Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	answ_n	holy_a	zion_n	19	3	9.2613	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

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

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

be confined to an outward order of men as the ministry of the law was but whoever hath received the gift so he is to minister as the Lord guides leads and orders him in the use of that gift which he hath bestowed upon him for that end And what if he be an herdsman a fisherman a Tent-maker or the like yet if God hath poured out his spirit upon him and openeth his mouth he hath not only liberty but more even authority from the Lord God almighty to speak in his name either for turning men unto Christ the light and life of men or for building men up in their holy faith in him whose spirit and power was and is the resurrection of the life for evermore XI Concerning trying of Spirits and searching the Heart Quest What is it which searcheth the heart and infallibly tries Spirits Answ Gods Spirit Gods word nigh in the heart and mouth separateth and giveth true discerning and judgment there to all whose ears are circumcised and inclined to it Gods Spirit is the spirit of judgment and where he is given the spirit of judgment is given and he judgeth in his children by the quickning life and sense he bestoweth on them which distinguisheth between life and death between truth and deceit yea between the same words when they come from the dead spirit and when they are spoken in his living power Christ gives his spirit to his sheep which gives them to know his voice to know when life speaks and when words are living and food for the living and in what mouth they are dead and cannot yield living nourishment XII Concerning things necessary to Salvation Quest Whether all things necessary to Salvation be contained in the Scriptures Answ The Scriptures give testimony concerning the one thing necessary to salvation but the thing it self Christ himself the seed it self is not contained in the Scriptures but revealed in the shinings of the true light and so received or rejected inwardly in the heart Behold I stand at the door and knock Blessed are they that hear his voice and believe him knocking and open to him and receive him who gives eternal life and power to become Sons of God to as many as receive him and believe in and give up to the inward revealings of his redeeming arm and power therein To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed They in and to whom this arm is revealed Christ is revealed and they in whom and to whom Christ is revealed know the one thing necessary even him who is life eternal in whom all other necessary things are wrapped up and by whom they are conveyed to the soul according to its need by him who is faithful in all his house and takes care of every sheep which the Father committeth to him XIII Concerning the true Gospel-Church or Society Quest What is the true Gospel-Church or society Answ A company of true believers in the spirit and power of the Lord Jesus Christ A company of true Jews inward Jews Jews in Spirit of the true circumcision whom the Father hath sought out and made true inward worshippers Such as are gathered to the name and gathered together in the name of the Lord Jesus to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God through him A company of living stones who have received life from him the foundation-stone and met together to wait upon and worship the Father in the life and Spirit which they have received from him This is the holy Church or living assembly of the New-Testament blessed are they that are of it For about this Church is the wall of Salvation and they that are added by Gods spirit and power to this Church and abide in it shall certainly be saved XIV Concerning the way to Salvation Quest Which is the certain and infallible way to Salvation Answ It is a new and living way it is such a way as none but the living can walk in It is an holy way which none but the cleansed the ransomed the redeemed of the Lord can set one step in The way the life and the truth are all one blessed are they that find it and walk in it In plain and express terms It is the Lord Jesus the light of the Lord Jesus the life of the Lord Jesus the Spirit of the Lord Jesus the Truth as it is in him his wisdom his power he himself the covenant or holy limit between God and the Soul He that comes into him comes into the way he that abides in him abides in the way he that walks in him walks in the way He that comes to his light his life his Spirit his truth in the inward parts comes to him he that abides therein abides in him he that walks therein walks in him and he that walks out of the light and leadings of his Spirit let him walk in what form he will yet he walks not in him the way XV. Concerning Christs saving the Soul Quest How doth Christ save the Soul Answ By visiting inwardly knocking inwardly appearing inwardly causing the light of life to shine inwardly and so enlightning and quickning inwardly breaking the strength of the enemy inwardly and bringing out of the region and shadow of darkness inwardly into the region and path of light By the light and power of his spirit he begets a child of light which child of light he brings out of Egypt the dark land out of Sodom the filthy unclean Land out of Babylon the Land and City of confusion where the Spirit of the living God and the holy order of life and his precious government in the heart is not so much as known and brings him into the light where He his Father dwels And this child of light is not of the nature of darkness but light in the Lord and walks in the light as he is in the light and by the further shining and working of the light and life in him he preserves and saves him daily more and more XVI Concerning Regeneration or the New birth Quest What is the Regeneration or the new birth Answ It is an inward change by the spirit and power of the living God into his own nature It is a being begotten of his Spirit born of his Spirit begotten into and born of the very nature of his Spirit That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3. It is not every change of mind which is the right change but only that which God by the very same power wherewith he raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the Grave makes in the hearts of those whom he visits who are sensible of receive and are subject to his inward Life Light and Power XVII Concerning true Holiness Quest What is true Holiness Answ That holy nature and those holy actions which arise from the holy root all else are but imitations of holiness not the true holiness The tree must be made good first and then the fruit will be good also There are many likenesses of

the true holiness up and down in several professions but there is no real holiness to be found nor righteousnes neither but in the trees of Gods planting in the branches which are by him ingraffed into the true Vine and Olive-tree whose strength of vertue and holiness lies in the lap which they daily receive from him XVIII Concerning Christs works outwardly in the days of his flesh and inwardly in the day and inward shining of the light of his spirit in the heart Quest Which are greater the works which Christ did outwardly on the Bodies of men in the days of his flesh or which he doth inwardly in mens Minds and Spirits by the powerful appearance and operation of his Spirit because Christ said the works that he did those that believed on him should do and greater also because he went to the Father Joh. 14.12 Answ Doubtless to reach to the Soul and quicken the Soul and raise the Soul out of the grave of death and cure the blindness deafness hardness and diseases of the soul is greater than the outward and was signified by the outward XIX Concerning the yoke or cross of Christ Quest What is the yoke or cross of Christ Answ It is inward as that which is to be crucified is chiefly inward It is that gift of God that light of his Spirit which is contrary to the darkness contrary to all that is corrupt which wills against it and wars against it and being received subjected to and born patiently takes away the life of the flesh the will and wisdom of the flesh and all the subtile reasonings and devices of the fleshly part and so that languishes and dies and Gods plant is eased of it and the soul abiding under this cross comes into the true pure and perfect liberty where it hath scope unto holiness freedom unto righteousness and is in strait bonds and holy chains from all liberty to the flesh and from all unholiness and unrighteousness of every kind XX. Concerning making our Calling and Election sure Quest How may a man make his Calling and Election sure Answ By making the gift of God sure to him by making that sure to him wherein the Calling and Election is For the choice is of the seed the holy seed the inward seed the seed of Gods Spirit and of the creature as joyned to the seed God would have none to perish but would have all come to the knowledg of Christ the Truth who is the seed in whom the Election stands and his holy advice to men is whom he begins to call and to lead towards the Election To make their Calling and Election sure So that the way of making the Calling and Election sure is to make the gift sure the seed sure the leaven sure the pearl sure which God will never reject nor any that are found in true union with it and in the love and obedience of it O therefore as God visits with power with his powerful gift and as thou receivest power dominion and authority over sin for in this gift is God's dominion and authority revealed be faithful to the gift be faithful to the power give up to the truth in the inward parts come into it dwell in it that thou mayst feel its vertue and delivering nature from every enslaving and embondaging thing and then stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ the Lord by the life vertue and power of his truth sets thee free And so here thou wilt read thy Calling and read thy Election day by day and find them sealed and sure to thee in that truth in that gift in that Heavenly Light in that holy seed which came from God and is of him and which he delights to own and will never reject XXI Concerning Prayer Quest Which is the true Prayer Answ The breathings which arise from the true birth from the living sense which God gives to the true birth that is the true prayer There is a spirit of prayer and supplication given by God to his children to wrestle and prevail with him by All prayer that arises from and is given by that Spirit is true prayer all other prayer is not right and true but at best but an imitation of the true We know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Mark the very groanings that come from Gods Spirit from his breathing and work upon the heart are right prayers in Gods sight but other sighs and groans are not so XXII Concerning Repentance Quest Which is the true Repentance Answ That which Christ gives whom God hath exalted to be the Prince and Saviour to give Repentance and forgiveness of sins Acts 5.31 It is not in man's power to repent his heart is hard and impenitent It is God's power which melteth tendereth and changeth the heart So that there is a great difference between the sense and sorrow of mans nature and the sense and sorrow which God gives to the heart which he renews and changes The one is of an earthly the other of a heavenly nature The one is like the early dew or morning cloud it soon passeth away the other is written in the new heart and abideth So that in it there is a real sorrow and mourning over the corrupt nature and all the dead works of the flesh and a turning from them and medling no more with them This is the Repentance of the renewed ones which is the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ unto them and is a godly sorrow for sin not to be repented of XXIII Concerning Faith Quest What is the true Faith Answ It is a belief in the power which saves from a true sense and experience of it in the heart For the power which saves must first manifest it self before it can be believed in And how doth it manifest it self but by shining in the heart which hath been darkened by transgression to open the eye of the understanding which the God of the World hath Blinded and to unstop the deaf Ear and so it begets and creats somewhat capable to receive its further manifestation The Scripture speaks of a new Creation in Christ Indeed all true believers are so and they have the ability the faculty the power of believing from him who creates them anew There is that which is called Faith in unregenerate men but that is not the Faith I am now speaking of but that which is the gift of God to his own birth to his own begotten To you it is given not only to believe c. Phil. 1.29 Mark it is given to believe O this holy gift this Faith of the new birth is the Faith which pleaseth God prevaileth with him purifieth the heart to which it is given giveth access to God interest in his power and promises and victory over the worldly nature and over all the Soul's enemies Blessed be the Lord for bestowing and increasing it in the hearts of his

Children XXIV Concerning Obedience Quest What is the true Obedience Answ The Obedience which slows from th● true understanding of God's will and from th● holy nature which he begets in the heart It is the Obedience which slows from true sense true understanding and true faith There is no birth can believe aright but one nor is there any birth can obey aright but that birth which believes aright The true believing is from the quickning vertue of God's spirit all other Faith is but dead Faith and the true Obedience is in the newness of the spirit Rom. 6.4 an● 7.6 Man may strive to understand and obey all his days but he can do neither but as he i● quickned taught and enabled of the Lord Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes Psal 119.33 There is a mystical path of life Th● way of wisdom the way of holiness the holy skill of obeying the truth is hid from all living from all mankind but such as are begotten and brought up by him in the holy skill and mystery of subjection to the Lord. The people shall be a willing people in the any of thy ●●●er It is the power of God that works the will in the heart and the same power works to do also and none can learn either to will or to do ●righ●● but as they come to be acquainted with that power joyned to that power and feel that power working in them And here in this power to this new birth faith and the Holy Obedience are as natural as unbelief and disobedience is to the birth of the flesh It is frequently and abundantly experienced by his holy birth by the child of his begetting Blessed be the name of the Lord. XXV Concerning Justification Quest What is Justification or how is a man justified in the sight of God Answ By a true sense of and Faith in that which justifies which is the spirit the life the water the bloud the vertue the power of the Lord Jesus All these are one in nature and they go together Man is sinful naturally fallen from God found a transgressor against him Now he needs Justification from his sins and he needs Justification in respect of what God hath entrusted him with and requires of him and in the new birth and joyning to the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ he meets with both Being quickned by his holy spirit turned from the darkness coming into the light and walking in the light there his sins are done away blotted out as if they had never been for his names sake and there he receiveth a new ability a new heart a new spirit yea the spirit of the living God to quicken him and work in him and whatever he doth in this spirit or rather what God doth by him in and through this spirit is justified owned and accepted God finds no fault in any of the fruits of his own spirit in any of the children of men but only in the fruits of the flesh And if for want of watchfulness the enemy should prevail and draw into a snare yet upon turning to the light of Gods holy Spirit which discovers and reproves for it in the holy light the water flows the bloud is sprinkled the conscience is cleansed and so becomes clean even in God's sight O blessed is he who is not deceived with dead notions of Justification but feels the Justification which comes from God and is accompanied with a living sense and with the testimony of his holy Spirit XXVI Concerning Good Works Quest What are Good Works Answ The Works that flow from God's good Spirit the Works that are wrought in God they are good Works The Works of the new birth of the new creature are good Works whereas all the works of the flesh are bad though never so onely painted All its thoughts imaginations reasonings willings runnings hunting to find out God and heavenly things with all its sacrifices are corrupt and evil having of the bad leaven of the bad nature in them Make the tree good or its fruit can never be good So that they are only the good Works that flow from the good tree from the good root And here all the works of the flesh though never so glorious and taking in mans eye are shut out by Gods measure by Gods line and plummet of righteousness and true Judgment and every work of God's Spirit the meanest work of faith the least labour of true love the least shining of life in the heart and the giving up thereto ●s owned by God as coming from him and wrought in him who worketh both to will and ●o do of his own good pleasure He that is ga●hered to the light which God hath enlightned him with hath received the light dwelleth in the light and walketh in the light th● spirit of the living God is near him and dwelleth with him and worketh in him and h● bringeth his deeds to the Light where it 〈◊〉 manifest that they are wrought in God B● he that is out of the inward Light of God's holy Spirit his works are not wrought in God and so can but make a fair shew in the Flesh 〈◊〉 the fleshly eye but are not good in God's sigh● The erring mans way and works are often rigi● in his own eyes ah but blessed is he whe● way and works are good and right in the ey● of the Lord in the judgment of his searchin● unerring Light and Spirit XXVII Concerning Love Quest Which is the true Love Answ The Love which ariseth from the n●ture which God begets and from his circumcising the heart from the other nature Lo●● is the beautiful thing What can be high●● expressed concerning God himself than to sa● he is Love Love is greatly commended and admired and there are many pretenders to it b●● none have the true Love but only those that ar● born of God and circumcised by him T● Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live Deut. 30.6 Mark The true Love ariseth from the true circumcision And the more a man comes to have his heart circumcised from the fleshly nature and to grow up in the pure and heavenly nature the more he loves God is Love and the nigher any one comes to him and the more he partakes of him the more he becomes Love in the Lord and the more he is taught of God to love the Lord his God and his brethren in the spirit and all mankind who are of his bloud for of one bloud God made all mankind according to the flesh or according to a natural consideration XXVIII Concerning Meekness and Patience Quest Which is the true Meekness and Patience Answ The Meekness and Patience which ariseth from the Lambs nature Deceit will put on an appearance of Love and deceit will put on also an appearance of Meekness and Patience but it cannot put on the

Life filling with Love filling with Virtue feasting the Soul in the presence of the Father O what sweet joy O what fulness of Joy is there then in the heart In thy presence is fulness of Joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore said the Psalmist Psal 16.11 Surely he had had a taste of the thing he had been in God's presence and that made him cry out Cast me not away from thy presence Psal 51.11 and he had drunk of the river of God's pleasure which is at his right hand which made him speak so sensibly of it Psal 36.8 and 46.4 Christ said to his disciples that because of his going away they should have sorrow but he would see them again and their heart should rejoice and their joy no man should come from them Joh. 16.22 How or when was this fulfilled What were they sorry for Was it not the loss of his outward presence which had been so sweet and comfortable to them How would he come to them again Was it not by the Comforter Was it not by his inward and spiritual presence So that he that was with them should be in them Before they knew Christ with them now they should know Christ in them the Father in them and they in him Immanuel the Gospel-state God with us dwelling with us tabernacling in us living in us walking in us and we living and walking in him When the Apostles came to this state then they came to witness the Joy in the Holy Ghost even the Joy unspeakable and full of glory And hence it is that the Gospel-state is a state of Joy and rejoycing in the Lord even in his glorious living presence and in the glory of his power For in the Gospel-state the true light shines inwardly in the heart the life is manifested and being manifested they that come into the manifestation of it come into the holy union and into the holy fellowship with the Father and Son where the Joy is and where the Joy is full where the power is revealed which does away that which is contrary to the holy fellowship and hinders the holy Joy and rejoicing in the Lord. See 1 John 1.3 4. XXXIV Concerning Poverty of Spirit and Humility Quest Which is the right Poverty of Spirit and the true Humility Answ That Poverty and Humility of Spirit which springeth from the same root from which the Faith the Love the Peace the Joy and the other heavenly things arise and is of the same nature There is a voluntary Humility and a voluntary Poverty even of Spirit which man casts himself into and forms in himself by his own workings and reasonings This is not the true but the false image or counterfeit of the true But then there is a Poverty which ariseth from God's emptying the Creature from God's stripping the Creature and an Humility which ariseth from a new heart and nature This is of the right kind and is lasting and abides in the midst of the riches and glory of the Kingdom For as Christ was poor in Spirit before his Father and lowly in heart in the midst of all the fulness which he received from him so it is with these who are of the same birth and nature with Christ They are filled with Humility and Cloathed with Humility in the midst of all the Graces and heavenly riches which God fills them and adorns them with Keep in the faith keep in the Truth keep in the Light keep in the Power it excludes boasting in or after the flesh and keeps the Mind in that Humility and Poverty of Spirit which God hath brought and daily further and further brings it into and so the Humility and Poverty remains poor in Spirit for ever humble in Spirit forever nothing before the Lord for ever even as that remains which brought into that frame and keeps in that frame for ever And so the Lord of Life is only exalted and the Creature kept abased before him and low for ever and is nothing but as the Lord pleaseth to fill and make it to be what it is So what I am I am by God's Love by his Grace by his Mercy by his Goodne s by his Power by his Wisdom by his Righteousness b his Holiness which he of his own good pleasure communicateth and causeth to spring in me and filleth and cloatheth me with as seemeth good in his sight The Conclusion There is mention made in the Book of the Revelations in the Ep stles from Christ to the Seven Churches of Asia of a tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God the fruit whereof is good for food and the leaves thereof for the healing of the Nations and of hidden Manna and a white stone and in the stone a new name written which none knoweth but he that receiveth it and of a morning-star to be given and power over the Nations to rule their spirit even as Christ hath received of his Father and of being cloathed in white and his Name confessed before the Father This is the Sheep of my told the child of my Father's begetting who is named by me among the living I know him by his name Joh. 10.3 as also of being a pillar in the Temple of God and of going no more out but bearing the name of God and the name of the City of God the new Jerusalem which cometh down from God out of Heaven and of Christ's new name Oh what is that and of sitting with Christ in his throne This is the generation of spiritual Kings who have a Spiritual Kingdom and a Spiritual Throne even Christ's Kingdom and Christ's Throne the royal Priesthood of God O precious things O rich glory Surely Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor hath it entred into the Heart of men to conceive what these things are Now he that would witness these things he that would know experience and enjoy these things must mind that seed in which they are wrapped up as in a seed and out of which they spring and shoot forth The Kingdom is in the seed the Throne in the seed the Power in the seed He that is united to the seed and abideth in the seed receiveth power from the seed and overcometh shall inherit all things And I will be his God and he shall be my Son Rev. 21.7 But he that will be so must not be fearful or unbelieving of overcoming sin or his souls 〈…〉 must depend upon the Almighty and alsufficient Power of God which will give him vict●ry over sin and keep him that he touch no unclean things that he may be h●ly as the Lord his God is holy and righteous even as the Lord his God is righteous Indeed it becometh the heavenly Children to partake of the Divine Life of the heavenly nature of their Father and be like him And he that partaketh of his nature of his holiness Heb. 12.10 is holy as he is holy and he that from the holy root

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

have the witness in themselves the living testimony which none can put out or take away from them He hath opened mine eyes he hath opened my heart he hath raised me out of the grave he hath given me eternal Life He hath changed me inwardly created me inwardly by the working of his mighty power and I daily live am preserved and grow by the same power I feel his Life his vertue his power his presence day by day He is with me he lives in me and I live not of my self but by feeling him to live in me finding life spring up from him into me and through me and therein lies all my ability and strength for evermore A few words in the Bowels of tender Love and Good Will to my Native Country It is written When thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the World shall learn Righteousness O that this might be verified concerning thee O England even that thou mightest learn Righteousness and that the dayes of thy unrighteousness might come to an end Have not God's judgments been upon thee Yea are not God's Judgments still upon thee And can any thing divert them from coming more upon thee but thy speedy returning unto the Lord in breaking off thy sins by unfeigned Repentance O that thou mightest be sensible of the hand of the Lord and mightest hear the Rod and him who hath appointed it The Lord hath power over all Nations and can break them in peices as a Potters Vessel They are but as the drop of a Bucket as the small dust of the Ballance they are before him as nothing and are counted to him less than nothing and vanity Read Isa 24. See how God will plead with Nations and consider whether he be not dealing thus with thee O hath not that been found in thee and is not that found in thee which provoketh the Lord exceedingly O that the weighty sense of thy sins were upon thee and that thou mightest truly repent and turn from them that thou mightest reap the benefit of God's Judgments and learn Righteousness and his Indignation might be removed from thee and his tender Bowels of compassion move towards thee But perhaps some may say What is the Righteousness we should learn Answ O learn to know God that is a righteous thing Learn to fear God Learn to worship him aright How is that Why in his own Spirit and Truth in which he seeks to be worshiped Learn Humility towards God learn Justice and Mercy towards Men. Learn to love thy Enemies If ye will be Christians that is the Law of Christ But that which is called the Christian world many of them have not yet learned so much as to love their Friends but hate and persecute such as fear the Lord and seek their good and stand in the gap to keep back the Wrath of the Lord from breaking in upon them and are wrestling mightily with him with strong cries that he would stay the sharpness thereof that it might not break forth to their destruction Learn to do to others as ye would be done to Do not do to any because of their Religion and tender Consciences towards the Lord what ye would not have done to your selves because of your Religion How long will it be ere ye learn this how many Judgments and Distresses shall come upon you before ye bow in Spirit under the mighty hand of God and yield your selves in submission to him to learn things of him Quest But how shall we learn Righteousness Answ Retire inwardly to that and harken inwardly to that which gives the sence of Judgments and learn of that and that will wean you inwardly from all your unrighteousness and teach you Righteousness There is that inwardly in the unregenerate which hardens and misleads there is also that inwardly which tenders melts teacheth and leadeth aright as it is believed in and obeyed O that men knew the difference between these two and how to turn from the one to the other For out of the heart proceeds all that is evil and vain and out of the heart are the issues of Life also The well or puddle of the muddy Waters of the Waters of Egypt of the Wine of Sodom and Waters of Babylon is there and the Well and Cistern of the pure Waters is there also O my native Country that thou mightest be the first Nation in this age of the World that might pass through the judgments of God and be cleansed thereby and be happy O that thy Rulers and Governors were weaned from the spirit and wisdom of this World and might receive of God's holy Spirit and Wisdom and Judge and Govern themselves and the people thereby When the Jew outward was chosen to be the people of God did not he pour out of his Spirit to govern them by Were the Judges Kings and Leaders thereof only anointed with outward Oyl were they not also anointed with God's Spirit And can any Christian Magistrate govern aright any Christian Nation without the assistance and guidance of the same Spirit And O that all the people were anointed also that they might be inwardly Kings and Priests to the Lord and the Kingdom of Christ might be inwardly set up in all their hearts and every man might reign in and through him over the enemies of his own soul O that the Power and Glory of the Lord might cover thy Governors and Inhabitants O England O the prayers that have been long put up in bowels of tenderness for thee O the besome of the Lord the besome of his Righteous Judgments that it might sweep the hearts of men inwardly that this Nation might be prepared for the Glory of the Lord for the Glory which he reveals in his Heavenly birth to break forth outwardly to the admiration and magnifying of the work of his Power in the eyes of all beholders Amen Amen THE END A Brief TABLE of the CONTENTS 1. COncerning understanding the Scriptures Page 11 2. Concerning the illuminating and Sanctifying Spirit Page 12 3. Concerning the Spirit of God and the Scriptures Page 13 4. Concerning the perfect and converting Law of God Page 14 5. Concerning David's Longings Page 15 6. Concerning the Spiritual Sun Page 16 7. Concerning the Words being a fire and hammer Page 17 8. Concerning God's writing his Law in the heart Page 18 9. Concerning the inward Light of God's Spirit Page 19 10. Concerning the Gospel-Ministers and Ministry Page 20 11. Concerning trying of Spirits c. Page 22 12. Concerning things necessary to Salvation Page 23 13. Concerning the True Gospel-Church Page 24 14. Concerning the way to Salvation Page 25 15. Concerning Christs saving the Soul Page 26 16. Concerning Regeneration Page 27 17. Concerning true Holiness ibid. 18. Concerning Christs works Page 28 19. Concerning the Yoke or Cross of Christ Page 29 20. Concerning making our Calling and Election sure ibid 21. Concerning Prayer Page 31 22. Concerning Repentance Page 32 23. Concerning Faith Page 33 24. Concerning Obedience Page 34 25. Concerning Justification Page 35 26. Concerning good Works Page 37 27. Concerning Love Page 38 28. Concerning Meekness and Patience Page 39 29. Concerning the knowledg of the new Covenant Page 40 30. Concerning the Fear of the new Covenant Page 42 31. Concerning Hope Page 43 32. Concerning Peace Page 44 33 Concerning Joy Page 45 34. Concerning Poverty of Spirit and Humility Page 46 The Conclusion Page 49 EXPERIENCES 1. Concerning the Seed of the Kingdom Page 57 2. Concerning the Souls food Page 58 3. Concerning Gods power Page 59 4. Concerning Temptations Page 60 5. Concerning Prayer Page 62 6. Concerning Justification and Sanctification Page 63 7. Concerning Faith Page 67 8. Concerning Obedience Page 71 9. Concerning the Cross of Christ Page 74 10. Concerning the Mystery Page 77 11. Right judging experienced Page 80 12. About knowing God's Spirit Page 84 13. Queries concerning the Seed of the Kingdom Page 85 14. Postcript to the experiences Page 91 Some Scriptures very sweet c. Page 93 A few words Concerning the true Christ Page 111 A few words to my native Country Page 115 ERRATA THe Stops have been much misplaced and many left out which the Reader is desired by his careful observation of the matter to supply the defect herein Some Errors which alter or may hinder the understanding of the sense are here taken notice of PAg. 6. lin 6. read those l. 14. r. grow P. 16. l. 3. f. they r. thy P. 22. l. 8. r. and the life P. 24. l. 20. r. meet together P. 27. l. 3. Blot out the first the. P. 54. l. 21. r. and experience P. 55. l. 16. r. to cure every Sickness P. 57. l. 17. r. Warring against them P. 61. l. 16. r. in the patience P. 64. l. 13. blot out the word for P. 68. l. 14. r. from P. 73. l. 8. Lord and Master P. 74. l 7. r. producing l. 17. r. hath this power P. 83. l. 12. r. bring Through the misunderstanding of the Printer the Titles over the pages belonging to that part of the Book called Experiences were omitted and the Title belonging to the following part put in heir stead which the Reader is desired thus to amend Experiences pag. 57 to p. 63. Concerning Justification and Sanctification p. 63 to 67. Experiences concerning Faith p. 67 to 71. Experiences concerning Obedience p. 71 to 74. The Cross of Christ experienced p. 74 to 77. The Mystery experienced p. 77 to 80. Right Judging experienced p. 80 to 84. How to know God's Spirit p. 84. Experimental Queries p. 85 to 90. How to know the Seed A serious Examination A Postscript to the Experiences p. 91 to 93.