me while the Eagle-Spirit is hatching her Young upon Faith's Tree § 9. Which Tree I find can grow upon no other Soil but a Ground all purely refined with oily Springs and Dews from Heaven which must its watering be Then will it spread and flourish all richly having fruitfulness in it self without any dependency Oh! this is the Tree that will us bless with Wisdom Strength and Righteousness for the which I find it in my Heart most earnestly to seek and pray that it may be most choicely kept and circled round about with the pure Love Fire blown up by the Holy Ghost Which may its shelter be from all the invading Spirits that so diligently do watch to break in to crop and suck away its strength For this O my God an holy awful fear is upon me because I do well know what damage and spoil it hath occured keeping it of low and little stature to prevent what might be the World's Conquest and great working Wonder Therefore now my God what is to be done for its preservation Make me privy in the Secrecy of acting so wise a part as few or none have in this later Age found out and why is it so but because no skilful Artist in this Mystery of Faith hath been made to understand the way for the preserving and cherishing this choice Golden Grain from whence this Tree of Faith might to its full growth attain § 10. For the which such Rules prescribed are and revealed unto me by the only wise Counsellor my Friend which if I can observe and obey I may then win the Dayâ— God's great working Powers thereby for to display much more then have been in former Days But the way is such an aversion to what in the whole Universe of Mankind is practised that it will be a difficult point to enter hereupon so as to hold on for here is required a crossing of the Tide and stâ—m of Nature in all its motions which do put forth and generate so aptly Against which resist in the Faith I must all stedfastly till Conquest be wrought out by the growth of this all-powerful Tree § 11. This hath been shewn me to branch forth it self in twelve rising Degrees for the Manifestation of the Antient Apostolical Faith which in this Age is to be recovered anew for the cutting short that Work which in thousands of Years many Holy Souls have been puzling and striving about while sticking in the weaâ— and low degrees of Faith From the consideration of which Relapse a mighty stirring up I feel so to press on as to reach to all of these twelve degrees which from that small Mustard-Grain Seed of Faith sown by the Spirit in me may to such a great and full increase spread out it self as may transcend the growth of all other Trees that in the Forest of this World do stand bound down with Iron Yokes and Bands now the twelve Degrees of this Tree in their distinct Properties were thus expressed unto me § 12. 1. The first degree of this Faith is to believe the apostacy and ruinous heap and matter of which the Body of Sin is contracted into 2. A second degree is to believe that this Degeneracy hath parted the Soul from God and made it a Stranger to all Knowledge and Possession of those high and precious and choice things which might have been the propriety of the Soul in God had it not gone out from him 3. The third degree is to believe there is left a Spark or Seed of Eternity in all Mankind which may incline and turn them in so to feel after God as to lament bitterly their own Apostacy 4. A fourth degree is to believe the Eternal Word was incarnated in Flesh for a Universal Redemption and Restauration out of this lapsed state through Faith in him for the begetting a Likeness and Conformity through an Essential Birth brought forth in Spirit all evidently 5. A fifth degree is to believe that there is an All-sufficiency in CHRIST thus conceived and brought forth in Spirit internally within the Soul 's essential part as may have power to purge refine save and cleanse the Soul from all its Sins 6. The sixth degree is to believe and expect the Holy Ghost to come to join and co-operate with this new begetting Birth for the bringing it up and securing it from all Assaults Peâ—â—â—â— and Temptations mainâ—â—ing an holy Clarification cheâ—â—â—â—ing and strengthning it till it be strong to go forth for Manifestration to shew it self to the World as thus regenerated 7. A seventh degree is to believe and witness that Christ his risen Life in the Soul doth become a death to the Body of Sin totally which we may call a Love Kiss whereby Christ doth sweetly and seceretly draw and part the Soul from all the dregs and relicks that appertain to a Lapsed Nature which is known by a power working supernaturally 8. An eighth degree is to believe that when all this is finished Christ will appear in the Soul without Sin and so present it unto the Father as a new created Wonder all compleated to be his Spouse and Bride rejoycing that the Marriage of the Lamb is come all things therefore being made ready 9. A ninth degree is to believe that Christ the Lord will not fail to perform the sacred Nuptial and Marriage-Union both for Time and Eternity with the Spirit of the Bride thus made ready and will own and confess her so to be his choice before his Father and the whole Assembly of Angels and Elders Principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places and also here upon the Earth shall so owned be for her Excellency as shall be an all-amazing Glory 10. A tenth degree is to believe that hereupon will follow all mutual Joys and Pleasures in Love Festival Banquetting which she is so taken up and ravished in as all former Mournings and Sorrows are forgotten coming no more into Mind so ineffable are the Bride 's So lacements with the Lord her Bridegroom 11. The eleventh is to believe that Christ will settle upon this espoused Bride all that is his that she shall have a mutual Interest with him in what the Father hath put into his Hand which is all Power and Wisdom to manage that power which reacheth to a dominion in and over all created Beings and Things whatever herein for certainty she will be put into a Joint-possession with the Lord her Bridegroom as her Propriety 12. Twelfthly and Lastly as the â—â—m of all is to believe undoubtly that after this Representive Bride of the Lamb so declared in thiâ— World to be by her Ornamental Gifts and fruitful Powers that will generously go forth for the multiplying and making up of the pure spotless Virgin Church here on Earth will the Lord from Heaven descend in great and high state to fetch his Bride the Church up to his Fathers House or Royal City for the consummating and celebrating such a Tryumphant Glory in Unity with the
to stand till my God shall come forth with the Express Word of Command that so the Heavenly Plantation may go on and nothing it withstand for lets and interposings have got in as I have from Year to Year seen and will be still I do find until the Spirit of Faith do get the upper-hand which in God the driver on is to be that so the long set back Work in Pentecost Day may after so many Years delay come forward once again For the which I have been a private and earnest waiter and diligent seeker where ever I might find Spirits that hereunto were inclined to wait in a pure Temple-mind unitedly for the great Dowry of the Holy Power again to rise but to this Day a scattering and dividing among the Holy People hath been who hitherto are scared and affrighted away from each other upon poor low and worldly Circumstances so as no Body of Saints can yet get together The which hath been very grievous unto me carrying a secret Sorrow and Mourning in my Soul here for I having according to the power given me made offers here and there but oh how little hath this Call been understood No not even by those who might become of the high and holy waiting Disciplehood so as that upon this account in long-suffering I have been looking this way and that way for the most holy Wind to blow some one or other in for a beginning into this great and Spiritual Gathering § 4. I have often seen my own Angel Spirit fluttering to and fro from Plant to Plant and so on to each Lebanon-Tree to find where the Eagle-Body might make her Nest her Young there 〈◊〉 Hatch and Brood in safety from the ravenous Birds of Prey but no sooner was I here alighted after many a long Flight but the flying Serpent hath with great sury come forth to prevent and demolish what was prepared for this intent and so hath often permitted been hitherto to keep off a selected gathering as a Heaven-Born Society which by coming together may make up the holy Priestly Body whom God may give witness unto by pitching with them his Tabernacle-Presence in great Power and Glory O for this how hath my Soul and Spirit been carried forth to seek and wait upon it and still must it pursue till my God shall it fulfil as decreed it is in his Will § 5. Now as to what hath passed this present Year relating to the outward Being with all Circumstances thereunto relating it hath been very considerable and worth taking notice of Wherein my God hath appeared greatly for my support answering all Bodily Necessities which hath been brought in by a signal Hand of renewed Providence as occasion hath required Although great plunges and difficulties with Temptations thereupon attending for my proving did meet upon me for the tryal of my Faith Which the Power of the Most High did still maintain and uphold invisibly and thereby brought me forth out of all most victoriously My Tribulations and Distresses were known to God only For I saw it in vain to complain to any Creaturely Being but still in all I did apply my self to that Name Great JEHOVAH whom I found a Refuge at all times very nigh procuring deliverance oft-times unexpectedly For the which great goodness from my God thus by me proved I have so much to say and make mention of by way of thankfulness and praise that the number of Times and Days are far too little to rehearse and proclaim the Bounteousness of this great Love that hath thus minded me in a desolate Widowhood state But what I may be short of in Time let Eternity while in Time and out and beyond all time for ever celebrate one Everlasting Sabbath of Laud with pure and powerful Praises to thee oh Holy Holy Holy Infinite Almighty whom my Soul doth so greatly adore that Silence must speak much more with a Life that must excel both § 6. Now waiting still upon thee O God for what may further produce this Approaching Year in order to the accomplishment of what hath been the main drift and whole Scope of my Life's attendency since the unsealing of the Heavenly Mystery By which the obligation hath pressed in so deep upon me that hath made me to relinquish all impeding Multiplicities which possiby I could wind my self off from that so I might follow on in pure Heart Spiritual-mindedness that so I might be a partaker and a possessor of what is to follow as hath been accordingly made known through the Spirit of Revelation unto me which have raised all the powers and forces of my Soul for the giving up it self to this high and heavenly Calling which is the Holy Profession of Faith which now my Life that I am henceforth to live must wholly consist of for so my Lord hath averred and established his Word renewedly unto me § 7. The Spirit doth hard upon me for this ply declaring unto me that upon Faith's bottom I must stand and go forward on all steadily the Work is great which I do stand chargable withal for the which oh God my own strength is but small therefore to thy Omnipotency I do call for that must be my all in all to make me a Practitioner in this high and Heavenly Calling The Matter which I have to work upon is only from that Word of Faith which did create all Worlds the which doth greatly support and satisfie and support me as a stock of strength and power that will carry on to Victory keeping my Eye always staid hereupon as the Priestly Portion which is set out for me who no Propriety have among the Tribes whose Inheritances are of another kind and therefore the Lord will still my Portion be in full for all things that shall needful be The Vision of the Tree § 8. Now in order to this there was shewn to me a Tree that should all suddenly spring up in me which spread forth its Branches for increase and fruitfulness and that no dependency would have upon any other Tree but it self Which was intituled to me to be Faith's Tree on which without fear the Eagle-Bird may build her Nest and not be disturbed while she is hatching her most holy Priestly Brood who from the Fruits of this Tree are to be fed and nourished till unto such strength arrived as to take their flight transcendently up unto their own Priestly Thrones near to CHRIST their Priestly Head there to meet that Company which of their own Royal sort and kind in sacred and pure White Robes all cloathed are So that here a mutual fellowship betwixt the lower and higher Worlds all agreeably will be which is the great Wonder that in the Heavens hath lately been opened to me not for Speculation only but for Provocation to set upon this Work with such as shall hereunto added unto me be For the which a pure bright attractive Eye is gone forth to fetch in such as are numbred to stand with
Fear and Unbelief is stirred up from the World Within us so as the Power could not arise strong enough for so Great an Enterprize Wherefore there was all the need that is possible of a strong Guard upon these that were yet to go out from the Bow that the Gulf might not swallow them up This was the Counsel given from the Holy Spirit with this encouraging Word that strength of Omnipotency should attend us in whatever our Hand shall find to do as we go on to persue so worthy a noble and God-exalting a Glory as the Finishing Part will most evidently to all Spectators appear to be when we shall come to sit under Faith's Tree having through the seven-fold Spirit and Power of God arriv'd to all its Twelve Degrees there to feast upon all its Fruits and to know the true Banquet and Supper of the Lamb. § 22. Now turning again into my Watch for the Inspeaking Oracle to satisfie several Inquiries which arose in me one of which more particularly was with great submitted Humility an Inquiry Why the Expected Power of Faith in any one yet could not go forth albeit so many Promises have been Renewed and Repeated upon one and upon another of us that have been kept up still in the Infallible Word And it was hereupon Answered me thus saying Do ye think it a light or a small Thing which ye are aiming at Know this then for a present Stay to Thee and to the Waiting Spirits with Thee united in the same Eternal Band howsoever and wheresoever dispersed they may be upon the Face of the whole Earth that there is a Sphere which must be cut through that so the Spirit may pass to find the Central Power which this Starry Sphere and Outward Constellations do yet stop and hinder who would hold their Dominion still up over the Mortal Man For if this Circle be broken through by any * See Enoch Walks p. 39. Mighty Champion in the Faith of God himself opening in the Soul then all of that Opposing Kingdom falleth and till then the Kingdom of the Power can have no Place Therefore fly ye and get above the Starry Bindings and all that is of this lower Elementary World Mount mount above all the Elements ye Flying Archers and shoot the last and Seventh Golden Arrow which hath on it the Emblem of an Eye that is all-seeing and two Wings that are over all Gulfs to fly and so to pass God's secret Treasury then the Power will be set free and effect what each one of you have destred so exceedingly This gave for the present some satisfaction to my Spirit and an Encouragement to press forward to the Mark of the High Calling of Faith § 23. But having pressed on for some considerable while longer to this Mark and being still kept back from it I have been frequently casting up my Accounts in the Trust of the Heavenly things which have been to me committed and considering that the Thread of my Mortal Day was near spun out it hath often drawn my Mind and Spirit into God my Deep for Inquiry to find out what it is that hath so very long kept me from hitting the Mark of High Faith and that hath obstructed the Reigning Life in the Power of the Holy Ghost by one continued Motion and Act from the Deity that so I might know my self to be thereinto Baptized being no less then what I have been caused to Hope and Believe that I am to possess and enjoy through great Strife and Soul-Travels tending hereto as no way to be Pacified till I had brought forth in me the Mighty Birth of Faith the Heir of the Promise and the First-born of the Power Actually and God Manifestatively § 24. Now as I have been in this Inquisitive State and Unsatisfied that I had reached no further with my Arrow I have still found fresh Manuductions and Encouragements to lead me higher and nearer to the Last and Utmost Degree of Faith But more particularly while I was about the middle of April in the ensuing Year thus bemoaning and lamenting the melting and passing away of Time without any thing of a God-working Power that is seen as it was in the Day of Christ and of the Apostles I had this spoke in me from the Only Revealer of Secrets Who in Plainness of Speech discoursed the matter and caused me to receive right Information concerning the with-holding of God's wonderful Appearance throughout Soul Spirit and Body And it was thus made out that the seperation from the corruptible Matter was not yet wrought out for there was yet a dividing to be as of the pure from the impure in the very original Ground and Essence of the Soul For all is there to be consumed which is not clearly of God and this is to be done by the eternal purging Fire from that one pure Element which at first produced the Eternal Angelical Natures and as thus it was then so the same Motion of the Deity must in the Chosen hereunto be made manifest in its residing power which will multiply it self into a Heavenly and New Born Generation Which will be the fulfilling of the universal and particular Prophecies concerning the Reign of Christ in the Spirit For which now the Trumpet soundeth for the gathering the Tribe of Judah to whom the Scepter and Ruling Power of the Holy Ghost will first come in the waiting and separating Ground-work as hath been described by Judah's Law-giver Who hath said that a Body of Virgin-Spirits he will rear up that shall renew his great and mighty Works which all of former ones are to excell Therefore said he to me Go on to perfect that which remains in the Soul's ground from which may spring that which will multiply Numberless Powers § 25. Upon which Word of Counsel great and strong drivings I felt still following me for the very Body of God which is Christ to be manifested in a growing Substantiality from the first Eternal Nature without the which Deifick Matter do again spring and feed and maintain it self by and from it self it cannot otherwise live seperate and be free to act and do after its own kind supersensually And that it may thus get the upperhand I was taught here to sink away from the old Creaturely Nature with all its sensible Passions and Affections that so losing that Life I might come to find my Eternal Native Life from its own Original to put forth which is God in a fixed Body created and brought forth from the first Creating Word which is to restore the Lapse again § 26. So that this is the work and business that my Lord of Life doth set before me to practise constantly and is the true meaning of Christ's Doctrine of Self-denyal which teacheth me where lies the Vein of corrupt Blood that must be let out whereby the precious Life may be secured and saved that so the Blood of Spirits from God may circulate pure and free This will
Working Properties to Fix again in Nature's inward ground Against which all the Earthly Senses conspire to resist continually raising up Blocks of Unbelief which hath been the one great Cause of Restraint as we in God's Light do understand § 39. But it was said to me by the Word of the Lord that these great mighty Working Powers that the whole Course of the Visible Reign in the Earth would change could not be intrusted with any till God becomes Man and Man becomes God all throughout in a distinct Personality as after the Manner of our Lord JESUS To which estate we are to be Redeemed that so we may come into a Joint Commission in the Kingdom which is all Power § 40. For this was the very Word that was given me Be not solicitous for Almighty working Power till the Deity hath wrought out Mens gross Essence that from the Mortal Birth doth spring and replenished all anew by pouring in his Baptizing Name which will the Seal of the Power again engravve For the Gifts and Powers no more given out will be till a Fixed Body be all Substantiated with Ingredients pure from the Celestial Orb. Which said the Word Ye shall do well to Believe and make all Hast after this Hope to pursue it for it hath its Season to be fulfilled June 6. 1691. § 41. THis Morning I felt the Spirit opening further unto me the Mystery of Faith of the which I have Recorded much for my own Private Improvement but this Day much more hath been Revealed out of the deepest Ground from its Eternal Originality God abstractedly which in a most full Body opens in me like as in all its Useful Members Now the Birth of Faith is on this wise shewed to be full of Life Motion and Activity yet all whatever it worketh and doth is after an hidden and silent way Foras the out ward Man hath all in a Visibility to exercise his Original Faculties upon so contrariwise doth this Spirit of Faith put forth all its Powers and Spiritual Facuities most effectually after a Secret Invisible Manner and effecteth that which it aimeth at though no outward Speech or Noise of Words may be here needed nor visible Hands to work or Feet to walk but all lieth hidden in the deep Center of a Pure Mind which works and performs Great Things on this Hand and on the other and yet no Vulgar Corporeal Being can the ground of this way of working find out or discern It is only known by the Operator who can Experimentally tell that it is Nothing less then what doth lie as Deep as God there Incorpoporating with the Soul and going forth with pure Acts of Power § 42. This Opening and Manifestation concerning the Mystery of Faith hath been presented to me as the Magical Key which openeth the shut-up Wonders of God's Eternity Now my Business is to handle and employ This Key as skilled and instructed I shall be from my Tuteress the Supream Wisdom who hath shewn and brought me to her several Gates and hath given forth to every Gate a distinct Key for the Opening One Deep upon another Whereinto my Spirit is to pass which now call'd forth afresh I am to follow For well satisfied I am that the Bright Star a Conduct will to me assuredly be and arise suddenly after some Years delay which had made me ready to give up the Ghost of my Hope in reference to that which in Divine Wisdom's Glass I have seen heard and understood concerning what in my Day is to be Accomplished and brought into Effect § 43. But at this time the Power beginneth mightily to stir and the Virgin-Tincture of the pure Spirit of Wisdom doth in my Spiritual Veins run that the Revealed Things may into an Heavenly Body turn For I now do see and find a Body to its fuâ—l grown Stature prepared is to be in wonderful Spirituality till every Organ Member and Faculty be run through with the highest Vertue from the Deity This my Lord in the Spirit did tell me bidding me patiently to abide until this true Shilo Body in me was to its full heighth shot up for that then should the most Powerful and Glorious Holy Ghost appear to do and act his Part and after such a long Silence even in the very Heavens should then Speak through me not by Voice only but by pure Act. O this is the Proof that my God will of himself give when being thus filled with Him Deeds from a Deified Power and Root shall spring up and manifest themselves Some Workings in order to this I do already sensibly feel and therefore encouraged I am to wait and to give all place for the Fixation of this Holy Being which will nullify all other Beings that so entirely I may possess the Great JEHOVAH as my Fountain continually within to flow for the washing away of the Impurities and for the preparing a Body in which the Holy Ghost so Fixedly may dwell as never out of it to depart away § 44. Some short time after this the Manifold Wisdom did again open it self in me for my further Information that so I might hit the Mark which I have been so longing for and aiming at Now that â— might be right set in my Way the Spirit and Bride gave me not only a Call but a Love-enforcing Pull from all that is of this low Element and the Astral Life and so up my Spirit was presently Caught to understand and learn what was to be expresly wrought by the Supercelestial Art from which Altogether is excluded the outward Hand of Craft â— 45. Now the Copy I was to learn by was that Original Word that was from Eternity which by entring or opening it self in that Part which purely doth relate to God simply and abstractedly from the Lower Rational Consubsistency that is from the Outward Elements For all of this sort must be laid aside in this way of Working which is after the Manner of him who hath the Creating Power and Principle for giving a Life and Existency out of Nothing This is the Celestial School which I am taken into in order to be brought up according to the Degree of my Eternal Nativity which I am driving to run back again unto that so I might understand how to Act from this Supream Port even from the Centre of a New Heart â—pon which may be written that great Name Alpha and Omega Which only can renew the Working Power that shall the Seal'd Testimony open and get thereby the Crown of Dominion to enter upon the Lord Christ's Kingly Reign within the circle of the pure Mind and from thence to go forth to govern in all parts without till the Wonders of God shall as Lightning fly out upon the Eagle-Wings of Faith and the Fruits of this TREE springing up in the Paradisical Ground of the Soul so plentifully drop as to convert the howling Desert of this outward Mortal Principle into a pleasant Sharon and Eden of God This