Quaker Heritage Press > Online Texts > Works of Isaac Penington > Isaac Penington to Friends at Lewes


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FOR MY DEAR FRIENDS IN THE TRUTH AT LEWES

THE God of truth plants his truth in the hearts of people, that it might grow there, and bring forth fruit to him. O my dear friends! feel it grow in every one of your hearts, and bringing forth the proper fruits of its growth to the Lord.

Mind what ariseth from the truth, what truth brings forth, and wait for and receive your nourishment from the Lord, that it may be brought forth in you. And that which the Lord hath made barren (in you, who have experienced his righteous judgments), let it be kept so, by the same power which made it barren, that no more fruit may be brought forth to sin and unrighteousness, by any of you. Then shall ye live the life of truth, and no life but the life of truth, and dwell and walk in the truth, than which there is no greater joy, delight, or peace to be desired or enjoyed.

O my dear friends! know and every day experience Enoch's life, -- a being translated out of the kingdom of darkness, into the kingdom of the dear Son, and of walking with the Son in his kingdom; then ye will walk with the Father also, and know the <14> heavenly paths of life, joy, righteousness, and peace in the pure light of life, which is no less than a paradise to the renewed soul.

I would fain have seen you together, had the Lord made way; but let me feel you in the hidden life, and meet you at my Father's throne, where let us beg of our God, what our souls and his whole flock stand in need of, praying for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem, unto the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hears our prayers; that we may daily see and feel the going on of the work of our God, in our hearts, and in the kingdoms of the world (which must become the Lord's and his Christ's), and may bless and magnify his name, who hath power over all, and orders all for good to his chosen heritage.

This is the salutation of my love to you, which lay so upon me, that I could not pass it by, who am your friend, in the everlasting, unchangeable truth of our blessed God and Saviour.

I. P.