they loved Saints as Saints and oh that Saints were in such a frame as to eye Saintship more and to love one another because of that heavenly relation they are in having one Father and one Saviour I onely briefly mention some things concerning the time of my spirits first step into dissertion and I cannot but warn Christs babes nay though they be young men that is such as are grown from their time of infancy to riper years yet those that are more strong in the faith that have got higher then an Infant in spirituality even these may be cautioned to take heed that they look not more upon externals then upon internals Saints fetch all your comforts from your Saviours bosom still eye that which is from everlasting to everlasting it s a very secure centering in Jesus we are still in hazzard of losing our spirits when they take a rambling from Mountains to Hills sometimes they fall into a deep valley ere they are aware and when they are down many again find it a long time ere they can get up HItherto you have had an account of the Proceedings of God with her from the beginning of his Works in her in various dispensations of Free-Grace through Light and Darkness Liberty and Bondage wherein the deep and more discerning Generation of Christians may discover the beginnings and growing up of the child Jesus in her unto greater measures of Wisdom and Power then are common to most Saints and withall some hints from God of the pleasure of his will to magnifie the Wonders and Powers of his Spirit by her in some notable and transcending way where God begins to break down the Walls of flesh in a Creature in such a rending way upon those ruines he raiseth up a foundation of Heaven and of Glory to be admired In the deeps do men behold the wonders of the Lord and be lays the foundation of his Chambers in the depths Here followeth a Relation how the Glory of God appeared in her in a time of sore sickness when to all appearance she was nigh unto death shewing the precious and Powerfull faith that wrought in her and the mighty witness of God to the truth of her faith in a Glorious Effect of his Power demonstrated upon her in a visible way whereby god would seem as by a visible Sign to manifest that the Invisible God dwells in her and would put to silence the Ignorance Pride and Rage of flesh against the Presence and Power of God in her And whereby she seems to be set forth of God as an Example to all them that believe of a Faith and Power with God that is to be attained beyond what most have yet received the enjoyment of The Mysterie of Faith with Power in the heights and depths of it being yet very little understood and less enjoyed by the Lords dearest Children For whose sake this is come forth at length after some years Concealment and the rather in such a day as this wherein the Saints are called to put on again the Faith once delivered whereby they overcame all things both within and without and all things became subject unto them The account hereof follows as it was delivered to us in her own Words and Writings IT being the desire of all the Saints and of all that wish well to Sion to hear of the experiences each of other that they have in the pourings out of the Spirit which God hath said he will pour out in the latter days upon all flesh his Sons and his Daughters shall Prophesie many promises we have in the like nature And faith Christ those that believe as the Scripture hath said out of their belly shall flow Rivers of living Waters this spake he of the Spirit which should be given after his Ascention to the Father therefore the Saints are to expect it and the more the Spirit appears the greater will be the rage of Antichrist but the greater their Tribulations are the nearer will be their time of deliverance and Christ encourages Saints to list up their heads for their Redemption draweth nigh And Christ tells believers it is not only given them to believe but to suffer and the Apostle bids us not think it strange concerning fiery Tryals for such things we must meet withall before we enter into Glory even that glory promised the Saints in this life Now Saints the dropings and glimmerings of the Spirit begin to appear the day begins to dawn the day-star shall appear in its brightness so that it shall be said to the Saints arise and shine for your light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you then shall the Saints be of one mind and one heart and shall not need to teach one another Saying know the Lord for they shall all be taught of God from the least to the greatest and then shall light break forth as at noon day Surely then believers shall be more frequent in calling to each other to tell what God hath done for their souls as I the most unworthy servant of the Lord Jesus am engaged to declare what God hath lately done for me putting forth his Power both for the removing of the distemper from soul and body which now I shall relate to the praise and glory of Free-Grace And I doubt not but that it will be to the joy of all the Saints for unto them I call to magnifie the Lord with me and that we may exalt his name together for it should be the delight of Saints to set up God and not self because what they are or have is all by Grace so that the Psalmist saith Not unto us but unto thy name be the praise this O friends this makes me to abhor my self in dust and ashes because I have seen the Lord more then in an ordinary manner So that I cannot but speak the things which I have seen and heard from the holy Spirit and this may be sufficient to draw out your attentions and serious considerations to that experience I am about to speak through the strength of the Spirit which bears witness to what I speak to be truth which Spirit shall lead into all truth Saints let me tell you or the Spirit making use of me to tell you that though a Cloud and Darkness may for a time cover your Spirits after you are Called and Justified and Sanctified by the holy Spirit in believing for the Tryal of your faith which is much more precious then Gold or Silver for certainly when God seems to be at a distance from the soul in respect of Communion so that God seems to be afar off and yet the soul made one Spirit with the Lord Jesus And this was my condition that though I could own God as my Father and had the Spirit of Adoption whereby I could cry Abba Father and faith given to believe the pardon of all my sins past present and to come even then my Spirits were ready to crack in
clouds At another season when I have shut my eyes immediatly they have been unclosed and my Saviour presenting his speech to me that he said to his Disciples when he was to depart from them and that was this Verily verily I say unto you I will drink no more of the fruit of this Vine till I drink it new in my Fathers Kingdom This came in in such a mysterie that I was not able to understand it but it was discovered a little thus That the spirit was held out in an embleme of wine when as Christ was upon the earth but it shall after his Ascention break forth in a new and far more glorious manner like new wine more sweet and perspicuous so that it was made forth to me to be meant the pourings forth of the Spirit Now I shall tell you Saints of more illustrations and interpretations given in from the sight of hearbs and flowers as that of the sweet Bryar why sweet and yet thorny we see the most sweetest enjoyment that this world can present to the creature hath a thorn accompanying it and likewise Christ is a very sweet fragrant smell to his friends but to his enemies a thorn and concerning flowers this was given in the variety of smells proceeding from them and the variety of colours in which was held forth the variety of beauties and sweetness flowing from my Saviour one thing I minded in the marigold it being brought before my eyes I saw pleasures and honours and the greatest preferments here guilded outsides but black in the middle so I saw the Lord Jesus glory to the Saints but black to the wicked even as the marygold appears like gold in the middle black and so likewise concerning spice A few nutmegs being presented from a friend to me thus much was hinted forth mercy and love coming from the friend of friends not single but double mercies and this was presented also from the hardness of it being stony so Christ is the corner stone and as the nutmeg is barky without and gives but little smell till it be grated and then the smell is very fragrant and the oylness of it appears so Christ when he is grated upon the spirits that is when he is made known unto the soul by the spirit Oh what sweet fragrant smell comes into every faculty of the soul And the spirit that holy oyl or unction drops down upon the whole man even as there is a discovery of the oyl in the nutmeg when it is grated Truly Saints did you but feel in the reading of this that sweet odour that I found in my spirits you could not but praise with me And when I saw the fruits of the earth many instructions were given in as in the sight of Cherries I saw the blood of my Saviour and such fruits which was firm in the outside yet hollow and a stone in the middle of them so all things here below are hollow though they appear firm Isa 40. Last the erring spirit shall come to understand and the murmuring spirit shall learn doctrine The Lord made this Scripture very sweet to me and I was incouraged to comfort drooping Saints to cast their souls upon Jesus Christ who calls to the weary and heavy laden to come to him that is to believe in him whom the father hath sent And I also was filled with such a spirit of boldness as it is written the righteous are as bold as a Lion so that whereas I am of a fearful spirit by nature yet God then carryed me forth to speak abundantly to all that came to me whether they were of high or low degree And such relentings of spirit was in me towards backsliders that I desired to weep tears of blood if it had been possible to have gained them Oh friends how did I thirst after the welâ—are of every one that they that told me they lived in the spirit I told â—hem how sweet a thing walking in the spirit wâ—s which will teach to intreat when we are reviled and to be of a lamblike spirit when enemies reproach that so we might imitate that lamb which took away sin and sure had not the spirit of God gone along with exhortations they would not have took so much effect upon many spirits I think hardly any came but they went away affected both young and old such was the love of God thus to break forth which had I the tongue of Angels I could not express I desire it may shine forth in all my actions for truly the work of God is marvellous in my eyes and that Scripture of Christ telling his Disciples that they should set upon twelve thrones Judging the twelve Tribes of Israel by that word twelve thrones was much set forth to me the great dignity of the Saints The Lord acquaint us more with the Spirit in the letter then shall we be able to understand every truth and the erring spirit shall come to understand and the murmuring spirit shall learn doctrine as God much perswaded me that that spirit of formality which hath lain so long upon the Saints should be taken off and the Lord gave me faith to believe for the Saints and me thinks I see them groaning after the pourings forth of the spirit and surely the time shall not be long ere the Lord will satisfie the groaning soul and answer the expectations of the Saints for as in God are hid treasures of wisdom and knowledge so every treasure shall be opened to the Saints in the appointed time therefore the Saints shall wait for it Many times God appeared in visions of glory to me as I lay wrapt up in the spirit I beheld a glorious star shining exceeding bright and the bright morning star the Lord Jesus was much presented into my thoughts and concerning Fzekiels vision he saw by the River Chebar it is said he saw visions of God which word being brought immediatly from God to me it was very sweet this was given into me that when Saints are in affliction in respect of their outward man though they be in great straits yet nothing can deprive them of the breakings forth of their God nay then when the creature is at a low ebb in the outward man the Lord is pleased to visit the creature with a full Sea of glory and saith to the Saints be you open ye everlasting gates that the King of glory may enter in Oh how sweet this Scripture was spoken in the spirit to me I can but hint things forth and speak partly of what I found Saints I question not but in your own experiences what hath been declared will be more cleared to you by the spirit though I am able to declare them but stammeringly yet these things came plaâ—nly into my spirits and with a mighty fulness that I could evidently say these are the appearances of an infinite God and no delusion praised be the most high my mouth was full of praises and begged of all that
terrors and perplexities and sore plunges I could make a large rehearsall I could tell you much of the sad apprehensions I had of my eternall condition which I have but as it were given you a little hint of my condition in the time of my bonds but my desire now is rather to tell you of my freedom unto which I hasten though I know that these mourning experiences may be of great use to the sorrowfull and troubled spirit that lyeth languishing for want of the light of assurance which God doth see good for a time to conceal from his beloveds that he hath loved with an eternall love which in time be draweth with loving kindness Therfore let not any poor soul despair there is free grace enough an ocean to swallow up not my sins onely but many more a fountain open for all manner of sins be they never so great poor souls you cannot out-sin mercy your sins are finite but grace is infinite do not think that any sin can shut thee out of divine love if it could it would have shut me out for certain I am that no heart could be more desperatly wicked then mine no ones sins could be of a more scarlet dye then mine strong unbelief continually departing from the living God as full of heart hypocrisie as I could hold Oh let sinners admire free grace with me that hath freed me from as stony as seared benummed sensless a condition as any could or can be in hearing or reading or Saints speaking to me was as to one deaf I still concluded my condition to be like theirs the Scripture speaks of that were given up by the Lord to blindness of mind and hardness of heart I thought confidently God had given me to know that I should perish for ever but Gods thoughts at length appeared higher then mine as the Heavens are higher then the Earth and when my Spirit had thus been upon the rack for a season and tossed up and down with the waves of a continual accusing troubled conscience And none spake any word that did in the least measure revive me till that voice sounded that I could not contradict but I did withstand it and repulse it as long as I could and when it spake as a stil small voice I rejected it a week before I felt heard and saw that glorious light and power sounded into my spirit which caused an eccho or answer from my spirit in believing the testimony of the Spirit but that small voice made such a report in my soul which made me to listen it was such a speaking that I had not heard before therefore it was very strange to me the word I had was this Christ is thine and thou art his and no word was spoken to my spirit for six or seven days but this it followed me where ever I went sometimes as I have been going along the streets I have looked behind me thinking I had heard some locall voice a voice without me but sure it was because I was unacquainted with the voice of the Spirit speaking in or to the soul I oft-times turned back when I have been going along the streets to see who it was that spake taking that for visible which was invisible I did not know that I had read such a word in the Scripture that the Spirit spake to me but before my heart was brought over to believing the same power that raised Christ from the grave appeared in destroying that strong unbelief that made me depart from the living God and as in the fulness of time Almighty power brought Christ into the world and into the grave it raised Christ also out of the grave this same power was a hand by Divine appointment leading me through varieties of inward bitter desolations untill it brought me not onely to the gates but into a heaven of sweet consolation Now I shall by the assistance of the Spirit tell the time when my heart was brought to believe the pardon of my sins past present and to come by an act of grave through the blood of the Lord Jesus which I clearly saw by the light of the Spirit bearing witness to my Spirit that Christ was mine and I was his The time the year 1642. the day the first of the first moneth called January it being the first day of the week commonly called the Sabbath day which was indeed a Lords day to my soul While Mr. John Simpson was preaching from that Scripture in the 8 of the Romans the words are these Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ be is none of his Many Sermons he preached from this Scripture and he had shewed that the Spirit might be in that soul that was very dark and much confused in its apprehensions of Christ as he proved from John 14.5 6 7. Thomas faith unto Christ Lord we know not whâ—ther thou goest and how should we know the way Christ in the 4. verse told them they knew whither he went and the way they knew and he tells them that they had known the Father and seen him and yet they said they knew not so that the Disciples of Christ had sometimes a confused knowledge of the Father and yet they had both seen and known so that from thence was proved that many poor souls might have the Spirit as was instanced in many particulars that the Spirit might be in the soul though it could not make it out through that exceeding hurry the soul lay in being still in a confusion its darkness being not dispelled by the glorious manifestation of the light of the spirit sealing it up to the day of Redemption My Spirit was under much trembling for fear it should still be said that I had none of the Spirit which often was a terrible sound within me which I still dreaded and my spirit cryed out to the Lord when this Sermon before mentioned upon that 8. of the Romans was almost ended I said Lord I have the Spirit in this confused manner as I found a witness within me that I had the Spirit in those particulars that were declared but my spirit strongly run out to the Lord for a clear manifestation of his love in Christ and suddenly my soul was filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory in believing the spirit witnessing in that word Christ is thy wel-beloved and thou art his my soul was now full of joy as it could hold now I saw all my sins laid upon Jesus Christ and when he was sacrificed all my sins were sacrificed with him oh what triumphing and songs of Hallelujah were in my spirit I knew not where I was nor how to get out of the place where I sat I apprehended nothing but a clothing of glory over my whole man I never beheld Saints as I did then I saw their faces like the face of Angels Oh what Angelicall creatures did they appear before me full of shining brightness oh what a heart inflamed now was mine filled
with the flame of Divine love there appeared now no smoak but a clear flame nothing now before me but christal appearances oh how my soul was enamoured with Christ Earth was now gone and heaven come the unclean spirit dispossessed the pure spirit now possest taking my soul from the dunghill and setting it upon the throne my naturall food I tasted not till now it was bitter to my taste but oh now every bit of bread I eat how sweet was it to my taste Christ sweetned every creature to me oh how sweet was the feasts of love that my soul was made partaker of in very creature oh what a rebound doth Divine love make in the soul I could not keep love in it would flame forth into a declaration I must now tell Saints what I had now received from the spirits testimony and that they might praise with me having mourned with me I told them I had now seen him whom my poor spirit doubted I should never have beheld I called to others to come and taste how sweet and loving Christ is to sinners now Sermons appeared living to me where Christ was preached most to sinners I delighted most in such a Ministry and still went away with melody in my heart for a whole year after I was sealed up to the day of Redemption I had exceeding raptures of joy very frequent little or no intermissions no questions or doubtings in the least measure but my seat was still for constancy a seat of joy and spirituall mirth though sometimes the golden trumpet sounded higher and sometimes lower yet it still was sounding and caused an eccho to follow it A sore combat after the Spirits testimony THe time of that glorious sealing me was after that testimony in which my spirit was set at liberty that day before mentioned being the first day of the week and year 1642. upon the third day of that week and year my occasions called me to Stepny where I lodged at my Uncles all night and my Aunt coming up into the Chamber to me she said to me Cosen the Lord hath taken your mother from you now labour to be married to Christ you have nothing to take up your time but to labour for Christ I answered I hope I am married to Christ but as soon as my Aunt was gone down stairs from me the Lord spoke to me and said I have made thee as sure of salvation as I am God in heaven why didst thou say thou hopest and didst not rather tell that thy God had assured thee that Christ was thine thou having such a clear testimony of the spirit witnessing with thy spirit in such a bright light of glory that thou couldst not but assent to it thou shouldst now have declared it Satan presently was let loose upon me as soon as the Lord had spoken these words which I am sure was from the Lord they came in such Majesty that caused all my joints to tremble and sore perplexed I was Satan buffetted and my own heart strongly set upon me perswading me that I had fallen from grace and I had denied the Spirits work in me and now I was nearer to perishing then ever very hideous thoughts I was filled with and nothing but blackness before me now I had sinned against the spirit and this was more dreadfull to me then all the time of my bondage for I thought now the unclean spirit would have torn me a pieces I was so terrified I could not go to bed till midnight but walked about the chamber hearing nothing nothing but damnation and hell set before me I thought my torment to be as great as any of the damned wherein it was a terrible hell to me for the time which time the indeared love of the Father suffered not to be long it was not above three hours my heavenly Father knew had that extremity of spirit lasted long it would have consumed my vitall spirits but as love moved my Father to speak kindly to my distressed spirit in taking away this unexpressible torment he gave me unexpressible glory and refreshing And when I gave up all that I had received for lost at the very nick of time and this night that was so dreadful to me before the morning light my spirit was full of light and a greater shining light then I saw before I now beheld And the spirit speaking that word in great power Christ is thine and thou art his and the gates of hell shall never prevail against thee all the power and policy of the devil shall not hurt thee so as to deprive thee of thy Saviour I had the representation of a seal set upon the wax the spirit as fire made my stony spirits pliable for it to leave its mark or impression and stamp was set on my spirit now I felt saw and heard that I never did before oh that Aâ—ras of glory that now was my clothing now was I made like my Saviour a crown given me not made with pearls or rich diamonds but far richer not to be valued earth cannot wear this crown it s onely the heaven of God that must injoy this prerogative it s those that are made Kings and Priests unto God that are thus honoured oh how transcendently glorious is the true sealing of the Spirit sure no tongue is able to speak it out the pen of the readiest writer cannot write this it may give some hints of this seal but for depth length and breadth who can give a full description or relation of it it is a thing impossible to be published Oh then you sealed ones come admire with me who can tell forth Sions glory Could not Paul tell what he saw in the third heavens How then shall we declare our heavens glory when we know not whether we are in the body or out Our joy is such when the spirit takes us up we know not where we are for that present though afterward it may be we are found in the Isle of Pathmos our bodies may be found amongst the Babylonians yea and our spirits too our communion taken away but not our union no doubting or questioning concerning that though there may be much dissertion and darkness as I shall tell you God willing he giving me life to accomplish my desire which is to leave the Saints a Legacy of experiences that they may read not my works but the spirits works and so admire him who is most worthy when I am gone hence and shall be no more seen And if I vary concerning some experiences in this in respect of doubting and questioning union after sealing it is my own experience I must not record anothers experience it may be some may scruple at it and therefore I thought fit to mention it After my Spirit received the seal of the Spirit I had abundance of raptures of joy some when I have gon along the street my raptures hath been such that I minded not the ground I went upon but divers times have been
first rising out of the Sea which Sea in its self when not troubled its very clam and smooth and to swim upon it there is no danger if we keep in the ship we are safe but when winds arise this calm Sea is troubled contrary winds makes the smooth Sea full of waves and billows and it becomes very tempestuous and the creature is put to some plunges and tossed up and down though in the ship yet many are put to great straits by reason of such mighty storms which sometimes Sâ—a-men meet withall yet valiant Sea-mens hearts do not sink without a leak be sprung in the ship then their hearts ake and the stâ—uâ—est spirits then begin to dye but as long as the ship is firm the coragious Marryner doth not fear there is no danger so long as they keep the Sea under them and out of them it will never drown them but prove a sweet refresher Oh what pleasure doth the Marryners take when they get the mastery over the storm and not it over them This Sea in which my spirit first received trouble and dark dissertion began to take hold of my rejoycing spirit it was an eager pressing after the way of worship to know the right way and to enjoy it I earnestly sought for but could not find now there arose contrary winds which did blow so strong that this smooth and pleasant Sea began to be so full of waves and storms grew so fast that my joy sunk there grew a thick skin over my sight of union and truly I minded not that which was my life so much as the enjoyment of a way of worship which night and day I lay poring upon I could not take my natural rest my thoughts dwelt so continually upon the study of Ordinances and the right administrations according to that practice in the time of the Apostles the which I could not find any come up unto fain I would have been in the practice of all the Ordinances that Christ left his Disciples to be helps meet to them and I believe they are a Sea on which Saints may swim safely till they arrive at their haven of eternal glory Saints voyage continues till their mortal shall put on immortality and till then the waters are for Saints to float upon Saints you are a float keep in your Ark and you are safe take heed of the blustring winds which is too much eagerness extrams will toss your spirits they may drown your comfort and joy of union though nothing can possibly drown your union Saints you have need to stand upon your watch Tower even at the time when you are seeking after spiritual things for we have within us such a corrupt spirit which proves such a treacherous enemy it betrayes us into the hands of Satan which is that roaring Lion that goeth about seeking whom he may devour and so joyneth with our enemy within us to fight against us Therefore unto all the Saints that practice as they think all the Ordinances that Christ left to his Disciples I shall speak this word to you have a care your fall not overhead and ears into this Sea If you keep upon it it may be very sweet to you but if it once flow over your spirits you sink my meaning is this if any thing below Christ yea though it be an institution of Christ if thou exalts it higher then thou shouldst thou dishonourest Christ and indangers thy spirituall welfare truly Saints are very apt to misplace things every thing may be usefully kept in their right sphear but when that which should be beneath gets uppermost then comes in confusion and darkness for it we rejoyce more in the Administration then in the Administrator dark misty clouds will arise upon our spirits and if a second vail cover our sight it is worse for us then when the Law was a vail Obscurity after the shining of Gospel light is terriblyer to bear then that darkness before a freedom for when once the soul hath a freedom from legall bondage by the spirit that it can cry Abba father and have Communion in the sight of union with God as their father and now though union may be in sight yet it is afar off and for want to Communion the poor soul cannot take the felicity in its union as it should And truly if we have too high esteem of things we shall enthrall our selves Therefore dear friends let God be your all and not Ordinances let God be your all and not any practice though a practice prescribed by the spirit it s a dangerous thing to have our thoughts too much upon or after things we are so apt to make that our all our hearts are so ready to delude us when our eye is a little off Christ therefore let us still desire a fixed eye upon God in Christ for this is the safest Road there is no damage to that soul that continually keeps his feasts with Christ for Christ is at all the cost Oh that Saints were more in spiritual practice the Lord knoweth I would not undervalue or have a slight thought of of any Administration or of any Saint for surely I prize them but the sum of all my speaking is to give God his due and by him we shall be thought to give every thing its due and in so doing how sweet will our harmony be and though we be at a loss in respect of externaâ—â— yet that sweet internal converse will delight our spirits if that be not smothered by sin and Satan which aims to give that a greater blow then any thing else and this blow my spirits felt it was not externals that caused my dissertion for they are good in themselves I would not be thought to make them the cause or put fault in them the fault was in my self concerning Ordinances I still went on trying and examining the way which sundry Congregations walked in and I walked a moneth or there abouts with one Congregation and a time with another and so with divers people I tryed their way but I could not be satisfied in my seeking because I found not neither was I taken off from that restless frame I was in till a constant over powring word came which was this I say to thee wait it is the mind of thy God that thou shouldst wait then my spirit was quiet and I clearly understood that it was the mind of God not to discover a way of worship to me in that I could not behold the practice of any people under any form to be like the pattern in mount Sion I could not apprehend their practice to be like that of old time which the Scripture makes mention of which was a practice full of the spirit and the gifts of the spirit they had not onely a letter but the spirit bear witness to their practice they were full of the spirit of love and unity not judging and ready to censure those that were not under the dispensation as they were
praised and was gone I was troubled that he did not more question me and bring arguments against me for trial I know true gold is made more manifest by the touchstone and it is more purified in the Furnace and appears from dross But to tell you of the second coming of this Embassador of Christ now I beheld the Spirit of God moving in him to speak in a soul-searching manner though he told me I might be deluded and also telling me that many had been deluded and he therefore Exhorted me to have a care that I believed upon good grounds and told me I might make use of the means and partake of the creatures and to look up to God to give me sleep many Exhortations and Examinations he used to me which I much rejoyced in for my faith was the more confirmed and while I was upon the Tryal God came in with a mighty strength telling me that I was not deluded but he would raise me without means by his mighty power as he did Lazarus out of the grave at my first sickening I did use the means I took things but they did me no good I was the more tortured and felt my self the worse because God came not in the means it took no Effect God had a further work to shew to his people And the Lord bid me tell these things in Gath and publish them in Ashkelon fear not saith God to tell it to the greatest Monarch of the world if thou beest called to it For I thy God am with thee And I saith the Lord will strengthen thee in all difficulties that thou shalt meet withall But now I shall tell you Saints how God presented himself to me in many similitudes which I never heard mentioned before by any they were brought immediately from God and Scripture presented that I never took notice of before and God sweetly interpreted them to my spirit God first filled me with contemplation about the Trinity which was sweeter then the hony and the honycomb to my spiritual pallat it came in such a Majesty to me that I am not able to set it forth it swallowed up my spirits But in desiring to declare it to the Saints this similitude of a Tree was set before me God the root his Son Christ the Tree the Spirit the Sap and as the Root and Tree and Sap are but one in a natural sence for the Sap and Tree looked on in the Root there is but one substance which lies hid till such time as it puts forth it self in a Tree and then the Tree appears but it is covered with a Bark or Rinde and the Sap is discovered running from the Root through the Tree into the Branches which Sap is not so discovered as when the bark is peeled off the Tree yet then it cannot be discerned in the nature of it So the Father Son and Spirit are one in that glorious essential incomprehensible Being making themselves forth in thee 3 Joh. 5.7 God lies hid in the Root man is not capable to know what he is no more then man is capable to know what sweetness is in the Root of a Tree while it lies hid till it appear in the Tree and Sap so when this one God appears in the Tree the Lord Jesus then his sweetness begins to break forth and is made forth more by the Sap the Spirit But I desired the Lord to shew me this similitude by Scripture in which he opened the Trinity by way of Root Tree and Sap God is said to be love and he that dwelleth in God dwelleth in love So that from this God appeared as the Root of mans happiness being infolded in the first person in Trinity from Eternity by this Root which the Scripture calls love the first glorious person in Trinity appearing in the second person the Tree But how is he called a Tree in Scripture It was presently presented before me that he was that Tree spoken of in Paradise that Tree of life Gen. 2. But how may the spirit be called sap from Scripture Thus it is called a holy anoynting it is compared to Oyle To the Oyntment Psal 133.2 which was upon Arons head and ran down upon his beard and so to the skirts of his garment And from the word Oyl or Oyntment so the third glorious person in Trinity is likened unto sap and thus it appeared to me that as the sap runs from the Root through the Tree into the branches so the Spirit the holy Oyle runs from out of the Root which is the Father through the Tree which is the Son into the Branches For so the Saints are called in Scripture Branches of the Vine Christ Jesus and as the Sap drops into the branches and twigs of a Tree which causes them to live and appear green and the efficacy of this Sap produces fruit it is very Vertual it descends of its vertue into the leavs which else would wither as for instance in the fall of the leaf when the Sap returns into the Root the leaves wither and fail And as there is a Vertual Union of the Root Tree and Sap and Branches and Fruit and Leaves so there is a glorious Union and Congruity that the Saints have in the holy Trinity their life is in the Root and it appears in the Tree and manifested by the Sap to the Branches the Elect appear dead till the Spirit which is the sap quickneth them and no fruit is brought forth though they may have a profession yet it is but as dead leaves which falls and crumbles to dust So that from the spirit slows sweet waters it produces sound fruit it makes also professors green and lively and as when the bark is pilled of the Tree the Sap is more discerned so when the humanity of Christ is taken from the Saints view then the spirit was more discerned Therefore says Christ it is expedient that I go away that so you may have a fuller sight of the Spirit He that believes as the Scripture hath said Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters this spake he of the spirit which those should receive that believed that was not yet given because Christ was not yet glorified this Scripture appeared very glorious to me and I set the efficacy of it on my spirits and God told me that the time was not yet far off ere he would pour out his Spirit upon his Children and take away that skin of formality that hath lain so long upon their sights and that drowsiness or sleepiness of spirit that hath seized upon them and baptize them with the holy Spirit which should break forth as fire among them so that they shall be filled with the Song of the Lamb and they shall behold their King of Salem which is King of peace riding on his white horse of Triumph Conquering and to Conquer The Saints shall overcome by the Lamb by the word of his testimony Thus mightily God came into my spirits which was
exceeding sweet to me which caused me to Exhort the Saints to study the Trinity more of which one thought is more worth then ten thousand words And further I shall tell you Saints in other Scriptures how God did present himsef as concerning Jacobs ladder as it is written In his sleep he saw a Vision a Ladder set upon the earth the top of it reached to heaven and he beheld the Angels of God Ascending and Descending on it and behold the Lord stood above it and this Mysterie was held forth in it the Ladder signifies Christ a Saviour the top reaching to heaven and from those words the Lord stood above it and it reached to the earth in that the humane nature of Christ was presented the Divine nature assumeing to it self flesh and whereas it is said the Angels of God Ascended and Descended on it in that was held forth the sweet recourse the Saints have in Jesus Christ in his Death in his Resurrection and Ascention to glory This appeared very sweet to me but I cannot set forth things so fully as they came in and God in the night set before me Sampsons Riddle of the Lyon and the hony out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong came sweetness By Lyon is meant Christ who is called in Scripture the Lyon of the Tribe of Juda and by Honey is meant that sweetness that lies wrapt up in Jesus Christ considered as a Lyon yet full of sweetness And as it is said out of the eater come forth meat Christ is that eater which eats up the spirits as David said the Zeal of thine house hath eaten me up and the word might set out that vertue which comes from the Lord Jesus which is the bread of life in which we have life for ever and out of the strong came sweetness that is out of the Lyon of the Tribe of Juda flows all our sweetness and raptures of joy and as Sampson told them Except they had plowed with his Heyfer they could not have found out his Riddle So the great God spake to me in the whisperings of his Spirit and said in believing in my son Christ which is typed out by an Heyfer and Plowing may signifie believing that in believing in thy Saviour thou shalt understand my secrets God I may say spoke to me as a man speaks to his friend but in a far more transcendent manner and Ionathan spoken of in the 1 Sam. 14. it came thus to me that though he was so faint that he climbed on his hands and feet and his eyes were dim with faintness and no sooner had he taken of the hony that dropt out of the rock but his eyes were enlightned so as soon as there is a distilling from that rock Christ upon the spirits then it tastes such sweetness which strengthens the fainting spirits and this was that which made me say oh come Saints taste and see did you but know what I feel you would admire with me oh how strong am I in the Lord and in the power of his might When I have closed my eyes thinking to sleep they have on a sudden been forced open and upon the Sun shining in the room this was declared to me seest thou how the Sun shines in beams and streams accompanied with shadows and I said Lord why doth it not shine as in the body of it why doth it not shine so on the Earth as in the Firmament It was answered me should it shine on the Earth as it is in the Firmament it would suddenly burn up all things on the earth no fruits of the earth nor any creature could live or breathe and therefore that it might be for the comfort of the fruits of the earth and of all creatures it was spread forth in the beams and streams of it so the Lord said to me should I thy God dwell in thee as I am in my essentiall glory thou couldst not breathe in the body but immediatly thou wouldst dye in the body it could not bear such a weight of glory therefore I shine on thee on beams and streams of glory which produces those effects spoken of in Scripture I was filled with joy now I knew not wherefore God spake this to me till a while after I was going to speak of it and this voice came to me This was brought to thee for the rectifying of thy Judgement the erring spirit shall come to understand Isa 29. last now I considered how I had erred in that I had held forth before I sickned that God dwelt essentially in his Saints when I considered in Scripture where it is said God in us and likewise when I viewed Gal. 5. which holds out the fruits and operations of the spirit I was at a loss in my spirits concerning this nor could not make it out nor be convinced by any till God satisfied me and so in many other things none could give me light till the light of lights came and then my spirit was full of praises Another time when I laid my self to sleep something as it were pulled me by the shoulder with this voice it is better for thee to wake I will shew thee thy Saviour in the Mount then was set before me Jesus taking up Peter and Iohn into the Mount and his transfiguration before them which to me shined forth very glorious that I said as the disciples said Lord it is good to be here and that of Moses and Elias appearing in that was presented to me the glory of the Law of Moses and from Elias was discovered the glory of the Prophets and both these glories meeting in the glory of Jesus Christ Oh how this did enamour the spirits of the Disciples and herein they manifested the strength of their delight in saying And let us build here three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias it was with them as it is with a man that delights and affects a place he desires to take up his abode there so the Disciples would fain have been continually beholding that glory but while he yet spake a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear you him The soul wrapt up in the glorious discovery of the brightness of God would fain be always in that condition but that God seeth it good to draw a cloud to overshadow them a cloud but not a thick black one but a bright one which noted thus much That let the greatest discovery of glory which caused the face to shine be withdrawn God doth not leave his without glory though in a cloud yet there appears brightness and a sweet voice telling the Saints that they shall hear and see that invisible glory sounded forth in the Son by that word hear ye him now we see him as in a glass but we shall see him as he is when we shall be lifted up for ever above all
hid and covered whereby the wisdom and depth of that spirit that is in her may sufficiently appear we find this inscription before it as the title of it viz. The third moneth the year 1646. A declaration of Revelations or the unfoldings of God to the soul in visions of glory the mind of God made known by his spirit not onely concerning its own particular but others also according to promise thy God will shew thee great things to come Ier. 33.3 After an extraordinary appearance of God he yet shewed me more and hath been and is still very mighty in all his operations working such a frame of spirit subjecting it self unto its God in all the several kinds of providences sundry dispensations that it meets with seeing a sweet harmony in contraries in things that please not flesh and blood in every thing enjoyed and in nothing enjoyed God appears all in all so that when pipes are cut off and streams cease running and not onely streams without but also within seem to be dryed up even then when the heart and strength fails nay though there be not any feeling of the movings and actings and flowings of the Spirit though the beams are claspt in the body of the Sun it is not the beams that are my center but the Son it self unto this height will the spirit bring the Saints until which time there is a living upon something below God I by the spirit am able to tell Saints that God is about to take them off resting on any thing below himself and surely God will lead them through the wilderness but they shall march on triumphantly because the captain of their salvation shal go before them so that Scorpions and fiery Serpents shall not devour them God will put a hook in the nostrils of the Leviathan the flood of the dragon shall not swallow up the woman which is the Church Rev. 12. because the child Jesus which is the man child spoken of is within the Saints the heavens of God most expect to be shaken by God but not from God but from all things below God me thinks I see by the light of the spirit the time of desolation and restauration drawing nigh Oh Saints stand upon your watch for certainly Antichrist which is the beast spoken of that shall appear like a Lamb but with his two horns shall gore as a beast for so his nature is though in pretences there may be the form of a Lamb and in outward shew therefore iniquity is called a mysterie Rev 13. because it worketh in a Sophistical manner else it would not swallow up so many into its gulf this beast which comes wrapt up in the skin of the Lamb it is onely a Lamb in shew not in substance it is said to come out of the earth which signifies his power onely to be in the earth and his two horns the one is subtle policy or a secret sophistry and the other horn an open power the one playing the part of an underminer the other of an open discoverer the one horn worketh under ground making the ground hollow the other horn is a more visible power pushing those that work not with them and that would swallow them up into its own power but this beast understands not the things made known by the spirit to an Elisha that the King of Syria spoke in his bed chamber 2 King 6.12 so that though this undermining beast may think to affright in uttering his voice like a dragon yet he shall not scare the Saints from their stedfastness they will follow their Lamb where ever he goes which Lamb will appear a Lion to rescue the Sheep-out of the mouth of the woolf though they prevail so far as to catch the sheep into their mouths they shall not let their teeth in them so as to bite them in pieces For the Saints their bars are iron and their gates brass so that the strongest Dragons teeth cannot rend Saints a sunder the beast shall so far prevail as to scatter them from enjoying some outward priviledges nay I believe for a time all outward priviledges shall as it were be in the hand of Antichrist he exalting himself above all that is called God or above him that is the true God and seeking dominion in the seat of God which is the Saints into which seat he shall never come for its Gods alone prerogative to keep his Court in the Saints they are his throne the Prince of the Air shall abide in Airy climates Surely the footstool of God shall not mount up into the throne though the horn of policy working under ground may cause a dust to flye about the throne and may raise up ill vapours out of the bottomless pit which may be offensive and there may and is and will be yet a great smother in the Nations so that the Temple shall hardly be discerned but the King knoweth his Temple and his place where he keeps Court and his Subjects know him to be their Prince of peace in the midst of wars and ruins of the outward Court and no smother shall make their eyes to water or wax dim because Christ is their sight and the light and being of their eye no marvell that the Saints are so strong sighted what can deprive them of their sight it is not the rail of the Dragon nor the horn of the beast nor the smoak of Antichrist that is able in the least measure to dim the sight and light of Saints They are his house of glory upon whom he sets a defence what Cannon can batter down that house that God is in They do but beat the Air that mannage subtilty to shakle Saints they do but bring themselves further into shakels but what shall I say or shall God say it That he hath sent the Assyrian into the Land to bring about his own design Isa 10.12 and when the great Iehovah hath accomplished his own purpose on mount Sion by that time shall the measure of iniquity be full and the vials of wrath ready to empty on that harlot that hath deceived the Nations then shall the spirit appear in its full flame burning up all dross and rubbish before it and on whom it displaies its glorious rayes of beauty there shall be such a sparkling that others seeing the sparks flye out so fast shâ—ll conclude there is fire within and shall say this is the very Mount of God the City of the Holy One and shall admire that fire should be in the bush and the bush not burnt is it not matter of wonder that the infinite being should be in a finite being and yet not the finite consumed Me thinks I see not only foolish Virgins slumbering and sleeping but the wise Virginis are also in a slumber but when the bridegrooms appearance shall be manifested shall they still lye in slumber I believe otherwaies that there shall be such an awaking of all things the very foundations of all things shall be
came nigh me to praise that had the spirit of praises and still I was entreating the Saints to speak sweetly and gently to all persons that they might appear to be the sheep of the great shepheard Christ I told them how it bâ—came Saints to be of a meek spirit and I was not ashamed to confess that I was by nature of a contentious perverse spirit which I now loathed and every proud thought was an abomination to me and I told the Saints they were to look up for strength to walk as people of another Nation that it might be said they are the people of the living God who have the mark of God in all their actions Now friends I shall tell you once concerning my raising from weakness to strength from pain to ease and that both to the amazement of my self and those that were present with me but oh that I might never forget to praise the Lord not only in word but in my holy conversation in all these discoveries that have been related my body still grew weaker and weaker and the Sent of dead souls turned out of the grave was still in my nostrils and my body like unto a clod of earth and pain working up to my heart the day before my recovery one Captain Harris prayed by me and in that prayer I was mightily strengthened in believing and could not but say Lord why may not I be raised now And answer was suddenly darteâ— into my spirit I the Lord can raise thee now but thou shalt be raised at that time that thy God hath given thee to believe Oh how sweet was this answer in my Spirits that though I had a desire then to arise and I strove to list up my self yet I could not for the Lord told me his time was not yet and untill the day of deliverance came I was not onely weak and sick in body but my spirits were very dead not activity or liveliness in them all the forenoon but in the afternoon this Scripture was handed by my father to me why is thy soul troubled why is thy spirit sad within thee Believe in God believe also in me John 14.1 in this I was mightily refresht and my spirits quickned and faith much strengthened not that unbelief did seize upon me at any time after God had sealed these things upon my spirit though Satan told me that at that instant I believed I should recover my breath should be taken out of my body now it did not fear me God still perswading me that his power should be made manifest but I still grew to the earth my body waxt very cold and in clamy sweats that those that had been present with persons when their breath departed from them they could not imitate or liken me to any other but a dying person to my own feeling and sence my hands were dead and the rest of my body very liveless my breath to my own sence was even departing from me this was about six or seven a clock that night then I was raised and suddenly God poured a mighty spirit of prayer upon me that I felt my breath which was taking leave of my body heated and I pleaded with God in believing for the accomplishment of his promise and Abraham was set before me his faith strong though he saw no sacrifice he believed God would raise an Isaac out of the ashes so God carried my spirits up contrary unto sence and when the spirit of prayer was off me then god instructed me what to say to the Saints that stood by quivering and fearing not being able to see this accomplished by the eye of faith it being very contrary unto sence and when the spirit making use of me had done incouraging the Saints telling them they should surely see the work of the Lord and after thus speaking I fell in a trance in which I saw the glory of my Saviour exceedingly but I cannot speak what I saw and this lasted about a quarter of an hour and when it began to wear away this voice was given into my Spirits I say arise walk and praise me set forth my glory this came with a mighty strength that I felt strength given into my limbs that were deadest first revived and a song of Hallelujah sounded into my spirits saying now sing praise unto the great God and to the Lamb that sits upon the throne and great joy came into my spirits from the holy Spirit and no sooner did God say arise walk but I was lifted up by the power of the most high God from my bed and I called for my clothes all pain was ceased the Fever left me and I put on my clothes and as soon as I came out of my bed death pangs seized extraordinarily upon me my heart strings were ready to crack and I was even sinking a swiming in my head being very great also and my spirit suddenly was drawn forth to say Lord wilt thou now nullifie the work and shall thy hand maid now be deserted and the Lord answered me am not I thy strength and I found strength immediatly and could walk about the room without fainting or any body to help me and my stomack was opened that I could let down broth which before I could not and I continued up till midnight praising God with the Saints and after I was laid in my bed I could not shut my eyes to sleep all that night to think that on such a sudden so great an alteration should be made that I could lye down free from all pain and distemper that I felt before and so I grew still every day more strength was given in to me on the fourth day at night thus God appeared and on the first day of the week after which is called the Sabbath day I went abroad to the praise and glory of my father which hath ever since continued my health and I minded thus much in Gods raising of me he doubled his power in recovering me once and again when I began to faint and also the week following God told me I should have my perfect strength which week was the third day instanced in Hosea 6. And thus Saints having an incouragement from the Spirit of Truth to set before your view some of the experiences God hath given into me through his own free love but a creature-capacity cannot contain all the incomings of God I had while I lay in my sickness but being very much importuned by some friends I have fulfilled their desires through the assistance of God in setting forth as much as was brought to my remembrance I being a weak worthless creature a babe in Christ which makes his power the more manifest And now Saints I intreat your prayers continually for me HEre is further added a short discourse written eight years ago weighty and precious for that it pierceth through the veil searcheth into the inside of things and giveth some hint of things now looked for by many but then more