againft thee, that thou wroteft thy
dialogues out of the Chriftian nature and fpirit j and
thy brethren, William Kiffin and the reft, who have
ftood by thee to juftify thee, (or at leaft feemed fo to
do) muft take notice of thefe things, and condemn
them i.n thee, or they will expofe themfelves (and
their religion) to the righteous judgment of God, and
of all who love truth, and hate forgery and deceit.

I pity thee -, yea, I can truly fay, I forgive thee
the injury thou haft done me (though indeed it is
very great, thus to reprefent me publickly ; what
thou couldft not have done, if thou hadft equally

confidered

[ 40J ]

confidered the things written in that book) ; and I alfo
define that thou mayell be fenfible of what thou haft
fo evilly done, and confcfs it before God, that he alfo
might forgive thee. Oh ! I would not bear the weight
of this fin at the judgment feat of Chrift for ten
thoufand worlds ! And that thefe books fhould be fo
long publick, and thy brethren take no notice of
them, but rather at laft apply themfelves to juftify
thee, oh 1 how will they anfwer this thing, when they
come to anfwer it for ever ! Oh 1 why will ye fet up
an intereft againft our Lord Chrift, (who is the truth,
and teacheth truth) and bend all your ftrengch and
underftanding to make lies, falfhoods, and forgeries to
appear as if they were truth, and not forgeries ?

[{ ye will judge yourfelves, and repent of thefe
things, ye fhall not be condemned of the Lord ; but
if ye will go on, to cover and hide this great iniquity,
ye (hall not profper therein.

As for my particular, I had committed my caufe to
the Lord, and intended to have been wholly filent,
knowing my innocency will be cleared by him in this
particular at the great day, and the love, truth, and
uprightnefs wherein I wrote thefe things owned by him.

But in the love of God, and in the ftillnefs and ten-
dernefs of my fpirit, I was moved by him to write
what follows. And oh ! that it would pleafe the Lord
to make it ferviceable even to T. H. himfelf, for his
good.

C c 3 THE

t 406 ]

THE

Flefti and Blood of Chrift, Sec.

IN the fecond part of Thomas Hicks's Dialogues^
called Continuation, p. 4. he maketh his perfonated
Quaker fpeak thusj Thou fayeft, we account the blood
of Chrijl no more than a common thing ; yea, no more than
the blood of a common thief. To which he makes his
perfonated Chriftian anfwer thus : Ifaac Penington {who
Ifuppofe is an approved ^aker) afks this quejtion ; Can
outward blood cleanfe? 'Therefore faith he, we muji en-
quire, whether it was the blood of the veil, that is, of the
human nature, or the blood within the veil, viz. of that
fpiritual man, confifting of flejh, blood, and bones, which
took on him the veil, or human nature. It is not the blood
of the veil', that is but outward; and can outward blood
cleanfe ?

Now to fatisfy any that defire to underftand the
truth as it is, and to know what the intent of my
heart and words (as fpoken by me) was, I Ihall firft
fay fomewhat to his dating the queftion, and then
open my heart nakedly and plainly, as it then was,
and ftill is, in this matter.

Firft, I anfwer, thefe were not my words, which he
hath fet down as mine ; but words of his own patch-
ing up, partly out of feveral queries of mine, and
partly out of his own conceivings upon my queries, as
if he intended to make me appear both ridiculous
and wicked at once. For I no where fay, or affirm,
or did ever believe, that Chrift is a fpiritual man,
confifting of flelh, blood, and bones, which took on

him

The Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c. 407

him the veil of human nature. Thus he reprefents
me as ridiculous. It is true, Chrift inwardly, or as to
his inward being, was a Spirit, or God blefled for
ever, manifefted in flefli j which (to fpeak properly)
cannot have flelh, blood, and bones, as man hath.
And then, befides his alterations at the beginning,
putting in only four words of my query, and leav-
ing out that which next follows, (which might have
manifefted my drift and intent in them) he puts in an
affirmation which was not mine, in thefe his own
words: // is not the blood of the veil i that is but out'
ward', and then annexeth to this affirmation of his
own, the words of my former query. Can sutward blood
clean/e? As if thefe words of mine (Can outward blood
cleanfe ?) did neceflarily infer that the blood of Chrift
is but a common thing.

Herein he reprefents me wicked, and makes me
fpeak, by his changing and adding, that which never
was in my heart, and the contrary whereto I have
feveral times affirmed in that very book where thofe
feveral queries were put (out of which he forms this
his own query, giving it forth in my name). For
in the loth page of that book, beginning at line j,
I poficively affirm thus : that Chriji did offer up the flejh
and blood of that body (though not only fo, for he
poured out his foul, he poured out his life) a facrifice
. or offering for fin, a facrifice unto the Father^ and in it
tafied death for tvery man ; and that it is upon confideration
(and through God's acceptance of this facrifice for fin)
that the fins of believers are pardoned, that God might be
juji, and the juftlfier of him who believeth in Jefus, or
who is of the faith of Jefus, Is this common flelh and
blood ? Can this be affirmed of common flefli and
blood ? Ought not he to have confidered this, and
other paflages in my book of the fame tendency,
and not thus have reproached me, and mifreprefented
me to the world. Is this a Chriftian fpirit \ or ac-
cording to the law or prophets, or Chrift's do6lrine .^
Doth he herein do as he wolild be done by? Oh ! that
he had a heart to conflder it ! I might alfo except
againft thofe words : human nature, (which he twice

C c 4 putteth

4o8 The Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c.

piitteth in) being not my words, nor indeed my fenfe ;
for by human nature, as I judge, is underftood more
than the body : whereas I, by the word veil, intended
no more than the flefh, (or outward body) which in
fcripture is exprefsly fo called, Heb. x. 20. through
the veil, that is to Jay y his flejh.

Secondly, I cannot but take notice of this, that he
hath not cited the place, page, or pages j nay, not fo
much as named the book, where thofe words or fay-
ings which he attributeth to me are written ; whereby
any perfons that are not willing to take things upon
bare report, (efpecially in fo deep charges, reflecting
not only upon one perfon, but a whole people) might
confult the place, and fee whether they were my words
or no; and whether the queries I did put (indeed to
the hearts of people) had any fuch drift or no,
and might compare the words (if they were mine)
both with what went before, and alfo followed after ;
and with what was faid in feveral other places of the
book, which fpeak of Chrifl's flefh and blood as of
no common thing, but as that which God makes ufe
of toward the redemption of mankind.

Thirdly, The drift of all thofe queries in that book
was not to vilify the flefli and blood of Chrifl:, by re-
prefenting it as a common or ufelefs thing, but to
bring people from fl:icking in the outward, to a fenfc
of the inward myfl:eryj without which inward fenfe
and feeling, the magnifying and crying up the out-
ward doth not avail. Indeed, at that time, I was in
a great exercife concerning profeflTors : love was deeply
working in my heart; and I was in a very tender
frame of fpirit towards them, as any may perceive,
who, in the fear of God, and in meeknefs of fpirit,
(hall read that book (it is entitled, J ^ejiion to the
Profejfors of Chrijliamty, whether they have the true,
living, powerful^ faving knowledge of Chrifl, or no, i^c.)
And in this tender frame, in the midft: of my crying
to God for them, thofe queries, from a true fenfe and
underftanding, fprang up in my heart, even to necef-
fitate them, if pofllble, to fomc fenfe of the myfl:ery,

which

The Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c. 409

which there is an abfolute necefllty of unto trueChrif-
tianity and falvation. This was the very intent of
my heart in the feveral queries, which generally fpeak.
of one and the fame thing, under feveral metaphors
and figures. And that this was my intent, thcfe words
following, in the fecond page of my preface to that
book, do plainly exprefs ; the words are thefe : Now
to draw mens 'minds to afenfe of truths to afenfe of that
which is the things that they might know the bread indeed,
that they might knoiv the living waters^ come to them and
drink thereof and find Cbrijl in them a well of water
fpringing up to eternal life •, therefore was it in my heart
to give forth this queftion and the enfuing queries^ which
he that rightly anfwers^ mujl know the thing ; and he that
doth not know the things by his inability to an/wer, may
find that he doth not^ andfo may wait upon Gody that be
may receive the knowledge of it, and come to it, for the
eternal life which it freely giveth.

And that I did mean the myftery, when I fpake of
bread, water, the wine, the live coal from the altar,
the leaves of the tree of life, the putting on Chrift,
the flelh and blood of Ciirift, &c. is very plain to
him that reads fingly. But to make it manifeft, par-
ticularly concerning the ^^^a and blood of Chrift, I
fhall recite one query-, it is the 33d query, page 29.
The query is thus : Is not the true church flefh of ChrijVs
fiefh, and bone of his bone? Is not the falfe or antichrijiian
church fleflj of Antichriji's flejh^ and bone of Antichrift's
bone ? IVhat is the flejh of the fpiritual wkore^ which is
to be Jlripped naked and burnt with fire ? Shall ever the
churchy which is of Cl.rifi^s flefh ^ be ftripped naked and
burnt with fire ? Nay^ doth not his flejh make able to abide
the devouring fir ey and to dwell with the ever lafling burnings?
Can this poITibly be underftood of outward flefh and
bone? Is it not manifeftly intended of flefii and bone
in the myftery ? Yea, that it did relate to the myftery,
in that very query, out of which he takes the four firft
words, and no more, is very manifeft by the follow-
ing words of the fame query. It is the 17th query,
page 25. The query runs thus ; Can outward blood

cleanfe

410 The Flesh aitd Blood of Christ, &c.

cleanje the confcience ? Te thai are fpiritual, confider j can
outward water wajh the foul clean ? Te that have ever
felt the blood of Jprinkling from the Lord upon your con^
JcienceSy and your conjciences cleanjed thereby, did ye ever
feel it to be outward ? It is one thing what a man appre-
hends {in the way of notion) from the letter concerning
the things of Gody and another thing what a man feels in
Spirit. Is it not manifeft, by the exprefs words them-
felvcs, that I fpake of the inward feeling of the blood
in the myftery ?

Fourthly, This query. Can outward blood cleanfe the
confciencCy &c. doth not neceflarily, nor indeed at all
infer, that the blood of Chrift, as to the outward, was
but a common thing, or ufelefs. If I had been to
anfwer this query myfelf, he doth not know what my
anfwer would have been. It was put to the profefTors
to anfwer inwardly in their hearts, who 1 did believe,
upon ferious confideration, could not but confefs, in
way of anfwer thereto, that outward blood itfelf (or
of itfelf) could not cleanfe and purge away the filth
that was inward j but that muft be done by that which
is inward, living, and fpiritual. Then hereby they
had been brought to fee the neceflity of the myftery,
the Spirit, the power, the life of the Son, to be in-
wardly revealed in them ; and then I had obtained my
end. Nor was I their enemy in defiring or aiming at
this for them, or in fetting queries before them, which
to my eye (as in the fight of God) feemed proper and
conducible in themfelves (however they might fail as
to them) towards the obtaining of this end. And if
they could once come to this, to own the flefh and
blood in the myftery, and fo come to partake of its
cleanfing and nourilhing virtue, and not fix and ap-
propriate that to the outward which chiefly belongs to
the myftery ; 1 fay, if they could but go thus far
with me, in owning the inward life and power in the
fenfible feeling and operation thereof, I could meet
them a great way in fpeaking glorious things of, and
attributing a cleanfing or wafhing virtue to the out-
ward, in, and through, and with the inward. For I

do

The Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c. 411

do not feparate the inward and outward in my own
mind , but the Lord opened my heart, and taught me
thus to diflinguifh, according to the fcriptures, in love
to them, and for their fakes. For that was not my
intent to deny the outward, or make it appear as a
common or ufelefs thing. There was never fuch a
fenfe in my heart, nor was ever word written or
fpoken by me to that end ; which, to make more ma-
nifeft, I Ihall now plainly open my heart, how it hath
been, and is ftill with me in this refpe6l, fince ic
pleafed the Lord and Father of mercies to reveal the
myftery of himfelf and of his Son in me.

In the firft place, I freely confefs, that I do own
and acknowledge, as in God's fight, our Lord Jesus
Christ, his flesh and blood in the mystery.
The apoftlc Paul fpeaks of the myftery of God, and
of the Father, and of Chrift, Coloflf. ii. 2. The Son
was revealed in him. Gal. i. 16. and fo he knew the"
myftery of Chrift, and preached the myftery of Chrift,
Colofl'. iv. 3. He was made an able minifter of the
new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit or
myftery ; and fo he preached the wifdom of God in
the myftery or Spirit, i Cor. ii. 7. 2 Cor. iii. 6.
Coloft". i. 25, 26, 27. and he had great conflift to
bring people to the rich knowledge and acknowledg-
ment of the myftery, chap. ii. i, 2. He was fent to
turn men from darknefs, and from the power of Satan
(which is a myftery, and works in mens hearts in a
myftery) to the light, to the Spirit and power of God,
which is a myftery alfo -, and remiftion of fins is re-
ceived in and through this myftery, A6ls xxvi. 18.
And I deftre every ferious and tender heart to confider,
whether this knowledge of Chrift in the myftery, was
not that which he called the excellency of the know-
ledge of Jefus Chrift his Lord, Phil. iii. 8. Certain
I am, that the knowledge of God and Chrift in the
myftery, is the moft excellent knowledge, and no Icfs
than life eternal, inwardly revealed and felt from God
in the heart. And here no legal righteoufnefs, no
felf-righteoufnefs can ftand -, but the virtue and power

of

412 The Flesm and Blood of Christ, &c;

of Chrift's death and refurreftion, inwardly revealed
and felt in the myftery, fubdues and deftroys it all.
Indeed fclf-righreoufnefs may be given up in the way
of notion, or feemingly deftroyed as to nnens appre-
henfions, without the revealing or working of the
myftery ; but it cannot be deftroyed in reality but
where this is felt : but where the myftery is known,
is received, and thoroughly works, felf-righteoufnefs
can have no place there. Now the apoftlc, who was
acquainted with the myftery of Chrift, he fpeaks of
his body, fleftj, and bones, in the myftery, Eph. v.
30. (and if there be flefli and bones in the myftery, is
there not alfo blood in the myftery ?) yea, the apoftle
John fpeaks of the Spirit, water, and blood, i John
V, 8. Now confider ferioufly, are all thefcof one and
the fame nature ? or are they of a different nature ?
the Spirit of one nature, and the water and blood of
another nature ? Blelfed be the Lord, the birth which
is born of the Spirit, and is fpiritual, knoweth the
nature of the Spirit which begat it, and knoweth wa-
ter which is inward and heavenly, and blood which is
not at all of an inferior nature to it : and Jefus Chrift,
our Lord and teacher, fpeaketh of flefti which came
down from heaven, which flefti is the bread of life,
which he that lives, feeds upon, and none can feed
upon but they that live. And by this it is manifeft
(to all to whom God hath given underftanding in the
myftery) that his flefti and blood in the myftery is
intended by him, in that he faith, " He that eateth
*« my flefh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in mc,
** and I in him,'* John vi. 56, This dwelling in each
other is an efi'ed of the myftery, and is witneflied by
none that know not the myftery- And to this effcd:
Chrift himfelf cxprefsly expoundeth it, ver. 6^' " It
«« is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flefti profiteth
" nothing: the words that I fpeak to you, they are
" Spirit, and they are life." As if he had faid, I am
fpeaking of the foul's food; I am fpeaking of the
heavenly bread j I am fpeaking of Spirit and life j I
am fpeaking of th« myftery, which ye look upon and

undcrftand

The Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c. 413

nnderftand as outwardly intended by me, and fo mifs
of the niyitery of the Spirit, wherein is the quicken-
ing virtue, and look only at the outward body or flefh,
which, without the Spirit, profiteth not, nor ever can
profit man.

Secondly, I confefs further, that I have the fcnfe,
experience, and knowledge of this alfo, that in the
myftery is the quickening virtue, the cleaning virtue,
the nourifhing virtue, unto life eternal. The Spirit,
the watf^r, the blood inwardly fprinkled, inwardly
poured by God upon the foul, inwardly felt and drunk
in by the thirfty earth, do cleanfe, do feed, do nou-
rifh, do refredi. Doth not God promife to fprinklc
clean water upon his Ifrael in the new covenant, and
they j(hall be clean ? and to pour water on him that is
thirfly, and floods upon the dry grounds ? Is it not
by the fpirit of judgment and burning, that God
■wafheth away the filch of the daughter of Sion, &c.
Ifai. iv. 4. Doth not the live coal from the altar
purify and take away the iniquity? Ifai. vi. Oh! read
inwardly ! Oh ! wait to be taught of God to read in-
wardly, that ye may know what thefe things mean !
Why fhould ye quarrel at the precious and tender open-
ings of truth, in love to you^ fouls ?

Thirdly, 1 have likewife this fenfe, and have alfo
had this knowledge and experience, that the outward
without this cannot avail. A man is not cleanfed by
notions or apprehenfions concerning the thing, but by
the thing itfelf. Let a nian believe what he can con-
cerning the blood of Chrift, and apply to himfelf
what promifcs he can, yet this v;ill not do, (Oh ! how
grievoufly do men miftake herein !) but he muft feel
fomewhat from God, fomewhat of the new creation in
Chrift Jefus, fomewhat of his light, (fhining from him
the Son into the heart) fomewhat of his life, fome-
what of his power, working againft the darknefs and
power of the enemy in him. Now a man being turned
to this, joined to this, gathered to this flandard of the
Lord, tranflated in fome degree out of himfelf into
this i here fomewhat of the myftery is revealed, and

found

414 The Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c,

found working in him ; and Co far he is of God, and
hath fome true underftanding from him. And here
alfo he hath right to Chrift's flefli and blood in the
outward, and to all the benefits and precious effe6ls
that come thereby. For by owning the myftery, and
receiving the myftery, we are not taught of God to
deny any thing of the outward flefli and blood, or of
his obedience and fufferings in the flefli, but rather are
taught and enabled there rightly to underftand it,
and to reap the benefits and precious fruits of it.

Fourthly, The Lord hath fliewn me this alfo, very
manifefl:ly and clearly, that in former times, (in this
nation as well as clfewhere) before profeffors ran fo
into heaps, (I mean, into feveral ways and forms of
church-fellowfliip fo called) they had more inward
fenfe of the myftery than now they have j and were a
great deal more tender (both unto the Lord, and one
towards another) than now they are. For then grace
in the heart, and the inward feeling, was the thing
that was mofl; minded among the fl:rider fort. They
did mind fo much bare reading, or hearing, or pray-
ing, or any outward obfervation whatfoever, as what
they felt therein. Let men have fpoken ever fo many
glorious words concerning the things of God ; yet, if
they had not been fpoken warmly and freflily by him
that fpoke them, there was little fatisfadtion to the
foul that hungered after that which was living, but
rather an inward grief and diflfatisfadlion felt : fo that
in that day there was an inward fenfe of the myftery^,
(though not a diftind knowledge of it) which was
precious in the eye ot God, and very favoury inwardly
in the heart. But now, in fo long time, by looking
fo much outward, and beating their brains, and dif-
puting about the outward, many have very much (if
not wholly) loft the fenfe of the inward, and are found
contending for the outward, againft the very appear-
ance and manifeftation of the inward; and foare in
danger of being hardened and fealed up in that which
is dead and literal, out of the limits of that which is
living and fpiritual. It is a dreadful thing to fight

againft

The Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c. 415

againft the living God, and his living appearance in
the hearts of thofe whom he choofeth, in any age or
generation. The Lord hath been pleafed to bring us (a
poor defpifcd remnant) back to that which firft gave us
life, in the days of our former profefTion. Oh I that yc
were brought thither alfo, that that might remove the
veil, hardnefs, darknefs, and deep prejudices from
you J which can never be removed while ye ftick in
literal apprehenfions, without the light and teachings
of God's Spirit ! Now as touching the outward,
which ye fay we deny, becaufe of our teftimony to
the inward, I have frequently given a moft folemn
teftimony thereto ; and God knoweth it to be the truth
of my heart; and that the teftifying to the inward
(from which the outward came) doth not make the
outward void, but rather eftablilh it in its place and
fervice. God himfelf, who knew what virtue was in '
the inward, yet hath pleafed to make ufe of the out-
ward; and who may contraditl or flight his wifdom
and counfel therein ? Glorious was the appearance and
manifeftation of his Son in flefh ; precious his fubjec-
tion and holy obedience to his Father; his giving
himfelf up to death for finners was of great cfteem
in his eye ! It was a fpotlefs facrifice of great value,
and efFeftual for the remifTion of fins : and I^do ac-
knowledge humbly unto the Lord the remiflion of my
fins thereby, and blefs the Lord for it; even for giv-
ing up his Son to death for us all, and giving all that
believe in his name and power to partake of remiffion
through him.

And feeing it is thus with me: feeing the root of
the matter is in me. Oh ! how can any man, that
hopes to be redeemed by my Lord and Saviour, re-
proach me for fpeaking of the myftery, witliout the
leaft derogation to the outward, or what was done by
him in the outward ! But if I fhould fpeak vehe-
mently concerning mens neglefting the myftery, and
fetting up that which is outward inftead of it and
without it, I fhould not be condemned, but juftified
of the Lord in fo doing. Indeed there is a great and

weighty

4i6 The Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c.

weighty charge from God's Spirit upon the profeflbrs
of this age, for departing from the inward, (I mean
that fweet fenfe, which, in fomc meafure, God gave
them in former times of the inward) and magnifying
and ftriving to eftablifti that which they apprehend
concerning the outward, without it, and againfl it.
Oh ! that it were otherwife with them, that God may
not have this charge to manage againft them, when at
the great day they are to appear before him, and be
judged by him ! When all that have flighted or fpoken
contemptuoufly of his Son's appearance in flefh, and
ftave not come to a fenfe thereof, and repentance for
it, Ihall be condemned ; and they that have flighted
or fpoken contemptuoufly of his appearance in Spirit,
fhall not be juftified : which appearance is now made
manifeft in the hearts of many, bleflTed be the Lord
for it ! Oh ! what cries have been in my heart many
years concerning you, O ye profefTors of all forts who
have had any tendernefs towards the Lord ! th«t ye
might fee and know the Lord Chrift i and confcfs him
in Spirit, in the myftery, even in his inward appear-
ance in the heart, and might feel his redeeming power
and virtue there, and fo be brought into union and
fcUowfhip with him !

The Conclusion of the First Part,

THERE is a precious promife of God's making
a feaft of fat things on his holy mountain, and
of deftroying there the face of the covering, caft over
all people, and the veil that is fpread over all nations,
Ifaiah xxv. 6, 7. Now, what is this mountain ? Was
there not a Mount Sion under the law, which was
figurative ? and is there not a Mount Sion under the
gofpel, which is the fubfl:ance of that figure ? and did
not the Chrifliians in the apoflles days, who were
called of God and fandtified, come tp this Mount

Sion,

The Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c. 417

Sion, and the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerufalem, where they had fellowfhip with God the
Judge of all, and with Jefus the Mediator of the
new covenant, &c. ? Heb. xii. 22, 24. And was not
the veil here done away in him who was their Lord,
their light, their life, their ftrength, their fun of right-
eoufnefs, their bright and morning ftar ? fo that with
open face they could behold the glory of the Lord,
and were changed thereby into his heavenly image,
from glory to glory, 2 Cor. iii. 18.

But alas! how hath that life, Spirit, and power been
loft, fince the days of the apoftles ! Men have ftill
owned the apoftles words, and formed many notions
and apprehenfions out of the letter, but loft the apo-
ftle's fpirit, loft the knowledge of the holy mountain,
where the veil is taken av/ay, and where the feaft
of fat things is made ; and fo are only dreaming ,
about eating and drinking fpiritually, buc know not
what it is to feed on the living fubftance. And fo (be-
ing ignorant of that) the veil is over their hearts
while they read the prophets words, and Chrift's and
his apoftles words } and the myftery of life, and of
the redeeming power, is hid from their eyes : and
that which God intended to them for a table, is be-
come their fnare (as it was with the Jews) -, and their
back is fo bowed down under the loads and burdens
of the enemy, that they cannot fo much as hope or
believe in the power of life for redemption therefrom,
but conclude it muft necelfarily be lb with them all
their days.

Oh ! where's the faitli that gives vitftory over the
enemies? Where's the ability in the faith, fo to refift
him as to make him fly? Where's Satan's falling like
lightning? (Oh! his ftrength before the power of
the Lord is but a flafii !) and the God of peace his
treading him under the feet of his faints ? Oh ! where's
that truth, or that knowledge of the Son, which makes
free from him ? (John viii.^ 32, 36.) Where's that
Spirit wherein liberty from his power and fnares is
felt? 2 Cor. iii, 17. Where's living in the Spirit,

Vol. III. D d and

41 8 The Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c.

and walking in the Spirit, and in the pure light of the
Lord, where he cannot come ? Where's reading of the
fcriptures in that which gives to witnefs them, and
which fulfils them in the heart ?

Oh ! the myftery of godlinefs, the power of godli-
nefs, where the life is revealed, and the veil taken
away, and an underftanding given, opened, and kept
open, to read and underftand the fcriptures aright ;
yea, and the hidden glory alfo ! Where it cannot be
laid in truth to thofe that are there. Ye know not the
fcriptures, nor the power of God ; but ye have re-
ceived power to become fons of God, and ye are in
him that is true; who truly opens the fcriptures in
your hearts, and gives you the enjoyment, inheritance,
and pofleffion of the precious promifes, whereby ye
are made partakers of the divine nature, and live in
him who is the head and fpring of that nature. Oh !
that people that profefs Chrift were here ! Oh ! that
they did know him who begets ! and then they would
not be fo ignorant of thofe that are begotten by him ;
but would come into the true faith, into the true love,
into the true knowledge and obedience of him, whom
God hath appointed to guide and govern, and build
up the whole living body. The Lord guide me in-
wardly thither, where the myftery is revealed, and the
fellowfhip with God, and his Son and faints, held in
the myftery ! For our fellowftiip is not in a notional
knowledge concerning Chrift, but in the life itfelf ;
which the Lord God gather his people more and more
into, and build them more and more up in. Amen.

A BRIEF

[ 419 ]

BRIEF ACCOUNT

CONCERNING

The People called QUAKERS,

X N

Reference both to Principle and Doctrine.

We are a People of God's gathering, who (many
of us) had long waited for his Appearance,
and had undergone great Diflrefs for Want
thereof.

Queft. 13 VT Jome may Jay^ What appearance of the
J3 gT"S^t God and Saviour did ye want ?

AnJ. We wanted the prefence and power of his Spi-
rit to be inwardly manifefted in our fpirits. We had
(as I may fay) what we could gather from the letter,
and endeavoured to pradife what we could read in
the letter ; but we wanted the power from on high,
we wanted life, we wanted the prefence and fellowlhip
of our beloved ; we wanted the knowledge of the
heavenly feed and kingdom, and an entrance into it,
and the holy dominion and reign of the Lord of life
over the flefh, over fin and death in us.

Queft. How did God appear to you?

AnJ. The Sun of righteoufnefs did arife in us, the

day-lpring from on high, the morning-flar did vific

D d 2 us.

420 A BRIEF Account concerning the

us, infomuch that we did as really fee and feel the light
and brightnefs of the inward day in our fpirits, as
ever we felt the darknefs of the inward night.

Que ft. How did God gather you?

Anf. By the voice of his Son, by the arm of his
Son, by the virtue of his Son's light and life inwardly
revealed and working in our hearts. This loofed us
inwardly from the darknefs, from the bonds of fin and
iniquity, from the power of the ca'ptiver and deftroyer,
and turned our minds inwardly towards our Lord and
Saviour, to mind his inward appearance, his inward
Ihinings, his inward quickenings ; all which were
frefh from God, and full of virtue. And as we came
to be fenfible of them, join to them, receive and
give up to them, we came to partake of their virtue,
and to witnefs the refcuing and redeeming of our
fouls thereby. So that by hearing the Son's voice,
and following him, we came to find him the way to
the Father, and to be gathered home by him to the
Father's houfe, where is bread enough, and manfions
of reft and peace for all the children of the Moft
High.

Now as touching the blefled principle of truth,
which we have had experience of, and teftify to, (for
how can we conceal fo rich a treafure, and be faithful
to God, or bear true good- will to men !) it is no new
thing in itfelf, though of late more clearly revealed,
and the minds of men more clearly direfted and guided
to it than in former ages. It is no other than that
which Chrift himfelf abundantly preached, who
preached the kingdom, who preached the truth which
makes free, and that under many parables and refem-
blances ; fometimes of a little feed, fometimes of a
pearl or hid tjeafure, fometimes of a leaven or fait,
fometimes of a loft piece of filver, &c. Now what is
this, and where is this to be found ? What is this
which is like a little feed, a pearl, &c. and where is
it to be found ? What is the field ? Is it not the
world, and is not the world fet in man's heart ? What
is the houfe which is to be fwept, and the candle

• ' lighted

People called QJJ A K E R S. 421

lighted in ? Is it not that houie, or heart, where the
many enemies are? A man's enemies, faith Chrifl:,
arc thole of his own houfe. Indeed the teftimony
concerning this was precious to us; but the finding
and experiencing the thing teftified of to be accord-
ing to the teliimony, was much more. And this wc
fay in perfect truth of heart, and in moft tender love
to the fouls of people, that whoever tries, fhall find
this little thing, this little feed of the kingdom, to
be a kingdom, to be a pearl, to be heavenly treafure,
to be the leaven of life, leavening the heart with life,
and with the mod precious oil and ointment of heal-
ing and falvation. So that we teftify to no new thing,
but to the truth and grace which was from the be-
ginning •, which was always in Jefus Chrift, our Lord
and Saviour, and difpenfed by him in all ages and-
generations, whereby he quickened, renewed, and .
changed the heart of the true believers in his inward
and fpiritual appearance in them, thereby deilroying
the enemies of his own houfe, and faving them from
them. For indeed there is no faving the creature,
without deftroying that in the creature, which brings
fpiritual death and deftruclion upon it. Ifrael of old
was faved by the deilroying of their outward enemies;
and Ifrael now (the new Ifrael, the inward Ifrael) is
faved by the deftruction of their inward enemies.
Oh ! that people could come out of their own wifdom,
and wait for God's wifdom, that in it they might
come to fee the glory, the excellency, the exceeding
rich virtue and treafure of life, that are wrapped up in
this principle or feed of life ; and fo might receive it,
give up to it, and come to partake thereof.

And as touching do6lrines, we have no nev^^ doc-
trines to hold forth. The dodrines held forth in the
holy fcriptures are the doctrines that we believe. And
this doth farther feal to us our belief of this princi-
ple, becaufe we find it a key by which God openeth
the fcriptures to us, and give-th us the living fenfe and
evidence of them in our hearts. We fee, and have
felt in it to whom the curfe and wrath belongs -, and

D d 3 to

422 A BRIEF Account concerning the

to whom the love, mercy, peace, bleflings, and pre-
cious promifes belong; and have been led by God's
Holy Spirit and power through the judgments to the
mercy, and to the partaking of the precious promifes.
So that what fhould we publifh any new faith, or any
new dodrines for ? Indeed we have none to publifli j
but all our aim is to bring men to the ancient prin-
ciple of truth, and to the right underltanding and
practice of the ancient apoftolick doctrine and holy
faith once delivered to the faints. Head-notions do
but caufe difputes ; but heart- knowledge, heart-expe-
rience, fenfe of the living power of God inwardly,
the evidence and demonftration of his Spirit in tiie
inward parts, puts an end to difputes, and puts men
upon the inward travel and exercife of fpirit by that
which is new and living, which avails with God. Now
whereas many are offended at us, becaufe we do not
more preach do6lrinal points, or the hiftory of Chrift,
as touching his death, refurreftion, afcenfion, &c. ;
but our declaration and teftimony is chiefly concerning
a principle to diredt and guide mens minds thereto ;
to give a plain account of this thing, as it pieafcth
the Lord to open my heart at this time in love and
good-will to fatisfy and remove prejudices where it
may be -, thus it is in brief,

Firft, That which God hath given us the experience
of, (after our great lofs in the literal knowledge of
things) and that which he hath given us to tcftify of,
is the myftery, the hidden life, the inward and fpiri-
tual appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jcfus Chrift,
revealing his power inwardly, deftroying enemies in-
wardly, and working his work inwardly in the heart.
Oh ! this was the joyful found to our fouls, even the
tidings of the arifing of that Inward life and power
which could do this ! Now this fpiritual appearance
of his was after his appearance in the flefh, and is the
Handing and lafting difpenfation of the gofpel, even
the appearance of Chrift in his Spirit and power in-
wardly in the hearts of his. So that in minding this,
and being faithful in this refpeft, we mind our pecu-
liar

People called QJJ A K E R S. 423

liar work, and are faithful in that which God hath pe-
culiarly called us to, and requireth of us.

Secondly, There is not that need of publilhing the
other as formerly was. The hiftorical relation con-
cerning Chrift is generally believed and received by
all forts that pretend to Chriftianity. His death, his
miracles, his rifing, his afcending, his interceding,
6cc. is generally believed by all people ; but the myf-
tery they mifs of, the hidden life they are not ac-
quainted with, but alienated from the life of God, in
the midft of their literal owning and acknowledging
of thefe things.

Thirdly, The knowledge of thefe, without the
knowledge of the myftery, is not fufficient to bring
them unto God ; for many fet up that which they ga-
ther and comprehend from the relation concerning the
thing, inftead of the thing itfelf, and fo never come,
to a fenfe of their need of the thing itfelf, nay, not
fo far as rightly to feek after it. And fo many arc
builders, and many are built up very high in religion,
in a way of notion and practice, without acquaintance
with the rock of ages, v,^ithout the true knowledge
and underftanding of the foundation and corner-ftone.
My meaning is, they have a notion of Chrift to be
the rock, a notion of him to be the foundation-ftone j
but never come livingly to feel him the rock, to feel
"him the foundation-ftone, inwardly laid in their hearts,
and themfelves made living Hones in him, and built
upon him, the main and fundamental ftone. Where
is this to be felt but within ? And they that feel this
within, do they not feel Chrift within ? And can any
that feel him within, deny him to be within the
ftrength of life, the hope of glory ? Well, it is true
once again, (fpiritually now, as well as formerly li-
terally) *' the ftone which the builders refufed" (Chrift
within, the builders of this age refufc) " is become
*' the head of the corner," who knits together his
fanclified body, his living body, the church, in this
our day, more glorioufly than in the former ages and
generations, blefled be the name of our God.

D d 4 Fourthly,

424 A BRIEF Account concerning the

Fourthly, The myftery, the hidden life, the appear-
ance of Chrill in Spirit, comprehends the [other: and
the other is not loft or denied, but found in it, and
there difcerned or acknowledged nnore clearly and
abundantly. It was to be after it, and comprehends
that which went before it. Paul did not lofe any
thing of the excellent knowledge of Chrift, when he
faid, *' Henceforth know we no man after the flefh -,
'* yea, though we have known Chrift after the fiefti,
** yet henceforth know we him no more." If he did
not know Chrift after the flefti, how did he know him ?
Why as the Father inwardly revealed him. He knew
him in his Spirit and power. He knew his death in-
wardly, he knew his refurreftion inwardly, he knew
the Spirit, the virtue, the power of it inwardly; he
knew the thing in the myftery in his own heart. Oh !
precious knowledge ! Oh ! the excellency of this
knowledge of my Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift !
What is the outwardly moft exa6t literal knowledge
without this ? But what then? Do I now deny Or flight
the outward ? No ; I have it here, and I have the in-
ward feeling of the Spirit of life, how it dwelt in him,
how it wrought in him, and of what wonderful value
all his aftions and obedience were, in and through the
virtue of this Spirit. Was Abraham's offering his fon
fo precious in God's eye ? Oh ! then what is this !
Never was fuch a body fo fan6lified, fo prepared j ne-
ver fuch a facrifice offered. Oh ! the infinite worth
and value of it ! For by the inward life and teachings
of God's Spirit am I taught and made able to value that
glorious outward apr-rearance and manifeftation of the
life and power of God in that heavenly flefti, (as in my
heart I have often called it) for the life fo to dwell
in it, that it was even one with it. Yet ftill it was a
veil, and the myftery was the thing; and the eye of
life looks through the veil into the myftery, and paffes
through it, as I may fay, as to the outward, that it
may behold its glory in the inward. And here the
flefh of Chrift, the veil, is not loft, but is found and
known in its glory in the inward. Be not offended at me,

O tender-

People called QJJ A K E R S. 425

O tender-hearted reader ! for I write in love things
true, according to the inward feeling and demonftra-
tion of God's Spirit, though not eafy perhaps to be
underflood at prefent by thee ; but in due time the
Lord can make them manifcft to thee, if thou in up-
rightnefs and tendernefs of heart, and in the filence
of the flefhly part, wait upoi\ him.

A few Words concerning the Way
of Peace.

** The way of peace they have not known,"
Rom. iii. 17.

THERE is a way of peace, of true peace with
God, who is an adverfary to all that is unholy
and unrighteous. Thofe who have been unholy and
unrighteous, who have been awakened, troubled, and
could find no reft, but the fevere and righteous judg-
ments and wrath of the Lord lying upon their ipirits
night and day, having at length had their ears open-
ed by him, and being led by him out of the unholy
and unrighteous way, into the holy and righteous
way, have felt both life and peace therein.

Now there are two forts which the apodle here men-
tions, (or two flates, which the apoftle here fpeaks of)
which have not knovv'n, nor can know, the way of
peace with God, who is an adverfary to them both,
and will one day fpeak trouble to them both, when
their fouls and confciences come to be fearched and
judged by him.

The one is the profane, or Gentile ftate, which is
without the fenfe of God, not heeding any appearance
of his, or any inward voice^of his Spirit, or the writ-
ing of his law upon their heart. Thefe never knew
the way wherein the heart is inwardly and fpiritualiy

circum-

426 A FEW Words concerning

circumcifed and renewed, fin forgiven, and peace ob-
tained.

The other is the profeffing or outward Jews ftatc,
who may ftudy the letter, and apply themfelves to
conform outwardly to the letter, but never were ac-
quainted with the inward Spirit and power. Thefe
greatly differ from the Gentile or profane ftate, both
in outward appearance, and in their own eye j but are
the fame in the ground with the Gentiles, and know
no more of the way of peace than the other do.

Queft. But what is the way of peace^ which neither the
profane-, nor any fort of profejfors out of the life and
power, ever knew, or can know ?

Anf. It is an inward way, a way for the inward
Jews, for the inwardly-renewed and circumcifed to
walk in. It is an holy or fanclified way, for the fanc-
tified ones to walk in. It is a living way, which none
but the living can find. It is a new way, which none
but thofe to whom God hath given the new eye can
fee. It is a way that God prepares and cafts up, and
leads mens fpirits into, (who hearken unto him) and
guides the feet of his faints in. It is a ftrait and nar-
row way, which no luft of the flelh, nor wifdom of
the flefli can find out, or enter into. Oh ! how little,
how low, how poor, how empty, how naked, mull
he be, that enters into this way, and walks therein !
Many may feek after it, and may think to find it^
and walk in it; but few fliail be able, as our Lord
Chrift faid. Here circumcifion outward avails not;
here want of that circumcifion hinders not j here bo-
dily exercife profits little. The new creature is all
here j the crofs of Chrift is all here ; the power of
God is all herej and he that walks according to this
rule, peace is upon him, and the whole Ifracl of
God. But he that knows not this rule, nor walks ac-
cording to this rule, peace is not upon him, nor is he
one of the inward Ifrael of God, who receive power
to become fons, who receive the law of the Spirit of
life in Chrift Jcfus, which is the inward rule of the
inward Ifracl.

Thii.

THE WAY OF PEACE. 427

This was the way of peace from the beginning;
this is the way of peace (till j and there is not another.
To be new created in Chrift Jefus, to be ingrafted
into him, to abide in him, to have the circumcifion
of the fleih (the body of the fins of the flelh cut off)
by the circumcifion of Chrift, (made inwardly in the
heart without hands) and to walk not after the flefh,
but after the Spirit, even in the newncfs of the Spirit,
here is life and peace, reft and joy for evermore. The
Lord of his tender mercy give me a fenfe of it, an4
lead me into it more and more. Amen.

The Conclusion of the Whole.

THERE is a birth which is born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flefh, nor of the will of
man-, but of God, John i. 13. And this birth, which
is born of the Spirit, is Spirit, chap. iii. 6. Now
this birth, which is born of the Spirit, and is Spirit,
hath a life and way of knowledge fuitable to its nature
and being j which is veiy far above man. Its life is
in the Spirit, and its walking in the Spirit, and its
knowledge is after the way of the Spirit, very far
above man's way of conceiving or comprehending.
The birth itfelf is a myftery to man, and its way of
knowledge is a way altogether hid from man. It is
indeed in the evidence and demonftration of God's
Spirit, in the ftiinings of his light in the heart: '' In
" thy light fliall we fee light." The birth knows
what this means. There is a wife and prudent part in
man, from which God hides the fight of his kingdom,
and the heavenly glory thereof; but there is a babe to
which God reveals the myftery thereof. Flelli and
blood cannot reveal j but tlie Father can and doth to
his children, who is the teacher of them all, from the
leaft to the greateft, in t;he new and living covenant.

There

4.28 The Conclusion of the Whole.

There is man's day, and there is God's day. There
is rnan*s day of gathering knowledge, after his flefhly
manner of comprehending ; and there is God's day of
giving knowledge, by the Ihinings of the light of his
own eternal Spirit. In man's day, how doth wife and
prudent man beat his brains, and labour in the fire
for very vanity ! But in God's day, how doth the
knowledge of the Lord cover the earth, as the waters
cover the fea! When the day-fpring from on high
vifits inwardly, when the Lord lighteth the candle in-
wardly, oh ! how clear is the knowledge of the Lord,
and how doth it abound then ! Oh ! what a difference
there is between man's apprehenfions and conceivings
concerning Chrift, and God's revcalmg him inwardly j
and between man's coming to Chrift, according to his
own apprehenfions, and his coming to Chrift in the
heavenly drawings and teachings of the Father ! John
vi. 45. Oh! that the begettings of life and the birth
thereof were felt in mens hearts, that in it men might
know the day of God, and the kingdom of God, and
the treafures of wifdom which are hid in Chrift, and
will ever be fo, biit as Chrift is inwardly revealed
and formed in the heart ! Many may have notions of
Chrift being formed in them -, ah ! but to feel it in-
wardly ! there is the fweetnefs, there is the aflurance,
there is the life, there is the peace, there is the right-
eoufnefs of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and there is the joy
of the true Chriftian for ever. Come, oh ! come, all
forts of tender profeflbrs, out of yourfelves, into.
God's Spirit, into God's truth, that ye may know
what it is to be in the Spirit, and in the truth, and
what it is to live there, and to know things there, and
to worfliip there, and to have fellowftiip with the Fa-
ther and Son there. The poor receive the gofpel, the
poor receive the kingdom, the poor receive the pow-
er, the poor receive the righteoufaefs and falvatioa
of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Ye are too rich in your
comprehenfions and gathered knowledge from your
own literal conceivings, to learn to wait aright, to
receive of him his gold, his raiment, and his eye-falve.

What

The Conclusion of the Whole. 429

"What pleafure is it to us to teflify againft you ? Were
it not for obedience to our God, and love to your
fouls, we would never do it. We are content and fa-
tisfied to be of the little defpifed flock, which the
Shepherd feeds, giving to every one his proportion of
daily nourifhment, life, peace, righteoufnefs, and joy.
It is our love to you that we would not have you lay
out your money for that which is not bread, and your
labour for that which will not fatisfy the truly hungry
and awakened foul, but might come to feed on fub-
ftance, on the life itfelf, on the fweetnefs and fatnefs
of God's houfe, where nothing that any of his chil-
dren can need or long after is wanting. Oh ! that ye
had the fenfe of our love ! If ye had the true under-
ftanding and fenfe ot God's love, ye could not but
have a fenfe of our love alfo j for it comes from him,
and it flows towards you in his will and tender mov-
ings. Do ye love God ? Are your hearts circumcifed
to love God ? If not, ye do not truly love. And if
ye loved him that begets, ye would love them that are
begotten by him. Your love is to your own notions
and apprehenfions of God, not to his nature ; for if
ye loved his nature, (that holy, heavenly, fpiritual
nature as it is in him) ye could not but love it
in his children alfo. Well, our God is love, and
taught us to love even our enemies, and to wrefl:le
with our God for them, that, if it be poflible, the
Lord may remove the fcales from their eyes, and give
them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth
as it is in Jefus, where it is more living and powerful,
more efl^eftual and operative (inwardly purifying, fanc-
tifying, yea, and juftifying alfo) than any but thofe
only that are born of God, (and kept alive by him)
yet ever knew, or can know.

POST-

[ 430 ]

POSTSCRIPT.

Containing a few Words cbnccrning the Doings
and Sufferings of that defpifed People called
Quakers, which are both mifunderftood and
mifreprefented by many : With an Exhortation
to true Chriftianity.

FIRST, their doings are looked upon by many tQ
be from a natural principle, and according to the
covenant of works, and not from the free grace and
gift of God's Spirit.

Now concerning this I can fpeak fomewhat faiths
fully, as having been long experienced in the principle,
and as having had experience of the grace and tender
mercy of the Lord from my childhood. And indeed .
thus it hath been with me from my childhood j what-
ever hath been done in me, or by me, that was good,
I have felt to be from God's grace and mercy to me,
and have cried grace, grace, mercy, mercy, to the
Lord continually therefore. And when I was turned
to his truth in the inward parts, I found it was God's
grace and tender love to me to turn me to it, and to
preferve me, being turned j and to cai>fe it to fpring
in me day by day, and to give me ability through it.
Ah ! none knows but they that have had experience
how we have been weakened in the natural part j how
poor we have been made, that we might receive the
gofpel, and how poor in ourfelves we are kept, that
we might enjoy the riches and inheritance of the king-
dom. And this we daily experience, that not by
the works of righteoufncfs which we had done, but

accord-

POSTSCRIPT. 431

aecording to his mercy, he faved us, and doth daily
fave us, by the wafhing of regeneration, and the re-
newing of the Holy Ghoft. Yea, God's writing his
law in our hearts, and placing his fear there, and put-
ting his Spirit within us, to enlighten and quicken,
and caufe us to walk in his ways, and to keep his fta-
tutes and judgnnents, and to do them, and all the
mortifying of fin, and denying of the lufts of the
flefti, and performing that which is holy and accept-
able in the eyes of the Lord (as all that proceeds from
his own Holy Spirit is) all that is of the new cove-
nant, and performed by the working thereof, and not
by the working of the natural part of itfelf, but by
the working of the Spirit of life in the new-birth,
and through the natural part as his inftrument. So
let none reproach the works that God brings forth in
MS, who hath created us anew in Chrift Jefus unto,
good works, left thereby he reproach the Holy Spirit
and power of the living God, in which they are
wrought, and by which they are brought forth, and
could never be brought forth without it.

Then for our fufFerings, indeed they are gifts we
received from God ; fo that we can truly fay, it is
given us by the Lord our God not only to believe in
his Son, but to fuffer for his fake ; and that it is only
in good confcience to God, and by the afiiftance of
the Lord, that we fufFer; that the patience and meek-
nefs wherewith we fufFer, is not of ourfelves, but of
him. Whenever the Lord permits afflidlions or fuffer-
ings to come upon us, our eye is to him, and we enter
into them in his fear, knowing our own inability to
go through them, and looking up to him for ftrength.
And when we are in them, while they continue, we
daily look up to him for ftrength, and have been
many times very weak in ourfelves, when immediate-
ly, or very foon after, we have felt great ftrength in
the Lord. Alfo after our fufferings, when the Lord
hath been with us all along^ and brought us through
our fufferings in the peace and joy of his Spirit, we do
not look back boaftingly, as if we had been any

thin

6>

4^a POSTSCRIPT.

thing, or done any thing as of ourfelves -, but we bow
before the Lord, and blefs the Lord, when we confi-
der how he hath been with us, and how he hath up-
held us by the right-hand of his righteoufnefs j and
what he hath done for us when we were very poor,
weak, afflided, and often forely diftrefled. Therefore
let none reproach, mifreprefent, or vilify our fuffer-
ings, which our God hath helped us through, and for
which we (in hunmility of heart) give him thanks,
and cannot but do fo all our days, becaufe the thank-
ful remembrance and fenfe of them is written by the
finger of his Spirit upon our hearts. Oh ! ail forts of
people, whom we love and travail for, and ufe our
intereft in the Lord our God for, that ye might be
truly fenfible of your conditions, know the inward ap^
pearance and vifits of the Shepherd and Saviour of
the foul, turn to him, (looking in true faith unto him)
and be faved ! I fay unto you, in tendernefs of fpirir,
oh ! do not requite us fo ill for our love and truth of
heart towards you, as to caft untrue and unjuft re-
proaches upon us, and to render that truth vile which
God hath made honourable, in fandifying and re-
deeming many thereby. Truly our love is from the
God of love. We could not fo love you as we do,
if our God had not taught us ; nor fo feek after you
as we do, in tendernefs of bowels, if we were not
inftruments in the hand of the Shepherd of Ifrael.
And the light we teftify of, which we feel Ihine in us,
it is no lefs than the true fure light of the Sun of right-
eoufnefs, which God hath caufed to (hine in our hearts ;
who alfo loveth mankind, and caufeth it to glance into
the darkeft corners of the earth. And the life we are
quickened by out of fin and tranfgreffion, and the
power we have received to become fons of God, it is
from him who is the fountain of life, and hath all
power in heaven and earth. Oh ! that ye could receive
the bleflTed report ! Oh ! that the arm of the Lord
might be revealed in you ! Oh ! that ye could feel and
witnefs the Saviour working out your falvation in '
you, binding the ftrong man in you, calling him out

of

POSTSCRIPT. 433

of you, with all his goods after him, that the place
of the wicked-one might be found no more in you,
nor none of his lufts or vain thoughts lodge in your
hearts any more ; but ye might witnefs and experience
the new heart, the clean heart, the pure heart, in
which God dwells, and the eye that fees him that is
invifible. Oh ! glory to the Lord for what he hath
done in and for a defpifed people, (who were no peo-
ple before the Lord made them one) who hath brought
them to Sion, his holy mountain, where he dwells and
reigns, and where he builds up his own houfe and temple,
which he eftablifheth over all ; where the fheep of Ifrael
feed, and where the Shepherd of Ifrael reigns and triumphs
in glory over the enemies of his kingdom. The little
innocent babes tafte fomewhat of his holy dominion
and power, and of his kingdom of peace and right-
eoufnefs j but in his ancients his light fhines very
brightly, and before them he reigneth glorioufly ; fo
that he is praifed in the very heights of Sion, and his
name renowned there over all for ever. Glory, glory
to the pure fpring of life, from whence the living
ftreams come which refrcfh the fouls of the living.
Surely his pure praifes fliall be founded in the hearts
of the living for ever and ever. Amen.

An Exhortation to true Christianity.

It is eafy to pretend to Christ; but to be a
true Chriftian is very precious, and many Tri-
bulations and deep AfHidtions are to be paiTed
through before it be attained unto, as thofe
who are made fo by the Lord experience.

NOW everlafting happihefs and falvation depends
upon true Chriftianity. Not upon having the
name of a Chriftian only, or profeffing fuch or fuch
Chriftian dodrines; but upon having the nature of
Vol. III. E e Chrif^

, t J*- -^ '■ •"■'^ ^ *•* ^ 'w-

434 An Exhortation to true Christianity.

Chriftianlty, upon being renewed by the Spirit of
Chri,ft, and receiving the Spirit^ ivalking in the Spirit,
and bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit. Oh ! here
is the Chriftian indeed! and it (hould be every one*s
care not to fall (hort of this. Now becaufe there is a
contention about; Chpftianity, who is the right Chrif-
tian, it behoyes every man to take care as to himfelf
that he be really fuch j that he receive that from God,
^nd be that to God, which none but the right Chrif-
tian can be, or can receive. This is the ufe I would
make of thefe things in my own heart, even to be
fure I be fuch an one as God hath made, and will ac-
cept and own as a Chriftian. And having had fome
cxperienpe of this thing, and truly underftandingwhat
the Chriftian ftate is, and what doth attend it, 1 (hall
fet down fome few things, which he that inwardly
knoweth, witnefleth, and enjoyeth, is without all con-
troverfy a true Chriftian, whatever man may account
of him.

Firft, He that is a new creature, is without doubt a
true Chriftian. He that is regenerated, he that is re-
newed in the fpirit of his mind by Chrift Jefus, he
that is new-created in the holy and heavenly image,
he has felt the power of God's Spirit begetting him
anew, forming him anew, out of the old nature and
image of the firft Adam, into the nature and image
of the fecond Adam, who is the quickening Spirit ;
and that which is begotten and born of him is Spirit.

Secondly, He that is in the new covenant, is a true
Chriftian. He that hath thirft after the living waters,
and hath heard the call to the waters of life, hath
heard the voice of him who gives life, and hath re-
ceived life from him, who giveth life to all that come
to him, and who maketh the new and everlafting co-
venant with all that hear his voice, take np his crofs
and follow him, he is without doubt one of Chrift's
fheep, whom the Shepherd owneth, and taketh care
of.

Thirdly, He that is inwardly circumcifed with the
circumcifion made without hands, he is a Jew inward,

a Chrif-

JVni Exhortation to-true Cwri&tianity. 435

a Chriftian inward, (in ^ the fight of God) who hath
felt the Spirit and power of Chrift Jefus, and rejoiceth
in Chrift Jefus, and is one of thofe worfhippers whom
God hath fought out and taught to worfhip him in the
life and Spirit of his Son.

Fourthly, He that is inwardly wafhed with clean
■ water, with the inward water, he is the inward Jew,
the inward Chriftian. God promifed to pour out clean
water upon his Ifrael, and they ftiould be clean. He
who hath the clean water poured upon him inwardly,
which inwardly wafheth and cleanfeth, he is without
controverfy one of God's inward Ifrael.

Fifthly, He that feeds on the bread of life within,
and drinks the water of life out of his own well or
ciftern, he without doubt is living. He that is in-
vited to the marriage-fupper of the Lamb, and comes
and fups with the Lamb, he is one of the fame nature
and fpirit with him. He with whom Chrift fups,
who hath heard Chrift knocking at his door, hath
opened to him, and received him in, to purify his
heart, and dwell in him, and fup with him, and. give
him to fup with himfelf; fo that he eats bread in the
kingdom, and drinks wine in the kingdom, and par-
takes of the feaft of fat things, which God makes to
his Ifrael in his holy mountain, he is without doubt
one of Chrift's, and partakes of this in and through
him.

Sixthly, He that lives the Chriftian life, who walks
nor after the flclli, but after the Spirit} who doth not
fulfil the lufts of the flefti, bur hath the law of God
written in his heart, aad his fear put within him, and
his Holy Spirit given to inftrud: him, and to guide
him to anfwer the holy law written iji his heart, which
the carnal mind is not fubjecl to, nor can be fubjedt
to, without doubt he is fpiritual j without doubt he
is a true Chriftian.

Seventhly, He that live§ by faith, who knows the
faith which is the gift of God, hath received it, and
lives by it j who can do nothing of himfelf, but only
by faith in that holy pov/er which doth all in him j Co

E e 2 that

436 Am Exhortation to true Christianity.

that he lives, and believes, and obeys from an holy
root of life, which caufeth life to fpring up in hin[i,
and love to fpring up in him, and the Lamb's meek-
nefs and patience to fpring up in him, and all grace to
fpring up in him j I fay, he that lives thus, without
doubt is ingrafted into the true vine, into the true
olive-tree ; and the root bears him, and minifters fap
unto him, and he is a true, frefli, green, living branch
of the true vine, of the holy olive-tree.

Many more things might be nrientioned, as they
are experimentally known and felt amongft us, who
are true Chriftians; though the Baptifts and others
have reprefented us to the world as if we were no
Chriftians j but that touching us not, their faying fo
is no more to us than the profefTing Jews of the fame
fpirit, who faid Chrift had a devil. But thefe are to
give a tafte ; and he that knows and feels thefe, may
alfo know and feel the reft, if ever fo many more
fhould be mentioned. Now the way to feel thefe, and
to become a true Chriftian, (and to grow up in the
Chriftian life) is to feel the feed of the kingdom,
which is the beginning of the kingdom, the ^begin-
ning of true Chriftianity -, and then to feel the feed
abiding, (the feed which is of the Spirit, and which
is Spirit) here is the conftant feal of Chriftianity in
my heart ; here are true and certain evidences, day by
day, of the Chriftian nature and fpirit manifefting
themfelves undeniably inwardly.

And now having the witnefs in myfelf, the tefti-
mony of him that begat life in me, teftifying to his
own work, and to his own birth, of what value are
any teftimonies of men without, againft this ? Chrif-
tianity is a myftcry, and he only can truly fee who is
Chriftian indeed, who hath the inward eye opened,
and with that inward eye is taught of God to pierce
into that wherein Chriftianity confifteth. There have
been many Chriftians of mens making; there are alfo
fome Chriftians of God's and Chrift's making i which
Chriftians God and Chrift will own, but not the other.

Ohl

An Exhortation to true Christianity. 437

Oh ! let men have a care, that when God cometh to
diftinguifh between cattle and cattle, (between Chrif-
tian and Chriftian) they be found fuch as God will
make up as his jewels, and own as the fheep of his
fold ; fuch as fhall be able to bear the trial of his
fearching judgment, and pure impartial eye; and not
fuch as ftill, notwithftanding all their profeffion of
religion and Chriftianity, are found workers of ini-
quity, and fo not created anew in Chrift Jefus unto
good works, and therefore not truly of him, nor true
Chriftians in his eye.

E c 3 TO

v^

, ^ 'i '3 ■.

TO THE

JEWS NATURAL,

AND TO THE

JEWS SPIRITUAL;

WITH A

Few Words to England, my native Country, Sec.

Some fenfible, weighty QUERIES, concerning fome
Things very fweet and necelTary to be experienced
in the truly Chriftian State.

Whereunto is added,

A Postscript, containing fome Queries on Ifaiah I. lo, it..
A Scripture of deep Counfel and Concern to the darkened and
diftrefled States of fome among thofe that fear and obey the
Lord.

Whereunto are added,

Two or three Qi^ieries touching the River and City of God, and
the pure Stilhiefs wherein God is known and exalted.

AS ALSO,

Some Questions anfwered concerning the true Church, Miniftry*
and Maintenance under the Gofpcl, and about the Lamb's War.

Written in travailing Bowels, by

ISAAC PEKING TON.

*' Truly God is good to Ifrael, to fuch as are of a clean Heart." Pf. Ixxiii. i.

" Behold an Ifraellte indeed, in whom is no Guile." John i. 47.

*' For he is not a Jew that is one outwardly ; neither is that Circumcifion which
" is outward in the Flefh ; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly ; and Circum-
*• cifion is that of the Heart, in the Spirit, and not in the Letter j whofe Praife
" is not of Men, but of God." Rom. ii. 28, 29.

<« Behold, the days come, faith the Lord, that I will punifli all thena which arc
" circumcifed, with the uncircumcifcd, Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the
'« children of Ammon and Moab, and all that are in the utmoft Corners that
*' dwell in the Wildernefs ; for all thele Nations are uncircumcifcd, and all the
<' fjoufe of Ifrael are untircunicifed in the Heart." Jcr. ix, 25, 26.

E e 4

[ 441 ]
THE

PREFACE

WHAT a day of diftrefs, and revelation of the
righteous judgment of God, is to come upon
the wicked and ungodly world (even upon man, who
was created in the image of God, but is now fallen
from it, and found out of it, and in another image
very unlike it) ; the eye which the god of this world
hath blinded, and the heart which he hath hardened
by fin and tranfgreflion, hath no fenfe of.

What a day of diftrefs and mifery fome in this na-
tion (and in other parts of the world) have already
met with ! how they have felt the weight of fin upon
their fpirits, and what a fore thing it hath been to
them to feel their fouls feparated from that God that
made them (who is the Hufband and Father, King
and Preferver of fouls, that are found in his image
and nature) -, how they have been inwardly captivated
by a foreign power, and opprefled, and made to ferve
under fin, and could hear no effedual tidings of his
appearance who was able to fave, but their fpirits
were ready to fink, and their hope of redemption,
from that which opprefied and captivated them, al-
moft cut off J this being an inward ilate and condi-
tion, hath been altogether hid from the eye which is
outward.

How the Lord at length appeared unto thefe (his
bowels having long rolled over them, and he having
long waited to be gracious to them, even till the full
and acceptable fet time was. come) j how his light
hath ihined in and upon them j how he gathered thofe
dry bones to^ether^ and breathed life into them, and

made

[' 442: ]

made them live : this alfo is altogether an hidden thing
from the eye of the world.

How the Lord, who appeared to thenn, hath exer-
cifed and tried them j how he hath judged them, and.
how he hath Taved them ; what defolations he hath
made inwardly in. them, and what he hath built there :
tj'hat an hammer, a f^vord, a fire, &;c. his pure word
of life hath been in them; how that.birch which could
live without God, without his inward life, or upon
%vords and knowledge without life, hath been famillied,
until, by the pain of the famine, its very life and
breath hath been taken from it, and it crucified wuh
Chrift, by the pain of the crofs of Chriil : and what
birth hath been raifed and crowned afterwards, and
beautified with the ornaments of righteoufnefs' and
falvation ; yea, with the endlefs love and mercy with its'
Godj and how the Lord is with his people, and dwells'
and walks in therri, and how he hath humbled them^
to walk with him ; and how in fear and humility they
do walk with him In the light of day everlafting, even
as God is light, and walks in the light of his own'
day: thefe are very ftrange and unknown thipgs to
the wifeft and mod prudent in religion at this day,*
who are not gathered into the myftery of godlinefs,'
(nor into the Spirit, power, and glory of the Father)^
y/here thefe things are revealed in and by the Son.

What faith the children of wifdom have in thewif-
dom and power which hath appeared : what confidence
they have in the Lord their God j that he will ftand
by them in all their exercifcs and trials, both inward
and outward ; and what experiences they have had;
of the Lord's {landing by them in both : how his faith"-'
fulnefs doth not fail ; and how their faith in him i§
upheld and preferved by him, that it doth not fail in
the ftormy time, or hour of greateft diflrefs ; and hpw
their eye is unto him, and their hearts with him in
the calms i fo that their God is all in all unto them
continually : (and who knows this but they that have
it I) Oh! who can utter or declare the fweetnefs and
certainty of this, where it is enjoyed 1

[ 443 V

What love alfo the Lord Iheds abroad in their
hearts ; and how he teacheth and caufeth thenri to love,
by often circumcifing their hearts, and cutting off
that which hindereth the pure love from fpringing in
them-, and how they love others, in the love where-
with God (v/ho is love) hath loved them ; and how
natural it is to them to pray for. their enemies, and to
blefs them that curfe them, and do good for evilj but
cannot requite evil for evil, being tranfplanted into,
and growing up in,, the root that is good ; and fends
up good fap and virtue into them, which nourilheth
all that is good in them, but is death and deftruCtion
to the remainders of evil, as the Lord purfueth and
findeth it out: Oh ! how impoflible is it for the heart
of man to conceive and underftand !

Now 1 alfo having tafted of the mercy and good-
nefji of the Lord, and having been brought out of a
flate of great mifery and forrow of heart into the re-
demption and joy of God's chofen ; and having found
the Lord faithful to me, and giving me, faith in the
appearance of his Spirit and power in me, and true
love (tender love) not only to my brethren in the
truth, but to all mankind fpringing in me, and divers,
fruits iffuing forth from it ; fome of them> at this tim.ft
I cannot but publilh, and the Lord open the hearts of
thofe whom it concerns, that they may find fomc:
help, benefit, and furtherance by it. For it is the joy
of my heart to receive good from God ; to be filled
with his^ bleflings, to have my cup overflow; and that
others may be helped, refrefhed, and gladded there-
with, and, by the fweet tafte thereof, led to wait for
the opening of the fame root and fountain of life in
themfelves, to yield living fap, and fend forth living
ilreams in them day by day.

T 0

[ 444 ]

.1
iui^ti T O T H E ^

JEWS NATURAL,

' > AND TO THE

TEWS SPIRITUAL.

Somewhat in the Love of G O D to the Jews
Natural, or Seed of Abraham after thil
Flefli. h

OH! the glory of your ftate outward, who were-
the people whom God once chofe and loved, and
manifefted his power and prefence among, above all
people ! whofe land was the glory of all lands, to
which God brought you out of Egypt by an out-»i
ftretched arm, through a dreadful wildernefs, where-
in ye were tempted, tried, and cxercifed, and the
fucceeding generation fitted to enter into. Oh ! what
laws and ftatutes, and righteous judgments, did God
give you, fuch as no nation befides had ! What a
temple had ye to appear before God in, and the ark
of the covenant, and holy priefts, kings and prophets, \
and how nigh was God to you, to be enquired of
by you j and how ready to hear your prayers, in all
that you called upon him for! The eternal God was
thy refuge, and underneath were the everlafting arms
(the Lord was thy rock, and thou waft built upon
him) i ^nd he did thruft out the enemy before thee»

and

To THE Jews Natural, &c. 445

and did fay, Deftroy. And when the arnn of the Lord
did deftroy them before thee, thou didft dwell in fafety
alone; and the Lord was a fountain of living waters
to thee, and his heavens did drop down fatnefs upon
thee. Happy waft thou, O Ifrael ! who was like unto
thee, O people faved by the Lord ! the fliield of thy
help, and who was the fword of thy excellency ! and
thine enemies were found liars unto thee, and thou
didft tread upon their high places. And it might
have been ftill lb with thee, hadft thou not been un-
mindful of the rock that begat thee, and forgotten
God that formed thee. For thy glory fhould not have
been taken from thee, but fwallowed up in a higher
glory, wherein thou mighteft have had the firft and
chiefeft fliare, hadft thou not, by thy almoft conftant;
rebellion and unbelief, provoked the Lord againft
thee i not only often to afflid, but at laft utterly to caft '
thee off from being a people, and to choofe a people in
thy ftead, who Ihould bring forth better fruits to the
Lord of the vineyard, than thou in thy day hadft
done.

Yet when thy ftate was thus glorious, it was not a
ftate of the truly fubftantial, lafting glory, but a ftia-
dowy ftate or reprefentative thereof. Thy day of
glory was not the day of the MefTiah, the day of ever-
lafting light inwardly, wherein the Lord alone is ex-
alted inwardly in the hearts of all, in whom he breaks
down all that is contrary to the light of his day.
Thy day was but the day of the outward ftiadows of
the heavenly fubftance ; but when that day (the day
of the inward fubftance and glory) fliined, thy ftia-
dows or ftiadowy ftate was to fly away, and to be
fwallowed up in the pure fubftance and Ipiritual king-
dom of the MefTiah.

Thy birth from Abraham after the flcfti, was not
the birth which was to inherit the promife in the king-
dom of the Meffiahi but ^ there is a birth inwardly
born of the Spirit, born after Abraham in his faith,
who travels inwardly, as Abraham did outwardly, and
fecks an inward country and city, whofe builder and

maker

<446 -To THE Jews Natural, and

'inaker is God: to thfefe the 'fpiritual kingdom arid
^tpixyrttifes belong.

'Thy circumcifion was but the circunncifion outward,

^'the circumcifion of the flefti ; it was not the circum-

• cifion of the heart : that is the circumcifion of the in-

' ward Jew, which indeed the fcripture calleth for< from

' you, becaufe there was fomewhat near you, which

would have fo circumcifed you, had ye hearl<ened

''and given up to it. But ye, as a people, were not To

'circumcifed, but were a ftiff necked people, (as Mofes

-and the prophets were ftill complaining of you) uncir-

cumcifed in heart and ears, refifting God's Spirit both

in your own hearts and in the prophets, until the Lord

-'-was provoked to take away both vifion and prophet

■ from you.

The Egypt in which your fathers were in- bondage,
'and Pharaoh who oppreffed them, was but the Egypt
outward, and Pharaoh outward. There is an irvward
'Egypt, wherein the fpiritual feed, the inward man,
the foul is in bondage j and there is a fpiritual Pha-
raoh, that opprefleth the fpiritual feed, in fpiritual
'^^ Egypt: and there is a ftretching out the arm of the
Almighty inwardly, to break the ftrength of the in-
ward Pharaoh, to pierce Leviathan the crooked fer-
pent, and to deliver the foul from under his captivity.
The wilderriefs alfo your fathers were led through,
was but the outward wildernefs, where they were
tempted and tried by the Lord many ways, that he
might do them good in the latter end. But the in-
'^ ward Ifrael, after they are led out of the inward
Egypt, are tried in the inward wildernefs, where
they are judged after the fiefh, and that waited in
them, which is not to enter into and inherit the good
land, where they are tried in the furnace of afflidion,
and their filth purged away by the fpirit of judgment
and burning J that the righteous nation, which hath
received the holy inward law, and keeps the truth,
may enter into the good land, city, ^and kingdom of
the Mcfllah, and inherit the bleffcd promifes of life
and falvation there.

Mofes,

TO THE Jews SpiritVal. '447

Mofes, your great prophet, was a type of the great,
lafting, (landing prophet, whom God would rail'e up
like unto Mofes, who was to give his inward law as
Moles did the outward, and to lead all the fpiritual
Ifrael as Mofes did the outward Ifrael j and his word
was to be heard and Hand in all things whatfoever he
fhall fay unto his people : and whofoever will not hear
and obey this prophet, fhall be cut off from among
the holy, fpiritual, and inwardly-living people.

Jofhua, who fucceeded Mofes, led but into the fi-
gurative reft : he was but a figure of him that inwardly
leads into the inward and fpiritual reft ; which the
true Jews, which are inwardly created and formed by
God, and made a willing people, in the day of his
power, enter into.

The pillar of cloud, and pillar of fire in the wil-.
dernefs, were but figures of the fpiritual pillar of
cloud and fire, by which the fpiritual Ifrael are led
and defended in the glorious gofpel-day of God's
Spirit and power. Read Ifaiah, ch. iv. which fpeak-
eth of the gofpel-day, and the pillar and cloud of
fire to be created therein, and of the defence which is
to be on all the inward and fpiritual glory.

The land of Canaan, the outward good and king-
dom of Ifrael, was but a figure of the inward land,
and kingdom of the inward Ifrael, in the days of the
Mefllah. This is the land of Judah in which the fong
is fung, becaufe of the inward ftrong city where God
appoints falvation for walls and bulwarks, which the
righteous nation which keepeth the truth, enter into,
Ifaiah xxvi.

Their outward kings in that land, and particularly
David, were but typts of the fpiritual king, the fpi-
ritual David, whom God will raife up to the fpiritual
people, who fliould feek the Lord tlieir God, and Da-
vid their king J who fliall be their fpiritual fhepherd .
and ruler, whom God hath ^appointed to feed them in
the integrity of his heart, and to guide them by the
ikilfulncfs of his hands, who is King of righteoufnefs

and

44^ To THE Jews Natitrali and

and peace inwardly, and who minifters righteoufnefs
and peace to the fheep and lanabs of his paftures.

Their outward priefts (even their high-priefts) were
but a reprefentation of the great high-prieft of God,
who was to be a prieft for ever, after the order of
Melchizedeck, Pfal. ex.

Their outward covenant (made with them from the
outward mount Sinai, upon the giving of the law, and
holy ftatutes and ordinances, by which they were to
live and enjoy God in their outward ftate) was but a
fhadow of the inward and fpiritual covenant, the new
and everlafting covenant, which God makes with his
inward and fpiritual people in the latter days.

Their outward law, as written and engraven in ta-
bles of (lone, was but a Ihadow of the inward law,
which God puts into the children of the new covenant,
infomuch that they need not go outwardly to learn the
knowledge of God, or his will or law j but the inward
Ifrael find it inwardly written within. There the iQes
who wait for the law of the Spirit of life, for the law
of the Mefliah, receive the minillration of the law (in
the Spirit and power of the Mefliah) which they wait
for.

Their outward mount Sion, on which the outward
temple was built by Solomon, that wife king, that
righteous king, that peaceable king, was a figure of
the inward mountain, whereupon the inward houfe is
built in the days of the gofpel, in the days of the
Mefliah : and to this mountain are the fpiritual people
to come up and worfliip. And this is the Sion and
Jerufalem (even inward and fpiritual) fromVhich the
law and word of the Lord go forth in the days of the
Mefliah : and the fpiritual houfe of Jacob combine or
agree together to walk in the light of the Lord, who
fends forth his light and truth, and leads them to his
holy hill, and to his tabernacles.

Their outward tabernacle and temple, fanfbified by
God for him to dwell and appear in, was a Ihadow
of God's inward dwelling-place in man ; " I will ta-
" bernacle in them.** God dwcUeth not in houfes or

temples

TO THE Jews Spiritual. 449

temples made with hands j that is not the place of his
reft, as faith the prophet Ifaiah : but the high and
lofty One that inhabits eternity, whofe throne is in
heaven, and the earth his footftool, he dwelleth alfo
with him that is of an humble and contrite fpirit, to
revive the fpirit of the humble, and to revive the fpirit
of the contrite ones.

Their outward fabbaths were not the lafting fabbath
or reft of the gofpel, but given them for a fign ; but
the day of redemption from fin, the day of refting
from fin, the day of ceafing from the works of the
flcfh, the day wherein God is all, and doth all by his
Spirit and power inwardly, and wherein he alone is
exalted : this is the day of reft which the Lord hath
made for the fpiritual Ifrael, and which they are glad
of and rejoice in.

So their incenfe and facrifices were not the lafting-
incenfe and facrifices, but fhadows thereof. The
prayers of the faints, when God pours out the fpirit
of pniyer and fupplication upon them, and they pray
to him therein, that is the incenfe. " Let my prayer
" be directed before thee as incenfe, and the lifting
" up of my hands as the evening facrifice." And
this was the incenfe and pure offering, which in every
place was to be offered up to God's name among the
Gentiles, v/hen his name ftiould be great among
them, as Malachi foretells. And what laid David of
old, when God's Spirit and the holy vifion was upon
him? "Sacrifice and offering thou didft not defire j
" mine ears haft thou opened : burnt-off'ering and fin-
'^ offering haft thou not required. Then faid I, lo I
" coine ; in the volume of the book it is written of
" me : I delight to do thy will, O my God ; yea, thy
*' law is in the midft of my bowels. The facrifices
'^ of God are a broken fpirit (rent your hearts, and
^' not your garments, and turn to the Lord your
"■ God) •, a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou
" wilt not defj)ire." The afi^ering praifc to God from
a fincere heart, and the ordering of the converfation
aright, thefe are the facrifices well-pleaffng to God ;

Vol. in. F f for

450 To THE Jews Natural, and

for facrifices were not the thing which God mainly-
required of outward Ifrael, but this, Obey my voice :
and obedience is more acceptable than all other facri-
fices, and to hearken than the fat of the choiceft
rams.

Bcfides, thofe outward facrifices could not remove
or take away fin from the confcience, but he that
came to do the will, and to put an end to thofe facri-
fices and oblations, which were but outward and im-
perfect J he doth both wafii and take away fins from
within, and alfo bring in everlafting righteoufnefs,
where his light fliines, and his pure life fprings in-
wardly in the heart.

And this is the fubflance of all the fliadows, even
the light eternal, the word eternal, the Son of the liv-
ing God, (who is light as the Father is light) the
word nigh in the mouth and heart, the word of the
new covenant; the which Mofes direded your Fathers
to, Deut. XXX. and by which the Lord fpeaketh, and
hath fpoken throughout the world, Pfal. 1. t. and
teacheth every man that hearkeneth to his voice, to
do juflly, love mercy, and walk humbly with his God,
as it is exprefifed by the prophet Micah.

Now to you Jews, of the outward line of Abraham,
(whofe return to the Lord my foul moft earneftly de-
fireth after, and for which I have moft vehemently
and wreftlingly prayed to the Lord) are fome few
weighty queries upon my heart :

^ery i. How came David to pant fo after the liv-
ing God, like the hart or hind after the water-brooks ?
Was it not from the quickening virtue of this inward
word, which Mofes the man of God had directed the
mind to ? Read Pfal. cxix. and fee how he breathed
for quickenings from this word, on which all depends.
And if ye come to experience this word, and the
quickening virtue of it, and follow the Lord on there-
in, ye will foon come to know the day of the Meffiah,
and the glory of his kingdom, which is not outward,
tranfitory, and of a perilhing nature ; but inward, fpi-
ritual, and cverlafting (as David well knew, and fpake
fenfibly of, Pfal. cxlv. and elfewherc.)

TO The Jews Spiritual. 451

^ery 1. What are the waters which every thirflf
foul is invited to ? Are they not the waters of the
MeJTiah ? are they not waters that flow out of the
wells of falvation ? Ifaiah xii. Do not the fpiritual
Ifrael draw fpiritual water out of the wells of the
Saviour in the days of the Mefllah ? What is it to come
to thefc waters ? Oh ! that ye experimentally knew I
But this I will tell you, from true and certain expe-
rience, that if ye come to take notice of this word of
life, which God hath placed nigh in your mouths and
hearts, to feparate between the evil words and evil
thoughts of the enemy's begetting and bringing forth,
and the good words and good thoughts of God's be-
getting and bringing forth, and incline your ear to it,
and come from that which it reproves in you, and
draws you from to itfelf ; your fouls fhall foon come
to live; and he that gives you life, will make an
everlafting covenant with you, even the fure mercies
of David : but ye muft ftill mind him as a witnefs,
and leader, and commander, inwardly in your hearts,
that ye may be preferved in the covenant, and enjoy
the bleflings of it; fee Ifaiah Iv.

^4ery 3. Did not the McITiah come at the fet time,
at the time fet by the Holy Spirit of prophecy ? Did
he not come in the prepared body to do the will i* and
did he not do the will ? And after his obedience to his
Father, was he not cut off, though not for himfelf ?
And after his cutting off, were not ye made dcfolate ?
why were ye made defolatc ? why did fuch a ftroke
come upon you as never before ? Oh ! confider it !
Read Dan. ix. 24. to the end of the chapter, and let
him that readeth underltand.

^lery 4. What was that curfe, and on whom did it
light ? *' Let their table become a fnare to them,"
&:c. Pfal. Ixix. Was it not on thofe that gave gall
and vinegar to the Meffiah to drink, whom David was
a figure of, and fpake in Spirit concerning ? W^hofc
eyes are always darkened ? Doth not the veil lie ftill
on your whole nation ? Do ye know the inward moun-
tain, where the veil or face of the covering is deftroyed ?

F f 2 in

452 To THE Jews Natural, and

in the inward day and light of the MefTiah it is dc-
ftroyed. There that which veils the noble eye of the
mind is known, and alfo that which dcftroys and re-
moveth it. To what purpofe is it for you to read
Mofes and the prophets, when the veil is io upon you,
that ye cannot fee what is to be abolifhed, and is abo-
liflied by the dawning of the glorious day of the
Melliah, and what is to remain and never to be abo-
lifhed ? There is a Jewihip, there is a circumcifion,
there is a fabbath, there is a reft, &c. for the inward
and fpiritual people, which is to remain, and never to
be abolifhed.

^ery 5. Who were thofe that God would hide his
face from, and fee what their end fhould be, becaufe
they were a froward generation, children in whom was
no faith ? Who were they that moved God to jealoufy,
and provoked him to anger ? And what was the peo-
ple and foolifti nation he would provoke them to jea-
loufy and anger with ? Deut. xxxii. Was it not the
fpiritua), the holy nation inwardly, the true Jews,
whom God took from among the Gentiles, whom he
appeared among, and was a God and a Father to,
when he caft off and forfook the Jews outward, and
left them to be a defolation ?

^-fery 6. Who arc thofe that Ihall be hungry when
God's fervants fhall eat ? and thirfty, when God's fer-
vants fhall drink ? and afhamed, when his fervants
fhall rejoice ? Are not your fouls hungry and parched
for want of the fpiritual fuftenance, which the living
God fatisfieth his fervants with, making a feaft of
fat things to them on his inward holy mountain ? And
are not ye afhamed of your expedlations of the Mef-
fiah, while the fervants of the Lord rejoice in him,
their Prince and Saviour, and witnefs him daily a
leader and commander to them ? What is the people
whom the Lord hath flain and made defolate ? (Are
not ye a flain people to God, alienated from his life.
Spirit, and power, dead in your literal notions and ob-
fervations ?) And what are the fervants of the Lord,
whom the Lord hath called by another name, even a

name

TO THE Jews Spiritual. 453

name that ye never knew ? fee Ifaiah Ixvi. And con-
fider, how all your day God fpread out his hand to
you, and ye were rebellious, and would not hear ; and
now night is come upon you, and your vifitation, as
fuch a people, is and hath been long ended.

(^(cry 7. Did not God fignify by the prophet Ma-
lachi, that he had no pleafure in you, nor would ac-
cept an offering at your hand ? And did not he alfo
fignify the choofing of the Gentiles in your fbead ;
that the called among the Gentiles fhould be his peo-
ple-, and his name which ye had profaned, fhould be
great among them, and their incenfe and pure offer-
ing in every place be accepted, even from the rifing
of the fun to the going down of the fame ? read Mai.
chap. I.

^lery 8. Now the inward people, and the inward
covenant, the new covenant, are brought forth, ihalj
ye ever be owned or regarded as an outward people,
according to your outward covenant any more ? Will
not all fuch expeiftations fiii you for ever ? Ye have
looked, from generation to generation, for the com-
ing and appearing of the Mefllah outwardly, after an
outward manner : but his coming and appearance is
inward ; and he fetteth up his kingdom, his everlaft-
ing kingdom in his faints, and in their hearts he ruleth
inwardly; and the Mefliah, the feed of the woman,
bruifeth the head of the ferpent there. Oh ! that ye
knew the fubftance ! Oh ! that ye knew the word of
life in the heart, and were turned to it, and daily
faithful and obedient ! that ye might feel it crufhing
and dafhing the power of fin and corruption in your
hearts! This is the confolation, hope, and joy of the
inward and fpiritual Ifrael ! Oh ! that ye might be
made partakers thereof; and that your long outward
captivity and defolacion might at length end in in-
ward freedom and redemption ! Amen.

F f 3 Som.ewha,t

454 Somewhat of Cot^cERw ^'i

Somewhat of Concern to the Jews Spiritual,
who are of the Seed of Abraham fpiritually,
or according to the Faith, and gathered in
this Day of GOD's Power, to the true and
everlafting Shiloh.

" fTT^HE fcepter fhall not depart from Judah, nor a
J^ *' lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh
** come; and unto him Ihall the gathering of the peo-
" pie be," Gen. xlix. lo.

Old Jacob, in the fpirit of prophecy, faw that Ju-
dah was to have the fcepter, the kingly power; and
it was not to depart from him, it was to be his right,
and the lawgiver was to be between his feet, till Shi-
loh came j then the right was Shiloh's to reign, and
to give laws to his people, whom he fhould gather out
of the kingdom of darknefs, and from Satan's power,
into his own inward, fpiritual, and everlafting king-
dom. This was the true king, God's king, whom he
would fet upon the holy hill of fpiritual Sion ; and all
the holy, inward, fpiritual gatherings of all people,
fcattered from the holy, living power, muft be to
him.

" I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it fhall
*< be no more, until he come whofe right it is, and I
" will give it him.' And his dominion fhall not
pafs away, or the fcepter and lawgiving power fhall
not pafs away from him, as it did from Judah, nor
fhall his kingdom ever be deftroyed, Dan. vii. 14. but
God will give to him the throne of his father David,
and he fhall reign over the houfe of Jacob for ever \
and of his kingdom there fhall be no end.

Query. Bui who arg the people that Jhall he gathered ta
him ?

4nA

TO THE Jews spiritual. 45^;

AnJ. The people that (hall hear his voice, and come
at his call, that Ihall receive the inftruftion of wif-
dom, and feel the drawing power and virtue of the
Father, in the day of his power. It is written in the
prophets, " All thy children fliall be taught of the
'* Lord." And every one that is taught and learneth
of the Father, cometh to the Son, cometh to the Mef-
fiah, cometh to the Shiloh, to the Word eternal, to
the Word of life in the heart.

Query. Was not the MeJJiah promifed to the Jews, to
come of them, and to he appropriated to them ?

AnJ. He was promifed to them, and to come of
them ; but not to be appropriated to them : but he
was to be the univerfal Saviour to all that fhould come
under his enfign and banner. " He (hall {ex. up an
*' enlign for the nations, and he (hall fprinkle many
** nations," &c. And God promifed that he would
give his Son (his ele(5t choice fervant) for a light to
the Gentiles.

Query. IFere the Jews then excluded?

Anf. No ; they were to be gathered to Shiloh, as
well as others. Nay, the Lord had a fpecial regard
to them ; the gofpel was fird preached to them ; they
had the firft offer, or the firll call to the fpiritual glo-
ry; they were the children of the prophets, and of
the covenant of God made with their fathers; unto
whom God having raifed up his Son Jefus, fent him
to blefs them, in turning away every one of them
from their iniquities. And the whole nation, turning
from their iniquities, fhould have been gathered by
him, and fhould have enjoyed the bleffing of his day
and kingdom. Yea, the firfl gathering was from
among them, and the firft glorious gofpel church was
at Jerufalem, where the Spirit and power of the Lord
Jefus did moft eminently and wonderfully break forth,
and great grace was upon them all. But the nation
was not gathered to Shiloh, nor did come under his
fcepter and government ; l?ut only a remnant of the
nation. So thefe being gathered, the reft were caft

f f 4 offi

456 Somewhat of CoNCER?f

ofFj and the enfign was carried among the Gentiles,
and the great gathering was there among them.

Query. How is it manifeft that the great gathering to
Shiloh was to be from among the Gentiles f

AnJ- By many cxprefs prophecies of fcripture, and
promifes to the Mefliah, that he fhould have the Gen-
tiles for his inheritance and pofleflion. When God
eftablilhed his King, the MelTiah, upon the holy hill
of fpiritual Sion, notwithftanding all the heathen's
rage againfl him, and the people of the Jews imagin-
ing a vain thing, (thinking to keep the body of him
in the grave, who was the refurreftion and the life)
what faith the Lord to him .? " Afk of me, and I will
*' give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the
*« uttermoft parts of the earth for thy poffefrion,"
Pf. ii. The Lord faid, in another place, '* It is a
«* light thing that thou mayeft be my fervant, to raife
<* up the tribes of Jacob, and to reftore the preferved
<f of Ifrael ; 1 will alfo give thee for a light to the
•' Gentiles, that thou mayefl be my falvation unto the
*' ends of the earth," Ifai. xlix. 6. Again the Lord faith
further, " From the rifing of the fun, even unto the
** going down of the fame, my name fhall be great
*' among the Gentiles ; and in every place incenfe fliall
'* be offered unto my name, and a pure offering ; for
«' my name fhall be great among the heathen, laith
« the Lord of hofts," Mai. i. 11. " Sin^, O barren 1
*' thou that didfl not bear j break forth mto Hnging,
" and cry aloud, thou that didft not travail with
** child; for more are the children of the defolate
*' than the children of the married wife, faith the
•« Lord," Ifai. liv. i. Who was the married wife?
Who was the mother in the days of the firfl covenant ?
Was it not the Jerufalem below, who was then defo-
late and barren? Was it not another Jerufalem, which
is free, and the mother of all the fpiritual children ?
Why was fhe now to rejoice and fing ? But becaufe
fhe was to break forth on the right hand and on the
left, and her feed was to inherit the Gentiles, and
make the defolate cities to be inhabited, ver. 3.

The

TO THE Jews spiritual, 457

The covenant of Mount Sinai did bring forth a great
people, whereof Jerufalem, that was below, was the
mother. The covenant afterwards made, beddes that
in Horeb, whereof the Word nigh in the heart and
mouth is the foundation, (by which Word God cir-
cumcifeth) was as yet barren, and did not bring forth
a people to the Lord. But this covenant was to have a
time ; the Jerufalem above was to have a time, wherein
her feed fliould inherit the Gentiles ; and the Maker,
the Hufband, fhould be called the God of the whole
eartli, ver. 5. Read Gal. iv. and fee how the apoftle
of tiie Gentiles expounds the myftery, fhewing which
is the free v/oman, and her free children, and which is
the bond woman, and which the bond children, who
are call out in the day of God, and in the (hining of
his heavenly light inwardly, and cannot inherit the
glorious kingdom of the gofpel, with the children of
the free woman. And confider who were the people
in the time of the firft covenant ? Who obtained mercy^
then ? Were they not the Jews ? And who were not a
people, and who did not obtain mercy, but were left
out of the love and mercy of the firft covenant ? Were
they not the Gentiles ^ And did not the Lord pro-
inife that he would have inercy on them that had not
obtained mercy ? And that he would fay to them that
were not his people, Thou art my people ; and they
fhall fay, Mv God, Hof. ii. 23. compared wich Rom.
ix. 26. Was not this once glorioufly fulfilled in the
firft vilitation of the Gentiles? And is it not 'again
glorioufly fulfilled in his nov/ vifiting them again with
the frefh found of the everlafling gofpel, as was pro-
mifed. Rev. xiv. 7.

Oh 1 what a promile is that concerning the day of
God 1 that " in that day t'nere fliall be a root of JcfCc,
*' which fhall ftand f)r an enfign of the people i to it
" Ihall the Gentiles feek, and his red fhall be glo-
^' rious," Ifai. xi. 10. Is not fb?s the day wherein the
holy mountain is known, ,and that nothing can hurt
or detlroy there ? And doth not the knowledge of the
Lord cover his land, his earth, as the waters do the

fca?

453 Somewhat of Concern

fea ? And doth not the root of Jefle, the rock of
iife and falvation, ftand for an enfign, placed fo by
God } and who can difplace it, or Ihake them that are
built on the inward Mount Sion ? Yea, is not the reft
of the weary foul, when he comes hither, found to be
very glorious ? And when this enfign is more fully
lifted up, fhall not the Gentiles more abundantly come
unto God from the ends of the earth, and bewail their
dead and eftranged eftate from God? (faying, "Surely
** our fathers inherited vanity, and things wherein is no
«* profit," Jer. xvi. 19.) And Ihall they not turn
from all their idols to ferve the living God r ThefT.
u 9. And concerning the MefTiah it was promifed,
that in his name Ihould the Gentiles truft, and the ifles
Ihold wait for his law, and he fhould bring forth judg^
ment to the Gentiles, Ifai. xli. 1 j. with Matt. xii. 21.
But what Ihould I mention any more fcriptures unto
you concerning this thing, when-as ye have fo large,
full, certain, and daily experience of it in that which
is pure and living of God, which never deceived nor
can deceive any ; for ye are begotten by his Spirit in-
to his own image and nature, and have received the
Spirit of adoption, wherein ye cry Abba Father to
the Father of fpirits. He found you indeed in a
ftrange land, under great captivity, and alienation
from him. Ye have been in Egypt, in Sodom, in
Babylon fpiritually ; bqt the mercy of the Lord hath
followed you thither, and the arm of the Lord hath
reached to you there, and hath cut Rahab, and
wounded the Dragon : yea, he whom the Lord hath
given for a light to the Gentiles, hath (hined to you
there, in the midft of your darknefs. So that God
fent among you the prophet like unto Moles, (though
far above Mofes) and hearing him, he led you out of
Egypt, and by the rod of his power did figns, and
wonders, and valiant acts there, breaking that power
which with a ftrong hand held you captive there, and
opprefled you. And you have known the travel, tri-
als, and temptations in the fpiritual wildernefs, and the
falling of the carcafcs which were to f^U there, and,

thc^

TO THE Jews spiritual. 459

the holy leading by the pillar of cloud and fire through
all the entanglements and dangers therein. Yea, and
the faithful among you, the tried and prepared among
you, have pafled over Jordan (the river of pure judg-
ment) into the good land, and come to witnefs David
and Solomon (who are one in Spirit) your King, who
rules in righteoufncfs, and minifters to you peace
cverlafting. And ye have an High-prieft there, not
after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Mei-
chizedtrck, who is made the everlafting High-prieft of
God; not after the law of a carnal commandment,
but after the power of an endlefs life; whofe lips prc-
ferve the knowledge of the law for you, in that end-
lefs power of life ; who minifters for you, and to you,
in the endlefs power, and intercedes with power and
efficacy, and fprinkles the blood of the covenant upon
you, which takes away fin from your hearts and con-
fciences. So that ye know the inward Jew's Hate, the
inward holy land and kingdom, the inward circumci-
fion, before ye enter into that land ; and the inward
Lamb, the inward paflbver, the inward Mount Sion,
and Jerufalem ; the inward facrifices and incenfe, the
inward tabernacle, temple, and ark of the covenant,
the inward fhew-bread, the inward manna, the inward
rod that buddeth, the inward candleftick and the
lamps, which are never to go out in God's temple.
And what fhould I fay more? All that that people
were to be outwardly, in an outward way and (late,
hath God made inwardly in the fubflance; and what
God would have been to them outwardly, had they
obeyed his voice, and kept his ftatutes and judgments,
that he is to you inwardly, who are the called and
cholen, and faithful followers of the Lamb ; and ye
are the enjoyers of their bleffings and promifes in-
wardly. Oh ! the glory of your flate to the eye that
is opened to fee it 1

Now fomewhat doth remain on my heart unto you.

Oh ! be daily fenfible of the tender goodnefs and
mercy of the Lord, which is broke forth among you !
What mercy, what love hath the Father Ihewn unto

460 Somewhat of Concernt

you, that ye Ihould be thus accounted the children of
God ! That they which were once nigh, fhould be re-
moved fo far ofFj and ye, which were fo far off,
Ihould be brought fo nigh, and fhould for ever inherit
the fure mercies of David ! For of a truth the Lord
will never foriake you; but his mercy endures for ever
towards you, and your ftakes fhall never be removed ;
but this inward building fliall ftand for ever. This
Sion is the place of God's reft, where he will dwell
for ever J whereof the outward Sion was but a figure.

Secondly, Remember what the Lord promifed him-
felf concerning you. When he was weary of that
people, and continually complaining of them, oh !
what did he promife himfelf concerning the people
he would bring forth by the Spirit and power of the
Mefliah in the latter days ! Did he not promife him-
felf that they fhould be an holy people, an inwardly
circumcifed people, a people that fhould pleafe him ;
Iheep that fhould hear the Shepherd's voice, and be
healed by him, gathered home to him, and fo follow
and learn of him the Shepherd i that they fhould all
know him from the leaft to the greateft j and that he
would forgive their fins, and heal their backflidings,
and they fhould not return to folly, or backflide any
more, as the children after the flefh always did ? Is not
this the people whom indeed God hath formed for
himfelf, who fhall fhew forth his praife ?

Thirdly, Remember what a covenant God hath
prepared to make with you, as ye incline your ears to
him, and are led by him into the holy agreement with
him i even a covenant which is not weak, as the old
covenant wasj but is full of virtue and vigour, to
enable you to do whatever God requires of you. Mark
what it contains, putting God's fear into you : not the
fear which is taught by man's precepts, which man
may get into his carnal mind; but which God places
as the treafury of life in the heart ; as it is written,
*' The fear of the Lord and his treafure," Ifai. xxxvi.
6. And oh ! who knows the precioufncfs of his trea-
fury ! How it cleanfeth the heart, and keepeth it clean,

a?\4

TO THE Jews spiritual* 461

and will not fuffer the mind that is feafoned with it,
and kept to it, to depart from the living God ! It fenc-
eth from urvbeliefj it fenceth from difobedience } it
will not fuffer the :oul fo much as to meddle with
any appearance of evil. Oh 1 precious, glorious,
bleiTed treafure ! happy is the man that feareth always
with this fear ! Another precious thing this covenant
contains, is the law written in the heart, that it fhali
be as near, yea, nearer than fin is, in the heart that is
made tender, and hath the law of the Spirit of life
written in it. Who knows what it is to have the law
of love, the law of life, the law of the Spirit, the
law of faith, the law of new obedience, livingly writ-
ten by God in his heart ! Surely none can but they
in whom God writes it ! And fuch cannot but defire to
have it written in their hearts by his blelfed finger
daily more and more. But this covenant contains yet.
more, even the putting of his own Spirit within them,
to be a fountain of life there, a fountain of ftrength
and wifdom there, to make them more and more
willing in the day of his power, and to caufe them to
walk in his ways, and keep his ftatutes and judgments,
and do them, that the Lord their God may bleft them,
and delight in them.

Oh ! who would not long after, and take up the
crofs and (hame, to enjoy the glory of this ilate ! Oh !
what hath God done for a poor defpifed remnant
among the Gentiles ! Oh ! who would not defire to
keep this blefiTed covenant with the Lord, that he
might fully enjoy the Lord, that the marriage with the
Maker might be witneffed in his ioving-kindnefs and
cverlafting righceoufnefs, and all unrighteoufnefs and
unclean nefs might be put away, removed, and fepa-
rated from the heart for ever. Ah ! the virgin fpirit
which the Lamb loves, and delights to marry with I
" He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit," and he
muft part with all that is old, evil, unclean, and cor-
rupt in him, that would be joined to the L.ord, and
become one Spirit with him. Oh ! who would lofe
the precious fear of the covenant, which is clean, and

endureth

^Sl Somewhat of Concern

cndureth for ever, and keepeth clean and chafte to the
Lord for ever ! And who would mifs of one law which
God hath to write in the hearts of his children, when
every law is a law of life, and changeth the mind into
the nature of the lawgiver! And who would grieve
God's Spirit, which is our Comforter ? Or quench that
which kindles the pure flame of love and life in our
hearts ? Much lefs can any of his dear and tender
children be willing to vex him, by manifeft carelefT-
nefs and difobedience, who giveth us to drink of the
river of his pleafure !

Oh ! my dear friends, ye do not know the great
travail of my heart, that all the children of the Lord
might walk before him in all well-pleafing, that we
might come all into covenant, into the full covenant,
and walk fully with him in the covenant, that his
anger might be for ever turned away from us all, and
he might never be wroth with, nor rebuke any of us
any more. It is written on my heart the breaking
forth of this glory would reach the Jews : and though
they be call off as to their outward ftate, and not fo
to be owned, or come into that glory any morcj yet
there is a day of mercy and love for them, as to that
inward ftate of life and redemption, which their out-
ward ftate typified : and the breaking forth of the full
glory of the Gentiles, and the manifeftation of God's
mighty power and prefence with them, (they being
made by God a people to him, and fo walking with
God, as none poffibly can but thofe who are created
anew, and fo made by him) this might provoke the
Jews (the poor, fcattcred, forfaken Jews) to leek after
the Lord their God, and David their King, inwardly to
be revealed in them, and rule among them.

The Lord God of our life and tender mercies, carry
on to pcrfeflion this bleffed work of his, which he
hath fo mightily begun, and fo mightily hitherto car-
ried on i and keep us in the fenfe of his good Spirit,
and in tender and holy fubjedlion thereto, and in unity
together in the life, wherein we have been gathered
and prcfcrvcd, and in pure judgment over all the

workings

TO THE Jews spiritual. 463

workings of the enemy every where, and in the gof-
pel love one to another, and to all men, even our
greateft enemies, that we may feek the good of all
men, even the refcuing and preferving all out of fin
and wrath, as much as in us is pofllble; that the
pure light wherewith our God and heavenly Father
hath enlightened us, may fliine in us ; and the life
wherewith he hath quickened us, may live in us, and
we may feed on nothing but life, and grow in nothing
but life and truth, to the great glory of our iieavenly
Father, and to the great joy of our hearts. Amen.

A few Words to England, my Native.
Country.

Oh ! Land of my Nativity ! Oh ! my dear
Countrymen !

THE pure power of the Lord is upon me, and the
fprings of life open in me; and among many
other things, I am melted in love and defires after
your welfare. And this is in my heart to fay to you :
if I now teftify to you in truth of a pearl, a heavenly
pearl, an everlafting pearl, will ye not hear me ? If I
tell you your heart is the field, or earth, wherein it is
hid, will ye not confider of it ? If the everlafting
gofpel be preached again, which contains true tidings
of redemption from fin, will ye not liften after it ?
If the kingdom of God, and righteoufnefs of Chrill,
be to be revealed within, would ye not willingly learn
to wait for it there, and beg of God that the eye may
be opened in you, which alone can fee it when it doth
appear. Indeed God's vifitation is upon this nation
in an efpecial manner j his light and power is break-
ing forth in it, againft the darknefs and power of the
fpirit of Satan, which hath captivated and llili capti-

vatcth

464 A FEW WORDS TO THE

vateth many. Ye defire outward liberty, and the en-
joyment of your outward rights j would ye not be
free inwardly ? Free from the bafe, earthly, felfifh na-
ture and fpirit, which man, fallen from God, and the
glory wherein he created him, is degenerated into ?
Oh ! is not the power of God, and life of Chrift, able
to reftore man to this ? He that created maa at firft,
fo glorious in his own image, is he. not able to create
him anew ? Oh 1 hear, my dear countrymen ! the
power is revealed which createth anew •, and they that
receive it, and are as clay in the hands of the great
Potter, given up to be formed by it, are daily created
(by the operation of it) anew, into an holy, heavenly,
innocent, living, tender, righteous frame day by day;
and are made willing, daily more and more, to be the
Lord's, in this day of his power j and do receive
power to become fons, and flrength againft their foul's
enemies : and the glorious work of redemption which
God hath begun in them, the arm of his ftrength
mightily carrieth on in them, to their comfort and his
cverlafting praife.

There is a fpiritual Egypt and Sodom, as well as
there was an outward j and there is a fpiritual wildcr-
nefs, and Canaan alfo ; and the arm of God's power
inwardly and fpiritually hath been revealed in this fpi-
ritual Egypt, wildernefs, and Canaan, as really as
ever it was in the outward. Do ye not read of a Jew
inward, and a circumcifion inward, and the leaven
inward, and keeping the feaft of unleavened bread,
even of bread that is not leavened with fm ? And he
that eats of the unleavened bread, it unleavens him
of fin, and leavens him with life and.holinefs: for it
is an holy bread, and a living bread; This is the
bread which comes down from heaven, which they that
feed upon live, and they that live feed upon. And
though they be many, yet feeding upon this bread,
they become one bread, one living body, confiding of
a living head, and living members j for the fame life
and pure heavenly nature which is in the head, is
communicated by him to the members.

PEOPLE OF ENGLAND. 465

Sut how Jhall we find this? may fome fay.

I will tell you how we found it, and how none can
mifs of it, that fweep the houfc, and make a diligent
and faithful fearch after it. That in the heart of man
which turns againft fin, difcovers fin, draws from fin,
wherein God minifl:ers help againfl: fin, that is it.
That is the pearl hid; that is the kingdom hid ; in
that is the righteoufnefs of God revealed from faith to
faith, in all that receive and give up to this holy lea-
ven. This is of the nature of God and Chrifl: ; this
is a meafure of his light, of his pure life; this is the
law and commandment everlafting, which God writes
in the hearts of his fpiritual Ifracl. For the inward
Jew hath inward tables, where the inward law is
written, for the inward eye to read. Oh ! how nigh is
God inwardly, to the inward people, in this our day i
Oh ! the pure glory is broke forth ! But alas ! men are
in their feveral forts of dreams, and take no notice of
it. What fliall the Lord do to awaken this nation ?
In what way Ihall his power appear, to bring down
unrighteoufnefs, and to bring up righteoufnefs, in the
fpirits of people ? Do ye not think the Lord hath
been at work ? How could deceit be fo wafted in-
wardly, and truth fo grown inwardly, and overfpread
more and more, and gain ground in the nation, if the
hand and power of the Lord were not with it, blef-
fing it. Oh 1 take notice of the handy-work of the*
Lord, ye children of men, and wait to feel truth near,
and to partake of the living virtue and power of it,
that ye may feel your hearts creating anew, and the
old heavens and earth may inwardly pafs away, where-
in dwells unrighteoufnefs ; and the new heavens and
the new earth may be inwardly witneficd, wherein
dwells righteoufnefs. Oh ! that this nation might be-
come a paradife of God ! Oh ! that every one might
be fenfible of his prefence, and power, and kingdom,
and righteous government inwardly in the heart, from
the king that fits on th.e throne, to the beggar on the
dunghill! Surely man was not made for himfelf!
Surely he was not made fuch a creature as now he is!

Vol. III. G g but

4.66 A FEW WORD S, &c.

but in the holy image of God, with love in his heart
to God above all, and to his neighbour as to himfelf.
Oh ! what are the religions and profeflions of feveral
forts where this love is not found ! The Lord is re-
ftoring his image, and bringing forth the true pure
religion again. The pearl, the truth, contains and
comprehends it. Oh! buy the pearl! oh! buy the.
precious truth ! fell all that is contrary to it for it i
take up the crofs to all that is evil in thee, as the
light in thee maketh it manifeft, and thou Ihalt have
the free poflefTion of it in thy heart, and feel it a root
of life, a treafure of life, a well of life, out of which
the living water will be daily fpringing up in thee unto
life everlafting. Amen.

The 2zd of the 7 th month, 1676.

THREE (QUERIES

UPON

THREE VERSES of the XLVIth PSALM.

Verfe 4. " rriHERE is a river, the ftreams where-
X " of Ihall make glad the city of
" God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Moft
«' High."

^ery i. Which is the river, and what are the
dreams thereof, which make glad the city of God ?
And which is the city of God, which they make glad ?
which are the tabernacles of the Moft High ? and
which is the holy place of thofe tabernacles ? Oh ! my
dear countrymen, that every one in this nation dia.
underftand and enjoy thefe things! For the Lord is

ready

T.H REE QJJ E R I E S. 467

ready to beget a will, to beget a thirft in the hearts
of the children of men; and whofoever thirfleth, who-
foevcr will, is called to the waters, and may come to
the waters, and take of the water of life freely, (Ifa,
Iv. I. Rev. xxii. 17.) yea, to the full fatisfacflion of
their fouls. For indeed this is the day of God's power,
wherein he doth make his people willing to come to
him, and to abide with him in the fountain of living
waters ; and thofe that do come to him, and abide
with him, lie abundantly fatisfiech with the fatnefs of
his houfe, and s^iveth them to drink of the river of his
pleafures, Pfal. xxxvi. 8, 9. Mark, God is the foun-
tain of living waters, with him is the fountain of life,
a river of pleafures, a river whole ftreams make glad
the whole city, even the holy place of all the taber-
nacles of the Mod High ; and he giveth his citizens
to drink of it; and whofoever drinketh of it, it mak-'
eth them glad, it refrelheth their life. Oh! that
more knew what this means !

Verfe 5. "^ God is in the midfl of her, fhe lliall not
" be moved ! God fhall help her, and that right early;'*
or when the morning appeareth, or from the morning
appearing.

!^{ery 2. How is God in the midft of this city ? Is
it not more glorioufly in an inward way, than ever he
was in the tem.ple in the outward Jerufalem, in an
outward way ? How is Ihe built ? How is Ihe founded
and fituated ? How comes it about that Ihe lliall not
be moved ? How is God her refuge and llrength, and
prefent help in tlie time of trouble ? After what man-
ner doth God arife inwardly, and icatter his enemies?
How doth tlie morning light help her ? After what
manner, when the enemy cometh in like a flood, doth
the Spirit of the Lord lift up a flandard againft him ?
Ah ! bleffed are they that know and experience, and
live in the enjoyment of thefe things ! Oh 1 that this
whole nation did fo ! Were it not worth the fuffering
of much, the denying of much, and the bearing of
much judgment, to come to this ?

G g 2 Verfe

468 THREE QUERIES*

Verfc 10. " Be ft ill, and know that I am God •, I
" will be exalted among (or in) the heathen : I will
*' be exalted in the earth."

^ery ^. What is that ftillnefs wherein God is known
to be God, not outwardly in notion, but inwardly in
the heart ? Where is that filence of mind, wherein
God teacheth his Ifrael in the new covenant, to know
him as he is ; even all of them, from the greateft to
the leaft ? How will God come to be exalted in the
heathen, and in the earth ? Is it not by the light of
his day, breaking forth and fhining in them ? Where
this day breaks forth in any heart, doth it not break
down and deftroy the kingdom of darknefs inwardly ?
And doth not the King of glory confume the man of
fin, the wicked one that was exalted in the temple be-
fore, (which temple belonged of right to God) with
the Spirit of his mouth, and deftroy him with the
brightnefs of his coming or appearing ? Ifaiah xi. 4.
2 Their, ii. 8. Then is the day known wherein the
Lord alone is exalted. Oh ! that this day were more
known ; and the Lord, who is indeed worthy, were
more exalted, and all flefti become his footftool fot
ever !

Concerning the true Church and Miniflry under
the Gofpel, and the Maintenance thereof;
feme few Queftions anfwered in Truth and
Plainnefs of Heart, and left to the Witnefs
and Teftimony of GOD in other Mens Con-
fciences.

Queft. I. TT r/Z/CH is the true church, or the gofpel^
W churchj or the church according to the
new covenant ? For there was an old covenant, and a
church according to that, under the law : and there is
a new covenant, and a church according to that, un-
der the gofpel,

Anf.

Concerning the true Church, &c. 469

Anf. For the clearing of this to the hearts and con-
fciences of people, let us confider and enquire what
the new covenant is, and then it will more eafily ap-
pear which is the church according to the new cove-
nant.

The new covenant, according to plain fcripture, and
according to manifeft experience in this blelled day of
the fhining of the gofpel-light in mens hearts, is a
covenant of God's putting his law in the inward parts
of people, and writing it in their hearts, and of his
becoming their God, and making them his people,
and of teaching them all to know him, (inwardly and
experimentally) from the leaft to the greateft, and of
being merciful to their unrighteoufnefs, and remem-
bering their fins and iniquities no more, Jer, xxxi,
23, 34- Heb. viii. lo, 11, la.

Now if this be the new covenant, the covenant of
the gofpel-church, then they are the gofpel-church
who are the people of God according to this covenant,
who have the law put by God into their inward parts,
and writ in their hearts j and fo according to this law
and covenant, have God to be their God, and are his
people, and are taught by him to know him, (as it is
written, " All thy children (liall be taught of the
" Lord," liaiah liv. 13. and John vi. 45.) and whofe
unrighteoufnefs God hath been merciful to, and whofe
fins and iniquities he remembereth nojmore, being wafhed
away from their confcienccs by the blood of the ever-
lading covenant, which the blood of bulls and goats
could never do ; fo that this is the New Teftamcnt-
church (or gofpel-church) ; a church of Jews inward,
as the law-church was a church of Jews outward : a
church of inward worfliippers, of worfliippers in Spir
fit and in truth, John iv. 23. as the law-church was
a church of worfliippers outward : a church of inwardly
circumcifed ones, as the law -church was a church of
outwardly circumcifed ones, Rom. ii. 29. A church
of fuch as are inwardly h6ly, as the law-church was
to be a church of fuch as were outwardly holy : a
church of fuch as offer inward incenfe and facrifices,

G g 3 ^5»

470 Concerning the true Church, Sfc.

as the law-church was a church of fuch as offered out-
ward incenfe and facrifices : a church ot inwardly-re-
deemed ones, from the inward Egypt, from the inward
darknefs and power of Satan, as the law-church was
a church of fuch as were redeemed from the outward
Egypt, and the power of Pharaoh outward : a church
that hath the inward ark, (Rev. xi. 19.) the inward
prefence, the inward manna, &c. as the outward
church of the Jews had the outward.

Queft. 2. Whieh is the true go/pel minijiryy and who
are the true go/pel minijlers ?

JInf. Thofe whom Chrift fends forth, in the Spirit
and power of his Father, to gather and build up this
church. Chrift had all power in heaven and earth given
him, even to this very end, to gather, defend, and
build up his church : and he bid his apoftles wait for
the fame power } and fends fortk his minifters in the
fame power, that they may be able minifters of the
gofpel, which is not words but power, even the power
of God unto falvation, Rom. i. 16. The new cove-
nant ftands not in the letter, but in Spirit and power ;
and they that arc the minifters of it, muft receive life.
Spirit, and power from Chrift, (the head) and minif-
tcr in that Spirit, life, and power to the members, or
they cannot nourifti and build them up ; yea, they
muft preach and minifter to the world in it, or they
are not able to gather out of the world into it. Chrift,
the Lord of his church, the foundation of life in his
church, the evcrlafting rock, is a living ftone ; and
his church is built of lively ftones : and how can any
minifter life unto them, or build them up in the life.
Spirit, and power, but who are in the life, Spirit, and
power, and who receive life. Spirit, and power from
the Head, to further, quicken, and build up the liv-
ing members with .? The milk which nouriftieth the
living babe, is living, which muft come pure from the
breaft of life, and not be mixed with man's wifdom or
brain inventions, or it cannot yield pure nouriftiment.
What then muft the bread, and wine, and water of
the kingdom be, whereon the children and heirs of

th<:

Concerning thi truz Church, &c. 471

the kingdom muft feed, or they cannot be fatlsfied ?
And the minifters of the gofpel are ftewards of this
heavenly life, this heavenly Spirit, this heavenly pow-
er, this heavenly treafure which they have in the
earthen veflels, and which God enables them to
bring forth, for the feeding of his lambs and fheep.
Chrift faid unto Peter, *' Lovell thou me more than
*' thefe ?" Peter anfwered him, " Yea, Lord, thou
" knowetl that I love thee." If it be fo, " feed my
" lambs, feed my fheep," faid Chrift to him. But
how Ihould he feed them ? In what fhould he feed
them? With what fhould he feed them? All power,
faith Chrift, is given me in heaven and in earth ; and

1 am to afcend to rny Father, and to receive the ful-
nefs of his Spirit ; and do ye wait, and ye fhall re-
ceive abundantly of the fame Spirit and power, and
then in that Spirit and power ye ihall be able to feed
my lambs and fheep, that are begotten and gathered
to me, in it ; but out of it none is able to feed and
build them up ; for that is the very thing they are to
be fed with and built up in. Indeed a man may be
a minifter of the letter, a minifter of the law, without
the Spirit and power ^ but of the gofpel he cannot
pofTibly ; for that confifts not in letter, but in Spirit,

2 Cor. iii. and the faith that is to be begotten there,
is not to ftand in the wifdom of man, but in the power
of God. The gofpel-ftate, the gofpel-church, the
gofpel-building, begins in the power, and is carried
on in the power, and finiftied or perfctled in the pow-
er; and the whole miniftry of the gofpel is to par-
take of this power, and minifter in it, or they can do
nothing in this work. Chrift Jefus our Lord begun it
in this power, and none can carry it on without this
power : the Lord God of glory laid the foundation ;
** Behold, I lay in Sion for a foundation," &c. Ifai.
xxviii. 16. I Pet. ii. 4, 5, 6. And the quickening
Spirit alone is able to make living ftones and fpiritual
ftones ; and the Lord alone is able to build them up
by the operation of this Spirit and power •, and they
that are the true minifters of the gofpel, minifter in

G g 4 this.

47* Concerning the true Church, &c.

this, and are to wait for it daily from God, that they
may minifter in it.

Queft. 3. PThat is the maintenance of the minijlers of
Chrijii or what is to he the maintenance of the true minij'
ters under the gojpel ?

Anf. Chrift, who hath fent them forth to minifter in
his name, hath provided for them ; and they that are
his true minifters, are fatisfied with what he hath pro-
vided for them. Mat. x. lo. being careful not to
make the gofpel, which is to be an inward blefling,
outwardly chargeable to any. The mind of the true
minifters is about the fervice of Chrift j how they may
be faithful to him, gather fouls to him, feed them with
the bread of life from himj not what they all have
from men for fo doing, for fugh covet no man's gold or
fjlver, &c.

Some Questions anfwered concerning
the Lamb's War.

Queft. I. WJHO is the Lamb?

VV ^^f' ^^ ^^^^ takes away the fins of
the world. The Word which was in the beginning*
** Behold the Lamb of God," faid John, John i. i.
and ver. 29. He that was born of the virgin Mary
after the flefti ; and was alfo the man-child, born of
the travailing-church, after the Spirit, Rev. xii. 5.

Queft, 2 . PVho makcj war with the Lamb ?

AnJ. AH that are in wickednefs, in darknefs, in fin
and corruption, and under the power thereof, who
ftrive to defend and maintain this kingdom againft the
appearance of his light. Spirit, and power in them.

Queft. 3. JVhat firength have they on their fide that
make war againfi the Lamb ?

Anf. The ftrength of the great red dragon, who hath
feven heads and ten horns ; and in every one of his
heads is wifdom, and in every one of his hornj there

\%

Some Questioks answered, &c, 47^

is power. So that dreadful is the battle that is fought
between them, either inwardly in the heart, or out-
wardly in the world, when Chrift appears in his light.
Spirit, and power, to alTault and break down the
kingdom of darkneis, and to fet up his own kingdom,
which muft be fet up, even in the world, Dan. vii.
14. 27. Rev. xi. 15.

Queft 4. Did the great red dragon and his army evir
{in any rejpeoi) prevail in this battle ?

AnJ. Yes j for even while the Lamb, and his pure
life and holy teflimony have prevailed, fo that the
dragon and his army could get no ground over them
inwardly, but falvation (the wall and bulwark of God's
heritage) and ftrength, and the kingdom of God,
and the power of his Chrift, did prevail inwardly j yet
the dragon, even then, hath prevailed over their
goods, liberties, and lives outwardly j and he drove,
the woman, the true church, out of her place, as I
may fay, that fhe was forced to fly into the wildernefs,
he fo forely aflaulted her : yea, after that, he alfo mad»
war with the remnant of her feed, and caft fome of
them into prifon, and drank the blood of thofe that
would not drink his falfe church's cup, but keep the
commandments of God, and have the teltimony of
Jefus, Rev. xii. and chap. ii. 10. Yea, the beaft to
which he gave his power (which had feven heads and
ten horns like him, chap. xiii. i.) made war with
the faints, and overcame them outwardly, though he
could not overcome them inwardly j for he could not
make them to worfhip him, ver. 7, 8. Nav, nor the
fecond beaft neither, though he had horns like a lamb,
and fpake like a dragon, and exercifcd all the power
of the firft beaft, and did great wonders, and had
power to give life unto the image of the former
beaft, and would kill all that would not worftiip the
image of itj and would fufter none to buy or fell but
fuch as had the mark or name of the beaft ; yet nei-
ther could this beaft overcome the followers of the
Lamb, as to their inward life and teftimony, though
it had power to kill and fupprefs them outwardly,

ver.

474 Some Questions answered

ver. II. to the end, and chap, xiv. 9. to ver. ig. which
plainly (hews the faints had patience, and kept the
commandments of God, and the faith of Jefus, an4
would not worfhip the bead and his image, nor re-
ceive his mark, either in forehead or hand.

Queft. 5. What was the cry up and down nations,
when the dragon and the beaji thus prevailed, and when
the dragon and the falfe church carried her cup of fornica-
tions up and down through kingdoms and nations, and made
the kings and inhabitants of the earth drink thereof; and
who would not drink thereof fhe would not let them buy
nor felly but impoverijh, imprlfon them, and drink their
blood? Rev. xvii. 2. and 6.

Anf. The cry every where was, " Who is like unto
** the beaft ? Who is able to make war with the
«* beaft ?'* Indeed there appeared no power any where
able to withftand or refift this power, which the dra-
gon had, who gave it both to the beaft which arofe
out of the fea, and to the beaft which arofe out of the
earth i both which joined together to perfecute all
that would not drink of the falfe church's cup, which
was golden without, but full of abominations and fil-
thinefs of fornication, fornicating from the holy life.
Spirit, and power of the Lamb inwardly, who is the
head of the true church and true worihippers, Rev.
xiii. 4. and chap. xvii. 4, 5.

Queft. 6. What is the time of the dragon^ s, the beajl's,
and falfe churcFs thus prevailing againfi the true church,
in reference to the outward, though they cannot prevail
againfi its inward life and tejlimony -, but that (through
patience and fufferings ) prevails over and reigns inwardly,
in the midjl of all their cruelty and opprefftng of the out-
ward man ?

Anf. It is the time of Antichrift's reign, and fitting
in the temple as if he were God, and exalting himfelf
over all that is called God, and which ought to be
worlhipped. It is the time of the true church's being
in the wildernefs, and of the man-child's (which the
true church brought forth) being caught up to God ;
which things were to laft, according to the fcripture

account^

CONCERNING THE LaMB's WaR. j^.y r

account, one thoufand two hundred and fixty days,
or a tinne, times, and half a time, 2 Theff. ii. 3, 4.
Rev. xii. 6, 14.

Queft. 7. fVhai zvill the Lamb do when this time is
out ?

AnJ. He will come and make war again ; he will
come with his heavenly armies, armed with fpiritual
armour, and fight an heavenly battle; yea, he will
judge and make war in righteoufnefs, againft the un-
righteoufnefs of the dragon, and the bead, and the
falfe prophet -, and his heavenly armies fhall follow
him their Captain and Leader, on white horfes, clothed
in fine linen, white and clean, who Ihall fight in his
Spirit and power, againft ail that he fighteth againft;
and out of his mouth goeth a (harp fword, that with
it he Ihould fmite the nations ; and he fhall rule them
with a rod of iron, and maice the fpirits of all his op- .
pofers bow under him, and By to fhelter themfelves
from that wrath which they cannot efcape. Oh 1 who
would not kifs the Son, that he might not provoke
the Lamb to wrath againft him, whofe wrath is dread-
ful! Rev. xix. II. to the end. Pfal. ii. 11.

Queft. 8. IVhai JJjall the cry he^ when God's Spirit and
power prevciikth over the dragon's Jpirit and power ^ when
the Lamb gets the victory y when he fmites the earth with
the rod of his mouthy and with the breath of his lips
fhall flay the wicked y when he brings down the dragon,
beafty and falfe prophety and the falfe churchy mother of
harlotSy (which hath drunk the blood of faints) with his
vtalsy plagues y woeSy thunders y isle. ? when Babylon the
great city falls^ which made all nations drunk with her
fpiritual wine of fornication ?

AnJ. Then the power which doth this fliall be m.ag-
nified. Then it fhall be faid no more, who can make
war with the beaft ? but who can withftand his power?
Who can make war with the innocent, righteous
Lamb, (who hath his fword in his mouth) and with
his tender-hearted, faithfuL followers, and profper ?
*' Who fhall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy
" name ? For all nations Ihall come and v/orfiiip be-

" fore

476 Some Questions answered

*' fore thee; for thy judgments are made manifeft.
** Great and marvellous are thy works. Lord God
** Almighty ; juft and true are thy ways, thou King
*< of faints." Rev. xv, 3, 4. " Yea, a great voice
*< of much people in heaven Ihall fay. Hallelujah,
<* falvation, and glory, and honour, and power unto
** the Lord our God : for true and righteous are his
" judgments ; for he hath judged the great whore,
" which did corrupt the earth with her fornication,
*' and hath avenged the blood of his faints at her
** hand," chap. xix. ver. i, 2.

Now doth it nor concern all people to confider
which is Sion, God's holy mountain, and which is the
Jerufalem of his building j and the holy city of God,
the holy church of God, the mother of all the truly
living children ? for the Jerufalem which is above,
and which is free, is the mother of them all, Gal. iv,
26. And alfo which is Babylon, the city built by
man, and the fpirit of Antichrift, in a kind of like-
nefs, but not in the real nature of the true church j
that they may wait for and follow God's call to come
out of her, and may not partake of her fins, of her
forceries, (Rev. xviii. 22.) of her fornication from
the pure life. Spirit and power, and fetting up wor-
fhips, and compelling people to worfliip in her forms,
(which are out of the life, and out of the power) that
they partake not of her plagues, which will indeed
be very dreadful, fuch as fhall affright any from com-
ing near her, or meddling with her fpiritual forceries
and fornications any more. Rev. xviii. 4. and ver. 9,
10. Oh ! therefore let every one confider what the
beaft is, what his image, what the mark in the fore-
head, what in the right-hand ; and take heed he be
not found worlhipping the beaft and his image, or
receiving his mark, either in his forehead or right-
hand, left God make him to drink of the wine of his
wrath, which is poured out without mixture into the
cup of his indignation, and he be tormented with fire
and brimftone in the prefence of the holy angels, and
in the prefence of the Lamb, and have no reft day

nor

CONCERNING THE LaMB*S WaR. 477

nor night. Rev. xlv. 9, lo, ii. I had rather run
great hazards outwardly, and fuffer much affli6tion
and perfecution from men, to keep my foul true to
God, in the fpiritual worfhip and teftimony which he
hath given me, againft all falfe ways and invented
worfhips, than expofc my foul to the hazard of drink-
ing of this dreadful cup of God's indignation ; which
the Lord God of tender mercies teach men, and give
them true wifdom, to avoid and cfcape. Amen.

THE

CONCLUSION.

BEHOLD my fervant fhall deal prudently, he
" fhall be exalted and extolled, and be very
high. As many were aftonifhed at thee (his vifage
was fo marred more than any man, and his form
more than the fons of men) ; fo fliall he fprinklc
many nations ; the kings fhall fhut their mouths at
him : for that which hath not been told them, fhall
they fee ; and that which they had not heard, fhall
they confider," Ifa. lii. 13, 14, 15.
" Thou art fairer than the children of men : grace
is poured into thy lips; therefore God hath blefled
thee for ever. Gird thy fword upon thy thigh, O
Mod Mighty, with thy glory and thy majefty. And
in thy majefty ride profperoufly, becaufe of truth
and meeknefs, and righteoufnefs; and thy right
hand fhall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows
are fharp in the hearts of the King's enemies, where-
by the people fhall fair under thee. Thy throne,
O God, is for ever and ever : the fcepter of thy
kingdom is a right fcepter. Thou lovefl righteouf-

" ncfs.

47« The CONCLUSION.

*« nefsj and hateft wickednefs, therefore God, thy'God,
*« hath anointed thee with the oil of gladnefs above
" thy fellows," Pfal. xlv. ver. a. to 8.

" Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the
*« feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful
•« heart. Be flrong, fear not : behold, your God will
** come with vengeance, even God with a recom-
*« pence, he will come and fave you. Then the eyes
*« of the blind Ihall be opened, and the ears of the
" deaf fhall be unftopped. Then fhall the lame man
«* leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb fing ;
'« for in the wildernefs fhall waters break out, and
" ftreams in the defert. And the parched ground
*' fhall become a pool, and the thirfty land fprings of
" water; in the habitation of dragons, where each
*« lay, fhall be grafs with reeds and rufbes. And an
" highway fhall be there, and a way, and it fhall be
«* called the way of holinefsi the unclean fhall not
** pafs over it, but it fhall be for thofe : the wayfar-
<* ing men, though fools, fhall not err therein. No
" lion fhall be there, nor any ravenous beaft fhall go
<« up thereon, it fhall not be found there j but the
*' redeemed fhall walk there. And the ranfomed of
** the Lord fhall return and come to Sion with fongs,
** and everlafting joy upon their heads : they fhall
*' obtain joy and gladnefs, and forrow and fighing fhall
*« flee away," Ifai. xxxv. ver. 3. to the end.

BlefTed be the Lord God of life for ever! thefe fcrip-
tures, and many more, are fweetly and precioufly ful-
filled in the hearts of a remnant, in this our day.
They were once (in a degree) fulfilled in the day of
the appearance of the word of life, in the prepared
body of flefh. They were again more generally ful-
filled, in the day of the pouring out of his Spirit, and
gathering a people to him, both from among the Jews
and Gentiles, whom he did fprinkle with his holy life.
Spirit, and power. And they are again fulfilled in
the hearts of many, after the long night of darknefs,
and great and large apoflafy from the Spirit and power
of the apoflles. BlefTed, Oh 1 blefTed be the Lord,

the

The C O N C L U S I O N. 479

the Sun of righteoufnefs hath again fhone forth, and
appeared inwardly in a glorious, living, powerful
manner, to them that have feared his namej and he
hath been a God of vengeance to the man of fin;
yea, to all that was dark, fiefhly, and corrupt in
them J and a God of mercy and tender bowels to
thofe which panted after, and waited for, his falvation.
And the healing virtue from under the wings of the
Saviour, and the holy anointing, hath dropped upon
the eyes of the blind, the pure eye-falve, and they
have been opened ; and the ears of the deaf, by the
voice of the Son of God, have been unftopped j and
the inwardly and fpiritually lame have leaped as an
hart J and the tongue, which could not name God in
truth and righteoufnefs, but hath been dumb before
him, and before men alfo, could not but fing, becaufe
of the breaking forth of the waters and ftreams of
life, upon the thirfty land and parched ground, mak-
ing them a pool and fprings of water j which land,
which thus is changed from its wildernefs and parched
ftate, into an holy, frefh, and living ftate, the dra-
gons do not lodge in ; nor is it any more an habitation
or cage for unclean and noifome birds, (as great pro-
feffmg Babylon, the mother of harlots, with all her
flelhly profefling daughters, is) but life dwells there :
the Holy One is in the midil of this land, and it
brings forth the fruits of life and righteoufnefs, to
the Righteous and Holy One. And here the King of
glory's highway, even the way of holinefs, is known,
which none but thofe whom he makes holy can walk
in. Let men profefs what they will, yet being un-
clean in heart and converfation, they cannot pafs over
to come into this way j but the holy, they which arc
made holy by God, and keep to, live in, and follow
that which is holy, though wayfaring men, and though
otherwife fools, yet they fhall not err here, but be
preferved by the holy power,^ in the holy way, which
is prepared and call up for thefe : and as for that
which would tear and deftroy, it fhall not be found
on all that holy mountain where thefe live and feed.

Yea,

480 The CONCLUSION.

Yea, here is the houfe of God and throne of God,
and God the Judge of all, and Jefus the Mediator of
the new covenant, and the blood of fprinkling, where
the ranfonned of the Lord enjoy the prefence of the
bridegroom, whom God hath fet King, and who reigns
on his holy hill of inward and fpiritual Sion, and
caufeth them to fing, who feel him reign (even the
everlafting feed of life to reign inwardly in the heart).
Oh ! everlafting joy is upon their heads ! they have
obtained joy and gladnefsj and forrow and fighing
flee away, when the joy unfpeakable and full of
glory is felt fpringing in the heart, from the fenfe of
the prefence and enjoyment of the bridegroom. For
of a truth, the Lord hath comforted Sion ; yea, he
hath comforted many of her wafte places (he was angry
with her daughters, before their filth was purged away
by the Spirit of judgment and burning j fmce that
time his anger hath been turned away, and he hath
comforted them, Ifai. xii. i, &c.); and he hath made
her wildernefs in many hearts like Eden, and her de-
fert like the garden of the Lord (even like the gar-
den that he waters) : and how can joy and gladnefs
but be found here, with thankfgiving and the voice
of melody? Ifai.^ Iviii. ii, and chap. li. 3. Thus it
is with fuch of the gathered people and nation of the
Lord, that hearken and give ear to him, and have
known the way of life to proceed out of his mouth,
and his judgment to reft for a light, ver, 4.

SOMfi

SOME SENSIBLE,

Weighty Q^U E R I E S,

CONCERNING

Some Things very fweet and neceflary to
be experienced in the Truly-Chris-
tian State.

Whereunto is added,

A POSTSCRIPT,

CONTAINING

Some QUERIES on ISAIAH L. lo, ii.

A Scripture of deep Counfel and Concern to the
darkened and diftreffed States of fome among thofc
that fear and obey the LORD.

Written by one who hath been forely darkened and diftrefled for a
long Seafon, but at length mercifully enlightened and comforted
by the Hand which afflicted and diftrefled him ;

ISAAC PENINGTON.

«' Come, and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he

" will heal us ; he hath fmltten, and he will bind us up.'*

Hof. vi. I.
•* And in that day thou IhaJt fay, O Lord, I will pralfc thee

*• though thou wall angry with me, thine anger is turned away

** and thou comforteft me." Ifai. xii. i.

Vol. m. H h

[ 483 ]
A BRIEF

PREFACE.

INDEED the Lord hath reached unto me by his liv-
ing power, and thereby hath begotten ibmcwhat
which he doth own, and which he hath taught to know
and own him in his living appearances in my heart;
and by its pure life and operations in me, I know it
to be the true power. And truly I would fain have
this life and power more and more reach to, prevail,
and fpread in my own heart, and in the hearts of
other men : I am not for any notional religion out of
the power, in any way or form whatfoever (no, in-
deed, I am not fo much as for the very true form of
godlinefs out of the power) j but where there is any
touch, any fenfe, any operation, any favour of the true
life and power any where, my foul loveth and em-
braceth it, blefllng the Lord for it. And oh ! that
this might be vifited by the Lord, wherever it is,
and kept alive to the day of redemption, and led by
the Lord into the pure and living way, and holy ever-
lafting covenant of life, wherein he redeems -, for
which end thefe queries have broke forth from me :
and indeed, no lefs than a neceffity (or a necefTitous
force of love and life purfuing me) hath conftrained
me to publifh them, who with reverence of fpirit com-
mit them into the hands of the Lord, who can open
the hearts of whom he pleafeth, and give the living
fenfe of what comes from him. I am fatisfied that
God's powerful work of redeeming will go on. Oh !
bleffed be his name, who hath a mighty arm, and hath
done mighty things with it inwardly in mens hearts !
and we are in the true faith affured that he will yet do
more mighty things, as he feeth good, to the gladding
of the hearts of thofe whofe hope is in him, and who
have no help befides him.

Hh 2 SOME

[ 484 ]

SOME SENSIBLE,

Weighty Q^U E R I E S,

CONCERNING

Some Things very fweet and necefTary to be ex-
perienced in the Truly-Christian State.

^ery i.TTTHAT is the water wherewith the foul
Y Y or inner man is to be walhed, that it
may be cleanfed from its inward filthinefs, as outward
things are by wafhing with outward water ? Ezek,
xxxvi. 25. Pfal. li. 2, &c.

S^uery 2. What is the anfwer of a good confcience
towards God, when the foul is inwardly baptized and
made clean? Pet. iii. 21.

^uery 3. Chrift faith, " BlefTed are the pure in
*' heart :" Do, or can, any witnefs purity of heart be-
fore this wafhing ?

^ery 4. How may the heart be fprinkled from an
evil confcience, and the body walhed with pure water j
fo that there may be a drawing near to God with a
true heart, and in full aflurance of faith ? Heb. x. 22.
Pfal. xxvi. 6.

^ery 5. How might the Jews wafh and make them-
felves clean? Ifai. i. 16. Could it be any otherwife
done by them, than by taking heed to the word of
the new covenant, nigh in the mouth and heart, to
which Mofes had dircded them? Deut. xxx. 14. Pfal.
cxix. 9.

Some sensible, weighty Queries, &c. 485

^ery 6. What is the fire which takes hold of, and
bums up the lulls and corruptions of the heart ? Is it
not the word of life within, which flannes againft evil,
and hammers down evil ? Doth not the Holy One in
the midft of the fpiritual Ifrael do this ? When Chrift,
who knocks at the door of the heart, is let in, and
his voice hearkened to, doth he not become a Spirit
of judgment and burning, judging and burning up
what is evil there? Is it not blelfed to know this
fpiritual appearance, and this work of Chrift in the
heart? Ifai. iv. 4. and x. 17.

^ery 7. What are the enemies of a man's houfe ?
Who muft overcome them ? How may they be over-
come ? Is a man fafe, or delivered from them till they
be overcome? Matt. xv. 19. 1 Cor. x. 4, 5.

^ery 8. What is the houfe of the ftrong man,
where he dwells till he be difpoffeifcd ? Who can dif-
poflefs him? How doth he difpoflefs him ? How doth
he fpoil his goods, and then garnifh the houfe anew ?
Oh 1 what a new creation and change within is wit-
neffed when this is done ! And who would not wait,
and pray, and believe, and fufFer the judgings and
burnings of the Spirit of judgment and burnings that
this may be done thoroughly and effecftually ? Luke
xi. 11, 22. Ifai. xxvi. 9. 2 Cor, v. 17.

^ery 9. What is that coming to Chrill which none
can witnefs but thofe that hear and learn of the Fa-
ther, and are taught by him, in the drawings of the
life and Spirit of the. new covenant, to come to the
Son ? John vi. 44, 45.

^ery 10. Who can confefs Jefus to be the Lord
by the Holy Ghoft ? Can any but they that receive
the help of his Spirit, and feel fomevvhat of his lord-
Ihip and holy dominion in their hearts ? Ifai. xxvi.

^ery 11. What is the precious faith, which is the
gift of God, which none can obtain but they that are
born of God? John i. 12, 13.

^ery 12. Can any rightly believe that Jefus is the
Chrift, unlefs they receive this faith, which God gives

H h 3 to

486 Some sensible, weighty Queries, &c.

to his own children, that are born of his Spirit, i John

V. I.

^ery 13. Doth not this faith give vidory over the
world ? (over the worldly nature and fpirit within,
over the worldly nature and fpirit without alfo) ? Can
any other faith give victory ? i John v. 4.

^ery 14. What is the love of God's children?
Whence doth it arife ? How come they to love ? Is it
not of an heavenly fpiritual nature ? Doth it not arife
from God's begetting them, and circumcifing their
hearts, and teaching them in the Spirit of the new co-
venant to love him, and one another, yea, and ene-
mies alfo, J John iv. 7. Deut. xxx. 6. i Theflf.
iv. 9.

^ery 15. How come the children of God, who are
begotten of him, to obey his commandments ? Is it
not from the conllrainings of his love, which makes
them natural and eafy, (where the birth and nature is
grown up) and not grievous and burthenfome ? Mat*
xi. Z2>* I John v. 3.

^ery 16. What is the fear God puts into the hearts
of the children of the new covenant ? Is it a fear
taught by the precepts of men, or a fear fpringing
from the root of life within ? Can any who receive
this fear from God, and who are preferved in the fenfe
of it, (and in the holy awe and reverence which it
produceth) depart from the holy, tender, living God
and Father ? Jer. xxxii. 40.

^ery 17. What is the law which God writes in the
hearts of the children of the new covenant ? Is it not
the law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus ? Is it not
the law which the ifles wait for? Ifa. xli. 5. And do
the ides wait for it in vain ? Oh ! bleffed be the Lord,
by the once diftrefled and miferable ones, in this age
it hath not been waited for in vain !

^ery 18. What is the truth that makes free indeed
from the law of fin and death ? Is it not the truth as it
is in Jefus; the inward truth, which hath virtue and
power in it, to work againft, and work out that which
is contrary to truths and fo deliver and free the mind

from

Some sensible, weighty Queries, &c. 487

from it ? For the light,which is truth, can expel darknefs ;
the life, which is truth, can overcome death •, yea,
the truth, which is living, holy, and righteous, can
overcome and fubdue the unholy and unrighteous na-
ture, and break down the ftrong-holds, and bring
every rebellious and captivated thought into captivity
and fubjeclion, John viii. 32. Rom. viii. i. Ephef,
iv. 20, 21. 2 Cor. X. 4, 5.

^ery 19. How doth God caufe the children of
the new covenant to walk in his ftatutes, and to keep
his judgments, and do them ? Is it not by putting his
Spirit into them, and by the holy virtue, power, and
operation thereof in them ? Doth not that make them
a willing people in the day of his power ? And doth
not that give them to do alfo, and ftrengthen them
with might in the inner man ? So that not grieving
that, or quenching that, that is a flame of life in them;
and fills their hearts with joyj and the joy of the
Lord is in their ftrength, and in this joy and ftrength.
they can rejoice, and work righteoufnefs, and remem-
ber the Lord and his ways, Ifai. Ixiv. 5. Ezek,
xxxvi. 27.

^ery 20. Can any work righteoufnefs, or do right-
eoufnefs, but he that is truly righteous, inwardly right-
eous, in whom the righteoufnefs of God, the right-
eoufnefs of Chrift, is revealed from fairh to faith ?
Mull not the tree be good, before the fruit can be
good ? Mull: not the heart be changed, be made holy
and righteous, before it can bring forth that which is
holy and righteous ? Can any but the plants of God,
the plants of righteoufnefs, bring forth the fruits of
righteoufnefs? Ifai. Ixi. 3. and i John iii. 7.

Oh ! that people, nations, tongues, and languages,
could underilandingly, fenfibly, and experimentally,
as in God's fight, with the feal of his blelTed Spirit,
anfwer every one of thefe things !

H h 4 T^IREE

[ 488 ]

THREE QJJ E R I E S more added.

^ery i. T^ O S T thou indeed know the new cove-
1 J nant ? Haft thou inwardly felt the fpi-
ritual powerful gathering by the mighty arm and power
of the Lord, out of the finful nature and ftate, into
it ? Doft thou abide with God therein ? Art thou daily
taught and fed by him there ? Thefe are very weighty
things. Can any man be fafe or happy without ex-
periencing them ? Heb. viii. 8, &c.

^ery 2. Haft thou experienced the true hunger and
thirft after the living waters ? Haft thou been called
and led to them ? Haft thou eat and drank the bread,
wine, and milk which thofe waters yield ? Haft thou
been abundantly fatisfied with the fatnefs of God's
houfe, and hath he given thee to drink of the river
of his pleafure ? Hath the Lord opened an ear in thee
to hear as the learned ? And haft thou inclined thine
ear, and come unto him who gives life, and received
him who is life, and gives life in that inward, fpiri-
tual, living appearance of his in the heart, wherein
and whereby he gives life ? Haft thou known his ap-
pearance inwardly, as of a living ftone ? Haft thou
heard and learned of the Father how to come to him,
as to a living ftone ? And haft thou been new-created
and formed a living ftone by him ? And art thou a
living ftone, built upon him the living ftone inwardly
in fpirit, daily living in him, and daily receiving fpi-
ritual life and virtue from him ? If it be thus with
thee, then furely thou doft know and enjoy the cver-
lafting covenant, even the furc mercies of David, Ifai,
iv. I, 2, 3. Pfal. xxxvi. 8, 9. 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5.

^ery 3. Doft thou fenfibly and experimentally know
how the Spirit of the Father begets the child-like life,
love, and fear in the heart; and how the pure fear of
the Lord is the beginning of wifdom, and the living

child's

THREE QJJ E R I E S. 4^9

child's treafure ? And dofl thou know what the womb
is wherein the living child is fornned ? What the Je-
rufalem above is, which is the mother of all that ar*^
truly living ? And how Chrift is formed in all that arc
begotten, and born of, and live in the Spirit ? Ifai.
xxxiii. 6. Gal. iv. 26. John iii. 6. 8. Gal. iv. 19.

THE

CONCLUSION.

OH ! how miferable is he who is deceived about
thefe things ! Oh ! how happy is he who hath
received the true underftanding from God, which can-
not be deceived ; wherein he hath the evidence and
demonftration of God's Spirit concerning them, and
knoweth the truth as it is in Jefus j as it is in his life,
in his Spirit, in liis power, who minifters after the
power of an endlefs life, unto all his fheep, who arc
returned to the Shepherd and Bifhop of the foul, who
hear his voice and follow him, wherever he goes or
leads, who is an eternal Shepherd, and eternal Door
of life to his, and leads to precious paftures, and fweet
ftill llreams of life, and is giving the fweet food, reft,
and pure pleafure of eternal life unto his abundantly}
even as it is his v/ill, that after their many fore tri-
als, exercifes, and travels, (and faithfulnefs to him
therein) they Ihould abundantly poITefs and enjoy it.
Glory to the Lord for ever, whofe kingdom is fet up
in the hearts of many, and who already reigns in the
hearts of many, and will reign in the hearts of morel
Oh! that men might hear the found of his everlaft-
ing gofpel, and learn to fear him, and give glory to
him, and know the hour of his judgment come in
their own hearts, that by his judgment againft fin and

untight'

490 The CONCLUSION.

unrightcoufnefs in them, they might come to know
and worfhip him ; and then the worfhip of the dragon
and bead would foon come to an end in their hearts;
and they would worfhip the begetter of holinefs, the
begetter of life, the King of faints, who dwells and
rules in thofe that are his own, as the devil the de-
llroyer doth in thofe that are his ! The Lord God of
cverlafting power break down the kingdom of Satan,
(the kingdom of unrighteoufnefs and darknefs in mens
hearts) and exalt the kingdom and fcepter of his own
Son inftead thereof. Amen.

POSTSCRIPT.

Containing fome Queries on Isai. l. io, ii.

" Who is among you that feareth the Lord, and
*' obeyeth the voice of his fervant, that walketh in
** darknefs, and hath no light?" It is rendered in
another tranflation : " And no light Ihineth upon
" him" (which was Job's cafe in his great afflic-
tion, as is fignified by him, chap. xxix. 2, 3.) " Let
** him truft in the name of the Lord, and ftay upon
" his God." Ver. 10.

*' Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compafs about
** with fparks, walk in the light of your own fire,
** and in the fparks ye have kindled, this ye fhall
*' have of mine hand, ye Ihall lie down in forrow.*'
Ver. II.

^ery i.TAOTH not the tender and merciful God

P J many times, in the bowels of his love

and mercy, bring darknefs and great diftrefs upon

mens fpirits, that they might wait for his healing and

redemp-

POSTSCRIPT. 491

redemption ? Yea, doth not this befall lome who fear
the Lord, and are found in the holy re\^erence and
obedience to him ? And is it not good that it fhould
befall them ?

.^ery 1. Should not men, in fiich a condition of
darknels and didrefs, truft in the name of the Lord,
and (lay upon him till he caufe light to arife out of
obfcurity, and comfort them that mourn in Sion ;
giving them beauty for aflies, the oil of joy for mourn-
ing, and the garment of praife for the Ipirit of hea-
vinefs ?

G^ery 3. Are not perfons very prone and liable, ia
time of darknefs and diftrefs, inftead of waiting upon
God for his help and falvation, to be kindling a fire,
and compafling themfelves about with fparks ?

^ery 4. Are there not fome who cannot be con-,
tent without heat and warmth in their religion and
performances, and yet, inftead of waiting for God's
kindling the fire, and his caufing the fparks of life to
arife, kindle a fire of themfelves, and compafs them-
felves about with fparks of their own kindling ?

'£)uery 5. May not men, after they have kindled a
fire and fparks, walk in the light thereof? And may
not God, in his juft judgment and fore difplealiire
againft them, leave them to themfelves, and give them
.up fo to do ?

^ery 6. What will God do in the end, or what in
the end Ihall befall them from God, who kindle a fire
and fparks, and have continued walking in the li"-ht
thereof, and have been heated and warmed thereby ?
Will not God caufe them at length to lie down in
forrow ? Oh ! that perfons that are ferious in religion,
might not thus err, and fo provoke God to give them
up to walk in the light of the fire and fparks of
their own kindling !

^ery 7. When do men kindle a fire and fparks of
their own ? Do they not firft forget the God of their
falvation, and become unmindful of the rock of their
ftrength ? And do they not then plant pleafunt plants,
and fet ftrange flips ? (And where do they plane and

fee

492 POSTSCRIPT.

fct them ?) But what will the harveft be in the day of
inheritance, when they come to reap and inherit what
they have planted and fown ? (For what a man foweth,
that muft he alfo reap). Will it not be a heap for the
fire of God's jealoufy to take hold on, in the day of
their tribulation, anguifh, and defperate forrow of
heart? Ifai. xvii. lo, ii.

^ery 8. In what light do men build up a wall in-
wardly, and daub it with untempered mortar, to fe-
cure themfelves from the wrath to come ? Is it not in
the light of the fire and fparks of their own kindling ?
Will any wall or defence built up in the light of
this fire or fparks fecure men ? Will not the wrath of
God, in the day thereof, break forth upon all the
workers of iniquity, whatever their faith or hope be
to the contrary ? Will any wall defend the foul from
the overflowing ftorm of wrath, but the wall of God's
falvation ? And can any enter within that wall, but the
righteous nation that keepeth the truth? Ifai. xxvi.
I, 2. The name of the Lord indeed is a ftrong
tower ; but can any run into it, and get fhelter in it,
but the righteous ? Prov. xviii. lo.

^ery 9. Who is he, who, when he falleth, Ihall
rife again ; and after he hath fet in darknefs, the Lord
fhall be a light unto him ? Is it not he that feareth the
Lord, and obeyeth the voice of his fervant, that in the
time of his darknefs and diflrefs trufl:eth in the name
of the Lord, and flays upon his God ? Yea, is it not
fuch an one as is willing to bear the indignation of
the Lord, becaufe he hath finned againfl him, until
he plead his caufe, and execute judgment for him?
Will not the Lord bring forth fuch an one to the light,
and fhall not fuch an one behold his righteoufnefs ?
Mich. vii. 8, 9.

^ery 10. When fhall perfons light arife in obfcu-
rity, and their darknefs be as the noon- day ? When
fhall their light break forth as the morning, and their
health fpring forth fpecdily, and their righteoufnefs
go before them, and the glory of the Lord gather
them up ? An4 when fhall the Lord be their continual

guide.

POSTSCRIPT. 493

guide, and fatisfy their foul in droughts, and naake
fat their bones, and make them like a watered gar-
den, and like a Tpring of water, whofe waters fail
not ? Are not thefe promifes belonging to the gofpel
ftate ? And are they not fulfilled in the gofpel ftate,
as people come to know and iceep the gofpel fall, and
the gofpel fabbath ? Read Ifai. Iviii. 6. to the end,
and wait on the Lord, to receive underftanding from
him, that in reading thou mayell: underftand.

Oh ! that men knew the gofpel fafl, and the gofpel
fabbath, with the fealls of unleavened bread, taber-
nacles, trumpets, &c. A little of the knowledge of
the myftery of the hidden life and power, is of more
value, and would do their fouls more good, than
heaps of literal knowledge wherewith the world is fo
filled. The knowledge of God and Chrift in the myf-
tery is no lefs than life eternal, in them and to them,
who are taught in the new covenant, or minifcratioa
of the power of the endlefs life, fo to know them.

THE

[ 494 ]
THE

EVERLASTING GOSPEL

O F

Our Lord JESUS CHRIST,

A N D T H E

BlefledEfFedts thereof, teftified to from Experience.

*' The darknefs is pafl, and the true light now fhineth."
I John ii. 8.

** Arife, fhine j for thy light is come, and the glory of
" the Lord is rifen upon thee : for behold, the dark-
" nefs fhall cover the earth, and grofs darknefs the
" people } but the Lord fhall arife upon thee, and
*' his glory fliall be feen upon thee." Ifai. Ix. 2.

'f When the Lord fhall build up Sion, he fhall appear
«' in his glory." Pfal. cii. 16. (indeed he doth fo).

THE bleffed mefTage which the apoflles (who
were fent by Chrift to preach the gofpel) heard
of Chrift, and were to declare to others, was, " That
'* God is light, and in him is no darknefs at all,"
1 John i. 5.

The end of Chrift's fending them with this mefTage
was, that thereby (preaching it in the evidence and
demonibation of God's Spirit) they might " open
•* mens eyes, and turn them from darknefs to light,
«' and from the power of Satan to God, that they
" might receive forgivenefs of fins, and inheritance
<* among ^them that are fandlificd by faith that is in
" him," Afts xxvi. 18.

Now the eye of the mind being opened, and the
mind turned from the darknefs within to the light with-
in*

The Everlasting Gospel, &c. 495

in, and from Satan's power to the power of God, which
is revealed in the light, the foul in the light connes to
fee (over the darknefs, and Satan who darkened it)
the things of God and his kingdom, as they are re-
vealed in the light, which makes them manifeft.

As, ^Firll, It fees him, who is the rock, the holy-
foundation of God, the holy foundation of life in the
foul, the living ftone, by which all the other living
ftones are made alive, and they are taught of God to
come to him as to a living ftone, and fo are built up-
on him, and become God's building, and new crea-
tion in him, i Pet. ii. 5. 2 Cor. v. 17. And here,
in this light, none can mifs of the true coming, hear-
ing the voice of the Father, and being drawn and
taught by him to come to the Son, John vi. 44, 45.

Secondly, Here the true Jew's ilate, the ftate of the
inward Jew, and the inward circumcifion, and the
true worlhip (even the worfliip of the Father in Spi-
rit and truth) is known. For the Jew inward is a
child of light, begotten in the light, redeemed out
of darknefs, and dwells and walks in the light, as God
is in the light, i John i. 7. And the circumcifion
is not a flelhly aft ; but the cutting off of that which
is flefhly from the mind by the Spirit and power of
Chrift. And the gofpel worfhip, or the worlhip of the
Jew inward, is the worfhipping of God in the new-
nefs of the life of his Son.

Thirdly, Here is the true repentance from the dead
nature and dead works, wliich no man can attain to of
himfelfi but is God's gift through his Son, whom
God hath appointed to be a Prince and a Saviour, to
give repentance and forgivenefs of fins. Acts v. 31.
1 fay here, that repentanc'e is known, waited for, and
received. For not to men in the darknefs, and loving
the darknefs, is the true repentance given j but to
them that are turned to the light, to them is repent-
ance given unto life, A6ts xi. 18. compared with chap.
xxvi. 17, 18.

Fourthly, Here the true faith, the precious gift of
faith is received, v/hereby men believe in him who

gives

49^ The Everlasting Gospel, &g,

gives life, and receive life from him. And this is the;
faith which gives accefs to God, a-qd gives viftory
over the world, and that which is contrary to God :
the faith which is given in the light doth foj but the
faith which men have in the darknefs doth not fo.

Fifthly, Here the crofs of Chrift is known, which
is an inward, living, fpiritual thing, efFedually cruci-'-
fyihg that man that takes it up, and daily bears it, to*
all that is earthly and finfuli and then the pure feed
3nd life of Chrift fprings up in his earth, over the-
world, and every worldly thing. Gal. vi. 14. "%

Sixthly, Here the pure love fprings in the hearf,-
both to him that begets, and to him that is begotten,*
In the light there is nothing but love j but in the dark-
nefs there is no true love to be found j but the very
love that is found there, is of the nature of enmity.
It is the light of truth that purifieth the heart to the
love unfeigned, i Pet. i. 22. Deut. xxx. 6.

Seventhly, Here the Lamb's patience and meeknefs
is experienced, and the foul adorned with it. The
Lamb is the light of the world, and they that are made
lambs by him, partake of his fweet and meek nature,
learning of him to be meek and lowly in heart, and
fo have that patience and meeknefs from him which ng
other can attain tOy Mat. xi. 29. '^'•

Eighthly, In the light the precious promifes are
fulfilled and partook of*, which make them who par-
take of them, and in whom they are fulfilled, partakers
of the divine nature; for the divine nature is not par-
took of in the darknefs, but in him who is light.
Man (who is darknefs) cannot partake of the pro-
mifes which belong to the children of light; but
when, by the operation of God's power, his ftate and
nature is changed, and he is now no more darknefs,
but light in the Lord, then the promifes which were
made to the children of light he cometh to have 4
ihare in, Eph. v. 8. 2 Pet. i. 4.

Laftly, In the light the holy anointing is received,
the voice of Chrift heard, and the new everlafting co-
Tenant, even the fure mercies of David, made with,

the

TESTIFIED TO FROM EXPERIENCE. 497

the foul, Ifai. Iv. 3. The law of the new covenant
(even the law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus)
written in the mind, and the holy fear of the new co-
venant, which cleanfeth and keepeth clean, put in the
heart, and the blelTed Spirit of the Father given and
received, which gives to thofe that receive it power
to become the fons of God, caufing them to walk, in
his ways, and to keep his ftatutes and judgments, and
to do them. Oh ! blefled difpenfation of life and holy
power, which the Lord hath caufed to break forth
among a defpifed people in thefe latter days! Oh ! that
the fons of men would hear and underftand this pre-
cious loving-kindnefs of the Lord, and put their truft
under the fhadow of his wings, and know what it is
to be fatisfied with the fatnefs of his fpiritual gofpel-
houfe, and to drink of the river of his pleafures, and
in his light to fee light, Pfal. xxxvi. 7, 8, 9.

This opened in me this morning, in love and com-
panion towards the Papifts. My bowels have often
rolled over them, and been pained concerning them,
to fee how they are clofed and fhut up as to the true
fenfe and underftanding of things of this nature. Oh !
that they would prize the day of their vifitation, that
they might hear the found of life both from others,
and alfo in their own hearts, and the faving arm of
the Lord might be inwardly revealed to them, and
they effedtually redeemed thereby !

I am no difdainer of Papifts, or any fort of Proteft-
ants, nay, not of Turks or Jews; but a mourner be-
caufe of their feveral millakes, and a breather to the
God of my life for tender mercy towards them all.

Aftrop, 13th of the Seventh Month, 1678.

Vol. IIL l\ POST-

[ 498 ]

POSTSCRIPT.

AND in this light the true church, the gofpet
church, the New Teftament Church, is,
known ; which is a church of the children o£
light, a building built in the light, which church,
is in God the Father, and in the Lord Jefus
Chrifl, 2 Theff. i. i. In whom they are built together
for an habitation of God, through the Spirit, Ephef. ii.
2 2. Yea, in whom all the building, fitly framed toge-
ther, groweth into an holy temple in the Lord, ver. 2i.
(for the Lord frameth them fitly together into a fpiritual
and holy building). And all that are here gathered .
out of the darknefs into the light, who walk in the
light, and abide in the light, are built upon the foun-
dation of the apoftles and prophets, Jefus Chrift him-
felf being the chief corner-llone, ver. 20. And are no
more ftrangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with
the faints, and of the houfhojd of God, ver. 19.

The gofpel church is the fpiritual houfe of Jacob||
which walk in the light of the Lord, Ifai. ii. 5. who
go up to the mountain of the Lord, (to that which is
revealed to be the mountain of God in the lad days,
even fpiritual mount Sion, Heb. xii. 22.) to the houfe
of the God of Jacob, where he teacheth his fpiritual
people, the inward Jews, of his ways, and they learn
to walk in his paths : for out of this Sion fhall go forth
the law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus, (in the
days of the gofpel) and the Word of the Lord from
this Jerufalem, ver. 2, 5. For Jerufalem which is
above is free, which is the mother of all the children
which are born of God's Spirit, Gal. iv. 26. John iii.
6. And flie being the mother of them all, nourilheth
them all with the Ward of life, which goeth forth from
her; and all her children know and juftify her their
mother. Mat. xi. 19. Oh! that all, both Papifts and
Proteftants, knew this true mother-church, this mother

of

POSTSCRIPT. 499

of all the living, of whom none but the living are
born, and v/ho nourifheth all the living, and none elle,
with the law and Word of eternal life !

And if they knew the true church, the church which
is of the true Jews, the church of the firft-born, whofe
names are written in heaven, and did live and walk in
the light of the Lamb, and follow the Leader, the
Shepherd of Ifrael, and faithful Bifhop of the foul,
who overfeeth and takech care of the foul, they would
learn, and come to know and experience thefe things
following; :

Firft, The dwelling-places of Mount Sion, and her
aflemblies, and God's creating upon every of them a
clcud and Jmoke by day, and the Ihining of a flaming
fire by night, which is the defence upon all the glory
that the Lord bringeth forth among his fpiritual church
and people, Ifai. iv. 5.

Secondly, They would know the land of the inward
Jews, and fpiritual Judah, and the fong fung therein,
becaufe of the (trong city which the Lord builds there,
and the falvation which he appoints for walls and bul-
warks about it i and would fee and know hov,^ none but
the inv/ard Jews, the inwardly circumcifed and fancti-
fied, even the righteous nation, that kecpeth the truth,
can enter by the gates into that city, Ifai. xxvi. i, 2.
And they that dwell in that city, wliofe minds are ftayed
on the Lord, and who trult in him, the Lord will keep
in perfe6t peace, ver. 3. Then Jcrufalem is a quiet
habitation indeed, and the refting and feeding-places in
it are fu re, Ifa. xxxii. 18. and chap, xxxiii. 15, 20.

Thirdly, They v/ouki know the feafl of fat things,
which the Lord or' holls makes to all people that ai-e
here ; to all people that come up to, and dwell on, his
holy mountain, and ferve and worfhip him in Spirit and
truth. The Lord of hoils maketh fuch a feail as no
eye hath feen, nor ear heard, nor can it enter into the
heart of man to conceive what it is, but only by the
Spirit of God •, even a feaft of fat things, even a
feaft of fpiritual fat things, a feaft of wines on the lees,
of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well

refined.

500 POSTSCRIPT.

refined, Ifai. xxv. 6. They that are turned to the
light, and follow Chrift the light, fhall not abide in
darknefs, but have the light of life, John viii. 12,
Shall be tranflated out of the kingdom of darknefs in-
to the kingdom of the dear Son, and they (hall fup
with Ghrift, and he with them, and both together drink
of the fruit of the vine of life new in the Father's
kingdom.

Fourthly, They fhall infallibly know here, in this
light which Ihines on God's holy mountain, the deftroy-
ing or fwallowing up of the face of the covering cafl;
over all people, and the veil fpread over all nations,
Ifai. XXV. 7. For the veil is cafl over and fpread in the
darknefs-, but is done away and fwallowed up in Chrift
the light : for the veil is done away in him, 2 Cor.
iii. 14. And all that are in Chrift, in his Spirit, in
the light and liberty thereof, behold as in a glafs the
glory of the Lord, and are changed into the fame image,
from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord, ver.

Laflly*, Here the King of righteoufnefs's highway is
known, even the way of holinefs, which the unclear^
cannot pafs over j but the fancbified in the Ught do walk
in ; and the wayfaring men here, though fools, do not
err in, Ifai. xxxv. 8. For they that are taught of God
in the new covenant, and follow the leading of his
blelTed Spirit, do not err.

Oh ! that the true church were known, >yhich is no>^
come and coming out of the wildernefs, leaning upon
her beloved, who led and leads her out thence, into her
own land of life and glory, where her light fhines, and
Ihe arifeth and flandeth upon her feet before the Lord,
and the glory of the Lord fhines upon her, and covers
her ! Happy is the eye that feeth this, and the foul that
hath a ihare in it !

End of Vol. III.

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