abide in this state; how can it but be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; and witness the good pleasure of the goodness of the Lord fulfilling, and the work of faith going on with power, daily, more and more; a little measure whereof, kept to, removes the mountains inwardly, and gives strength over the enemy. How, then, doth it increase and grow up in life and virtue, and in a sensible understanding and experience of the name of the Lord Jesus! Is there not, in this state, a feeling of remission of sins, a feeling of redemption, a feeling of reconciliation, a feeling of oneness with God in Christ, a feeling of God being the salvation, strength, and song, and a trusting in him, and not being afraid? Isai. xii. 2. Is there not a being careful in nothing, but in every thing making the requests to God, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, in that Spirit and holy breath of life, which the Father cannot deny; and so, the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keeping the heart and mind through Christ Jesus?

O my friend! there is an ingrafting into Christ, a being formed and new created in Christ, a living and abiding in him, and a growing and bringing forth fruit through him unto perfection. Oh, mayst thou experience all these things! and that thou mayst so do, wait to know life, the springings of life, the separations of life inwardly, from all that evil which hangs about it, and would be springing up and mixing with it, under an appearance of good; that life may come to live fully in thee, and nothing else. And so, sink very low, and become very little, and know little; yea, know no power to believe, act, or suffer any thing for. God, but as it is given thee, by the springing grace, virtue, and life of the Lord Jesus. For grace is a spiritual, inward thing and holy seed, sown by God, springing up in the heart. People have got a notion of grace, but know not the thing. Do not thou matter the notion, but feel the thing; and know thy heart more and more plowed up by the Lord, that his seed's grace may grow up in thee more and more, and thou mayst daily feel thy heart as a garden,

more and more enclosed, watered, dressed, and delighted in by him.

This is a salutation of love from thy friend in the truth, which lives and changes not.

27th of Twelfth Month, 1678.

I. P.

To M. HIORNS.

DEAR FRIEND,

I received two letters from thee lately, whereby the sense is revived in me of thy great love to me, and the Lord's great goodness to thee, in administering that which rejoiceth and refresheth thee.

Now, this advice ariseth in my heart. Oh! keep cool and low before the Lord, that the seed, the pure, living seed, may spring more and more in thee, and thy heart be united more and more to the Lord therein. Coolness of spirit is a precious frame; and the glory of the Lord most shines therein, in its own lustre and brightness; and when the soul is low before the Lord, it is still near the seed, and preciously (in its life) one with the seed. And when the seed riseth, thou shalt have liberty in the Lord to rise with it; only take heed of that part which will be outrunning it, and getting above it, and so, not ready to descend again, and keep low in the deeps with it.

my friend! I have a sense, that this hath been the error of that people that thou hast formerly walked with: and I observe in thy spirit yet a liability thereto; which the Lord give thee to watch against, that thou mayst come to a pure observation and discerning of the everlasting, unchangeable seed in thy own heart, and mayst daily feel thy mind bowed down and worship in it, become wholly leav ened into it, and perfectly changed and preserved by it.

POSTSCRIPT.

We are here but awhile in this world, for the Lord to

make use of us, and serve himself by us; and so, by his ordering of us, to fit us for the crown of glory, which he will give us fully to wear in the other world. Now, feel the child's nature, which chooseth nothing, but desires the fulfilling of the Father's will in it. I cannot desire to enjoy any thing (saith the nature of the true birth), but as the Father, of himself, pleaseth to give me to enjoy. There is a time to want, as well as to abound, while we are in this world. And the times of wanting, as well as abounding, are greatly advantageous to us. How should faith, love, patience, meekness, and the excellency and sufficiency of God's grace shine, but by, in, and through the many exercises and varieties of conditions, wherewith the Lord visiteth his? Yea, the greatest in the life, power, and glory of the Lord, have the greatest trials and exercises, which is to their advantage, as also for the good and benefit of others, and to the great honor and glory of the Lord. Oh! at all times, and in all conditions, take heed of a will, take heed of a wisdom, above the seed's will, and above the seed's wisdom.

Let the Lord alone be all in thee, and make thee every day what he pleaseth; and, in due time, thou shalt know a life, even the seed's life, the Son's life,-whom all of the angels are to worship,-and the mystery of whose life the angels desire to look into, as it is revealed and brought forth! So, be still and quiet, and silent before the Lord; not putting up any request to the Father, nor cherishing any desire in thee, but in the seed's lowly nature and purely springing life; and the Lord give thee the clear discerning, in the lowly seed, of all that springs and arises in thy heart.

Thou didst read precious things of the seed when thou wast here, written outwardly; oh that thou mightst read the same things, written inwardly in thy own heart; which that thou mayst do, become as a weaned child, not exercising thyself in things too high or too wonderful for thee. Every secret thing, every spiritual mystery, but what God opens to thee, is too high and wonderful for thee. And if the Lord at any time open to thee deep mysteries, fear beVol. III.-45

fore the Lord; and go no further into them than the Lord leads thee. The error is still in the comprehending, knowing mind, but never in the lowly, weighty seed of life;— whither the Lord God of my life more and more lead thee, and counsel thee to take up thy dwelling place there, daily instructing thee so to do. For the greatest, as well as the least, must be daily taught of the Lord, both in ascending and descending, or they will miss their way; yea, they must be daily taught of him to be silent before him, and know [what it is] to be still in him, or they will be apt to miss in either.

This from thy friend,

Amersham, Woodside, 4th of Fifth Month, 1679.

I. P.

To SARAH ELGAR.

THE child which the Lord hath taken from thee was his own. He hath done thee no wrong, in calling it from thee. Take heed of murmuring, take heed of discontent, take heed of any grief, but what truth allows thee. Thou hast yet one child left. The Lord may call for that too, if he please; or he may continue and bless it to thee. Oh, mind a right frame of Spirit towards the Lord, in this thy great affliction! If thou mind God's truth in thy heart, and wait to feel the seasoning thereof, that will bring thee into, and preserve thee in a right frame of spirit. The Lord will not condemn thy love and tenderness to thy child, or thy tender remembrance of him; but still, in it be subject to the Lord, and let his will and disposal be bowed unto by thee, and not the will of thy nature set above it. Retire out of the natural, into the spiritual, where thou mayst feel the Lord thy portion; so that now, in the needful time, thou mayest day by day receive and enjoy satisfaction therein. Oh, wait to feel the Lord making thy heart what he would have it to be, in this thy deep and sore affliction!

Nunnington, Sixth Month, 1679.

I. P.

Now, let the world see how thou prizest the truth, and what truth can do for thee. Feed on it; do not feed on thy affliction; and the life of truth will arise in thee, and raise thee up over it, to the honor of the name of the Lord, and to the comfort of thy own soul.

FRIEND,

To WILLIAM ROLLS.

David saw through the sacrifices and burnt offerings in his time; and the spiritual eye sees through all shadows to the substance, which have no place in the brightness of the day of God: and outward washing is no more than outward circumcision, no more of a gospel nature,-nor can avail any more, but is of the nature of the things that were to be shaken and pass away; that the spiritual kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the things which cannot be shaken might remain.

I could say very much to every passage of thy letter; but to what purpose would it be? The Lord give thee a sense, where the true understanding is given, and teach thee aright to wait for it; that thou mayst receive it from him, and thereby discern the nature of that wisdom, from which God hath hid the mystery in all ages and generations, and from which he hides it still; that so thou mayest experimentally know what it is to become a fool in thyself for Christ's sake, that thou mayst be wise in him; concerning which, it is easy to have many notions in the mind, but hard to come to the true experience of.

These are the breathings of my heart for thee, in the flowings of my love; who desire that thou mayst not seek after the knowledge of the Scriptures in that which cannot understand them; but mayst meet with the right key, and the right understanding, wherein thy soul will be safe and happy; which is my heart's desire for thee, who am a real friend and well-wisher to thy soul in the Lord.

I. P.