MASTER 
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AUTHOR: 
 
 PENINGTON, ISAAC 
 
 TITLE: 
 
 SELECT PIECES ON 
 RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS 
 
 PLACE: 
 
 LONDON 
 
 DA TE : 
 
 1776 
 
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 Penington, Isaac l«bft?-^F9\ 
 
 Select pieces on religious subjects ••• 
 London 1776 Nar 4 + 96 p 
 
 938.95 
 i Z41 
 
 1 
 
 Contents ; 
 
 An epistle to all serious professors of the 
 
 Christian religion: Some di "^ rections to the panting soul: 
 Concerning the worship of ,_^ the living Gk»d: The everlast- 
 ing gOQpg], of Our lord Jepus Christ; K («i«( ^jyj^riQPPes • ' 
 
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 241 
 
 concerning some of the weighty things relating to 
 God '8 everlasting kingdom 
 
 No 5 of a vol of panphlets 
 
 
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 MflNUFflCTURED TO flllM STHNDPIRDS 
 BY fiPPLIED IMRGE- INC. 
 
No 5 
 
 SELECT PIECES 
 
 "1 
 
 O N 
 
 
 RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS, 
 
 FIRST PUBLISHED 
 
 ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE 
 LAST CENTURY, 
 
 B Y * 
 
 ISAAC P E N I N G T O N. 
 
 t « - 
 
 ■ink 
 
 m 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED AND SOLD BY JAMES PHILLIPS, IN GEORGE 
 
 YARD, LOMBARD STREET. 
 
 MDCCLXXVI. 
 
 \^j<«>i. 
 
 ■«*• 
 
 \ 
 
[ "i 3 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 i 
 
 If 
 
 If 
 
 THE author of the following pieces lived 
 and wrote about the middle of the laft 
 century, when the nation was involved in the 
 calamities of a civil war, and when all human 
 fecurity of property or life was exceedingly 
 precarious : but a nobler warfare occupied his 
 mind, and that in the early part of his life ; 
 a warfare againft every thing that had a ten- 
 dency to captivate the heart ; to bind it to the 
 earth, and earthly purfuits ; to eftrange his 
 foul from God, and deprive it of an habita- 
 tion amongft the fons of the Moft High. He 
 fought this good fight, and was enabled to 
 Svercome through many and deep fufferings, 
 and inherits, we doubt not, the crown oi 
 immortal life. 
 
 During the courfe of a long and laborious 
 life, it was his endeavour to awaken others 
 to a fenfe of their higheft interefts ; and being 
 himfelf thoroughly perfuaded, by experience, 
 of the dangers that attend us in this ftate of 
 probation, of the need we have of help from 
 above, and the certainty of its being afforded 
 to thofe who truly feek it ; he ceafed not to 
 call unto others, and to tell them what God 
 had done for his foul, and would do for all, 
 
 A 2 who 
 
who looked in good earneft for a better coun- 
 
 Though the prefent age, it is to be feared, 
 is too generally eftranged from confiderations 
 of this nature ; yet there is a defire raifed in 
 the hearts of many, of different perfuafions, 
 after the things that make for their peace. 
 To fuch, we doubt not, the following trea,- 
 tifes will be acceptable, as therein they will 
 meet with much inftruftion, caution, and 
 encouragement. 
 
 As our author was indefatigable in pro- 
 m.oting the great caufe of truth and right- 
 eoufnefs, he wrote much, either as particular 
 or general caufes occurred. After his deceafe 
 his works were coUedted, and publifhed, firft, 
 in one volume folio, and lately in two volumes 
 quarto. Thefe, however, are all difperfed, 
 and a new edition has been defired, for general 
 benefit, by many ferious people. In the mean 
 time it was thought, that if a few trafts were 
 felefted and publifhed by themfelves, they 
 would afford an opportunity to many of judg- 
 ing of the nature of this author's writings, 
 previous to a new edition of his works which 
 is intended to be publifhed* 
 
 A N 
 
 A N 
 
 EPISTLE 
 
 TO ALL 
 
 SERIOUS PROFESSORS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN RELIGION; 
 
 WHEREIN 
 
 A Brief Touch of my Knowledge, Senfe, 
 Belief, and Experience concerning the Godhead, 
 the Offering up of the Lord Jesus Christ in his 
 Body on the Tree, as a Propitiatory Sacrifice to 
 the Father, and the Imputation of his Right- 
 coufnefs to thofe who believe in his Name and 
 Power, is nakedly laid before them •, wherein 
 I am not alone, but one with thofe who have fo 
 learned and experienced the fame in the Leadings 
 and Light of his Holy Spirit, 
 
 Written in Love to them, that they might have the 
 better Underftanding of us, as to thefe Things, 
 and might not think otherwife either of us, or of 
 the Truth of our God, which we bear witnefs to^ 
 than there is Caufe, to their own Hurt and Pre* 
 judice, 
 
 t 
 
 ISAAC PENINGTON. 
 

 
 A U 
 
 E 
 
 I S T t E 
 
 TO ALL 
 
 SERIOUS PROFESSORS, &c, 
 
 FRIENDS, 
 
 AFTER it pleafed the Lord to touch 
 my heart with the fenfe of his truth, and 
 to manifeft unto me the principle of his 
 life, in the demonftration and power of his own 
 Spirit, infomuch as I could reafon, difpute, con- 
 fider about it no longer, but was fully fatisfied con- 
 cerning it ; I fay, after this, the love of God fprang 
 in me towards you, and pure defires and breathe- 
 ings unto him, that ye alfo might have the way caft 
 up before you, and might fo walk therein, as to 
 come to partake of the fame mercy and falvation. 
 How I have mourned before the Lord for you, and 
 defired that the ftumbling-blocks might be removed 
 from you, and that ye might fo feek as to obtain 
 (not in that wifdom and difputing mind, which ftill 
 is fhut out i but in that meeknefs, humility, and 
 fear which gives entrance) the Lord God knoweth. 
 Yea, the defires in me after you ai-e ftill living; 
 who knoweth, but the Lord may at length hear, 
 and with his key fo open your hearts, and fo anoint 
 your eyes with his eye-falve, that ye may fee, ac* 
 knowledge, believe in, and receive the beloved of 
 your fouls, even as he now appears, after the long 
 
 B 2 night 
 
4 AN EPISTLE TO ALL 
 
 night of darknefs, a comforter of the drooping 
 fpu-its of his people, with the pure light oi life, 
 wherein the redeemed houfe of Jacob (who fat in 
 darknefs, and in the valley of the fliadow of death, 
 mourning after him) now in holy rejoicing, and 
 pure joy of fpirit, walk before him ? Oh ! the 
 Lord God vifit you, and break in upon you, as he 
 hath done upon us, and caufe you to fet to your 
 feals alfo, as we could not but do, that this is he 
 whom all our days we waited for, and longed after. 
 And now there are two or three things in my heart 
 to open to you, how it is with me in reference to 
 them •, for indeed I have not been taught to deny 
 any teftimony the fcriptures hold forth, concerning 
 the Lord Jeius, or any of his appearances, but am 
 taught by the Lord more certainly and fully to own 
 and acknowledge them. 
 
 The firft is concerning the Godhead, which we own 
 as the fcriptures exprefs it, and as we have the fenfible, 
 experimicntal knowledge of it. In which, " There 
 " are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, 
 «' the Word, and the Holy Spirit •, and thefe three 
 ^' are one," i John v. 7. This I believe from my 
 heart, and have infallible demonftrations of ^ fori 
 know three, and feel three in fpirit, even an eternal 
 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which are but one eter- 
 nal God. And I feel them alio one, and have fellow- 
 ftiip withjhem (through the tender mercy of the 
 Lord) in their life, and in their redeeming power. 
 And here I lie low before the Lord in the lenfible 
 life, not defiring to know and comprehend notion- 
 ally, but to feel the thing inwardly, truly, fenfibly, 
 and effeftually ; yea, indeed, this is to me far 
 beyond what I formerly knew notionally concerning 
 them, and I cannot but invite others hither. 
 
 .Now confider ferioufly, if a man from his heart 
 believe: thus concerning the eternal Power and God- 
 head.; that ,the Father is God, the Word God, the 
 - ./ ^ Holy 
 
 
 SERIOUS PROFESSORS, &c. 5 
 
 Holy Spirit God, and that thefe are one eternal 
 God, waiting fo to know God, and to be fubjeft to 
 him accordingly •, is not this man in a right frame 
 of heart towards the Lord in this refpedl ? Indeed, 
 friends, we do know God fenfibly and experimen- 
 tally to be a Father, Word, and Spirit, and we 
 worfhip the Father in the Son by his own Spirit, 
 and here meet with the feal of acceptance with him. 
 Nor would we contend with you about your crimes 
 in this refpeft, but that ye provoke us thereunto, 
 in laying to our charge as if we denied the thing •, 
 whereas we do not, nor can deny the expreflions 
 which the fcripture ufeth, nor our own fenfe and 
 experience concerning the thing. I pray let this 
 fuffice, and let us all ftrive to know God (and his 
 Son Jefus Chrift) in his life, fpirit, and power, 
 wherein is unity and true demonllration ; and not 
 contend about fuch expreflions concerning things, 
 as are befide the fcriptures. For would not ye 
 yourfelves think it hard (I mean fuch of you as 
 read the fcriptures ferioufly, defiring to underfliand 
 and obferve what is written therein) to have a belief 
 of things impofed on you otherwife than is there 
 written, and otherwife than ye have the fenfe, know- 
 ledge, and experience of them from the Lord ? 
 
 The fecond is concerning the offering of the 
 Lord Jefus Chrifl:, without the gates of Jerufalem. 
 I do exceedingly honour and efteem that ofi'ering, 
 believing it had relation to the fins of the v/hole 
 world, and was a propitiatory facrifice to the Father 
 therefore. And furely he that is redeemed out of 
 the world up to God by Chrifl:, cannot deny that 
 Chrifl; was his ranfom, and that he was bought with 
 a price, and therefore is to glorify God with his 
 body and fpirit, which are God's, i Cor. vi. 20, 
 And, faith the apoftle Peter, " Ye know that ye 
 '' were not redeemed with corruptible things, as 
 ^' filver and gold, from your vain converfation, &c. 
 
 " but 
 
6 AN EPISTLE TO ALL 
 
 ** but with the precious blood of Chrift, as of a 
 ** Lamb without blemilh and without fpot," i Pet. 
 i. 1 8, 19. ** who fo offered himfelf up to God 
 *' through the eternal fpirit," Heb. ix. 14. This 
 we do own fingly and nakedly, as in the fight of 
 the Lord ; though I muft confefs we do not lay the 
 whole ftrefs upon that which is outward and vifible 
 (though we truly and fully acknowledge it in its 
 phce), but upon that which is inward and invifible ; 
 upon the inward life, the inward power, the fpirit 
 within •, knowing and experiencing daily, that that 
 is it which doth the work. The outward flefti is 
 not the meat indeed, nor the outward bbod the 
 drink indeed ; but it is the fpirit, the life, the fub- 
 ftance, which the birth that is born of the fpirit 
 feeds upon and liv^s by. Oh ! conlider feriouily, 
 and wait on the Lord, rightly to underftand that 
 fcripture, John vi. 63. " It is the fpirit that quick- 
 *' eneth, the flefh profiteth nothing -, the words that 
 *' I fpeak unto you, they are fpirit, and they are 
 *' life." What doth this fcripture lay the ftrefs 
 upon ? Is it not upon the quickening fpirit, and 
 the words which the quickening fpirit fpeaketh to 
 the foul, which are living, and give life to thofe 
 that hear them ? " Hear, and your foul ftiall live !'* 
 Hear his voice who giveth life, and your fouls fhall 
 live by him ; but can any one live without hearing 
 the voice of him, who alone is able to quicken and 
 raife the foul from death, and out of the grave of 
 
 fin ? 
 
 The third thing is concerning the imputation of 
 Chrift's righteoufnefs, to fuch as believe in his name 
 ^nd power, which we have felt, witneffed^ and own 
 to.be thus. 
 
 God vifits men by the light and power of his 
 Holy Spirit, in their dead and dark eftate, even 
 while they are ungodly. Now, they that feel life, 
 and in the quickenings of life, by the faith which 
 
 comes 
 
 ■i 
 
 
 SERIOUS PROFESSORS, &c. 7 
 
 comes from life, turn to the light and power which 
 vifits them, by this faith in the power, they are ift 
 meafure tranfplanted out of the unholy root, into 
 the holy root, where they partake of the nature and 
 virtue of the true olive-tree ; and the mercy of th6 
 Lord in and through his Son Jefus Chrift, is fpread 
 over them, and their iniquities are pardoned, and 
 their tranfgreflions done away for his name fake^ 
 and they are reckoned by God, not as in the old 
 root and unholy nature, but that whereon they lay* 
 hold by faith, and are in union with, they are 
 reckoned by in the eye of the Lord ; and they are 
 accepted and beloved in him in whom they are found, 
 by him who tranfplanted them there, and ingrafted 
 them thereinto. So that Chrift is really theirs, and 
 they his ; and what he did for them in his body of 
 flefh is become theirs, and they have the benefit, 
 and reap the fweet fruits of it. And if they fin 
 afterwards, they have an advocate who pleads their 
 caufe with the Father, and who breathes livingly 
 upon them again, and quickens faith in them, and 
 gives them to turn from that which ran after them, 
 and overtook them and defiled them. So that in^ 
 this ftate of true faith in, and union with, the Son, 
 the fountain is felt fet open for fin and for unclean- 
 nefs, which daily waflieth away the pollutions and 
 ftains of the mind, which it is liable to in the tra- 
 velling ftate. 
 
 But now to every faith this doth not belong, but 
 to the faith only which flows from the power of the 
 cndlefs life, and which ftands in the power. The 
 faith which is from the power is precious, having 
 a precious nature and virtue in it, and very precious 
 effedts flow from it. For it is the fubfl:ance of 
 things hoped for ; it is of a pure nature, which 
 hath dominion, and giveth dominion over the wicked 
 one. There is no overcoming of the faints here; 
 for as it came from the power, fo it ftands near the 
 
 power. 
 
8 AN EPISTLE TO ALL 
 
 power, and engages the power of life againft tho 
 enemy, and fo is ftill too hard for him. For he 
 that refifteth the enemy in the true faith, ftill over- 
 comes him, and makes him fly, James iv, 7. But 
 that belief on Chrift, and applying his righteouf- 
 nefs, which is not of this faith, nor in the true light 
 of life, but according to the creature's apprehen- 
 fions concerning things, that is not of the fame 
 nature with this, nor hath the fame virtue, nor pro- 
 duceth the fame effefts -, but notwithftanding fuch 
 a believing and hoping, men are ftill in their fins, 
 and they are not waftied away from them by the 
 blood of Chrift, nor remitted or covered by the 
 fpirit of the Lord. And oh ! that men were wary, 
 and did take heed in this matter, that they might 
 not mifs of true pardon from the Lord, and fo find 
 their fins bound by him, in the days of his refrelhing 
 
 others 1 , . . . 
 
 For there is a ftate, wherein there is an imputation 
 of Chrift's righteoufnefs to perfons reached to by 
 the power of the Lord, and coming up out of the 
 ungodly ftate, and fo a real bringing inco the right- 
 eoufnels. For in the true growth the foul daily 
 crows more and more out of its own righteoufnefs, 
 out of the dark, corrupt image, into the righteouf. 
 nefs of Chrift, and into his pure image. Thus 
 Chrift is form.ed in the hearts of them that truly 
 believe, daily more and more ; they receiving him 
 as an heavenly leaven, and giving up to be leavened 
 by him, are changed daily more and more into the 
 newnefs of fpirit, even until they become a new 
 lump, even a lump wholly leavened, fa that old 
 things are paflTed away, and all things become new ; 
 that is, not of old Adam any more, but all ot God 
 in Chrift, all of the new^ nature and fpirit, which 
 is all of it righteous in the fight of God. Now this 
 it is all ftiould labour for and feek after, even the 
 kino^dom of God and his righteoufnefs, to find an 
 '^^ entrance 
 
 < 
 
 
 SERIOUS PROFESSORS, &c. 9 
 
 entrance miniftered to them into the everlafting 
 kingdom, and the righteoufnefs thereof, that they 
 might really put off the old man with his affeftions 
 and lufts, and put on the new man ; the new man's 
 nature, the new man's image, the new man's fpirit, 
 the new man's righteoufnefs, the new man's holi- 
 nefs ; that they might have the wedding garment on 
 to be married to Chrift in, and might be as a bride 
 prepared for the bridegroom. Oh ! it is precious 
 for any one to feel his foul in this ftate 1 And who 
 would not travail and wreftle, and ftrive and watch, 
 and pray and wait, that he might be thus fitted by 
 the fpirit of the Lord for his Son Jefus Chrift ? 
 For, friends, there is a coming under grace, under 
 grace's wing, and out of fliame and confufion be- 
 caufe of fin, into the glory which is in the pure 
 image •, and there is a being changed from grace to 
 grace, and from glory to glory, by the fpirit and 
 power of the Lord. Oh ! that fuch as take upon 
 them the profeflion of Chriftianity, might feel the 
 power, and wait upon the power, and know what 
 it is to believe in the power, and live in the power ; 
 for without this, the opprefled ftate of Chriftianity 
 is but dead, and dry, and cold, not having the true 
 living fap and warmth in it. There are great de- 
 ceits in the world about thefe things, but he that 
 knoweth the truth, as it is in Jefus, who was yifited 
 by the power, gathered to the power, and abides in 
 the power, he hath that with him which anoints his 
 eye and heart, and ftrengthens them againft the moft 
 fubtile devices and deceits of the transforming fpirit. 
 But whoever he be that profeffeth Chriftianity, and 
 is not here, he is not fafe, but the enemy hath ways 
 of bewitching and deluding him, which he hath not 
 wherewith effeftually to withftand and avoid. 
 
 Now having nakedly expreffed thefe things unto 
 you, as they are in my heart, there is a queftion 
 lies before me to propound to you, which deferves 
 
 C your 
 
 1 1 
 
10 
 
 AN EPISTLE TO ALL 
 
 your ferious confideration of, and ability to anfwer 
 in the fight of the Lord, which is this : 
 
 Quest. Do ye rightly, truly, and fully (as the 
 Lord requireth of you) know, efteem, and honour 
 the Son ? Do ye own him as God hath revealed him 
 in the fpirits of his children, fince the apoftafy ? 
 Do ye feel him as an horn of falvation lifted up 
 there ? Do ye find and experience him revealed within 
 by the Father, as the feed of the woman, bruifing 
 the head of the ferpent ? Oh ! this is precious know- 
 ledge, and the riglit way of truly knowing him as 
 he came from the Father, lived in obedience to him, 
 fuffered for the fins of the whole world, afcended 
 again to the Father, and now fits with him in glory ! 
 For, indeed, it is the chief thing, and that whereon 
 the foul's reft depends, to know and feel him near. 
 Oh ! that we were one here (I mean in the inward 
 fenfe and acknowledgment of the Lord Jefus Chrift), 
 and we fhould foon be one in the other alfo ! 
 
 For we, who are reproachfully by many called 
 Quakers, are (for the mod part) a people who 
 have much and long fought after the Lord, and 
 after the experimental knowledge of thofe truths, 
 which are teilified of and related in the holy fcrip- 
 tures. We fought not after a new Chrift, or a new 
 fpirit, or new do6lrines concerning Chrift or his 
 fpirit ; but to know Chrift, fo as to receive life from 
 him, and to live to him in the life and fpirit received 
 from him ; this hath been the fingle aim and defirc 
 of our fouls. And if men could with patience con- 
 fider what we hold forth, and wait till God open 
 their underftandings, they would not lay fuch blame 
 upon us, as they do in many refpefts, but find that 
 we reverence the fcriptures, believing and holding 
 concerning the things of God according as is there 
 exprefled, from a true underftanding received from 
 the Lord, and in the true light and guidance of his 
 fpirit. There is another queilion fprings in my heart 
 
 unto 
 
 SERIOUS PROFESSORS, &c. ir 
 
 unto you, I befeech you confider of it ferioufly^ 
 perhaps there may be a blefTing to you in it. 
 
 Quest. Do ye rightly and weightily confider 
 and embrace that counfel of Chrift, Matt. vi. 3^. 
 *' Seek ye firft the kingdom of God, and his right- 
 coufnefs ?" Do ye mind what Chrift likens the king- 
 dom to ? Even a grain of muftard-feed, a pearl hid 
 in a field, a little leaven, a loft piece of filver, &c. 
 Do ye know, and are ye acquainted with that little 
 thing which is like unto thefe ? And do ye really 
 and rightly feek after it ? Do ye feek it where it is 
 to be found .? Do ye know the place where it is hid ? 
 And do ye take the right way to buy and purchafe 
 it ? How is that ? Why, not by outward obfervation, 
 faith Chrift, but by inward fweeping the houfe ; 
 by keeping the eye upon it, and fweeping out the 
 rubbiili that covers it, this is the way to find it, 
 purchafe and poffefs it. Oh! that ye could all 
 learn thus, and be thus exercifed by the fpirit of 
 the Lord daily. Surely they that thus feek ftiall 
 find, and they that thus afk Ihall have, and they 
 that thus knock, to them the everlafting kingdom 
 (hall be opened. 
 
 For mark the difference between the ftate of the 
 law and gofpel. The law was a ftiadow of good 
 things to come. The gofpel is a ftate of enjoyment 
 of the good things Ihadowed out under the law. 
 The law was a type of the kingdom, of the fpiritual 
 kingdom of Chrift, which is fet up under the gofpel. 
 In John's day the kingdom was at hand •, but in 
 the day of Chrift's power the kingdom is come. 
 Under the law there was a tabernacle pitched by 
 man -, but under the gofpel the true tabernacle and 
 temple is witneffed, which God pitcheth, and not 
 man ; and the holy, fpiritual, heavenly facrificcs,. 
 and the living covenant, whereof Chrift is the me- 
 diator, and the law written in the heart, and the 
 fpirit of the Lord put within ; fo that his prefence- 
 ^ C 2. is 
 
 4 
 
12 
 
 AN EPISTLE TO ALL 
 
 is as really witnefTcd inwardly, in that which is truly 
 his tabernacle and temple now, as ever it was wit- 
 nefled outwardly, in his outward tabernacle and 
 temple under the law. Oh ! that Chriftians might 
 not have the name only, but might be in the life 
 and in the power, wherein thefe things are felt and 
 experienced ; for indeed the wonders of the Lord 
 are feen in his temple, and his name is praifed there, 
 Selah. There he breaks the fhield and the bow, 
 the fpear and the battle, Selah. There the enemy 
 is overcome -, the holy viftory that bringeth him 
 under, iffueth out thence, Selah. There the well 
 is opened, and the Philiftine nature hath power to 
 ftop it no more, Selah. There the treafury of life 
 and wifdom, and the riches of God's goodnefs arc 
 made manifeft for ever. 
 
 Truly, friends, I have not loft any thing that 
 ever I had, or acknowledged of God in the days of 
 my former profeffion, by believing in the light 
 which God hath now revealed in me, but have it 
 ftill with me, and in greater clearnefs and plainnefs, 
 and fuller demonftration than I then had it ; but 
 that of the fiefli which mixed with it, and hindered 
 it from being rightly ferviceable to the Lord, and 
 fully comfortable to me, that the Lord hath been 
 removing by his fearching light, and by the demon- 
 ftration of his fpirit and power. And if, at length, 
 after all my deep and long mifery, the Lord hath 
 given me to meet with and enjoy that which is truly 
 excellent (among thofe whom men defpife) I could 
 heartily wifti for you, that ye alfo might meet with 
 and enjoy the fame, without pafting through that 
 mifery and bitter anguifh, and diftrefs of fpirit, 
 through which the Lord led me thereto. The Lord 
 preferve his people, by the arm of his mighty 
 power, which he hath ftretched out for them, and 
 whereby he hath gathered them to himfelf. And 
 thofe which are not yet of this fold, oh ! that it 
 
 would 
 
 SERIOUS PROFESSORS, &c. 13 
 
 would pleafe him to feek them out, and bring them 
 home alfo ; that the Lord may be one, and his name 
 one amongft us, and that that which divideth and 
 fcattereth from the living truth, might be fcattered 
 and brought to nought every where, in all who 
 would be one, and defire to fcrve God, with one 
 confent» in that which is true and pure. Amen. 
 
 SOME 
 
SOME 
 
 DIRECTIONS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 PANTING SOUL, 
 
 Which hath been long travelling in the Letter, 
 but hath not yet been acquainted with the 
 Power, nor hardly fo much as entered into 
 the Miniftration of endlefs Life (which is 
 the Miniftration of the Gospel), that it 
 may feel the Spring, and come to drink 
 there of the living Waters. 
 
 Matt. xi. 28, 29, 30. 
 
 ** 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 lowly in heart, and ye Ihall find reft 
 ^' unto your fouls. For my yoke is eafy, and my 
 " burden is light." 
 
 SOME fweet meditations fprang in my heart 
 concerning this portion of fcripture ; with 
 breathings of fpirit for, and rollings ot bowels to- 
 wards, thofe " that labour, and are heavy laden, 
 which I find drawings to commumcate. 
 
 I. In 
 
 SOME DIRECTIONS, &c. 15 
 
 1. In the gofpel (which is the power of God unto 
 falvation) is the foul's reft. It is the dodlrine of 
 the kingdom, wherein is life, joy, peace, and ever- 
 lafting reft to the foul in God. The law had the 
 Ihadow of the good things to come ; but under it 
 was not the pofTeffion of the good things them- 
 felves, but only a labouring after them, and a 
 mourning and load becaufe of the want of them : 
 but in the gofpel is the fubftance, the enjoyment ; 
 life and immortality are there brought to lio-ht^ 
 and an entrance miniftered into the everlafting 
 kingdom, where they are felt, pofleffed, and en- 
 joyed. " The kingdom of heaven is at hand,'* 
 faith the Forerunner : it is come, faith the Meffiah : 
 and in it there is righteoufnefs, and peace, and joy 
 in the pure fpirit of life. 
 
 2. It is chc will of the King of Saints, that his 
 people fhould enjoy the reft and peace of his gofpel. 
 He would not have them always labouring and 
 heavy laden, as under the law •, but he would have 
 their fouls feel and enjoy the eafe, the liberty, the 
 fweetnefs, the pure power and eternal reft of his 
 life. The fpirit of the Lord was upon him to 
 preach glad tidings to the meek, liberty to the 
 captives, life to the dead, the opening of the prifon 
 to the prifoner of hope, the binding up of the 
 broken-hearted, the pouring in of oil upon the 
 wounded: and he would have the fouls of his 
 people enjoy tliat which he came to bring them. 
 
 3. Chrift hath plainly chalked out the path of 
 his reft to every weary panting foul, which he that 
 walketh in cannot mifs of He hath caft up, caft 
 up ; he hath made the way plain in the gofpel, fo 
 plain, that the way-faring man, though a fool, yet 
 keeping to the light of the gofpel, cannot err 
 therein, or mifs of the blefTcd reft thereof How is 
 it ? Why *< come unto me ; take my yoke upon 
 
 you. 
 
,6 SOME DIRECTIONS 
 
 vou and learn of me." He that walketh in this 
 path cannot mifs of it : the reft is at the end of 
 it nay, the reft is in it : " he that beheveth en- 
 « tereth into the reft." The true faith, the faith 
 which ftands in the power, and which is given to 
 the birth which is born from above, is the fubftance 
 of the reft hoped for, and there is a true tafte and 
 fome enjoyment of it given to him that truly be- 
 
 ^^r The reft was once felt and enjoyed, when the 
 gofpel was known in power. Believers, in the firft 
 day of the gofpel, before the night overtook that 
 glorious difpenfation, found " peace and joy in be- 
 " lieving-," yea, they could rejoice in the Lord 
 always. They felt the power and the life, which 
 ftood over all the powers of darknefs, and brought 
 good to them out of every afRiftion and out of 
 every temptation, and out of every diftrefs : fo that 
 ftanding in the life, and in the power which had 
 quickened them, and was prefent with them, they 
 could " count it all joy when they fell into nia- 
 " nifold temptations," knowing the advantage which 
 would accrue to Aem thereby, and poffeffing their 
 fouls in the pure patience, till God wrought it out 
 for them. They had an entrance miniftered to them 
 into the everlafting kingdom : they received the 
 kingdom which could not be fhaken and in it had 
 fellowftiip with the Father, and with the Son, and 
 in the eternal light the blood ran in their veffels 
 which cleanfed them, and kept them pure • and 
 thev fat down with Chrift in tne heavenly places 
 even every one in the particular manfion which 
 gS had Viilt in them by his fpirit. The fear of 
 the living God was put in their hearts; the fpirit 
 of the Lord was within them, and there his law was 
 written, and read in the fpirit, and the treafures of 
 his kingdom were opened by the key of David m 
 
 TO THE PANTING SOUL. 17 
 
 the hand of the fpirit ; and their fouls had true 
 fatisfaction and reft in meafure, and were travelling; 
 on towards the fulnefs. 
 
 5. There is no reft to the foul to be enjoyed in the 
 gofpel from under the yoke. This ftands eternally : 
 that which yokes down that which would be at eafe 
 and liberty out of the life, that is the foul's true 
 reft ', there is no other : and under the yoke it is 
 enjoyed, and not otherwife ; only when that which 
 is to be yoked down is confumed and deftroyed, 
 it is then no longer a yoke, but perfect lioerty. 
 But the fame thing which is the liberty is the yoke : 
 and under the yoke, the fweetnefs, the eafe, the 
 lightfomenefs, the fafe pofTeflion of the life is en- 
 joyed. Mark this therefore diligently : the yoke 
 is not one thing, and the liberty another •, but one 
 and the fame. The power of God, the life ever- 
 lafting, the pure light, the divine nature, is a yoke 
 to the tranfgreffing nature -, but it is the eafe, the 
 pleafure, the reft, the peace, the joy, the natural 
 center of that which is born of God. 
 
 Now to the foul that hath felt breathings towards 
 the Lord formerly, and in whom there are yet any 
 true breathings left after his living prefence, and 
 after the feeling of his eternal virtue in the heart, 
 I have this to fay : Where art thou ? Art thou in 
 thy foul's reft ? Doft thou feel the virtue and power 
 of tlie gofpel ? Doft thou feel the eafe which comes 
 from the living arm, to the heart which is joined 
 to it in the light of the gofpel ? Is thy labouring for 
 life in a good degree at an end ? And doft thou feel 
 the life and power flowing in upon thee from the 
 free fountain ? Is the load really taken off^ from thy 
 back ? Doft thou find the captive redeemed and fet 
 free from the power of fin, and the captivity broken, 
 and he which led thee captive from the life and from 
 
 D , th^ 
 
.1 
 
 18 
 
 SOME DIRECTIONS 
 
 J'' 
 
 the eternal power, now led captive by the life, and 
 by the redeeming power, which is eternal? Haft 
 thou found this, or haft thou miffed of it ? Let 
 thine heart anfwen Ah ! do not imagine and talk 
 away the reft and falvation of thy foul. The gofpel- 
 ftate is a ftate of fubftance, a ftate of enjoying the 
 life, a ftate of feeling the prefence and power of 
 the Lord in his pure Holy Spirit, a ftate of bind- 
 ing up, a ftate of healing, a ftate of knowing the 
 Lord, and walking with him in the light of his^ 
 own fpirit. It begins in a fweet powerful touch ot 
 life, and there is a growth in the life (in the power, 
 in the divine virtue, in the reft, peace, and fatil- 
 faftion of the foul in God) to be adminiftered and 
 -waited for daily. Now art thou here, in the living^ 
 power, in the divine life, joined to the fpring of 
 life, drawing water of lil^ out of the well of life 
 with joy ? Or art thou dry, dead, barren, faplefs, 
 or at beft but unfatisfiedly mourning after what 
 thou wanteft ? 
 
 Well, ye that are dry, dead, barren, as it were 
 without the living God (that know not the ftiining 
 of his fun, nor the defcending of his dews from on 
 high on his tender plants, nor the care, diligence, 
 and circumfpeciion of the huft)andman over his 
 huft)andry), oh ! wait for the quickening virtue, 
 for the vifitations of the day-fpring from on high ! 
 that ye may be quickened again to God, that ye may 
 find his life vifiting you, his fpirit breathing upon 
 you, that the feed of Jacob may be raifed in you to 
 travel out of this barren ftate, even out of this land 
 of darknefs, and from under the Ihadow of death, 
 to the land where life lives and flourifties, and daily 
 diftributeth plentiful nourilhment and rcfreftiment 
 to all its offspring, who are taught to wait for it, 
 and to feed on it in the holy place, out of the fight 
 
 of the eye of tlic flelhly wifdom. 
 
 ^ ^ And 
 
 TO THE PANTING SOUL, i^ 
 
 And ye who are ftill gafping after the living God, 
 on whom the breathino-s of life ftill abide ; who 
 remain unfatisfied inwardly for want of the prefence 
 of the Lord, and whofe hearts ftill mourn and 
 lament deeply after him, oh ! confider what is the 
 matter, that ye have mourned fo long, and fought 
 fo long, and yet to this day are at a diftance from 
 the thing ye have mourned for and fought after ! 
 
 " Strait is the gate, narrow is the way, that 
 *' leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." 
 The way of unbelief is broad, yea, the way of 
 belief is broad alfo. It is eafy for a man fo to 
 believe concerning Chrift, or in Chrift (as his heart 
 may call it) as to mifs of the nature of the true faith, 
 and of the fweet and bleffed effefts vv^hich accom- 
 pany it. It is eafy likewife to mifs the yoke (to 
 take up a wrong yoke, in the felf-will, felf-wifdom, 
 felf-interpretation of fcriptures), or eafy ftarting 
 afide from the true yoke-, but it is hard coming 
 under the yoke of the life, and hard abiding under 
 it. Again, it is eafy mif-learning : a man may fo 
 read, and fo hear, as that he may be always learn- 
 ing, and never come to the knowledge of the truth ; 
 never come to the truth as it is received and held 
 in Jefus ; but may fo get and hold the knowledge 
 of the truth, as man in his wifdom may get and 
 hold it from the letter. And if a man thus mifs the 
 way, how can he attain the end ? If a man begin 
 not in the true faith, in the living faith, how can 
 he attain the reft which the true faith alone leads to ? 
 If a man mifs of the yoke, or abide not conftantly 
 under the yoke, how can he meet with the true eafe 
 and reft which is in it, and which it alone can ad- 
 mi nifter ? If a man learn not the truth aright of 
 the true teacher, how can he ever reap the effeds of 
 the true knowledge ? Ah ! poor hearts ! it is not 
 enough to have breathings after God, nor to be very 
 
 D 2 diligent 
 
ao 
 
 SOME DIRECTIONS 
 
 diligent and induftrious, either in outward ordi- 
 nances, or inward exercifes of fpirit ; but the way 
 of the gofpel muft be caft up by God, and the foul 
 led into^it by him, and daily preferved by him, and 
 muft walk in the path which is proper for it to 
 walk in, or it may mourn and cry all its days, and 
 never meet with that enjoyment of God, and fatif- 
 faftion in God, which it waits for, and cries after. 
 It is one thing to mourn after a gofpel-ftate, but 
 another thing to be brought into it by the power. 
 With my heart I own thofe that mourn after and 
 feel the want of God, where-ever they are ; but this 
 I know certainly, that they can never come to the 
 enjoyment of him, but in that living path which 
 the fcriptures teftify of to be in him who is the life, 
 and which his fpirit is now found manifeftly leading 
 into. Blefied be his name. 
 
 Quest. But how may my poor foul, who have 
 long m.ourned, and groaned, and been fick of love 
 after my beloved, but could never attain to the 
 fatisfadtory enjoyment of him, com.e to walk in his 
 path, that fo I may meet with, and lie down in, the 
 power of life and falvation which the gofpel holds 
 forth to the true believer, and which I have been 
 long fenfible of the deep want of? 
 
 «Answ. Thou that wouldft enjoy thy beloved, 
 and feel the reft of his gofpel, and walk in that 
 path which leads thereto, wait to learn of the fpirit 
 thefe things following : 
 
 I. Know what it is that is to walk in the path 
 of life, and indeed is alone capable of walking 
 therein. It is that which groans, and^ which 
 mourns -, that which is begotten of God in thee. 
 The path of life is for the feed of life. The true 
 I knowledge of the way, with the walking in the 
 way, is referved for God's child, for God's traveller. 
 Therefore keep in the regeneration, keep in the 
 
 birth i 
 
 TO THE PANTING SOUL. 21 
 
 birth j be no more than God hath made thee. Give 
 over thine own willing •, give over thine own run- 
 ning *, give over thine own defiring to know or to 
 be any thing, and fink down to the feed which God 
 fows in the heart, and let that grow in thee, and be 
 in thee, and breathe in thee, and aft in thee, and 
 thou Ihalt find, by fweet experience, that the Lord 
 knows that, and loves and owns that, and will lead 
 it to the inheritance of life, which is its portion. 
 And as thou takeft up the crofs to thyfelf, and fiif- 
 fereft that to overfpread and become a yoke over 
 thee, thou ftialt become renewed, and enjoy life, 
 and the everlafting inheritance in that. 
 
 2. Know in what light it is to walk, which is in 
 the light of the fpirit. There the child is begotten 
 (not in Satan's darknefs, or higheft transformings 
 into the likenefs of light, which is but darknefs ; 
 nor in the light of man's wifdom, fearching know- 
 led<ye or comprehenfion) and there it walks : in 
 that light it fetcheth every ftep and motion towards 
 the land of life ; therefore hold no knowledge out 
 of the fpirit. If any knowledge concerning the 
 thing's of God be held out of the frellinefs of the 
 fpirit, it prefently proves dead and unprofitable. 
 The fpiritual Ifrael cannot travel without a fpirit of 
 lio-ht •, which light is eternal and incomprehenfible, 
 and cannot be held by man's fpirit, but fiiineth frelh 
 in the renewed fpirit every day, and fo is daily 
 gathering it more and more inward into itfclf, com- 
 prehending it in itfelf, and preferving it in iis own 
 purity, clearnefs, and brightnefs. Oh ! this is it 
 hath undone many, even catching at light from the 
 fpirit, tranfplanting the image of the divine things 
 into the earthly principle, and there holding of them 
 in the earthly part, growing wife by them there, 
 and making ufe of them from thence as man fees 
 good, and not feeing a neceflity of depending on 
 ^ the 
 
22 SOME DIRECTIONS 
 
 the fpirit for frelh light and life ev^ry day to every 
 fpiritual motion. Thus the traveller foon comes to 
 lofe the true path, and inftead thereof travels on in 
 a road of his own wifdom's forming : and fo though 
 he feems to himfelf to make a large progrefs, yet 
 makes no true progrefs at all, but is exceedingly 
 run out afide in a by-way, all which ground he 
 muft traverfe back again, ere he can come to the 
 truth of his former ftate, or proceed in the true 
 
 travel. 
 
 3. Know and keep to the power, which alone 
 becran any true work in the heart, which alone alfo 
 can preferve it, and which alone can carry it on. 
 Chrift was made a prieft, not after the law of a 
 carnal commandment, but after the power of an 
 endlefs life : and every facrificer under him (which 
 every true believer is) is fo made by the fame 
 power. The powers of darknefs are continually at 
 hand, which nothing can ftand its ground againft 
 (much lefs walk on fafely) without being in that 
 power which is above them. The firft coming to 
 Chrift muft be in the power of the Father's drawing : 
 and no believing afterwards is of the true nature, 
 nor will avail the foul in its progrefs and travels 
 towards life, but what abides in, and goeth forth 
 in, the famx power. So the taking up the yoke, and 
 drawing in it, muft be by the power of the new life •, 
 and fo muft the difciple's learning be. As the mafter 
 teacheth in the power of the fpirit the things which 
 alone can be fecn with the new eye, heard with the 
 new ear, and received into the new heart •, fo the fcho- 
 lar muft learn and receive his leflbns of life in the fame 
 power. Let any difciple of Chrift be from under 
 the (hadow of the power, believe out of the power, 
 walk out of the power, act out of the power, he is 
 from that wherein his life ftands, and wherein alone 
 is his prefervation ^ and ah ! how liable is he then 
 
 to 
 
 \ 
 
 TO THE PANTING SOUL. 23 
 
 to falls, bruifes, fnares, and temptations of the 
 enemy. 
 
 4. Watch againft the felfifti wifdom, in every 
 ftep of thy growtji, and in every fpiritual motion, 
 that that come not between thee and thy life ; that 
 that deceive thee not with a likenefs, a Ihadow, 
 making it appear more pleafmg to the eye than the 
 fubftance. Every ftep of thy way it will be laying 
 baits for thee •, and it is eafy for deceit to enter thee 
 at any time, and for that wifdom to get up in thee 
 under an appearance of fpiritual wifdom, unlefs the 
 Lord tenderly and powerfully preferve thee : and if 
 it prevail, it will lead thee from the path of the 
 true wifdomi ; it will cozen thee with a falfe faith, 
 inftead of the true faith •, with falfe praying, inftead 
 of the breathings of the true child ; with diligence 
 and zeal in thy falfe way, inftead of the true zeal 
 and diligence ; yea, it will hurry thee on in the path 
 of error, fliutting that eye in thee which ftiould fee, 
 and hardening thine heart againft thy bofom-friend- 
 And being thus deceived, thou mayeft be as zealous 
 in thy age and generation againft the truth, as the 
 Jews v/ere in theirs : and as certainly as they put 
 Chrift to death, and perfecuted his apoftles, though 
 they cried up the former prophets, fo certainly thou 
 (under this deceit) canft not but a6l againft the 
 prefent difpenfation and appearance of Chrift's fpirit, 
 and wouldft perfecute either the prophets, apoftle% 
 or Chrift himfelf, v/ere it their prefent day now fo 
 to appear as formerly they did. 
 
 5. Let nothing judge in thee (concerning thine 
 .own heart, or concerning others, or concerning any 
 way or truth of God) but only the begotten of God 
 in the heart. Let the light in which thou art be- 
 gotten to God, and which ftiines upon his begotten, 
 be the only judge in thee, and then thou canft not 
 err in judgment. Be not hafty, be not forward in 
 judo-ment ^ keep back to the life, ftill v/aiting for 
 
 the 
 
4.. 
 
 * 
 
 24 SOME DIRECTIONS 
 
 the appearance and openings of the life. A few 
 fteps fetched in the life and power of God are much 
 fafer and fweeter than an hafty progrefs in the hafty 
 
 forward fpirit. ♦ r .- j i 
 
 Indeed this is the true religion, to feel God be- 
 ginning the work, and to wait on him for his carry- 
 ing it ^on. The feeling of God's fpirit beginning 
 ' fomewhat in the heart, the heart's waiting on him 
 for more of his fpirit, and walking on with him in 
 his fpirit, as he plealeth to quicken, lead, draw, and 
 ftrengthen •, this is the fpiritual and true religion : 
 and tliere is no duty or ordinance of the gofpel out 
 of the fpirit ; but it is eafy crying up and obferving 
 the likenefs of any of them out of the fpirit, into 
 which obfervance a ftrange fpirit eafily enters ;^ and 
 then that which was of God in the heart foon withers,^ 
 and a contrary building is raifed, and the ftate ot 
 the heart changed. Oh ! wait on the Lord, that he 
 may give you to underftand thefe things ; for the 
 apoftaly from God is very deep, and more provoking 
 amono- the Proteftants than among the Papifts -, yea, 
 moft of all provoking where it is moil inward and 
 
 fpiritual. 
 
 Quest. But how may I know and keep to the 
 begotten of God, and to the light and power of the 
 Lord, and keep down the fleftily wifdom and com- 
 prehenfion concerning the things of God ? 
 
 Answ. When God begets life in the heart, there 
 is a favour of it in thy velTel, and a fecret living 
 warmth and virtue, which the heart in fome meafure 
 feels, whereby it is known. Lie low in the fear ot 
 the Moft High, that this leaven may grow and in- 
 creafe in thee. This is the leaven of the kingdom •, 
 this is it which muft change thy heart and nature, 
 and make thy veffel (which perhaps hath been long 
 and much corrupted) fit to receive the treafure ot 
 the kincrdom. Now while the favour is upon thee, 
 while the virtue of the life is frefli in thee, thou 
 
 findell 
 
 TO THE PANTING SOUL. 25 
 
 findeft fome ftrength towards God, with fome little 
 iftafte and difcerning of the things of his kingdom. 
 Know thy weaknels, and go not beyond thy mea- 
 fure ; but in what thou haft received bow before the 
 fulnefs, worftiip God in that, and be patient in 
 what he exercifes tliee withal, waiting for more from 
 him. And when the night comes upon thee, and 
 thou perhaps art at a lofs, miffing the favour and 
 prefence of the life, and not knowing how to come 
 by it again, be patient and ftill, and thou wilt find 
 breathings after a frelh vifitation, and a meek hum- 
 ble, broken fpirit before the Lord. Thou wilt fee 
 thou canft do nothing to recover his prefence again ; 
 nay, thou canft not fo much as wait for him, or 
 breathe after him, without his help ; but he is nigh 
 to the poor, nigh to the broken, nigh to the dif- 
 treffed, nigh to the helplefs. Oh ! do not with thy 
 flefhly cries and roarings think to awaken thy be- 
 loved before his feafon ; but in the night of diftrefs,^ 
 feel after fomewhat which may quiet and ftay thy 
 heart till the next fpringing of the day. The fun 
 will arife, which will fcatter the clouds ; and he is 
 near thee who will give thee to hope that thou ftialt 
 yet fee God, and find again the qyickenings and 
 leadings of his fpirit. And in the day of his power 
 thou wilt find ftrength to walk with him ; yea, in 
 the day of thy weaknefs his grace will be fufficient 
 for thee ; and he will nurture thee up in his life by 
 his pure fpirit, caufing thee to grow under his 
 Ihadow; and he will be teaching thee to livc^^nd 
 to fpeak, and to move and aft from the principle, 
 and within the compafs of his light and life eternal. 
 Only be not wife to catch the notions of things into 
 the earthly part, where the moth can corrupt, and 
 where the thief can break through and fteal ; but 
 know the divine treafury, where all the things of 
 life are treafured up by the fpirit, and handed forth 
 to the living child with frefh life, according to its 
 
 E need. 
 
i6 
 
 SOME DIRECTIONS 
 
 need of them. And thus thy heart being kept clofe 
 to God, and thy fpiritual fenfes continually exercile* 
 about the things of God, it will be eafy to thee to 
 knov\' the fhepherd's voice, and to diftinguifh the 
 found of the fpirit in thine own heart : and that 
 which tries fpirits and motions in thine own heart, 
 will alfo give thee the difcerning of truth and error 
 abroad, even of the fpirit of God, and the fpirit of 
 Satan in others ; fo that thou wilt be able to try not 
 only words, but fpirits, becoming acquainted with 
 the anointing, which favours all things, and will 
 give thee to judge, not by the words, but by the 
 power : for thou thyfelf being in the power, in the 
 anointing, in the favour, it will become natural to 
 thee to feel, to tafte, to know, and unite with what 
 is one with thy life, what comes from the fame fpirit 
 in others, and to turn from the contrary. And 
 thus thy life, thy growth, thy path will be fweet, 
 fafe, clear, certain, demonftrative in the fpirit, and 
 pail all reafonings of flelh and blood, either in thy- 
 felf or others. The beginning of life eternal is in 
 an higher principle than man can come at. Man's 
 wifdom and knowledge of the things of God is but 
 brutilh before it. As thou comeft into that prin- 
 ciple, abideft and groweft in that principle, thou 
 art beyond man's judgment, and art able to judge 
 man, and fathom his whole courfe as with a fpan -, 
 but are quite out of his reach in the loweft of thy 
 motions, thoughts, or aftions •, I mean fuch as flow 
 fronij and are comprehended in, the life. 
 
 [ 27 ] 
 
 CON- 
 
 CONCERNING 
 
 The Worship of the Living God, 
 
 ■ * 
 
 Which he teachcth Israel, his People, 
 
 Who know him to be the Only True God, 
 and the Worihip which he teacheth them, 
 to be the Only True Spiritual Worship. 
 
 BECAUSE the worihip of God is a weighty 
 thing, and there have been (and ft ill are) fo 
 many errors about it, and the errors therein are of 
 fuch dangerous confequence, both in relation to 
 men's eternal ftate hereafter, and to their right con- 
 ftitution, peace, and welfare in this world ; and 
 becaufe I have had deep experience concerning the 
 worihip of God from a child, having travelled in 
 fpirit with my God for the right knowledge thereof, 
 and in fmglenefs of heart given up unto him, ac- 
 cording as he hath taught and led my poor, needy, 
 depending foul ; I fay, therefore is it on my heart, 
 to anfwer fome few queftions concerning the worihip 
 of God, for the fervice of fuch as both defire and 
 need inftrudtion therein. 
 
 Quest, i. Who is the worlhipper, the acceptable 
 worfliipper in the fight of God ? Or whom hath 
 God chofen out, to hold forth his worihip in the 
 fight of the world, fincc he rejefted the Jews with 
 their worihip ? 
 
 E 2 That 
 
f 
 
 ,i 
 
 18 CONCERNING THE WORSHIP 
 
 That God hath appointed a chofen people to 
 worftiip him, that I prefuppofe • though, if need 
 were, the proof thereof might be ready at hand. 
 It is not every man that would thruft himfelf upon 
 the Lord, whom the Lord will accept • but /' the 
 *' Father feeketh fuch to worfliip him," John iv. 23. 
 There is a capacity to be found in man, to make 
 him a worlhipper •, even fuch a capacity, as may 
 enable him to perform that worfhip which God 
 requireth of him. Now this is the thing to be 
 enquired into ; What this capacity is, and who are 
 the perfons that are found in this capacity P 
 
 Answ. The worfliipper in the times of the gol- 
 nel the worfliipper under the New Teftament, " is 
 '' he that is born of God." He that is drawn out 
 of the dark fpirit of this world, and formed anew 
 in the light of God's fpirit. He that is a Jew m- 
 ward he that hath the uncircumcifion of his heart 
 cut off by the power of God ; this is the worOiip- 
 per whom " the Father feeks to worfliip him. 
 This is the fort of worfliippers God chofe, when he 
 caft off the Jews. God did not chufe any one 
 nation, or many nations, inftead of that one which 
 he caft off, but he fent his apoftles and mmifters 
 arnon^ all nations, to gather a fpiritual feed, inttead 
 of the natural. And thefe alone are capable ot 
 fettine up, and holding forth, his fpiritual worlhip 
 unto the world, and to provoke them to wait tor, 
 and prefs towards the capacity of coming into the 
 fame fpiritual worfliip with them. 
 
 Quest. 2. Which is the place of worfliip ? 
 Answ. The only place of worfliip in the New 
 Teftament, is where the fpiritual worfliippers nieet 
 together. The place is fpiritual. As tlie worfliip 
 is fpiritual*, fo is the place where it is to be offered. 
 It hath a fpiritual confideration ; not outward, as 
 under the law. It is to be offered in the Ipirit ; that 
 is the pUce. Where doth my foul offer its private 
 ^ worfliip 
 
 OF THE LIVING GOD. 
 
 29 
 
 worfliip to God ? Hath it relation to any outward 
 place ? Or is it in the building which God hath 
 reared up in my heart by his fpirit ? Which building 
 ftands in, and is comprehended in, his fpirit. And 
 I can offer his publick worfliip in no other place, 
 but in a building of the fame nature, in an houfe 
 built of more of the fame ftones. This then is the 
 way of worfliipping in the true light ; divers living 
 ftones meeting together, every one retiring in fpirit 
 into the living name, into the power which begat 
 them, they all meet in one and the fame place, in 
 one and the fame power, in one and the fame foun- 
 tain of life •, and here they bow down to the Father 
 of life, offering up living facrifices to him, and 
 receiving the bread and water of life from him, and 
 feeding in the rich paftures of his infinite fulnefs. 
 In the holy city, in the living temple which is built 
 by God, of the ftone which all other builders refufe, 
 is the place of worfliip of the living God, where 
 the true Jews meet to offer up their fpirits, fouls, 
 and bodies, a living facrifice to the Father of life ; 
 and where they meet with fuch a glorious prefence 
 and power of the Father, as none but the true Jews 
 were ever acquainted with. 
 
 Quest. 3. What is the worfliip, or what are the 
 facrifices, which the true worfliippers offer up to 
 God in this holy place ? 
 
 Answ. The gifts of his fpirit. Thefe they offer 
 up, and nothing elfe. The breathings which the 
 Father gives into the heart of the child, they are 
 breathed back unto him in the fame fpirit of life ; 
 in the living fenfe, in the quickening power. No- 
 thing of man's wifdom, nothing of man's invention, 
 nothing according to man's will, nothing that would 
 pleafe the flefli, or feem glorious in its eye, is offered 
 up here ; but the exhortations, or direftions, or 
 reproofs that fpring up in God's light, in God's 
 wifdom, they are given forth in the leadings, and 
 
 by 
 
 vii 
 
 '»%. 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 

 30 CONCERNING THE WORSHIP 
 
 by the guidance of hi^ fpirit, and they reach to the 
 hearts of thofe, to whom he pleafeth to dired; them. 
 And this is the ground of fuch meltings, and break- 
 ings, and conviftions of foul (and fuch-like inward 
 operations) as are frequently found in fuch affem- 
 blies. For the living God is there, and the dread 
 of his power overfpreads the hearts of fuch^ as are 
 gathered into and aflembled in his name ; and the 
 life fprings in the earthen vefTcls, and the favour is 
 precious to all that have their fpiritual fenfes. 
 
 Quest. 4. What is the feafon of offering up 
 thefe gifts ? 
 
 Answ. The feafons of the true worfhip ftand in 
 the will of God. They are gifts, and the time of 
 them ftands in the will of the giver. Prayer is a 
 gift* A man cannot pray when he will ; but he is 
 to watch and to wait, when the Father will kindle 
 in him living breathings towards himfelf. So the 
 word of God (whether of exhortation or inftru6tion) 
 is a gift, which is to be waited for, and then to be 
 given forth in the life and ftrength of that fpirit 
 which caufeth it to fpring. Indeed it is an hard 
 matter either to fpeak the word of the Lord, or to 
 hear the word of the Lord. A man may eafily 
 fpeak what he invents, and another may eafily hear 
 and judge of fuch words ; but to fpeak the word 
 of life, requires the tongue of the learned in the 
 language of God's fpirit ; and to hear the word of 
 life, requires a quickened ear : and to know the 
 times and feafons of the fpirit, requires both being 
 begotten of the fpirit, and being acquainted with it. 
 
 Quest. 5. Was this the worlhip of the former 
 Chrillians in the apoftles days ? 
 
 Answ. Search the fcriptures. Were not they 
 ^ome to the New Jerufalem ^ And where did they 
 offer their facrifices ? Did they offer them in the 
 Old Jerufalem, or at Samaria, or the mountain 
 where the fathers worfhipped ? Or did they not 
 
 rather 
 
 OF THE LIVING GOD. 31 
 
 rather offer them at the Mount Sion, to which they 
 were come ; where the male of the flock (even the 
 Lamb without fpot) is known, and the blood of 
 fprinkling felt? Heb. xii. 22, 23, 24. and 1 Pet. 
 ii. 5. Oh ! read ^ read in the life of God ! the 
 nature of the things themfelves ; and do not feed 
 upon your own imaginations, or the imaginations 
 of any other men concerning them. Sweet is our 
 God •, his living prefence is exceedingly nourifhing 
 to the foul ; precious is his power felt in the heart ; 
 it is no lefs than life eternal to worlhip him in his 
 fpirit. Oh ! let not the enemy of the foul cheat 
 your fouls any longer of the precious things of his 
 kingdom, with hulky and dry food inflead thereof, 
 which only gratifieth the earthly part, but nourifheth 
 not the immortal life. 
 
 Quest. 6. How came the worfhip of God to be 
 transformed and changed fo from the living power, 
 into fuch dead formal ways, as generally worfhippers 
 in the world are found in ? 
 
 Answ. The enemy hath done this, by God's 
 permifTion. The Lord was pleafed to fuffer him 
 thus far to prevail againfl the truth ; even to get 
 into the form of it, and there to beget men into the 
 form, and then deny and turn^againfl the power. 
 And this is the way of antichrift in kingdoms and 
 nations, even to fet up a formal way of worfhip, 
 and by it to fight againfl: the true power. 
 
 Quest. 7. How long hath this been done, and 
 how long is it yet to lafl ? 
 
 Answ. From antichrifl's beginning, all the time 
 of his reign, until his overthrow. The formal way 
 of religion will never be overturned, nor the power 
 of religion find place in the earth, but there will 
 be flill countenancing of formal ways of worfhip, 
 and turning head againfl the power and life of the 
 fpirit, until antichrifl:'s time come to an end, and 
 
 the 
 
9f 
 
 I 
 
 p- CONCERNING THE WORSHIP 
 
 the Lord confume him by the fpirit of his mouth, 
 and deftroy him by the brightnefs of his commg. 
 
 Quest. 8. When ftiall this be ? 
 
 Answ. The Lord is about this work. He hath 
 already raifed up that, which hath not been raifed 
 up for many generations ; and the Lord hath forely 
 fmote down the fpirit of antichrift in many hearts 
 already; and he is fetching a great and umverfal 
 blow at him ; at which ftroke, when it cometh from 
 the throne of God, the nations fhall tremble before 
 him i and it will be as honourable to wait for the 
 movings of his fpirit, and to worfhip him alone 
 therein, as it is now reproachful. 
 
 I. 
 
 THE 
 
 THE 
 
 EVERLASTING GOSPEL 
 
 O F 
 
 Our Lord Jesus Christ^ 
 
 AND THE 
 
 Blessed Effects thereof, teftified to 
 
 from Experience. 
 
 By ISAAC PENINGTON. 
 
 " The darknefs is paft, and the true hght now 
 " Ihineth." i John ii. 8. 
 
 cc 
 
 C( 
 
 (€ 
 
 Arife, Ihine; for thy light is come, and the 
 " glory of the Lord is rifen upon thee : for 
 " behold, the darknefs Ihall cover the earth, 
 and grofs darknefs the people ; but the Lord 
 fliall arife upon thee, and his glory fliall be 
 " fcen upon thee." Isal Ix. 2. 
 
 " When the Lord fhall build up Sion, he Ihall 
 " appear in his glory." Psal, cii. 16. (indeed 
 tiQ doth fo}. 
 
 ii\ 
 
 
THE 
 
 EVERLASTING GOSPEL 
 
 O F 
 
 Our Lord JESUS CHRIST, 
 
 A NO THE 
 
 Blessed Effects thereof, teftified to 
 
 from Experience, 
 
 ft 
 
 TH E bleffed meflage which the apoftles (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. , . 1 1 • r 
 
 The end of Chrift's fending them with this mei- 
 fage was, that thereby, preaching it in the evidence 
 and demonftraeion of God's Spirit, they might 
 open men's eyes, and turn them from darknels to 
 light, and from the power of Satan to God, that 
 they might receive forgivenefs of fins, and inhe- 
 ritance among them that are fanftified by faith 
 *' that is in him," Ads xxvi. 18. 
 
 Now the eye of the mind being opened, and the 
 mind turned from the darknefs within to the light 
 within, and from Satan's power to the power of 
 
 F 2 God, 
 
 cc 
 
 
 (C 
 
^ 
 
 36 THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL, fee- 
 God, which is revealed in the light, the foul in the 
 light comes to fee (over the darknefs, and Satan 
 who darkened it) the things of God and his king- 
 dom, as they are revealed in the light, which makes 
 them manifeft. 
 
 As, Firft, 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 ftonc, and fo are 
 built upon him, and become God's building and 
 new creation in him, i Pet. ii. 5. 2 Cor. v. 17. 
 And here, in this light, none can mifs of the true 
 coming, hearing 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 ftate, the ftate of 
 the inward Jew, and the inward circumcifion, and 
 the true worfliip (even the worfhip of the Father 
 in fpirit and in truth) is known. For the Jew in- 
 ward is a child of light, begotten in the light, re- 
 deemed 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 ad ; but the cutting 
 off that which is flefhly from the mind by the fpirit 
 and power of Chrift. And the gofpel-worlhip, or 
 the worfhip of the Je\y inward, is the worlhipping 
 of God in the newnefs of the life of his Son. 
 
 Thirdly, Here is the true repentance from the 
 dead nature and dead works, which no man can 
 attain to of himfelf ; 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, Afts y. 31. I fay here, that repentance is 
 known, waited for, and received. For not to men 
 in the darknefs, and loving the darknefs, is the true 
 repentance given y but to them that are turned to 
 
 the 
 
 TESTIFIED TO FROM EXPERIENCE. 37 
 
 the light, to them is repentance given unto life, Adls 
 xi. 18 compared with chap. xxvi. 17, 18. 
 
 Fourthly, Here the true faith, the precious gift 
 of faith is received, whereby men believe in him 
 who gives life, and receive life from him. And this 
 i.s the faith which gives accefs to God, and gives 
 viftory over the world, and that which is contrary 
 to God : the faith which is given in the light doth 
 fo i 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, effeftually cruci- 
 fying that man that takes it up, and daily bears it, to 
 all that is earthly and finful ; and then the pure feed 
 and 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 heart, 
 both to him that begets, and to him that is beo-otten! 
 In the light there is nothing but love ; but In the 
 darknefs there is no true love to be found ; 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 Larrib's patience and meek- 
 nefs 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 lo^ have that patience and meeknels 
 from him, which no other can attain to. Matt, 
 xi. 29. 
 
 Eighthly, In the light the precious promifes are 
 fulfilled and partaken of; which make them who 
 partake of them, and in whom they are fulfilled, 
 partakers of the divine nature • for the divine nature 
 is not partaken of in the darknefs, but in him who 
 
 is 
 
,^ 
 
 38 THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL, &c. 
 
 is Y\o-ht Man (who is darknefs) cannot partake of 
 the promifes 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, bin light in the Lord, then the promifes 
 which were made to the children of light he cometh 
 to have a fhare in, Eph. v. 8. 2 Pet. 1. 4. , 
 
 Laftly In the light the holy anointing is received, 
 the voice of Chrill heard, and the new everlafting 
 covenant, even the fure mercies of David made 
 with the foul, Ifa. Iv. iji- T^e law of the new 
 covenant (even the law of the fpint ot life in Chnft 
 Tefus) written in the mind, and the holy fear ot 
 the new covenant, which cleanfeth and keepeth 
 clean, put in the heart, and the bleffed fpirit of the 
 Father ^iven and received, which g\ -es to thofe that 
 receive Tt power to become the fons of God, cauhng 
 them to walk in his ways, and to keep his ftatutes • 
 and judgments, and to do them. Oh ! bleffed dif- 
 penfation of life and holy power, which the Lord 
 hath caufed to break forth among a defpifed people 
 in thefe lavter days ! Oh ! that the fons ot men 
 would hear and underftand this precious loving- 
 kindncfs of the Lord, and put their truft under the 
 fliadow of his wings, and know what it is to be 
 fatisHed with the fatnefs of his fpintual gofpel-houle, 
 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 
 compaffion towards the Papifts. My bbwels have 
 often rolled over them, and been pained concerning 
 them, to fee how they are clofed and fliut up as to 
 the true fenfe and underftanding ot things of this 
 nature. Oh ! that they would prize the day ot their 
 vifitation, that they might hear the found of lite 
 ■ both from others, and alfo in their own hearts, and 
 
 the 
 
 TESTIFIED TO FROM EXPERIENCE. 59 
 
 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 Pro- 
 teftants, nay, not of Turks or Jews ; but a mourner 
 becaufe of their feveral miftakes, and a breather to 
 the God of my life for tender mercy towards them 
 all. 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 AN D in this light the true church, the gofpel 
 church, the New Teftament church is known ; 
 which is a church of the children of light, a build- 
 ing built in the light, which church is in God the 
 Father, and in the Lord Jefus Chrift, 2 ThelT. i. i. 
 In whom they are built together for the habitation 
 of God, through the fpirit, Ephef. ii. 22. Yea, in 
 whom all the building, fitly framed together, grow- 
 eth into an holy temple in the Lord, ver. 21. (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 
 foundation of the apoftles and prophets, Jefus Chrift 
 himfelf being the chief corner- ftone, ver. 20. And 
 are no more ftrangers and foreigners, but fellow- 
 citizens with the faints, and of the houftiold of God, 
 ver. 19. 
 
 The gofpel church is the fpiritual houfe of Jacob, 
 which walk in the light of the Lord, Ifa. ii. 5. who 
 go up to the mountain of the Lord (to that which 
 is revealed to be the mountain of God in the laft 
 days, even fpiritual Mount Sion, Heb. xii. 22.), 
 W the houfc of the God of Jacob, where he teacheth 
 
 his 
 
40 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 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 fpirit of life in 
 Chrift Jefus (in the days of the gofpel) and the 
 word of the Lord from this Jerufalem, ver. 2, 3. 
 For Jerufalem, which is above, is free, which is the 
 mother of all the children which are born of God's 
 fpirit. Gal. iv. 26. John iii. 6. And fhe being the 
 mother of them all, nourifheth them all with the 
 word of life, which goeth forth from her ; and all 
 her children know and juftify her their mother. 
 Matt. xi. 19. Oh! that all, both Papifts and Pro- 
 teftants, knew this true mother-church, this mother 
 of all the living, of whom none but the living are 
 born, and who nourifheth all the living,^ and none 
 clfe, 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 
 bilhop of the foul, who overfeeth and taketh 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 affemblies, and God's creating upon every of 
 them a cloud and fmoke by day, and the fliining 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 ftrong city which thq 
 Lord builds there, and the falvation which he ap- 
 points for walls and bulwarks about it •, and would 
 fee and know how none but the inward Jews, the 
 inwardly circumcifed and fanftitied, even the right- 
 eous nation that keepeth the truth, can enter by the 
 
 gates. 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 41 
 
 gates into that city, Ifai. xxvi. i, 2. • And they that 
 dwell in that city, whofe minds are ftayed on the 
 Lord, and who truft in him, the Lord will keep in 
 perfed peace, ver. 3. Then Jerufalem is a quiet 
 habitation indeed, and the refting and feeding-places 
 in it are fure, Ifai. xxxii. 18. and chap, xxxiii. 15, 
 20. 
 
 Thirdly, They would know the feaft of fat things; 
 which the Lord of hofts makes to all people that 
 are here ; to all people that come up to, and dwell 
 on, his holy mountain, and ferve and worfhip him 
 in fpirit and truth. The Lord of hofts maketh 
 fuch a feaft 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 fpirit 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, Ifai. xxv. 6. They 
 ;hat are turned to the light, and follow Chrift the 
 light, ftiall not abide in darknefs, but have the light 
 of life, John viii. 12. Shall be tranQated out of 
 the kingdom of darknefs into the kingdom of the 
 dear Son, and they ftiall fup with Chrift, and he 
 with them, and both together drink of the fruit of 
 the vine of life, new in the Father's kingdom. 
 
 Fourthly, They ftiall infallibly know here, in 
 this light which ftiines on God's holy mountain, the 
 deftroying or fwallowing up of the face of the 
 covering caft over all people, and the veil fpread 
 over all nations, Ifai. xxv. 7. For the veil is caft 
 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 fpirit, 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 fpirit of the Lord, ver. 17, 18. 
 
 G Laftly, 
 
 % 
 
 m 
 

 4s POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 Laftly, Here the king of righteoufnefs's highway 
 is known, even the way of holinefs, which the un- 
 clean cannot pafs over; but the fanftified in the 
 licrht 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 bleffed fpirit, do not err. 
 
 Oh ! that the true church were known, which is 
 now come and coming out of the wildernefs, leaning 
 upon her beloved, who led and leads out thence, 
 into her own land of life and glory, where her light 
 Ihines, and Ihe arifeth and ftandeth upon her teet 
 before the Lord, and the glory of the Lord fliines 
 upon her, and covers her ! Happy is the eye that 
 feeth this, and the foul that hath a ftiare in it ! 
 
 A FEW 
 
 * f 
 
 EXPERIENCES 
 
 CONCERNING SOME OF THE 
 
 WEIGHTY THINGS 
 
 RELATING TO 
 
 G 
 
 O 
 
 D's 
 
 EVERLASTING KINGDOM. 
 
 Given forth in true and tender Love, for the Help 
 of any fuch of the Race of the true Travellers 
 as may ftand in need thereof. 
 
 A FEW 
 
 B y 
 
 ISAAC PENINGTON. 
 
V 
 
 ir 
 
 [ 45 1 
 
 THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 IT hath pleafed the Lord to unfeal and open the 
 fountain of life in the midft of his heritage, fo 
 that in his light do they fee light, and in his life do 
 they reap and enjoy life. And the precious pro- 
 mifes are fulfilled in the midft of them, of fending 
 the Comforter, and pouring out of the Holy Spirit, 
 lb that he that believeth, " out of his belly do flow 
 " rivers of living water." Yea, the Lord hath a 
 vineyard, which he keepeth night and day (left any 
 hurt it), and watereth every moment. Oh ! the 
 ftreams of life, the ftreams of love, the ftreams of 
 grace, the ftreams of mercy, the ftreams of peace, 
 the ftreams of joy and confolation, which flow from 
 him into the bofoms of his children ! Indeed grace, 
 and mercy, and peace are multiplied from God our 
 Father, in and through the Lord Jefus Chrift daily, 
 infomuch as that faying of Chrift to his difciples 
 (John xiv. 26, 27.) is now fulfilled, " I fay not 
 *' that I will pray the Father for you -, for the Father 
 *« himfelf loveth you," &c. The Father, in his 
 love, hath brought us to the Son •, and the Son, in 
 the fame love, hath brought us back to the Father •, 
 and now the love flows from the Father in and 
 through the Son, moft naturally and abundantly, 
 And where the heart is circumcifed, and much for^ 
 given, there love returns back moft truly and abun. 
 dantly ; fo that the Lord our God, in the Lord 
 Jpfus Chrift, is loved with all the heart, and with 
 
46 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 all tlic foul, and nothing is thought too good to 
 facrifice to him, nor nothing too much to fufFcr for 
 him. Oh ! the pure love that fprings and flows 
 between the heavenly Father and the fpiritual child ! 
 The befl love that is to be found in this world (in 
 the men of the world) is not worthy to be a Ihadow 
 of it. God is love, and his children are of him, 
 and partake of, and dwell in, the fame love ; though 
 the enmity, and higheft wifdom of this world, know 
 them not •, as it never could know the children of 
 the true wifdom. 
 
 Now from tliis fountain do not only ifTue fprings 
 and flreams of life to refrefh our own hearts ; but 
 teftimonies concerning the life which we feel and 
 partake of, and concerning our travels from the 
 dark land through the valley of tears (where he 
 that gave us life was our well) towards our refting- 
 
 place. 
 
 Thefe alfo fpring up in us for the fakes of others ; 
 of which nature are the things which follow, in this 
 little treatife. For not for my own fake only did 
 they fpring up in me, but to fignify to others of the 
 mercy the Lord hath fhewn me, and the way wherein 
 he hath led me, and what he hath given me to tafte 
 of and experience in the way ^ which will anfwer 
 every true palate, every palate that is feafoned with 
 life, and with true experience. And having re- 
 ceived them from the Lord for this very end, to 
 hold them .forth to others, in love and in tendernefs 
 of fpirit my heart is freely given up to him therein ; 
 not aiming at any thing thereby, but his glory fmgly, 
 and the good of fuch fouls to whom he Ihall pleafe 
 to extedd favour and fhew mercy, in opening the 
 heavenly myftery of life and falvation. 
 
 I have often faid in my heart. Who hath begotten 
 me there ? Who would have faid that Sarah fhould 
 ^ave given children fuck ? My wound was deep', 
 and feemed incurable j but bleflfed be the Lord, who 
 
 hath 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 47 
 
 hath made known to me the phyfician of value, for 
 whom no difeafe is too hard, but he is able to cure 
 every ficknefs, and to relieve and refcue all that are 
 captived and opprefled by the devil, that come unto 
 him, and wait upon him, in the way of his right- 
 eous judgments and moll tender mercies. For after 
 all, my religion and deep exercifes, and Inward ex- 
 periences and knowledge, I came to fuch a lofs of 
 what I once had, that I fenfibly felt I knew not the 
 Lord, and lay continually groaning and mourning 
 after him, and deeply afflifted for want of him. 
 Oh ! the pure, living, and precious life, and fweet 
 prefence of my God, that my foul wanted ! info- 
 much as my moifture was turned into the drought 
 of fummer, and my bones grown dry and withered ! 
 But at length the Lord, in his goodnefs (Oh! 
 bleffcd for ever be his name ! ) breathed upon the 
 dry bones, and I felt life enter from him into me, 
 and the days of deep forrow and diftrefs were at 
 length forgotten, becaufe a heavenly birth was at 
 length conceived and brought forth. And now 
 where is the fackcloth ? Where are the afhes ? Oh ! 
 there is beauty in life, inftead of the afhes in the 
 ftate without life \ and tlie garment of praife, inftead 
 of the fpirit of heavinefs ! O glory, glory, to the 
 binder up of the bruifed and broken ones, to tlie 
 Redeemer of the captives, to the repairer of the 
 breaches, to the builder up of the wafted and de-- 
 folate ones ! Glory to his tender mercy, glory to 
 his grace, glory to his love, glory to his wifdom, 
 glory to his power, for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 A FEW 
 
[ 48 ] 
 
 ..'! 
 
 It 
 
 I f 
 
 -4 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 A F E W 
 
 EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 I. 
 
 A faithful 'Teftimony concerning the true and pure Way 
 \ of Life -, iJoith Breathings for fuch as have Befires 
 after it^ and yet are Strangers to it. 
 
 THIS hath been the cry of my foul from my 
 childhood, even after holinefs, after the pre- 
 fence of the Lord, after union with him, after the 
 nature and image of his fon, after a feparation from 
 what was contrary to him, and a bemg brought 
 forth in the power of his life. ^ i , , . t 
 
 Now, bleffed be the Lord, that is revealed which 
 anfwers the cry •, which fo far as my foul comes to 
 partake of, it is refrefhed and fatisfied with the lup- 
 ply of that, which it thirfted and cried after. 
 
 And all that have felt the true cry, Oh ! that 
 they might alfo be taught of God, and learn aright 
 how to wait upon him, and to walk humbly and 
 in fear before him, that nothing might come be- 
 tween them and the cry of their fouls •, but they 
 might be led by him into the enjoyment and pol- 
 femon of that, which the true birth (which is born 
 of the Spirit, and is Spirit) naturally longs after. 
 
 Now truly there is no other way to life and la- 
 tisfaftion, than by believing in that pow^^, and 
 following that power, which raifed Chrift from the 
 dead -, for that is to work the work in all that are 
 laved. To feci this power revealed within, to have 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. '49 
 
 the mind turned to this power, to follow this power 
 in the regenerating work and path, is the way to 
 partake of its virtue, and to experience the redemp- 
 tion which is thereby and therefrom. ^ 
 
 And he that is born of the fpirit, and hath his eye ' 
 opened by the fpirit, and daily exercifed thereby ; 
 he knoweth the fpirit, and is acquainted with his 
 ftirrings and movings, and taught of God to di- 
 ftinguiih them from the evil fpirit, its ftirrings and 
 movings •, and fo doth not quench the fpirit of God, 
 nor grieve it when it moves \ nor give way to the 
 other fpirit, when it moves and allures. 
 
 Now the Ipirit of deceit allures and guides men 
 not fo much by outward rules, as by an inward evil 
 nature, and by the law of fin and death. So the 
 fpirit of truth leads into truth, by the newnefs and 
 power of its own life revealed in the heart, by the 
 pure inftinft of life within, and by the law of God 
 written in the nature of a new creature, which is 
 nearer than words without. For God blots out of 
 the hearts of his what Satan had written there, and 
 writes by the finger of his fpirit what he would have 
 the new birth read there ; and indeed there is a 
 kingdom of life, of righteoufnefs, of true peace^ 
 and joy, yea, of the holy power and wifdom of the 
 Moft High, for his children (which are born of 
 his fpirit, and fpring up of the immortal feed) to 
 read. '^ 
 
 Oh ! why Ihould mens eyes be clofed, and their 
 hearts hardened againft the truth ! Why Ihould they 
 cry up Chrift in words, and cry out againft his life 
 and power where it is revealed ! Is this to kifs the 
 Son.? Can fuch chufe (who are guilty of this) but 
 perifh in the way of their fouls travels.? And how 
 many muft needs perifh in their refifting the power 
 of truth, and precious teftimony of God's Holy 
 Spirit (in this our day) tending to their rcfcue and 
 falvation from that which captivates and deftroys ? ^ 
 
 H Chrift 
 
 ^i 
 
50 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 Chrift came to deftroy fin, he having received 
 power from his Father fo to do. He knoweth it to 
 be of a deftroying nature, and that it will deftroy 
 the foul, where it is not by the power of life con- 
 fumed and deftroyed in the foul. Oh ! moft pre- 
 cious to us is that vifitation of truth, light, life, 
 and power, which fearcheth out and difcovereth fin 
 to the very root, and alfo deftroys it ! Oh ! glo- 
 rious is that axe of the Lord Jefus Chrift which is 
 laid to the root of the corrupt tree, and is daily 
 hewing at and cutting it down, that it might cumber 
 the ground no more •, but that the heart might be- 
 come good earth, fanftiiied earth, circumcifed by 
 the Lord to bring forth good fruit, good grapes, 
 a good increafc of the good feed of life to the good 
 huft)andman, who is worthy to reap, even in this 
 world, the grace and mercy, love and goodnefs, 
 wifdom and power, &c. which he plentifully foweth 
 in the fpirits of his daily. Glory to his name over 
 all for ever, who hath exalted, exalteth, and will 
 exalt, that which the feveral forts of high profeflbrs, 
 in their wifdom, trample upon and defpife. 
 
 II. 
 
 Concerning the perfernng God's Work in the Heart. 
 
 IS it not the will of God that his people and 
 children fhould be fanctified throughout, in foul, 
 in body, in fpirit ? 
 
 Is is not the will of Chrift that his difciples fliould 
 be perfeft, as their heavenly Father is perfect ? 
 
 Did he not bid them pray, " Thy kingdom come, 
 ** thy will be done in earth, as it is heaven .'*" And 
 would he never have them believe and expeft that 
 it ihould be done in earth, as it is in heaven ? 
 
 Doth 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 51 
 
 Doth not he who hath the true, pure,- living hope 
 (which anchors within the veil) purify himfelf, even 
 as He is pure ? 
 
 Is not this the way to enjoy the promifes of God's 
 holy prefence (who tabemacleth in his people that 
 are cleanfed and fanftiiied) to cleanfe ourfelves from 
 all filthinefs of flcfli and fpirit, perfecting holinefs 
 in God's fear ? Will God dwell in an unholy temple ? 
 Will he dwell where fin dwells ? He may indeed to 
 fuch, when at any time they are tender, and truly 
 melted before him, be to them as a wayfaring man 
 that tarries for a night •, but he will not take up 
 his abode there, walk there, fup there, and give 
 them to fup with him. 
 
 Hath not Chrift received all power both in heaven 
 and earth from his Father ? Is not this the end of 
 receiving his power, to bring down the foul's ene- 
 mies, and to purify and fanftify his church, that it 
 may be without fpot, or wrinkle, or any fuch thing ? 
 Is he not the captain of our falvation, anointed to 
 fight the battles of the Lord ? Where is the fight ? 
 Where is the ftrong man to be found, caft out, his 
 goods fpoiled, and the houfe emptied of him, and 
 all that belongs to him ? Is not Chrift the author of 
 faith, the finifher of faith ; and doth not he carry 
 on the work of faith with power ? And what is the 
 work of faith ? Is it not to fight with, and over- 
 come, fin •, to be too hard for the enemy at all his 
 weapons } Is there not a whole armour of light, life, 
 and falvation prepared ? What is it prepared for ? 
 Is it not that the children of light fliould be wholly 
 armed with it t Were there never any wholly armed 
 with it ; or can the enemy prevail on thofe that arc 
 wholly armed with it ? Are thofe that are armed 
 with it afraid of the enemy, his power, his fnares, 
 his wiles ? Or are they bold in the faith, following 
 on, in the fpiritual battles, him who rideth before 
 them, conquerincr, and to conquer I 
 
 \ ^ ^ H 2 Ohl 
 
^^% A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 Oh ! that mens eyes were opened by the Lord ! 
 then might they fee the glory of truth, in the pure 
 light which fliines from God's holy mountain -, and 
 fiTch dark doftrines of the night (which tend to the 
 difhonour of Chrift, his power, and love, and to the 
 upholding of the enemy's kingdom) would pafs 
 away, and prevail no more in the hearts of any that 
 truly fear the Lord •, but they would quietly wait 
 and hope for his falvation, that by the law of the 
 fpirit of life in Chrift Jefus, they might be made 
 free from the law of fm and death, and not always 
 be fubieft thereto ! For all whom the Son maketh 
 free, they are free indeed ; and being made tree by 
 him, may ferve God in freedom of fpirit, without 
 fear, in holinefs and righteoufnefs before him, all 
 the days of their lives. And then they know the 
 power and virtue of the new covenant, and the 
 defence which is thereby, where the wing of the 
 Almjghty overlhadows, and his falvation (revealed 
 therein) is experienced for a fufficient wall and bul- 
 wark againft the enemy. 
 
 IH. 
 
 Concerning the true Chrift^ how it may he certainly and 
 
 infdlibly kncwn which is he. 
 
 WHILE people were in expcftation, and mufed 
 in their hearts concerning John, whether he 
 were the Chrift or no, John anfwers the cafe, and 
 tells them how they might difcern and know the true 
 Chrift. It is not he that baptizeth with water, but 
 he " that baptizeth with the Holy Ghoft, and with 
 S' fire.'* He " whofe fan is in his hand," where- 
 Tvith he cometh " thoroughly to purge his floor, 
 " gathering the wheat into his garner, and burning 
 y- the chaff* with fire unquenchable." Now he that 
 
 knoweth 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 53 
 
 knoweth him that doth this work, and experienceth 
 him doing this work in him, doth he not know 
 Chrift ^, Oh ! is it not precious to be baptized by 
 him whom God hath appointed to baptize ? Oh ! 
 the fan, the precious fan, wherewith Chrift (who 
 is the power and wifdom of God) feparates the 
 precious from the vile, fevers the wheat and the 
 chaff, gathers the wheat- into the precious treafury, 
 and lets out the unquenchable fire upon the chaff! 
 " Our God is a confuming fire," faith the apoftle. 
 To what is he a confuming fire ? Is it not to the 
 chaffy, earthy, droffy nature in men and women ? 
 Why, bring the chaff near to the fire, will it not 
 burn up ? And then (as that is burnt up and con- 
 fumed) that which is pure, that which is upright, 
 that which is tender, that which is born of God, 
 can dwell with, and delight in, the devouring fire, 
 and everlafting burnings. For God is not terrible 
 to the child which is born of him, to him who is 
 brought forth in the image and fpirit of his Son ; 
 but to the tranfgreffmg nature, to the feed of evil 
 doers, which are naturally inclined to do evil*, and 
 every day doing evil, he is terrible for evermore. 
 Oh ! bleffed are they who believe in that power, 
 and experience that power near, which raifed Chrift 
 from the dead, and are baptized with his baptifm ! 
 They have accefs to God : for fo the true Jews have 
 been inwardly cleanfed and kept clean ; but the 
 unclean, who have only a notion of Chrift's blood, 
 ^nd of his righteoufnefs, but are not wafhed there- 
 by, nor cloathed therewith, nor ever knew what it 
 was to put off the filthy garment, and to put on 
 the white raiment, they may pray in their own wills 
 and fpirits ; but they not know what it is to draw 
 nigh to God in the fpirit and life of his Son, and 
 fo are yet to learn what it is to pray to the Father in 
 the name of Chrift. For none truly knew Chrift, 
 but they who truly know and are led by his infaU 
 
 lible 
 
54 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 lible fpirrt. " They that have not the fpirit of 
 « Chriil, are none of his ;" and they that have his 
 fpirit, have that which is infallible. It is one thing 
 to have words fpoken concerning Chrift, or formerly 
 by Chrift ; another thing to have the infallible fpirit 
 itfelf; to be infallibly born of the fpirit, and 
 brought up in the light and life of the fpirit, that 
 he may certainly know the Shepherd's voice from 
 the voice of every ftrange fpirit. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Some Queries to fucb as affirm the Scriptures to be the 
 only Rule^ and deny the Spirit ^ the Seed of the King- 
 dom^ the new Covenant^ the hofy Leaven cf Life^ the 
 Law written in the Hearty to be the Rule of the 
 Chil^bren of the new Covenant. 
 
 Query i. TTOW are the fcriptures the rule; or 
 xJl which of the fcriptures are the rule ? 
 Are the whole fcriptures the rule, from the begin- 
 ning of Genefis to the Revelations ? Or are fome 
 parts of them the rule, fome others not ? If fome 
 parts of them be the rule, and fome not, which 
 parts are the rule, and which are not the rule ? As 
 to inftance, in the book of Job •, his friends fpake 
 many words concerning God, which were not fo 
 right as Job's, Job xlii. And alfo Job himfelf, m 
 fome of his words and fpeechcs, darkened counfcl 
 by words without knowledge, as he himfelf con- 
 fefled. Job xlii. 3. Now which of Job's friends 
 words are the rule, and which not •, and which of 
 Job's words are the rule, and which not ? 
 
 Query 2. Mofes was the minifter of the old 
 covenant (for he miniftered to the Jews the old 
 covenant, which was glorious in its day) -, but he 
 was not the minifter of the new covenant. Now the 
 
 new 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 55 
 
 new covenant, and miniflration thereof, exceeds the 
 old in glory. The writing of the law inwardly in 
 the tables of the heart, is a more glorious miniftra- 
 tion than the writing of it outwardly in tables of 
 ftone. Now were Mofes's words to the Jews under 
 the old covenant intended by God to be the rule of 
 the children of light under the new covenant ? Shall 
 the words of that miniftration, which was to pafs 
 away, be the rule of the children of that miniftra- 
 tion which is to abide for ever ? 
 
 Query 3. Did Mofes fay. That when Chrift 
 came, my words which I fpeak or write ftiall be 
 your rule, or part of your rule ? Or did he not 
 rather fay, " When God raifed up that prophet, 
 " him fhall ye hear in all things ?" Is there any one 
 that is truly a fheep, who is not fo made by him 
 who gives life to the foul ? And after he is made 
 alive, and knows the fliepherd's voice, is he not to 
 hear his voice for ever, w^ho gives life eternal, and 
 who leads into the paftures of life, and to the pure 
 'ft ill waters, all that hear his voice, and follow him ? 
 Read John xiv. 3, 4. and Afts iii. 22. and confider. 
 
 Query 4. Was not John as great, if not greater 
 than Mofes ? Had ever any the honour, befides him, 
 to be the immediate forerunner and preparer of the 
 the way, and to point to the Lamb of God as he 
 did ? And yet was not he to decreafe in his miniftry 
 (it being not the gofpel miniftration of the fpirit 
 and power, as Chrift's was) and Chrift to increafe 
 in his gofpel-miniftration ? Is not the leaft in the 
 kingdom greater than John ? And are not all that 
 are quickened by Chrift, and follow him, led by 
 him into the kingdom ? And who can give the rule 
 of life in the kingdom, but the king thereof? In • 
 the laft days doth not the Lord fpeak to his people 
 by his Son ? And is not he faithful in all his houfe, 
 as a fon, to give the law and rule of life to them 
 in Chrift ? 
 
 Query 
 
:^ 
 
 ,54 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 lible fpirrt. " They that have not the fpirit of 
 *' Chrill, are none of his ;" and they that have his 
 Ibirit, have that which is infallible. It is one thing 
 to have words fpoken concerning Chrift, or formerly 
 by Chrift ; another thing to have the infallible fpirit 
 itfelf-, to be infallibly born of the fpirit, and 
 brought up in the light and life of the fpirit, that 
 he may certainly know the Shepherd's voice from 
 the voice of every ft range fpirit. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Sotne Queries to fuch as affirm the Scriptures to he the 
 only Rule, and deny the Spirit , the Seed of the King^ 
 dam, the new Covenant, the holy Leave}i of Life, the 
 Law written in the Heart, to be the Rule of the 
 Children of the new Covenant. 
 
 Query i. TTOW are the fcripturcs the rule; or 
 -Tl which of the fcriptures are the rule ? 
 Are the whole fcriptures the rule, from the begin- 
 ning of Genefis to the Revelations ? Or are fome 
 parts of them the rule, fome others not ? If fome 
 parts of them be the rule, and fome not, which 
 parts are the rule, and which are not the rule ? As 
 to inftancc, in the book of Job •, his friends fpake 
 many words concerning God, which were not fo 
 right as Job's, Job xlii. And alfo Job himfelf, in 
 fome of his words and fpeechcs, darkened counfel 
 by words without knowledge, as he himfelf con- 
 fefled. Job xlii. 3. Now which of Job's friends 
 words are the rule, and which not -, and which of 
 Job's words are the rule, and which not ? 
 
 Query 2. Mofes was the minifter of the old 
 covenant (for he miniftered to the Jews the old 
 covenant, which was glorious in its day) -, but he 
 was rK>t the minifter of the new covenant. Now the 
 
 new 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. ^s 
 
 new covenant, and miniftration thereof, exceeds the 
 old in glory. The writing of the law inwardly in 
 the tables of the heart, is a more glorious miniftra- 
 tion than the writing of it outwardly in tables of 
 ftone. Now were Mofes's words to the Jews under 
 the old covenant intended by God to be the rule of 
 the children of light under the new covenant } Shall 
 the words of that miniftration, which was to pafs 
 away, be the rule of the children of that miniftra- 
 tion which is to abide for ever .? 
 
 Query 3. Did Mofes fay. That when Chrift 
 came, my words which I fpeak or write ftiall be 
 your rule, or part of your rule .? Or did he not 
 rather fay, " When God raifed up that prophet 
 " him fliall ye hear in all things .?» Is there any one 
 that IS truly a ftieep, who is not fo made by him 
 who gives life to the foul } And after he is made 
 alive, and knows the ftiepherd's voice, is he not to 
 hear his voice for ever, who gives life eternal, and 
 who leads into the paftures of life, and to the pure 
 'ft ill waters, all that hear his voice, and follow him .? 
 Read John xiv. 3, 4. and Afts iii. 22. and confider." 
 Query 4. Was not John as great, if not greater 
 than Mofes i Had ever any the honour, befides him, 
 to be the immediate forerunner and preparer of the 
 the way, and to point to the Lamb of God as he 
 did .? And yet was not he to decreafe in his miniftry 
 (it being not the gofpel miniftration of the fpirit 
 and power, as Cinift's was) and Chrift to increafe 
 m his gofpel-minillration i Is not the leaft in the 
 kingdom greater than John ? And are not all that 
 are quickened by Chnft, and follow him, led by 
 him into the kingdom ? And who can give the rule 
 of life in the kingdom, but the king thereof? In - 
 the laft days doth not the Lord fpeak to his people 
 by his Son ? And is not he faithful in all his houfe, 
 as a fon, to give the law and rule of life to them 
 in Chrift f 
 
 Query 
 
/ 
 
 56 A FEW EXPlERIiENCES, &c. 
 
 QuerV 5. ' Are not all that are foldiers and fub- 
 jefts under Chrift to follow him, their Lord and 
 Captain, whitherlbever he goes or rules ? How can 
 they know whither he goes or rules, but by an in- 
 ward eye and ear fixed upon, and open to him ? So 
 that when once they know his I'pirit (the voice of 
 his fpirit, as his true fheep do), his movings, his 
 drawings, his leadings, his going before, is their 
 rule to follow. And they are not to grieve or quench 
 his fpirit, in drawing back from any thing that he 
 leads and draws them to. 
 
 Query 6. Is not Chrift the way, the truth, the 
 life ; the living way, the living truth ? Is not the 
 living way the rule to them that live ? Is not the 
 truth itfelf the rule of all that are true ? What 
 Ihould rule and guide the fpiritual man, that is born 
 of the fpirit, but the wifdom of the fpirit, but the 
 oracle of God manifefted in his temple and fanftu- 
 ary ? That which is born of the fpirit, is fpirit, in 
 which the fpirit is to dwell •, and he in whom he 
 dwells is to be ruled by him. 
 
 Query 7. What is that which the apoftle calls 
 the rule. Gal. vi. 15, 16. which if a man walk ac- 
 cording to, peace will be upon him ? Is it not the 
 word, power, and wifdom of God ? Doth not he 
 that walketh according to that, walk in the newnefs 
 of the fpirit ? Doth not he that walketh out of that, 
 walk in the oldnefs of the letter at the beft ? Doth 
 not he that believeth according to that, hopeth 
 according to that, prayeth according to tliat ; I fay, 
 doth not he believe, hope, and pray according to 
 the rule ? Doth not he that believeth, hopeth, pray- 
 eth otherwife (though ever fo zealoufly and affec- 
 tionately), yet, at beft, can any better be faid of 
 it, but that it is but in the oldnefs of the letter, and 
 fo is not in the right way which God requires in the 
 gofpel-covenant ? 
 
 Query 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 57 
 
 Query 8. Is not the law of the fpirit of life in 
 Chrift Jefus the law of the new covenant ? And is 
 not that the rule to the children of the new cove- 
 nant ? Is not the truth which makes free, the way 
 and rule to them who are made free by it ? Is the 
 letter, or the fpirit, the rule under the miniftration of 
 the fpirit ? Let that which is fenfible, and which feels 
 and knows the truth and way of life (as it is in Jefus) 
 anfwer. Men may fearch the fcriptures, and yet 
 not come to Chrift for life ; and men may get de- 
 fcriptions aiid a knowledge of things out of the 
 fcriptures^ and yet not receive from him the rule of 
 the new life. 
 
 V. 
 
 Concerning the Light, wherewith Chrijl the Life enlight- 
 
 eneth every Man, 
 
 " In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 
 And the light fliineth in darknefs, and the dark- 
 nefs comprehended it not." John i. 4, 5. 
 
 (C 
 
 (( 
 
 '1X7 HAT is the darknefs which comprehendeth 
 ^ ^ not the light ^, Is it not man in the unrege- 
 nerate ftate ? " Ye were darknefs," faith the apoftle, 
 fpeaking concerning them as they had been in that 
 ftate. 
 
 Now it pleafeth the Lord, that in this darknefs 
 his pure light Ihould fhine, to gather man out of 
 the darknefs. For unlefs light fliould fhine on man 
 in his dark ftate, he could never be gathered out of 
 it •, but he that is turned to the light, and followeth 
 it, cannot abide in the darknefs •, but cometh into 
 that which gathereth and prefervcth the mind out 
 of it. 
 
 But of what nature is this light, which fliineth, 
 in man in his dark ftate ? It is of a living nature ; 
 
 I it 
 
5$ A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 it is light which flows from life ; it is light which 
 hath life in it •, it is the life of our Lord Jdus Chrift, 
 of the Word eternal, which is the light of men. 
 And he who cometh to the true underftariding, may 
 thereby diftinguilh it from all other lights whatfo- 
 cver. 
 
 There is a vaft difference between it, and the 
 reafon and underftanding of a man : for the natural 
 man, with his underftanding, is dead ; but this is 
 living, and powerfully operating in man, as it finds 
 entrance, and as his mind is joined to it. He that 
 is dead, indeed, knows it not ; but he that is alive 
 unto God, feels the virtue of it. This light is 
 above all G;athered knowledo-e whatfoever, and above 
 all defcriptions of things whatfoever : for it is the 
 thing itldf, even of the nature of him from whom 
 it flows. A man may get a notion from this into 
 his mind, which he may retain tlie dead knowledge 
 of, yea, his notion may quickly be dead in them ; 
 but he that dwells in the thing itfelf, knows that, 
 and dwells in that which never dies. 
 
 VI. 
 
 A ft'm Words further concerning PerfeHion, 
 
 117 HAT was the intent of God in commending 
 ^^ Job to Satan for a perfeft and upright man, 
 one that feared God and efchewed evil ? Was i: not 
 to reprefent him as a perfon whom he could not 
 make any breach upon, or prevail upon to fin ? 
 Thou haft been ranging up and down the earth, 
 tempting many, defiling many ; what fayeft thou to 
 my fervant Job, Satan, is not he perfeft i Is not he 
 upright to me in his heart, and all his ways ? Canft 
 thou make any breach upon him ? 
 
 What 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 55 
 
 What faith Satan hereto ? Doth he objeft any fin 
 agamft Job ? He is the accufer of the brethren • 
 and If he have wherewith to accufe, he will not fail 
 to lay it to their charge, even before the throne of 
 God. But what hath he to fay againft Job .? What 
 can he object (either againft his uprightnefs, or 
 againft his perfedbion) to the Lord ? Oh \ fays he 
 thou haft fet an hedge about him. He ferves thee 
 mdeed pertcdly and uprightly ; I confefs I have 
 nothing to lay to his charge : but doth he ferve thee 
 for nought ? But take away thy hedge, fuffbr me to 
 winnow him, and thou fhalt quickly fee I Ihall have 
 fomewhat to lay to his charge, and that no fmall 
 matter neither : for do but take away thy bleffing 
 from him, wherewith thou haft fo abundantly blefl'ed 
 him, and he will foon curfe thee to thy face. 
 
 Well, the Lord giveth him leave to try if he can 
 ftain Job's uprightnefs and perfeftion : and now 
 begins the trial, whether the Devil's temptations fhall 
 bring him to fin, or the fear of the Lord prevail to 
 preferve him from fin. 
 
 Firft, the Devil hath power to touch all he hath • 
 which he foon doth. ' 
 
 What doth this produce .? Doth he fin againft the 
 Lord, doth he murmur, doth he blafpheme, as the 
 Devil had faid } No ; he fell on the ground and wor- 
 ihipped, acknowledging all to be the Lord's, and 
 blefling his name. So that, in all this fore affliftion, 
 he finned not, nor charged God foolilhly. Job i. 20' 
 21, 22. * 
 
 But the commendation which God had given him 
 of being a perfeft and upright man, fearing God 
 and efchewing evil, ftill remains and ftands good 
 againft Satan, cJiap. ii. 3. 
 
 Satan gets leave to try him yet further, infinuatino* 
 againft him, that if he may have lilDerty to fmite 
 his body, he fliall eafily prevail upon him to fin ; 
 mi being able at prefent to bring in any plea againft 
 
 I ^ his 
 
6o A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 his perfeftion and uprightnefs, againft his fearing 
 God and cfchcwing evil. But this hath the fame 
 fuccefs with the former -, for he could not bring Job 
 to fin with his lips, ver. lo. 
 
 Now mind. Can any man, that hath his heart 
 made upright by the Lord, keep that integrity, and 
 fin ? Is not every fin a departing from the purity, 
 from the integrity ? Vv as not every tranfgreflion 
 ao-ainft the firft covenant, out of the firfl: covenant, 
 even a departing from the limits of it ? Is not every 
 tranfgreflion of the fecond covenant a departing out 
 of the limits of the fecond covenant ? He that 
 abideth in Chriil, doth he fin ? Can he fin ? Doth 
 not he that fins depart out of his light, out of his 
 life, out of his power, into the darknefs, into the 
 death, into the temptation of the enemy ? Is it not 
 promifed, I will put my fear in their hearts, and 
 they ftiall not depart from m6 : while the fear which 
 God puts into the heart abides there, can that man 
 fin ? Doth not the pure fear cleanfe the heart, and 
 keep it clean, that the confcience may be void of 
 offence, both towards God and man ? Is the con- 
 fcience void of offence, where fin is committed either 
 acrainft God or man ? When the blood flows in the 
 pure light, doth it not wafh ? Doth it not wafli 
 clean ? Doth it not make whiter than the fnow ? When 
 fin is entered into afterwards, and committed again, 
 doth it not defile ? Oh ! read in the true fenfe, in 
 the true experience, with the true underfl:anding, 
 which God gives. 
 
 VIL 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 6i 
 
 VII. 
 
 Concerning Imputation of Righteoufnefs. 
 
 'np HE fcripture faith, that Abraham believed 
 A God, and it was counted unto him for right- 
 eoufnefs ; and that fo it fliall be alfb to all that be- 
 lieve as he did, evea in the fame power which he 
 believed in, Rom. iv. 23, 24. 
 
 Now thus we witnefs the thing : our minds being 
 turned from fin, and turned to the pure gift of 
 God, that works a change in us. Herein we feel 
 faith fpring up, which fallens our fpirits to the 
 power of life; and then we feel that (in the power 
 of life) flow upon our fpirits, which wafheth away 
 our fin ; and all tliat is done in this holy and right- 
 eous faith, is of the holy, i^ighteous life and power, 
 and accepted with the Lord ; and that which con- 
 demns fin in us, never condemns any work which is 
 wrought in God, but jufl:ifies it. So that the root 
 of fin, with all that flows from it, is condemned by 
 the righteous principle of life ; but the root of holi- 
 nefs, with all that flows from it, is juflrified. And 
 this is our righteoufnefs, even Chrifl: the holy power 
 of life, who condemns and caflis out fin : and it is 
 great joy to any of us to feel the root of fin fl:ruck 
 at, and condemned by his power, and him calling 
 fin out of us, and the root of righteoufnefs growing 
 up in us, and bearing us, and caufing us to bring 
 forth fruit to God. And here we fenfibly find we 
 have right to the fcripturcs, to the promifes, to 
 all that Chrill did and fuffered for us, and witnefs 
 the propitiation by and through him, and blefs God 
 for all the difpenfations of life, wherein he hath 
 appeared to the children of men in any age, which 
 were all glorious and excellent in their feafon ; but 
 the difpenfation of the fpirit is the ftanding difpen- 
 
 fation. 
 
62 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 fation, which excels in glory, which Chrifl:, in the 
 days of his fielh, pointed his difciples to wait for, 
 which his going away was to make way for. This 
 difpenfation was revealed and fet up before the 
 apoftafy from the life and fpirit of the apoftles, and 
 is again revealed and fet up in power and great 
 glory, after the long night of apoftafy •, blefled be 
 the name of the Lord for ever. For the darknefs 
 is already pafled away from many fpirits, and the 
 true light again fhineth. Glory in the higheft to 
 the God of life and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Concerning Juftification and San£lification^ fome Things 
 which it hath pleafed the Lord^ in his tender Mercy ^ 
 to give me to experience. 
 
 Firft, 'T^HAT it is the fame Chrift, the fame 
 A fpirit, the fame life, the fame wifdom, 
 the fame power, the fame goodnefs, love and mercy, 
 the fame water, the fame blood, which both juftifies 
 and fanftifies. 
 
 Secondly, That juftification and fanftification go 
 hand in hand together. There is none juftified, but 
 he that is in meafure fanftified : and there is none 
 fanftified, but he that is in meafure juftified. For 
 God juftifieth by a rule (by tlie new covenant, 
 and according to the law thereof) •, and men receive 
 and partake of juftification, according as they arc 
 brought into, and kept within, the compafs of the 
 rule. For God afted of old towards, 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, 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 6^ 
 
 , Thirdly That juftification and fanftification are 
 both of and through grace. It is fo in the be- 
 ginning and It is fo all along. « Through grace ve 
 "are faved," faith the 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 quickening virtue and power. He rege' 
 nerates alfo thereby ; through that he juftifies - 
 through that he fanc^tifies, &c. So that as the work 
 goes on by grace grace is to be cried to him that 
 does the work, from his very laying the founda- 
 tion, and faftening the foul thereupon, to his very 
 laying on of the top ftone. ' 
 
 Fourthly Though juftification and fanftification 
 be oi God s grace and mercy in Chrift ; yet this 
 doth not exclude faith: but they are alfo through 
 iaith, and not without it. God doth not juftfiV 
 man in the unbelieving ftate, in the dead ftate, in 
 his abiding there ; but in the coming out of it in 
 the repenting and turning from the dead works to 
 
 ir r "L^i^°f ' ''"'^ ^" believing in him : and fo he 
 alfo fanftifies him. 
 
 Fifthly, Faith and obedience are of the fame 
 nature and always go together. So that where- 
 ever there is faith, there is obedience likewife • and 
 where-ever there is obedience, there is faith. Obe- 
 dience flows from faith, and cannot be without it • 
 tor the very nature and virtue of faith is in it. And 
 taith is obedience. For this is the commandment 
 ot 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 juft in 
 God's fight, and through it (but not without it) • 
 and thus the foul is botli juftified and fandified ' 
 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 jufti- 
 fication. 
 
^4 A FEV/ EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 fication, 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 
 fpirit 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 diftinguiiiieth between root and root : and 
 what fpringeth from the holy root, he juftifieth as 
 holy -, and what arifeth from the unholy root, he 
 condemncth as unholy. 
 
 Seventhly, That by the law of faith all boafting 
 is excluded, in the v/hole work both of juftification 
 and fanftilication. What is the law of faith ? Is 
 not its law to receive all from the Son, to do all in 
 the Son; to quit felf, and its own ability, and to 
 perform all in the newnefs of the fpirit, in the ability 
 which is of God, given and continued in and through 
 his grace and mercy to the foul in the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift ? All the veins of life, all the ftrains of the 
 new covenant run here. Here is no boafting of the 
 creature ; here can be no boafting : for all its ability 
 and ftrength is fliut out ; 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 commended, his faithfulnefs is commended, 
 his zeal for the Lord, his obedience to the Lord, 
 his patience in fufferings is commended, &c. But 
 the praife and honour of all redounds not to his 
 flefti, but to the fpirit and grace of God in him ; 
 fo that here flefh is laid low, and kept in the dull 
 for ever, and God alone exalted in this day of his 
 pure power in the heart. He that truly believeth, 
 cntcreth into reft. How into reft ? From what doth 
 he reft ? Why, from his own works ? From the 
 works of the flefli, from the works of the old cove- 
 cant, from the works that arifes from his own ability, 
 from the works wherein he can never be juftified 
 
 with 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 6^ 
 
 with the gofpel-juftlfication. But doth he ceaie from 
 the works of faith ? Doth he ceafe from the labour • 
 of love ? Doth he ceafe from obedience to any thing 
 that God requires ? Nay, then, furely he rather be- 
 ginneth to work and labour in the vineyard; and 
 his labour is not in vain in the Lord. 
 
 IX. 
 
 Concerning Faiths 
 
 Several Things I have experienced^ both concerning the 
 Nature^ Virtue^ and Operations of it -, forae whereof 
 (as I feel them fpring up livingly in my Heart) 1 
 may mention at this time* 
 
 Firft, ^T^HIS I have often experienced, that it 
 A is an hard thing truly and rightly to 
 believe. It is an eafy matter to believe notions 
 concerning God, and concerning Chrift : but to 
 believe in God, to believe in Chrift, to believe in 
 him that raifed up Jefus, to believe in the light, life, 
 and power, which flows from Jefus ; this is the gift 
 of Chrift Jefus. 
 
 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, firft 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 the virtue which flows into him, 
 he can believe in that which toucheth and quick- 
 cneth him. 
 
 Thirdly, That faith never ftands 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, 
 muft wait to feel the life of the Son revealed in him, 
 
 K and 
 
t>4 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 and faith flowing therefrom : for the true bdief 
 Iprings from tlie life of the holy root ^ and from the 
 Sowing up and fpringing up of that life, faith re- 
 ceives its nourifhment 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 lett to faith : for thefe ftrengthen 
 and nouriih that in man, which is to be weakened 
 and die •, that life, and the birth of life, may be all 
 in 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 alter it hath had a 
 llroke and v/ound from God's Holy Spirit and power 
 (even in the very wound which tends to death) yet 
 it will be getting life again, getting its deadly wound 
 Jieal'cd, and nourifhing its life by notions con- 
 cerning that life and power, which in meafure flew 
 it. And tlius the Jew outward hath his life in the 
 outwardnefs of knowledge, in the outwardnefs of the 
 law, in tlie letter which killeth : the relation and out- 
 ward knowledge of things killeth and deadeneth more 
 and nK>re, unlels man come into the inward life and 
 virtue, and daily feel them quickened there. " If 
 *' ye live in the fpirit, walk in the fpirit," fakl the 
 apoftle. A man cannot live in an outwardnefs of 
 knowledge concerning the fpirit and power of the 
 cndlefs life •, but he that would truly live, muft 
 live in the fpirit itfelf •, and he that would rightly 
 walk on in his way, mufl: walk in the fpirit wherein 
 he received life, and wherein he that abideth li\'es 
 before the Lord. 
 
 Fifthly, This I have alfo obferved, that all no- 
 tional faith, wherein is not the living virtue (as 
 concerning Chrift, h's fufferings, death, refurrec- 
 tion, afcenfion, intercefl^ion -, and concerning jufl:i- 
 fication by him, &c.) the enemy will let the foul 
 alone with, and let liim enjoy a kind of peace in •, 
 
 but 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 65 
 
 but his war is defperately againfl the true faith, 
 againft faith in the true power, againfl: faith in the 
 light of life. O how many fore and fliarp afl:aults 
 doth he make, againfl: 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 againll it with the 
 fl:rength of his afiaults and temptations. " Lord, 
 " increafc our faith," faid the fenfible difciples. 
 
 Sixthly, It is a precious thing to feel faith quick- 
 ened by God, and helped by God againfl: the enemy. 
 For the enemy cannot prevail againft the foul ; but 
 the foul, through the virtue and power of life, pre- 
 vails 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 has its ftrength, and ex- 
 ercifeth its ftrength. 
 
 O who knows the precioufnefs of this fear ! 
 The power of faith, the power of life, the power 
 of falvation and everlafting prefervation is revealed 
 in it. Therefore faith the Lord (when he fpeaketh 
 of providing for his children in the new covenant, 
 that they fliall abide with him for ever, and not 
 depart any more from him as the children of the 
 old covenant did) " I will put my fear in their 
 *' hearts, and they ftiall 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 judgment is come," &c. 
 Rev. xiv. When the pure fear is felt, when that 
 which is contrary 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 one's felf, and truft in the 
 
 K 2 Lord! 
 
66 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 Lord ! O how weak are the reafonings and imagi- 
 nations then, and hov/ ftrong is the power which 
 fcatters them, and lifts up the head over them ! 
 
 Now it concerns every one deeply to confider, of 
 what nature his faith is, and what virtue is in it, 
 ^nd what it can do in and through the power of the 
 Lord for him, how it fetcheth in the true living 
 nourilhment every day, how it delivers the foul, and 
 gives it viftory over that, which faith was appointed 
 to deliver from. For he, who through the faith 
 Qvercometh that which is contrary to God, fhall 
 inherit ; and he that fights the good fight of faith 
 ihall overcome •, but he that overcomes not his 
 enemies, which ftand in his way, fhall be fure to be 
 hindered by them from attaining to his journey's end, 
 
 X, 
 
 Concerning Obedience^ feme Experiences atfo, 
 
 Firft, 'T'^RUE obedience, gofpel-obedience, flows 
 A from the life, flows from the living faith. 
 If I could obey in all things that God requires of 
 me, yet that would not fatisfy me, unlcfs I felt my 
 obedience flow from the birth of his life in me, My 
 Father doth all in me, faith Chriit. This was 
 Chrifl's comfort : and to feci Chrift do all in the 
 foul, is the comfort of every ojie that truly believes 
 in him. 
 
 Secondly, True obedience, gofpel-obedience, is 
 natural to the birth which is born of God. It is 
 unnatural to the flelh^ to man's wifdom, to deny 
 himfelf, and take up the crofs : 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, 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 6y 
 
 Thirdly, That honouring and pleafing, and an- 
 fwering the will of the Lord, is the proper aim of 
 the truly obedient. O how do they delight to do 
 the will ! *' I have meat," faith Chrifl:, " 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 fpirit. If I fliould never have any other 
 reward, but the pleafure of obedience, yet I could 
 not but fay and tefl:ify, that in anfwering the law of 
 the pure life, in keeping the holy fl:atutes and com- 
 mandments 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 fown to the Spirit : 
 and the crown is weighty, and everlafl:ingly glo- 
 rious. 
 
 Fourthly, Gofpel-obedience is exceeding necefl!ary 
 in and to the gofpel-fl:ate. Mark ; the Lamb is 
 the leader : and can any be faved by him, but they 
 that follow him ? When Chrifl: calls out of the 
 world, mufl: not the foul come to him, who is the 
 Shepherd ? And mufl: not the flieep daily learn to 
 know his voice, and follow him -, even till they come 
 to be acquainted with every moving, drawing, and 
 leading of his Spirit, and fo come to follow the 
 Lamb whitherfoever he goes ? Mark ; what a weight 
 Chrifl: layeth 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 Chrifl:, his 
 Lord and Matter. And " he that heareth thefe 
 *' fayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him 
 *' to a wife man, that built his houfe on a rock.'* 
 But the pretended believer, without doing the will, 
 is the foolifli builder, whofe building will not ftand. 
 Again, faith Chrift, " As the Father hath loved 
 " me, fo have 1 loved you ; continue ye in my love. 
 ^' If ye keep my commandments, ye fhall abide in 
 
 " my 
 
68 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 " my love ; even as I have kept my Father's com- 
 *' mandments, and abide in his love." 
 
 The difciples, whom he moft dearly loved, muft 
 keep his commandments, if they will continue in 
 his love. And his apoftles taught the fame, even 
 the working out of the falvation, and the purifyin^y 
 of the heart through the obedience of the truth. 
 For mark •, there 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 fubjcction and obedience 
 thereto ? 
 
 Oh ! blefled is he, who meets with the power of 
 life, which enables to obey, and v/ho is obedient 
 and fubjeft to that power. For he that truly be- 
 lieves in Chrifl, is turned by him to his light, and 
 to the power of his Father ; and the peace, growth, 
 joy, bleffednefs, &c. is witnelfed in fubjeftion thereto. 
 
 XI. 
 
 Concerning the Crofs of Chnfi. 
 
 THIS I have experienced concerning the crofs 
 of our Lord Jefus Chrifl: ; that it is an inward 
 and fpiritual thing, producing inward and fpiritual 
 eflfefts in the mind •, and that this is it, even that 
 which flays the enmity in the mind, and crucifies to 
 the world, and the affedions thereof. " God for- 
 *' bid," faid the apoltle, " that I fliould 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 
 crofs hath this power, and nothing elfe •, and fo there 
 is nothing elfe to glory in. '' The flefti lufteth 
 ** againfl: the Spirit, and the Spirit againft the flefh •, 
 
 « and 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 69 
 
 " and thefe are contrary one to the other." Mind, 
 here is the crofs : the Spirit which is contrary to the 
 fielh, which mortifies the flefh, through the obe- 
 dience whereof the flefh is crucified. " If ye 
 " through the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the 
 '' body, ye fliall live." Whatfoever is of and in 
 the Spirit, is contrary to the flefh. The light of 
 the Spirit IS contrary to the darknefs of the flefh. 
 The holinefs of the Spirit is contrary to the unho- 
 linefs of the corrupt heart. The life of the Spirit 
 js contrary 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 contrary, and a foolifli 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 flirrings 
 and movings in the life which he hath begotten ; 
 and waits here, and receives council here; he is 
 taught to deny himfelf, and to join to and take up 
 that, by which Chrifl: daily crofleth and fubdueth 
 m him that which is contrary to God. 
 
 And here is the light of faith, and the good travel 
 under the crols, whereby the holy journey is gone, 
 and the enemies (which rife up to oppofc in the 
 way) vanquiflied and overcome. For here is the 
 power revealed, 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 liis children, who know his voice 
 and are fubjeft to him ; who daily denying them! 
 klves, and taking up his crofs, follow him. Woe is 
 to thern that are at eafe in Sion, under any thing that is 
 contrary to God j but blefTings are upon them whofe 
 
 dwelling 
 
70 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 dwelling is under the crofs, and who know no eafe, 
 but what it allows. It will make truth, life, holi- 
 nefs, righteoufnefs, faith, obedience, meeknefs, pa- 
 tience, love, reparation from fin, communion with 
 the Lord, and all the fruits of the Spirit, as natural 
 to them in the renewed ftate, as ever fin was in the 
 corrupt ftate. And in that ftate they fliall be able 
 to fay with Paul, who once complained of his cap- 
 tivity, and that he did what he hated -, yet after he 
 had known the power of the crofs, and was crucified 
 with Chrift, he could then do nothing againft the 
 truth, but for the truth ; yea, then, being a con- 
 queror, having overcome the enemies which ftood 
 in his way, he could do all things through Chrift 
 that ftrengthened him. The caufe of fo many com- 
 plaints and bowings down the head, and going 
 mourning becaufe of the prevailings of the enemy, 
 through temptations, fin, and corruption, is becaufe 
 the crofs of Chrift, which is the power of God 
 (which is his ordinance againft the ftrength of the 
 enemy) is either not known, or not taken up. And 
 this is the reafon that many that make a fair fhew 
 for a while, yet afterwards come to nothing (but are 
 like untimely figs, or like corn upon the houfe tops, 
 which haftily fpringeth up, and withereth) becaufe 
 they either never rightly learn, or keep not 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 Chrift, there is no 
 witnefling falvation or prcicrvation 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 obe- 
 dience, towards the falvation of the foul. 
 
 XII. 
 
 A F£W EXPERIENCE$,*&c. 7,; 
 
 xn. 
 
 Concerning the Myjlery of Life, and the My fiery of tU 
 
 Fellowjhip which is therein. 
 
 /^ O D is hid from man, as he lies in his finful 
 ^ and fallen ftate ; and no man can find or know 
 him, but as he pleafeth to reveal himfelf by his 
 own bleffed Spirit. And Chrift, being God's imacre, 
 there is no knowing or confeffing him, or right 
 calling him Lord, but in and by the fame Spirit, 
 I Cor. xii. 3. When he appeared in the days of 
 his flcfh, flefh and blood could not reveal him, but 
 only the Father. And he is the 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 Iheep, who 
 are quickened and made alive by him. And thir" 
 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. l\he natural man may 
 get the words that came from life, and cry up 
 them, and fpeak great words of the fams of wifdom, 
 and of her children ; but the thing itfelf is hid 
 frcJm them all. Oh ! it is a ftrait gate, at which 
 the birth enters, at which none elfe can enter. The 
 wife and prudent knowers and fearchers after the 
 flelli (and of the fcriptures, as they can put mean- 
 ings upon them and comprehend them) are fhut out 
 in every age ; but there is a babe born of naked 
 trutli, born of the pure fimplicity, admitted by 
 God, while men difdain and defpife it. 
 
 And the fellowfhip x)f the faints is in the life, and 
 In the light, which is this myftery. The fellowfliip 
 
 L in 
 
V ■ 
 
 ^4 A' FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 i^ not outward, but inward. All they that meet 
 to^^ether in the outward place, are not in the fellow- 
 fhfp or worlhip ; but only they that meet together 
 in the inward life and fpirit. '* They that worfliip 
 " the Father, muft worlhip him in fpirit and truth." 
 Look, there is the worfhip, there are the worfhip- 
 pers; theythat are in the fpirit, in the truth-, they 
 that meet in the fpirit, in the truth, meet toge- 
 ther in the one fpiritual place, as I may call it. 
 And fo we own no man after the flefli, no man 
 according to the appearance -, but, in the righteous 
 judgment of die fpirit, thofe only who are of the 
 fpirtt. Indeed we are tender, where there is the 
 leall beginning of the work of God in any heart > 
 yea, where there is but fo much as a conviftion ot 
 the underftanding •, but men are not prefently of 
 us who own our principle in words or outward 
 appearance, but only fuch as are inwardly changed 
 thereby in the heart. It is true, perfons may walk 
 among us, and afterwards go out from us, who were 
 Clever of us (as it was in the apoftles days) that 
 yr^re 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 
 <^nccs, even from the falling off of fuch as never 
 •were truly ingrafted, and alfo from the flips of fuch 
 who ar-e not watchful to that which prefervcs. And 
 woe is to the world, becaufe of the offences which 
 cannot but come. For they which are to be ap- 
 proved in the -fight of the Lord, muft not fomewhat 
 jor-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, becaufe of them. BlefTed is the eye 
 <which fees- into the myftery, into the lift itfelf. 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 73 
 
 where there is no offence. Truth is one and the? 
 fame for ever. - • 
 
 . - XIII. 
 
 Concerning -judging according to the Appearance, and 
 judging righteous Judgment. Judge not according t& 
 the Appearance (faid Chrift) but judge righteous 
 Judgment^ -Johnvil 24. 
 
 11^ HAT is it to judge according to the ap- 
 ^^ pearanee? and what is it to judge righteous 
 judgment ? I fhall fpeak what I have experienced, 
 having been deeply exercifed about this thing. 
 Mark then ; 
 
 • The holy fpirit of life breatheth upon the heart ; 
 and, by his breathing and working there, he quick- 
 ens and begets life, John iii. 8. And that which 
 is begotten and born of him, is begotten and born 
 in his nature, and fo is of the fame nature with him : 
 as verfe the 6th of that chapter. 
 ^ Now to that which is born of the fpirit, the fpirit 
 is the leader, the preferver, the fupporter, the com^ 
 forter, the daily quickcner. He can do nothing 
 without the fpirit, without the prefent life and power 
 of him that begat him: fo .that all the judo-ipent 
 which the birth of life hath, is from, and o^> and 
 m, the Holy Spirit of the Father. 
 
 And here is true judgment, both concerning righte- 
 oirfhefs, and againft all unrighteoufnefs ; fo that to keep 
 the life, keep to the fpirit, keep to the birth, keep to the 
 power, rthen is - the wifdom and righteous judgment 
 of God revealed : but any that go out of this, and 
 meafure without this, they meafure in: the unright- 
 eoufoefs ; and though they fearch the fcriptUfts-, and 
 think irf themfelves they meafvye from the fcriptures^ 
 y^t they are miftaken, and meaTure but from -their 
 
 L 2 owa 
 
c< 
 
 C( 
 
 74 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 own knowledge and apprehenfions upon the fcrip- 
 tures, as the Scribes and Pharifees did, when they 
 feemed to conclude, upon fearching the fcriptures, 
 that Chrift could not be the MeflTiah, John vii. 52. 
 ** Search and look" (faid they) " for out of Ga- 
 *' lilee arifeth no prophet." How then can this 
 Galilean be he ? Sec by the fcriptures, if this can 
 be the Chrift. 
 
 It is faid of Chrift, " He fliall not judge after 
 the fight of his eyes, nor reprove after the hear- 
 ing of his ears, but with righteoufnefs ftiall he 
 ** judge," &c. Ifai. xi. 3, 4. Chrift judged right- 
 eous judgment. How came he to judge fo ? Why, 
 he judged in and with the fpirit. He kept to the 
 fpirit's judgment. The fpirit of the Lord refted 
 upon him, and made him quick of underftand- 
 ipg in the fear of the Lord, ver. 2, 3. And no 
 man can judge aright concerning the things of God, 
 but in and by the fame fpirit. How ftiall I know 
 \yhether my duties be right, miV prayers right, my 
 ways right, my worftiip right, my taith right, my 
 hope of the right kind, my knowledge and under- 
 ftanding of the fcriptures right ? &c. Why ; there 
 is none but one can determine. He who bcgetteth 
 l)fe, kno>ys whether that which is in thee be from 
 his life •, ^nd whether that which thou offereft to 
 him, be trply living or no : and when the Lord 
 feparates the living from the dead, what will remain 
 in many that make great profelTions at this day ? 
 
 •I would have no man m^iftaken about thefe things ; 
 I know many arc deeply miftaken, as their own 
 hearts will one day acknowledge, when the Lord 
 fhall make manifett to them, how they have called 
 evil goorf, and good evil ^ and put darknefs for 
 light, and light fqr darknefs. Indeed it is juft as it 
 vf2Ls in the days of Chrift's appearing outwardly in 
 z body of flefli. The fame lite, the fame fpirit, is 
 denied now as was then. Then the Jews Cficd up 
 
 Chrift- 
 
 iC 
 
 «c 
 
 c« 
 
 A.'FEW EXPERIENCES, &c: 75 
 
 Chrift to come; but they then -fpiritu'ally faw him 
 not. They faw the flelh (or outward form) -biic 
 they faw not him who dwelt in that -fiefli. And 
 though the world of Chriftians now acknowlecge 
 Chrift is come, and did appear, yet neither do they 
 know him who did appear, but deny his life, his- 
 fpirit, his virtue, his power, which is revealed in 
 this day of his love and goodncfs to the eyes of the 
 children of the true wifiiom. *^ Oh ! let not flelh 
 *' judge : be filent, O all flefti, before the Lord, 
 
 and ceafe judging, for he is arifen to judge. He 
 ^> is judge in the midft of his people, and he will 
 
 judge the heathen alfo." 
 
 And every one bring this near. Wait to feel flefh 
 judged in thee, and brought down in thee, that it 
 may not judge in thee •, but fpirit and life may be 
 exalted, and fit upon the throne in thy heart : and 
 when life is exalted, and doth begin to judge. Oh f 
 take heed of hearkening to the flefti, of letting in 
 the judgment of flelli afterwards, left the fpirit be 
 grieved and quenched ! For the wifdom of the flelh 
 is near, and will be ftriving to get in and recover its 
 feat again •, and if the watch be not fingly kept tc) 
 God's Holy Spirit, fomewhat 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 judgment of God's Spirit, 
 
 XIV, 
 
 yl ^ejlion anfwered about knowing God*s Sprit. 
 
 Qi^SET. TTOW ftiall I know God's Spirit ? How 
 AX ftiall I know the motions thereof: 
 How may I know whether the faith and hope in my 
 heaTP be from him ? Whether my prayers and dc 
 iires arife thence ? Sfc. 
 
 Answ« 
 
76 A FfiW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 Anws. No man of himfelf, or by any way he 
 df himfelf can take, can know God's Spirit : there 
 muft firft be a capacity given before any man can 
 know the Spirit of the Lord ; his life, his power, 
 muft firft be felt, and fomewhat. quickened, fome- 
 what formed by him, fomcy/hat 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 Ghriftian, to keep to 
 this, to wait for this, to have his eye toward the 
 Jnare 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 » difcern it 
 under all its deceitful appearances, and turn from 
 it. For out of the heart are the iffues both of life 
 and death. There is all manner of deceivablenefs 
 of unrighteoufncfs in the unrighteous nature, in the 
 tmrighteous fpirit ; and if the watch be not dili- 
 gently kept, it is eafy to be deceived at any time : 
 but the true feed, the holy feed, the living feed, 
 the eleft feed, the immortal feed, is never deceived. 
 Oh! blefled are they who have their eyes opened 
 and kept open in it, to difcern the myfteryof god- 
 linefs and the myftery of iniquity, that they may 
 be peferved fafe in the one, out of the reach of 
 the other! . . .. . 
 
 XV, 
 
 A' FEW EXPERIENCES, &t. 77 
 
 • ■* ■ * - « 
 
 - ■ •' . . > ,..■■. 
 
 . - jiUi • 
 
 Some ^ries concerning the Seed xf the Kingdom, in 
 
 which the Kingdom itfelf is contained^ (as the Nature 
 
 and Subjiance of Things is contained in the Seed thereof) 
 
 . and out of which it fpringeth up and arifeth in th 
 
 Heart. 
 
 Query i. \I^H AT is that feed which is fpoken 
 . VV of, -I John iii. 9. which remaineth 
 in thofe that are bom 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 ? 
 
 Query 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 
 jighteoufnefs ? • . 
 
 Query 3. Was it not the great doftrine of Chrift 
 to preach the kingdom ? and how did he preach it f 
 Did he not preach it as a feed, as a grain of muftard- 
 feed ? and did he not liken this fpiritual feed lo 
 leaven, to a precious pearl, to treafure hid in afield, 
 to a piece of filver loll, &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 do<3:rine, that 
 jnen-fliould mind this, look after this, purchafe this, 
 poffefs this, feel this planted and grow up in them, 
 and themfelves ingrafted into and growing up in it. 
 ' Query 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 ? 
 
 Query 5. How doth grace and truth come by 
 Jefus Chriil ? Doth it not grow up from this feed ? 
 Can it grow up any other way in any heart ? 
 
 ,!• 
 
 QUERT 
 
78 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 Query 6. Is not falvation felt and witneflcd in 
 every hc'uTt (of thofe that are in any meafure re- 
 deemed) as this feed grows up and overfliadows 
 them ? Was not this the falvation ready to be revealed 
 in the laft time, i Pet. i. lo. whereof the apoftle 
 Peter himfelf was made a partaker ? Chap. v. lo. 
 In the law were the (hadows of good things to 
 come; but in the gofpel the fubftance, the feed 
 itfclf, is revealed. 
 
 .Query 7. Is it not the right beginning in reli- 
 gion to begin in the fpirit ? And can any begin in 
 the fpirit, but he that begins in and with the feed 
 of the kingdom i 
 
 Query 8. Is it not the main and chief thing in 
 religion to know this feed, to feel this feed, to be 
 joined to this feed, and abide in this feed ? 
 
 Query 9. Is not all that flows from this feed 
 trirc and certain ? Is not the knowledge certain here ? 
 the faith here ? the love here ? the peace here ? the 
 joy here ? the righteoulhefs here ? From this true 
 root, can there grow or flioot forth any thing but 
 that which is true ? Oh ! every breathing here is 
 from pure life, and precious in the eye of the Fa- 
 ther. 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 ? 
 
 Query 10. But fome may fay. How may I know 
 this feed, and how may I be joined to it ? 
 
 Answ. In the quickening life mayeft thou know 
 jty and no where elfe. Dklft thou ever feel that 
 which quickened thy heart towards the Lord ? 
 Therein and thereby, at that time, thou mayft 
 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 ftirs, 
 'moves, and operates, in thee and upon thee, thou 
 mayeft kncv/ again and know more. . 
 
 J- 
 
 Therefore 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. yg 
 
 Therefore eye the power which quickens, and eye 
 the feed which it reveals and raifeth in thee, and 
 and wait to feel the power fubjefting thee to the 
 feed, 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 find that 
 which death hath no power over; and, as thou 
 abideft there, thou flialt 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 cove- 
 nant, who is the Ihepherd, who is the love, who is 
 the wifdom and power of God, witnefieth tliere a 
 fure defence and ftrong tower, w^here 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 it ; 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 fecm great and experienced 
 knowers) cannot receive our teftimony, becaufe 
 they know neither the feed nor its voice, concerning 
 which and whereby we teftify. But wifdom is jufti-^ 
 fied of her children ; and they that know the voice 
 of the Ihepherd, know his prefent appearance in 
 this our day, which is contrary to the wifdom and 
 knowledge of all other feeds and births whatfoever. 
 " He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear " but 
 he that hath not the true ear, cannot hear the true 
 teftimony, though it fliould ever fo often be de- 
 clared unto him. But bleffed is he that knows, and 
 ffumbles 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 fpirit there. 
 For the end of words (even of Chrift's own direc- 
 
 M tions 
 
8o A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 tions 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 enter, 
 waiting on the Lord, in the way of his judgments 
 and tender mercies, to witnefs a tranflation from 
 darknefs to light, and from the kingdom of Satan ^ 
 into the kingdom of the dear Son ; which kingdom 
 is at fir ft but as a grain of muftard-feed, and muft 
 be fo known and fo received. 
 
 And now let every ferious heart examine con- 
 cerning himfelf. Doft thou know the kingdom ? Is 
 the feed grov/n 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 that 
 which is contrary to Chrift, fubdued in thee by his 
 power, and his holy nature, life, and fpirit, reign- 
 ing over it ? Canft thou read that fcripture fenfibly 
 and experimentally, " If ye through the fpirit mor- 
 *' tify the deeds of the body, ye fhall live ?'* 
 
 Ah ! how miferably do men talk of Chrift, the 
 power of God, and mifs of the effedt and work of 
 his power in them ! 
 
 Faith is a powerful thing, it gives viftory, (true 
 faith gives vi^lory) it fcatters that which ftands be- 
 tween, and gives real accefs to God, and lets in his 
 pure, frelh, living virtue upon the heart. 
 
 Love is a powerful thing, it conftrains to obe- 
 dience : and the heart that is circumcifcd 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 fpirit, where the knowledge is 
 living, the faith victorious, the love pure and un- 
 defiled, the worfhip truly fpiritual, even flowing 
 from, and comprehended in, the life and virtue of 
 
 the 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 8r 
 
 the fpirit. Oh ! that all that truly breathe after the 
 Lord might be gathered hither, found here, and 
 dwell here. Amen. 
 
 POSTSCRIPT to the EXPERIENCES. 
 
 PERSONS that have had fome true touches of 
 life, and true breathings after the Lord, yet not 
 having their eye rightly fixed upon him, nor dif- 
 cerning from whence thofe came, eafily lofc the 
 true fenfe of life, and another birth of another 
 nature fprings up in them inftead thereof. This was 
 it we generally wanted in the day of our former 
 profeflion, even the difcerning of that, and fixing 
 upon that which begat life in us ; through want 
 whereof many of the moft tender-hearted came to 
 a lofs, whom the Lord at length (hewed mercy to, 
 manifefting to them the light of their eyes, and the 
 flay of their fouls. Now to all that have been 
 gathered hither by the Lord, life hath been renewed ; 
 and their former experiences, 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 Ihould walk in 
 them. And here the glory is revealed ; the glory 
 of life, the glory of peace with the Lord, the glory 
 of rigliteoufnefs in and through his Son, the glory 
 of vidlory over the foul's enemies, and of leading^ 
 captivity captive, and treading upon the necks of 
 kings, even of mighty lufts, which mightily pre- 
 vailed over and oppreffcd the foul, before the cap- 
 tain of our falvation appeared in the power and 
 
 M 2 authority 
 
6z 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 ai thority of his own fpirit. But, bleflcd 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 livino^ afTem- 
 
 bhes which have been gathered by Gocfs holy 
 
 power; which holy power (which gathered) daily 
 
 quickens and overlhadows, and is a rock unto, and 
 
 will be fo for ever, even to all that abide with him 
 
 in his holy covenant •, but out of the limits of that 
 
 into which God gathers, and wlierein and whereby 
 
 he preferves, there is no defence to any. The 
 
 curfed th.ng, the unclean thing, the earthly fpirit, 
 
 the earthly mmd and wifdom, the Lord hath ex^ 
 
 cluaed, and it is to be excluded out of his camp 
 
 for evermore, that the inv/ard Ifracl may be kept 
 
 holy to the Lord, and may ferve and worlliip the 
 
 Lord in the beauty of the inward holinefs ; as the 
 
 O.itward Ifrael was outwardly to be, and to do in 
 
 that outward miniftration of the Ihadows of 'the 
 
 gofpel ftatc. 
 
 XVL 
 
 Some Queries concernhig the rime and IVork of 
 
 Refcrmaticn. 
 
 Query i. TT^tkaT did the time of reformation 
 . ^ -r . ^"^ fubftance (fpoken of Heb. ix. 
 lo > ijgnify and pomt at in relation to the myftery ? 
 Was It not for tLe bringing in of the gofpel ; the 
 day of Chrift s fpint and power ; the day of his 
 inward renewing and reforming; the day of his 
 taking his fan into his hand to purge his floor; the 
 laying his axe to the root of the corrupt tree, that 
 he may deftroy the works of the Devil in mens 
 hearts, cafting down and plucking up what his 
 
 heavenly 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 83 
 
 heavenly Father hath not planted there ? When he 
 Cometh as a refiner's fire, and fuller's foap, to purify 
 the fons of Levi, as gold and fiiver is purged, that 
 they may offer unto the Lord an ofiering in rio-ht- 
 eoufnefs : is not this the time of reformat on ? ^ 
 
 Query 2. Who is the reformer? Is it not the 
 Lord Jefus Chrift ? Doth not he create anew ? Doth 
 not he blot out the old image, and form into a ne^ 
 lump ? For if any man be in Chrift, theie is a re- 
 newing there ; a new building there ; yea, old things 
 are paffed away there ; there is nothing in him but 
 what is new. He is faithful, in all his houfe. in- 
 wardly to judge, condemn, crucify, fubdue, deftroy 
 whatfoever is contrary to the nature and fpirit of his 
 Father, and to form and build up the fpirits of his 
 in that which is new and pure. * 
 
 Query 3. How, or by what, doth Chrift re- 
 form ? Is it not by his fpirit and power, by the light 
 thereof, by the life thereof, by the virtue thereof ? 
 For nothing can change and reform the heart, but 
 that which is more powerful than him who cor- 
 rupteth it. 
 
 Query 4. Where doth Chrift reform and new- 
 create ? Is it not in the new covenant ; in the faith 
 and obedience thereof? Doth he not, by the laws 
 thereof, break and difanul the laws of the old cove- 
 nant, and make void the covenant of hell and death • 
 and fo make an everlafting covenant of life and 
 peace; even an holy, pure, living agreement, be- 
 tween God his Father, and the fouls of his ? Thus 
 by his light he overcomes darknefs ; by his life he 
 overcomes death ; by his pure nature and fpirit he 
 overcomes, chains down, fubdues, and deftroys, 
 that which is impure, breaking the bond of fin and 
 iniquity, and letting the opprefled go free froin 
 under it. Thus he manifefts himfelf to be the 
 Saviour by his holy anointing, breaking the yoke 
 of the oppreflfor, Ifai. x. z;. 
 
 Query 
 
JS4 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 Query 5. Whom doth Chrift reform ? Arc they 
 not thofe who take his yoke upon them, and learn 
 of him ? Are they not thofe who are turned to the 
 light of his fpirit, inwardly made manifeft -, turned 
 from the darknefs, walking no more therein, but in 
 his pure light ? They that own his inward appear- 
 ance in their hearts, and turn, from the enmity 
 there, to him, receiving his light, his law, his life, 
 his fpirit, them doth he exercife daily, and is daily 
 reforming their hearts and ways thereby. But if 
 any man receiveth not his light, his life, his fpirit 
 within, fuch an one is none of his -, and he may 
 reform himfelf as much as he can, but he knoweth 
 not yet the day of the true refo»-mation. 
 
 Query 6. How are they to walk whom Chrift 
 hath begun to reform ? Is it not in that light, in 
 that fpirit, in that covenant, in that grace, wherein 
 and whereby he hath in fome meafure reformed 
 them ? Is it not in the newnefs of the fpirit, and in 
 the newnefs of the law thereof ? Here Chrift walked 
 before the Father in all well-pleafing (" Lo, I come ; 
 
 I delight to do thy will, O my God ; yea, thy 
 
 law is within my heart*' faid he, Pfal. xl. 7, 8.) 
 and here all his are alfo to walk, i John ii. 6. For 
 indeed therc^ is no pleafing the Father, or Chrift our 
 Lord and mafter, out of the virtue, life, and new- 
 nefs of his own fpirit. 
 
 Query 7. What was the glory that was to fol- 
 low the fufferings of Chrift, fpoken of, i Pet. i. 11? 
 Was it not the glory of his inward reformation in 
 the hearts of the children of the new covenant ? 
 Doth not Chrift give of his grace in the gofpel ? 
 And doth not his grace make a glorious change ? 
 Doth not he give of his fpirit to his children ? And 
 doth not his fpirit change from fin, from ftiame, into 
 holinefs, into true beauty, into the heavenly glory, 
 and fo from glory to glory, tranflating more and 
 more into the glory ? Doth not Chrift appear glo- 
 
 rioufly 
 
 (C 
 
 ftC 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 85 
 
 rioufly m the hearts of his, and in the aflemblies of 
 his, who meet together in his name, and wait upon 
 him in that which is pure and living of him ? And 
 IS there not a covering, or defence of the wine of 
 the Almighty, upon the glory ? Ifai. iv. 5. 
 
 Query 8. Was not this glory brought forth in 
 the days of the apoftles ? Was not great grace then 
 upon them all .? (I mean fuch as received and held 
 the truth m the love of it). Did they not witnefs 
 the peace which pafleth man's underftandine ? Had 
 they not received the holy and fpiritual underftand- 
 mg from him that is true ; and were they not in him 
 that is true ? Did they not know viftory and do- 
 minion over fin and death ? Did not the little babes 
 witnefs pardon of fin, and know him who preferveth 
 from fin ? Had not the young men overcome the 
 wicked one ; and were not the elders ftrong in the 
 Lord, and in the power of his might ? Were they 
 not come to the fpiritual Sion, and heavenly Jeru- 
 falem ; and did they not walk in the light of the 
 Lamb, and of the holy city, before God the judge 
 of all ? There is no man, in thefe our days, can fo 
 much as conceive the glory of that ftate, but he 
 that hath tafted of a meafure thereof. 
 
 Query 9. Was not this glory eclipfed, and did 
 not a great darknefs come over it, hiding it from 
 the fons of men, fo that for ages and generations 
 they knew not the true fpirit, the true li^^ht, the 
 true life, the everlafting covenant, the holy^o-ofpd 
 the true church, the man-child, &c. but thefe° with' 
 many other heavenly myfteries, have been hid from 
 their eyes. " 
 
 Query 10. What hath got up fince thefe have 
 been hid ? Have not the fhadows of the nio-ht took 
 place, and overfpread the Chriftian ftate, inftead of 
 the light of the day ? Hath not antichrift got up, 
 and a falfe church appeared ; that which hath been 
 tender, a^d begotten of God, fnibbed, bowed down, 
 
 curbed, 
 
96 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 curbed, and perfecuted, and falfe devotion and wor- 
 ffiip fet up.inftead of the true ? 
 
 QyzRY II. Muft not antichrift be deftroyed, the 
 fiilfe church judged, the true church come out of 
 the wildernefs into which flie fled, the nian-child 
 appear again, conquering and to conquer all which 
 hath rifen up from the fpirit of darknefs fince the 
 firft breaking forth of the gofpcl ? And is not the 
 gofpel to be preached again to them that dwell on 
 earth ; even to every nation, and kindred, and 
 fonguc, and people ? Rev. xiv. 6. 
 
 Now who is wife to underftand the appearance of 
 the Lord, and the beginning of thefe things, which 
 is in a way contrary to man's wifdom ? and fo he 
 that ^ill difcern them, muft come out from follow- 
 ing of the man's own fpirit, nature, and wifdom in 
 hinnfelf, into the fenfe and leadings of him who 
 giveth the true eye-fight. The appearance of the 
 Lord is inward and fpiritual, and he muft have an 
 inward and fpiritual eye who difcerneth it. It was 
 feid of old, by mockers and fcoffers. Where is the 
 promife of his coming ? For all things continue as 
 th^y were from the beginning. The fame fpirit will 
 fay fo ftill i and yet, to that eye which the Lord hath 
 opened, he is already come inwardly, fpiritually, in 
 his own pure eternal life and power ; and the pre- 
 cious effefts of his coming are made manifeft in 
 many hearts -, blefled be his name. Yea, he is fur- 
 tlier to appear in glory and pure brightnefs -, and fo 
 •^e wait further for his appearance, both in our own 
 Hearts, and in the hearts of the children of men. 
 We Jiave met with our beloved; our God, whom 
 we waited for, hath appeared. The Son of Rignt- 
 eoufilefs hath arifen, with healing under his wings, 
 and we have felt virtue and healing from him, and 
 cannot but rejoice and teftify of his falvation. 
 
 And what further manifeftations of himfelf he. 
 hath yet to give forth, we are furc to partake of,' 
 
 being 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 87 
 
 being formed by him in fpirit, and found in that 
 wherein he appears, and from whence his glory 
 fliines. Oh ! that all that love the Lord Jefus Chrift 
 in any meafure of fmcerity, did know the v/ay of 
 the gofpel, which is in the fpirit, light, life, and 
 power, which is eternal, even in the grace and truth 
 which is in him ! And his kingdom, which is fpi-^ 
 ritual, and not of this world, cannot be fhakcn by 
 this world (nor his Mount Sion removed) ; but is 
 able to ftiake all nations and kingdoms that kifs not 
 the Son, but oppofe him. BlefTed are they who are 
 turned to the light of his fpirit, and who therein 
 kifs and obey him. 
 
 II. 
 
 Some Queries concerning the Spirit of Chrift^ cr the 
 Sprit of the Father (it being one and the fa^ne Spirit) 
 for thofe who take themfelves to he Chrifiians^ and 
 under the Gofpel Difpenfation^ to conftder and examine 
 themfelves hy^ that they 7nay not be deceived^ either 
 concerning their prefent EJiate here^ or the eternal 
 EJtate of their Souls hereafter \ feeing the Apoflle f9 
 exprefly faith^ " If any Man hath not the Spirit 
 ** of Chrift, he is none of his," Rom. viii. 
 
 Query i. T^OST thou know the Holy Spirit of 
 -L/ the Father ? Thou mayeft have read 
 fomewhat concerning it, and have apprehenfions in 
 thy mind about it ; but doft thou truly know what 
 it is by its inward appearances and operations ia 
 thine own heart ? 
 
 Query 2. Haft thou received God's Holy Spirrt 
 into thy heart ? Haft thou let in Chrift's Spirit, when 
 he hath knocked at the door of thy heart, and re- 
 ceived him \ For he that is a true child, mp|t natu- 
 
 N rally 
 
S8 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 rally brcatheth and cricth for the Father's Spirit; 
 and the Father alfo moll: naturally giveth his Spirit 
 to them that truly and rightly a(k it of him, Luke 
 xi. 13. and thou muft thankfully receive the Com- 
 forter, the Holy Spirit, when the Father gives him. 
 
 (^!ERY 3. Doth the Spirit of Chrift dwell in 
 thee ? Hath the ftronger man caft the ftrong man 
 ' out of thee, and taken poflcflion of thy heart, and 
 doth he dwell therein ? Then thou mayft truly fay, 
 that thou art built up by God an habitation for him 
 in the Spirit! Then thou art wafhed and cleanfed 
 by him from thy filthinefs ; and lufts or vain thoughts 
 do not lodge in thee. For the Holy Spirit of Chrift 
 will not dwell where fuch things lodge •, but come 
 out from among them, and be ye feparate, and touch 
 not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and 
 be a father to you, and ye Ihall be my fons and 
 daughters, faith the Lord Almighty, in whom I will 
 dwell and walk, 2 Cor. vi. 15, 16, 17. 
 
 Query 4. Doth God's Spirit lead thee into all 
 truth that thou needeft know and walk in ? Art thou 
 a true child, depending upon, and guided by, the 
 Spirit of the Father ? Canft thou not fee thy way, 
 but as he maketh it known to thee ? Art thou a 
 follower of the fpotlefs Lamb, in the fame Spirit 
 wherein he walked ? If it be thus with thee, then 
 thou art a child of God indeed. 
 
 Query 5. Doft thou live in the Spirit.? Doft 
 thou feel the Spirit of God to be a fountain of life, 
 from whence life fprings up into thee daily ? Doft 
 thou witnefs that fcripture fulfilled in thee, " He 
 '' that bclieveth on me," as the fcripture hath faid, 
 •' out of his belly Ihall flow rivers of living water ?** 
 Haft thou received the living v/ater from Chrift ? 
 And is that living water become a well of life in 
 thee ? 
 
 Query 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 59 
 
 Query 6. Doft thou walk in the Spirit, in the 
 life thereof, in the newnefs thereof fpringing up in 
 thy heart ? Doft thou know the difference between 
 walking in the oldnefs of the letter, and in the new- 
 nefs of the Spirit ? 
 
 Query 7. Didft thou ever learn of the Father 
 to know Chrift ? And didft thou ever .learn of Chrift 
 to know the Father ? And hath the Father indeed 
 revealed the Son to thee, and the Son indeed revealed 
 the Father to thee ? Or art thou yet only in the dead 
 and dry notions, or barren comprehenfions about 
 thefe things ? 
 
 QiTERv 8. Doft thou know how the letter killeth, 
 and how the Spirit quickeneth and maketh alive ? 
 And art thou made alive by the Spirit, and born of 
 the heavenly water and Spirit, and fo become fpiri- 
 tual as the fcripture teftifieth ? " That which is born 
 " of the Spirit, is Spirit." 
 
 Query 9. Art thou com.e under the miniftration 
 of the Spirit ? Doft thou know what the miniftra- 
 tion of the Spirit is ? Or doft thou only know what 
 the letter faith concerning the miniftration of the 
 Spirit, but art altogether ignorant of the miniftra- 
 tion itfelf .? 
 
 Query 10. Doft thou know what the law of the 
 Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus means ? Haft thou ever 
 received this law ; the law of the new covenant ; the 
 holy law of life written in thy heart by the finger of 
 God's Spirit ? For the fame Spirit that wrote the 
 law of the letter in tables of ftone, writeth the law 
 of the Spirit in the flefhly tables of the heart. 
 
 Query i i. Doft thou not grieve the Holy Spirit, 
 nor quench it, nor defpife the prophefyings thereof 
 in thine own heart ? For Chrift is a king, a prieft, 
 a prophet ; and he minifters in his fanduary, in his 
 temple (which the holy renewed heart is), in and 
 by his Spirit. 
 
 N 2 Query 
 
56 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 Query 12. Doft thou know what the anointing 
 is ? Art thou anointed therewith ? AqcI doth thy 
 whole abilixy lie therein, infomuch as that thou art 
 daily fenfible thou canil not do any thing of thyfelf, 
 but ftiii findeft God working in thee, both to will 
 and to do that which is right in his eyes, of his own 
 good pleafure ? 
 
 Query 13. Did thy religion begin in the Spirit ? 
 In the living miniftration of the new covenant ? Did 
 thy knowledge begin fo •, to wit, in feeling God 
 opening thy heart by his Spirit, and giving thee the 
 underftanding whereby thou mightell- Icnow him ? 
 Did thy faith begin in his power, and doth it ftand 
 in the fame power to this day ? Oh ! that men were 
 fenfible what is the right religion, and of the inward 
 appearance of God's holy arm and power, which 
 alone can redeem, and lave the foul out of the hands 
 of its enemies ? 
 
 Query 14. Doth thy worfhip ftand in the Spirit, - 
 and inward life of truth in thy heart ? Art thou 
 fuch a worfhipper as the Father hath fought out and 
 . made fo ? Or art thou a worfhipper of thine own or 
 other mens making ? And doft thou keep within the 
 limits of the living and fpiritual worfliip, and not 
 tranfgrefs the law thereof P 
 
 Oh ! who would be miftaken and deceived about 
 fuch weighty things as thefe, of fo great neceftity 
 and concern ? Who would mifs of God's Spirit, and 
 of the law and >:ovcnant of life in Chrift Jefus, and 
 be only in a dream concerning thefe things, without 
 the true, demonftrative knowledge, polTeflion, and 
 enjoyrnent of them ? 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 91 
 
 IIL 
 
 III. 
 
 Of the true Way (the Way of Holinefs^ the Way of 
 Life)y and of the true 'Teaching and Knowledge. 
 
 CHRIST is the way, the only way to the Father ; 
 there is not another. Now every one that will 
 truly know Chrift, and come to Chrift, muft learn 
 of the Father. It is written in the prophets, " All 
 " thy children fliall be taught of the Lord ; every 
 *' one therefore that hath heard and learned of the 
 " Father, cometh unto me," faid Chrift. Here are 
 two things neceflary for every one that would come 
 to Chrift. One is hearing of the Father ; the other 
 is, learning that which he teacheth. For though a 
 man do hear the living voice of the Father, yet if 
 he do not learn and keep the inftruftion of life re- 
 ceived from him, he vahj be drawn afide before he 
 come to the Son. But he whofe ears are opened to 
 hear the voice, and who feels the inftrudtion of life 
 from the Father, to go to him in whom he hath 
 placed life ; here the Spirit of the Father fecretly 
 draws in the inward of a man's mind and fpirit, 
 from that which is really dead, to that which is truly 
 living. 
 
 Now, when a man is come to the Son, in whom 
 the Father hath placed the fulnefs of life, then he 
 ftiall witnefs him to be the way to the Father, and he 
 will teach him daily of the Father. And here is the 
 ftate of true fubjeftion to the Son experienced, 
 whom the foul muft hear, and of whom he is to 
 learn in all things -, who difcovers the inward dark- 
 nefs in man's mind, and breaks down that in him 
 which is contrary to God, having a daily crofs ready 
 for that which is to be crucified in him, whereby he 
 
 fhall 
 
92 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 /hall die daily to himfelf. And as he dies to himleliV 
 Chrift will reveal himfelf more and more in him, 
 and he fliall feel the pure feed of life fpringing more 
 and more up in him, and living in him, and he in 
 it i in and through which he (hall come more and 
 more into union and fellowlhip with the Father of 
 fpirits, and the whole living body of his church 
 and people. 
 
 But now, to learn of the Father to come to the 
 Son, and to learn of the Son to know the Fa- 
 ther, and to walk in newnefs of fpirit before him 
 (and not in an old dead knowledge and flelhly un- 
 derftanding), thefe are great myfteries, which none 
 can learn by a literal conception and comprehenfion 
 of things, but as they are quickened, and their 
 minds and underftandings opened, and kept open, by 
 the Lord. Therefore this is the great fkill and true 
 wifdom, to know the Shepherd and his voice ; and 
 his manner of appearing, and to what he appears ; 
 which is to his own fheep, to the true birth. And 
 his way and manner of appearing to that birth, is 
 by vifiting and reaching to it by his power opening 
 it, thereby giving it to fee, hear, and underftand ; 
 but fliutting up himfelf from the contrary nature, 
 wifdom, and fpirit in all men. 
 
 There is fomewhat which maketh a fair fliew in 
 the flefhly part, as if it were of God j but God 
 knoweth what and who are his. Now it is for the 
 true children, that the milk of the word, and the 
 bread of life is •, and them the Lord is ftill gracious 
 to, and heareth all the defires and breathings of 
 their hearts ; them he preferveth and vifiteth in 
 Egypt, and alfo bringeth out thence. Them he 
 leadeth through the wildernefs, dividing the Red 
 Sea before them ; before them alfo he divideth Jor- 
 dan (the river of judgment), caufing them to pafs 
 through it alfo, that they may enter into the Holy 
 
 Land. 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. gj 
 
 Land. And their lot he defendeth in the Holy 
 Land, m their fubjeftion to the fpirit and law of 
 life which rules there. But the contrary birth falleth 
 fliort by the way, and cannot enter into, nor abide 
 in, that which is pure and living of God. 
 
 Now in the lowly feed the whole myftery of life 
 IS learned, by thofe that come thither, and wait 
 there, growing up into him who is the head ; but 
 no leffon of life, and of the truth as it is Jefus is 
 learned out of it. Oh ! how careful had men need 
 be to know this feed in themfelves, and to witnefs 
 its daily fpringing up and growth in them. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Concerning Separation from the Spirit and Ways of the 
 
 World. -^ 
 
 ^T^HERE is a neceffity of feparation from the 
 ^ fpirit, ways, and worlhips of the world, by 
 thofe that will be the Lord's people. The Jews 
 outward were to be a feparated people from all other 
 people (from their gods, from their worlhips) if 
 they would enjoy the favour of the Lord, and the 
 bleffings of the good land. God had feparated them 
 from all other nations, and they were not to mingle 
 with them -, neither in their worlhip, nor marriages, 
 &c. So the Jews inward, who are God's gathering 
 of fpiritual worfhippers, out of every nation, kin- 
 dred, tongue, and people, are to be a feparated and 
 holy people to the Lord. For when God caft off 
 the Jews, he fought out worfhippers in their ftead, 
 even for a fpiritual nation and holy people of inward 
 Jews, inftead of that outward people, outward place 
 of worlhip, and outward land, which he caft off. 
 Now thofe whom God feeks to be the new, inward, 
 
 and 
 
94 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 and fpiritual worfliippers (inftcad of the literal and 
 outward), muft come out of all other ways and 
 gatherings, upon the many mountains, to the moun- 
 tain of the Lord's houfc, and to the place of his 
 gathering : the command is exprcls, ^ Come out 
 *' from among them, and be ye feparate ; and touch 
 *' not the unclean thing, and I will receive you," 
 &c. 2 Cor. vi. It is true, I fcek you for worfhip- 
 pers, and I call you to the gofpel-feaft of fat things, 
 and I will receive you if ye come ; but ye muft 
 firft come out from among all the falfe ways and 
 falfe worfliippers, and depart from, and not fo 
 much as touch, that which is unclean (the unclean 
 fpirit, his unclean ways and worfliippers), and then 
 I will receive you, and own you as my fons and 
 daughters, and be a Father to you ; not elfe. Mark 
 now j The Jews outward, in their day, muft be 
 feparate from all the Heatlien outward, if they 
 would be judged and owned by God for true wor- 
 fliippers according to the law. The primitive Chri- 
 ftians were to feparate from both Heathen and Jews 
 too (even their temple, priefts, and ordinances, 
 which were once of God) if they would be wor- 
 ' Ihippers, - true worihippers under the gofpel, wor- 
 fliippers of God's fccking. And the Chriftians, 
 after the antichriftian corruption and darknefs, muft 
 come out of Babylon ; that is, out of all forms of 
 religion, and buildings out of the life and power 
 (for that is Babylon, the city of confufion, which is 
 built out of, ftandsoutof, and pradtilcth out of, the 
 order and unity of the Spirit), if they will be found 
 worfliippers in the day of rcftoration •, after the long 
 darknels of the apoftafy, they muft not worfliip the 
 beaft (nor worfliip God, as the beaft teacheth and 
 rcquireth ^ for in fo worftiipping, God is not wor- 
 fliipped, but the beaft), nor bear his name, nor 
 receive his mark, cither on their forehead <x right 
 
 hand^ 
 
 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. gg 
 
 hand, nor be of the number of his name. Now 
 the command is as exprefs to come out of Babylon ; 
 that is, to feparate from all antichriftian ways and 
 worfliips ; as ever it was to feparate from the Hea- 
 then and Jews •, and there is no being a true wor- 
 fliippcr in God's fight, but in the true way of fepa- 
 ration from all falfe worfliippers, who worfliip in 
 forms and appearances of godlineis, out of the life 
 and power. 
 
 Now, oh ! hov/ precious it Is to feel God's feek- 
 ing, God's gathering, God's fcparating, God's teach- 
 ing, leading, drawing into the truth, and true way 
 of worfliip ! For there are ielf-leparations, which 
 are out of the true fpirit, life, and power. Yea, 
 God may begin the feparation, and another wifdom 
 may ftep in, and carry it on, out of the limits of 
 the fweet, innocent i'pirit, life, and power. Oh ' 
 bleflt:d is he who is feparated by the Lord from all 
 that is not of him ! But he that is but fenfual, and 
 hath not the fpirit, but only by a literal knowledge 
 fcparateth himfelf, he differeth from others but in 
 the outward form and appearance of godlincfs ; but 
 is one in nature and ground with thofe whom he 
 fcparateth from. Thus the Papifts, arid all pre- 
 tended Chriftians (of the fame fpirit) who feel not 
 the true Spirit, power, and life, are but one in the 
 ground, how great foever their difference outwardly 
 feem. And thofe that ieparate further and further 
 (even to the utmoit extent outwardly, or in the way 
 of appearance) being not feparated by the Lord 
 from that nature and fpirit wherein the enmity 
 lodgeth, they are ftill inhabitants of one and the 
 fame city (for the city of Babylon is very large) and 
 daughters of one and the fame mother, even of the 
 wifdom which is from beneath ^ which wifdom, in 
 its higheft exaltation, is far beneath the nature and 
 true excellency of the pure and heavenly wifdom, 
 
 O even 
 
96 A FEW EXPERIENCES, &c. 
 
 even in its lowcft and mofl; contemptible appearance. 
 Oh ! blelied is the religion, the worfliip, the repa- 
 ration, the fear of the Moflf High God, the faith> 
 the knowledge, which begins in the fpirit and power 
 (even in the evidence and demonllration of God's 
 own Spirit), and which ftands and abides therein ! 
 For herein are the children of light diflinguifhed, 
 and kept diftincl (by God Almighty, who hath 
 made the difference) from all the children of dark- 
 nefs. 
 
 1671. 
 
 About the 1 2th months 
 
 By ISAAC PENINGTON, 
 
 Prifoner for the teftimony of 
 truth at Reading-gaol. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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I' > 
 

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