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.

A brief ACCOUNT Concerning the People called QUAKERS, in reference both to Principle and Doctrine.

We are a People of God's gathering, who (many of us) had long waited for his appearance, and had under∣gone great Distress, for want thereof.

Q. BƲt some may say, what appearance of the Great God and Saviour did ye want?

Answ. We wanted the presence and power of his spirit, to be inwardly mani∣fested in our spirits. We had (as I may say) what we could gather from the Let∣ter, and indeavoured to practise what we could read in the Letter: but we wanted the power from on high, we wanted life, we wanted the presence and fellowship of our beloved; we wanted the knowledge of the Heavenly Seed and Kingdom, and an entrance into it, and the holy Domini∣on and Reign of the Lord of life over the Flesh, over sin and death in us.

Quest. How did God appear to you?

Answ. The Son of Righteousness did arise in us, the day-spring from on high, the Morning Star did visit us, insomuch that we did as really see and feel the light and brightness of the inward day in our spirits, as ever we felt the darkness of the inward night?

Quest. How did God gather you?

Answ. By the voice of his Son, by the Arm of his Son, by the vertue of his Sons light and life, inwardly revealed and work∣ing in our hearts. This loosed us inward∣ly from the darkness, from the bonds of sin and iniquity, from the power of the Captiver and Destroyer: and turned our minds inwardly towards our Lord and Sa∣viour, to mind his inward appearance, his inward shinings, his inward quicknings; all which were fresh from God and full of vertue. And as we came to be sensible of them, joyn to them, receive and give up to them, we came to partake of their vertue, and to witness the rescuing and redeeming of our Souls thereby. So that by hearing the Sons voice and following him, we came to find him the way to the Father, and to be gathered home by him to the Fathers house, where is Bread enough, and Mansi∣ons of rest and peace for all the Children of the most High.

Now, as touching the blessed principle of truth, which we have had experience of, and testifie to (for how can we conceal so rich a Treasure, and be faithful to God, or bear true good will to men!) it is no new thing in it self, though of late more clearly revealed, and the minds of men more clearly directed, and guided to it, than in former ages. It is no other then that which Christ himself abundantly Preached, who Preached the Kingdom, who Preached the truth which makes free, and that under many Parables and Re∣semblances: sometimes of a little Seed, sometimes of a Pearl or hid Treasure, sometimes of a Leaven or Salt, sometimes of a lost piece of Silver, &c. Now, what is this, and where is this to be found? What is this, which is like a little Seed, a Pearl, &c. And where is it to be found? What is the field? is it not the World, and is not the World set in mans heart? what is the house, which is to be swept and the Candle lighted in? Is it not that house, or heart, where the many Enemies are? A mans Enemies, saith Christ, are those of his own house. Indeed the testimony concerning this was pretious to us: but the finding and experiencing the thing testified of, to be according to the testimo∣ny, was much more. And this we say, in

perfect truth of heart, and in most tender love to the Souls of people; that whoe∣ver tries, shall find this little thing, this lit∣tle Seed of the Kingdom, to be a King∣dom, to be a Pearl, to be Heavenly Trea∣sure, to be the Leaven of Life, leavening the heart with life, and with the most pre∣tious oyl and oyntment of Healing and Salvation. So that we testifie to no new thing; but to the truth and grace which was from the beginning: which was al∣wayes in Jesus Christ the Lord and Savi∣our, and dispenced by him in all all Ages and Generations, whereby he quickned, renewed, and changed the heart of the true believers, in his inward and spiritual appearance in them, thereby destroying the Enemies of their own house, and sa∣ving them from them. For indeed there is no saving the Creature, without de∣stroying that in the Creature, which brings spiritual death and destruction upon it. Israel of old was saved by the destroying of their outward Enemies: and Israel now (the new Israel, the inward Israel) is saved by the destruction of their inward Enemies. O that people could come out of their own wisdom and wait for Gods wisdom, that in it they might come to see the glory, the excellency, the exceeding rich vertue and Treasures of life, that are

wrapped up in this principle or seed of Life; and so might receive it, give up to it, and come to partake thereof.

And as touching Doctrines, we have no new Doctrine to hold forth. The Do∣ctrines held forth in the holy Scriptures, are the Doctrines that we believe. And this doth farther seal to us our belief of this principle, because we find it a Key, by which God openeth the Scriptures to us, and giveth us the living sense and evidence of them in our hearts. We see and have felt in it to whom the curse and wrath be∣longs, and to whom the love, mercy, peace, blessings and pretious promises be∣long; and have been led by Gods holy spirit and power, through the judgments, to the mercy, and to the partaking of the pretious promises. So that, what should we publish any new faith, or any new Do∣ctrines for? (indeed we have none to publish) but all our aim is to bring men to the ancient principle of truth, and to the right understanding and practise of the ancient Apostolick Doctrine and holy Faith once delivered to the Saints. Head-notions do but cause disputes: but heart-knowledge, heart-experience, sense of the living power of God inwardly, the evi∣dence and demonstration of his spirit in the inward parts, puts an end to disputes,

and puts men upon the inward travel and exercise of spirit, by that which is new and living, which avails with God. Now whereas many are offended at us, because we do not more Preach Doctrinal points, or the History of Christ, as touching his Death, Resurrection, Ascention, &c. but our ••eclaration and Testimony is chiefly concerning a Principle, to direct and guide mens minds thereto.

To give a plain account of This thing, as it pleaseth the Lord to open my heart at this time, in love and good will to satisfie and remove Prejudices where it may be: thus it is in brief.

FIrst, that which God hath given us the experience of (after our great loss in the litteral knowledge of things) and that which he hath given us to testifie of, is the mystery, the hidden life, the in∣ward and spiritual appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, revealing his power inwardly, destroying Enemies inwardly, and working his work inwardly in the Heart. Oh, this was the joyful sound to our Souls, even the tydings of the arising of that inward life and power

which could do this? Now this spiritual appearance of his, was after his appea∣rance in flesh, and is the standing and lasting Dispensation of the Gospel, even the appearance of Christ in his spirit and power inwardly in the hearts of his. So that in minding this, and being faithful in this respect, we mind our peculiar work, and are faithful in that which God hath peculiarly called us to, and requireth of us.

Secondly, There is not that need of publishing the other, as formerly was. The Historical Relation concerning Christ, is generally believed, and received by all sorts, that pretend to Christianity. His death, his miracles, his rising, his ascend∣ing, his intercedeing, &c. is generally be∣lieved by all people: but the mystery they miss of, the hidden life, they are not ac∣quainted with; but alienated from the life of God, in the midst of their litteral own∣ing and acknowledging of these things.

Thirdly, The knowledge of these, with∣out the knowledge of the mystery, is not sufficient to bring them unto God; for many set up that which they gather, and comprehend from the Relation concerning the thing, instead of the thing it self; and so never come to a sense of their need of the thing it self; nay, not so far, as rightly

to seek after it. And so, many are builders, and many are built up very high in Religi∣on, in a way of notion and practise, with∣out acquaintance with the Rock of Ages, without the true knowledge and under∣standing of the foundation and corner-Stone. My meaning is, they have a notion of Christ to be the Rock, a notion of him to be the foundation-stone: but never come livingly to feel him the Rock, to feel him the foundation-stone inwardly laid in their hearts, and themselves made living stones in him, and built upon him the main and fundamental stone. Where is this to be felt, but within? And they that feel this within, do they not feel Christ within? And can any that feel him within, deny him to be within, the strength of life, the hope of glory? Well, it is true once again (spiritually now, as well as formerly lite∣rally) The stone which the builders refused (Christ within the builders of this age refuse) is become the head of the Corner, who knits together his sanctified body, his living body the Church, in this our day, more gloriously than in former Ages and Generations, blessed be the name of our God.

Fourthly, The mystery, the hidden life, the appearance of Christ in spirit compre∣hends the other, and the other is not lost or

denyed, but found in it, and there discern∣ed and acknowledged more clearly and abundantly. It was to be after it, and comprehends that which went before it. Paul did not lose any thing of the excel∣lent knowledge of Christ, when he said, Hence forth know we no more after the flesh; yea though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know we him no more. If he did not know Christ after the flesh, how did he know him? Why, as the Fa∣ther inwardly revealed him. He knew him in his spirit and power. He knew his death inwardly, he knew his Resurrection inwardly, he knew the spirit, the vertue, the life, the power of it inwardly. He knew the thing in the mystery in his own heart. O pretious knowledge! O the excellency of this knowledge of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! what is the out∣wardly most exact litteral knowledge without this? But what then! do I now deny or slight the outward? No, I have it here, and I have the inward feeling of the spirit of life, how it dwelt in him, how it wrought in him, and of what wonderful value all his actions and obedience were, in and through the vertue of this spirit. Was Abrahams offering his Son so preti∣ous in Gods eye? O then what is this! Never was such a body so sanctified, so

prepared: never such a Sacrifice offered. O the infinite worth and value of it! For by the inward life and teachings of Gods spirit, am I taught and made able to value that glorious outward appearance, and manifestation of the life and power of God in that Heavenly flesh (as in my heart, I have often called it) for the life so dwelt in it, that it was even one with it. Yet still it was a vail, and the mystery was the thing, and the eye of life looks through the vail into the mystery, and passes through it, as I may say, as to the outward, that it may behold its glory in the inward. And here the flesh of Christ, the vail is not lost, but is found and known in its glory in the inward. Be not offended at me, O tender hearted Reader, for I write in love, things true, according to the inward feel∣ing and demonstration of Gods spirit, though not easie perhaps to be understood at present by thee: but in due time the Lord can make them manifest to thee, if thou in uprightness and tenderness of heart, and in the silence of the fleshly part wait upon him.