The Propher's Answer to a Letter fent him by Efquire Pennington.

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AVING foberly perufed thy laft Writing, and with much Deliberation weigh'd it in the Ballance of Divine Truth, I doubt not but the Moft High will move thy ponderous Spirit to do the like without juft Offence at

me.

Therefore, moft acute Penman, I confefs, that in reference to my real Understanding of the Holy Spirit, its wonderful Commiffion, and Revelation, with the Nature of my own Spirit, I cannot but confefs thy Counfel is much like that of Jethro's unto Mofes. Wherefore undeceiving. Truth being the only Searcher of all Spirits, by it I am first moved to write a little of our unutterable Deceits.

Friend, 'tis kindly confeft, that Man's carnal imaginary Reafon is an Angel of fuch fatanical Depths, that the most high God-like Men that ever were, have oftentimes been fnared therewith. And why fo? That they might not put Confidence in any received Light in them whatsoever, but with trembling Spirits be abafed before that infinite perfonal Glory without them, from whence it proceeded.

Again, From the aforefaid Darkness, a Man may mightily counterfeit lying Vifions, Signs, and Wonders, concerning God, Angels, and Men, to the utter deceiving himself, yea, and the bleffed ones allo (if it were poffible) for everlasting.

Moreover, I am filled with Confidence, that a Man by meer Suppofition may imagine to difcern much Weakness in the Declarations of Truth, from a Man fent by the Creator; and to know the true God's various Operations in his own Soul, notwithstanding he owns no God, or Creator at all, but imaginary Gods only, which he calls an infinite, or vast Spirit, which is without Form, and void.

Furthermore, I am not ignorant now, that from natural Parts, and Education only, a Man may be indued with fuch Tharp Comprehenfions, profound Languages, divine Sentences,

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and feeming Self-denial, that neither Man nor Angel can poffibly difcover him, 'till the Lord Jesus makes him manifeft by his Fruits.

Again, I fuppofe it poffible, that from a meritorious Conceit only, a Man may have Power to distribute all he hath to the Poor, and give his Body to the Fire, and yet be but a Castaway, for want of acting Mercy, in Obedience from a divine Light, or Love in him, to an infinite perfonal God, or Glory without him.

Moreover, Because the Serpent-angel, or Devil in Man's Flesh, naturally winds itfelf into every good Defire, Thought, Word, and Deed, oftentimes predominating over Men's fpiritual Peace; therefore a Son, full of God-like Compaffion, is fubject to question his eternal Inheritance, when an uncompaffionate Child, poffeft with goodly Words only, is under deep Damnation, and knows it not, until his Light defcend into fenfible Darkness, of a fiery Life, or everlasting burning Death.

In the next Place, having manifefted thy Sufpicion of the Truth of my Commiffion, or Infpiration, as proceeding from the Spirit of all Truth; or if true, of a thorough renewing of my Spirit by it, or of walking contrary to it; fomewhat fhall be declared in Anfwer thereunto.

Friend, If thy Light informs thee, that the most high and holy One may impower a Man in this Age to declare divine Secrets to the Heirs of mortal Crowns; Is it not Wisdom's Way, rather to magnify himself in a contemptible Veffel, than in that which is with Riches and Honour among Men?

Again, Be it known unto thee, that as a Man speaks privately with his Friend, fo did the Creator himself speak eight Times diftin&t Words unto my Spirit, even to the Hearing of the outward Ear; by Vertue of which, powerfully was I fent forth, to demonftrate the substantial Things of Eternity, prepared only for thofe Siprits that proceeded out of the Nature of the glorious Spirit of all Variety of infinite Excellencies.

Therefore, though many Angel-like Men may be under their Seafons of Light and Darkness, doth it therefore of Neceffity follow, that the Commiffioners of the unerring Spirit should be in the fame Condition?

Is

Is it not more meet they should be preferv'd from the Power of visible, or invifible Temptations, above all other Men? Seeing, Paul-like, they have, and are to be abundantly tried, by ferpentine Spirits, in another Manner, in relation to him that fent him, concerning his wonderful Secrets of eternal Life and Death, upon the Spirits and Bodies of all Mankind, very fuddenly.

Moreover, Their Perfons being prevented from the Honour, or Dishonour of Riches, or any worldly Incumbrances, above many of their Brethren; may they not, in all Stillness of Mind, have more Communion with the Holy Spirit, concerning unutterable Glories to come, than other Men?

Moreover, Being fet apart to be more than ordinarily enlightned with a real Understanding of the perfonal Glory, of an infinite Majefty itself; as foon as ever they feel the carnal Serpent begin to fting, before it becomes a fiery Serpent, or Dragon, to torment the whole Man; may they not, by the Light in them, look upon the Son of Man in his Glory, and be immediately healed?

Again, It is written, There remaineth therefore a Reft to the People of God; for he that is entered into his Reft, is also ceased from bis own Works, as God did from his. What thinkest thou then of the Restleffness often arifing in wife Mens Spirits? May it not be for want of the Power of Love in them unto their poor Brethren, from their mixing divine Motions, and carnal Notions together, and building them upon an imaginary God, inftead of the fpiritual Rock of all Ages?

Moreover, If Men, whofe Tongues and Faces appear like Angels, in Comparison of others, fhall often be fubjected with eternal Snares; is God's eternal Reft indeed manifeft to fuch Men?

Furthermore, Though angelical fubtil Serpents, and simple Doves, or childish Saints, may be subjected to many fad Souldiftempers, through Ignorance of the fpiritual Foundation of glorious Peace; yet may not those Men, unto whom the living Light hath manifefted itself in Power, be entred into their royal Reft for Ever, unless they are left to commit_some known Rebellion against the Lord, and his heavenly Light within them?

Again, May not thofe Men which enjoy the aforefaid divine Reft, certainly know that the principal Caufe of many wife Mens Sorrows, whether rich or poor, is through want of a clear Comprehenfion of the glorious Perfon of the high and mighty God? For if Mens Spirits were really acquainted with the Lord of all Light and Life, how could their Souls frequently want fpiritual Reft, being vertually one with Salvation itfelf? And how can thofe Men, but be as Springs of fettled Light of Life eternal, unto whofe Spirits an incomprehenfible God of Glory hath appeared as the Sun in his Brightnefs? But, on the contrary, thinkft thou thofe Men can poffibly be freed from many Agonies of deep Darkness, who idolize a falfe God, or vainly imagine that no Man is capable to know the true God, because he is Infinite?

Moreover, Though the Spirit of our perfonal God, by vertue of its glorious Brightnefs, comprehends all Spirits at once, yet, except Men are enabled by the Light of Life in fome Measure to comprehend his infinite Glory alfo, for what I know they may everlastingly perish.

Furthermore, Though Men or Angels have no divine Light of Life in them, but from the Influences of an infinite. Majefty; yet thou mayft know, that his All-comprehenfivenefs confifts not in its spiritual Quantity, but glorious Quality only. If I fhould fay to thee, that the Effence of an infinite Glory, in its Quantity, is but as a Spark of Fire, canft thou or any Creature difprove me? And if fo, doth not his tranfcendent Excellency fo much the more appear to thofe which fhall in fome Measure be enabled to comprehend fo wonderful Secrets?

Again, If thou art really convinced in thy Confcience that there is a Creator, and doft truly understand him to be a distinct perfonal Glory from thee, and all Things and Places, as he is; then with us (which live in this Light) thou must needs know, that the Spirit of our Lord Jefus Chrift, God and Man, in one Perfon glorified, is called Infinite, Incomprehenfible, Vaft, or Boundlefs, upon the Account aforefaid. O! would it not be a divine Rarity, if but the honourable wife Man fhould own this our God in Power, and his glorious Truths revealed by us his poor defpifed Meffengers? Why? Because they

clearly

clearly difcover the fandy Foundation of all thofe, who, through Darkness, flight a perfonal Glory, and adore an incomprehenfible formlefs Spirit, otherwife an infinite Nothing, but glittering Words only.

Again, (fays he) If the Spirit of Satan cannot utter great myfterious Things, both concerning the Creation and Redemption, whence did thofe arife that John Robbins, and his Prophets, did wonderfully utter in this Kind?

To this, from the Light, may be anfwer'd, If the Spirit of an infinite Majefty had discover'd John Robbins to thee, as it did in Love to me, about eight Months before his Recantation to O. Cromwell, thou couldst not then have poffibly yoaked us together; but the Light of Life in me imputes it only to thy not knowing of John Robbin's curfed Tenets, and carnal Defigns, when his own hellifh Darknefs appeared in its Power upon him, and those that were under the fame Deceit, by thee called Prophets.

Moreover, Notwithstanding thy carnal Confidence, that divine Mysteries may be truly declared by a fatanical Spirit: As to that, from a glorious Light I am emboldened to affirm, that neither Men nor Angels, from a falfe Spirit, are capable to demonstrate the wonderful Myfteries of Creation and Redemption. Why? Because thou mayft know, that the right Understanding of all spiritual Excellencies are inclofed only in these two Secrets. As it is written, Why Speakest thou to them in Parables? He answered, and faid unto them, because to you it is given to know the Myfteries of the Kingdom, but to them it is not given.

Furthermore, Are any Secrets comparable with thofe of Chrift's everlasting Kingdom? Again, seeing all is not Gold that glitters, was it the Spirit of God that moved thee to write, that his Salvation-Secrets may be truly laid open by a lying Spirit?

Moreover, Suppofe a Man, by a natural Inftinct, be able to comprehend all Mens ordinary Experiences, yet this Man hath not heard the Voice of God at any Time, neither certainly knoweth whether ever the Creator did fpeak to Man or no; was it the Spirit of God moved that Man to judge his Writings, which hath not only heard the Lord's Voice, but hath alfo

inwardly