another word may come from them proper to our state then to warn us not to despise Prophesying or the Gifts Power and Authority of Life in others Now both these are proper usefull and weighty in their seasons when given forth by the Spirit of the Lord. Nor are they contradictory one to the other but subservient in their seasons and places which that which is of God feels but that which is erred from God and joyned to another under a false representation and belief of things feels not but finds a seeming difference and sets them at variance one with another as if they could not stand together And this is the false nature the false spirit the false appearance of life which appears as if it were the Measure of the pure true Life but is not This is the false Woman the false Wisdom whose heart is as snares and nets and her hands bands who so pleaseth God abiding in the Measure of his Truth shall escape her but the sinner that departs therefrom shall be taken by her Therefore fear the Lord come to that which first convinced to the first Truth to the first Sense to the first Love c. and all these Imaginations of the mind and subtile devices of the Enemy will fly away and thy poor entangled Soul be delivered as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler If the Enemy should directly cry out against God or his Christ or his Grace or the Measure of his Truth he would easily be espied and turned from Therefore he teacheth to cry up these in a wrong spirit and judgment and after a wrong manner to undermine betray and lead the heart from that secretly which openly it would never hear any thing against Now those that are thus deceived are exceedingly to be pittied and their deliverance from their entanglements and captivities to be breathed after and waited for For I may say in truth and upright sence of heart There are many that look towards Sion who yet are ignorant of the devices and slights of Satan to entangle them in their way and some are caught in his snares like foolish Birds catching at the chaff which makes the bigger shew instead of the Wheat losing the Substance for a shadow the Life and Power in the heart for a Notion and Conceit in the brain And these are wise in their own eyes so that indeed it is very hard to reach or recover them yea much harder than it was at first because they are become more rooted and setled in the wrong ground yea in a worse earth than they were when they were first reached to by the Power of Truth Yet over these there is a deep Lamentation and for these a sore Travel which the Lord God bless and prosper for their recovery unto that from which through mistake they have erred Object 4. If any man hath received a gift of Ministry he hath received it of the Lord and its end being to gather to the Lord they that by it are gathered are to be delivered up to the Lord that he as King Priest and Prophet may govern c. Answ The end of the Ministry is not only to gather but also to preserve and build up what is gathered even to perfection And the Soul being especially at first if not for a long time weak and babish not so fully acquainted with the measure of Life having had but some touches and demonstrations of it but not being gathered fully into it nor rooted and setled in it I say the Soul in this state hath as much need of the Ministry to preserve direct and watch over it in the Truth as to gather it out of the World Therefore the Father in his tender mercy and love hath appointed those who are grown in his Life and in the power and authority of his Spirit to oversee watch over instruct and take care of the Flock so as they may give to him an account of their Souls and in their care diligence and faithfulness they are owned and blessed of the Lord and the other in their holy fear reverence and subjection Now this is right Order from God wherein the safety of the Flock consists but out of this is danger and confusion which the Measure of Life teacheth to avoid Object 5. But in a Case of doubt or difference which shall be the Judge the Measure of Life within or the Testimony of others without Shall I judge as I feel the thing in the measure of my own Life or shall I submit to others against my own sense and judgment because I have an esteem of them as being much above me in the growth sense and understanding of truth Answ It is a great matter to judge aright and to discern and know the Measure of Truth the voice motion and judgment thereof from all the Enemies false appearances and from all the deceits of the heart This is most certain Jerusalem the Heavenly-Building the Church of the First-born is at unity with it self Truth is pure eternal unchangable alwayes the same the same in every Member in every Vessel throughout the whole Body And this I may say concerning its appearance in this our Age Was ever the like Unity known and brought forth since the dayes of the Apostles how hath the Spirit been One the Demonstration and Testimony of Truth One the Doctrine One the Conversation and Practices One in us all Why or how so Because we have had our begetting birth and teaching from the same Life the same Spitit the same Fountain springing up and opening in us all that have been gathered into its Nature and Power Now from this Fountain from this Spring of Life never issueth any thing that is contrary to the Life in any Therefore if there appear a contrariety there must be a waiting to feel who is erred from or at least not yet fully gathered into the Measure of Life And such as are of an inferiour stature and growth in the Body are in an especial manner to watch and wait in sobriety and fear till the Lord clear up and make things manifest likewise in the mean time to take heed of an hasty concluding according to what riseth up in the understanding or judgement though with never so great a seeming clearness and satisfaction as if it must needs be of and from the Life in the Vessel It is not an easie matter in all cases clearly and understandingly to discern the Voice of the Shepherd the Motions of God's Spirit and certainly to distinguish the Measure of Life from all other Voices Motions and Appearances whatsoever Through much growth in the Truth through much waiting on the Lord through much Fear and Trembling through much Sobriety and Meekness through much exercise of the Senses this is at length given and obtained And yet there is a preservation in the mean time to that which is lowly and submissive looking up to the Lord continually and not trusting to its own
Some QUERIES concerning the Order and Government of the Church of CHRIST Query 1. WHether CHRIST who is the Head Lord King c. hath not appointed a Spiritual Order and Government to be in his Church and Congregation Qu. 2. Whether a Spiritual Order and Government is not useful profitable and necessary for the well-being and right-managing of this Spiritual Body and Holy Society in the Faith and Life of our Lord Jesus Christ In Natural Societies Natural Government and Order is profitable and necessary and is not Spiritual Government as profitable and necessary in Spiritual Societies Qu. 3. Did not Christ give power of Government to his Apostles and Ministers at the first publication of his everlasting Gospel All Power was given him in Heaven and in Earth and did not he who had all Power given him give Power to his Apostles and Ministers to preach his everlasting Gospel to the World to gather his Sheep out of the World and to watch over them oversee them repreve exhort admonish build up in the holy Faith and out off and cast out that which was unholy and would dispute against but not submit unto the Spirit Life and Power of Truth Qu. 4. Did not Christ give them Gifts also answerable Spirits of Discerning that they might be Eyes to the Body and quick Ears that they might hear for the Body For though the Lord hath given every one an Eye and an Ear as to themselves yet every one is not made by the Lord an Eye or Ear unto the Body but this is appointed for and given to those to whom the Lord pleases who hath ordered all things wisely carefully and tenderly for the good of all Qu. 5. Were there not Titles given them suitable to their Offices and Services in this kind as Pastors or Shepherds after God's heart according to the Promise of the New-Covenant Overseers or Bishops such as watch for the Soul such as were not only to lay the Foundation but also carry on the Building even to perfection even till they were able to present the Gathered and quickned Souls a chast Virgin to Christ and were they not to watch against testifie against and in the Power and Authority of the Lord to strike at all that was contrary and would endeavour to interrupt overturn and destroy their work which was of in and from the Lord Qu. 6. Whether the Body and common Members of the Churches were not to hearken to these He that knoweth God heareth us 1 Joh. 4. 6. to obey them in the Lord to submit to this Ministry and their work in it in the Lord to receive the Word of Truth and holy Exhortations and Admonitions milked out by these to them from the Breast of Life And were not they that did hearken and obey commended and were not the other that were not subjected but slighted them and their Ministry and Authority testified against as disorderly and unruly Qu. 7. Were there not some reliques of this Order and Government all along the Apostacy in the true Church and Ministry thereof for there hath been a Church and a Ministry all along the Apostacy blessed be the Name of the Lord though not so visible and outwardly glorious as many who have erred from the Spirit and way of Truth and are out of the holy Understanding would make it It is true the Church hath been as in a Wilderness desolate as a woman forsaken as a Widow bereft of her Husband stripped of her Children her Visage marred her Witnesses mourning nothing of her beauty former estate or glory to be discerned or found out yet all hath been preserved in the root and there have been some shootings and sproutings of it forth which have been inwardly felt by that which is of God in the heart though not outwardly seen by mans eye Thus the Witnesses have had a Ministry have had the Testimony of Jesus even the Spirit of Prophecy all this dark night of Apostacy and in it have spoken mourningly to the World and to the captivated Souls which that which was of God in his hath hearkned to and there hath been a bowing and subjection of spirit in the Lord. O reade this and praise the Name of the Lord for his mercy to his in former generations ye who are now gathered into his pure Light and living Power from whom the Night is past and on whom the Day the everlasting Day-spring from on high is risen Qu. 8. After the Apostacy doth not God renew his Commission and send forth his Angel for they are all but one to preach his everlasting Gospel and doth not he give them power to preach to the World and to gather those that hear the everlasting Voice through them into Holy Assemblies separated in spirit nature and appearance from the World and have they not authority and gifts as well to build up as to plant and ought not those that are gathered by them as well to be subject to the Light Spirit Power and Authority of the Lord in them as the former to the former Ministers of the Lord O that the World knew them O that the World knew the appearance of God in them surely then they would bow to the Word of Truth and the glorious appearance thereof and happiness both inward and outward would break forth upon the Earth There would be no more misery sorrow nor distress in Nations if the Dispensations of Life from God had but their course in the Earth yea Nations and Persons that are now deadly sick would soon be healed did they but eat of the Leaves of the Tree of Life which are appointed by God for their healing and can easily heal those wounds and repair those breaches which the wisdom or counsels of man cannot heal or repair And O that they that are gathered might keep and be preserved in that sense and subjection which they had and received from the Lord in the day of their Convincement O how beautifull how precious how glorious was the Ministry and Ministers of God in their eye then And to those that are still there they are still precious and to those that grow there they are yet more precious But those that enter into or are ensnared in another thing which leadeth from the true Spirit lose the sight and sence which they then had and instead thereof are filled with prejudices and wise reasonings which to them may seem very strong and undeniable though Truth and the true spiritual eye sense and understanding easily pierces through them and preserveth those who abide single in it to the Lord. Now against this holy Order and Government appointed by God there may arise in some hearts some such Objections as these following Object 1. But is not this a turning away from the measure of Life in a mans own vessel to another mans measure Answ Waiting on God in his Ordinances and Appointments and upon the Ministry which he hath set up the measure of Life in him teacheth
understanding sense and judgment But that which is hasty and confident and so ready to plead for its own sense and judgment according to the measure of Life as it calls it That is commonly out entred into the erring spirit pleading and contending for it knows not what and is very apt to judge and condemn others in that very respect wherein it self is most justly and righteously judged and condemned by the Lord even by his pure Life and Spirit in his People This then is in my heart to say in short to this objection Let the measure of Life judge freely in thee at any time concerning any thing and that judgment will stand for ever But be thou wary wait on the Lord that thou mayest be sure thou dost not mistake in thy own particular calling that Life which the Lord and his People know to be otherwise For if so thou departest from the unity and bond of the Spirit and from the true Sense and Judgment and givest Deceit an advantage over thee even to lay a foundation of destroying thee Likewise those who are to watch over thee in the Lord to lay his Truth before thee to exhort and reprove thee as occasion is that they may give an account of thy Soul to him cannot do it with joy and rejoycing in his presence but with grief and lamentation of heart which is not at all profitable but very unprofitable for thee Now for a close There are some considerations springing up in my heart concerning Unity which I find drawings here to annex in true love and tenderness for the use and service of others which are as follow 1. Unity in the Spiritual Body which is gathered into and knit together in the pure Life is a most natural and comely thing Yea it is exceeding lovely to find all that are of the Lord of one heart of one mind of one judgement in one way of practice and order in all things 2. The Lord is to be waited upon for the bringing forth of this in the Body that as there is a foundation of it laid in all the Life and Spirit being one in all so all may be brought by him into the true and full oneness 3. The Lord is to be acknowledged and praised in the bringing of it forth so far as it is brought forth and to be waited upon for the further perfecting of it 4. A Watch is to be kept throughout the whole Body and in every heart for the preserving of it so far as it is brought forth that the Enemy by no device or subtilty cause disunion or difference in any respect wherein there was once a true unity and oneness For the Enemy will watch to divide and if he be not watched against in that which is able to discover and keep him out by some device or other he will take his advantage to make a rent in those that are not watchful from the pure Truth and Unity of Life in the Body For he that in the least thing rents from the Body in any respect or particular which was brought forth by the Life he in that respect hearkens to another spirit even the dividing spirit and by its instigation rents from the Life it self and so doth not keep his habitation nor his unity with that which abides in its habitation Now it is also in my heart for the perfecting of this close to mention a few things in the same love and tenderness which I have found helpful to me towards the preserving of me in unity with the Body Perhaps it may please the Lord to refresh some others by the mention of them and to make them usefull and helpfull to them also 1. The first is The pure Fear of the Lord. This poizeth and guardeth the mind keeping down fleshly confidence and conceitedness which is very apt to spring up making it wary and considerate either of what it receives or rejects of what it practiseth or forbeareth practising causing it to wait much try much and consult much with the Lord and with his Ministers and People and preserves out of that suddenness and inconsiderateness of spirit at which the Enemy often enters For Truth is weighty and will bear trial and the more it is tried in the ballance the more manifest its nature and ways appear but the Enemies appearances and likenesses are not so but their deceit by a thorow trial comes to be made manifest 2. The second is Humility of heart This is very precious and of a preserving nature Yea in this state the Lord helpeth and teacheth and the Soul also in this state is fit to receive the help and teachings of the Lord. That which is lifted up and conceited ready to justifie its own way and condemn even the whole Body is neither fit to be taught by the Lord nor doth the Lord delight but rather disdain to teach it And so not being taught by him it must needs be liable to err yea to hearken to that spirit whose voice is more pleasing and suitable to the erring mind than the Lord's Voice is 3. A third great help which in the tender mercy of the Lord I have had experience of is Sobriety of Judgment Not to value or set up mine own Judgment or that which I account the Judgment of Life in me above the Judgement of others or that which is indeed Life in others For the Lord hath appeared to others as well as to me yea there are others who are in the growth of his Truth and in the purity and dominion of his Life far beyond me Now for me to set up or hold forth a sense or judgment of a thing in opposition to them this is out of the sobriety which is of the Truth Therefore in such cases I am to retire and fear before the Lord and wait upon him for a clear discerning and sence of his Truth in the unity and demonstration of his Spirit with others who are of him and see in him And this will prevent the rents which the want of this Sobriety may occasion 4. The last thing which I have now to mention is Tenderness meekness coolness and stilness of spirit I wrap up these together because they are much of a nature and go much together These are of an uniting preserving nature He that differs and divides from the Body cannot be thus and he that is thus cannot rend or divide Thus is the pure heavenly Wisdom which is peaceable and keepeth the peace But the other wisdom is rough stiff hard clamourous ready to take offence ready to give offence exceeding deep in the justification of it self exceeding deep in the condemnation of others and dares in this temper appeal to the Lord as if it were right in its wayes but wronged by others as if it did abide in the measure of his Truth and Life which others are departed from And how can it be otherwise how can the wrong eye the wrong spirit the wrong wisdom but judge wrong justifying the wrong practices and condemning the right But such shall find if they come to the true Touchstone even the Measure of Life indeed that they are not in the true Tenderness which proceeds from the Life in the true Meeknesse and Gentlenesse in the true Coolnesse and Stilnesse but rather in the Reasonings Noises Clamours and Disturbances which arise from another spirit mind and nature than that which is of the Truth And in coming back from this wisdom to the pure Wisdom from the pretended measure of life to the true Measure and becoming tender meek cool and still in it they shall there feel their error from the Spirit and Power of the Lord and therein own their Condemnation therefor from him and also justifie them who have abode in the Power and been guided by the Spirit and pure Measure of Life which is from God and in God while they have departed from it For though the spirit of Error wherewith they have been deceived and entangled hath made them believe that they have faithfully abode in the Principle and Doctrine of Truth while others have departed yet that will soon vanish as Truth comes again to be felt and heard speak in them and the Measure of Life to live again in them and to redeem them afresh into its holy Nature and pure living Sence And blessed is he who is not deceived about Truth but is of the pure Nature and in the pure Power of it in whom the true Eye sees the true Ear hears the true Heart understands who is of a right Spirit and walketh uprightly before the Lord and among his People The blessing of the Seed the peace comfort and joy which is from the most High shall descend upon him fill his vessel and continue with him to the satisfying of his heart and the overflowing of his cup in the midst of his Brethren and in the very sight of his Enemies The Lord God of his tender mercy who is the great Shepherd of the Sheep watch over preserve and mightily defend all his from all devouring spirits and inward devices and deceits of the Enemy carrying on and perfecting the work of his Goodness Love and Mercy in them to his own glorious eternal everlasting Praise Amen Written by Isaac Penington in Alisbury Prison
and it is not a turning from the measure but a subjecting to the Lord in the measure of his Life so to teach and do The measure of his Life taught me thus to do at first and teacheth me to do so still and will teach so still all that hearken to it It did not teach subjection in the Apostles dayes to the Ministry then and another thing now to the Ministry now But Christ is the same to day as yesterday his Life the same his Spirit the same its Doctrine and Teaching the same and that of God in the Conscience within answers the pure Voice when it comes to the Ear without If Life speak in one Vessel and its voice be not heard or owned by another Vessel the pure Ear in that other Vessel is not at that time open but there is somewhat there that obstructs And if the pure Ear of the Sheep be not open to hear the Voice of the Shepherd but it be accounted strange it is much if the other Ear in that Vessel be not opened to hear the Voice of the Stranger and to look upon it as the Voice of the Shepherd it agreeing with that and answering to that which now goeth for the Voice of the Measure of Life in that Heart He that hath an ear let him hear for it is easie being taken in this snare and the danger thereof is very great Object 2. Is not the least measure of Life in any vessel if subjected to waited on and believed in sufficient to instruct and build up into a perfect man in God Answ The sufficiency of the Grace of God turned to and waited upon there is nothing in my heart either to undervalue my self or to teach others so to do Nor when God did appoint a Ministry to gather and build up his Church do I believe he did intend therein to undervalue the sufficiency of his Grace Yea I verily believe that the Grace of God turned and hearkened to and followed by any Soul in the darkest part of the Earth hath sufficiency in it to save and will save that Soul though there be none outwardly to minister to it or help it Yet this I also believe That as there is a sufficiency in every measure of life to the Work God hath appointed for that measure so there is a greater sufficiency in the growth and fuller proportion of Life and the lesser the weaker the poor the afflicted the babes are to be helped by the stronger especially in their darknesses afflictions temptations c. And so the greater and stronger in the Life Spirit and Power of the Lord is a strength and blessing to the weaker which the weaker making use of in the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord in the sence and benefit of the sweet help and relief which often the Lord pleaseth to give forth thereby will find just cause and be often drawn to blesse the Name of the Lord for The measure of Life in the Vessel teacheth to subject to the Spirit of the Lord and his Life in others which the measure of Life in any never refuseth but still knoweth when awake and living in the Vessel its own and hath at least a secret sense of it and unity with it But that which pretends to set up the measure of Life as a Teacher otherwise than God hath appointed and in opposition to the Teaching and Ministry which he hath appointed and to his Gift in those Vessels which is as well for the building up and perfecting of the Body as for the gathering That is another thing in that Vessel that doth so than the measure of Life another Spirit another Nature another Ear than that that first heard And though it seem to cry up the sufficiency of the measure of Life and to plead for that and perhaps the creature thinks it is really so yet that is not the intent of the Spirit in the Vessel but to cry up it self and to make its voice go for the Voice of the Measure of Life and so such err from the Faith the Truth the Spirit the measure of Life and are in the nature spirit and measure of another thing which is indeed Death though they see it not but look upon themselves as gloriously living and abiding in the pure Doctrine and Principle above others Now to help these a little out of the snares and deep entanglements of the Enemy if the Lord please I would earnestly press the consideration of this upon them Did not the Apostles preach up the Measure of Life the Grace of God in their day Christ within the Word of Faith nigh in the mouth and heart the Anointing within its sufficiency to teach all things c. and yet did they so preach it as to overthrow the Ministry or their Gifts or Service either towards them that were without or them that were within Had they not power over them in the Lord were they not to teach them to instruct them to build them up in the holy Faith and also to watch against Wolves and devouring Spirits which would strive to enter the Flock in Sheeps clothing and as Preachers of Righteousness to make a prey of the Innocent Life in the Upright-hearted if possible Object 3. But those who have ministred from the Lord and whose Ministry I have felt and owned and in the distress and affliction of my soul have had recourse to hoping that they might have a sense of my condition and give me proper advice yet they instead thereof have turned me to his Witness that wounded me counselling me to wait on the Lord there and have they not also told us That if they themselves should turn from the things they have declared this Truth would abide for ever to wit that man is to keep to the measure of Life in his own particular Answ It is true A man is to keep to the Measure of Life in his own particular They taught this then they teach it now We practised it then we are to practise it now In this Measure of Life we received them then and in this Measure of Life if we abide still in it we shall receive them now and feel their growth in the Ability Gift and Power of the Lord. And when any come to them for advice they are to wait on the Lord to feel in him their state who come and to give forth what the Lord gives them Whether wordâ— from the Lord to the party concerning his state of direâ—â—â—ons to retire in and wait for his more immediate appearance in their own measures For when we feel â—â—e Presence and mighty Power of God in them we 〈◊〉 too apt to look at them and then a word may come proper to our estates to recall us to retire to our measure And when we feel immediate relief from the Lord and his appearing to us in our retiredness in our own spirits then we may be apt to despise the gifts and service of others and then