unto me that none could or ever should come to the opening of the seventh Seal till all this were fully finished and I must give Witness that it is a doing and it doth not seem grievous because of what is to succeed and follow when the next Seal shall be opened Thus I have been driven on according to Experience and Revelation to open the mystical meaning of what is written in the Revelation according as it is to be fulfilled in Holy and Heavenborn-Saints though I also well know that their opening will cause a terrible Day of Wo to the Rebellious and Unregenerate for they who shall then be found in the Beasts Kingdom must look to fall and go into Perdition with him for as there are inward Vials to be poured forth so there are outward Vials to be poured forth on the World which I could enlarge upon but that it is not my Commission being otherwise instigated Besides the Lord shewed me that to every Seal there is an Eye opens within which is therefore called upon to look inward where the great Mystery is to be opened and as every Seal hath it's Eye so the Ear hath its sounding Horn which is filled with Holy Oyl which makes Kings and Priests in Gods Tabernacle These are the Trumpets that give the most certain sound for Time to end and the everlasting Kingdom of the Alpha and Omega to begin in that Soul where the sixth Trumpet shall sound upon which so ows the loosing of those Angels that have been bound who are to fight the Lamb's Battel and to revenge his Quarrel For the great and last War will be upon this sixth Seal opening and the Lord did testifie it would be such as in no fore-going Seal had been known But he said withal I am the Lord strong and mighty who will prevail and wholly overturn the Kingdom of the Dragron and Beast Continue thou whilst I am doing this in the most holy secret of my Beeing where the constant Mediatorship and Offerings may go on as the strength of an Army that shall all overcome through the burning Incense that is mingled by the Angel whose place is to stand alwayes at the Altar no hurt or suffering by all this Constagration shall touch the Jewel that lies hid in my Deity that would shine forth again in the Body of its Native Virginity as before time was wherefore suffer thou all this Vulence on thy Elementary part as knowing that it will not at all disturb the inward Temple-Worship and Communion of the pure Spirit But now as of old time in the first elect Church and People God was ministred to and worshipped in a dark formal mixed manner going up and down in a moveable Tabernacle till Solomon's day where the Typical Temple which was to be filled with the Glory was built even so since the time of the Son of Man's offering up himself the holy One hath walked in Clouds and hath been worshipped after an imperfect rate and therefore he hath prepared a burning flaming Day for all his Vessels to pass through to know whether they be Sanctuary proof or no For the Lord is carrying on a pure Jerusalem-Worship in truth and substantiality Rejoyce all ye who shall stand the tryal of this sixth Seal in order to it Now according to this divine Interpretation of the six Seal we may know how near the end of time and the passing away of the old Heavens and Earth in our selves are for that it is we are to look to at every Seals opening For from the first to the last there is a sounding Trumpet to bring Ruin and Desolation to the first six dayes Creation because of sin and the Curse which came in by the Serpent's sting by which means the Beast hath created his Kingdom and corrupted the whole Principle of time which the holy One hath suffered now so many thousand Years during which all Just Men dyed indeed in the Faith of this Prophecy but attained not to that degree which is to usher in the heavenly new Jerusalem in her Glory But the Lord is now stirring and in good earnest is sounding his Trumpets for Battel and there is that in us which doth witness he is going on gradually to unmake and dissolve all of the first Creation for the Lamb will not much longer carry the weight and burthen of a sinful Creation he hath in some already sounded to Judgment and will set himself free thereby and the Spirits and Souls of those who are resolved to follow him through every Seal till they shall overcome It was given me to observe that there are six Engagements to which six Overcomings do answer mentioned in the Revelation and to every Conquest a most high and wonderful Reward promised all which is to encourage to follow him cheerfully who is our Leader who hath sworn that time shall be no longer than till he hath gotten the Victory over the Beast and Whore and hath destroyed the Dragon's Kingdom in every Property within us who are elected to reign in his Life with him on his Throne with a rain of new created Powers in the Properties of the redeemed Earth in the Souls Essence and then we shall know how unconfined the Lordly Dominion over all outward things is even over all the Beasts of this visible Earth who must be subjected to the Lamb who hath taken his Victorious Crown and put it on the Heads of the holy Warriors that have passed through all and are come to the last Overcoming that gives entrance into the seventh Seal As I was collecting in my Mind the near approaching time for the manifestation of this great Overturning which is to bring in the overflowing stream of Christ's Kingdom into the Overcomers Behold I did see and hear the Voice of him from whom the first Heavens and Earth die flee away who uttered these Words As there hath been a long and tedious War between the House of God and the Serpent's Brood together with the Harlot and Beast who have maintained their envious War on the Ground of fallen Nature but now come and see the Place where they shall lie bound in perpetual Captivity And immediately I was all filled with Light from the opened Centre of the peaceable Kingdom that flows in as a virtual Life felt in the Quality of the pure glassy Sea with Sounds Powers and Lightnings as if all of the old Earth were now drowned in this bright Ocean and rollowed a bright Star with a Voice going forth which said The Lamb rising out of this new Elementary Sea overcomes the Serpent and Beast with all their Seed and this will be their Deluge to an everlasting Victory So from hence it was demonstrated that the Beast hath his Sea wherein the great Leviathan sporteth himself and casts out Floods to Persecute and make War against the Virgin-Seed whose Element is mild and sweet Temperature of the glassy Sea The other out of which it is said that the
find it self in another form of Life and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principality before Jehovah's Throne attend 〈◊〉 to know the counsel and decrees of the Soveraign Majesty under whom is mannaged all inferior Government which shall be committed to those who reign with Christ the Lord Oh! this will be a wonderful time indeed For while the Lord is opening these things to me I am as one sunk into the Abyssal Ground where I am as nothing till he put forth a piercing Ray from his flaming Eye to fetch my Spirit up again who thus spake unto me Stand thou up and hear and declare the new Model of my Reign and let it be published for it is time to awaken those who are ordained for the first Resurrection that they may no longer sleep in the day break of my appearance And do thou solemnly see thy Heart to the great Immunities that are revealed not only for speculation 〈◊〉 for sulfilling where great Earnestness shall be found Thus the 〈◊〉 One set home his Word and causeth it to pass through a Vessel that is nothing to be accounted of whereat my self stands amazed what should move the Lord thus to appear and hold such a free Converse and leave such weighty things in trust with me Oh! What can be said but that it is the Good-will and Pleasure of my Christ and King who will change Tin and Dross into Gold as it pleaseth him The Fifth Property of the Holy Ghost is that whereby the Soul gets free from the striving Elements and comes to Rest and Peace all Wars and Combates ceasing The Soul having got up these four ascending Steps towards the Throne can now look down like a Tower of strength terrible to all the lower Inhabitants round about It is a Palace compacted within it self knowing nothing but a serene Peace and Concord neither Dragon nor Beast do so much as attempt to come here for Love and Peace is their Hell and Torment Christ's personal Reign in his Saints consists of Peace Power Love Joy the holy Ghost moveth in the mild and meek Property from the Water of Life that captivates the Enmity and Strife and shuts up the dark Center with all its Spirits This carries a two-fold meaning for first it is to be understood of that Love and Peace which possesseth the whole inward Hemisphere of the Soul and in the next place of the same Love flowing forth and diffusing it self through all the Subjects of that peaceful Kingdom which Christ will establish in the high Angelical Harmony of Love The Sixth out-flowing Property is the Omnipotence of God exerted in the renewed part in an absolute and Almighty Dominion that admits of no controule Here is no need of going out to borrow Gifts or Powers which are now fixed in the Soul to manifest the Wonders of the Magia which hath been shut up in Wisdom's Principle whose Virgins Crown of Power is sent down as a signal Testimony of the Kingly Reign that must prevail over all the Earth The bright flaming Standard of Christ's Personality will be of that Magnificence as to draw home the dispersed and scattered Flock which hath suffered Violence in this Babylonish Kingdom A Jubile will be proclaimed by them to whom this Dominion shall first come They the head-Head-Kings and Leaders are appointed to shine forth as Stars that shall bear such sway in God's Omnipotency as shall make all the Elect to haste and fly to this Kingdom as Doves to the Windows where all occasions of complaint about the Necessities of Life shall be cut off because Wisdom's Store-house shall from the Inherent Omnipotency abundantly supply whatsoever is needful of this kind The Paradisical lost Power shall be restored in a higher degree than ever to the end that Self-Love and Propriety may be taken away which cannot enter into Christ's Kingdom for the Lord hath averred That none who are thus spirited shall ever his Kingdom inherit The vast and inexhaustable Treasure of divine Riches cannot be enjoyed in Propriety but only in Loves Communion The Seventh and last Property of the holy Ghost that gives witness to Christ's Reign doth consist in a Life of Praise Exaltation which goeth forth in the Angelical Tongues Powers and Sounds of so many persumed Offerings paying an everlasting Love-Tribute of Joy to the Antient of Dayes by and in whom they are come to reign over all Kingdoms in this World in Christ's personal Power The New Hallelujahs from the Fire-breath of the Holy Ghost shall be the Holy Sport and Coelestial Play of the Children of this Kingdom All their Works shall speak forth the Praises of the Most High for Wisdom's Spirit will act so high and in such a mysterious manner as hitherto hath not been known all which miraculous Powers have been reserved to make up the Glory of Christ's second coming in his Representatives here on Earth For if the Lord should not in this manner demonstrate his God-head-Power in his Saints they would be set very light by and it would be a vain thing to assume the Title and Name of Kings without anointing Power suitable to it No Dominion whether inward or outward can be maintained without Loves-Omnipotency And truly my Lord hath assured me that he hath made large and full Provision for this Day who upon some private Objections of my own said to me Be thou nothing doubtful concerning all the great Things of my Kingdom which have been opened to thee from the Center of Light they have been revealed for a ground of Faith The Head of the Dyal is moving towards the fixed Hour which will manifest all these working Powers of the holy Ghost Wherefore do not streighten thy self nor any to whom this Word shall come but run out in a spacious large Belief answerable to Loves-Power and the ability of the object to whom the Eye of Faith is directed For wonderful things are upon the Wheel by which you may know it is high time to put forth your Hands to raise and awaken that which hath been so long asleep This was the concluding Word of Counsel from the Lord. The fore-going Properties is that which makes way for the Reign of Christ in personal Power and Glory which is now the great thing to be waited for as the End and Consummation of all that hath been revealed in the bare discovery of which we are not to rest but we are to press forward to enjoy the Fruit or Product of it in the inward Center where Christ will be manifested in his Personal Glory and Power For the driving seeking Spirit will not be at rest till it can put on its Resurrection-Body It knows that hitherto notwithstanding all its Refinings and Dyings to sinful Self and the World it yet remains a naked Spirit which must return into the Virgin-Womb of Eternity there to be regenerated into an heavenly Corporeity from the one holy Element out of which Christ's holy Personality is taken This is the
THE REVELATION OF Revelations Particularly as an ESSAY Towards The Unsealing Opening and Discovering THE Seven Seals the Seven Thunders and the New-Jerusalem State The which have not hitherto so far been brought forth to light except by the Spiritual Discerner to any degree of Satisfaction as to the understanding of the grand Mystery Published by J. L. the Author of the Heavenly Cloud made mention of particularly in the Preparatory Epistle to that late Theosophick Piece Entituled Theologia Mystica A Work never Extant before Rev. 5. 9. And they sang a new Song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof 1 Cor. 1. 10. For God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit 's for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God London Printed and Sold by A. Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holloway-Lane in Shoreditch Also by J. Lead at the Carpenters in Bartholomew-Close and at Book-sellers in London and Westminster 1683. H. LION To the living Stones gathered and to be gathered to Christ the Foundation Stone where-ever hid scattered and dispersed who are elected in God for the New-Jerusalem-Glory and Mount-Zion-Church all Love Grace Peace and Joy be multiplied from him who was is and is to come THe Establishment of the restored Sion-Church cannot be by Man or after Manly Wisdom but by the holy Spirit which Christ our Prince and Saviour hath sent in his own Name to build upon the Foundation of the Father and the Son a Rock indeed which remaineth steady and unshaken from Time to Eternity And indeed who else is found sufficient for the gathering and building of these holy Temple-Stones that are to be fitly compacted together to make up this glorious Church that may be presented all fair without Spot as becomes the Spouse and Bride of the Lamb which you will find the whole subject of the following Revelations tend to even to the bringing out of all that are found in Lifeless Forms into the very substantial Life and Ministration of the holy Spirit where the Increase and growing up is known into that Body in which God will move and work all for the which end all Prophecies that have been from the foundation of the World may have their fulfilling in this last Age for the which good Assurance is given from the fresh springing of the Word of Wisdom that may produce a sealed Commission not only in Letter but from the feeling fiery-breath of the true Unction which is the living Epistle by which alone I desire to be made known to you and from thence do send pure Love-greeting to them whose Ears are opened to hear and receive what the Spirit of Truth hath declared and unfolded in this little Volumn which now is presented to publick view contrary to the intent and purpose of the subordinate Author hereof who as I was waiting in my continued course and order upon the heavenly showring and to feed and be refreshed in this all-fruitful and pleasant Pasture being satisfied here to take my lengths and breadths in all free conference with the Lord the Spirit whom I did well know by his inward flaming Body which at certain times did stir and rise and then I could hear and distinctly know the Voice of his Mouth which came as a soft melting Fire-breath and said Record what since October 1679. hath been seen heard tasted and felt and shun not to declare it for it hath a peculiar service on Gods behalf to do though at present hid from thee only observe and be watchful and I will certainly Follow this at the Heels And thus you may perceive under what constraint I am and by whose Commission these deep and mystical Revelations are now published who fore-sees what effects they are to have and what Souls and Spirits are to be touched and enkindled from the same burning-Ray which will surely over-shadow the believing And for the doubtful I have only this Caution and that from the holy and just One. That henceforth they cease from rash and uncircumcised Judgment which doth arise from the rational Will and Spirit and above all to put on the meek simple and child-like Spirit and so cease to be injurious to their own Souls for nothing is more prejudicial to the growing and springing Life and Light than to give way to Incredulity and an evil Suspition raised from the dark Mists of Sense and worldly Wisdom which can never reach the deep things of the Spirit Therefore if there be any force power or authority in that Word of Life that was from the beginning and is now come to bear his own living Record in our day which Word and Spirit of Truth and Wisdom let none resist but open the everlasting Doors of their Souls and Minds for to take it in and so you will of the lively Hope partake and bear the true and living Testimony with us That the Morning Star is risen for to lead us out of our selves where nothing but Darkness is and where the fallen Spirits keep their strong Hold binding and putting out the Eyes of Sampson the Nazerite the figure of the eternal Spirit which is in all the Sons of Adam against which the grand Apollyon hatcheth his treacherous Conspiracy for he hath great Indignation against us because such Love Grace and Goodness hath now abounded to us in Christ Jesus our Lord who is come to offer himself an effectual Salvation in all there is not a Door that he passeth by but that at one time or other he knocks at it and would find entrance in to redeem and fetch out his own eternal Spirit from under Bondage Death and Misery But such are the subtil Wiles of that Enemy of all Mankind that he provides a Dalilah for some to steal and draw away their Minds and to seduce their more Noble part to that which is vile base and sensual And then another more subtil Bait he casts out for those who are mortified and have escaped those worldly Charms and are come to a sober and lawful use of the things of this Creation and yet are held Captives through the Multiplicity of Mortal Cares Businesses and Concerns for the outward Man whereby they are so overcharged and weighed down in their Spirits that they cannot get up to shake off this carthly Dust to walk with God in Enoch's state not observing that counsel of the Lord Christ First to seek the Kingdom of Heaven and with all getting to get Wisdom The contrary to which is most universally practised in making sure first of the Beasts Kingdom and the perishing Mamon of Unrighteousness and then if the Kingdom of Heaven will fall in and be added to them it shall be welcome but alas this will not do Christ will not be served last Wherefore let not the Serpent beguile any who seek the Pearl of Christs Kingdom but be wise to avoid the choaking Earth and drowning Floods and trust the Lord upon his Word who will certainly make
signal Demonstration by opening the divine Magia whereby the holy Spirit comes to act in his own place viz. in the ascended Body of the Resurrection from thence to go forth and work his Wonders such as yet were never wrought which will be the Introduction into the fixed Glorification for to be Co-centred in the ascended triumphant Spirit the Glory of which is attributed to the Lamb of God of whom it is said That he is worthy to receive Blessing Wisdom Power Strength and Glory for the effecting of so full and perfect a Redemption all which shall be assigned to the glorified in Christ who in the Royal unchangeable Priesthood shall be confirmed as going up from Glory to Glory till swallowed up in Glory Power Might and Excellency the manner of which is defined as the Close of all that hath been treated of in this Book as the finishing Testimony which at present was given me from the Lord of Glory Therefore so receive them in Faith and Love for this is the day of Gods Revelation who sends forth this as a fore-going Harbinger who according to his Promise will soon follow to fulfil all the rich and precious Things prophested herein and therefore calleth upon his scattered Stones to get together to Harmonize in the Eternal Light Love and Purity provoking each other to go on forward in this four-fold Process of our Lord Jesus arising out of this long Night of Slumber for the Day is broken and the Morning-Star may be discerned Consider to what a Life of Glory and Immortality ye are called it is great and wonderful indeed yet know the East-Gate now will open to those that earnestly knock thereat so that there is a certain possibility to get up unto all these Degrees of Glory Wherefore let none doubt but be girded with the Omnipotency of Faith which will rid the way swiftly leaving all unbelieving Loyterers behind A Race we have to run some may not be yet set out others newly engaged and others a good way in the Race but blessed are they who shall at the Price first come that so they may return to strengthen and encourage their Companions in the Race who may see the Rosie-Garland of Victory in their Hands and the Diadem of precious Stones as the Price which they have won which doth well deserve to be run hard for not delaying so much time as to look behind being once set out but so run that we may obtain But it may be questioned Who and where those are which are so resolute and strong in Spirit as to hold out to the end of the Race For this none can be found indeed but such as are arisen with Christ from the dead he is must become the Racer in us for all other Legs we run with will soon tire and be weary therefore set not out till Christ your Life and Strength be risen as a Gyant refreshed to run out this conquering Race where ye may come to lie down under the encompassing Glory as in an everlasting pleasant Shade possessing all those high and wonderful Immunities Glories Crowns Joys Gifts Powers in the Holy Spirit who will magnifie his Office in acting and working all in the Body of the Resurrection concerning which I shall no further enlarge but refer you to what is treated of in the former and this the following Revelations I shall now cease and shut up all in that springing Fountain from whence this bundle of Revelations did proceed having a good Hope and certain Perswasion that the Lord will be with his own Testimony in a light Ray spreading over all the Darkness of those Minds that shall attend and receive without Prejudice what is written though to some it may appear Obtruse Deep and Mystical and hard to be understood yet to others who are come under the teaching of the same Unction it will appear plain and easily apprehended and that the Spirit will bear record with us of what was and is and yet is to come Now the things yet to come is that Powerful and Princely Reign unto Glorification which hath long been prophesied of and now again with an Affirmation that the Lord will suddainly be upon us to take unto him his Kingdom which nothing of the Beasts Reign shall mingle Oh! Holy Precious and Elect let us not Sleep but set our Morning-Watch for Tydings are come to make all things ready for him Let it appear who the Wise Virgins are by their making themselves ready to meet the Lord not only for a Visit or Salvation but for an Eternal Marriage and an un-interrupted Nuptial Fruition and so to be ever with the Lord or rather the Lord to be ever with us as his dear Bride perfectly redeemed from the Earth as it becometh her thus Holy and Blameless to be found for the everlasting Priestly Celebration and Holy Ministration in no other Temple but what is called God and the Lamb where the only true Spiritual Worshippers are found and from whence our Praise-Offerings will spring as from the bright Sphere of Glory that swallows up Darkness Death Sorrow Contempt and the Curse in a full and total Victory for the Hopes of which and first budding Fruits now shall conclude with high Acclamation Glory Salvation and Praise to God and the Lamb that cometh to Reign evermore even so and Amen Known to be Yours in the unsealed Book of Life which none can shut again J. ☞ Lead and E. H. follows The Introduction IT was in my purpose to have suspended as yet any further manifestation of the Revelation that still followed me and would have hid the golden Talent only for an encrease in its own invisible Ground from whence it open'd at first till such time is it might come forth in the multiplying Number of the holy Spirit to seal up the glory of all that had gone before in Vision and Prophecy but Christ the bright Banner of Glory stood before me and said Keep in Record the Journal of the now raised Life according to the Profession then art going on in and know that what hath and it further to be revealed shall be sealed with a mighty Witness conquering all Opposition where-ever it shall rise Wherefore go on and forbear not writing for it shall be as the unclouding of the present dark Day and many shall come in at the brightness of its rising though it now seems to be under an Eclipse Thus was I afresh enkindled from the All-pierciug Word of my Lord who knows for what end he moves me horeunto tho I still objected against it as fore-seeing no Passage for such high Mysteries nor likelihood of their Reception in that Love which is void of censuring and therefore would rather have hid these heavenly things in their own Centre But seeing it hath pleased the Lord to over-rule my Resolution I shall be obedient to his Word as believing it may extend to the benefit of some who are known to himself who will not difesteem
the preciousness of the Spirit for the Vessels sake wherefore I shall no longer be backward to reveal what is of great weight and importance as being well assured that the Lord Jesus will go along with me till I have fulfilled the Declaration of the whole Mystery I feel the divine Agent that works mightily in holy separated Souls and Minds driving on to make way for what is yet behind in reference to the manifestation of that Kingdom which now the Lord is about to restore in his Saints and therefore gives forth fresh and lively Ideas of it that pure Minds may be excited to look for its coming in their New Earth and Heavens which are to be garnished as with Purity so with Dominion and Power even the rising Body of the holy Spirit which must restore all things which have been in Confusion Now what goeth before to make ready for this hath been already set down by the Golden Pen which is dipped in the springing Unction to which more considerable Revelations are added by him who saith He is come to make all things New being ready to give forth the Promise of the Father in the Ministration of the everlasting Gospel I say the faithful Witness and Ground of all Mysteries minded me of his Charge to his Disciples when he was to disappear to the outward viz. That they should wait at Jerusalem the holy City in Harmony Concord and Oneness of Mind with great confidence and love to each other A deeper search the holy one doth make in them who in this last Age are waiting to be endowed with the full acting Body of the Deity which will be manifested in a different manner than in the days of the Apostles that being by way of Gift coming down as a Shower but now those who shall be endowed with this signal Blessing must have it by way of a Birth in them The Apostles were to wait at Jerusalem which was a figure of the Principle of Light where all Natures and Properties are harmoniz'd to an equal Temperature all Faculties are spiritualiz'd and purged from their Drossiness and reconciled to each other in a sweet Love-accord It is plainly shewed me that the holy Spirit will have his Birth in a peaceable Habitation where the conquering Life of Jesus by his dying and rising hath first made its way by reconciling the Properties of Nature and bringing them to a divine Harmony by which renewing Nature into a soft and sweet Mildness causing all Contrarieties of Spirit to cease by subduing it to the Light-Principle Wherefore it is but in vain to expect the Establishment of that Kingdom which the Birth of the holy Spirit will bring to us till this thorow Work be wrought that we may come to Unity in our selves and with one another which is a very high Perfection And truly from hence I have been informed where the Birth of Power hath stuck and why so many Faculties fruitless Births have been brought forth Wherefore let not our bribed Senses or the Spirit of Unbelief so far delude us to make us believe that the holy Spirit will open its Birth but according to what hath been by the Lord himself revealed But it may be objected That if the Terms be so hard it looks as an Impossibility to obtain it because nothing of the evil Qualities and striving Properties must remain which are not so quite allayed in any but may be stirred up again into Motion Pray therefore let us know what Provision hath been revealed against this that it may beg it a Hope and Belief in those who are yet in the Division and Strife the Good warring against the Evil and the Evil against the Good being divided betwixt the Night and the Day as the greatest Saints are For Answer to this Objection the Spirit of the Lord hath searched and found out a Cure which will bring the broken and divided Estate of the first Adamical Birth into Unity Harmony and pure Liberty I shall as I am able bring it sorth in the same Model it was given to me for a true seeing Glass by which I was directed to fathom the deepest Ground of my eternal Soul and to find out its true essential Properties as they were derived from the unmixed Purity of the one pure Element This pure eternal living Soul thus breathed by God into an Angelical Image and formed into an Organical Body from the one pure Element all which was to be seen in the first Paradisiacal Man But when Lucifer prevailed by darting in his hellish Fire it left such a Sting which hath poysoned all the inward Essences of of the very Immortal part and therefore the Wound is found so deep that no Medicine can be found to reach it but Christ the in-breathed Word who only can reach the Soul 's original Ground and being the Creating Fiat can alone make all Nowagain according to the highest Uniformity of the express Deity And this cometh first to be known in a fiery Ray of Loue-Light that discovers where the Root of sin doth lie and so when the Spirit of the Soul comes by the Word of Life to understand its own Original and by what means it hath been corrupted and captivated it is made full-willing and eager to strike in with that Christ which riseth from the Centre-Light in its own Soul to redeem and reconcile all to himself that was alienated from him in the Birth of Strife Thus Christin us is our Peace indeed who hath made of both and all one New Creature having abolished the Law of Enmity blotting and rcoting out sin by the same degrees as his own righteous Nature enters in which restores all peaceable Concord So that the Spirit who is made Partaker of this Gift of God hath put on Royal Liberty and being clothed with Christs essential Body finds it self unloaded of all sinful weights and moves swifty in the Circle of Light and runs its Races through the unknown Spaces and Christaline Spheres where other Worlds do appear with all their glorious Objects Ranks and Orders which must needs make this World look base and vile to a Soul that is come naked and free out of the original Womb as begotten again from the dead rising in a perfect clarified Body of Light and being quite recovered from that desperate lapsed state that would have sunk the Soul into everlasting Death Thus you see by what means the disagreeing Properties of Nature may come to be harmoniz'd as in the beginning God must become Man and by his consuming fiery Property destroy original Sin which is the first Engine that moves the Wheel of Strife and Division in the Soul which Fire is Gods choice Instrument when set and tuned by his hand who gave it a Beeing out of Eternal Nature into which it must be dissolved again that it may be a meet Instrument for the holy Spirit to play such Tunes and Triumphant Sounds and teach such new Lessons as have not hitherto
been understood All which shall be made good when the Soul shall be brought forth as a well tuned Instrument new strung and qualified in the deified man where the holy Spirit moves every Property according to the central Wheel in its new begotten Form which is set free to run its Races in the Sphere of Light where weak Mortality with its sinful Essences are out-run and left behind in the Fall Let not this seem strange or impossible for in the Deep a Mean is found for the bringing forth of this long buried Seed which hath long waited to arise in its original Body of essential Perfection and harmoniz'd Powers that it may appear that God is come to move and shew himself in the Covenant of his Love according to the Preordination in the heart of Christ for by him we do obtain this Resurrection in order to all the following Glories which the holy Spirit shall bring with him even so Anon. This Instruction being so immediately from the Lord carried great weight with it and made me resolve to wait upon the working Power in my inward Deep for the reducing of every divided Property to Unity for I was fully convinced that this Uniformity must be the Temple in which the holy Spirit will appear for the bringing of all working Powers to a heavenly Consort and Agreement I sate upon this day by day and as I found great drivings thereunto from the South Wind of Heaven so strong Storms were raised from the North with roaring Seas that lifted up their Waves to scatter and make void this holy Enterprize in injecting divers Temptations that such a thing as this could not hold or abide but would have its Overturnings and Changes for that nothing less than a God can always be in an equal Temperature and that this was rather the full effect of the holy Spirits coming than a Preparation for it Thus was I puzled and tossed to and fro in my Mind as if I were put upon that which could never be brought about or carried through to the desired End But the Lords Word was mighty and powerful to press me forward to this sweet and well ordered Composure of Mind to abide in an equal Temperature notwithstanding all that might come in to discourage me whether from those visible things or from the dark Principality which is much more hurtful in regard that they as Spirits can shoot in their Darts before we are aware so that this bath been my watchful Exercise for some days to resist what would have done Violence to that which in Concord and Peace would ever unshaken remain The holy One according to his friendly way and manner of Visitation did after all this exceedingly comfort and strengthen me to maintain his right of Conquest over all that which yet is left to vex and awaken Anxiousness or any Fear or Turmoile in the Soul My Jesus thus spake Consider and know thou art to hold fast what I have purchased by the fore-passed Death in thee as having assumed that Body of Sin to offer it up for a consuming Sacrifice once for all as was shewed in the Type of the visible Body which is now done again in the invisible So that you are to reckon and account your sins virtually done away they can claim no Law either to reign or condemn Look upon all Motions of this kind to be at the check of the Spirit who hath again quickned the dead and will no more give way to that which came in to flesh for to destroy And therefore let none pretend a necessity of continuing in that which hath brought in Confusion and Disagreement seeing a Redeeming Spirit is come down to renew and gather in the lost again to the divine Beeing from whence they did proceed at first pure as God is pure to which degree of Perfection that we may be restored again is the end of Christs Mediatory Office not only without but within us where the Body of Sin hath been yielded up for an Offering This confirming Word Christ the Lord who is arising left with me for them who have been in the Death with him that we henceforth may know our selves in him to be acquitted and released from all Claims which the evil Powers and Properties can make for upholding that Kingdom where the Beasts Throne is which consists of envy wrath strife from all which by an eternal Decree of the Lord Jehovah you are set free and brought into the Harmony of that Kingdom where the springing Joy from the Peace of God doth run as a River that hath its Division through all Properties for to bring them to the heavenly Unity whereby the Creature is set free from the Bondage of Sin and a wafaring Life according to the Pattern seen in the Mount of Vision to which my Spirit hath been oft taken up to see the wonderful Plat-form of the New-Jerusalem The Vision of the New-Jerusalem The Lord took me away from my mortal part and shewed me the Scituation of this great Glory and said Behold and see the Pattern of the heavenly Houses and Mansions which make up the New-Jerusalem where the Glory of the One only God doth fill all with the essential Light and Splendor of his divine goodness I shall as I am able describe what I did see in the Heavens of this Mother-City for so it was named to me who is to bring forth her first and free-born to replenish the New Earth and Heavens It appeared as a City sounded upon one square Stone whose Dimensions were very large It was all paved with light flaming Colours appearing like so many various sparkling Stones inlaid on the great Foundation Stone which gave forth a luster as if so many bright Suns had been there Towards the Verge or out-side of this square Stone were seen many Seraphick Bodies wreathing Arm in Arm and several rows of various spiritual Forms of different Ranks and Stature These Rews appeared like the Stories of a building which were carried up higher higher in a square Figure till it was wonderful high upon the Heads of the most inward glorified Bodies a Covering was spread by one more Diaphanous and of greater splendor than all the rest the Height of his Person was higher by the head then all the other who called to me out of this most glorious Building To take good heed of all I had seen for it had a further meaning which I was to have revealed when driven by the Spirit into the light Mystery where all deep things do open Oh my dear Lord be thou an All-springing Testimony within and from this New-Jerusalem My Spirit being drawn out for a further Enquiry concerning this New-Jerusalem state what the Appearance of it to us did signifie for this present time the Foundation Stone thereof gave forth this Word That such a City the mighty Cyrus would himself be the Founder of upon the visible Stage of this World although there be little appearance
to see him who sate upon the Red Horse slaying with his Sword the Beasts and creeping things of the Earth that is all the moving stirring Essences springing from the original source of Evil and to find him taking away Peace from the earthly Life so that the earthly Mind is berest of all Peace Rest Content and Satisfaction in all its goings out whether in Thought Word or Action But how comes this to pass Why because he that sits on the Red Horse gives a mighty Sword to the Spirit of the Soul that thereby it may kill and destroy all the Essences of the earthly Life in joynt-Union with Christ which Sword is nothing else but the Power of the Spirit of Life which is Christ's Deity in his Eternal Humanity now fixed in the centre of the Soul It is Christ's rising Life in his Saints enabling them to conquer the Essences of the earthly Life which is the Beast in themselves Now this taking away of Peace from the earthly Life is a blessed Introduction to its final Destruction which is to follow upon it according to the intention of the Kingly Redeemer The opening of the third Seal sheweth Christ in us riding on a black Horse with a pair of Ballances in his Hand signifying Famine on the life of the Beast in his Saints that its day of plenty is passing away and that its earthly Essences must be weighed in the Balance of Rightcousness For the Lamb's Life rising in his dead and riaug Saints putting them into one Scale weigheth all chei Thoughts Words and Actions in the weight of Perfection Christ the holy One in the other to see whether they be brought into an even Pois with it to the end that all Increase and Plenty might richly abound in the fruitfulness of the Spirit from which heavenly sowing such a Crop doth spring as may proclaim a Plenty that may all former exceed and thus it will naturally spring in the Soul which is even ballanced with Christ the Anointed And nothing of the Oyl and Wine which from hence shall proceed shall ever be hurt or diminished At the opening of the fourth Seal Christ rides in his Saints on a powerful Horse whose Name is Conquering Death and hath Hell following him But though this Death looks grim yet it is such a Death as shall only hurt the fourth part of the Earth that is the evil Principle in the earthly Life which reigns and hath the dominion until the Life of Christ be risen in his Saints till which Time the Beast may be permitted to kill the Life of Christ in the Soul with Hunger Famine and languishing Death for it is said that the Beast shall make War with the Saints and for a time overcome them that is keep them under by reigning over them in the worldly dominion which reacheth to their outward Man as standing in his Elementary Kingdom where he hath great Power to afflict and famish unto Death by several Cruelties when so far permitted But I have experimentally found that the greatest Fury Hellish Force and Wrath of the Dragon is quelled and overcome by the Blood and inlaid Life of the Holy Lamb of God rising in his powerful Might within me who upon my complaint of the continual Usurpation of the Beasts Kingdom hath given assurance that there is a Viol of Wrath preparing to be poured out upon him which shall drown his Kingdom in everlasting Perdition that he may no longer insult over the sealed Ones of God to whom Power shall be given to bind him in everlasting Chains For the Lord Omnipotent in the Life of the Lamb is coming to reign over all the Beasts of the Earth and to exalt them to a victorious Kingdom who have been killed and slain with him The opening of the fifth Seal discovers the Souls of the slain Saints under the Altar of the Deity and Humanity Here the Soul witnesseth Conformity to the Death of the 〈◊〉 and lies as a live burning Coal under his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rise in such Power of Majesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take Vengeance of those that have killed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternal Generation is to be counted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—ced into Nature who hath lain a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as Abel's Blood did cry for Vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Jesus cry more strongly in the Soulâ— of them who are 〈◊〉 with Christ and the Lord hath expresly assured that when the rising Incense goeth up from the Altar from the Soul 's live Coal it is a sure Testimony that the Resurrection is nigh when the naked Soul shall be cloathed with its long white Robe though this hath been a long Rest and Confinement to many yet it hath only been permitted that a stronger Cry might ascend Even as we see now that John's long sleeping Prophecy is now by some strong crying Souls awakened till all the Seals be made to fly open to the end that the imprisoned Souls in Christ may by their opening come to be set upon the Throne where they shall judge the Dragon and the Beast with all their Adherents that formerly exercised Cruelty over them unto Death Therefore rejoyce all ye who do find the Effects of the fifth Seal opening in your selves for by them ye may know the nearness of the Jerusalem-Kingdom look for its fulfilling in the World within which shall also in due time be fulfilled in the outward World I proceed now to the opening of the sixth Seal where the first thing observable is the great Earthquake representing the terrible Shakings of the very Foundations of the old Earth in which is the original Seed of Sin the hour of whose Judgment is come and the Trumpet hath founded for the dissolving this first Earth and Heavens that their Place may be no more found the Wind of the mighty Spirit blows upon all Flesh to make it dye and wither The Sun of the outward Reason is changed into Blackness and the Moon of the Senses into Blood and all the Starry Imaginations drop like untimely Fruit and every Island and Mountain of strength meleth away For there can be no hiding in this Day a Consumption being determined upon the whole Universe which hath been under the Beasts captivity We may call this a blessed Ruin and Undoing to see a destruction come upon all that hath kept the Lamb and his Kingdom out This causes a great out cry and perplexity in the Properties of degenerate Nature where the King of Reason and the Captains the Senses do not know whither to slee from the face of him who is come to make all things new which could not be till all of the old Building was broken down and taken to pieces where the fretting Leprosie of Sin did still rise The Wisdom of God could no better way contrive for the laying of a sound and sinless Foundation for the New Jerusalem according to this fore-contrived Model as by express Word it came
commissioned to act in this last Seene of Wonders in the wonder-City that shall be all compacted of pure Spirits Hear and see ye shall be planted there as the great Cannons for these Powers will multiply as a great Host which can cut off this visible World at one stroke This is the great reserve to be given as a Reward to the suffering Conquerors The fifth Thunder cryed Now unseal the Tabernacle-Testimony let the eternal Gospel of Love and Peace go forth in the cloven Tongue which can only speak out what springs from the original Law of restored Nature to its primary Purity out of the Fountain of the Deity Behold these are the separated and anointed Ones who have this Gospel-Dispensation as a perpetual rising spring proceeding from the holy Spirit who can indeed absolve and pronounce Remission of Sins For Power will rest upon those who can conveigh the New-Testament-Blood to heal and deliver from the infective Root of Sin not in a painted formal Imitation but there shall go forth a Fire-breath to send this healing Gospel into the very Center-Root of the sick and sorrowful in Spirit who under the wound of Sin have laid long for Cure To which true Royalty and Priesthood some shall be more eminently ordained for the gathering in of those who lie under the Babylonish Rubbish who shall be raised through the out-going Might of the everlasting Testimony in the Blood of the Lamb's Life which is the known Character that only shall be given to them The Declaration of the sixth Thunder was thus represented to me I saw one holding forth a Saphire Signet or sealing Stone with which were to be marked all the Free-born that do belong to the New-Jerusalem for none but such as are marked can have right to the vast Riches which are concentred in Wisdom's Bank who to this day hath locked up the Brides Dowry and will not part with it till she can come with this Seal upon her Heart which is now brought out to put the highest impress of Saphire-Glory and Purity that may signifie that the Lamb's Bride is all thus dignified Oh! who shall henceforth detain those Riches Wealth and Honour which have been treasured up from before the Foundation of the World For all must now be given up to her command whether it be in Heaven or Earth or in the glassy Sea whether in Heights or in Depths or in any of the Eternal Sphears The sealing Name is every where the Authority that must set all open which hath been locked up hitherto because none could bring alone with them the Seal which is now freely brought down of God's own ingraving and therefore can never be counterfeited for it bears the lively Portraiture of Father Son and Spirit to whom all Riches Power and Glory are given The last Thunder comes in great Power to declare the Great Day of the Marriage-Feast of the Lamb The Fountains run now with that Spirit Wine that was in the Grape before all Time the choice and precious Fruits ripened by the Serene and Pure Elements are prepared and the Table is covered with all Replenishments that God himself can set out to express the Content and Joy he takes to see this consummating Day wherein I saac hath brought home his Rebecca into God the Father's and Jerusalem's Glory where henceforce a perpetual Feast of Joy forever is to be kept Angels now sound your Trumpet-Songs because the Harvest is reapea and God's Kingdom come The Lamb and Bride are now met to maintain a living Fame in another Creation The Redemption is finished Salvation is witnessed and the Mystery of God is unsealed The Harpers are summon'd to the Holy Quire with their Sounds and fiery Tongues that may proclaim the Lamb hath given up the Kingdom consisting of perfect Spirits that God only may be the top covering of great Majesty Strength Wisdom and Glory in and over all the Inhabitants of this Holy City which beareth this Name The Almighty creating Power â—â—â—ileth and taketh up his abode here Henceforth bless the Lord on High It s he that hath unsealed Treasures richly What can them hide from the Spirit 's Eye That pierced have into the Heart of the Deity Tribute-Offerings pay to our God and King Who hath revealed Wonderful Things Oh what Seraphick Sounds do I hear Are they not the Thunders of the Coelestial Sphear Calling for an attentive Ear Spirit to hear o're Which as the Doors be to the Golden Ore Where vast Treasures land up are in store But sound are only by Spirit 's Pore This is the state in which the Souls blest Eye May see God without Thought intellectually Though Speech and Converse away may fly The thunder of his Power abides essentially This is the Day we rejoyce to see Even the acting Power of the Deity What is it but the fiery piercing Eye That can the unsealed Book untye Wherein the perfect Number Seven lie Blessed is that Power from on High That hath struck the Crystial Rock From whence the Thunders did fly I feel the gushing in of Crystial Springs That whirleth as upon Cherubim Wings No more to look down to Earthly Things The Glass so clear through which I see Beholding glorious Objects variously That snatched away before I am awake Pass we on to the Sea of Glass Through all Worlds we make our Pass Brought we are to our own Land Where all Wonders in order stand Rewing what the Mortal cannot endure Even those Coelestials that are ever pure Blessed are those in whom the wonder Of the seven Thunders uncloaked be That feel that see that possess God in Unity Raised high into the Heart of the Deity Whereout Spring secret pleasant things That swallows up in Joy that hath no end Thus were the seven Thunders opened and interpreted to me from the springing Word upon which I closely waited and witnessed felt a sweet precious anointing and refreshing Joy to come in from every Thunder-Cry Oh! this is so great so weighty and rich and such surprizing Goodness which in this Book of Life is found which is now unsealing that no other things any more ought to be minded by us Thus the triumphant King and Conqueror who is possessed of all these Royal Powers and Dignities that are infolded in these seven Thunders hath given his Word that none of these shall fail in any one that hath the mark of the seventh Conquering-Seal broken up in themselves to whom joynt-power and authority will be given in order to the beginning of that Reign which is to be settled here on Earth according to the Prophecy in John's Revelation which presseth hard upon me from the Fiery Cloud that circles round my Spirit for a defensive Banner which will let nothing of the eclipsing dark Principle come in whilst the Center deep from the Soul 's fiery Essence opens and the bright Streamers from the Heart of the glorified Jesus who meets me in such a peaceable Love-paved-Walk
into which none can come to see or hear what passeth by way of Prospect or Communication but what and so much as I am ordered to declare I shall faithfully give out according to the mind of my Lord who sees the effect that shall follow all these Revelations given by him The Prophecy of the Thousand Years Reign mentioned in the Revelations was set before me and opened As to the Time Persons and Place much Controversie hath been concerning this Mystery which I shall not meddle with but shall only faithfully declare what the Morning-Star hath expresly revealed from his own Mouth who with this Salutation began Awake ye who have been under Death and Judgment know ye not that my Reign is near The fore-going Prophecy must have its fulfilling and there are those who are a ripening for it upon whom my Kingdom shall be fixed Wherefore do thou warily observe the following Particulars which are the fore-going Signs of my Personal Reign whereby it may be known how near it is The first particular concerns those Persons in whom this Reign is to begin who are such as have been Beheaded suffering an inward spiritual Martyrdom for the hope of a Resurrection in a God-head-Body and Spirit The manner of Death is here to be taken notice of they are said to have been Beheaded that is who have their Head Life where the rational Understanding is seated and from whence all sensible operation go forth cut off and separated from them because by means of it the Dragon and Beast have found place to establish their Kingdoms in Man and have been hereby in all Ages upheld the main of the Serpents strength having alwayes lain in the Craft and Subtilty of Reason which is the Fore-Head mark of the Beast Who then are they who have known this honourable Death from the flaming Sword in the Hand of the Cherubim but those who shall heat the Resurrection-Trumpet to let them know their Thrones are set and their Conquering-Crowns to their new-risen Heads are fitted and that all Power and Judgment is given unto them to personate the mighty King Jesus here upon Earth For Christ the Lord shall have no need in his own particular glorified Person to come down amongst the Inhabitants of the Earth There is something to be done first by them who are to Personate him in the Kingly Dominion his transparent Body is such as will not till this first Reign be finished be any way bearable to the present consistency of things which must be first sublimed It is sufficient that the Lord is come in his witnessing Power and Presence through a new-risen Life with and in his Elders for to reign in the Majesty of his all-governing Eye which pierceth as devouring Flames and burning Coals of Fire which run from each to other and from one end of the Earth to the other If the Lord will but supply the visible Humanity with a mighty flow from the Deity and with a witnessing Omnipotency it will be sufficient and considerable Glory Next we are to consider where the Reign of Christ is to be manifested to wit in renewed Natures center which is made all Seraphick in the Souls inward Essence from whence the Serpent and Beast are cast out and have no more place they are in this latter Reign chained up though in the fore-going dominion which the Lord had in the Soul he was alwayes in Contest with these potent Adversaries who exerted all their strength to keep their hold in the mixed frame of Nature all of which being now overturned they have no place where to establish their Dominion So that now all Strife ceaseth because the Lord alone doth reign in Peace over all the Region of Light For now the Soul is Born a new into the light World and is most firmly established in its Kingly Power which is not from received Gifts or Powers as in the day of Penticost but all comes in with the risen Birth from whence the Powers do naturally and uncessantly flow and therefore out of all danger of mutability which might threaten a disappointment of any thing that is agreed upon by the Kingly Soul with his seven counselling Spirits which do continually stand before the Thorne in the inward Heavens which by the scattering Coals from the Deity are made as an enduring burning Element where the Glory of Christ's Personality may be seen but no otherwise detained as to his individual Person but as the same likeness is risen by virtue of the creating Word in his Members who are intrusted with this active powerful Body suitable for the management of such a Kingdom in which the Soul at first reigns invisibly over all its inward Motions and Properties as over People Nations and Languages all which by Wisdom's Power are kept in a God-like temperature such as may express the Lord is come to Personate himself in a righreous and peaceable Government such as never yet hath been in the World since Adam lost Paradise Objection But shall this be an Universal Reign And after what manner shall it be Modalized in this visible Creation That which is Internal and Spiritual will not be so much taken notice of though it comes to this height of Perfection for it may be hid amongst a small Number yet may be known but only to one another the generality still abiding under the Beasts Power and Name which is his accursed Nature This Query was answered me in plainness of Truth thus That this glorious Reign would not be Universal nor break out all at once but gradually from the burning Unction which prepares Christ's way and makes room for his Kingdom There is much to be done first and here must a Beheading go before and a plucking up all that hath made desolats and after all this a coming up again in the Resurrection which is a rare attainment indeed for it is a Resurrection to a state wholly sound and sinless even the same to which our Lord was raised after Death The Prophecy doth not say That all the dead were raised up to reign with Christ a Thousand Years but it is expresly declared that the rest of the Dead did not rise till the Thousand Years were expired from whence it was cleared up to me that many may be going through this Spiritual dying and yet continue dead whilst others are raised according to that Word Blessed are they who are partakers of this first Resurrection so that it will not be Universal But besides this there are those who are Unrighteous of whom it is Prophesied Let him that is unjust be unjust still these shall in no wise enter into Christ's Kingdom but be shut out of the holy City which shall rule over them For this Kingdom shall not only be inward in the Properties of the Soul but shall also exercise its dominion over this visible Principle and those who are unconverted shall be as Stubble before the bright flaming Cherubims who in the Lamb's Power shall reign
on the Earth The Elect shall reap and long enjoy the creating Works of their own Hands for with no less Power shall the Representatives of Christ the Lord be invested This declared must be throughout all Worlds that Christ will appear in his Saints that are risen again to bear the Tropky of a Death-Conquering Power Now the next enquiry is When is the time that this may be expected because hitherto there is but very small appearance of any such thing that is Who is it qualified in such a high degree as this heavenly Kingdom requires Who are willing to be Beheaded and through Death to be made partakers of this Reign But yet notwithstanding all these Objections of Fear Unbelief and the whole throng of discouraging Spirits of the sensible Life whose cry is Who is able to suffer all this Faith and Love are given to the worthy pretenders to this Kingdom whereby they are carried as with Wings over all the Floods of Fear and Discouragement neither shall they want either Resolution or Valour to wade through the greatest opposing Difficulties who are designed for it and found in the Lamb's Roll. A double and trebble portion of his Spirit the Lord hath said he will add to them who first shall abrogate the Law of Sease which hath been the chief hinderance of his Kingdom which therefore is to be made void because it diverts the Soul from fetching all its Supplies from the Rock neither can Faith arrive to its full strength till Sense be led into captivity and cast into a dead Sleep Now as to the time of the Lord's Reign when it shall be you will be apt to say That this is an unknown thing and that none can prefix the time It is true that many have Calculated and puzled their Spirits about it in vain But if we will know how near the time is we must not look without us but in the unsealed Book of Life within us there you will find the fore-going Signs which are first to be accomplished in your own Heavens and Earth We may try and prove our selves by what hath been already revealed from the seven Seals and Thunders how near the Kingdom of our Lord is approached unto us Let each of us examin our selves how far the preparative work is advanced in us We see what the Beast and Dragon's Kingdom must suffer in us to make way for this Reign which cannot be established till all this Trash be taken out of the way Therefore we shall only know the time by such an one who shall give the first deadly stroke and come forth a Conqueror over the whole sensitive Life and this outward Kingdom which stands divided between Good and Evil in such an Overcomer as this my Jesus expressed he would appear and personate a Kingly Reign and that we are not to look out for any other Sign at this time but the Manifestation of this conquering Life And further said There would go forth an Arrow from the Word of Revelation which should so closely stick in some as to pierce through the Heart of the Beast who hath warred to hinder the Lord's triumphant Reign in his Saints By all which it is clear that there is no surer sign of the approaching Personal Reign of Christ than to see the Beast wounded to the Heart for no sooner will the Beast be removed but his Kingdom will appear whose right it is to rule in Heaven and Earth Who is it now that will suck in the Marrow of these precious things which is the dropping Oyl which distills from the Olive-Tree to make our way smooth light and clear and to preserve us from being daunted though our Portion should be a draught of Blood for the life of the Beast must be taken away before the Lord appear in us like himself in Power Glory and Majesty Oh! what Drawings and Desires may these weighty sayings from the Lord enkindle in us from his coming to reign in absolute dominion within us The Word came to me Run hard there is a rich Prey to be taken by treading down of the Beast which may be taken if pursued to the Victory Wherefore be valiant in the Faith for all Might is in God to overcome whatsoever opposeth his Reign and Personal Kingdom Much and free Communication I had with the Lord this Night and a Cloud of Light appeared in me which raised my hope higher I had also many Queries satisfied Then there appeared to me a pitched Standard which reached from the Earth to the Heavens where its top was hid it resembled a strait ascending Flame and it was signified that this was the Standard of overcoming Power which no earthly Warrior would venture to engage with for its Dominion reached from the Earth to the Heavens and this Word was added Stick close to it and move not from under it for it will be a shelter from the Storm which is coming on with a flowing Sea of Troubles raised by the wrathful One whose Kingdom is Division This Motto and Inscription was given out from the sealed Book within as follows In Christ I live in Christ I dye that I may cease from Sin and beastly Properties that so the first Ground of Life may rise over all to immortalize the Reign of Christ. Words no more as empty Sails spread out shall be but become the thundering Air of an Almighty Power which is Christ in his essential Spirit who wanders from the Heights above and Depths below will in his time show Look and read the circle Line and the most marvelous things may further know and find Upon some inward Conference with my Lord about the Shipwracked-Bark of Nature which still upon the forreign Coast doth lie and is often in Jeapordy by reason of some Tides which might make the Vessel spring-a-Leek the Lord did immediately come in with these Words saying Make reflection and ponder well my Grace and Love which hath been so great as to lay in my Life so deep with thine that thou canst suffer nothing but I do call it mine Thy broken Vessel shall be renewed into its Original when all of sinsul Properties shall be drowned in the Alpha and Omega who is the beginning and end of Time and who will open the sealed Mine where the unsearchable Riches shall freely abound as in the state of Innocency where nothing of necessity or want was known All this is going on und advancing in the moving Circle of the Duty all that is required of thee is to be steady in the highest float of Earth My Spirit was let down into the deep Center and Circumserence where the personal Glory met me with whom I had great Felicity to behold the Shepherd with his Fold who friendly faluted me for though a naked Spirit I was not despised by such dignified Bodies though I was made very sensible of the want of such a glorious Body and as soon as I desired it I was forthwith imbodyed as
in the same Glory and was joyned to the heavenly Train I rejoyced greatly that I had made a slip out of the vile Garment though but for a while though I was to take it up again and appear amongst the Inhabitants of time till my course was fulfilled This bright Cloathing is only bearable by Jerusalem Natives and though these were the all desirable Flocks that I would chuse to abide withal forever yet I found a prohibition at the present that it must not be desired This royal Priestly Garment being reserved till we be called into view and have communion with the most Holy of Beeings who did not bring me hither to send me away empty but gave me to taste of the choice Fruits of that unknown Climate the refreshing take of which is left upon the Center-Mouth of my Heart from whence the Life-Fruits should spring evermore as was said to me with an Advertisement to wait till Wisdom's Garden in the Soul be planted and richly furnished with those blossoming Powers that may draw the high and lofty One to look down and walk there Oh! what are these forcible Powers which I feel winding my Spirit deeper in where enquiry was made What would be the sign of the Center-dwellers in the most holy of Beeings which should need no Witness from Man for that was poor and insufficient Wherefore be quiet and still and cease from all Creaturely Evidence and look for the Witness of the unsealed Book to exert the seven flowing Properties of the holy Ghost which will out-vive all worded Testimonies that are so fluent in this Age Wherefore a more sure Seal is provided that will remove all Doubts and Suspitions of which feastival Cup I was called to drink from the Hand of him who is appointed to fill it out as the last and great Reserve which shall silence all Controversies and doubtful Disputations and ratifie and confirm who they are that are Born again to act move and live from a new generating Spring that worketh away every thing that defiles and makes obstruction Which seven evidencing Powers were revealed to me in which the Personal Reign of Christ would consist THe First was a circuling Cloud of Light from whence uncessant Revelation would spring and open what was never known before concerning the invisible Scenes of Glory to which the mortal Man hath been altogether a stranger not having understood his original Royalty But where Christ the central Light is entred into the Soul's Essence there everlasting Light doth break which shews invisible things in their first pure Ground where the eternal Fire-Soul moves strong to come out of an impotent weak Life that hath been shut up in this vile Body of Sin the Light of Revelation making it restless any longer to abide therein and so it is made to pursue another beginning from a new-rising-Spring flowing from the God-head that affords strength for a Co-deified operation which may give a living Testimony that a new Spring is appearing out of an old Tree whose Sap is renewed to bring forth the second Property of the holy Ghost as another Fruit bearing Branch Which Branch is put forth from the all-encompassing-Element wherein the Soul is baptized as in a Cloud of Fire whoever they be that come to know this need no greater Witness as to their own particular for they know their dwelling is in the very center Heart of God they are fed and cherished with the Blood of Life and oily Lamp that makes all the Body within to be as a burning Cherubim that at times and season can mount fly into the very Heavens Though this be yet a mystical and dark Speech and little experienced yet know the time of Elijah is nigh and a Whirl-wind is descending from the Alpha and Omega to take up the stain Witnesses who have been in the World so undervalued The Ascention-Gate by this bright Key is unlocked to go in after him who was translated from among Men so as not to be yet hid in the Mystery And thus shall it be again though in another Form and Model for these Elijah Prophets though they shall be redeemed from every thing which is of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nature yet in this shall differ from Elijah for whereas he was taken up and seen no more among Men those in their visible Persons shall remain on the Earth and every where carry along with them their encompassing Charriots of hire which shall be discoverable to none but the Ministring Elijah's they will not safe to follow fully where the Life-Witness doth remain after this sort and kind The Third out flowing Poperty of the holy spirit which pshers in Christ's Reign is this that a simplified raked Som coming forth from the baptizing Cloud puts on a Cloathing of impregenable defence and power viz. a meer 〈◊〉 such as the Lord Christ had after his Resurrection 〈◊〉 of the one pure Element which can swallow up the visible gross substance of Flesh that it may no longer be an Impediment to the Soul 's runing its Race Indeed such a Body is very suitable for the great things that are to be wrought by the christed Kings on Earth for if provision of such a Body were not made by Christ it would be in vain for him to go about to settle his Kingdom where the Beast and Dragon have had their Dominion so long and who will not now be dethroned upon a slight account They will hold their Propriety in the outward Husk of the Body when they can find no place for themselves in the Soul Therefore the Lord hath revealed That he will turn the very Body into its Paradisical Property again that the dark Prince and his Agents may not be able to overthrow the Lord's personal reign in his Saints who would desire no fairer mark to shoot their Arrows at than a frail mortal Body of Flesh. Wherefore the Lord hath said That he will raise a firm Tabernacle which no earthly Weapon shall be able to pierce which will be a fit Garment to last out the thousand Years Let the Just and Holy believe this and see at this finished first in the Kingdom that is within the Soul's Essence and then such may conclude that they shall assume a whole Power and Right to reign with Christ over all Kingdoms of this World in Magical Might The Fourth out going Power of the holy Ghost sets the Soul free in the eternal liberty here all Conflicts which the Dragon or the starry Region hath introduced for the soul now is influenced by those superior Planets to which these outward Planets are subject The Soul Christ are in a mutual agreement to break a way from the 〈◊〉 Rays of Time and Mortality being encompassed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that will set no more nor with-draw for it is the glory of 〈◊〉 Dayes that runs its Circle without the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light and fixeth the Soul in its pure splendorious Body when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall
rich Garment with which the Sion-Kings are to be arrayed and thereby will be distinguished from those who stick fast in corrupted Nature and are not regenerated into this bright Image and from those also who though they are regenerated according to the inward man yet being intangled in the Thickest of the many things are fain to stay behind till those who by their hard pressing forward have overcome the World Beast and Dragon Therefore be first instated in the Lord 's personal Power for the Lord assured me that this would be the way he would take in this present Age to instate some who are known to him in his Personal reign that they may enjoy here on Earth their first Heavens to the terror grief envy of such who have been hard cruel in the dealt's Kingdom restraining their good things from the Lambs of Christ's Fold Here it will be as in the case of Dives and Lazarus they shall see those who were most despicable in their Eyes to be greatly beloved and honoured as being intrusted with a Kingdom in which they shall reign as the true Born Co-heirs with their Head Christ bearing rule over all those who have been their Oppressors in this World It was also revealed to me That there were others which stood in a mixed state and divided between the two Kingdoms of Light and Darkness but yet followed after the Mark and Crown these would scarce believe that such a Commission as this would ever be given to any appearing in a mortal Form to be crowned as Co-heirs with the Lord in his Personal Glory But the just One hath shewed that thus it shall be to convince and provoke to Emulation these last spoken of that they also may make haste to be made Kings and Priests to God The grand Query after all that hath been revealed concerning the Reign of Christ in his Saints is this Where this Government shall be pitched It is an ancient Scripture-Prophecy that Judah shall reign with God for he is faithful with the Saints The Scepter shall not depart till Shiloh come who is the King and Law-giver that is was and is to come And to whom will he come first of all but to those pure Virgin-Spirits who travel to bring forth Christ spiritually as the product of an invisible Almightiness which will appear to be that Man-Child which is to rule the Nations with the Rod of God's Power in this World and do far greater Wonders with it than Moses ever did with his For the eternal Magia shall bring forth all her Plants of renown The highest Wisdom shall be brought into manifestation and replenish the Earth a-new that God may walk in the midst of it and no longer be unknown to its Inhabitants who are refined from their Dross and thereby got a free and open entrance into the Jerusalem from above The partition Wall must be broken down that Christ above and Christ beneath may joy n together for mutual Joy and Fruition But here it may be objected How can this be as long as the Body is yet Terrestrial for an Earthly Body cannot ascend to the Lord's Glory I Answer That therefore a new Body is prepared even a Heavenly such an one as Christ had who could change his Form how and when he pleased So he appeared to Moses and Elias in his transfigured bright Body and then came down again in a terrestrial Body to the sight of Mortals which Power shall be renewed again in those who shall personate Christ upon the Earth they shall ascend and descend at pleasure and transmute themselves readily which state will much excell all Visions of the glorified Person of Christ for without this Coelestial Body we cannot hold out in that Sublime and Seraphick Communion hid with Christ which shall be in this Kingdom of the Saints Wherefore there is such a Body prepared which shall be able to pass into the invisible Orb where the King of Glory dwells It is given me to see this approaching day in the Spirit if the Representation thereof be so glorious what will the thing it self when actually accomplished This report which the holy Ghost doth give of it doth powerfully constrain the Soul to put in its whole stock of faith for it The sum of all these Discoveries concerning the Reign of Christ must be terminated in the Virgin seed Eve's lost chastity will produce a new Generation to whom this Kingdom shall be committed in trust This was revealed from that Vision which Holy John saw of a great wonder in Heaven a Woman clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and a Crown of twelve Stars on her head Many interpretations have been made of this Vision which here I am neither to approve of or condemn but to mind the opening of the living Word who is present to explain whatsoever is obscure to those who turn aside from the Wisdom of the flesh and receive the united drops as they fall from the Heavenly Cloud to which is required a well purified vessel in which no taint of putrifaction doth remain This was a Proviso given me to observe throughout all this Ministration which made me set time a-part to prepare the vessel before I could see the Cloud break and send down its shower upon my ground This I mention for their sakes who are in this Ministration of Revelation Now to proceed to what the Lord hath opened to me from this figure of the Woman who is represented here as travelling in Birth intimating to us that as by a Woman a finful off-spring was brought forth in which Sorrow Sin and the Curse had dominion so from this Eternal Virgin-Wisdom a birth is to be born in which nothing but Joy Life Blessing and Eternal Power and Dominion shall take place This Virgin Adam had in himself before ever Eve was taken out of him but she with-drew as soon as Adam looked outward as if he were not sufficient of himself to encrease and multiply for the replenishing of Paradise God having created him Male and Female in himself But this design was overturned and Eve's Generation is now multiplied over the face of the whole Earth from whence Paradise with the Virgin is fled yet a wonder is now again seen in the Heavens which we are to declare to our own little flock which brings such tidings of Joy as doth far excel that of Gabriel to her who was the blessed amongst Women as being defigned to be the Mother of our Jesus in his fleshly appearance But now by this Virgin he is brought forth in another appearance as a mighty Ruler and Potentate over this Earth who is really and truly to fulfill whatsoever was tipified in Solomon's Reign David's Wars must cease which cannot be till this everlasting Virgin hath brought forth her Man-child who is to possess what Adam and Eve have lost of Paradise and Mount-Zion Kingdom All which is to be restored by the Virgin who is not limited to Male
down such Gifts as will all abundantly enrich more than came down in the day of Penticost for they were but the first Fruits and did but continue a little while but here is such a Shower of the Eternal Powers to fall down upon this second Call to the Jerusalem waiters as shall bring forth the Harvest of the Lord's Joy whose Spirit for the ripening of these Fruits doth work most powerful What is to be done by us but only to drink in the falling Dews and dropping Showers and to grow as Lillies that may know neither Heat nor Draught Toil nor Care Hasten oh God! and send thy Angel Reapers for some Fields do begin to 〈◊〉 White whose ripe Fruits may into thy Store-house be brought as the first Offerings for the consvmmating of all those great and mighty things which thou hast taught us in this little Volumn of thy Life 〈◊〉 Here follows a high ravishing Communion with the Trinity enjoy'd but receive it not as an Elivation but from a Spirit â—â—â—â—â—ated as into another light Region the half of which is not to be expressed which was here enjoyed Some Throne of the most Holy is now pitched in the center of the Heart of Jesus as in conjunction with my Heart from whence such issues of Life do flow which renew a perpetual Spring of Joy For the Lord pronounced the fulness of all Blessing from the circle Throne of his Presence bedewing me with the Water of Life from the glassy Sea mingled with the Fire of Love assuring me that the Curse which is annexed to fallen Nature should now flee away from God and the Lamb's Throne which Throne the Lord hath chosen me to be unto him in which the Scepter of his Kingdom should rule over all in the divine Omnipotence Upon which Thunder-cry which passed through my Heavens all Nations Tongues and Languages Spirits and Powers did give up to him who is come to fix his Throne and to create all things new and to confirm his Covenant in the newness of the Spirit and to nullifie all of the dead and fruitless-Life which stands in the Letter-Precept which could never destroy the Root of Sin It is now made known from the Word of Truth that nothing else shall ever fetch out the Serpent's Sting but the overflowing of the burning Oyl from the Sea of Glass which is broken up by the violent stroke of the holy Ghost All Sanctifications and Renewings are imperfect and changeable till this doth come to rise as a covering to make the gross Body transparent So now then we are to observe that when-ever God shall come in very deed to enthrone himself in any there will be felt this burning Sea from which the firey Lamps do proceed which guard the Throne Oh! it is the great and high attainment that a Spirit vail'd with Corporeity can look for to have God come down in his Throne-dominion and to cast down all other Thrones in which the dark firey Spirits have acted their part in the inward Tent of the Mind all which now to be destroyed and consumed by the pure flaming Throne will sufficiently witness that God's Kingdom is now got beyond Words is sprung up in a feeling Power Oh! the Joys Pleasure which my Soul doth feel in its first rising which is infinitely more precious than hath been related though by Christ's own Personality whose appearance did so variously describe the Glory of his Kingdom to me but now to come and bring it into me will in due season produce other things than what hath been believed or expected by the Staggering Fearful who have cryed The Lord doth yet delay his coming so upbraiding and beating his fellow Servant crying for Signs and Wonders without which they can own nothing But let all such slighting Spirits know that the Throne and Kingdom of the Lamb may for some considerable time be forming fashioning furnishing and enriching with Glory and all this carried on very secretly till the whole Mystery of the Kingdom be first inwardly compleated before it come to make a visible Show by a terrible acting of Wonders And know that such as are come to feel the Kingdom in its invisible Powers and the seven Lamps of Fire burning and are set down with Christ upon the Throne reigning over and judging down all Nations in themselves shall have Judgment and Power given them over all that have villified and set light by them in the day of their outward Rule and Authority whilst the suffering Lambs of God were in their Minority But careful we will not be concerning Judgment given or Dominion exercised as yet out of the Throne of the Lamb in our selves but must follow on till it be fully perfected and the Kingdom established It is the present Business of our Day to watch to have every Lamp fed from the glassy Sea that so springing in the Light Love-Flames a Chrystaline Throne may be maintained for the whole Deity For verily whilst such a thing as this is felt and witnessed there is a most ravishing Tranquility Oh! what is greater than to have Christ seated upon his Throne within us All things then must needs be in a peaceable and holy Order and blessed Subjection Happy are they whose inward Eyes are opened all this to see possess and enjoy even when retired out from all Creaturely Society and so translated into and among the Seraphick Spirits in heavenly Places Since my apartment to be alone a full Concourse doth now continually meet me even such Company as makes me spend my hours and dayes with all spiritual Mirth and Joy For I am now come in truth without Flattening or crackling Sparks that go out again unto the everlasting burning Throne of the Deity where just and perfect Spirits do use as so many lesser Flames most numerously as God's encompassing Host ministring all that may delight me So that I find I am to be reserved for God's Throne-Conversation which is as the seven dayes Feast of Tabernacles wherein nothing of servile work is to be thought upon This is a time of an holy Convocation and for celebrating the Praises of the Lamb who alone hath wrought the Victory for us Oh! what shall let now but that all within me may give the Trumpes-sound and great shout that the Lord Omnipotent is come to Reign Rejoyce ye Heavens without within and round about for the Lord Jehovah hath only done it He hath made Wars to cease and keeps the Enemy without the Gates Oh mighty Prince and Saviour thou art entred into thy Throne-rest Thou art become Lord of the Sabbath indeed and therefore thou hast Power to Eternalize it as a Memorial of thy redeeming Blood which is become the quickning and reigning Life Maintain my Love evermore in this new governing Sphere with thee for never knew I such a pleasant state as since the time thou hast brought thy Kingdom into me to rule over all in Peace and Love and keep every Spirit
under check and in awe Thy Throne is set thy Council is fixed the Urim and Thummim of sound and right Judgment is come down and Decrees are gone forth which all powerful Might will see executed within this hidden Kingdom of my Soul and Mind The Prospect of all this which now is come the Spirit in Christ my Lord's Personality did give me to see and therefore to Prophesie as hoping the Time is at hand which is so in good earnest for I am made to understand that the holy and just One is come in his first and early Reign to put all things to rights that were found in confusion in the fallen Properties of Nature and to Harmonize whatsoever did put forth from the bitter Root Essence in Jars and Strife Oht to have a Cure come in to relieve this fallen weary tired-out Life that was in perplexed Strife can do no less than give cause of Triumph where-ever such a Dominion is known and entred upon though invisible None is privy to what is done or acted there but the obedient Subjects that do wait upon the Throne are ready to fulfil all royal Laws that are expressed from the counsel of the Trinity And truly I do find great Joy in keeping up to this Restriction and Ordinances which do appertain to the Lord Christ's Kingdom although they be quite different and of another kind than what was allowed to be and by the just One winked at before that Word which is Spirit and Life did protest to me That he was come to make a total alteration and to throw out all the Forms and Constitutions which have passed for a heavenly Formation which yet never reached to this new most perfect and excellent Kingdom which is so Chrystaline as that the Spirit and Soul are realized in a circuled Glory and so shut up as no more to look out or come down from off this high mounted white Throne whereon the Reigns of a great and wonderful Government are to be held fast For which many cautional Words I have received for it is the abiding that will work out the most glorious Victory for no one that is shot up to the highest Stature in Christ and so ripe for the Government is yet come to be exempted from Assaults and Temptations that will put forth from the satanical earthly Kingdom where all carnal earthly Senses and rational Subtilty do still lie lurking that if the exalted Spirit that doth sit upon the Throne with Christ should but venture down and debase it self by complying with what it hath rejected of this world's Laws and Rudiments it is possible the Kingdom may be rent away as in Saul's case nay in Solomon himself God would not remit it when he departed from the Lord in any degree but received a Rebuke to purpose for it all which was laid before me for the holding fast the Scepter in Humility Purity Fear Righteousness and holy Couragiousness that I might so hold out in this first and invisible Reign of the Lamb of God that he may come to be visibly magnified for the Conviction of those that are yet alienated by a Spirit of Unbelief not knowing the peaceable Fruits of this Kingdom within which in no wise can mingle with what is of the Starry Government as being quite of another Spirit It neither careth nor seeketh for Regency or Dignity from these inferior Planets which give the World's Wealth and Honour to the vilest and basest of Men. Wherefore it is little regareded by such who have Eyes to see the workings of the superior Constellations which move in the third Heaven remote from all mortal sight from which alone I have sought for Honour Credit and Reputation And now I am greatly satisfied to be esteemed of no Repute and to be as a poor Lazarus for the joy of that Kingdom which is already possessed by me Yet not here so resting as not to expect and believe but that this invisible Kingdom will so work out visibly as it may make the Sun Moon and Stars of this inferior Orb to bow before it for the assurance of which we can desire no fuller nor better Evidence than the total and victorious Reign of God over all the Sin-infected Properties For let this be but finished and it will be a certain Introduction to the manifestative Reign of the holy Ghost who will not fear to face the Locusts of the Earth that have had their Fulness and Blessings from the Beast's Kingdom whose Glory will certainly wither and dye away Nay they who are of the number of Israelites and yet abide in the Abomination of Self-Love will be so ashamed and confounded at the opening of this plentiful Store that will so abundantly shower down upon them that sit on the Throne with Christ that all those who have detained these worldly Goods shall have such Indignation against themselves for it that they shall throw their Gold and Silver to the Bats and Moles of the Earth and take hold of the skirts of the Throne-Princes and cry to partake of their Lot and Portion For it will be of that Quality and daily increasing Substance for the satisfying of all kind of Requirings of the outward Body that Jacob's All and Enough will most surely be possessed without Curse or Sorrow which we know have attended the whole visible Treasury gotten by the outward Wisdom and Art of Man who have thereby so Idoliz'd the Works of their Hands that they have quite run themselves out of those Blessings which come in by giving up their whole Mind and Will to be the Lord's dominion This is the surviving Kingdom that shall spread from the root of Christ risen up in his perfect stature within and throughout the Souls Essence to deifie it so that it may abide in the unalterable Substance of a Godded Nature without the hazard of ever relapsing into Sin Curss or sorrowful Weakness which will be the most wonderful Salvation that ever yet was brought to manifestation For which cause it will necessarily follow that this visible Kingdom will be also established and become as a listed up Ensign that all flesh may tremble and fall before it which did so insult and lift up it self in Arrogancy Where the Lord was but as yet come in his first Reign no shew of Glory was seen to outward appearance but rather dark Clouds of Sufferings which being rightly improved makes meet for the full possession of the first and second Kingdom each one in their high graduation for coming forth to Glorification as are now in the hidden Sphears where the high Throne-Glories are manifested in another manner of Kingly Pomp and Splendor than what ever hath or indeed could possible be figured out here till the Kingdom it self do work out visibly and then we shall know what we at present are known of our God for in order to this excelling Reign which is to answer to the Royalty Purity and Pomp that God himself is now with all
no defiled thing can ever enter it Its consistency is an invisible Body as thin as Air as piercing as a Flame an all-moving acting and vigorous Spirit of Power and Life that can go in and out as an invisible Breath which no mortal Eye can see only its force may be felt as a Seraphick Heat that burns as a Refiners Fire in our Corporality to the end that it may tinge it with the holy Ghost's property This is the true and faithful delienation of this perfect thing called by the Apostle Charity Where-ever this comes it makes all imperfect things flee before it but it strengthens and confirms every Plant that is sown by the Spirit and makes them appear above Ground which have long lain buried under it It is the King-flower of the whole Paradisical Spring that protects the whole transmuting all into one entire Body of Love that doth extend and give forth it self in all spiritual Bountifulness according to its high Nature and Property It is not shut up to it self upon any consideration as to what it poslesseth and enjoys for it holds nothing in Propriety whatever its Lot is but all is free to the Disciples of the same descent and birth with himself this Love cannot with-hold from any of their Necessities for it seeks not its own Then it hath also a virtual Power as made to inherit the best of Riches and Substance of the everlasting Kingdom to conveigh and freely distribute of this inexhaustable Treasury to impoverished Souls and to relieve them that are in great Distress which Power can pass in as an high virtual Balsom to heal the Wounded who are under the striking of the Scorpion-Sting of the Serpent For this Love is a ministring Flame where holy Passiveness and Humility are as the open-Door for its access and there cherish and feed it with what its present degree doth require Charity is furnished with all sorts and stores it is God's Steward upon Earth whom he dare trust with the Care of his Houshold who are in spiritual Hunger and Nakedness It is a most infallible truth that God will appoint such holy Overseers in his new-born Church that shall recover the Apostolical Spirit and Power that hath been lost out of the Earth and it shall rise as a more bright Morning Star and multiply it into a Generation that will be all lovely in which God may see himself For which end the Kingdom and Dominion is already come into some and prospering to this expected degree treasuring up now for a full Bank in store against that Day in which our Son of Man will again appear in the Heavens for the delivering up the Kingdom to the Father that so God who is Love may be all in all But in order to the accomplishing of this last and finishing Mystery there shall arise a Melchizedeck Priesthood which shall know the way into the Holiest of all concerning which we shall come to declare after this subject is finished for it springs out of Love's-Root in us For this is the most clear and undeniable witness of Truth when Light and Revelation and Life of Enjoyment meet together then Declaration carries Power and Authority with it But to return to the present thing what can be said sufficiently of it that so if possible the reign of Love might come to spread it self as a Net to gather in for the Priestly Kingdom Some other Motions may be further urged as these Would you be always in a serene quiet and peaceable Frame and Constitution of Mind so as no vicissitude working-Cross or Turbulency towards you whether from Gentiles Barbarians or Israelites all which may give nothing of Disturbance where Charity is predominant and why so This is very marvelous never to be perplexed and never to be put out of Harmony Objection But how can this agree When as our most perfect Pattern was said to be troubled and his Soul was sorrowful unto Death as also that Afflictions are not joyous for the present First We will Answer this main Objection as to Christ our Lord in his Agonies You must know that all this was on this side his Resurrection observe that and it was to shew that he had the sensible Passions of our Humanity and that he was on our behalf to feel a sinless Grief and Sorrow and to be really touched with these kind of Infirmities or else how could he make Provision through and by Love's Conquest If he had not been in Temptation and in Encounter with all Despite and Defamations but yet he maintained his own Peace which was the Fruit of Love through all and was reconciled to all the cross Dispensations that met him in the World For it was this perfect Love that carried him through to bear and suffer all things and was for our Example and Encouragement to express during the time of his humane Minority those sensible Dolours and Passions but he comes of a victorious Champion and tells us That he had overcome and assureth us That in him we shall have a most fixed and firm Peace though in the World exercised with Tribulation So from hence it is to be admitted and allowed that in the time of our Minority before Love is in its perfect degree risen it cannot be otherwise expected but we may be liable to Grief Sorrow Commotion Fears and Jealousies and so up and down in an uncertain Motion tossed to and fro in our Minds and all this because Love is but little weak and low of Stature it is not got up into the Throne of Dominion so as to govern all by the Law of Love yet such are not to be hopeless or of doubtful Mind as desponding ever to see the Resurrection of Love so as to possess its peaceable Immunities Know whoever you be that are made willing to venture the loss of all for to arrive at this Pearl of Charity that you shall most surely find it and great rejoycing there will be at the finding of this lost Groat Indeed the House of the Soul must be first throughly searched and the natural Self-love must be swept out For what is that which we must lose but even all Rubbish Filth and Dross that so our Hearts being emptied and cleansed from all these the King of Love may enter in with his full Train wherein we may know nothing but Concord Tranquility and a springing Treasury of all Goodness Wherefore let all holy and pure Minds be stirred up to wait for the dropping Dews which fall from the one eternal Element to bring this Plant of Loves Kingdom forward even unto its full height of Perfection and be tender of its first Buddings for it hath many subtil Enemies both at home and abroad It is the Heir and therefore is conspired against for can but the envious Spirits find out where its Birth doth spring they will attempt to kill it whilst it is but an Infant for which cause it must be hid in the Clefts of the
eternal Rock there to be fed and nourished with its own Nature-Milk and Honey of Love till it become strong and able to encounter and overcome all its Opposites that it may reign alone as Monarch of the Soul My Friends who-ever you be that shall read this experimental Writing know assuredly that if you can but find this burning Star of Love risen nay if you can but feel the Glowings and Enkindlings of heat in the center of your Hearts it is more to be valued than all other spiritual Gifts Powers and divine Ornaments which pertain to the new Creation then we may boldly despise and contemn all worldly Dominions and all the Joys and Delights of sensual Love For you must know it is such a Sacred and Coelestial Seed coming immediately from the heart of the Deity as cannot admit any thing of defilement or pollution to abide with it It soon leaves the Soul if any thing be taken in which cannot abide the burning touch of this Altar Coal But here it may be asked What is this Love which is so highly exalted above all Heavenly and Earthly things Sure there must be some rare transcending Quality in it not commonly known that makes you press it so vehemently Truly well I may yet not I but the essential Love it self doth move me to open the Mystery of it which happily hath not been understood as now by breaking up the Fountain of it that so it may plentifully run forth for giving the Light of the Knowledge of it doth but make way for the very substantial Body it self to rise sensibly in its flaming Quality Take this further account of it that it is known for to be the most holy and pure Generation of the immaculate Virgin of God for which is prepared a Virgin-Womb that this Birth might be the choice and and undefiled One of her that brings it forth It will not be now at Christ's second Birth as it was at his first then his Vissage was marred more than any mans he was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief and there was no Form or Comliness in him which made him to be set at naught and greatly despised though without Sin or Guile but being found a Sufferer under it therefore could not be exalted till he had slain the Enmity and wrought out Victory and thus he hath his first Birth in us which must precede his second But there is a vast difference between Christ's first and second Coming Many Ages are passed wherein the Saints have only known the Birth of Christ in them after this weak suffering dying and reproachful state The Apostles upon whom the holy Ghost was poured forth after a most signal manner by which Christ gave witness in them of his Victory and Exaltation enabling them to work miraculously yet notwithstanding they were not got beyond the suffering Birth of Christ in themselves for they only had the Revelation and Fore-sight of his appearing in Power and great Glory but they departed this Life and did not see the sign of the Son of Man to take up in them for a visible Reign and Kingdom that might redeem out of all Tribulation and so it hath continued until this day But yet there is not to be found a Generation so prepared and made ready for the second Coming of Christ as was in that day which might make us doubt whether the coming of Christ be so nigh because this Birth of Love is so hardly found in any risen up to an absolute Dominion which is a sure Introduction to the Omnipotent Reign of Christ in this visible Earth in the inward Properties of the Love Flock But you will say The Apostles and those that were Converted by their Ministry were all in the Dispensation of Love and were in expectation of having the Kingdom restored to Israel in their day and what was the reason then that Christ's second Birth did not rise in them To which I Answer That it was thought meet by the Father of Wisdom that all of that Generation should drink of their Lord's suffering and dying Cup as he often hinted unto them when Personally with them though they had a general Spirit of Prophecy concerning his glorious Reign in which he would appear in his Saints And then again it may be demur'd upon Whether those Elders themselves had compleated their own Regeneration and so were perfectly arrived to the Throne-Do minion of Love as fixed Overcomers St Paul Peter and John that were most eminent amongst them seemed to have somewhat more in their Eye than to what they had attained and so were still a pressing after it But however it may be concluded that they had gotten the Start before any that are known this day yet it seems that hitherto Love's Womb hath been shut up from bringing forth Children of the Resurrection at least to any thing that is manifestly known But for this we may have good hope that if indeed it be Born in any one and made strong to maintain its Right Superiority over the whole inward Creation ruling as God by whom it is certainly avouched that a Virgin Spirit shall be given to such for eternal Generation who shall be able to raise and quicken the holy Grain of Love that lieth as dead that so Love may see her Off-spring to multiply exceedingly unto all perfect Purity Such an holy Congregation and Society being once raised to reign upon Love's-Throne together they will be as so many raised Banners which will be terrible to the Nations which stand without the circle of Love Now by all this we see what hath hitherto put a stop and caused the Lord to delay his coming and will still till perfect Love be come to burn up every Image in the Mind that is not engraved by God's own Finger It is certainly to be concluded that Charity is the golden Wash baptizing Pool out of which Souls do come all Ruddy and White Clear and Bright to whom the Lord may say My Dove my fair One my Undefiled come away the Love-Scarlct-Dye hath washed thy Blackness away so that now thou art all fair in my Eye This is a Prophecy which hath now in some its fulfilling and will have more abundantly as this Spirit of burning Love takes possession of Hearts and then the very Face of God will be the Covering by which we shall see and know what before we were ignorant of as to our own pure Love's-Nativity which was fore-known in Christ before the World of Wrath and Bitterness did shew it self And thus by the first and second Birth of Christ in us all will come to be restored to a glorious new Creation where Love shall dye no more nor Sin live which brought in Curse and Sorrow and estranged God from us Now is not all this a most perswasive Motive to the Love-Flock where-ever scattered that God intends to bring them to this Love-band of Perfection that so we may know one another as God's
The first Objection that meets me asking How and after what manner are these great and deep Mysteries revealed and made known for we are in doubt whether any since the Apostles days can have so pure and clear a Discovery of the Mind of God by way of Vision or Revelation As to this I Answer The thing is weighty and may be allowed of to search and follow this Query close and home for too many there be that are Pretenders to the Gift of Prophecy and Revelation whereby they put a cheat upon themselves and others and bring themselves under that Wo of taking up the Lords Spirit for their covering which is the greatest of all Evils to be under a spiritual Fraud Therefore I say let every one search try and examine from what ground and spirit they come forth as the Oracles of God to give his Mind out for assuredly they will be called to a severe Account by the Spirit of Truth Now as to this I will assure thee O Querior whoever thou art it was my great fear and jealousie even upon my first entrance into this Ministration and was made well aware of the wiles and subtilties of Satan that was ready enough to mingle his Deceits with Truth but divine Wisdom was my Counsellor and Cautioner and her Spirit became the Conduct to Truth and Separater she still throwing out what would not bear the touch of the burning Stone which Wisdom had placed in the Center of my Heart by which a wonderful Light of Manifestation did spring for the knowledge of the Truth in the deep Essentiality of it the Way Method Measure and Rules of it as experienced by me I shall demonstrate for the service and benefit of such as are true Seekers and fervent Lovers of Truth how they may come to know the true Revelation of the Spirit of Christ from those mixed Spirits that are apt to inject their Motions and so mudy the pure Springs of Revelation for know it is a nice and difficult matter to know the Spirit 's speech and voice in his day since Christ the Lords ascending than what it was before when as the Word of the Lord came expresly to the Patriarchs and Prophets articularly by immediate Voice God was very familiar in way of Speech as with Araham Moses and so to the Prophets till Christ's time but now in these last days he speaks to us by the Spirit of his Son which is the Spirit of Truth and Comforter that is the Spirit we are to try and to be proved by whether or no he is come into us as a Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation which you shall know first by way of Preparation of the inward Mind for the speaking Word or Oracle of God must have a most holy separated place distinct and apart from the outward Man for there is to be prepared an inward Temple body else no expectation of the holy Ghost without a suitable Body be prepared for him as the living Ark in which the Oracle of Truth may open and shew the Records of the Heavens But it may be further queried How can this Temple Body be raised up and kept so spiritually as to be distinct and separated from the mortal body with its senses and earthly Motions I Answer Herein indeed lieth the great Mystery of all Mysteries how to keep the spirit of the outward birth with all his infecting Multiplicities from rushing into the inward Court where the Soul and God are to be in private Counsel together for if there be a breaking in of the troubled Sea of thoughts this is that which adulterates the pure revealed things and brings a false covering upon them therefore I shall give these following Rules as they were given me by the holy Anointing when I first sought this Priviledge of divine Inspiration I was counselled as to the outward state of things To avoid as much as I could the choaking intangling Cares of this Life and also to sequester my self from all wordly Conversation and give up Spirit Soul and Body in pure dedication the which I can say in my measure I have been obedient to and have found good things as to the spiritual part have accrued thereby which I shall never have cause to repent of let my losses be what they can be as to the worldly lot of things Now the next Rule which is more interior and Evangelical as to the inward and holy place of the Mind For this take more special care and keep the outward Birth at distance from the superior and inward birth call in your heavenly guard upon it enter into no Parley with the outward Man of Reason concerning spiritual matters for you will find him a false Prophet and no way consonant to this Ministration the Soul is waiting upon therefore to watch and be in a defensive Posture against all invasions of this kind Then again take a further Caution concerning a more finer subtiltier sort of imaginariness which comes in the appearance of spirituality here lieth the greatest danger for mistake when seeming good Motions do rise and spring and yet but from the Astaral Kingdom but they are sometimes so divine as you can hardly discern them from the true teaching of the holy anointing there are Spirits that will put on such a Priestly dress like those that rose up against Moses the Lords infallible Prophet saying Are not we spiritual and therefore may be admitted into the secret of God with you and there give our Verdict as front the Oracle of God Thus we are in danger to be encompassed with Spirits so finely clothed as they would think much to be refused but where the Urim and Thummim of sound judgment in such is come that can only discern and taste Spirits of all sorts of Qualities Natures and Degrees for I well know a Mind may be replenished with knowledge and understanding of divine Mysteries from the outward Tongues receiv'd and taken in and yet have been kept strangers to the flowing Springs of Wisdom and Revelation within from whence the certainty of the true Prophet is to be known therefore let every one look to it what they speak teach or write for it will pass through the inward ground for trial where the fiery Region will prove it But now I shall come to describe the true and more certain way of divine Openings and Revelations know then where holy Consecrations and special Separations as the foregoing Preparation to this high Ministration those are as such may come to feel in themselves one essential Birth of Life to spring which is not to be catched in by verbal Comprehension Knowledge or Understanding No such thing But the Spirit of Truth and Revelation openeth himself in the fiery Essence of the Soul in a sweet silent stillness where out all thoughts are excluded then doth the light Ray of the Deity rise and overshadow and fill the Temple of the Mind with light and glory then will the soul sink away deeper