THE ARK Is begun to be Opened, (The Waters being somewhat abated) Which with some Papers and Passages, given forth by the Lord's Servants, I am thus to Publish, Who am made a Living Witness of the Spirits teaching; which Worship is so Pure, that I may not endeavour to gather any Proselytes thereto; yet am freely given up to serve all, or any, that truly fear the LORD.  
John Pennyman.  
Behold, they of the House of Israel say, The Vision that he seethe, is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off: Therefore thus saith the LORD GOD, There shall none of my Words be prolonged any more; but the Word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the LORD GOD.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year accounted 1671.   


Several being desirous that I should Print something concerning my late Marriage, (which was published the 24th of the Month called October, 1671.) Which day, though 'twas a day of scorn and reproach, yet I do say, Many shall bless the Lord because thereof: So that it is now with me, for their sakes, and for the sake of all the honest-hearted, to write a short Account of some Passages concerning it.  
THE LORD having required me to take one called Mary Boreman to be my Wife, it was with me to have it made public, and to that end I desired a Meeting-place of the People called Quakers; and the rather I did desire it, because I had an interest therein: But they not admitting me that liberty, I got leave for the use of Merchant-Taylors-Hall; which being granted, I then was to invite several sorts of Professors, and also was to provide Food for about 250 Persons, (supposing about that number might be invited); The Food was to be all of one sort, and so was the Drink, [He that can read, let him understand]: but what with the violent opposition of some of the People called Quakers, intruding themselves, with several of the rude People, caused such a disturbance, that I had neither liberty to declare what I had then to publish, but also hindered my treating those [so invited] with that civility and respect I intended. Yet what I declared there, as a Message from the LORD, here follows.   

OH People! my Bowels yearn, my Bowels yearn towards you, whose desires in any measure are after the LORD: O that you would now (I say, that you would now) return with all your hearts unto Him, and obey the Voice of His Power in you; then should you be made able to stand, and endure the fiery Trial which is come and coming. Oh! the Day hastens wherein all Profession, that is not grounded in the Life and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ (whatever the mew of it be) will be so shaken, that an utter (I say, an utter) blasting and withering shall come upon it; and for that cause the LORD doth, and. will yet suffer great Trials (yea, I say, great Trials) to come, both upon the Professors and Possessors of his Name; that so his Children [the Possessors] may be manifested unto all, and discerned from all that are but Professors, though never so fair and seemingly covered: for all Cover, but what is of the Power and Spirit itself, shall be too narrow; and all that are not covered with the Spirit and Power of Emmanuel their shame and nakedness shall appear more and more.  
This is the Testimony which the Spirit and Word of Truth giveth; therefore he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear, before the day of his Visitation be wholly past, and the things belonging to his Peace be hid from his eyes: for yet a little while, and the voice shall be, He that is filthy; let him be filthy still; for the Spirit of the Lord shall not always strive with flesh, but his Plagues and Indignation shall be poured out upon such as will not be gathered in the day of his Patience, Long-forbearance, and Free-love; and he or she that loveth Father, Mother, Husband, Wife, Children, House or Land, Liberty, Honour, or any thing more than the Life of the Lamb, shall be counted not worthy of Him, and plainly manifested so to be▪ Read this who can; and he that can receive it, let him: for the time draweth nigh (yea, I say, the time it come) that these Say must be fulfilled.  
THE Indignation, the Wrath of the LAMB is come, Le ᵗ all Flesh tremble before HIM, yea let all faces gather paleness who are joined to Iniquity either of Flesh or Spirit; for the Day of their Torment, yea, I say, the Day of their Misery, Vexation and Torment is come and coming, yet more to be revealed and made manifest: Wherefore I say again, and it is the Word the LORD, That all Flesh is but as grass before Him, who is the MIGHTY, DREADFUL, TERRIBLE ONE; Yea, who is, and will be more manifested to be a Consuming-Fire to all the Workers of Iniquity: My Charge is, to Warn you, yea to Alarm you, that whilst it is called to Day, you harden not your hearts, but that you would repent, and turn unto the LORD, if by any means you may find a place of Repentance, before the Night come (which is hastening on apace) wherein none can work: The Mouth of the LORD) hath spoken it.  
But as for you whose Hearts are chaste, and entirely given up to serve the LORD, I am to proclaim, that the Year of Jubilee is come, yea, the Time of your Deliverance, yea, I say, the Set-time of your Deliverance is come and coming, yet more to be revealed and made manifest. Glory and Praise, Hallelujah and Thanks be given to our GOD, who Liveth and Reigneth in all His Saints and sanctified Ones, both as KING, PRIEST and PROPHET. Glory and Praise in the highest be given to HIM, from this time forth and for ever more. Amen, Hallelujah.  
Subscribed and Published by one of the least of the Thousands of Israel, yet one of that Number whom the LORD hath [of His infinite Mercy] chosen to follow Him fully, and hath accounted Me worthy to stand in the Gap, and to be a Living-Witness against All unrighteousness, yea I say, against All manner of unrighteousness. O let my Soul for ever Praise and Magnify His Name, who Alone is Worthy, saith His Servant. J. P.    


After I had delivered the aforesaid Message, it was with me to Read this following Paper; which my Wife had writ above a year ago, concerning her leaving the City.   

Friends and People,  
IT's in my heart to give satisfaction to all that have known me, how it is with me as to the leaving this City. The LORD having been with me miraculously these eight years (since the death of my dear Husband) and carried me through many deep sorrows, in which time He brought me near unto Himself, for which my Soul doth truly bless His most holy Name; and by His Heavenly Power He hath also kept me from the very temptation of being greedy of Gain; I have neither wronged nor defrauded any Creature, either in Buying or Selling, that I know of, but have sought their good even as my own; and now, I say, the same GOD that hath thus preserved me in this place, hath put it into my heart to departed from hence; the cause thereof is not yet made known unto me, but feeling His good Spirit leading me forth, (not knowing what my Service may be for Him else where) I dare not to say, as Pharaoh did, Who is the LORD that I should obey Him? Neither am I to reason, or consult with flesh and blood about it, because I know Him to be a GOD of Power, by whom all Actions are weighed: So let none blame me, as to my Children, for as the care of a tender Mother hath been in me for them, so it remains, and must be so to the end of my days, being assured that their Father's GOD will be with them, and His Blessing shall rest upon us for ever more, even His Blessing who hath chosen me to follow Him fully; and I may not thus requite Him who hath blessed me with a great Trade and plenty (as to the outward) even what can be desired, as to make it the cause of my disobedience to Him, and so to have my heart set upon if, as not willingly to leave it when He calls from it.  
Oh my Father! Thy Presence with me is the only thing desired by me; having that, it's enough; and, as Thou hast given, even so take away as Thou pleasest. A certain Faith is in me, that not one Hair of my Head shall perish without His Providence, Who ruleth all Things according to the Counsel of His own Will; So that neither I, nor mine shall ever want.  
Then let none take thought, for it never added any thing to me; but let all your minds be turned inward, and in the Dread and Fear of the LORD look not out. It's but a little time, and we are all passing out of this World; Oh! let all watch, that Their days be not ended before Their Work be finished for which They came into the World. I know it was not to be heaping up perishing Riches all our days; but the PEARL of greatest Price being found, they that know the Excellency and Virtue of it, can willingly sell all to purchase it: for all outward glory, I am to declare, shall more and more be stained, and the Glory within more fully revealed to all that love the LORD in sincerity.  
The Treasures of this World let them take that seek after them, for indeed my Kingdom is not of it, neither is my delight in any thing but to feel the LORD near unto me, to guide me in all my ways, whose Voice, His own Sheep do know, and cannot follow any other; all perishing things are under Their feet; the Mystery of Everlasting Life being revealed, is more to them than all.  
This let all know, that I leave not my Trade in my own Will, nor in a Temptation, nor in an Imagination, nor in slighting the LORD'S Mercy to me therein, neither Their love, into whose hearts the LORD put it to trade with me; but in pure obedience to the Leadings of His own Spirit of Life, made manifest in my mortal Body: and good have I found it for me to be kept in the Cross, which is now freely taken up by me, because He hath of His infinite Love and Mercy joined my Soul unto HIMSELF in an everlasting Covenant, that no mortal Thing can break; Bless the LORD all you that know the same.  
And this is in my heart to desire, That the LORD may show mercy to all that have showed mercy to me; and where any hardheartedness hath been, it may be forgiven.  
And so in the love, and goodwill, and peace of my Heavenly Father, and in His meek, pure, and quiet Spirit I am to leave you, and could, if it were required of me, even lay down my Life for the Righteous Seed's sake in all, that It might Reign and Rule, which can only glorify the LORD.  
M. B. 24th of the month called September, 70.   Ezek. 12.2, 3.  


After I had read the foregoing Paper, some of the People called Quakers, (for all called by that name I may not speak against, there being a Remnant amongst them whose hearts are upright to the LORD, and in whom He will yet be glorified) who though they had interrupted me before, yet now began to be so violent, in their rage and opposition, that I could not proceed so as to be understood by the People, which caused much crowding; so that I was desired to withdraw, which accordingly I did, desiring all to departed that were not thither invited. Since which time I have been silent in Publishing any thing that in the least might vindicate our Reputations from the many Lies and Aspersions cast upon us concerning that Matter; neither is it my desire at present so much as to mind or meddle with them; but as to that love which we then had, and still have, to Them, and unto all People, I cannot but here mention, and am willing to Print this following (it being suitable to the present Occasion) which I writ to one above a Year ago.   

Dear Friend, etc.  
THE Word of the LORD hath not been, nor shall be published in vain, viz. [That many that have been first shall be last, and many that are last shall be first]: At which many are offended; yea, I know it's that, and that chief, at which many, called my Friends, are so much offended with me: but blessed are they that are not offended in Him, whose Servant I am, and whose Will I have done, and Who hath rewarded me a thousand, yea, I can truly say, a thousand fold, Blessed and Praised be, yea, let all the upright in heart bless and praise His Holy Name, from this time forth, and for evermore. Hallelujah.  
O go not forth, but Keep still and low, and wait in the stillness, till thou be'st endowed with Power from on High, and enabled to come forth in the Authority of the Most High, to levelly the Mountains that stand in the way of our ZERUB-BABEL from building this latter House, which Glory shall far transcend the Glory of the former; O! hasten, hasten, tarry not, my BELOVED calls, the Marriage-Supper is prepared, and His Table well-furnished, and many are invited; but excuses are so many, that few are come: but my LORD will have His Table filled, and to that end will send to invite the Blind and the Lame, yea, the Hedges and Highways must be sought out: Blessed are they, and they only, that are accounted worthy, for they shall eat the good of the Land, yea, they shall be filled; yea, I say, their Cup shall overflow, and of their Joy and Peace, Comfort and Consolation, there shall be no end. Praises in the Highest be to our GOD for ever and for evermore.  
18th of the month called August, 70. J. P.    


These are some of the Messages which the LORD required me to deliver at several of the Meetings of the People called Quakers, viz. 

I Am to proclaim the Day of the LORD, which is come to gather the Outcasts, and to cleanse the Camp of Evil-doers.  
The Life of the LAMB is risen, whose Spouse was, is, and must be chaste unto Him, without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing.  
The Fear, I say, the Fear of the LORD keeps the heart clean; for it's only the Clean and Pure in heart that can see GOD.  
Many, I say, many have been called, yet few have followed the LORD fully.  
The Wisdom, I say, the Wisdom of the JUST is risen, to confound the Wisdom of the Wise.  
I am a Messenger of glad Tidings to all that are of an upright heart to the LORD— I say, I am not only a Messenger of glad-Tydings to all that are of an upright and single heart to the LORD, but also am a Messenger of Woe and Misery to all the workers of Iniquity.    
J. P.   

Here follows some Lines (which the LORD having made me a Living witness of, are a true and faithful Testimony) I am also to Publish.  
J. P.   

AS I was sinking down into the Invisible Life, it lay hard upon me to warn every one, and that in the pure Fear of the LORD, to return home with haste unto Him, and to cease from all men, who are but as the dust of the Earth before His Mightys' Power; which Power His Children dread to disobey: What though those People that have called themselves by His Name, be come out, as it were, with Swords and Staves against Him, to betray the Innocent, and to raise up malicious, evil Reports against those, who though in themselves are feeble, yet have nothing in their eye but to follow His Leadings: Having many years ago received the Truth in the love of it, and also in the Faith thereof, that it, and it only, was and is sufficient to Led and to Guide, and to preserve out of all evil, all those that diligently, and with a single heart wait upon it; as we (the two Servants of the LOKD) are Witnesses, whom He hath joined together; having first wholly redeemed us out of the love and the delight of all visible things, and shown largely to us the emptiness and vanity of them all; then did He make of us Twain, One; which when we came to Publish, and that with simple innocent hearts, before the LORD, and many Witnesses, than did many cast out their floods of Opposition and Reviling, as if there were no GOD to behold their Words and Actions; yet in patience and innocency were we kept, even as Lambs dumb before the Shearer, and opened not our mouths in the least to revile again: Saying, O LORD, it's Thou that fully Justifies, it matters not who condemns; and we know Thee to be our Shield, and our exceeding great Reward. So in Thy Holy Awe, and Fear, are we made to declare, against all that tyrannical Power that would be Lord over the Conscience of the least Babe that knows Thee to be their Father, and to say, do but Thou lead, and we are willing to follow Thee through both good and evil Report; for Thou hast of a truth endeared our Souls unto Thee, and to nothing else besides Thee: Glad should we be to bear all in silence, and not to meddle in any Case, if Thy Will were so: But the Righteous Seed is raised up, (that respects no People for their outward Forms of Religion, but bears witness against all unrighteousness) in which to live are we called; and every Soul that pants after it, and cannot live without it, shall enjoy it: The Day is come that the pure in heart sees the LORD, and parts with all for His Sake, following Him through great Tribulation.  
Oh! let the Souls of all that love Him, bow to none besides Him: Even so let it be with all the upright in heart, saith His Servant  
23d of the month called November, 1671. Marry Pennyman   

O Thou Righteous Everlasting Seed! how hast Thou been my Preserver from my Infancy! I cannot forget how Thou hast followed me with Mercies, and multiplied Thy Blessings upon me. Now is Thy Reward felt for all Reproaches; Let none through unbelief departed from Thee, for Thou art certainly the same this Day to all that trust in Thee, and love nothing in comparison of Thee. Draw all Thine after Thee, to rest in peace with Thee, as my Soul doth at this Day.  
M. P.   


The Day of trial is come that no Hypocrite can pass through.  
The Fury of the ALMIGHTY is broken forth to trouble and torment all the double-hearted.  
The evil Spies are discovered, that seek to weaken the Faith of those that follow the Leadings of the Pure Spirit of Life, because it leads not according to their Imaginations.  
The subtlety and wisdom of Man is rejected by the LORD, confusion and darkness is come upon it.     


We being called into the Country that day forty days after the Publication of our Marriage, at which time this following was writ.   

NOW are forty days expired since the Waters began to swell, which swelled so high, that they even overflowed all Banks, so that I may say, as of old, That all flesh died that moved upon the Earth: For as it was then (that none could be preserved or kept alive to the LORD, but who were preserved and kept alive in the ARK) so it is now She that can receive it, let him.  
And now the DOVE having brought me Glad-Tydings, that the Waters are somewhat abated, The ARK is to be opened, and the Seed of the Righteous, that was preserved and kept therein, must now go forth and replenish the Earth, which hath for a long time been void, and as it were without form, so that the Souls of the Upright have had little Pleasure or Delight therein; but now is the Day of Glad-Tydings come, now is the Day of their true Joy witnessed, now is the Day of their Singing at hand; now will the LORD alone be Exalted, yea, I say, He alone will be Exalted in this Day, wherein all the Wisdom of the Wise is confounded (and will yet more abundantly) that know not Him (or that measure of Himself which He hath given to every One) to be their Guide and Leader: Wherefore, be awakened all ye Sons and Daughters of Men (of what Profession or Persuasion of Religion soever you are of) for this is a Visitation from the LORD unto you; happy are you that can, and that do receive it; Yea, it is such a Visitation of His Love unto you, that I am to declare, and that in His Name and Authority, That your Forms of Religion, and outward Worship (set up) is not at all [this day] acceptable to Him; so that every one that love your own Souls, and desire to serve the LORD GOD only, must hasten out from amongst them, and return to Him, and wait upon Him alone, that so you may not dare to Sacrifice or Worship Him, but as you witness Him to be your Guide and Leader: For as it was of old (that all Sacrifices and Worships that were not offered and performed by His requiring, were abomination to Him) so it is now: He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear; yea let him hear what the Spirit saith, for the Spirit speaketh expressly in this our Day, That the Children of the LORD shall be taught of the LORD: Wherefore come away you Sons and Daughters of the MOST HIGH, you that have long waited for this Day, wherein the SEED must be set at liberty from all Bonds, yea, I say, from all manner of Bonds: So that this is the Message I am to declare to you at this time, That you set up no more Teachers without you, but that you harken and obey the Teachings of the LORD GOD within you; for no longer will He be mocked: but such as you sow, such must you reap; and if they be your Gods, then harken and follow them; but if the LORD be your GOD, then harken and follow Him: yet whatever you do, or whomsoever you will serve, this I have determined (as the Servant of the LORD did) that I and my House will serve the LORD GOD only.  
And thus I am clear from the Blood of all Men, having faithfully Declared what the LORD hath required of me; who am a true lover of All, without respect of Person, because I am at perfect peace with the LORD.  
J. P.    

Glad Tidings of great Joy is sent abroad to all you who have kept the Faith, and not loved your lives unto death.  
THe SEED is Raised, the CHILD is Born, we have seen His appearance, and are called to worship Him in the Spirit and in the Truth, and cannot but rejoice with an exceeding great Joy; for the Deaf hear, the Dumb speak, the Lame walk, and to the Poor the Gospel is Preached: Blessed are they that can receive it: But now do the wise Men seek to destroy the young Child's life, though with fair pretences, that They also would worship Him, yea they are exceeding wrath and would destroy, if possible, every motion of life that springs up purely in every true Thirster after it; but the Voice is heard, This is My Beloved Son, hear ye Him; Glory is given to the LORD on High, and goodwill is offered unto Men. Behold! this Manifestation is appointed for the Fall and Rising again of many in this day, and for a Sign which shall be spoken against; But in THEE, in THEE is our Souls delight, who have longed to see Thy DAY break forth in its Glory, though many days we have suffered with Thee in mourning and weeping, being ready to say, They have take away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid Him; But now is the Joy received that none can take away. How can we but call upon all to cast off whatever would hinder, and to wait with all diligence to receive HIM, that none but the pure in heart can see, who by His quickening Power hath raised the Dead to Life: Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the LORD GOD, this is the Day whereof I have spoken.  
Here is the Patience of the Saints: Here are They that keep the Commandments of God, and the Faith of JESUS.  
THE END.