to Death after that manner that the Prophets had foretold they would do Quest Did the Prophets foretel that the Jews would put the Messiah to Death Answ Yea very manifestly with the manner and Circumstances thereof Daniel said plainly that the Messiah should be cut off though not for himself Chap. 9.26 Isaiah shews the Cause why he was cut off to wit for the Transgression of my People was the Stroke upon him Chap. 53.8 He was the Lamb without Spot there was no Iniquity found in his Heart nor guile in his mouth but he offered up his spotless Soul through the Eternal Spirit as a Ransom for the Souls of Transgressors and with his Bruise are they healed David shews yet more particularly how he should be cut off They Pierced my Hands and my Feet Psal 22.16 and Zachary saith that afterwards in the Day of their Visitation they shall look upon him whom they have Pierced Ch. 12.10 Was he not Betrayed by one of his own Table Psal 41.9 Did they not cast Lots for his Garments Psal 22.18 Was not Gall also given him and Vinegar to Drink Psal 69.21 Were not his Bones kept from being broken according to the Paschal Lamb the Type Exod. 12.46 O that the Jews could read the words of their own Prophets in the Light of the Prophets and not in the Light of man's Imagination and then they could not but Bow before the Spring Fountain of that Light as it was Revealed in Flesh according to the Scriptures and see how that Body was prepared for the Light to shine in and for it to do the Will in and to offer up the Sacrifice which God would have that so an end might be put to all the Sacrifices and Offerings which God would not have Psal 40.6 Dan. 9.27 Quest What was to befall the Jews for refusing the Day of their Visitation by the Messiah and for the putting of him to Death Answ They were to be cast off to become no People their Covenant to be broken their Glory turned into shame their Light set in obscurity their House made Desolate and the hand of God pursuing this desolate People making them a Scorn and Reproach throughout all Nations Dan. 9.27 And is not this come to pass upon them for what Person hath been more hateful and hated than a Jew who was once the Glory and Envy of all Nations yea hardness and blindness hath so happened to them that they cannot see the plainest things written in the Prophets concerning the Expiration of the Day of Moses with all his Shadows and the succeeding of the Spiritual Glory in the dayes of the Messiah but their Eyes and Hearts are still blinded and held Captive in the Figures of things Quest Is there any Scripture of the Prophets which declareth that they should be thus blind and hard Answ The Spirit of the Lord in the Prophet David the Beloved King and Figure of the Messiah prayed for this Righteous Recompence to them Let their Table become a Snare before them and for Welfare a Trap. Let their Eyes be Darkned that they see not c. Let their Habitation be Desolate c. Psal 69.22 c. What is their Table where and on what do they Feed Is it not on the Writings of Moses and the Prophets Now all the Meanings Observations and Hopes which they gather from these being under the Curse and out of the Spirit of the Prophets cannot but be their Snare and Trap and that which entangleth them deeply to this day is their mis-understanding and mis-interpreting of Moses and the Prophets O Lord my God in the abundant Riches of thy Goodness at length Pity them and let the fierceness of thine Indignation abate towards them and in thy Love open their Eyes to see their state what they have refused and against whom they have lift up their heel in their conceited Wisdom Knowledge which they have gathered from Moses and the Prophets Writings that they may mourn after thee and wait for thee in the way of thy Redemption Quest How long is this Desolation and Hardness to abide upon them Ans Until God visit them with his Spirit and open their eyes to see his Spiritual Glory and turn their hearts towards it Then their outward expectations and desires after an outward Glorious Kingdom will soon come to an end and the Messiah will be known owned and received by them in Spirit yet any outward Glory that the Lord God sees good for them they shall not want neither This the Prophet Isaiah plainly Relates to the Ear that is Spiritual Chap. 32.15 Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on High and the Wilderness be a Fruitfull Field and the Fruitful Field be counted for a Forrest They must lie wast until the Lord God please to let forth his Spirit upon them to gather them into his Spiritual Glory for the Day of their outward Glory did end and a Spiritual succeeded which they are to be gathered into when the days of their Distress and Tribulation are accomplished The Spirit was once poured down from on High on the Disciples of the Messiah upon his Ascending into his Glory and the Wilderness then became a Fruitful Field and the Fruitful Field was accounted for a Forrest but over that Glory the Defence was not so stretched forth but that a night overtook that day and the Wild Beasts made a Prey of that Vineyard and Fruitful Field also as well as of the former But there is to be a more general pouring out of the Spirit even upon all Flesh and the Wilderness is more generally to be visited become a fruitful Field and the fruitful Field is more generally to be blasted made a forrest insomuch as all Flesh every where shall appear Grass and the Glory thereof as the Flower of the Field which shall fade and wither before the breath of God's Spirit Then Judgment shall dwell in the Wilderness which is then visited and Righteousness shall remain in the Field which is then made fruitful and Righteousness shall be Powerfully-operative working out the lasting Peace and the effect of it shall be Quietness and Assurance for ever No more War no more Fighting with Creatures no more burthening and oppressing of the Creation no more sinning and offending against the Creator no more being dispossessed of his Life and Glory but the Dwellings which God reareth up in the last dayes for Israel his People shall be Peaceable Habitations sure Dwellings and quiet Resting-places for evermore O let Israel feel that which is able to awaken him and wait for this Quest How shall they be visited and gathered Answ By the new Covenant by by the new Law of the Messiah which is to go forth out of the new Sion and by the Word of the Lord which is to issue out of the new Jerusalem Not by the Covenant of Moses their Eyes may fail in hoping and looking out that way but by the Covenant of the
SOME QUESTIOâ—â— AND ANSVVERS For the opening of the Eyes the JEWS NATURAL that they may see the Hope of Israel which hath so long been hid from them WITH Some QUESTIONS and ANSWERâ— for the Direction Comfort Help and â—â—â—therance of God's Spiritual Israel in 〈◊〉 Travels in Spirit from Spiritual 〈◊〉 through the Spiritual Wilderness to Spiâ—â—â—â—al Canaan which is the Land where 〈◊〉 Redeemed Soul flourisheth in the Life 〈◊〉 with God and worshipping him 〈…〉 and Truth By Isaac Penington the youâ—â—â—â— London Printed for Robert Wilson 〈…〉 Le Grand 1661. The Preface SEveral things hath the Life begotten by the Eternal vertue breathed in me towards my Father for in relation both to my self and others from my Childhood As touching my self First that I might be a Vessel for Him that I might be freed from the bondage of Corruption and brought forth in the Image of his Life Secondly that I might be filled with his Life that I might be satisfied in the presence and with the fulness of the Spring of my Life even that I might have enough of my God in my heart continually Thirdly that he would of his own meer goodness both preserve the Vessel and dwell in it for ever that so my Tenure and Possession of him and fitness for him might be of his Grace of his Love of his good Will of his own Nature depending wholly and altogether on him and not at all on any thing that can be expected from the Creature-hood in its purest State And likewise that if he pleased to use me in any service it might be of him and for him and to him that he would bring me so low in my self that I might not be able to detain any of his Glory and vertue from him but the meanness of the Vessel might still so appear to me and also be so sensibly discerned and acknowledged by all other eyes also that the Excellency of the Power and of the Glory might run back entirely into his pure Bosom Besides these there have been Vehement desires in me concerning others also First towards Mankind in general that they might have an exceeding merciful and powerful day of Visitation even that the whole Earth might be touched with the Power of Life and drawn out of the Darkness O how hath my Soul breathed for poor lost mankind and how hath my Spirit travelled with unutterable pangs and earnestness for unheard of unthought of and altogether unexpected mercy and good will towards the Sons of Men in general Secondly towards my Brethren in Spirit that they might know the day of Redemption and Power in Spirit and not alwayes lie groveling on the Earth and groaning and mourning because of the Lusts and Corruptions but might know Deliverance in Power and might sing the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb because of their feeling Victory over Pharaoh and the Dragon and might serve and worship the living God in Spirit and Truth without fear of interruption and Captivity from the Enemy any more Thirdly towards the Jews after the Flesh that their Iniquity might be blotted out their wound healed the pure Eye opened in them and the pure Glory revealed to them that they might know the Shepherd of Israel in Spirit the Spiritual Tents of Jacob the Beauty of the Footsteps of the Spiritual Flock and might Travel out of their Darkness Earthliness and litteral Knowledge into the Land of pure Life Rest Peace and fresh Joy in the living God whereof their Land of Canaan with all the good things thereof was but a shadow and might be Annointed with the fresh oyl of the Salvation of the Messiah and might become indeed an holy Nation yea a Kingdom of Priests to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices on God's spiritual Altar My Soul still breatheth to the Lord and waiteth on him for all these things and as he draweth my Spirit forth so am I ready in Spirit to be serviceable unto him therein These present drawings and openings of my Life in the Questions and Answers following are both towards the Jews in Flesh and also the Jews in Spirit that they may meet in one even in the One Path and Pasture of life where there is one Shepherd one Seed one Flock one Spirit one Beginning one Progress one End in one and the same Circle of Life The Lord my God take it into his own Hand dispose of it for good Mannage and Bless it according to his Pleasure J. P. Some QUESTIONS and ANSWERS for the opening of the eyes of the Jews natural that they may see the Hope of ISRAEL which hath so long been hid from them Question WHat was the Rise of that People the Jewes Ans They came of Abraham after the Flesh who was God's Friend whom God took from his Father's House and from his Native Country where he was worshipping and serving Idols to be the Stock and Pattern of the Faithful both of the Jews according to the Flesh and of the Jews in Spirit Of this Root of this Stock came this People according to the Flesh who were an Holy Nation a Circumcised People a Sanctified People outwardly and as long as their day lasted were the Beloved of God the Pitied the Pardoned the Redeemed Ones even until the Shadows were finished and the Season came for the Substance to appear and be set up in the World whereof they had the first offer also and out of whom was the first gathering for the Spiritual building But they generally hardening their hearts and cleaving to the Wisdom and Knowledge which their wise Ones had taught them from their mis-understanding the Letter of the Scriptures missed of the Spirit Rebelled against the Redeeming Power and so lost their share in the Inward Glory and by God's Righteous hand were cut off from their outward also their day being spent and the Blood not onely of the Prophets but of the Son and Heir himself also required at their hands Quest How came this People to be the chosen People at first and so long to continue such Answ It was not for their Righteousness not for their Loveliness or plyableness to God above other People but because it pleased the Lord freely to love them and to pitch upon them for the People of his Choice after the Flesh in the free Covenant which he made with Abraham The Earth is the Lord 's with the fulness thereof and he may chuse whom he will to fill with his Inward and Spiritual Glory even with the manifestations of his pure Love Life and Presence and he may also chuse whom he will to make outwardly or typically Beloved Great and Glorious He chose Abraham freely he gave to Abraham an Heart to follow him he gave him the Faith and Obedience which made him accepted with him and he chose his Seed after the Spirit to be his Eternal Heir and his Seed after the Flesh to be his Temporary Heir Thus of Isaac in Spirit came the Children of the Promise in
and wel-pleasing to God and brought it into bitter misery and Death O that ye knew being begotten of the Will of the Father and keeping the Will of the Father receiving the Bread dayly from his hand That which man conceiveth concerning the Scriptures is not the pure Milk of the Word but that which the Breasts gives out that is it which hath the Immediate Life Vertue and true Nourishment in it And this must be returned back into the Treasury and not held in the earthly part in the earthly will and understanding but received from the Life again when it is again needed yea this have I often known that when I have been in great distress I have received fresh comfort from the Lord but running to that afterwards it never was able to comfort me but more deeply wounded me And thus hath the Lord been Teaching me to live upon himself and not upon any thing received from him but upon the Life it self the Mercy the good Pleasure which Proportions out the living Bread dayly to the living Birth Fourthly It is easie receiving of Knowledge in the earthly part in the earthly Wisdom out of the Spirit and living Vertue When one readeth a Scripture it is easie conceiving and apprehending a meaning ones self or taking in another man's meaning but it is hard abstaining from all conceivings and reasonings of the mind and waiting for the pure Will and Opening of the Spirit therein Also it is easie retaining of Knowledge and making use of it in the will and wisdom of the earthly mind for both these are natural but it is hard denying the reason the thoughts and imaginations and watching to the Spirit O Professors wait for the living Appearance of God even for the freshness of his Spirit in your spirits that in that which cometh from the Spirit ye may know the Spirit and may also know how to turn to him and abide with him having the watch set against that wisdom in your selves which in all Ages and Generations is eternally shut out of the things of the Kingdom although it may gather get and hold a vast Knowledge of the things of the Kingdom in the earthly Treasury Thus Fleshly Israel hath the Wisdom of the Letter but Spiritual Israel the Wisdom Vertue and Life of the Spirit in all Ages and Generations And though he that is born after the Flesh despiseth him who is born after the Spirit yet this is God's Heir and the bond-woman the earthly wisdom with all her Children even the greatest Giants in Knowledge Profeâ—â—â—â—n of Religion and Scripture o◠〈◊〉 must be cast out and 〈◊〉 Inherit the Land of Life This is written that that might be raised in you by the Power which is to Inherit the Life Eternal and ye not find your Souls deceived when the Light of that Day fully opens which hath already dawned I was in a poor low Condition when the Lord formerly visited me as lost as undone as miserable as any What Knowledge what Life what precious Vertue I then received was from God's Grace which was still his own and he might call for it at his pleasure And surely he which hath received from the Fountain ought to trust and to give back again to the Fountain when he calleth for it and then to remain Empty Naked and Desolate until he be 〈◊〉 freely visited This is an hard â—â—ssâ—n who can learn it Who can trust his Life with the Fountain and lie open to what follows Yet this did the Lord require of me and my heart being not willing to part with my Life but striving to retain it and grow in the first way of the Dispensation of the Grace unto Perfection he brake it after an unutterable manner and brought such a Misery Desolation upon me as I could not possibly have suspected having been sealed by him And now he is Teaching me to live more fully upon his Grace or rather upon the Spring where I am nothing where I can be nothing for ever but he is and will be what he will be and when he will be and nothing in me can be satisfied with him but what is of him and lives in him And here all that I have known or formerly tasted of him springs up again at his pleasure and I drink of the old Wine and also of the new but have nothing at my own dispose And when I catch at any thing or would be any thing I lose the Spring and am Corrected for my Backsliding and Adultery of spirit but am still again visited with fresh Love and the springings up of the fresh Power and Life and fresh Visitations of the rich Mercy and Grace which the everlasting Fountain naturally openeth in its own The Pearl is exceeding Rich the Treasure of Life unutterable and he that will possesse it must sell all for it even all his Lusts and Corruptions yea all the Riches of his Nature the best of his Will the best of his Wisdom most refined nay not onely so but all the Riches of his Spirit all that he hath held or can hold out of the Life Then when he is poor in Spirit and hath nothing in himself but emptiness nothing so much as to receive or retain the Life but what is formed groweth up in and is preserved in the Life according to its own meer will and good pleasure then alone is hâ— fit to be comprehended and brought forth in the Eternal Spring Perfectly happy is he who is perfectly possessed thereof yet he is not without a Proportion of blessedness also who is mourning after it and Travelling towards it which can never be attained by the Natural Part 's retaining the Letter of any Spiritual Revelation or Knowledge but onely by beginning in the Eternal Vertue abiding in it and Travelling from Death to Death and from Life to Life till all be slain which is to die and perish in the way and all be raised and perfected which is to receive and live in the Kingdom and Crown of Life for ever which the Lord layes before all to run after but none but the Spiritual Seed begotten of and abiding in the Spirit can obtain Mind then this brief Summ. The lost Creature the undone Creature is graciously sought after and visited by the Fountain of its Life and being Being visited with the Mercy and Grace and impressed it receiveth somewhat of the Grace and Living Vertue from the Fountain Having received somewhat the Creature is apt to retain it in the Creaturely Vessel even in the own will and to inlarge the own Wisdom thereby and so to become somewhat again in it self forgetting the Spring As the Creature retaineth any thing in the Natural part out of the Immediate feeling of the Living Vertue it corrupts it Adulterates 〈…〉 the living Spring And that which any one hath thus Adulterated with must be taken from him and he be made dead to it and it to him before he can be recovered into a Living State fit to enjoy what he formerly received or further to receive of and grow up in the fresh Living Vertue THE END