corruptible Flesh. As first for its Probation it cometh into such Bodies to exercise and to put forth its Superiour Might for Mortifying and to correct and check all the natural Propensity which the mortal Spirit would tempt that which is Eternal to joyn with it in The which not yielding to but maintaining its own Superiority in curbing and suppressing all of the earthly part God is hereby greatly pleased and highly honoured Therefore think not much that for the present there is such incongruousness betwixt that which is Intellectual and that which is Terrestial That which is Eternal may command and subdue all what ever is Temporary Therefore be not ignorant of your own Spirits Soveraignty but call up its true Authority for the Spiritualizing of what would be clouded with Sensuality For if you yield hereunto and are overcome then your Talent lies as dead and buried And what account can any such give to their Lord when he comes who are thus slothful Therefore that Parable consider of it about the Talents improving had a very deep meaning if you should not be faithful in the first stock of Life and Spirit you must not expect that more high and full Trust and latter Crop both Ghostly Spirit Body Celestial will be given Therefore be patient hold out and do the preseâ—t work of the day and know your Reward is not far from you Then was the Vision of the Holy Element to me opened as thus The bright Airy Cloud which gathered it self into a round compass and was mixed with flame Colours so subtle and pure this was said to be the Matter of all Celestial Bodies and those innumerable Stars which were veiled under the bright Cloud were naked Spirits that did ascend out of Bodies terrestial into this pure Element and put on Figurative Bodies bright and Aetheral corresponding to the Nature of the Star-like sparkling Spirits who did appear to be fixed in this pure Element Then further as to that Majestical Eye which did appear so terribly piercing it was shewn me nay the Spirit did plainly in a still Voice eccho in me that from this pure Eye all distinct Sparks of Life did proceed and did fly into mortal Bodies according to the hour of Life and did come piercing into the fleshly Womb there to unite with a corporeal Spirit which is naturally introduced from Adam's lapsed day Then was a Secret whispered into that Ear which open stood to hear what the Spirit dictated so uear saying Hast thou not read that one Star differeth from another in Glory and one Angel is more mighty and powerful and greatly dignified then others yet all of and from that pure Eye extracted Even so further learn and receive this That in the productions of Spirits there is great difference some greater and more deeply comprehensive and intelligent and strong to encounter with the averse matter to which they are united For know this prerogative of Will which with God the Fountain of all Spirits is to be left free is not here to be called to an account by his Creatures Who gives Spirits successively to Bodies according for what he hath for them more eminent and extraordinary work to act and do in the lower Region of this World Therefore God hath left himself this Liberty to give to one five Talents and to another but two or one But if to that one any shall be faithful to improve it while he lives in this Body doubt not but it is of very dear acceptation with their Lord to enter into his Joy though somewhat different according to the Spirits degree Thus Abraham and Lot were both from a pure righteous Seed yet Abraham's Spirit of Truth did much excell And so ye may recollect innumerable Instances throughout all Ages as Enoch Moses Ioshuah Elias who had answerably great Service to do for their God though so unsuitably matched by Bodies yet such was the greatness of their Spirits as they made their very terrestial Man to keep pace with their Spirits Nay such is the power and ability of an Eternal Spirit through piercing into its original center that it may attract and cloath it self with the inward Virgin Body which is the Matter of that pure Element which thou didst see and so for Times and Seasons the gross Nature sublimated and over-powered may be as oft of this kind as was formerly according to the might and potency of the Spirit existing in Bodies As this was shewn in your Lord Jesus both before and after his Resurrection Now what doth this Vision predict but the cloathing of some great Saints with this pure Element Who do often withdraw from the Corporeal Sense Oh who can tell What is here to be enjoyed but such as do slide away from this vile earthly Climate The Seven-Star Planets will be given into their Hands the Influences of which are all of pure Ghostly Inspiration to out-set and overthrow the earthly gross Element which so long hath prevented the Heavenly Community Now then dive into your own Celestiality and see with what manner of Spirits ye are endued for in them the Powers do entirely lie for Transformation From the fore-going Revelation it was fully cleared unto me for what cause pure Spirits which did proceed from the holy Being came to exist in mortal Vehicles It was not for any Sin or Transgression which they acted or did in the times of their pre-existency in any Etheral Region as some do believe being bare abstracted Spirits without any Figurative Bodies Only Adam and Eve may be considered as the whole Universe and all included in them as the representative Heads of all successive Generations who were mortalized after their similitude For which cause Sin and Curse and Death enter'd but none for Adam's Transgressions shall be condemned for shall not the Judge of all the Earth do and pass righteous Judgment Shall any suffer for what they could no way avoid God forbid as in Sin all Men and Women were conceived and born so likewise in a Seed of Truth and Righteousness which is invisibly introduced for to destroy and overpower the Serpently Seed both growing up together which of them doth obtain the mastership doth remain in each ones Principle The most wise God having laid in a sufficiency of Spirit who in the days of Noah said My Spirit in them was tired out striving still with them so God will clear and acquit himself of all that of this Nature can be charged upon him Then further it was opened unto me from that Scripture That as Sin hath abounded Grace shall much more abound This Grace was revealed in the Gift or Infusion of the Spirit of Christ as the promised Seed of restoring Life unto Adam and Eve upon their very degeneration that they might not be as without God in that corporeal Image which they now were changed into If the Eternal Word which was from the beginning had not been their Light and Life and so likewise generative
World that may deliver from all the evils of it There is nothing but an Omnipotent Force will conquer the sinful Authorities that have been so long in Government over all the Creation Therefore what are ye to look and wait for but the Birth of this Mighty Prince Cyrus to arise in and to go before you for it is by meer strength that he must prevail to subdue all Nations whether they be within or without Many have been the forerunners of this by inferiour Births which ye have passed through As those of Regeneration and Divine Inspirations and Productive Revelations all in order hereunto But all these have been too weak and too short to deliver out of the Servile Spirit The Babylonish Power doth yet keep and serve it self upon you and will not let you go free till this Mighty Prince doth arise to remand you back unto your own Land and native Freedom again Thus I did evidently see nothing but the all-saving Arm could pluck us back again And moreover this word was with me and in me spoken Pray for the Cyrus Might to be joined with the Nazarite Wisdom of Purity for without Power ye cannot perform any of my Pleasure in subduing the Babylonish Power that hath enlarged it self over the whole universal state of things It is well for the elected ones in this World that their Redeemer is now a Mighty King over all Kingdoms And this day is drawing near for the revealing of this his shut up Power that hath been reserved with him in the Heavens By reason of which a sorrowful bondage and servile Life hath been upon the very Nerves of the New Ierusâ—lem Who are now sensible and do now cry unto this Mighty Cyrus to appear and to break for them this Babylonish Yoak which hath made them so long groan and mourn as being made to serve with rigour under the Prince of Darkness Who hath had a long Reign through his Agents in this Principle but his Time is â—igh worn out Of which this is an assured hope when a deep sense is upon any of the Children of the Captivity As upon Daniel and Ieremiah Ezra and Nehemiah who set themselves to enquire for that Messiah who is to restore and gather together the Stones for to build the Mystical Ierusalem Verily to such as do sigh and mourn for all the Abominations of Desolations which they see to be of Authority To such I say the Most High will have respect not only to reveal but to intrust the Scepter of his Kingdom with them Who he knows will sway all in righteousness according to his own heart They shall be his Kings and Savâ—ours upon Earth Yet once again they who are of a Daniel Spirit wholly addicting their Minds hereunto and in nothing else taking pleasure but in diving into the Secrets of the Most High that if by any means they might find out the Jubile-year of release when the Mourning Tribes might return again to their own possessions even they shall be chose hereunto Oh the wise in heart after this do look waiting in true spiritual abstinence as Daniel did that so eternal Secrets may be revealed unto them Know ye how beautiful would those be who shall bring news and glad-tidings hereof from the Most Holy to the Mourners in Sion That the Lord is indeed without delay coming for a full and perfect Redemption to the Groaning and Oppressed Creationâ— Even so Lord Jesus come quickly Iuly the 1st 1677. THIS Morning after some special Manifestations and intimate Communion with the invisible Trinity whereby my Spirit was as ingulphed into this sweet Celestiality of that which passeth all understanding This word uttered it self Is it not good to dwell here where the Covert is all Love and defensive Power Oh call in others with thee here to meal if you do delight to sip of this Cup of Divine Pleasure and then according to the vigour of Spirit felt herefrom dispence hereof And commend it to him who is a noted consecrated Vessel to take in of the same with the unknown Rarities which the Father doth â—rovide for his own Houshold that so no cause ye may have to wander out of his rich and fat Pasture While keeping here your Shepherd will you feed and by his Golden Crook will you guide and translate out of one glorious place to another till ye shall come into the beloved City This blessed winding in of my Spirit was an introduction hard usage of the King of this Bottomless Pit who would keep them evermore in bondage and would not that they should ever remember that once they had a pre-existency in that Paradisical World of Liberty Iuly the 2d 1677. But now the Ancient Records are brought to Light whereby it is given to the Wise among the Children of the Captivity to understand their high and eternal Nativity and that for the cause of sin they were brought into this dark and evil Region yet not so as for ever herein to be included till natural death doth release as they would persuade For no such Decree did ever go forth from the Throne of the Most High For after this dark grisled Globe with its natural Inhabitants all which like troubled whirling Wheels do grind the Faces of one another there shall another arise which shall set free from this Old Creation Captivity Upon which there was a mighty cry by some that here were sealed to the day of Redemption saying Holy Lord God of the Sabbath let us come to rest with thee For in six days labour we have been and now full weary we are of sinful thrall and cannot but remind thee of the promised Liberty which is for to be brought to pass by the travelling Daughter of Ierusalem Then was portraied before me a Mourners Zion-eye beholding a bright flaming Globe upon the rising of which the other Globe like a dark Stone sunk down before it into a bottomless depth And this was in the sight of the right-born Israelite who here was suddenly snatched out and translated into a higher and more quiet Sphere Oh here was indeed the Sabbath of the 7000 years all here were clothed in white lying down as Flocks by their Shepherd of all Princely Might all fastned together in a Golden Chain to shew there was no more to be a dividing for the Sheep never more was to be scattered out of this eternal Fold For nothing but Seraphical Pleasure is here with the highest Peace Joy and Rest from all former Toil Labour and Sorrow And the Law of God as a Gulf is here broke up and drowns all in its own Sea of Endless Love This is what was presented for the inforcement of our travel in Spirit for Sion deliverance out of the Babylonish servitude which now is throughout the whole World Iuly the 3d. 1677. Then was it with me to enquire with earnestness Oh my Lord when shall be this Zions Reign All things yet in visible view appear in a dull sluggish
the Eyes of many and even of our Brethren as we still esteem them as the Dung of the Earth and as the Offscouring of all the present Forms of Religion because we have believed they Word and have listened to thy Voice calling unto us in the Evening of this Sixth Day Wherefore dealest thou thus with us O Lord our God Surely thou answerest us Why are ye so jealous of mine Honour as if the Times were not in mine Hand and the Seasons ordained in my Counsel Arise and hold not your Peace though ye be but the Offscouring of the Earth and lie as among the Pots Blow ye the Trumpet and cease not till I shall appear Suffer me to plead my own Cause and at my own time Remember my Servant John that I sent to prepare my Way how he wrought not any mighty Deed yet was sound faithful in his Ministration and prevailed abundantly Think not that I am slack in performing my Promises of destroying the Adversary that Man of Sin by the Ghostly and Miraculous Powers going out of my Mouth as streams of Fire For 〈◊〉 my Promises are at hand to be fulfill'd Hold but fast unto the Endâ— and rejoice greatly that ye are counted worthy to suffer shame for my Name Wherefore we shall not be Solicitous what may be Said or Thought of us by Any Our Part is Defensive not Offensive and so Only but with respect to the Honour of God and the Immutable Truth of his Word And therefore it will be incumbent on those who would oppose us to shew the Invalidity of that Charter which we pretend to have from the Mouth of Christ himself Luke 11. 10 13. Matth 5. 48 compared with 1 Cor. 13. Iohn 16. 10 12 13 14. compared with Chap. 17. 20 21. and Acts 2. 17. 39. Or to produce but any one Testimony either out of the Old or New Testament which they themselves dare to rely on for the Final Cessation of Revelation and Prophecy in the Church of God either with the Apostles or shortly after or even after several Centuries of Years as the more Moderate and Learned do Assert Or else to shew that what we do profess to have thus learnt when rightly understood is Clearly contrary to what is conâ—â—'d in the Law or in the Gospel or to some thing deliver'd by the Holy Prophets or Apostles Either of which if these Gentlemen can prove they will do much towards the Sapping and Overturning the whole Foundation upon which we stand But till this shall be done all this other Labour will be but in vain and instead of retarding will but serve more Vigorously to promote the Work that is undertaken and carried on by some that are of a Nehemiah Spirit and not to be daunted with big and terrifying Words If there be then any Dissatisfied as to the Contents of this Volume or of the former or other Writings hitherto Printed of this Author let them if their Dissatisfaction be out of a Zeal for God and the Truth of Religion consider with cool and sedate Thoughts whether there be not as good a Ground in Scripture for the Expectation and Belief of such a Kingdom of Christ to come as is herein expressed and said to be revealed by the Powers of the Holy Ghost as there is for many of the Opinions in Religion which they do receive and Articles which they have subscribed to Let them consider what is the Sanctification of the Divine Name on Earth to be daily Pray'd for and therefore to be believ'd in what the Coming of the Kingdom of our God on Earth and what the Doing of his Will on Earth in like manner to be Pray'd for and Believ'd in as to the very same degree that it is in Heaven that is both with the same Oneness of Spirit the same perfection of Purity and the same Vniversality of Extent with respect first to the Name of the Father to be sanctified by such as shall have receiv'd the Seal of the Adoption of Children secondly to the Kingdom to be manifested which must be in the Power of the Father and thirdly the Will to be performed which must be by the Holy Ghost ministring in the inward Sanctuary which he fills Let them consider what other Systems do say as to these matters and then let them examin what a System may be drawn out of this Book when well digested and fully comprehended After which let that which is hence drawn be compared with those and both together be compared with the Sacred Scriptures taken in their easie plain and natural Sense without running to or depending upon the Glosses Interpretations or Comments of any whatever Let them further consider whether in these Scriptures there be the least Footsteps to be found for such a prevailing Opinion as is at this day grown in a manner Universal amongst us that the Prophetical and Miraculous Gifts of the Spirit were design'd by Christ for the establishment only and Foundation of his Church and not for its Building up and Perfection in the Work of the Ministry till all should be brought hereby into the Unity of the Faith and the Knowledge not only of the Mysteries of Religion but a full conformity to the Stature of Christ in the most perfect and stable Model of it concerning which much is spoke both here and in The Message to the Philadelphian Society It is to be confessed that there are indeed several things that will be apt to shock the Readers at the first view who have not had any such Experiences in themselves but chiefly through the Strangeness of this Parabolical and Mystical way of Writing which is fallen under as great a Disreputation in this present Refin'd Age as it was of Esteem in the first Ages of the Church But upon a most nice and accurate Examination these Stumbling Blocks will either all or for the most part moulder away of themselves And whereas it is generally Objected against every one that steps out of the Vulgar and Ordinary Road and speaks but of any Divine Favours above what are common That all proceeds from the Root of Pride in them variously transforming it self you may be Here assured that there is the most Solid ground Established by what you shall read in these so Peculiar Memoirs for the Humility of the Cross without making it to interfere with Faith or Hopeâ— or to impede the Progress of any Generous Design for the Good of this Nation of Christendom and of the whole World And no where better you may find what a vast distinction there is of a True and Christian from a False and Beggarly Humility Another thing that may recommend this with the other Treatises of the same Author is that there will not herein be found any vilifying or reproaching the Sacred Customs among Christians any Lessening or Derogating from any Institutions either of Christ or of his Apostles as is usual unto Some but a just Deference to the truth of the
rend and shake when ever it shall come to be displaced Hear now and consider ye whose lawful Objection is come before me it is granted to you that the everlasting Father through the Mightiness of the Spirit in the Lamb's Nature must displace for you the Root of this Oak that is so deeply rooted in the Ground of Nature But what Tool or Instrument will he take in his Hand but the Ax of your Wills Then a through stroak will he strike by the piercing Eye of his Spirit who seeth the very depth from whence its Essence doth proceed For without a discovery made where the Cause of this defect is nothing hereof could be made or for you wrought out Therefore the Lamb of God is come the Vail of Covering to unspread that so by the sparkling Fire of his Eye ye might see from the Depths beneath the Birth-Source of Sin which doth open wide Also with the same Eye ye may behold within the heights of Sion a flowing Ocean of molten Gold to this for healing do ye fly For no other Medicine can heal the Sâ—rpent's Sting within you These are the Golden Floods which by the Spirit are daily poured forth to drown the first Birth of Eve that so an end may be of that generating Source and her Womb for ever henceforth may come to be barren in you To which end Orders and Decrees are made in Heavenly Places that Virgin-Wisdom shall take place in her room and her Seed shall be destructive to the Serpent's and to all his Hierarchy and you shall see his Head-Power bruised to purpose when all Sin in its Originality shall be blotted out by the Hand and working Source of the Deity Who will give also to you the Key and Chain of Power that so in the Name and Authority of the Lamb ye may take hold on the Dragon and bind him and shut up his flowing Source of Evil and with the Seal of the Living God to seal him up that he may find no way to come out of his own Lake to corrupt or deceive you any more Then you will begin in all stillness upon the Earth the Reign of Christ within the pure Region of Wisdom's Climateâ— For in the Singular Number it will begin to work forth The Day therefore is near or far off according as ye are carried forth in Zeal Power and Faith hereunto giving up your selves totally to observe the Word of Wisdom In which whosoever are found so doing they shall all be Crowned with this Diadem of Power February the 22d 1676 7. This Word spake thus to me do ye joyntly put on the Body of the Love in which the Spirit of Jesus will make known the Father of Glory to you for an Everlasting Reconciliation as to Children new born February the 24th 1676 7. Feeling great Peace and Joy so long as I could restrain the moving acting Life of Sin then I did obtain near access to the most Holy during the seasons and times when I could reign over all the Region of Natural Sence Which the Interiour Spirit may thus keep upon its Watch-Tower so it would then be altogether a subject meet for the Holy Trinity to open the Depths belonging to their Immense Love-Being Which by reason of these Cloudy Vails are little understood for when I did measure my self at such a time when so raised as to desert all that might be called carnally rational then little enough I seemed to be so light and so free so purely sprightly to pass through the Glassy Gâ—te But while I am again cast into the Nature of a gross thick Body tinged with Sensibility then no Ability there is for me to pass where I would As the Day and Night be thus in a moment still of force to oppose each the other in the divided Property till the everlasting Day of the Spirit shall altogether dis-inherit the dark benighted Sense Whereof hopes given are by that Spirit who thus spake from my Lord Jesus putting this Question unto me saying How dost thou think it possible to know the Majesty who is encircled in such excessive Light whilst thou livest in so many Degrees below the Seraphick sphere For great is the remoteness that may be from hence to them Who altogether are confined to a Terrestrial state For in that Word is weight that divided hath the Spiritual in and from the Natural Who is uncapable to know discern or judge of any matter but what is his own that is which lieth within the Sphere of his understanding as a rational Man who is wise for himself Which Wisdom is all to protect and hold up and save what is to be cast down and be destroyed Thus the Serpently Birth of Wisdom will hold its own in opposition to the pure meek essential Being and Birth which is from the Spirit Who is a great Sufferer while he is so near adjoyned to the Natural Man who is a fit Recptacle for what this evil Principle can shake him withal which the Prince and great Commander of this World will enough of this trash and earthly stuffâ— load him withal to give the mind full employ to prevent that which is Sublime and Celestial Therefore in vain the Scripture hath not said None can know the Thoughts of a Man save the Spirit that is in him that is none can pry or reach into the subtlety of the deceitful Heart that is working and busie minding and Plotting to compass the heighth of earthly things to which his Life would wholly extend As desiring to know nothing more or above or beyond his Natural Sphere being satisfied with the sight of his Eye with the hearing of his Ear being wholly taken up with what is mistred from this mortal state which finds out a daily variety to hold this Life in Captivity Thus you see the Earthly Man made out he is distinct from the Heavenly He knows nor perceives nothing of the Spiritual Man's concerns but as living in one and the same Body hath great advantage to interfere and cast in many times his cloudy Reasonings This natural part as the Night doth cleave to the Day but yet they have their divided Court they may be possiby kept a part through the constant Watch and Calling in Wisdom's succour and aid Eve's Birth is yet permitted thus near Immanuel's Nature to live for probation For the Dragon must try successively upon every one his Temptation Which could not be if he had not recourse to Eve's depravity that hath lodged you in Elementary Bodies by which the Strife is occasioned For the Serpent doth make great claim to what he finds sticking and still abiding within the corporeal case Which hath so degraded you as to the Visibility of and from that God-like Image in which ye once were considered as now verily ye little differ from that low degree of the pure Animal Creatures but that your inward Mind is yet of a superiour Magnanimity that was still kept and preserved within
to their future Posterity they had been in the same condemnation with the fallen Angels but the Eternal Word did even then incarnate himself for their help and recovery and to save them from sinking into that horrible Lake which the Serpent had prepared for them Thus did the Eternal Love immediately move towards them to free them out of the Dragon's Power whose design was to make them of their own Hierarchy in their Princely power of Darkness out from which the Lamb of God did redeem them Who from the Foundation of the World was the Salvation of God so still going on to the Ends of the Earth But while this new thing sprang in my understanding which seemed to differ from what I had formerly received as Truth I besought the Lord my Teacher to answer this Objection that was raised thereupon That if so immediately upon Adam's Fall the Eternal Word who is the new Birth-Seed did incorporate with Eve whereby power and ability were given to bring forth wholly after the Spirit how was it then that she should and did bring forth after the fleshly Image as appeared by the first Man which she brought forth in the wrathful Property first awakened In Answer to this I found Light at hand to resolve me As thus it did not seem good to the Wise Creator to obliterate and so presently to wipe off the Stain with which they by the act of Disobedience had blemished themselves Some marks of Displeasure the most Holy did still include them under as a Terrestial Body and to bring forth in Travel and Sorrow what should have been by Magical Power and Joy 〈◊〉 Celestial Angelical Forms but now as the effects of disregarding the Command of God they brought forth a mean and despicable Image according to their own Likeness But then I further queried but this Corporeity might have been Sinless 〈◊〉 Original Righteousness was also infused by the immortal Spark of Life entring in to incorporate with the outward Elementary Birth That Spirit which had so pure an Existency and was in free Liberty should come into a necessitated thraldom as in Cain was manifested As to this I also obtained Satisfaction that Cain had the Eternal Light of Life with him that did fore-warn him and convince him of the end and danger of Sin and that he was under Probation and that the Serpent had liberty still to â—â—â—mpt a new sutably to the Condition he wâ—s fallen into Who had an absolute Liberty of Will and Sufficiency of Power to stand his Ground as God said to him by way of Reproof If thou dost well shalt not thou be accepted but if not Sin lieth at thy own Door Which plainly doth declare that Cain should not have yielded himself Sins Captive So that in all Temptations you may know whither to fly even to that eternal Word within you who is mighty to Save who Is and Was from the Beginning the First and the Last Visible and Invisible Deity in Humanity and Deity out of Humanity all making and tending to the fullfilling and Manifestation of the Mystery which hath been hid in the Trinity Which Arcanum will be daily revealing in this latter Age. Then arose a further Query to be answered If Christ as a Seed of Life was infused into every individual Birth throughout the Line of Terrestial Propagation whereby a Sufficiency was found to bear down and overcome what the Serpent had introduced of this Venome and Sting of Sin add Death What further need was there of Christ to assume a Body and to be proclaimed in the World as a Personal Saviour by and through the offering up himself a Propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin If it could have been expiated by the Production of Internal Light and Life thus originally Springing according to that Scripture Christ the Light of every one that cometh into the World As this is a weighty and considerable Question so resolved it shall be from That which seeth into the first Ground of what cometh to be manifested in time Now then for these Reasons it was expedient for him who was nominated the Second Person in the Trinity to be exhibited in a corporal Form upon this Account First To declare the possibility of bringing in and acting forth an everlasting Righteousness in â—rail humane Nature which every way was beset and assaulted with Temptations from all dark Powers which from their evil Center did conspire to overturn Truth and Fidelity in this Immaculate Lamb for had the Dragon prevailed upon him here Mount Sion and the Heavenly Ierusalem should never have been revealed Secondly Then again for this Cause Christ was to be manifested in Flesh in God-like Power as very needful to become that great High-Priest to attone and make expiation for the Sins and Defectiveness under the first Covenant which was given in Paradise all since having sinned after the similitude of Adam's Transgression The holy Seed in them being weak through the Body which is included and falling under the gross Element which hath and doth in some much more then others choak and smother the Life and doth greatly cloud and darken universally this pure Light whereby the good part doth rarely get the Victory in any till they attain to a good degree of Illumination and Purification For this Spring of Light doth get through but by degrees for tho in it self its of great Potency yet need enough there is for Sins committed in the times of Ignorance and Minority before the Spirit comes to make the Soul understand it self from whence it is relapsed I say for the Remission of these Sins past through the forbearance of God not less then such a Sacrifice was your Jesus for you to become In the Third Place Then as Christ fulfilled all Righteousness in his Humanity for an Example to his fellow Breathren so they might come to the unity of the same perfect Life by the same perfect Spirit which was in him through the dying Life For thereby your Lord Jesus obtained a super-additional force and power of Spirit to give and shed abroad into you for the working out a full Liberty and Salvation For seeing his pure Life-Seed was under oppression he also came into a Body of Flesh to relieve and free it from the Bondage of Sin and Evil and also the very Mortality antecedent thereunto according as it is written delivering them who through fear of Death were all their Life-time subject to bondage Which no way could be effected but by Death destroying Death First in the humane Figure of your Lord Jesus who hereby shewed you the way to do mystically that so thereby you might escape the Second Death through the Resurrection which is said to quicken Mortal Bodies Fourth Place Now then further consider that thâ—s was the very great and primary end of Christ coming into a Body of Flesh to transfigure and to shew the way of Immortalizing of it as he did his own after his Resurrection when he ascended into
of those Mansions that are near to me let them be driven out for the present Therefore let this suffice from the Scriptures themselves not to mention those particular Idea's and Manifestations that to some it hath been given to see these several Heavens which upon others cannot be imposed for to believe who yet have not those anointed Eyes given to see withal But surely there are some standing in the figure of the Body Whose Spirits have roved to and fro to see these several Mansions with Spirits of all sizes and degress who are herefor designed Only hereout excluding those who are for the Dragon's Kingdom Who do pass away in a reprobate sense out of the Body Those left-hand Goats have no portion within these Eternal Gates a deep Gulf is fixed It is only of the Sheep and Lambs that I am to treat who have found out this new and only Life path-way Who though they are not come to the top-stone of perfection before they see the dissolution of the body Yet having attained to a good degree they may come unto the very next Throne Region and there awhile stay till they have drawn and assumed a heavenly clarity that is such an Essential Body against which no exceptions by the highest Courts of Dignities can be objected These now are the highest degrees of those who before Perfection be wrought do cease out of the Mortal Body Then again there are of a lower degree of growth Now what reservatory is there for them who may be but young in the New Birth As to this it was clearly imparted unto my Intellect that such did enter into a more inferiour Mansion than Paradice for that was too pure and serene for such Therefore a lower degree is prepared for them till they do attain to an Increase of the Divine Nature They want not here their true Pastoral Teachers for the Spirit of Christ is every where with his own Therefore it was said that he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison that were disobedient in Noah's days For should all the old world have been cut off at once and sealed under a final condemnation the Attributes of God's Love Mercy Goodness Truth and Long-suffering would have been obliterated wherefore he must have yet had respect unto such after the dissolution of their bodies as had a sense in them awakened for compunction and sorrow for what Evils they had committed in their Bodies To confirm this that we might not be altogether out of hope for such as may die in the first beginnings of Regeneration it is given me to declare that if these pass out of the Body such cannot go indeed immediately to God For such will find it otherwise they must wait till they have got somewhat more then what they went out withall in this world and then shall they be admitted to see God Surely there is a Provision made for a perfect Salvation in another Principle besides this For which we have that word in Peter 1 Pet. 3. 19. by which also he went and Preached unto the Spirits in Prison Also these words seem to speak fully to this 1 Pet. 4. 6. For this cause was the Gospel preached to them which were dead which generally is applied to such as are living and yet dead in sins But by the foregoing verse it concerns the first Position verse 5. who saith the Apostle speaking of Christ is ready to judge the quick and the dead so that it implieth there is a Ministry belonging to the dead that are not here made perfect Much more might be enlarged upon some particular sights and manifestations that have hereof been given to some in the Spirit From hence ariseth this Objection If this be a Truth why was it not positively declared and clearly revealed as a foundational Doctrine To which it may be answered That the Infinite Wisdom did judge it meet to conceal this mystery because none might take advantage to turn the Grace of God into wantoâ—ness and thereby to neglect the present opportunity for working out their own Salvation in this present time which would make for a far and more exceeding weight of Glory Therefore left it was for the Worthy to have this Secret made known to them by the Spirit of Revelation who God foreknew would not take Liberty to continue in sin that this Grace after Death might be made manifest towards such as did stand in need hereof But now to great holy and aspiring Spirits these lower Mansions in their Fathers house are too mean who cannot be satisfied to be so many degrees remote any time after death from their God and Lord Jesus since Liberty is proclaimed to work through all while we are in this terrestrial Body For there will be more joy and acclamations in Heaven for one such as shall finish their work here so as to make a full conquest then for milions of Souls that in the invisible Regions must perfect what was lacking to compleat them here Oh said the Spirit it will be well worth your Labour and great Travel to break open this deep Gate and so to put on Christ your Lord as in his all-powerful body that ye may make hereof but one ascending flight This was the Mark that was after Christs ascending so eagerly aimed at and by some in that Age reached to For Christ could not lose the effect of his prayer in that he did make his request that those whom the Father had given him might be with him where he was that so they might see and possess the same glory which could not be till they had gotten the victory For to none else is the admission given into his Kingdom according to that in the Revelations to him that overcometh will I grant saith Jesus to sit with me in my Throne But this may be objected further Those who had the Holy Ghost poured down in such an eminent manner had their way made very easie who was as their fiery Chariot that cut their work short And if any now in this Age had such a high endued Power it might soon give them a translation out of all mortal impediments As to answer this The Holy Ghost in that day was given after a visible manner as a sealing Character displaying and acting forth himself in Gifts and Power and miracles but now the same Spirit works in its beginning after another manner where it falleth it doth all its mighty works Within before it will shew forth his power Without For if the Apostles had not been purified by the Holy Ghost and inwardly sprinkled with the Water of Life for Soul cleansing they could not have rejoyced in that assured hope of entring into the joy of their Lord and Master Then was it plainly opened to me by the Spirit that the Holy Ghost would not now in this latter Age act out his Mighty Deeds by any one till their Hearts were perfectly purified by Faith That Scripture being repeated to me who after believing were