None could tell men where the light is to shine, and where men were to expect it, and wait for it. None were able to direct men to the seed of the kingdom within, to the Word of faith, the Word of the kingdom, nigh in the heart and mouth; much less were they able to instruct men how they might know and distinguish it from all other seeds, and the voice of the Shepherd from all other voices. Here it came to pass, that though at times God visited and opened men's hearts, a little warming them by the breath which came from himself; yet they not knowing how to turn to the Lord, and wait upon him for preservation in the gift and measure of his own grace, the good hath soon been stolen away from them, and the building which hath been raised up in them hath not been a building of life according to the Spirit, but a building of wisdom or knowledge concerning the things of God according to the flesh; and so the building that hath been raised up in men's spirits hath been Babylon, instead of Zion.

But the Lord hath had a remnant all along the apostasy, who felt some begettings of life, and had in measure some sense and taste of the heavenly things. These mourned after that state which was once enjoyed, and felt their want of it, travelling from mountain to hill, seeking their restingplace, which none could rightly inform them of. Now, for the sakes of these, God hath at length appeared.

How appeared? may some say.

Why thus: he who is light hath appeared inwardly, causing his light to shine inwardly, causing his life to spring inwardly; so that he who is light, who is life, who is truth, is felt and known in his own inward visits, breakings-forth, and appearances. For God, who is a Spirit, his appearance is spiritual, his day is spiritual, his kingdom is spiritual, his light is spiritual, his life is spiritual, his day-star is spiritual; and his day dawneth, and his day-star ariseth in the heart.

Thus the day-spring from on high did visit us, who sat in darkness, and in the region of the shadow of death. And here we have met with what the apostles met with, the very same light of life, the very same enlightening Spirit and power, Vol. III.-22

1

and have been enlightened by it, and tasted of the same gift.

The very same grace that appeared to them, and taught them, hath appeared to us, and taught us; and of it we have learned the same lessons, in the same covenant of life wherein they learned; and now can we seal to their testimony in the same Spirit wherein they gave it forth, and witness to the same eternal life, and the same holy oil and anointing, our eyes having been opened and kept open by it. And though there be great disputes about our testimony in this our day (and the present professors rise up against us, as the former professors did against them); yet let but any man come rightly to distinguish in himself between that which God begets in the heart, and all other births, and let that speak and judge in them,-that will soon confess that our testimony is of God, and given forth in the authority and by the commission of his own Spirit. True wisdom is justified by the children that are born of her; it is the other birth that doth not, nor can, own her. The other birth can own former dispensations (according to the letter of them); but not the life and power of the present.

I have known the breaking down of much in me by the powerful hand of the Lord, and a parting with much (though not too much) for Christ's sake. The Lord hath brought the day of distress and inward judgment over my heart; he hath arisen to shake terribly the earthly part in me (yea, what if I should say that the powers of heaven. have been shaken also), that he might make me capable to receive, and bring me into, that kingdom which cannot be shaken. And now that which God hath shaken, and removed in me, I see others build upon, and they think it shall never be shaken in them; but such know not the day of the Lord, nor the terrible searching of his pure light, nor the operation of his power, which will not spare in one, what he hath reproved, condemned, shaken, and overturned in another. He that knows the living stone within, and comes to him as to a living stone, and is built upon the revelation of his Spirit, life, and power (revealed inwardly against the power of darkness), is not deceived. All that

otherwise build (I mean upon an outward knowledge concerning Christ, and not upon his inward life), their building will not be able to stand in the day of the Lord. I wish they might have a sense of it in time, that they might not perish for ever; but experience that life and power of our Lord Jesus Christ, which redeemeth and preserveth out of the perishing state for ever and ever. Amen.

THE

ANCIENT

PRINCIPLE OF TRUTH:

OR

THE LIGHT WITHIN ASSERTED;

AND

HELD FORTH ACCORDING TO TRUE EXPERIENCE, AND THE
FAITHFUL TESTIMONY OF THE SCRIPTURES:

IN THE ANSWERS TO FOUR QUESTIONS.

I. What this Light is which we testify of, and
what is the nature of it?

II. What it doth inwardly in the heart?
III. How it cometh to be lighted, set up, and
increased there?

IV. How it cometh to be diminished or
extinguished in any?

ALSO

AN APPEAL

ΤΟ

THE WITNESS OF GOD IN ALL CONSCIENCES,

WHICH IS THE MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY; THE TESTIMONY OF THE SCRIPTURES WITHOUT, OR THE VOICE AND TESTI

MONY OF THE LIGHT AND SPIRIT OF GOD

WITHIN, IN THE HEART?

By one once greatly distressed, but now at length, in the tender
mercy of the Lord, effectually visited and redeemed
by the Light and Power of Truth,

ISAAC PENINGTON.