vii. 22, 23. "Why, herein is a marvellous thing" said the blind man "that ye know not whence he is, and yet he hath opened my eyes." John ix. 10. 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 in·ward appearance, have the witness in themselves, the living testimony, which none can put out, or take away from them. He hath opened mine eyes, he hath opened my heart, he hath raised me out of the grave, he hath given me eternal life. He hath changed me inwardly, created me inwardly, by the working of his mighty power; and I daily live, and am preserved, and grow by the same power, I feel his life, his virtue, his power, his presence day by day. He is with me, he lives in me; and I live not of myself, but by feeling him to live in me, finding life spring up from him into me, and through me; and therein lies all my ability and strength for evermore.

A FEW WORDS IN THE BOWELS OF TENDER LOVE AND GOOD WILL TO MY NATIVE COUNTRY.

It is written, "When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world shall learn righteousness." Oh that this might be verified concerning thee, O England, even that thou mightest learn righteousness, and that the days of thy unrighteousness, might come to an end! Have not God's judgments been upon thee? Yea, are not God's judgments still upon thee? And can any thing divert them from coming more upon thee, but thy speedy returning unto the Lord, in breaking off thy sins by unfeigned repentance? Oh that thou mightest be sensible of the hand of the Lord, and mightest hear the rod, and him who hath appointed it! The Lord hath power over all nations, and can break them in pieces as a potter's vessel. They are but as the drop of a bucket, as the small dust of the balance; they

are before him as nothing, and are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

Read Isai. xxiv. See how God will plead with nations, and consider whether he be not dealing thus with thee? Oh! hath not that been found in thee, and is not that found in thee, which provoketh the Lord exceedingly? Oh that the weighty sense of thy sins were upon thee, and that thou mightest truly repent, and turn from them; that thou mightest reap the benefit of God's judgments, and learn righteousness, and his indignation might be removed from thee, and his tender bowels of compassion move towards thee!

But perhaps some may say, "What is the righteousness we should learn?"

Ans. Oh! learn to know God; that is a righteous thing. Learn to fear God; learn to worship him aright. How is that? Why in his own Spirit and truth, in which he seeks to be worshipped. Learn humility towards God; learn justice and mercy towards men; learn to love thy enemies. If ye will be Christians, that is the law of Christ; but that which is called the Christian world, many of them have not yet learned so much as to love their friends; but hate and persecute such as fear the Lord, and seek their good, and stand in the gap to keep back the wrath of the Lord from breaking in upon them, and are wrestling mightily with him with strong cries, that he would stay the sharpness thereof, that it might not break forth to their destruction.

Learn to do to others as ye would be done to. Do not do to any, because of their religion and tender consciences towards the Lord, what ye would not have done to yourselves because of your religion. How long will it be ere ye Jearn this? How many judgments and distresses shall come upon you, before ye bow in spirit under the mighty hand of God, and yield yourselves in submission to him, to learn these things of him?

Quest. But how shall we learn righteousness?

Ans. Retire inwardly to that, and hearken inwardly to that, which gives the sense of judgments, and learn of that;

and that will wean you inwardly from all your unrighteousness, and teach you righteousness. There is that inwardly in the unregenerate which hardens and misleads; there is also that inwardly which tenders, melts, teacheth, and leadeth aright, as it is believed in and obeyed.

Oh that men knew the difference between these two, and how to turn from the one to the other! For out of the heart proceeds all that is evil and vain, and out of the heart are the issues of life also. The well or puddle of the muddy waters, of the waters of Egypt, of the wine of Sodom, and waters of Babylon, is there; and the well and cistern of the pure waters is there also.

Oh, my native country, that thou mightest be the first nation in this age of the world that might pass through the judgments of God, and be cleansed thereby, and be happy! Oh that thy rulers and governors were weaned from the spirit and wisdom of this world, and might receive of God's holy Spirit and wisdom, and judge and govern themselves and the people thereby! When the Jew outward was chosen to be the people of God, did not he pour out of his Spirit to govern them by? Were the judges, kings, and leaders thereof only anointed with outward oil? Were they not also anointed with God's Spirit? And can any Christian magistrate govern aright any Christian nation without the assistance and guidance of the same Spirit? And oh that all the people were anointed also, that they might be inwardly kings and priests to the Lord, and the kingdom of Christ might be inwardly set up in all their hearts, and every man might reign, in and through him, over the enemies of his own soul! Oh that the power and glory of the Lord might cover thy governors and inhabitants, O England! Oh, the prayers that have been long put up in bowels of tenderness for thee! Oh! the besom of the Lord, the besom of his righteous judgments, that it might sweep the hearts of men inwardly, that this nation might be prepared for the glory of the Lord (for the glory which he reveals in his heavenly birth) to break forth outwardly, to the admiration and magnifying of the work of his power in the eyes of all beholders! Amen, amen.

BRIEFLY, PLAINLY, AND UPRIGHTLY ACKNOWLEDGED AND TESTIFIED TO, FOR THE SATISFACTION AND BENEFIT OF THE TENDER-HEARTED, WHO DESIRE TO EXPERIENCE THE QUICKENING, HEALING, AND CLEANSING

VIRTUE 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 PILGRIMS AND FAITHFUL TRAVELLERS OUT OF THE

NATURE AND SPIRIT OF THIS WORLD.

Written in true love and tenderness of spirit by

ISAAC PENINGTON.

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." 1 Tim. iii. 16. "Of whom are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." Rom. ix. 5.