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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

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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
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
of purity and righteousness doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous 1 Joh. 3.7 So it is written without and so it is testified within by him that is born of God in whom the Seed remaineth which overcometh the wicked one bruiseth him and keepeth him under and the just live by the Faith which giveth victory over him A PREFACE TO THE EXPERIENCES IT hath pleased the Lord to unseal and open the Fountain of Life in the midst of his Heritage so that in his Light do they see Light and in his Life do they reap and enjoy Life And the precious Promises are fulfilled in the midst of them of sending the Comforter and pouring out of the Holy Spirit so that he that believeth out of his belly do flow rivers of living water Yea the Lord hath a vineyard of his own planting which he keepeth night and day lest any hurt it and watereth every moment O the streams of Life the streams of Love the streams of Grace the streams of Mercy the streams of Peace the streams of Joy and Consolation which flow from him into the Bosoms of his Children Indeed Grace and Mercy and Peace is multiplyed from God our Father in and through the Lord Jesus Christ daily insomuch as that saying of Christ to his disciples Joh. 14.26 27. is now fulfilled I say not that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you c. the Father in his Love hath brought us to the Son and the Son in the same Love hath brought us back to the Father and now the Love flows from the Father in and through the Son most naturally and abundantly And where the heart is Circumcised and much forgiven there also Love returns back most truly and naturally So that the Lord our God in the Lord Jesus Christ is loved with all the heart and with all the Soul and nothing is thought too good to sacrifice to him nor any thing too much to suffer for him O the pure Love that Springs and Flows between the heavenly Father and the Spiritual Child The best love that is to be found in this world in the Men of this World is not worthy to be a shadow of it God is Love and his Children are of him and partake of and dwell in the same love though the enmity and highest Wisdom of this World know them not nor can know them even as it never could know the Children of the true Wisdom sormerly Now from this Fountain do not only issue Springs and Streams of Life to refresh our own hearts but testimonies concerning the Life which we feel and partake of and concerning our travels from the dark Land through the valley of tears where he who gave us Life was our well towards our resting place These many times Spring up in us for the sakes of others of which nature are the things which follow For not for my own sake did they Spring up in me at this time but to signify to others of the Mercy the Lord hath shewn me and the way wherein he hath led me and what he hath given me to taste of an experience in the way which will answer every true paalate every palate that is seasoned with life and with the true experience And having received them from the Lord for this very end to hold them forth to others in Love and tenderness of Spirit my heart is freely given up to him therein not aiming at any thing thereby but his glory singly and the good of such Souls to whom he shall please to extend favour and shew Mercy in opening the heavenly Mistery of Life and Salvation to them I have often said in my heart Who hath begotten me these Who would have said that Sarah should have given Children Suck My wound was deep and seemed incurable But blessed be the Lord who hath made known to me the Phisitian of value for whom no disease is too hard but he is able to cure sickness and to relieve and rescue all that are captived and oppressed by the Devil that come unto him and wait upon him in the way of his righteous judgments and most tender Mercies For after all my Religion and deep exercises and inward experiences and knowledg I came to such a less of what I once had that I sensibly felt I knew not the Lord and lay continually groaning and Mourning after him and deeply afflicted for want of him O the pure Light and precious Life and sweet presence of my God that my Soul wanted insomuch that my moisture was turned into the drought of summer and my bones grown dry and withered But at length the Lord in his goodness O blessed for ever be his name breathed upon the dry bones and I felt Life enter from him into me and the days of deep sorrow and distress were at length forgotten because a man-child was at length conceived and brought forth And now wher 's the Sack-Cloth Wher 's the Ashes Oh ther 's beauty in Life instead of the Ashes in the state without Life and the garment of praise instead of the Spirit of heaviness O Glory Glory to the binder up of the bruised and broken-hearted to the redemer of the captives to the repairer of the breaches to the builder up of the wasted and des la●e ones Glory to his tender Mercy Glory to his Grace Glory to his Love Glory to his Wisdom Glory to his Power for ever and ever Amen Some Experiences added I. Concerning the Seed of the Kingdom COncerning the Seed of the Kingdom this I have experienced that it consists not in words or notions of the Mind but is an inward thing an inward spiritual substance in the heart as real inwardly in its kind as other Seeds are outwardly in their kind and that being received by faith and taking root in man his heart his earth being ploughed up and prepared for it it groweth up inwardly and bringeth forth fruit inwardly as truly and really as any outward Seed doth outwardly This Seed is known by its contrariety and enmity against the Seed of the Serpent against all the Seeds of evil in the heart of Men it discovering them turning the mind from them and warning against them and bruising and overcoming them in all that receive it and let in its holy nature which as an holy leaven or salt worketh out that which is unholy and unrighteous dark and dead and seasoneth with Light with Life with Grace with the Holiness and Righteousness of truth II. Concerning the Souls Food The Souls Food is that which nourisheth it which is the same with that which giveth it Life Every word proceeding out of the mouth of God every motion every quickning every operation of his Spirit is living and nourisheth the Soul with Life which receiveth it and feedeth on it The spiritual Manna the spiritual water from the holy Well or Fountain the Milk of the word the flesh and bloud of the Son of the
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
living God his words which are spirit and Life nourish up the living birth unto life everlasting How comes man to live at first but by hearing the voice of him that giveth life And how comes man to live afterwards and to increase in life but by hearing the same voice still Encline your Ear and come unto me hear and your Soul shall live c. Isa 55.3 This I have always experienced to give me Life to nourish up and strengthen me in Life even fresh Life communicated from the living Fountain and so my life is not in my self not in any thing I can comprehend concerning Christ but in being joyned to him in being ingraffed into him the holy root into him the true Olive-tree into his Spirit and so by the sap that springs up into me from him my life is maintained and increased in me daily Glory to his name for ever III. Concerning God's Power Concerning God's Power this I have experienced that that is it which doth the Work in the Soul It begets to God it brings out of the land of darkness it leads through all the entanglements and preserves in the midst of them all It breaks down the old building of sin and iniquity both inwardly and outwardly both in heart and also in life and conversation and raiseth the new and holy building It makes willing it makes obedient it gives to believe it gives to suffer O blessed be the Lord for the day of his Power which is inwardly broken forth O what would the poor child do the poor Lambs in the midst of Wolves inwardly and outwardly were it not for the Father's hand the Father's arm the Father's Power which is still with them and compasseth them about O blessed are they that know the ministration of life inwardly the Power of Life inwardly For in Life in the Seed of Life is the Holy Power which is manifest appears and works as it gains ground on the Creature to put forth and exercise in it the virtue and strength which it daily receiveth from its Father IV. Concerning Temptation Concerning Temptations this I have experienced that the strength and hurt of them as to the Soul lies in the souls looking at them For the strength of God is revealed in his Children against the tempter which being patiently waited for and trusted in will never fail them The least babe the Lord would not have let in Temptation and Sin but watch to that and keep joyned to that which will preserve out of the Temptation and out of the Sin God is faithful who hath care of all his and whose Promise is to all his and as he would have none sin so none that diligently wait shall want his Power to stand by them to preserve out of sin Look unto me and be saved all the ends of the Earth It 's universally true Look unto me trust in me look not at your selves trust not in your selves look not at the enemy fear not the enemy I will save you from every snare every Temptation as your eye is steadfast upon me What if the enemy come in like a floud if the Spirit of the Lord lift up a standard against him can he prevail what though he cast fiery darts What though he be set round about Will not the shield of Faith quench them all Will not the whole Armour of God defend and keep safe from them all If the enemy be resisted lawfully that is in true Faith in that Power which is engaged for the Soul against him Doth not the Power of the Lord arise and scatter him and strengthen and establish the Soul in the Grace and in the Truth O the holy mistery of the heavenly Warfare and of the working of the pure Power against the enemy which overcomes all his impurities and keeps clean from them Look not at the enemy let not in the reasonings of the Mind keep in thy patience keep in the pure fear in the holy living sense be only what thou art in the seed in the new birth in the Life which God hath begotten in thee then art thou safe then art thou in the name of the Lord which is the strong Tower The enemy indeed may make a noise about thee with his lusts with his temptations with his flouds with his storms with his fiery darts but he cannot enter thy habitatation The Spirit of darkness the Prince of darkness is shut out of the Land and Light of the Living Abide thou there dwell in the Light and walk in the Light as God is in the Light and he shall never have power over thee V. Concerning Prayer I have experienced Prayer to be the breathing of that birth which God begets to the Father of Life which begat it who by his Spirit makes known to it its Condition and wants and gives a suitable sense of heart and cries to it For as it is not in man to beget himself to God no more can he pray to God in his own will or time but as God pours out the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication upon him and by his Spirit teacheth and helpeth him to pray as he ought Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father I have had a sense of the natural man and of the spiritual man and of the Cryes and Prayers of each and this I have been taught and learned of God that the Gospel-Prayer is the Prayer of that birth which is begotten by the Spirit and Power of the Gospel and which prays in the Spirit and in the springings of the holy Life and Power whereby it rightly wrestles and prevails with God obtaining the Mercies and Blessings which it wrestles with him for For to this Child there is access to God in the Faith through that holy Spirit of Life which makes way for it to obtain Grace and Mercy in the time of need And through this Spirit it prays to God and prevails with him on the behalf of others also For the Prayers of the righteous avail much as it is written VI. Concerning Justification and Sanctification some things which it hath pleased the Lord in his tender Mercy to give me to experience First That it is the same Christ the same Spirit the same Life the same Wisdom the same Power the same Goodness Love and Mercy the same Water the same Blood which both justifies and sanctifies Secondly That Justification and Sanctification go hand in hand together There is none Justified but he that is in measure Sanctified and there is none Sanctified but he that is in measure Justified For God Justifieth by a rule by the new Covenant and according to the Law thereof And men receive and partake of Justification according as they are brought into and keep within the compass of that rule For God acted of old toward and Justified the children of the old Covenant according to the Law thereof and the Children of the new Covenant are Justified
enemy the Soul can now sing because of that strength and heavenly authority which the Lord putteth forth and exerciseth in the heare against him When the Well of Life the Well of Salvation the Saviours Well is kept open and the Philistins the uncircumcised Spirit Power and nature cast out that they can stop it no more but the soul can draw the water of Life out of the Well and Fountain of Life with Joy Ah then the Gospel-dispensation is indeed known and the blessed estate thereof witnessed and experienced I counsel thee to buy of me Gold tryed in the Fire that thou mayest be rich and white raiment that thou mayest be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayst see Rev. 3.18 What is the Gold tryed in the fire which man is to buy of Christ that he may be made rich therewith What is the white raiment which the soul is to be clothed with without which it is naked in God's sight and in the sight of the truly discerning and there is a time when the shame of its nakedness will appear more generally as it doth already to the eye of the spiritual man who Judgeth all things What is the eye-salve wherewith the eye is to be anointed or it cannot see Is it not precious to purchase this Gold and Raiment of Christ and to have this eye-salve to anoint the eye with and to keep it open that it may daily see its way and walk in the Light of the Lord Certainly this is all inward and Spiritual as a remnant witness it this day Glory to the Lord God But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 1 Joh. 2.27 The outward anointing was a shadow of the inward and had a glory in it under the dispensation of the Law and the inward anointing in the Gospel-dispensation is Spiritual and Divine and exceeding glorious Christ the anointed one anoints all his No being a Son without being begotten by the Spirit and Power of the Father and no abiding a Son but by the Virtue and Power of the same Spirit remaining in and with the Soul so that every Son receives of the anointing of the Father Christ received the Spirit the fulness that he might give to them a proportion Now to experience this anointing and to experience it abiding and teaching all things and to know this voice the voice of the Sheepherd the voice of the anointing which the Sheep still finds to be true and no lye and to abide in the Vine in the Life in the Spirit in the Power as this Spirit or Anointing teacheth Oh here 's the sweet state the clear state the blessed state Here the Promises and Blessings are Yea and Amen in Christ and the Soul can say He is Faithful and Just who hath Promised who hath opened the treasures of Life to his Family to his House to his Children to his Servants and blesseth them with all Spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Surely his Salvation is nigh them that fear him that Glory may dwell in our Land Mercy and Truth are met Righteousness and Peace have kissed Truth shall spring out of the earth and Righteousness shall look down from heaven Yea the Lord shall give that which is good and our Land shall yield her increase Righteousness shall go before him and shall set us in the way of his steps Psal 85.9 to the end Is it not precious to witness that fear of God in the heart to which Salvation is nigh and the Land wherein Glory dwells Where Mercy and Truth meet Righteousness and Peace kiss Where Truth springs out of the Earth and Righteousness looks down from Heaven Where God gives that which is good and the Land of the Living yields the increase of Life to him Where righteousness goes before him and he sets his in the way of his steps Where the Lamb goes before and the way is not known but as the Lamb goes before and leads into it Where God is the Sheepherd and the Soul doth not want because he maketh it to lie down in pastures of tender grass and leadeth by the waters of quietness where it drinks of the brook in the way and in the paths of righteousness for his names sake see Psal 23. Is there not a Kingdom of darkness a Land of iniquity inwardly and do not they they that dwell here and sit there dwell in darkness and sit in the region and shadow of death And is there not a travel out of this Land into the holy Land the Land of Light the Land of the Living and a translation out of this Kingdom into the Kingdom of the dear Son And is not God the Sheepherd there Christ the Bishop of the Soul there and doth not he oversee and take care of souls there leading them into fresh pastures and by the soft flowing waters Is not Salvation nigh there yea round about that Land doth not Mercy and Truth meet there Righteousness and Peace kiss there yea doth not the glory of the most high dwell in and overshadow that Land Is not the eye of the Lord upon it for good from one end of the year to the other doth not he watch over it night and day that none hurt it and water it in the proper seasons O who can utter the Goodness and Glory of the Lord which is revealed and shines here Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Here are several things which in their order and seasons the living come to a certain and sensible experience of As first Christs standing at the door and knocking What is the door at which he stands and how doth he knock How doth the contrary Spirit knock how doth his Spirit knock Secondly What is his Voice and how is his Voice heard To hear Wisdoms cry within in the inward streets his call at the door at which he would enter Must not the true ear in some measure be opened first Can any one hear without an ear Thirdly What it is to open the door there is a door-keepers state to be witnessed and the right door-keeper knows how to open and how to shut the door and is exercised in opening and shutting the door The King of glory is to be opened to and let in but no wolf no stranger no strange Spirit is to be hearkned or opened to Fourthly What Christ's coming in is at the door opened to him When he knocks would he not come in Would he stand alwayes at the door knocking Nay nay when the door is opened at which he knocks he who is the