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THE gospel dispensation consists in Spirit and power. The kingdom which Christ and his apostles preached -- which the true believers were to receive, and to wait for an entrance to be ministered to them into -- stood not in word, but in power. Now there are four sorts that profess of the Christian religion in this our day, one sort whereof only, are acquainted with the gospel dispensation.

First, There is one sort, which have been nurtured in a profession of Christianity by education, and have improved it by study, but have never known the power, virtue, and inward life of it; but as men, with the man's part, wisdom, understanding, and seriousness of mind, have considered of the truth and weight of things contained in the Scriptures, and so have received somewhat of the holy doctrine into their natural understanding, and given themselves up to the observation and practice of it, according as they have apprehended and understood things. These have become more serious and excellent men than others, but fall very far short of the nature and state of Christianity; yes, the strictest among these, many times, become the greatest opposers and persecutors of true Christianity.

Secondly, There are some who have had a taste of the True power, and have had living desires and breathings after it, and a sense of the preciousness and excellency of it; who have also felt the quickening Spirit, and begun in it; and yet have afterwards lost that sense, and centered in a literal knowledge and wisdom about those very things, which they had once some living experience of. These are like salt which has lost its savor; and it is hard for them ever to be seasoned again; and from among these do rise the greatest persecutors and bitterest persecution against the life, truth, and power.

Thirdly, There are some, who, though they never came to the distinct knowledge of the power, yet have had a great sense of their want of it, and have kept in that sense; and in all the ways and forms of religion they have been or are in, still seek after it; and reckon no form, but as the power in some measure appears in it; and the cry of their souls is daily after it, and their waiting is for it. These, wherever they are, are of the true seed; these are the birth of the heavenly Spirit and wisdom; these are sheep of the true Shepherd's fold, though not yet gathered home to the fold to which they properly belong. These are the broken, the bruised, the sick, the wounded, the captives, the distressed, the poor, the naked, &c., to whom the gospel of peace, the gathering, the salvation, and redemption belongs. And the bleating of these is known; yes, their longing and cry after the redeeming and gathering power of the Shepherd is felt, however they may be, at present, prejudiced against that very dispensation of truth, life, and power, whereby the Shepherd gathers.

Fourthly, There are some whom God hath brought to the distinct sense and knowledge of the power. There are some whose minds God has turned to the inward light and power. There are some whom the Shepherd has gathered home to the Father's house, where is bread enough, and to the true fold, where is rest and peace enough -- some who have seen an end of all perfection, in the legal comprehendings and creaturely strivings after life, righteousness, and holiness, and are come to the commandment which is exceedingly broad, and wherein is life everlasting. Now these experience somewhat of the gospel dispensation, and know the difference between being under the law and under grace; and can tell what the kingdom is which Christ preached and bade men seek, and what the gospel is which the poor in spirit receive; and what the healing is which drops from under the wing of the Saviour and Redeemer. And they can tell what justification is, and what sanctification, regeneration, and redemption is; and can distinguish between truth as testified in the letter, and as it is in Jesus; between the law of the letter, and the law of the Spirit, which is written in the new heart and mind, by the finger of God's pure and living power. Now the knowledge of these, the faith of these, the peace, the joy, the justification, and sanctification, and redemption of these, differs greatly from all the former; from the two first sorts in nature and kind, from the latter in degree, clearness, and purity. For though all the sheep of the true Shepherd have somewhat of the true knowledge, somewhat of the true faith, somewhat of the true justification, somewhat of the true sanctification, and may at times have some taste of true peace and joy, and have true breathings and supplications in their spirits towards their Father that begat them; yet, they are not clear, they are not pure, they are not unmixed; there is a great deal which is not true, which passes for true with them; because they are not come to the anointing, to the eye-salve which opens the eye, nor to the Spirit of judgment and burning, which separates inwardly in the heart, understanding, mind, and judgment, between the precious and the vile. So that when they speak of the heavenly things, they do but stutter and stammer; and though truth can sometimes own their sense, yet, many times, not their words; there is such a mixture of the dark, earthly comprehension in them, which they are not delivered and redeemed from. But it is otherwise with those who are turned to the light and power of our Lord Jesus Christ, and have known it, and been exercised, fanned, and purged by it; for in them, the blind eye is opened, the deaf ear unstopped; and to them, the pure understanding and language is given, whereby they know and understand, not only words concerning Him, but Him Himself who is true, and are in Him that is true, even in Him who is the very God and life eternal.

Yet there are different states among those who are thus effectually called and gathered home, according to their growth in the truth, and faithfulness to it. For if there be not a great care and watchfulness, there may be a neglecting to hear the voice of the Shepherd, and to walk with him; and then, such miss of the pastures of life, and of the pure rest, joy, and peace, which He administers to others; and of the garment or covering of the Spirit, which they who live and walk in the Spirit (in every thing giving up to the Spirit, and denying all the lusts and fruits of the flesh), daily find themselves covered with. Nor does God so "dwell in them and walk in them," as he does in those that remain separate from all evil (from which the Spirit of judgment and burning purifies and separates), and touch no unclean thing. Yes, they who grieve Christ's Spirit, and do not heed His call and His knocks, he does not so sup with them, nor they with him; nor do such partake so of the river of life and wine of the kingdom, as those whose ear is open to him, and who are always ready to obey and follow him "whithersoever he goes."

Isaac Pennington

MY DEAR FRIEND,

I have not forgotten you; but have often inquired after you, and many times breathed for you.

O my friend! Look not outward at what stands in the way; what if it look dreadfully as a lion, is not the Lord stronger than the mountains of prey? But look inward, where the law of life is written, and the will of the Lord revealed, that you may know what is the Lord's will concerning you; and then show yourself a faithful daughter of Abraham, and be like Sarah, not terrified with any amazement. So soon as I had read your letter, this arose in my heart to you as God's counsel, proper to your state. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Be not straitened in your spirit, as fearing what you shall suffer for Christ's sake, or as if God would not stand by you or carry you through. Be your sufferings as great as possible, yet He, who has promised you a hundred fold in this life, is faithful.

Oh! What can hurt you, if your God is standing by you? Be faithful to His testimony in your place, and He will stand by you. Take heed of joining with dead worships, which the Seed of God in you disowns and cannot relish; but meekly and in fear, testify against and abstain from what you feel not to be of the Lord.

This was what was in my heart to you at present, in true and tender love, and in melting desires for you: that the Lord may guide and preserve you, and give you of the Lamb's courage and strength, who by meekness and sufferings, is now to conquer. What if the wicked nature, which is as a sea casting out mire and dirt, rage against you! There is a river, a sweet, still, flowing river, the streams of it will make glad your heart. Learn, but in quietness and stillness to retire to the Lord, and wait upon Him in whom you shall feel peace and joy even in the midst of your trouble from the cruel and vexatious spirit of this world. So wait to know your work and service to the Lord every day, in your place and station; and the Lord make you faithful in it. In so doing, you will want neither earthly help, support, nor comfort.

Your friend, in the truest, sincerest, and most constant love.

Isaac Pennington

DEAR FRIENDS AND BRETHREN,

Who have partaken of the tender mercy and blessed visitation of the Lord.

Oh, blessed be the Lord, who pitied and helped us in our low estate, and whose tender love and mercy has followed us, from his first visiting us, to this present day! And indeed, the Lord is with us, (what can we desire more?) preparing us for himself, preserving us in the life of his blessed truth, building us up more and more, and causing his Spirit of glory and living power to rest upon us, and the virtue of it to spring up in us day by day.

Oh, the beauty and glory of the day of our God increases upon his heritage, blessed be the name of the Lord! And to what is the tendency of all the workings of the contrary spirit and power but to eat out its own interest and kingdom . . . through the Lord's blessed ordering of things: so that all things work together for good, and for the advancing of truth, and the growth of it in the hearts of God's heritage.

So, my dear friends, either at outward or inward sufferings, don’t look about for relief but to the Lord only, whose life, Spirit, and power is above them, and bears up all over them, who are in spirit joined to him, faithfully waiting upon him; which God daily teaches and enables his own to do. Thus, my dear friends, feel the Lord's presence and power among you, who is always near his own, and especially in the time of their straits, trials, and sufferings. Wait to feel the life springing and doing its proper work in each of you day by day, working out what is to be wrought out in any, and working more and more into the glory of the heavenly image; that through the sufferings, you may come into the glory and be crowned with the glory, virtue, holiness, righteousness, and dominion of life over all. Thus the Son may sit upon his throne in you, and wield his holy and righteous scepter, and give you dominion in and with him, over all that would veil life, or keep it under, in any of you. So, my dear friends, be strong in the Lord with the strength of the Lord, with which he is clothing those whom he has emptied and made weak. Prepare for trials, temptations, and afflictions, for they lead into the possession of the desired inheritance; where all that the soul has breathed and waited for, is bestowed upon it by the bountiful hand of the Father of mercies, who keeps covenant and mercy for ever, and renews covenant and mercy day by day.

So the tender God of my life, and Father of the blessings and mercies of my once greatly distressed and miserable soul, instruct you, preserve you, watch over you. Exercise your spirits most advantageously, daily open yourself to Him; keep yourself empty and naked before him, casting down your own clothing, your own righteousness, and be filling up with that which flows from the pure, living fountain, to the unspeakable joy of your hearts and the glory of his own name over all for ever.

Be of good faith, my dear friends, look not out at any thing. Fear none of those things you may be exposed to suffer, either outwardly or inwardly, but trust the Lord over all, and your life will spring and grow, with Kingdom refreshment. The love and power will purge out, and keep out, what would hinder its growth; and you will learn obedience and faithfulness more and more, even by your exercises and sufferings; yes, the Lord will teach you the very mystery of faith and obedience; (oh blessed lesson!) and you shall not be disappointed of your hope or crown by any thing the enemy can plot or bring about against you, but you shall have the weight of glory increased and enlarged through the adversary’s temptations and your many sufferings: It is the Lord’s wisdom, power, love, and goodness ordering and putting in order every thing for you, and ordering and putting in order your hearts in every thing, -- give up to Him, and keep continually giving up to Him in the holy seed of truth, in which He has in some measure already joined and is daily, more and more, joining you to himself.

This is the salutation and tender visit of the love of your brother in the truth; whose breathings are to God for you, and whose praises are unto Him for the sense of His being with you, and daily showing mercy to you, upholding and preserving you in the midst of your sore trials and afflictions.

Isaac Pennington

FRIEND,

I observed yesterday, that you did own the light to be the principle of life; and that you did affirm, that those people with whom you walked also owned it and directed themselves to it. Now, it is one thing to own the principle in judgment; another thing to know it, feel its guidance, and be subject to it. It is a good step to own it in the comprehension, from the testimony without; but yet they that go so far may never come truly to know and own the thing itself. Now, nothing redeems or can preserve but the light and life of the Almighty Himself. Therefore, how to meet with Him Himself, and be changed by Him into His own Kingdom nature, and in it to believe, know, will, understand, and judge, -- that is a skill which none can learn but those that are taught of God; keeping close to the foundation and not rising in the earthy high elevations above it. Ah, the humility of the seed and of that soul that is one with the seed! Ah, how low it lies, and how weighty its sense and operations are, and how pure and infallible is its judgment! The great danger is, in rising up above the thing itself, which whosoever does, miscarries whatever he has formerly known or enjoyed.

There now springs up in my mind a state since Adam that I would have you seriously consider; and then tell me, if you have known or heard of such another. It is recorded in Ezekiel, 28th chapter, of one that was "perfect in wisdom and beauty." In what wisdom; in what beauty? Let your soul, if it has understanding, answer. For he had "been in Eden, the garden of God," (what! had any been so since Adam?) "and had every precious stone for his covering." What a glorious temple then he was! Yes, and he was created (by what creation?) unto this state. Yes, he was "the anointed cherub that covereth," and God had "set him so." (What is it to be the anointed covering cherub, and to be so set by God?) He was also "upon the holy mountain of God," and "walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire." Yes, the Spirit of God said further concerning him, "Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day thou wast created." Yet after all this, "iniquity was found in" him, and the hand of the Lord turned against him. Answer me now; was this a state of mixture (kingdom of Heaven / kingdom of the world), or no? And if so perfect a state was liable to this, what is a state of mixture liable to?

Ah! Many have had some touchings of the light, some true appearances of it, and tastes of the glory; but who has been so united to the light as to keep out of all that corrupts? There are some that still live near the Light of Christ but would be obliged to be influenced, mixing with it earthy influences, and would be drawn higher (higher in the worlds perspective) than the pure light of life and truth; but this leads out of the Way, above the pure, the true, the innocent, the simple: toward the making haste to be rich and glorious, in the making of a name for oneself, departing from that poverty of spirit wherein is the safety and preservation. How have some that have come among us here split themselves by aspiring! Ah, what a foolish thing it is, to be found singing before the Spirit’s dominion is witnessed and victory is experienced over that which makes captive. Such songs will end in desolation, anguish, and confusion; for by it the cravings of the mind go forth, and once fed, will inhibit the Victory and the Dominion. It is better to know the old bottle emptied, yes, broken, before the filling with new wine. And how many have taken themselves to be new made, who, when the Spirit of the Lord has come to search them by his pure, eternal light, have been found and are found in the old nature and spirit!

Come! Live no more! Know no more of your earthy self but wait to feel the pure Seed raised for you to know and live in you; to feel His light enlightening you and creating a new capacity in you that will give you to bear the pain of dying and taking up the cross, which will really slay every life, appearance, and power that is not of its own nature. You have formerly taken up crosses in a way of wisdom, according to a comprehensive knowledge and judgment – come, now learn to take up the Seed's cross in the true foolishness. For there is not another thing that gives way to life, than the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, which truly and really slays. To them that can discern and take up this cross and come to live and walk under it, the yoke is easy and the burden light. But that, in you, which counts it hard, must first be brought under and destroyed before the Life can be felt and owned to be so. If you could come out of your own wisdom and consideration of things, into the simplicity of the Seed, you would soon recover your lost ground again, plus gain the living insight on how the enemy, with his subtlety, had gained upon you, and into what great danger he had brought your soul.

The Lord searches and tries the heart; What his light discovers, that is the true state of it. That, which the mind apprehends of it outside of the light, is a false state. Therefore, be still. Stop justifying yourself neither condemn the judgment of others till the Lord make things manifest to you. If what He makes manifest then proves better with you than others have said, that will be your advantage; but if what He makes manifest proves you to be mistaken, and the judgment which is of your own in your heart He has condemned, should stand, it will be your great loss and disadvantage.

This is in love and true friendship to your soul, in a deeper sight of you and sense concerning you than you are aware of.

Isaac Pennington