but the Serpent tempted Eve to eat of the Fruit of the Tree Again p. 30. he saith Moses acted as a God in the person of the Angel or Tree of knowledge of good and evil Observ Moses was faithfull in all his house as a Servant Nor did he act in the person of the Serpent for the Serpent was the Devil and was out of Truth long before Moses time and spake of his own but Moses spake and ministred from the pure holy Spirit of Life Was not the Devil defiled a corrupt tree an Angel fallen from his habitation before he tempted Eve and Adam to sin and fall And who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean or an holy Commission out of the Devil In p. 31. he saith The Law speaking of Moses Law which is just and good doth enlighten Reason to do as he is done unto not as he would be done unto Observ If Christ may be believed he saith otherwise for he saith All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Matth. 7. 12. So that the Law and the Prophets did teach and require this not only for a man to do as he is done unto but as he would be done to In p. 32. he saith The Law of Reason is called a law of sin and death it being given unto reason because reason is sin for there is nothing doth break the Law but Reason Observ Those that are delivered by the powerfull appearance of Christ from the law of sin and death knows it to be another Law then the Law of Reason even a law contrary not only to the Life of Christ but to the reason and understanding of a man bringing him below the state of Reason even into bruitish captivity and sensuality Doth Reason teach a man to mannage his body destructively and unreasonably as the corrupt and unreasonable law of sin and death teacheth many men Reason is not sin but a deviating from that from which Reason came is sin God did not create man in sin or make a sinful Creature but he gave him Reason and thereby made him reasonable In p. 34. he saith The Moon Rev. 12. did signifie the Law of Moses which must now be trod underfoot by the Sun-shine Light of the Gospel Observ No not so the Law is not trod underfoot by the Light and Power of Life when it appeareth but its righteousness is fulfilled in them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 4. Christ did not teach men to tread Moses and his Law underfoot but brings forth that Life and bestows that Spirit which leads through and beyond the Law even to the righteousness of Faith which the Apostle Paul said they did not make the Law void by Rom. 3. 31. Therefore not trod underfoot through Faith in the Gospel In p. 37. he saith There was none of the Prophets that were commissionated to write Scripture Observ They spake and wrot as they were moved by the holy Spirit and is not that a sufficient Commission In his Book called The neck of the Quakers broken he had scoffingly cast away the Writings of Solomon from being Scripture and now he casts away the Writings of all the Prophets too as being written without Commission In p. 42. he argueth against Gods being an infinite incomprehensible Spirit saying Such a great vast Spirit doth not know it self neither can this vast Spirit tell where to find or see it self and if it cannot know or see it self how should his Creature be able to know or see his Maker when as he cannot know or see himself Then also that would be a vain thing which is spoken of in holy writ where it is said It is Life Eternal to know the true God Observ Here is dark imaginations indeed He that cannot read in the Spirit let him read that place Isa 40. 12. according to the plainness of the Letter and see if God can be less then infinite and incomprehensible He that knoweth the Nature and Spirit of God knoweth God though he be not able to measure or discern the utmost extent of his Beeing which who can For he is a Sea of Life a Sea of Love a Sea of Purity and Righteousness a Sea of Power and Wisdom c. but in a measure of the same Life received from him we know him so to be and worship him in the Spirit and Life which is of him not making likenesses of him in our minds but bowing to him and worshipping him in his own appearances In p. 77. he saith The holy Ghost sate upon none like as of fire but the Twelve Apostles neither could any other speak with tongues by inspiration but the Twelve Apostles Observ This is directly contrary to the Testimony held forth in Scripture For said Peter the holy Ghost fell on them as on in at the beginning Acts 11. 15. And they of the Circumcision which believed were astonished because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the holy Ghost For they heard them speak with tongues and magnifie God Chap. 10. 45 46. In p. 52. he saith Christ's Apostles could do no miracles neither could they cast out Devils until he was ascended Observ Did they not cast out Devils and do miracles while he was on Earth Did not he give them power so to do See Mat. 10. 8. In p. 59. and 60. he speaking of the wild Olive-tree and the good Olive-tree The wild Olive-tree he saith is the state of nature or reason the Devil which is wild by nature The good Olive-tree he saith was the very Person of Christ which the Gentiles were ingrafted into by Faith But the Commission of Mises and the Prophets proceeded from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil he acting his part in that Seed c. which he afore said was the Serpent Observ Is the wild Olive-tree the Devil which is wild by nature one of Gods Witnesses or the head or root from whence any of the Commissions of Gods Spirit came Did the Law of God which was against Sin and the Devil come from the Devil Is not the Law holy just and good and did it come from an unholy root What was the Olive-tree the Jews were broken off from Read their state Rom. 9. 4 5. and 11. 16 17. Was this holy Root they were broken from a wild Olive-tree What interpretation of Scripture is here Surely from a Spirit quite contrary to that which wrot it In p. 63. he saith The great and high wall about the new Jerusalem was all that visible and external worship which was set up by Moses which did belong to that Tabernacle c. Observ Is this the defence about the glory of the new Jerusalem is this the Wall and Bulwark Nay nay the Power of Gods Salvation is the Wall and Bulwark Isa 26. 1. which is a sure defence upon all the glory of this
OBSERVATIONS On some Passages of Lodowick Muggleton In his Interpretation of the 11th Chapter of the Revelations As also on some Passages in that Book of his stiled The Neck of the Quakers Broken and in his Letter to Thomas Taylor Whereby it may appear what spirit he is of and what god his Commission is from Whereunto is added A brief Account of my Souls Travel towards the Holy Land with a few words concerning the Way of knowing and receiving the Truth Written in tender love to Souls in true sense and understanding received from the Lord and with reverence to his holy Spirit and Power By Isaac Pennington Printed in the Year 1668. The Preface to the Reader HAving bad a Book of Lodowick Muggleton's sent me to peruse and having been earnestly pressed thereunto by some who had let in his spirit and doctrines to their great hurt in the fear of the Lord and in the sense of his holy Spirit of Truth and in tender love to them who had requested this of me I cast my eye thereupon wherein I observed very many things contrary to the Spirit of 〈◊〉 Lord the Testimony of the holy Scriptures and the nature of Truth some whereof for the service of others are here communicated To which there arose somewhat in my heart to add concerning my self in reference to my wearisom seekings journeys and travels after the Lord. Indeed it came upon me very freshly and livingly and the Lord may please to make it usefull to others even to help to stay the minds and quicken the hopes of such that are fainting as I deeply was Now if so be any shall reap any benefit thereby let them give glory to the Lord alone who alone is worthy thereof For I seek not esteem of men but all my desire is that men might know the Lord and the Power of his Truth and by him be gathered into and preserved in that which is pure of him It is the day of the Gospel even of Gods Eternal Power which is risen in many hearts for indeed the Light of the Everlasting Day of God shines gloriously and doth conquer and shall conquer the darkness and corruption in mens minds daily more and more O that more might partake of its vertue and not stumble at that stumbling Stone which the Builders out of the Life and Power in every Age and Generation have first dispised and rejected O that men might seek after Christ the Wisdom of God aright not in that spirit and wisdom which shall never find him For it is easie to seek amiss but none can seek aright save only those that are led and taught of God so to do Observations on some passages of Lodowick Muggleton in his Interpretation of the 11th Chapter of the Revelations IN Page 9. he saith The Law is not written in the Seed of Faiths Nature at all but in the Seed of Reasons Nature only Reason or the Spirit of Reason he saith is the Devil p. 15. Observ The Sum of the Law is Love Even to love God above all and ones Neighbour as ones self And this Love which is the Sum of the Law and fulfils the Law God writeth in the hearts of his spiritual Seed In p. 15. he affirmeth That that saying of the Devil was true which he laid to Christ All the Kingdoms of the Earth are mine Observ The Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof The Devil hath no right to it God never gave it him but God himself is Judge who throweth down one and setteth up another disposing of the Kingdoms of men according to his pleasure Psal 75. 7. Dan. 4. 25. In p. 19. he saith There never was no Enmity between the Person of the Serpent and the Person of the Woman but the Enmity which lay between them was in the two Seeds Observ Is not the Enmity as expessly placed by God between the Serpent and the Woman as between their Seeds I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed Gen. 3. 15. In p. 21. he saith So that now God himself is not capable to dissolve himself into Seed or Nature as he was before Observ Is God changable Is he one thing to day and another thing tomorrow and can he never be any more what he was yesterday His god may be so but the true God is not so I the Lord change not his Nature his Seed his Life his Spirit his Power is the same for ever Further in p. 21. he saith These two Seeds were those two spiritual bodies which are called by the revelation of Moses two Trees Yet they were in forms of men and was capable as they were spiritual bodies to dissolve into Seed or Nature and so become capable to suffer the paine of death Observ O the depth of imagination from that Spirit which giveth imaginations to them that will receive them He that is taught of God never learned thus but learneth much otherwise and in the feeling sense and experience knoweth the two Seeds and is born of the one and separated from the other from the very womb I mean from his birth of the Jerusalem which is above which is free from the spirit of deceit and all its imaginary knowledge which is the Mother of all that are born of the Spirit In p. 22. he saith Knowledge proceedeth from life that hath wisdom in it Observ Living knowledge doth But there is a knowledge which comes not from the true Wisdom nor doth convey Life but Death And such is the knowledge which he hath from his god and holdeth forth to others it poysons and corrup◠the mind and leads out of the capacity of receiving and obeying the Truth as it is in Jesus In p. 27. he saith Reason can feed on nothing but what it can see with this visible eye Observ That is not Reasons food only which is seen with this visible eye but Reason is in the mind and feeds chiefly on thing which the mind gathers and comprehends inwardly In p. 29. he saith I declare by revelation from the holy Spirit that out of these two spiritual trees came forth these two Commissions namely the Commission of Moses and the Prophets and the Commission of Jesus and the Apostles Observ He had said before p. 11. One of these trees was the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the form of a man p. 14. that tempted Adam Was that which tempted Adam the tree out of which Moses his Commission came Doth not he call this tree the Serpent p. 30. Had Moses his Commission from the Serpent Surely every one that is of God will say no. In p. 30. he saith These two Olive-trees and Candlesticks here spoken of I declare are those two Commissions which came forth of these two spiritual trees Observ One of these trees he said was the very Person of God himself p. 10. That the other was the tree that tempted Adam whereas the Tree did not tempt Adam
without may easily be deceived In p. 25. he saith God hath made him the Judge of the Scriptures Observ Let him that readeth wait to feel the Spirit which is of God and the Light wherein God dwells and that will open Scriptures and the mysteries of the Kingdom to him he abiding in unity therewith through the pure subjection thereto and manifest to him who is the Judge in spiritual matters in Gods Israel Again p. 25. he saith further We the Witnesses of the Spirit do know more then Moses the Prophets and Apostles did things of more higher concernment Observ The Apostles were not the least in the Kingdom but in the glory of the day 1 Pet. 2. 5. in the Eternal Life in him that was true 1 John 5. 20. and they had the whole Counsel of God even a Ministry sufficient to perfect the Work of God in the Saints Ephes 4. 12. that so they might present men perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1. 28. And happy is he that receiveth their testimony and cometh into and walketh in that Light which their message was concerning 1 John 1. 2. verse 5 7. Yet again p. 25. he saith The Quakers have only the dead letter of other mens words whose light was but dark in comparison of the light that comes by this commission of the Spirit Observ Yes they have much more then the dead letter of other mens words for they witness the living Spirit and are taught thereby and subject thereto Blessed be the Lord who is become the Shepherd and Teacher of his people himself according to his Promise And as for the Apostles light being dark in comparison c. Observ We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even of the Lord the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 18. Again God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ chap. 4. 6. In that day the woman was clothed with the Sun for as many as are truly baptised into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. had the Moon under her feet and was crowned with a Crown of twelve Stars and not only travelling to bring forth but brought forth the Man-child which was to rule all Nations They who are indeed in the Spirit know that the Light which is now broke forth is but the Light of the same Day which shined then very gloriously in them who were the glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23. They had the Spirit of God plentifully poured upon them which opened to them the mysteries of the Kingdom and the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. And how highly soever he think or speak of himself yet this is known concerning him that he hath a very great journey to travel before he can come to that measure of Light that they were in or to receive that proportion of the true Spirit that they received For he is yet quite out of it In p. 29. he affirmeth That it was the very God-head Life that suffered death Observ If the God-head Life suffered death what power was left to raise it up again I am the Resurrection and the Life said Christ but he spake concerning that which raised Lazarus which was of an immortal nature and could not die not concerning the body but the Life and Power of the Father which dwelt in and was revealed through the body which died not with the body but remained alive to raise the body What kind of doctrine is this that the very God-head Life suffered death and so to make the Creator mortal like the Creature In p. 39. he saith God the King of Heaven is not in this World at all Observ Whether shall I go from thy Spirit or whether shall I flee from thy Presence said David who had the Spirit of God If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hell thou art there c. Psal 139. 7 8. And do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24. But L. M. hath affirmed contrary to these Testimonies that God is not in this World at all In p. 48. he saith I am the only and alone Judge what shall become of men and women after death neither shall those that are damned by me see any other God or Judge but me or that Sentence which I have passed upon them Observ Is he God is he Christ is he the only one is there not another God another Judge Yes we know there is another who judgeth otherwise then he hath judged who judgeth that to death which he judgeth to life and that to Life which he judgeth to death And in the Resurrection of the just and the unjust shall not both the just and unjust see him who is the Judge Read Matth. 25. 31 c. Again p. 48. he saith No man upon the Earth can or ought to judge of the Doctrine of a Prophet that hath a Commission from God Observ Cannot he judge who hath the Anointing Doth not he that is a Child of God receive his Spirit and is not the Spirit of God able to judge in them that receive it Judge not according to the appearance saith Christ but judge righteous judgment Joh. 7. 24. Did Christ absolutely forbid men from judging concerning him or his doctrine and miracles or did he not rather direct them how they might judge aright I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say 1 Cor. 10. 15. The Apostle had a Commission from God yet he did not barrmen from judging of his words but bid them judge and the same Apostle saith Let the Prophets speak two or three and let the others judge 1 Cor. 14. 29. Is the Spirit of God given to and received of the Believer and shall he not therewith judge concerning Spirits and Doctrines and Commissions which pretend to be of him and Apostles and Angels whether they be Angels of Light indeed or only such as would so appear Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God 1 John 4. 1. And they which are of God love to come to the Light which tries and makes manifest but they that are not of God refuse to be tried by it Thou hast tried them that say they are Apostle and are not and hast found them Lyars Rev. 2. 2. God giveth that Light that Spirit that Anointing to his which hath in it ability to try and they ought to try therewith Doctrines Spirits Prophets Apostles and certainly find thereby that they are of him before they receive them or else they may easily be deceived Despise not prophesyings saith the Apostle 1 Thes 5. 20. but yet withal though a man may not despise them yet neither may he receive them without due trial therefore the Apostle in the next words adds Prove
nature of reason never did nor can do in any Again in p. 11. he saith very slightingly and as untruly concerning the Quakers thus As for the sins your hearts are clensed from they are no other but such like as these that is to say to keep the hat on the head before a Magistrate and to find fault with gold-lace and a piece of ribbon a bandstring and a gold button and to rend and tear gold-lace and other lace off their clothes and burn it and to use the Language of thee and thou He or she that gets thee or thou perfectly is a very good Quaker they are gotten half way to the Quakers Heaven These and such like righteousness is the Quakers perfection and all the cleansing of heart they have c. Observ O thou despiser reproacher and belyar of the Work of God in the hearts of his children Nay nay there are thousands who in Gods Presence can testifie against thee that they have waited for and received the inward clensing from the filthiness of flesh and spirit from the inward lusts and motions of sin in the mind having felt the Ax of the Lord and the two-edged Sword which cutteth up sin at the very roots But thou art so far from having thy heart cleansed that thou art not yet clensed from lying lips but bringest forth thy false reproachfull slanderous testimony against the Heritage of God in the sight of the Sun In p. 13. he saith further of the Quakers That they own no other death of Christ but what is within them what ever they pretend by using the words of Scripture c. Observ They sincerely and in plainness of heart own and acknowledge the death of that Body which the Father prepared for his Son in which he did the Fathers Will in his suffering without the Gate of Jerusalem Therefore in this he is a very false Witness and therein hath grosly belyed the Quakers In p. 15. he saith You Quakers are the darkest pieces to interpret Scripture of any other Opinions in the World for you will name places of Scripture but never interpret any c. Observ It is better to bring men to that which opens the mind to understand the Scriptures then to give men interpretations of words or things beyond their capacity Yet the Spirit of the Lord in and through many called Quakers doth often open many Scriptures in clearness and demonstration to others Read the Book called Gospel-Liberty or the Royal Law of Love and see if many Scriptures be not therein opened to the lowest capacity But the Lord hath given them the true skill and understanding and they are not to open to and feed that in men which the Lord hath appointto be famished Yet if they did not open Scriptures the Scriptures are plain to him that hath an understanding Now for a close I shall add somewhat of the Testimony which is written in my heart by the finger of Gods Spirit concerning the People called Quakers Indeed they have met with many reproaches and sore oppositions many wayes since they were a People but notwithstanding all their bow abides in strength and the hands of their arms have been made strong against the wicked one with all his devices in his several kinds of instruments and their Light is still the same and their God the same who blesseth them from day to day even in the midst of all the revilings slanders persecutions and curses which they have met with from men without and in the midst of all the temptations inward trials and afflictions also which are often met with inwardly Yea we know him to be our God and cannot but trust him having found him to be faithfull to us hitherto and knowing his nature to be such that he cannot but continue his loving-kindness and faithfulness to all who are gathered by him into his holy inward spiritual Covenant of Life and Peace and who dwells with him therein And truly we are fully satisfied and at rest in him and cannot desire another then he who hath redeemed our Souls from death given us Life brought us out of the pit wherein was no water into a large place set our feet upon a rock a rock indeed and establisheth our goings in the path of holiness working all our works in us and for us by his Spirit and Power Yea we have the Witness in our hearts even the Witness which never erred nor can deceive which testifieth to and with our spirits our Sonship so that we do not imagine our selves sons from apprehensions upon Scriptures but we feel our selves sons in the true sensibleness and know who David is and reap and inherit the sure mercies of David daily O blessed be our Father O blessed for ever be the Father of Life who feeds who nourishes who waters who refreshes with the Bread of Life and with the pure living Water his Lambs his babes his plants his tender ones of whom he is daily tender and who are daily tender of his Name and Honour And if any man preach another God then he who creates anew in the true Light and therein puts forth his arm of Salvation death and destruction and the curse are his portion from the hand of the Lord. Now O people any of you that reads this mans writings and admire them what spirit are ye of what is it in you that relisheth them what do they feed in you Not the true Birth I am sure but that in you which must perish and come into death and destruction if ever your Souls be saved I speak sensibly and from the true understanding and experience which God hath given me yea I certainly know that the knowledge and notions which he holds forth are not pure nor able to cleanse the heart of any that receives them And all people that truly love your Souls and desire the Salvation thereof O wait on God that ye may be enabled by him rightly to distinguish between receiving notions concerning God and Christ and feeling and receiving the Power which effectually redeems from sin and death for deceit may enter in at the one but cannot at the other The Enemy hath all deceivableness of unrighteousness to paint as if it were righteousness and appear in and to enter and possess the mind by but he is excluded the redeeming power He that feels that which renews his heart to God and breaks the power and strength of lusts and temptations in him and brings him into subjection to the Truth which from God lives in the hearts of those that receive it in the vertue life and power of it here his devices and deceits are at an end and here the elect Sheep feel the hand of the Father which is stronger then all which none can pluck out of Here is the Fold here is the safe dwelling place whither the Lord leadeth and where he preserveth his Lambs and Children and there is not another Now as for him notwithstanding all that he hath done