The flesh & blood of Christ, both in the mystery and in the outward briefly, plainly, and uprightly acknowledged and testified to, for the satisfaction and benefit of the tender-hearted, who desire to experience the quickning, healing, and cleansing vertue of it : with A brief account concerning the people called Quakers in reference both to principle and doctrine : whereunto are added some few other things which by the blessing of God may be experimentally found useful to the true pilgrim and faithful travellers out of the nature & spirit of this world / written in true love and tenderness of spirit by Isaac Penington.

THE FLESH & BLOOD OF CHRIST, Both in the Mystery, and in the Out∣ward; briefly, plainly, and uprightly acknowledged and testified to, &c.

IN the Second part of Thomas Hicks his Dialogues, called Continuation, page 4. He maketh his personated Quaker speak thus. Thou sayest, we account the blood of Christ no more than a common thing, yea no more than the blood of a common Thief: To which he makes his personated Christian answer thus. Isaac Penington (who I suppose is an approved Quaker) asks this question, can out∣ward blood cleanse? Therefore saith he, we must enquire, whether it was the blood of the Vail, that is, of the humane nature, or the blood within the Vail, (viz.) Of that spiri∣tual man consisting of Flesh, Blood and Bones, which took on him the Vail, or humane Na∣ture; 'tis not the blood of the Vail, that is

but outward, and can outward blood cleanse?

Now to satisfie any, that desire to un∣derstand the Truth as it is, and to know what the intent of my heart and words (as spoken by me) were; I shall first say some∣what to his stating the question: and then open my heart nakedly and plainly, as it then was, and still is in this matter.

First, I answer, these were not my words, which he hath set down as mine, but words of his own patching up, partly out of several queries of mine, and partly out of his own conceivings upon my que∣ries, as if he intended to make me appear both ridiculous and wicked at once. For I no where say, or affirm, or did ever be∣lieve, that Christ is a spiritual man consist∣ing of Flesh, Blood and Bones, which took on him the Vail or humane Nature: Thus he represents me as ridiculous. It is true, Christ inwardly, or to his inward being, was a Spirit, or God blessed for ever manifested in Flesh, which (to speak pro∣perly) cannot have Flesh, Blood and Bones, as man hath. And then, besides his altera∣tions at the beginning, putting in only four words of my query, and leaving out that which next follows (which might have ma∣nifested my drift and intent in them) he puts in an affirmation which was not mine, in these his own words. 'Tis not the Blood

of the Vail, that is but outward; and then annexeth to this affirmation of his own, the words of my former query. Can out∣ward Blood cleanse? as if these words of mine (can outward Blood cleanse?) did necessarily infer, that the Blood of Christ is but a common thing. Herein he repre∣sents me wicked, and makes me speak by his changing and adding, that which never was in my heart, and the contrary where∣to I have several times affirmed in that ve∣ry Book, where those several queries were put (out of which he forms this his own query, giving it forth in my name.) For in the Tenth page of that Book, beginning at line 3. I positively affirm thus, that Christ did offer up the Flesh and Blood of that body (though not only so, for he pou∣red out his Soul, he poured out his life) a Sacrifice or Offering for sin, a Sacrifice unto the Father, and in it tasted death for every man; and that it is upon consideration (and through Gods acceptance of this Sacrifice for sin) that the sins of Believers are pardoned, that God might be just; and the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus, or who is of the Faith of Jesus. Is this common Flesh and Blood? can this be affirmed of com∣mon Flesh and Blood? ought not he to have considered this, and other passages in

my Book of the same tendency, and not thus have reproached me, and misrepre∣sented me to the world? Is this a Christi∣an Spirit: or according to the Law or Prophets, or Christs Doctrine? Doth he herein do, as he would be done by? O that he had an heart to consider it! I might also except against those words, Humane Na∣ture (which he twice putteth in) being not my words, nor indeed my sense: for by humane Nature as I judge, is under∣stood more than the body, whereas I by the word Vail intended no more than the Flesh (or outward body) which in Scrip∣ture is expresly so called, Heb. 10.20. through the Vail, that is to say, his Flesh.

Secondly, I cannot but take notice of this, That he hath not cited the place, page or pages; nay not so much as named the Book, where those words or sayings which he attributeth to me are written, whereby any persons that were not willing to take things upon bare Report (especially in so deep charges, reflecting not only upon one person, but an whole people) might con∣sult the place, and see whether they were my words or no, and whether the queries I did put (indeed to the hearts of people) had any such drift or no, and might com∣pare the words (if they were mine) both

with what went before, and also followed after; and with what was said in several other places of the Book, which speak of Christ's Flesh and Blood as of no common thing, but as that which God made use of toward the Redemption of Mankind.

Thirdly, The drift of all those Queries in that Book, was not to vilifie the Flesh and Blood of Christ, by representing it as a common or useless thing: but to bring people from sticking in the outward, to a sense of the inward mystery, without which inward sense and feeling, the mag∣nifying and crying up the outward doth not avail. Indeed, at that time, I was in a great exercise concerning Professors. Love was deeply working in my heart, and I was in a very tender frame of Spirit to∣wards them, as any may perceive, who in the fear of God, and in meekness of Spi∣rit shall read that Book (It is Entituled, A question to the Professors of Christianity, whether they have the true, living, powerful, saving knowledge of Christ, or no, &c.) And in this tender frame, in the midst of my crying to God for them, those Queries from a true sense and understanding sprang up in my heart, even to necessitate them, if possible to some sense of the mystery, which there is an absolute necessity of, unto true Christianity and Salvation. This

was the very intent of my heart in the several Queries, which generally speak of one and the same thing, under several Me∣taphors and Figures. And that this was my intent, these words following in the second page of my Preface to that Book, do plainly express, the words are these. Now to draw mens minds to a sense of truth, to a sense of that which is the thing, that they might know the Bread indeed, that they might know the living waters, come to them and drink thereof, and find Christ in them a Well of water springing up to eternal life; therefore was it in my heart to give forth this Question and the ensuing Queries, which he that rightly answers, must know the thing; and he that doth not know the thing, by his in∣ability to answer, may find that he doth not, and so may wait upon God, that he may re∣ceive the knowledge of it, and come to it, for the eternal life which it freely giveth And that I did mean the mystery, when I speak of Bread, Water, the Vine, the live-coal from the Altar, the leaves of the Tree of life, the putting on Christ, the Flesh and Blood of Christ, &c. is very plain to him that reads singly. But to make it mani∣fest particularly, concerning the Flesh and Blood of Christ, I shall recite one Query, it is the 33. Query, page 29. The Query is thus. Is not the true Church, Flesh of

Christs Flesh, and Bone of his Bone? Is not the false or Antichristian Church, Flesh of Antichrists Flesh, and Bone of Anti∣christs Bone? What is the Flesh of the spi∣ritual Whore, which is to be stripped naked and burnt with fire? Shall ever the Church which is of Christs Flesh, be stripped naked and burnt with fire? Nay, doth not his Flesh make able to abide the devouring fire, and to dwell with the everlasting burnings? Can this possibly be understood of outward Flesh and Bone? is it not manifestly in∣tended of Flesh and Bone in the Mystery? yea, that I did relate to the Mystery in that very Query, out of which he takes the four first words, and no more, is very manifest by the following words of the same Query. It is the 17. Query, page 25. The Query runs thus, Can outward Blood cleanse the Conscience? ye that are spiritual consider (can outward water wash the Soul clean?) ye that have ever felt the Blood of sprinkling from the Lord upon your Conscien∣ces, and your Consciences cleansed thereby? did ye ever feel it to be outward? It is one thing what a man apprehends (in the way of notion) from the letter concerning the things of God, and another thing what a man feels in spirit: Is it not manifest by the express words themselves, that I spake of the in∣ward feeling of the Blood in the mystery?

Fourthly, This Query, Can outward Blood cleanse the Conscience, &c. doth not neces∣sarily, nor indeed at all infer, that the Blood of Christ, as to the outward, was but a common thing, or useless. If I had been to answer this Query my self, he doth not know what my answer would have been. It was put to Professors to answer, inwardly in their hearts; who, I did be∣lieve, upon serious consideration, could not but confess, in way of answer thereto, that outward Blood it self (or of it self) could not cleanse and purge away the filth that was inward; but that must be done by that which is inward, living and spiritu∣al. Then hereby they had been brought to see the necessity of the mystery, the spirit, the power, the life of the Son to be in∣wardly revealed in them: and then had I obtained my end. Nor was I their enemy in desiring or aiming at this for them, or in setting Queries before them, which to my eye (as in the sight of God) seemed pro∣per and conducible in themselves (howe∣ver they might fail as to them) towards the obtaining of this end. And if they could once come to this, to own the Flesh and Blood in the mystery, and so come to partake of its cleansing and nourishing vertue, and not fix and appropriate that to the outward, which chiefly belongs to the

mystery; I say, if they could but go thus far with me, in owning the inward life and power, in the sensible feeling and operati∣on thereof; I could meet them a great way in speaking glorious things of, and attributing a cleansing or washing vertue to the outward, in and through, and with the inward. For I do not separate the in∣ward and outward in my own mind, but the Lord opened my heart, and taught me thus to distinguish, according to the Scrip∣tures, in love to them, and for their sakes. For that was not my intent, to deny the outward, or make it appear as a common or useless thing. There was never such a sense in my heart, nor was ever word written or spoken by me to that end: which to make more manifest I shall now plainly open my heart, how it hath been, and is still with me, in this respect, since it pleased the God and Father of mercies, to reveal the mystery of himself, and of his Son in me.

In the first place, I freely confess, that I do own and acknowledge, as in Gods sight, Our Lord Iesus Christ, his Flesh & Blood in the mystery. The Apostle Paul speaks of the mystery of God, and of the Father and of Christ, Colos. 2.2. The Son was revealed in him, Gal. 1.16. and so he knew the mystery of Christ, and Preach∣ed

the mystery of Christ, Colos. 4.3. He was made an able Minister of the new Covenant; not of the Letter, but of the Spirit, or mystery: and so he Preached the wisdom of God in the mystery, or Spirit, 1 Cor. 2.7. 2 Cor. 3.6. Colos. 1.25, 26, 27. and he had great conflict to bring people to the rich knowledge, and acknowledgement of the mystery, Chap. 2.1, 2. He was sent to turn men from dark∣ness, & from the power of Satan, (which is a mystery, and works in mens hearts in a mystery) to the light, to the Spirit and power of God, which is a mystery also: and remission of sins is received in and through this mystery, Act. 26.18. And I desire every serious and tender heart to consider, whether this knowledge of Christ in the mystery, was not that which he called the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ his Lord, Phil. 3.8. Certain I am, that the knowledge of God and Christ in the mystery, is the most excellent knowledge, and no less then life eternal, inwardly revealed and felt from God in the heart. And here no legal righteous∣ness, no self-righteousness can stand: but the vertue and power of Christs Death and Resurrection, inwardly revealed and felt in the mystery, subdues and destroyes it all. Indeed self-righteousness may be

given up in way of notion, or seemingly destroyed as to mens apprehensions, with∣out the revealing or working of the myste∣ry: but it cannot be destroyed in reallity, but where this is felt. But where the my∣stery is known, is received, and throughly works: self-righteousness can have no place there. Now the Apostle, who was acquainted with the mystery of Christ, he speaks of his Body, Flesh and Bones in the mystery, Eph. 5.30. (And if there be Flesh and Bones in the mystery, is there not also Blood in the mystery?) yea the Apostle John speaks of Spirit, Water and Blood, 1 John 5.8. Now consider seriously, are all these of one and the same nature? or are they of a different nature? the Spi∣rit of one nature, & the Water and Blood of another nature? Blessed be the Lord, the birth which is born of the Spirit, and is spiritual, knoweth the nature of the spirit which begat it, and knoweth water which is inward and heavenly, and blood which is not at all of an inferiour nature to it. And Jesus Christ, our Lord and Teacher, speaketh of Flesh which came down from Heaven, which Flesh is the Bread of life, which he that lives, feeds upon; and none can feed upon, but they that live. And by this it is manifest (to all to whom God hath given understanding in

the mystery) that his Flesh and Blood in the mystery is intended by him, in that he saith, He that eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, dwelleth in me and I in him, John 6.56. This dwelling in each other, is an effect of the mystery, and is witnessed by none that know not the mystery. And to this effect Christ himself expresly expoun∣deth it, ver. 63. It is the spirit that quick∣neth, the Flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life. As if he had said, I am speaking of the Souls food, I am speaking of the Heavenly bread, I am speaking of spirit and life, I am speaking of the mystery, which ye look upon and understand as out∣wardly intended by me, and so miss of the mystery, of the spirit, wherein is the quick∣ning vertue, and look only at the outward Body or Flesh, which without the spirit profiteth not, nor ever can profit any man.

Secondly, I confess further, that I have the sense, experience, and knowledge of this also, that in the mystery is the quick∣ning vertue, the cleansing vertue, the nou∣rishing vertue unto life eternal. The spi∣rit, the water, the blood inwardly sprink∣led, inwardly poured by God upon the Soul, inwardly felt and drunk in by the thirsty earth, do cleanse, do feed, do nou∣rish, do refresh. Doth not God promise

to sprinkle clean water upon his Israel in the new Covenant, and they shall be clean? and to pour water on him that is thirsty, and Floods upon the dry grounds? is it not by the spirit of judgment and burning, that God washeth away the filth of the Daughter of Sion, &c. Esay 4.4. Doth not the live coal from the Altar, purifie and take away the iniquity? Esa. 6. O read inwardly, O wait to be taught of God to read inwardly, that ye may know what these things mean. Why should ye quar∣rel at the precious and tender openings of truth, in love to your Souls.

Thirdly, I have likewise this sense, and have also had this knowledge and experi∣ence, that the outward, without this, can∣not avail. A man is not cleansed by noti∣ons or apprehensions concerning the thing: but by the thing it self. Let a man believe what he can concerning the blood of Christ, and apply to himself what promi∣ses he can, yet this will not do (O how grievously do men mistake herein!) but he must feel somewhat from God, somewhat of the new Creation in Christ Jesus, some∣what of his light (shining from him the Son, into the heart) somewhat of his life, somewhat of his power, working against the darkness and power of the enemy in him. Now a man being turned to this,

joyned to this, gathered to this standard of the Lord, translated in some degree out of himself into this: here somewhat of the mystery is revealed, and found working in him; and so far he is of God, and hath some true sense, and some true understand∣ing from him. And here also he hath right to Christs Flesh and Blood in the outward, and to all the benefits and precious effects that come thereby. For by owning the mystery, and receiving the mystery, we are not taught of God to deny any thing of the outward Flesh and Blood, or of his obedience and sufferings in the Flesh, but rather are taught and enabled there rightly to understand it, and to reap the benefits and precious fruits of it.

Fourthly, The Lord hath shewn me this also, very manifestly and clearly, That in former times (in this Nation, as well as elsewhere) before Professors ran so into heaps (I mean, into several wayes and forms of Church fellowship so called) they had more inward sense of the My∣stery, than now they have; and were a great deal more tender (both unto the Lord, and one towards another) than now they are. For then grace in the heart, and the inward feeling was the thing that was most minded among the stricter sort. They did not mind so much bare reading, or

hearing, or praying, or any outward ob∣servation whatsoever, as what they felt therein. Let men have spoken never so many glorious words concerning the things of God, yet if they had not been spoken warmly and freshly by him that spoke them, there was little satisfaction to the Soul that hungred after that which was living, but rather an inward grief and dis∣satisfaction felt. So that in that day there was an inward sense of the mystery (though not a distinct knowledge of it) which was pretious in the eye of God, and very savoury inwardly in the heart. But now, in so long time, by looking so much outward, and beating their brains, and disputing about the outward, many have very much (if not wholly) lost the sense of the inward, and are found con∣tending for the outward, against the very appearance and manifestation of the in∣ward, and so are in danger of being hard∣ned and sealed up in that which is dead and litteral, out of the limits of that which is living and spiritual. It is a dreadful thing to fight against the living God, and his li∣ving appearance in the hearts of those whom he chuseth, in any Age or Genera∣tion: The Lord hath been pleased to bring us (a poor despised remnant) back to that which first gave us life, in the dayes of

our former profession. O that ye were brought thither also, that that might re∣move the vail, hardness, darkness, and deep prejudices from you; which can never be removed, while ye stick in litteral appre∣hensions, without the light and teachings of Gods spirit!

Now, as touching the outward, which ye say we deny, because of our testimony to the inward, I have frequently given a most solemn testimony thereto; and God knoweth it to be the truth of my heart, and that the testifying to the inward (from which the outward came) doth not make the outward void, but rather establish it, in its place and service. God himself, who knew what vertue was in the inward, yet hath pleased to make use of the outward: and who may contradict or slight his wis∣dom and Council therein? Glorious was the appearance and manifestation of his Son in Flesh, pretious his subjection and holy obedience to his Father; his giving himself up to death for sinners, was of great esteem in his eye It was a spotless Sacrifice of great value, and effectual for the Remission of sins: and I do acknow∣ledge, humbly unto the Lord, the Remissi∣on of my sins thereby, and bless the Lord for it, even for giving up his Son to death for us all, and giving all that believe in his

name and power, to partake of Remission through him. And seeing it is thus with me, seeing the Root of the matter is in me, O how can any man that hopes to be re∣deemed by my Lord and Saviour, reproach me for speaking of the mystery, without the least Derogation to the outward, or what was done by him in the outward! But if I should speak vehemently concer∣ning mens neglecting the mystery, and setting up that which is outward instead of it, and without it; I should not be con∣demned, but justified of the Lord in so do∣ing. Indeed there is a great and weighty charge from Gods spirit, upon the Profes∣sors of this age, for departing from the in∣ward (I mean that sweet sense, which in some measure God gave them in former times of the inward) and magnifying and striving to establish that which they apprehend concerning the outward, with∣out it, and against it. O that it were o∣therwise with them, that God may not have this charge to manage against them, when at the great day they are to appear before him, and be judged by him: When all that have slighted or spoken contemptu∣ously of his Sons appearance in Flesh (and have not come to a sense thereof, and Re∣pentance for it) shall be condemned, and they that have slighted or spoken con∣temptuously

of his appearance in spirit, shall not be justified: which appearance is now made manifest in the hearts of many, blessed be the Lord for it. O what cryes have been in my heart many years con∣cerning you! (O ye Professors of all sorts, who have had any tenderness towards the Lord,) that ye might see and know the Lords Christ, and confess him in spirit, in the Mystery, even in his inward appearance in the heart, and might feel his redeeming power and vertue there, and so be brought into Union and Fellowship with him!

The Conclusion of this Part.

THere is a pretious promise of Gods making a Feast of fat things on his holy Mountain, and of destroying there the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all Nations, Esa. 25.6, 7. Now, what is this Mountain? was there not a Mount-Sion under the Law, which was figurative? And is there not a Mount Sion under the Gospel, which is the substance of that figure? And did not the Christians in the Apostles dayes, who were called of God and sanctified, come to this Mount-Sion, and to the City of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, where they had fel∣lowship with God the judge of all, and with Jesus the Mediator of the New Co∣venant, &c. Heb. 12.22, 24. And was not the vail here done away, in him who was their Lord, their light, their life, their strength, their Son of Righteousness, their bright and morning Star? so that with open face they could behold the glory of the Lord, and were changed thereby into his Heavenly Image, from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3.18. But alas, how hath that life, spirit and power been lost, since the dayes

of the Apostles! Men have still owned the Apostles words, and formed many notions and apprehensions out of the Let∣ter: but lost the Apostles spirit, lost the knowledge of the holy Mountain, where the vail is taken away, and where the Feast of fat things is made: and so are only dreaming about eating and drinking spiri∣tually, but know not what it is to feed on the living substance. And so (being igno∣rant of that) the vail is over their hearts, while they read the Prophets words, and Christs and his Apostles words: and the mystery of life, and of the redeeming power is hid from their eyes: and that which God intended to them for a Table, is become their snare (as it was with the Jews) and their back is so bowed down under the loads and burthens of the Ene∣my, that they cannot so much as hope or believe in the power of life for Redemp∣tion there-from, but conclude it must ne∣cessarily be so with them all their dayes. O where's the faith that gives victory over the Enemys? Where's the ability in the faith so to resist him, as to make him fly? Where's Satans falling like lightning (oh his strength before the power of the Lord is but a flash!) and the God of peace his treading him under the feet of his Saints? O where's that truth, or that knowledge

of the Son, which makes free from him? (Joh. 8.32, 36.) Where's that spirit, wherein liberty from his power and snares is felt, 2 Cor. 3.17. Where's living in the spirit, and walking in the spirit, and in the pure light of the Lord, when he cannot come? Where's reading of the Scriptures in that which gives to witness them, and which fulfils them in the heart? O the mystery of godliness, the power of god∣liness, where the life is revealed, and the vail taken away, and an understanding given, opened and kept open to read and understand the Scriptures aright, yea and the hidden glory also! Where it cannot be said in truth, to those that are there, ye know not the Scriptures, nor the power of God; but ye have received power to become Sons of God, and ye are in him that is true, who truly opens the Scrip∣tures in your hearts, and gives you the enjoyment, inheritance and possession of the pretious promises, whereby ye are made partakers of the Divine nature, and live in him who is the head and spring of that nature! O that people, that profess Christ, were here! O that they did know him who begets! and then they would not be so ignorant of those that are begotten by him: but would come into the true faith, into the true love, into the true

knowledge and obedience of him, whom God hath appointed to guide and govern, and build up the whole living body! The Lord guide men inwardly thither, where the mystery is revealed, and the fellow∣ship with God and his Son and Saints held in the Mystery: for our fellowship is not in a notional knowledge concerning Christ; but in the life it self, which the Lord God gather his people more and more into, and build them more and more up in, Amen.