Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	worship_v	worshipper_n	7,267	5	12.9330	5	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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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