Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	according_a	know_v	way_n	2,112	5	4.8664	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54043	Naked truth, or, Truth nakedly manifesting itself in several particulars for the removing of hinderances out of the way of the simple-hearted, that they may come to true knowledge, life, liberty, peace and joy in the Lord, through the vertue and power of his precious truth, revealed and working in them : given forth by way of question and answer : whereunto are added, some experiences, with some Scriptures very sweet, and necessary to be experienced in the Gospel-state : as also, a few words concerning the true Christ, and a few words in the bowels of tender love and good will to my native country / by a long mourner and traveller after, but as length an happy experiencer of the truth, as it is in Jesus, Isaac Pennington.	Penington, Isaac, 1616-1679.	1674 (1674)	Wing P1179; ESTC R39811	53,138	126

heart yea where there is but so much as a conviction of the understanding but Men are not presently of us who own our Principle in words or outward appearance but only such as are inwardly changed thereby in heart It is true Persons may walk among us afterwards go out from us who were never of us as it was in the Apostles days that were never in the fellowship of Life with us whom we could never own in the sight of the the Lord as being born of him though we were willing to wait and watch for their good that they might come to witness the true birth Now from such come the offences even from the falling off of such as never were truly ingraffed and also from the slips of such who are not watchful to that which preserves And wo is to the World because of the offences which cannot but come For they which are not approved in the sight of the Lord must not somewhat or other happen to make them manifest And when they are made manifest the World's eye is offended and is apt to think hardly of and reproach the Truth it self because of them But blessed is the eye which sees into the Mystery into the Life it self where there is no offence but Truth is one and the same for ever XI Concerning Judging according to the appearance and Judging righteous Judgment Judg not according to the appearance said Christ but Judg righteous Judgment Joh. 7.24 What is it to Judg according to the appearance and what is it to Judg righteous Judgment I shall speak what I have experienced having been deeply exercised about this thing Mark then The holy Spirit of Life breatheth upon the heart and by his breathing and working there he quickens and begets life Joh. 3.8 And that which is begotten and born of him is begotten and born into his nature and so is of the same nature with him as ver 6 of that chap. Now to that which is born of the Spirit the Spirit is the leader the preserver the supporter the comforter the daily quickner He can do nothing without the Spirit without the present Life and Power of him that begat him So that all the judgment which the birth of Life hath is from and of and in the holy Spirit of the Father And here is true Judgment both concerning righteousness and against all unrighteousness So that keep to the Life keep to the Spirit keep to the Birth keep to the Power then is the Wisdom and righteous judgment of God revealed But any that go out of this and measure without this they measure in the unrighteousness and though they search the Scriptures and think in themselves they measure from the Scriptures yet they are mistaken and measure but from their own knowledg and apprehensions upon the Scriptures as the Scribes and Pharisees did when they seemed to conclude upon searching the Scriptures that Christ could not be the Messiah Joh. 7.52 Search and Look said they for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet How then can this Galilean be he See by the Scriptures if this can be the Christ It is said of Christ He shall not Judg after the sight of his eyes nor reprove after the hearing of his Ears but with righteousness shall he Judg c. Isa 11.3 4. Christ Judged righteous Judgment How came he to Judg so Why he judged in and with the Spirit He kept to the Spirits judgment The Spirit of the Lord rest●d upon him and made him quick of understanding in the fear of the Lord ver 2 3. And no man can judg aright concerning the things of God but in and by the same Spirit How shall I know whether m● duties be right my Prayers right my waies right m worsh p r ght my faith right my hope of the right kind my knowledg and understanding of the Scriptures right c Why there is no e but one can determine He who bege●teth life know● whether that which is in thee be from his life and whether that which thou oferest to h m be truly living or no. And when the Lord separates the living from the dead what will remain in many that make great pro●ssions at this day I would have no man mistaken about these things I know many are deeply mistaken as their own hearts will one day acknowledg when the Lord shall make manifest to them how they have called evil good and g●od evil and put darkness for light and l ght for darkness Indeed it is just as it was in the dayes of Christ's appearing outwardly in a body of flesh The same Life the same Spirit is denyed now as was then Then the Jews cryed up hrist to come but they then spiritually saw him not They saw the flesh or outward form but they saw not him who dwelt in that flesh And though the World of Christians now acknowledg Christ is come and did appear Yet neither do they know him who did appear but deny his life his Spirit his vertue his power which is revealed in this day of his love and goodness to the eyes of the Children of the true Wisdom O let not flesh Judg. Be silent O all flesh before the Lord and cease judging for he is arisen to Judg. He is Judg in the midst of his people and he will Judg the Heathen also And every one brings this near Wait to feel flesh judged in thee and brought down in thee that it may not Judg in thee but Spirit and Life may be exalted and sit upon the Throne in thy Heart And when Life is exalted doth begin to Judg Oh take heed of harkening to the flesh of letting in the Judgment of flesh afterwards lest the Spirit be grieved and quenched For the Wisdom of the flesh is near and will be striving to get in and recover its seat again and if the watch be not singly kept to God's Holy Spirit somewhat else will be judging in thee which will Judg according to the appearance of things to thy mind and so thou wilt miss of the true and righteous judgment of God's Spirit XII A Question answered about knowing God's Spirit Quest How shall I know God's Spirit How shall I know the motions thereof How may I know whether the Faith and Hope in my heart be from him whether my prayers and desires arise thence c. Answ No man of himself or by any way he of himself can take can know God's Spirit There must first be a capacity given before any man can know the Spirit of the Lord His Life his Power must first be felt and somewhat quickned somewhat formed by him somewhat 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 skill and diligence and wisdom of a Christian to keep to this to wait for this to have his eye towards the pure spring of wisdom that when

Resurrection and the Life enters the King of Righteousness the King of Peace enters he who is the Wisdom and Power of God enters and what becomes of the Power and Goods of the enemy then Doth he not kill and destroy them doth he not consume and devour them Doth he not empty the House of them and garnish the house with that which is truly pure glorious and beautiful Lastly what is it to have him sup with the soul and what is it for the Soul to sup with him Is not here eating and drinking in his Fathers Kingdom Doth he not first destroy the Devils Kingdom and then set up his own Kingdom and doth he not feast with the soul and feast the Soul in the Kingdom which he sets up there O that all men knew how near he who is eternal Life is to them Doth not God search the heart Is not he near the heart doth not his Light shine there in the midst of mans darkness and corruption doth not his Power reach thither and assault and trouble the enemy doth not his pure Love wherewith he loveth man pierce thither Doth he not knock doth he not call Doth he not touch doth he not draw doth he not give at times some living tender sense to many hearts who too much neglect and despise him and regard not the day of his tender visiting them and calling after them O how is the Love of God the Spirit of God the Life of God the Wisdom of God the Power of God the drawings and instructions of his Grace day by day resisted by the Wisdom and Will of the flesh in those that are born thereof and hearken thereto and so live after the flesh and not after that which reproves the flesh Many more Scriptures might be mentioned and also sensibly and livingly witnessed to but these are enough to give a taste The Lord open mens understandings into the thing it self and give them the key which opens into the truth even into the mystery thereof wherein is the hidden Life and Vertue Amen A few words Concerning the true Christ how it may be certainly and infallibly know which is he This Question relates not to his outward appearance in the dayes of his flesh but to his inward and spiritual appearance how it may be known To which the Answer on my heart is Even after the same way and by the same means is he to be known in his inward appearance as he was known in his outward which was by the revealing of the Father For none knows the Son but the Father and he to whom the Father reveals him And when Simon Peter confessed him to be Christ the Son of the living God Blessed said he art thou Simon Bar-Jona for flesh and bloud hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 16. vers 16 17. And if none could know Christ in his appearance in flesh notwithstanding so many manifest and express Prophesie concerning him but such only to whom the Father revealed him how shall any know his inward and spiritual appearance unless they be taught of the Father and hear and learn of him so to do But more particularly to shew how the Father revealed his Son and how they came to know in that day that he was the Son of the living God the holy one the anointed Saviour and that the same way and by the same means people than will truly know him must come to the knowledg of him now First They came to know him by the manifestation of the Life that was in him by the fulness of the Grace and Truth which dwelt in him and put it self forth so as to be discerned by the inward and spiritual eye in them For the Life was manifested 1 Joh. 1.2 The Life which was in him was manifested to the Spiritual eye which was in them and thus they came to know him Secondly By his voice and knocks Thus said he concerning his sheep in those days that they know his voice Joh. 10.4 Oh he hath such a voice as none hath but he He speaks in his Father's authority not as the Scribes not as earthly wise learned men he speaks in the evidence and demonstration of God's Spirit The words which he speaks are Spirit and Life They that hear his voice live And when he stands at the door and knocks he pierceth deep O the beatings of his hand upon the render and sensible hearts and consciences O his secret reproofs his secret instructions his secret quicknings and enlightenings how did they and how do they eternally make him manifest in the hearts and consciences of his Thirdly By his Baptism or by his baptizing into his own Spirit and Power While people were in expectation and mused in their hearts of John whether he were the Christ or not John answers the case and tells them how they might discern and know the true Christ It is not I who baptize with water but he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and with fire whose fan is in his hand c. Luk. 3.15 16.17 Was not this then and is not this now the way to know the true Christ He that knoweth him who inwardly and spiritually baptizeth him who hath the fan who inwardly fanneth and purgeth the Floor gathering in the Wheat and burning up the chaff doth not he inwardly truly and Spiritually know Christ He that knoweth the Word which is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul Spirit of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart doth not he know the word which was in the beginning which was with God yea which was God for he is the only searcher of the heart and trier of the reins Fourthly By his mighty works The works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me Joh. 5.36 And when John sent two of his disciples to Jesus with this question Art thou he that should come or look we for another Christ bids them go and tel John what things they had seen and heard how that the Blind see the Lame walk the Lepers are Cleansed the Deaf hear the Dead are raised to the poor the Gospel is Preached and blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me Luke 7.22 23. Why herein is a marvelous thing said the blind man that ye know not from whence he is and yet he hath opened my eyes Joh. 9.30 He who hath the power and putteth forth the power inwardly who openeth the inward eye the inward ear looseth the inward tongue causeth the inward feet to walk in the way of Life and the inward hands to work the works of God he is the Messiah the Saviour the word of Life the Son of the Living God They that believe in him in his Spirit in his Power in his inward appearance

are born of the Heavenly Womb who indeed alone can rightly plead for and justifie their Mother in this day of great strife and contention about the Kingdom and right Heir thereof I say having this sense on my heart and these things naturally springing up and opening in me upon this occasion I was drawn in love and in the motion of life thus to give them forth to others hoping that the Lord may thereby open the minds of some towards and confirm the minds of others in the sense and belief of the Truth and the inward manifestation of his Spirit which discovers and strives against the darkness lusts and corruptions in them The Lord give People the sense of the strivings and reproofs of his holy Spirit inwardly in their hearts and joyn their spirits thereto that they may receive Light Life Vertue and Strength from his holy Spirit and thereby witness the overcoming and keeping under the enemy of their souls that they may know what it is to have the seed of the Woman bruise the Serpents head in their own particulars that so the holy Child Jesus may be exalted his Horn exalted in them and he may reign and exercise his Government in them and they may become Kings and Priests to God and reign in him over all that his Power is ordained to break and keep under yea utterly consume and destroy in the hearts of those that submit themselves willingly to him and walk in the Light and Leadings of his holy Spirit Amen NAKED TRUTH OR Truth manifesting it self in several Particulars for the removing of Hinderances c. Given forth by way of Question and Answer I. Concerning understanding the Holy Scriptures truly and aright Quest WHether the Scriptures can be understood aright without the Light of God's holy Spirit shining inwardly in the heart and giving the true understanding of them Answ No not possibly for as the outward eye cannot possibly see without the shining of some outward Light no more can the inward Eye see without the shining of the inward Light God who commanded Light to shine out of darkness causeth the Light of his Spirit to shine in the hearts of People according to his holy pleasure and thereby they come to see God seeth all things in his own Light in the light of his own pure eternal Spirit and in his Light do the Children of Light see Light The things of Gods Kingdom are holy Mysteries and the words which he speaks concerning those holy Mysteries none can understand but as he pleaseth to open and reveal them He hath given us an understanding to know him that is true 1 Joh. 5.20 The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Job 32.8 without which Man is dead and can neither hear nor see nor understand any of the things of God's Kingdom II. Concerning the Illuminating Spirit and Sanctifying Spirit Quest Whether the Illuminating and Sanctifying Spirit be one and the same Spirit or no Because it is affirmed by some and written by one to me as a sound distinction of Divines which distinction he saith he hath a mind I should learn that there is a Spirit of Sanctification and that is peculiar to the Godly and there is a Spirit illuminating and that is oft vouchsafed to the wicked as it was to Balaam Answ The Spirit which illuminateth and the Spirit which sanctifieth is one and the same Spirit and the illumination of the Spirit is in order unto Sanctification The same Light which discovereth the Darkness also chaseth away the Darkness as it is received and subjected to and purifieth the mind for the Light hath not only a property of enlightening but also of cleansing and sanctifying And the reason why Men are not changed justified and sanctified in and by the Light is because they love it not and bring not their hearts and deeds to it and so it is their reprover and condemner and not their Justifier and Sanctifier But the same Spirit Light and Life which Enlighteneth also Sanctifieth and there is not another III. Concerning the holy Spirit of God and the holy Scriptures Quest Whether they be alwayes joyned or some may have the Spirit who have not the Scriptures and some may have the Scriptures who have not the Spirit Answ The holy Spirit of God and the holy Scriptures are not always joyned together for some in the dark corners of the Earth may be visited by the Spirit become sensible of the Spirit and receive the Spirit who never heard of the Scriptures and many may have the Scriptures and yet be very ignorant of and strangers to Gods holy Spirit as the Jews were who had them read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day and yet Christ told them you neither know the Scriptures nor the Power of God IV. Concerning the Law of the Lord which is perfect and which converts the Soul Quest What is the Law of the Lord which is perfect and converts the Soul is it the outward Law or Writing in the Letter or the inward Law and Writing in the Spirit Answ No Man is or ever was or ever can be converted to God from the inward Law of Sin and Death but by the inward Law of Life and Righteousness written in his heart And I am sure that Law is perfect The New-Covenant is perfect and the Law thereof perfect the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus perfect which converts the mind to Christ the Righteousness of God and sets it free from the Law of Sin and Death And David was a spiritual Man and knew the inward Covenant and the inward creating of the heart a new and Gods holy and free Spirit and the Law and Testimony thereof I will grant a great deal to the Letter and ministration outward but I must attribute more to the inward or else Gods Light and the holy Experience which he hath given me will condemn me And as the Jew outward had the Law and Testimony and Statutes outward so I am sure the true Jew the Jew inward hath the Law and Testimony and Statutes inward written in his heart by the finger of Gods Spirit yea and the same Spirit put within him to cause him to keep this Law and the holy Testimony Statutes and Judgments of the Lord and the spiritual Jacob and Israel of God in this the day of their Redemption and Salvation from on high do follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes and walk in the Light of the Lord. V. Concerning David's longings exprest in Psal 42. Psal 43. and Psal 119. and other places Quest Were Davids longings more after the Law outward or after the Law and Light of Gods Spirit inward Answ David was a man after Gods own heart a man that knew an inward and clean heart of Gods creating and knew the free Spirit of the Lord and the fresh springing Life thereof and the leadings of the pure living Truth inwardly in his heart and this was it he most especially prized and longed after

Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me and take not they holy spirit from me c. saith he Psal 51.10 11. after his fall shewing what he had been acquainted with before and what he now God having touched his spirit afresh began to long after again And saith he in another place O send out thy Light and thy Truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy Hill and to thy Tabernacles Psa 43.3 O the sweetness of Light within Truth within O the precious leadings and drawings thereof which where once felt upon a fresh and tender remembrance thereof cannot but be longed after again VI. Concerning the Sun or Fountain of Spiritual Light Quest Whether the holy Scriptures or written Testimonies be the Sun or Fountain and the Light within but a ray or stream from them as is affirmed by my Antagonist Answ It is just quite contrary for the holy Men spake the holy words from the inward Light and quickning Life of Gods Spirit within them so that that was the Fountain in them and is so still With thee is the Fountain of Life And he that believeth as the Scriptures have said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This spake he of the Spirit Joh. 7.39 that 's the Fountain The water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of Water springing up into everlasting Life Joh. 4.14 Who esteems honours the Scriptures aright He that believes their Testimony comes to Christ and makes his Spirit Light and Life all or he that sets the Scriptures in the stead of that Word of Life which they came from testifie of and point men to as the fountain and foundation of Life and Salvation to all mankind VII Concerning the Words being a Fire and a Hammer to burn up the Chaff and break the Rocks in pieces Quest Is the Word which is a fire and hammer the Testimonies and Declarations of the holy Scriptures without or the Word nigh in the mouth and heart Answ That which I have felt hammering inwardly that which I have felt burning inwardly unquenchably as the mind has been kept to it has been the Word of Life it self from which the good words and holy testimonies proceed That which does the work in the inward Jew is the inward Ministration of the inward Covenant the appearance of God there He is the consuming Fire he is the Spirit of Judgment and Burning who by his holy flamings inwardly burns up the filth of the daughter of Sion A man may be exercised in the letter all his dayes and yet witness nothing of this inwardly in Truth and Righteousness but he whom the Spirit of Judgment and Burning inwardly comes nigh and whose flesh is kept in that holy furnace it will be consumed there day by day until it be quite wasted and destroyed and so he come to be judged according to the flesh and to live to God in the Spirit VIII Concerning God's writing his Law in the heart Quest How doth God write his Law in the heart Answ By his Spirit and Power working there whereby he both creates a new Heart and writes the new Law even the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus in the new Heart The Isles shall wait for his Law Whose Law The Law of the Messiah the Law of Grace which gives dominion the Law of the Anointing the Law of the New-Birth the Law of the Holy Seed His Seed remaineth in him 1 Joh. 3.9 In that Seed is the new Nature and the new Law both What is the Law of Sin what is the Law of Death how is it written in the Heart How doth the enemy write it there but by his corrupt spirit and nature And doth not God by his holy Spirit and Nature write the new Law the Law of Life in the hearts of those that are renewed and made tender to the impressions of his holy quickning Power every motion and drawing whereof is a Law to them who are born of the Spirit and taught of God to eye and walk after the quickning Spirit IX Concerning the inward Light of God's Spirit Quest What is it which the mind is to be turned to to enlighten it and to work the darkness and corruption out of it Answ It is no less than the Light of God's Spirit nothing else can do it The day-spring must arise from on high in the heart or there will be night for ever there All notions or apprehensions concerning the Light will not do it it is the shining of the Light alone inwardly which is able to expel the darkness there It was not for nothing that Christ came a Light to enlighten men and directed men to follow him the Light that they might not abide in Darkness and that he sent his Apostles with this message that God is Light and in him is no darkness at all and so gave his Apostles wisdom authority and power to turn men from the darkness to the light And if the darkness was within which they were to be turned from surely the light must shine within to discover the darkness and to that light must they be turned And in this light the holy Spirit is received and dwells there but out of this light and the limits thereof in every heart dwells the unclean and dark spirit and hath power and rule there for nothing but the light and strength of Gods Spirit is able to break his Kingdom and dominion inwardly in the heart X Concerning the Ministers and Ministry of the Gospel Quest Who are the ministers and what is the ministry of the Gospel Answer They are the ministers of the Gospel who have received that spirit and power wherein the ministry of the Gospel stands For Christ came in the spirit and power of the Father and he sends his Apostles and Ministers in the same spirit and power that they might be able to beget and reach to that birth which is to be begotten and ministred to It is one thing to be a Minister of the Law and to minister Letter and another thing to be a Minister of the Gospel and to minister Spirit The Apostles were able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit and so are all in a degree who succeed them in any measure or proportion of their Ministry For the Ministry of the Gospel is in the Light Spirit and Power of the most High to turn peoples minds to a proportion of the same Light Spirit and Power in themselves and so to come to the manifestation and quickning of the same Life in themselves that so they may walk in the same Light For the Life is the Light and he can never have Light or see Light who comes not first to feel some vertue from the quickning Power O how precious is this ministry blessed be the Lord for his renewing of it in these our days And this ministry is not to

true Love the true Meekness and Patience That is only learned of the Lamb and received of him by receiving of his Spirit and nature from him And O how precious is this how sweet is it felt in the heart To feel a meek a quiet a patient spirit in the midst of all trials all troubles all fears all doubts all temptations of every kind Indeed this is of much price in the sight of the Lord and also in the eye of him who hath received it from the Lord and enjoyeth it in him and possesseth his soul in it XXIX Concerning the Knowledg of the new Covenant Quest What is the knowledg of the new Covenant Answ The Knowledg which is given by God to the new birth for to it the new Covenant belongs and the knowledg thereof The truly begotten of God the true disciples of Christ to them it is given to know the Kingdom of God but to others it is not given The Jew outward the first birth the birth after the flesh for hem the Priests lips were to preserve knowledg and they were to seek the law a●● his mouth and to them God sent Prophets to speak to them and taught them by his prophets but concerning the inward Jews the Children of the new Covenant the Children of the Jerusalem which is above concerning her seed it was prophesied that they all should be taught of the Lord they all should hear and know the voice of the Shepheard himself they should all be gathered to the Sheepherd and Bishop of the Soul and taught by him So that in this new holy living Covenant God himself is the Sheepherd God himself is the Teacher not only of the greatest but of the very least Heb. 8. For he teacheth them all to know the Lord and to know his Son and to come to his Son and to love him their Father and one another So that he that is taught of God he hath the true knowledg the living knowledg the substantial knowledg the knowledg of the thing it self of the life eternal it self All that are not thus taught but learn only from a literal description and relations of things have not the knowledg of the new Covenant the knowledg of the thing it self but only an outward knowledg such as the first birth may catch at lay hold on and comprehend XXX Concerning the Fear of the new Covenant Quest What is the Fear of the new Covenant Answ It is the Fear which God puts in the hearts of his children which Fear cleanseth their hearts and keepeth them from departing from their God There is a great deal of difference between the Fear which may be learned from precepts from without and the Fear which God puts into the hearts of his Children from a root of life within which Fear is of an heavenly nature and is the free gift of God to his own heavenly Birth and none else which no man can possibly attain by any thoughts or reasonings of his own but only by the springings of life from God And he that would have this Fear must know the place of wisdom and wait there for it and when he hath it this Fear will soon begin to make him wise towards Salvation and teach him to depart from evil which is the cause of destruction Job 28.28 XXXI Concerning Hope Quest What is the true Hope Answ The stay of the Mind upon the Lord the stay of the heavenly birth upon its Father For we must distinguish between Hope and Hope There is the Hope of the hypocrite or false birth which shall perish and the Hope of the true birth which will never fail it nor make it ashamed because that birth is taught of God to hope aright Now in Hope there is both the ground of it and the Hope it self The ground of the Hope is God's Love God's Truth God's Faithfulness God's Grace his Seed his Christ felt within being of him united to him in him he in me here 's the ground of my assurance of the everlasting glory and inheritance which is sure to the seed and to all that are of and in the seed So knowing Christ within me feeling Christ within me living in him and he in me I have an anchor sure and steadfast within the vail which no storm no tempests no tryals no temptations present or to come have power over And then there is the Hope or hoping it self that is the staying of the Mind upon the Lord the leaning upon the Lord the retireing beyond all thought or reasonings or lookings out to the inward life to feel somewhat spring from it for the soul to Hope and trust in beyond all outward appearance And this Hope never deceives nor makes ashamed those who are taught of God thus to stay their minds upon him Nay though the state be darkness and no Light seen yet beneath the darkness there is somewhat to stay the Mind of the Child and Servant of the Lord till he appear and cause light to break out of obscurity for light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright even in their darkest saddest and most distressed conditions in all which the Lord is near them and there is still ground for them to Hope in him XXXII Concerning Peace Quest Which is the true Peace Answ The Peace which God speaks to the Soul the Peace which Christ gives to his own disciples The way of Truth the way of Life leads to Peace and the Peace which is found therein is of God's giving and is the true Peace First God breaths upon the heart begets a right birth a true Child then he leads him into the holy way the righteous way from that which loads and burthens to that wherein is the ease and rest Thus in the believing and following him there 's Joy and Peace This is experienced by all the true travellers and by none else No man with all his wisdom knowledg and understanding can so much as guess at what this Peace is The Peace of God the Peace which he speaks to his Children the nature of it the sweetness of it the heavenliness of it passeth mans understanding but he who is born from above who hath a new and heavenly understanding he knoweth the nature excellency and preciousness of it and would not for all this World for any fear or danger or expectation of any thing from without hazard the breaking off this precious Peace and Rest of his Soul in his God XXXIII Concerning Joy Quest Which is the true Joy Answ The Joy which flows from God's presence and the work of his power in the heart and the assured expectation which he gives of the full inheritance and glory of life everlasting When the Bridegroom is present when the soul is gathered home to him married to him in union with him in the holy living fellowship when he appears against the enemies of the Soul rising up against them breaking scattering them and giving of his good things filling with

the endless Life but he that would truly live must live in the spirit it self and he that would rightly walk on in his way must walk in that Spirit wherein he received life and wherein he that abideth lives before the Lord. Fifthly This I have also observed that all notional Faith wherein is not the living vertue as concerning Christ his sufferings death resurrection ascention intercession and concerning Justification by him c. the enemy will let the Soul alone with and let him enjoy peace in but his war is desperately against the true Faith against Faith in the true power against Faith in the light of Life O how many sore and sharp assaults doth he make against the Faith which receives its vertue from God and causeth the Soul to live to God! And how sore is it with the soul when Faith is weak and the enemy comes on against it with the strength of his assaults and temptations Lord encrease our Faith said the sensible disciples Sixtly It is a precious thing to feel Faith quickened by God and helped by God against the enemy For then the enemy cannot prevail against the Soul but the Soul through the vertue and power of life prevails over the enemy in the Faith And this is the great work of a Christian not only to wrestle and fight but to learn so to wrestle and so to fight as to overcome Seventhly That in the pure fear not that which is taught by the precepts of Men but which God puts into the heart Faith hath its strength and exerciseth its strength O who knows the preciousness of this Fear The power of Faith the power of Life the power of Salvation and everlasting preservation is revealed in it Therefore saith the Lord when he speaketh of providing for his Children in the new Covenant that they shall 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 shall not depart from me And when the Angel preached the Everlasting Gospel how did he preach it Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his Judgment is come c. Rev. 14. When the pure Fear is felt when that which is contrary to God is judged then the Gospel is known and the work thereof experienced in the heart And how easy is it when the pure fear is felt to distrust and deny ones self and trust in th● Lord O how weak are the reasonings and imaginations then and how strong is the powe● which scatters them and lifts up the head ove● them Now it concerns every one deeply to consder of what nature his Faith is and what vertu● is in it and what it can do in and through the Power of the Lord for him how it fetcheth in the true living nourishment every day how it delivers the Soul and gives it victory over that which Faith was appointed to deliver from For he who through the Faith overcometh that which is contrary to God shall inherit and he that fights the good fight of Faith shall overcome but he that overcomes not his enemies which stand in his way shall be sure to be hindred by them from attaining to his journeys end VIII Concerning Obedience some Experiences also First True Obedience Gospel-Obedience flows from life flows from the living faith If I could obey in all things that God requires of me yet that would not satisfy me unless I felt my Obedience flow from the birth of his Life in me My Father doth all in me saith Christ this was Christs comfort And to feel Christ do all in the Soul is the comfort of every one that truly believes in him Secondly True Obedience Gospel Obedience is natural to the birth which is born of God It is unnatural to the flesh to mans Wisdom to deny himself and take up the cross 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 conversant in and exercised about that which is Spiritual Thirdly That honouring and pleasing and answering the will of the Lord is the proper aim of the truly Obedient O how do they delight to do the will of God I have Meat saith Christ that ye know not of To do the will was his Meat and drink and it is Meat and Drink to all that are of his nature and Spirit If I should never have any other reward but the pleasure of Obedience yet I could not but say and testify that in answering the Law of the pure Life in keeping the holy statutes and commandments of Gods Spirit there is great reward But yet there is a crown also and a reaping after this Life of every thing that is sown to the Spirt and the crown is weighty and everlastingly glorious Fourthly Gospel Obedience is exceeding necessa●y in and to the Gospel-state Mark The Lamb is the leader and can any be saved by him but they that follow him When Christ calls out of the World must not the Soul come to him who is the Sheepherd And must not the Sheep 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 so come to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes Mark what a weight Christ layeth upon doing If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Why then the disciples cannot come to happiness but in the doing in the obeying of the will of Christ his Lord and Maker And he that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man that built his house upon a rock But the believer without doing the will is the foolish builder whose building will not stand Again saith Christ As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Father's Commandements and abide in his love The disciples whom he most dearly loved must keep his commandments if they will continue in his Love And his Apostles taught the same even the working out of the Salvation and the purifying 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 Subjection and Obedience thereto O blessed is he who meets with the power of Life which enables to obey and who is Obedient and subject to that power For he that truly believes in Christ is turned by him to his Light and to the power of his Father and the Peace Growth Joy Blessedness c is witnessed in subjection thereto VIII Concerning the Cross of Christ This I have experienced concerning the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ that it is an inward and spiritual thing produceing inward and

spiritual effects in the Mind and that this is it even that which slays the enmity in the mind and crucifies to the World and the affections thereof God forbid said the Apostle that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ 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 Cross The Cross hath its power and nothing else and so there is nothing else to glory in The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other Mind here is the Cross The Spirit which is contrary to the flesh which mortifies the flesh through the Obedience whereof the flesh is crucified If ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live Whatsoever is of and in the Spirit it is contrary to the flesh The light of the Spirit is contrary to the darkness of the flesh The holiness of the Spirit is contrary to the unholiness of the corrupt heart The Life of the Spirit is contrary to the Life or rather death that is in sin The power of the Spirit is contrary to the power that is in Satan and his Kingdom The Wisdom of God is contrary and a foolish thing to the Wisdom of man Yea the new Creature which springs from God's Holy Spirit is contrary and death to the old Now he that comes hither out of his own Wisdom out of his own will out of his own thoughts out of his own reasonings and comes to a discerning of God's Spirit and to the feeling of his begetting of life in his heart and his stirrings and movings in the life which he hath begotten and waits here and receives counsel here he is taught to deny himself and to joyn to and take up that by which Christ daily crosseth and subdueth in him that which is contrary to God And here is the fight of Faith and the good travel under the Cross whereby the holy journey is gone and the enemies which rise up to oppose in the way vanquished and overcome For here is the power revealed the preserving power the leading power the conquering power of him who rideth on conquering and to conquer his spiritual enemies in the hearts of his Children who know his voice and are subiect to him who daily denying themselves and taking up his Cross follow him Wo is to them that are at ease in Sion under any thing that is contrary to God but blessings are upon them whose dwelling is under the Cross and who know no ease but what it allows It will make Truth Life Holiness Righteousness Faith Obedience Meekness Patience Love Separation from Sin Communion with the Lord and all the fruits of the Spirit as natural to them in the renewed state as ever sin was in the corrupt state And in that state they shall be able to say with Paul who once complained of his captivity and that he did what he hated yet after he had known the power of the Cross and was crucified with Christ he could then do nothing against the truth but for the truth Yea then being a conquerer having overcome the enemies which stood in his way he could do all things through Christ that strengthened him The cause of so many complaints and bowings down the head going mourning because of the prevailings of the enemy through temptations sin and corruption is because the Cross of Christ which is the power of God which is his Ordinance against the strength of the enemy is either not known or not taken up And this is the reason that many that make a fair shew for a while yet afterwards come to nothing but are like untimely figs or like corn upon the House-tops which hastily springeth up but soon withereth because they either rightly never learn or keep not to the Cross For that alone hath power from God to bring down and keep down that which is contrary to him So that from under the Cross of Christ there is no witnessing Salvation or preservation from the Lord but out of the limits of the Cross the enemy hath power to recover and bring back under his dominion again And whosoever in his travels leaves the Cross behind him does draw back unto perdition and not travel on in the living faith and newness of Obedience towards the Salvation of the Soul X Concerning the Mystery of Life and the Mystery of the fellowship which is therein God is hid from Man as he lies in his sinful and fallen estate and no Man can find or know him but as he pleaseth to reveal himself by his own blessed Spirit And Christ being God's image there is no knowing or confessing him or right calling him Lord but in and by the same Spirit 1. Cor. 12 3. When he appeared in the days of his flesh flesh and bloud could not reveal him but only the Father And he is the same to day as he was yesterday He is not to be known now but in the same Spirit in his own Grace and Truth in a measure of his own Life The dead cannot know him they only know him who are his Sheep who are quickned and made alive by him And this Life is a Mystery none can understand 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 spiritually dead know what the Life of the Spirit means The natural Man may get the words that came from Life and cry up them and speak great words of the same of Wisdom and of her Children but the thing it self is hid from them all O it is a strait gate at which the birth enters at which none else can enter The wise and prudent knowers and searchers after the flesh and of the Scriptures as they can put meanings upon them and comprehend them are shut out in every age but ther 's a babe born of naked Truth born of the pure simplicity admitted by God while men disdain and despise it And the fellowship of the Saints is in the Life and in the Light which is this Mystery The fellowship is not outward but inward All they that meet together in the outward place are not in the fellowship or worship but only they they meet together in the inward Life and Spirit They that worship the Father must worship him in Spirit and Truth Look ther 's the worship there are the worshippers They that are in the Spirit in the Truth They that meet in the Spirit in the Truth they meet together in the one spiritual place as I may call it And so we own no man after the flesh no man according to the appearance but in the righteous judgment of the Spirit those only who are of the Spirit Indeed we are tender where there is the least beginning of the work of God in any