me while the Eagle-Spirit is hatching her Young upon Faith's Tree § 9. Which Tree I find can grow upon no other Soil but a Ground all purely refined with oily Springs and Dews from Heaven which must its watering be Then will it spread and flourish all richly having fruitfulness in it self without any dependency Oh! this is the Tree that will us bless with Wisdom Strength and Righteousness for the which I find it in my Heart most earnestly to seek and pray that it may be most choicely kept and circled round about with the pure Love Fire blown up by the Holy Ghost Which may its shelter be from all the invading Spirits that so diligently do watch to break in to crop and suck away its strength For this O my God an holy awful fear is upon me because I do well know what damage and spoil it hath occured keeping it of low and little stature to prevent what might be the World's Conquest and great working Wonder Therefore now my God what is to be done for its preservation Make me privy in the Secrecy of acting so wise a part as few or none have in this later Age found out and why is it so but because no skilful Artist in this Mystery of Faith hath been made to understand the way for the preserving and cherishing this choice Golden Grain from whence this Tree of Faith might to its full growth attain § 10. For the which such Rules prescribed are and revealed unto me by the only wise Counsellor my Friend which if I can observe and obey I may then win the Dayâ— God's great working Powers thereby for to display much more then have been in former Days But the way is such an aversion to what in the whole Universe of Mankind is practised that it will be a difficult point to enter hereupon so as to hold on for here is required a crossing of the Tide and stâ—m of Nature in all its motions which do put forth and generate so aptly Against which resist in the Faith I must all stedfastly till Conquest be wrought out by the growth of this all-powerful Tree § 11. This hath been shewn me to branch forth it self in twelve rising Degrees for the Manifestation of the Antient Apostolical Faith which in this Age is to be recovered anew for the cutting short that Work which in thousands of Years many Holy Souls have been puzling and striving about while sticking in the weaâ— and low degrees of Faith From the consideration of which Relapse a mighty stirring up I feel so to press on as to reach to all of these twelve degrees which from that small Mustard-Grain Seed of Faith sown by the Spirit in me may to such a great and full increase spread out it self as may transcend the growth of all other Trees that in the Forest of this World do stand bound down with Iron Yokes and Bands now the twelve Degrees of this Tree in their distinct Properties were thus expressed unto me § 12. 1. The first degree of this Faith is to believe the apostacy and ruinous heap and matter of which the Body of Sin is contracted into 2. A second degree is to believe that this Degeneracy hath parted the Soul from God and made it a Stranger to all Knowledge and Possession of those high and precious and choice things which might have been the propriety of the Soul in God had it not gone out from him 3. The third degree is to believe there is left a Spark or Seed of Eternity in all Mankind which may incline and turn them in so to feel after God as to lament bitterly their own Apostacy 4. A fourth degree is to believe the Eternal Word was incarnated in Flesh for a Universal Redemption and Restauration out of this lapsed state through Faith in him for the begetting a Likeness and Conformity through an Essential Birth brought forth in Spirit all evidently 5. A fifth degree is to believe that there is an All-sufficiency in CHRIST thus conceived and brought forth in Spirit internally within the Soul 's essential part as may have power to purge refine save and cleanse the Soul from all its Sins 6. The sixth degree is to believe and expect the Holy Ghost to come to join and co-operate with this new begetting Birth for the bringing it up and securing it from all Assaults Peâ—â—â—â— and Temptations mainâ—â—ing an holy Clarification cheâ—â—â—â—ing and strengthning it till it be strong to go forth for Manifestration to shew it self to the World as thus regenerated 7. A seventh degree is to believe and witness that Christ his risen Life in the Soul doth become a death to the Body of Sin totally which we may call a Love Kiss whereby Christ doth sweetly and seceretly draw and part the Soul from all the dregs and relicks that appertain to a Lapsed Nature which is known by a power working supernaturally 8. An eighth degree is to believe that when all this is finished Christ will appear in the Soul without Sin and so present it unto the Father as a new created Wonder all compleated to be his Spouse and Bride rejoycing that the Marriage of the Lamb is come all things therefore being made ready 9. A ninth degree is to believe that Christ the Lord will not fail to perform the sacred Nuptial and Marriage-Union both for Time and Eternity with the Spirit of the Bride thus made ready and will own and confess her so to be his choice before his Father and the whole Assembly of Angels and Elders Principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places and also here upon the Earth shall so owned be for her Excellency as shall be an all-amazing Glory 10. A tenth degree is to believe that hereupon will follow all mutual Joys and Pleasures in Love Festival Banquetting which she is so taken up and ravished in as all former Mournings and Sorrows are forgotten coming no more into Mind so ineffable are the Bride 's So lacements with the Lord her Bridegroom 11. The eleventh is to believe that Christ will settle upon this espoused Bride all that is his that she shall have a mutual Interest with him in what the Father hath put into his Hand which is all Power and Wisdom to manage that power which reacheth to a dominion in and over all created Beings and Things whatever herein for certainty she will be put into a Joint-possession with the Lord her Bridegroom as her Propriety 12. Twelfthly and Lastly as the â—â—m of all is to believe undoubtly that after this Representive Bride of the Lamb so declared in thiâ— World to be by her Ornamental Gifts and fruitful Powers that will generously go forth for the multiplying and making up of the pure spotless Virgin Church here on Earth will the Lord from Heaven descend in great and high state to fetch his Bride the Church up to his Fathers House or Royal City for the consummating and celebrating such a Tryumphant Glory in Unity with the
are able to receive So will I imprint not only the Image of Purity but of Power upon you that so ye may full out be made Partakers of my Profession Which doth not only consist in Love Meekness Gentleness Patience Wisdom and Soundness of Judgment but also in the Faith of the Omnipotency For in my Calling it is only requisite to have Light and Vnderstanding to find out the Mystery of this High Art but Strength and Might to Work out the same from the Eternal Magia Root from whence the Birth of Power doth proceed Now before ye can Proficients and Practitioners in all things answerable to your President herein be ye must come to be strong and find ability to turn about that which moveth the Creating Word by which all lost Dominion may be Renewed But what can draw forth that except it be somewhat that is Equal in Might with it self which will be found out if the Will-Spirit sinks deep into its own Central Root From whence the Life sappy-Power may spring which will do Miracles at Will This was the Principal Work and Business belonging to my Calling which on the Earth I did and yet do appear again to walk and to be admired through the raising again of this Mighty Power which in all of you shall wonderfully work that have ceased now to live promiscuously in that low Temporizing State which I have called you out of that so capable ye might be of this Worthy and Honourable Vocation exactly in and according to the Method that I have shewn to you That so not only in the Hopes circling about but coming to the very Manual Exercises themselves ye may reap and live upon the Benefits which this Pure Abstracted Calling shall and will abundantly bring in and not only bare Grain that is for and to your own Accounts which the least in your Eye must be VI. For Abel like ye are to bring the First Fruits of this high extracted Calling to sacrifice all in a flaming Oily Perfuâ—â— unto your Great Melchizedeck VII Further ye are Excited to feed upon no other Fruits but what the Tree of Faith doth give forth I am that Tree which ye must feed upon all other Trees forbidden are which cherish up the Life of Sensibility Therefore fix your Eye and center your Heart upon that which may nourish up this Birth of Faith till it reach to its full Maturity then will it come to understand what Sovereignty and Dominion it is entituled to as a King and Lord over all § 12. Then Queried I with my Lord What was meant by those Trees which I had seen all laden with Precious Stones and the Trunks of them of such fine Gold To which it was Answered me that those did run Parallel with the New Jerusalem representing the Bride of the Lamb that was thus to be adorned For it was shewn me that these Trees were Representative Figures of those that were brought into the Ark and here Landed whose Cloathing was to be in such variety of Sparkling Glory that from the Golden Sap of Faith should be always fresh and flourishing § 13. Then I Queried further of him that shewed me these things Whether it were possible for Mortals whose dwelling was in this lower World to know such a Translation as this It was hereupon Replyed There is no less a thing designed the Time and Age for this is already come to some that in the Inward Figure as Representatives stand who are in Spirit transported into this Mystical Land But in obscurity they must be till the Hand of Power shall rend away the Veil that hath upon this Glory a Covering been but yet the Faith is growing and when to a full Body of Strength it shall reach then shall ye see the Wonders fly from each of these bright lustrous Trees which in 〈◊〉 New Paradisical Earth shall multiply numerously § 14. It was then further said To you that attentive are to these my Sayings and obedient shall be to my Rules I will put no other Burthen upon you but to hold fast the Faith that springeth from the Golden Stem of Love wherein your Strength shall be as Anointed Cherubs still to move your Rest to find in me where no Annoyance can ever be For this is a New Time in which the New World will appear therefore spare ye not it to declare and proclaim By this now let all understand what a wonderful Time is at the Door § 15. Upon which my Spirit was carried to cry O Mighty Alpha and Omega Arise thou and Gather in by thy great Power and Strength into this Ark such as are to make up the First Resurrection-Body to whom thou wilt be the Head the Crown the Joy and the Glory Verily this is the Time in which thou wilt send forth thy Messengers that shall sound the Jubilee Horn and pour out therefrom that rich Anointing Oil to consecrate a Priestly Race that shall no other thing mind but to pursue and follow after that which is highly Divine For which there is this Day great Travail O God let not the Lordly Birth which is the King and Heir of Faith any longer stick let thy Mighty Arm and Hand take hold of it that no more drawings back there may be but the Son of Joy and Laughter we may see For surely the Virgin Bride preparing is her self in expectation that her Kingly Bridegroom will no longer stay but make speed and come away that all Redeemed from the Earth may be that have waited in the Faith this Resurrection-State to see And in this New World do thou O great Shepherd plant us as Trees of Righteousness and Glory circling about thee who the over-spreaking Tree of Life and splendorous Bightness art under whose Shadow we shall grow most fruitfully § 16. Neither pray we alone for these First Fruits but that a plentious new Sowing of thy Spirit may go forth to bring in the rest of the Harvest that lieth yet as under Death and Barrenness For thou hast said thy Ark shall not take up its Rest till it hath made its flight to all Corners of the Earth The Trumpet of thy Love shall such a loud Cry send forth throughout all Nations that constrained they may be to fly as swift Dromedaries and bring their Offerings into thy sacred Ark. Even so Blessed JESUS let all these Prophecies fulfilled be both what hath been in past Ages given and hath been of late so plentifully Renewed through them whom thou hast for this end chosen though not worthy to be named yet known by Name in thy Book of Life which sufficient is who shall never cease or any Rest take up in until thou hast made a Glorious Spotless Church upon the Earth to appear as a Flying Ark with Banners whose Eyes as Lamps of Fire may go forth to gather in the whole Priestly and Heavenly Host from all Quarters and Parts of the Earth Even so with thy Triumphant Church Shall we the Song of our Redemption Sing Glory Glory Glory to the Triune King Even so Amen Amen FINIS ADVERTISEMENT WHereas some Things have been Scandalously set forth and Printed under the Name of this Author to the Reproach of Truth and the Dishonour of that which is Holy it is thought fit for the putting a Stop to such Impostures and the Evil which might thence ensue to give a Catalogue of the Books which the Author hath hitherto Published THE Heavenly Cloud or the Ascension Ladder 4to 1682. p. 40. The Revelation of Revelations an Essay towards the Unsealing Opening and Discovering of the Seven Seals the Seven Thunders and the New Jerusalem State 4to 1683. p. 130. The Enochian Walks with God â—ound out by a Spiritual Traveller 4to 1694. p. 38. The Laws of Paradise Given forth by Wisdom to a Translated Spirit 8vo 1695. p. 69. Thâ— Wonder of God's Creation manifested in the Variety of Eight Worlds as they were made known Experimentally to the Author 8vo 1695. p. 89. The Message to the Philadelphian Society whithersoever dispersed over the whole Earth together with a Call to the several gathered Churches 12ves p. 108. 1696. The Tree of Faith or the Tree of Life springing up in the Paradise of God from which all the Wonders of the New Creation must proceed 12ves p. 122. 1696. The Ark of Faith p. 33.
cannot but find a more favourable Reception if not from the former yet at least from the latter However let it be as it will at the first it is not at all to be feared but that God will vindicate what is from Him and all the Promises in the Holy Scriptures being given to Faith it cannot but reasonably be expected that he will do Right to one that is such an Eminent Asserter of it in an Age and Day of which it hath been Fore-prophesied that Faith shall hardly be found upon the Earth Whether it be not now high time for God to put to his Hand and to manifest his Sovereign Authority by all such Ways and Means as he hath done of Old through the Operation of his own Faith in all the great and mighty Elders of it and to shew himself in the behalf of Truth and Goodness as an Excellent Person who was never Censured as I know of for an Enthusiast expresseth it which are so every where trampled on and despised and to vindicate his own Honour from all those Affronts and Contumelies which stupid and Disingenuous Men which rebellious Spirits have cast upon it having made Shipwreck of the Faith that was delivered to them deserves well to be considered and weighted by every one The Consideration of which as well as of the genuine Sense of our Blessed Master's Words made this most Judicious Author to conclude all Christians under a necessary and daily Obligation to ask of God that he would be pleased to assert the Supream Authority of his Government amongst Men whether it be by a FARTHER and CLEARER Manifestation of his Will such as was made by our Lord and his Holy Spirit or whether some ACTS of Power be exerted for the Protection and Preservation of his Obedient Subjects c. Dr. Burton Of seeking first the Kingdom of God Published by J. TILLOTSON 1684. p. 402. Whence it is apparent that every true Christian may and ought to Pray both for New Divine Revelation which may be of the same Authority as that by Christ and his Apostles and for Miraculous Acts and Deeds which may be a Declaration of God's Sovereignty and Kingdom Even so let thy Kingdom come O God of the whole Earth let it come even so yea Amen! Thou art King let the Earth rejoice yea let the Great Isles be glad thereof Thine is the Kingdom and thou wilt now take it to thy self let the People be never so Impatient yea let them be never so Vnbelieving JEHOVAH Reigneth let the People tremble He sitteth between the Cherubims let the Earth stagger Great wilt thou be O Lord in Sion and thy Scepter shall be lifted up high above all the Nations The Captives and Prisoners of Faith wilt thou set free and thy Salvation unto them wilt thou openly shew in the sight of the very Infidels Let the Sea of thy Love roar for Joy and the Fulness thereof make a joyful Noise for that the despised Ones who have Believed thee wilt thou bring with triumph into the glorious Ark which thou hast prepared for them With Trumpets and with the Voice of a Psalm wilt thou bring them in they shall clap their Hands aloud they shall praise thy great and awful Name for that thou O Lord art Faithful and True and canst not disappoint any that have Faith in this thy Name Therefore a Fire shall go before thee and thy Messengers shalt thou send forth as Flames of Fire Thou shalt speak unto them as in the Cloudy Pillar and they shall be kept as in the Ark of thy Presence Samuel shall be seen among thy Prophets and Elijah among those that call upon the Lord of Israel Moses and Aaron among thy Priests and great shall be the Company of the Preachers to publish that our God liveth and that our Life which was hidden in him shall be made to Appear with him Out of Philadelphia shall thy Word go forth and in Ramath of the Prophets shall thy Voice be known Vpon Mount Sion shall they stand victoriously they shall follow thee there in thy mighty Deeds and from the Balmy Mountain of Gilead shall the precious Ointment distill For in the Name of their God shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with New Tongues no Weapon formed against them shall be able to prosper they shall take up Serpents they shall drink any deadly thing but nothing shall hurt them they shall lay Hands on the Sick and they shall recover So shall they go forth and Preach every where the Lord working with them and confirming the Word with the Signs that follow Faith Thus hath my Spirit been carried out and constrained to bear this Testimony to the Subject here treated on which is the Resurrection of the Faith of JESUS that has lain for a long time as it were in the Grave and is now to be raised up early in the Third Day of the Holy Ghost For which let us Watch Wait and Pray that we may be of the First Fruits of those that are Risen with him that so we may be admitted into Faith's Flying Ark here Described which will transport us into the New Earth of Wonders delivering us from the Deluge of the Curse that is from Infidelity When the Great Diary of this Author or as much as can be recovered of it shall come to be Published the Several Progresses of this Life of Faith the Various Manuductions for it and whatever else may conduce to its growth will then more evidently appear and all that which opposes the Secret and Hidden Divine Life will be more easily Removed and made to Vanish then till then it can be However to those that have been inisiated into the Mystery of it enough is said and it is not in the least doubted but that they will see what is Delivered both in the Former and in This Treatise to move upon a Real Solid and Substantial Bottom such as all the Powers of Darkness shall be never able to shake or the Gates and strength of Hell to prevail against THE Ark of Faith c. § 1. THere is a Cry that hath gone forth from the Heavens these several Years past for the Preparing and Building of an Ark for the Lord 's redeemed Ones and I am at this time as the Natural Term of my Years seems to be expir'd in order hereto again reminded of some former Prophecies that were altogether by me forgotten But the Spirit of Wisdom hath now presented them afresh to me as telling me they were in this Day to be looked into for Faith to be thence revived and Prayer envigorated that so the Heavenly Powers and Constellations co-operating therewithal they might bring down the Golden Floods of Love to cover the Earth that may bring up what hath lain under the Death that is to say a Resurrection Body of pure Spirits in a new springing Paradise which is the New Earth so much Prophesied of upon which Righteousness must dwell § 2. For
the Signs of the Superiour Heavens do signifie out as much that the Time is very near at hand for the Accomplishment of all these for which End there was shewn to me an Ark in the Figure but which was declared to me in the Mystery to be no less then the Substance of the whole Triune Deity who would suddenly send forth Ambassadours from themselves that are to be as the First Fruits and Representatives of the Bride to gather in all such as were to make up the whole Jerusalem Bride whose Habitation is prepared in Wisdom's Wonderful Paradisical Principle § 3. Wherefore it was not long after I had received the first Manifestation and Figurative Opening of Faith's TREE from the Spirit of Faith growing up in me before I had further Notice given me of an ARK into which Faith's Archers who had hitten the Mark were to be received in For in a little more then a Year after that I had this free Communication with my Lord concerning it which follows And notwithstanding the latter Part of this amongst many other of my Papers has been lost yet this which hath been by the All-wise Giver of it preserved for that end will I know be of some Service and Use and therefore have I been prevailed with to insert it here though I am not able to recal what either went before or followed after it February 21. 1687. § 4. Being upon my Internal Watch in the pure stillness of my Mind this Word came to me saying The Ark of Faith which the Lord hath been these many Years in raising and building is yet not persued and as little understood although Warning upon Warning and Sound upon Sound have gone forth for preparing and building such an Ark which may flote upon the broad River of the Holy Ghost Then was I touched at this saying of my Lord as being conscious how he had opened to me this effectual Door and Mystery of Faith charging me to keep to the Rules of it which upon this Word I questioned whether I had kept up to so precisely as I had received command to do Whereupon the Spirit pray'd in me Lord God Omnipotent if I have been negligent shew it me with much more to that effect in which my Heart was enlarged to pray about it Then was it in this wise revealed and answered me Thou hast been learned and taught as another Noah to prepare and build an Ark of Faith in this Invisible World therefore slack not but go on forward and I will strengthen the Studs and Stakes thereof which shall be as stable as Gold that shall be laid in as a firm bottom Who further said to me That there was One known by Name that should have of the same Spirit of Faith to concur and build with me and so we should be mutually made able to strengthen one anothers Hands to carry on this great Work as Male and Female in one Person or Spirit to enter first this Golden Ark of the Presence when reared up for which we should receive further Advertisement as we should wait diligently hereupon § 5. Then it arose further in me by way of Query to propound some things relating to this Fabrick unto the Great Master and Builder hereof who answered me most freely to whatever my Spirit was made to Inquire But the Particulars of this matter being obliterated and passed away the same Divine Spirit that was then present with me and ready to dictate what was requisite by me to be known hath now after many Years revealed and brought again to my Internal Sight this Ark of Faith in the ensuing manner which I am commanded to declare and publish for the Information and Encouragement of all those that seek to be redeemed from the Earth and would enter into this Ark. February 18. 1695 6. § 6. The Virgin Wisdom founded a joyful Cry saying Come and see what an Ark is prepared for them that are Born into the Faith as mighty Hero's to act the Wonders of the New Creation which Ark is made in my New Paradise that hath not yet been inhabited whereupon great Floods came down from the Heavens as a Golden Rain which covered the Face of the Mountains as the Waters did in Noah's time drown the Old World So that there was a mighty Sea which was called the Love-Sea Yet did it not as yet universally cover the Earth Then after this did descend also this mighty Ark in which was Faith's great Conqueror Christ Jesus with Abraham Noah and all the High Elders of the Faith which floated upon this Sea This Ark was all of a most diaphanous fine Gold with Six Wings on each side branching forth from it so that it did Fly as well as Swim which Wings were full of Eyes Then was it said to me What dost thou think this Ark is sent down for but to take in and receive such as have looked for Redemption to be Saved from the Violence and Curse of the Old Earth and from the Malignancy and Venom of the Starry Kingdom A loud Cry and Call then came out of the Ark saying Come Hasten and escape for your Lives for here is a Shelter prepared for you while those that do slight this Call and have not Faith to fly away must in another Deluge be swallowed up which will be as the Waters in Noah's Day falling down upon them from the Starry Firmament while the Children of Wisdom's Kingdom who have obeyed her Voice shall here be kept having the Wings of Power which I had before seen given to them that they might fly into this Ark. Whereinto some Eminent in the Faith were received with great Acclamations and Embracements and these that first entred had great longings to attract in others after them which they waited here in hope to see February the 19th § 7. Then the Great Captain of the Ark of Faith Christ Jesus did steer the Ark which with flying Wings did swiftly pass and landed us in the New Paradise Where we were received by the Divine Magus's and Masters of the Faith who understood the Mystery of all Miraculous Faith This was a wonderful Place the like of which I had never seen for the Walks were all paved as with Transparent Gold and several Temples were here in which these Elders in Priestly Robes all glittering did pay their Homage to the Great and Mighty King by whom they did work all their great Works and give Existency to that which never had been Then were we led out to view the pleasant Trees and Groves for delight and recreation and the Trees did seem to be as of pure Gold and the Branches to be laden as with Diamonds and all the variety of Precious Stones Besides which there were Trees also laden with all sorts of precious Fruits for Food and Rivers with Fountains flowing with spiced Wine and Cups and Flagons round about the Fountain So we were called to drink at these Fountains and to eat of these Fruits being