Armies of men one coming out of the North and the other out of the South a little Westward And the leader of them that came out of the South did seeme to be a very solentary man and the other leader a fierce man and J beheld till they met one another and had a sharp bout of fighting one at the other But at length the horse belonging to those that came out of the South there being one very glorious amongst them broke in amongst the foote and routed them and tooke their General and so had the disposing of the Field and marched away presently to London and searched a great house pulling those that were in it out of it And I said Lord what meaneth this and the Lord said That these be my instruments to destroy all powers and to bring to nothing those that are in power And so to take the Kingdomes of this world and to give them to the Saints And moreover the Lord said that these his instruments by which he hath done this he will so overpower that they shall not be like others as to be a self seeking people no but he will make them to be bright That there may be no complainings in our strees And so restore the creation from the bondage it now groans under into the Glorious liberty of the sons of God That there may be universal liberty and freedome and moreover the Lord said that the fashion of this world goeth out or is now a destroying and that the men of this world shall now use it as if they used it not and that I will saith the Lord make those that have riches dispearse them abroad That that saying may come to passe and that my instruments by which I will do these things shall confess that it is not by power or strength of men but that it is God that is in them that doth these things And so shall wholly deny themselves from usurping a power over others as to make Lawes for others to walke by But as I have taken the power to my self so shall they leave me saith my God to do what I see good to all people and my worke will be saith God to bring in universal libertie And I said how long Lord And the Lord said within a moneth or a very little while and it shall come to passe And in a little while after I saw a company of men and women singing and dancing and they had every one of them a booke open in their right hand And I said Lord what meaneth this and my eternal God within me said That these represent my sons and daughters that shall sing and dance in Sion and go up to the mountaine of the house of the Lord with everlasting joy and as they had every one of them a book open in their hands it sets forth that the mysterie which hath bin hid is now by me saith the Lord made manifest even Christ within them And so shall be as my Thundering Angels crying out it is done it is done and time shall be no more saith my God and so shall se transgression finished everlasting righteousness brought in And all things with them to become new former things be passed away And so to be married to me the Lord to be one with me God living in them and they in God and indeed are the new Jerusalem that comes out of heaven and the Tabernacle of God with men These fits being over I was wrappped up in silence for a while And the condition that I was in afterwards was not a condition of horror of trouble or feare for about three nights before this I heard a voice within me say I am come and will declare unto you and I did waite for to have some thing from my God by the working of my spirit within me which having now I was taken in a most pleasant manner was forced to lie singing whisling and then to rise out of my bed between one and two a clock for to dance I and so continued singing dancing neare upon two hours by the clock singing in this manner as followeth or the expressions which I used some of them I wil here relate though I am not able to remember a quarter of them The King the everlasting King the King of glory comes Halelujah Halelujah Halelujah the Lord God omnipotent reignes Sing sing be glad O Sion for behold thy King the everlasting King the King of glory comes shout shout O Sion for behold thy King the holy one of Israel is in the midst of thee thou shalt se sorrow no more now ore the kingdoms of this world becomthe kingdoms of the Lord of his Christ he shal reigne for ever Sing sing and rejoyce for behold thou shalt no longer have neede of the sun of moon to give thee light that is outward ordinances no but saith the Lord I wil be thy light glory Sing rejoyce go up with joy rejoycing to the mountain of the house of the Lord for now shal the light of the moon be as the light of the sun the light of the sun shal be seven fold more now then hath bin Shout and be glad for behold I come and he that is weake and feeble amongst you shal be as David David shal be as the Angel of God even as God Sing rejoyce for behold you shal now say this is the Lord our God we have waited for him and he is now come therefore let us be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation Sing and rejoyce and be glad for now the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them Shout shout crie aloude spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet And say unto Sion thy King cometh prepare prepare make ready the marriage of the Lamb is now come For behold I come as a bride adorned for her husband Sing and rejoyce for now Jerusalem cometh out of heaven and former things shall passe away and now shall all things become new Sing and make ready for the marriage of the Lamb is come Shout and be glad for the water of life doth now appeare for to heale the Nations Crie Crie what shall I crie Crie all flesh is grass the grass withers the flower fades and comes to nothing but â—od abides for ever Crie Crie the spirit of the Lord blowes upon flesh that so flesh may come to nothing I have a long time holden my peace and have bin still but now will I arise saith the Lord like a man of war and will teare and devoure in pieces and none shall deliver And now will I appeare to be saith the Lord the stone cut out of the mountaine Crie crie what shall I crie the Lord of Hosts will overthrow the strength of Kingdomes And will appeare to be an Iron rod that shall breake in pieces all powers like a potters vessel And will make every one to throw their Idols of
them had Sattin cloaths and some of them were in cloaths that were laced with Gold and silver lace and they had each of them two or three men a piece waiting on them and they were merry and I said Lord what meaneth these the Lord answered me told me That these doth represent the Parliament and as the were very merry amongst themselves I beheld there appears a hand upon the wall and writ these words Mene Mene Tek Peres and I asked the meaning of this writing and I was told that they were weighed in a ballande were found too light their Kingdom shall be taken from them and given to others I beheld them that they were very sad and hung down their heads at the appearing of this writing and I heard a voice say crie crie and I said what shall I crie crie that the Lord of host will bring down the Power strength and might of men and will lay their honour ie the dust for my determination is to powere out upon them the fiercenesse of my wrath and indignation and all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie for the day of the Lord is come that burneth as an oven and all they that do wickedly shal be as ashes under the sools of my feet I will take the Kingdome to my selfe and give it to my Saints and after this was over within a very little while my eternall God within me uttered these words again behold behold what dost thou now see loe I beheld a company of men women Singing and dancing together with Crowns of gold upon their heads and I looked on them and did see them put their hands in their pockets and they pulled out their money and gave it to one another presently after this I saw a company of men which were verry gallant with their men waiting upon them come to them and bowed to them And I said Lord what are these that dance and sing together and the Lord said that these are my Sons and daughters and three crownes betoken victory that they have through the strength of me overcome sinne and flesh and now are come to Sion with everlasting joy and rejoyceing and sorrow and sighing is fled away and these shall reigne with me And whereas thou seest Lords Knights their men come with bags of Gold silver bowing presenting their money to them that were danceing these shew the fullfilling of Scriptures that the sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending down to the soles of thy feet shall call thee the blessed of the Lord the Sion the holy one of Israel that the Kings and the fulnes of the Gentiles shall bring their glory and honour to it and as thou seest my sonnes receive their treasure and upon the reciving of it they became one and their men put on their Hats and were no longer SERVANTS but Fellowes with them the time is now at hand that J will be such a terror to all men that they shall throw away their idols of gold and silver one to the other for feare of the Lord and for the glory of my Majestie when I arise to shake terribly the earth that they will no longer assume unto themselves such a Preheminence as formerly they have done And after a little while I heard these words utter'd within me againe behold behold what seest thou now and lo I beheld an Angell with a sickle in his hand come into a field of wheat and I heard a voice say thrust in thy sickle for the harvest is ripe and I said Lord who is this that hath a sickle in his hand and the Lord said this is my messenger that I have sent and the sick'le in his hand is my power by which he shall reap the harvest withall And lo I saw him thrust in his sickle and cut downe all those that were higher then the rest and so made all equall and all the field became as one in greatness none bigger then another And I said Lord what doth this field represent and the Lord told me That the field of wheat are men and as you see the great eares cut from the little ones until they were all alike so will I by my own power and by my bright appearing in my sons and daughters Cut down the loftiness of men and bring low their haughty lookes and I like a mighty Leveller will lay low-the mountains hills and make them as a plaine and will make crooked pathes straight that I alone may be exalted and so will take away that stumbling-block of private intrest that men shall no longer seeke for honour as to warr one with another but I will make them beat their swords and speares into plowshares preuning hookes that there may be universall peace and freedome and all dwell in love together But in a little while after this I heard the same words within me uttered Behold behold what seest thou now and lo I beheld a mighty Angel going from one end of heaven to the other crying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is thrown into the Sea that it shall never rise more And my excellent Majestie within me which is my eternal God said by Babylon is meant all forms of governments and ways of worships which men have set up and all Lawes which men have made to keep their fellow-creatures in bondage and slavery but as thou seest this Angel throw a stone into the sea and the stone never rise more so will I by mine own power take away the power of man for ever making any more Laws to hang men eâ—e long and so will destroy the searletcollour'd whore and will slit her nose and burne her flesh with fire for the heaven and the earth shall now flie away and there shall be no more place found for it And after this J heard the same words utter'd within me again Behold behold what seest thou now and lo I beheld a mighty Angel crying aloud the Kingdomes of this world are now become the Kingdoms of God and he shall reigne for ever and ever and now the mystery of God which hath bin hid shall be made manifest and time shall be no longer and now are former things passed away and all things become new And J said Lord what is meant by this Angel and the infinite God by whom we live and move and have our being said that this Angel holds forth my servants crying against the powers of this world and crying me up as the onely power that they will set up and as he cried the mysterie of God is now finished and time shall be no longer it shewes that my sons and daughters shall see know the mysterie of God which mysterie is God in them and that they shall now say time shall be no longer by Gods working so powerfully in them burning up sin and flâ—sh that so sin and flesh or Satan
my Son and though he was put to death literally aâ— Jerusalem yet he was perpetually slaine by the filthy abominations of Sodome and Egypt as Rebellion and disobedience against me the Lord of hosts and so saith the Lord of hosts all formes Lawes governments and wayes of worship opposing me is spiritual Sodom and Egypt that put to death my Son Christ and hath from time to time been the great whore that hath shed the blood of my Saints But as thou sawest one set it one fire and the people which thou sawest running to quench it as Kings and Lords and great men and of all sorts of men with buckets of water and hookes to pull down some of it that was on fire but they could not quench it as thou didst see untill the tenth part of it was consumed I the Lord of hosts by my appearing in my sons and daughters have set this City on fire and it hath been burned a long time by my manifesting my self to them to be their all in all and now the day of my judgement is at hand I have sentenced this City to be burnt for I the Lord of hosts doe burne up and consume all formes and governments of men by my self I being a consuming fire and I said Lord what meaneth that that the tenth part of it and not all is consumed and the Lord said by the tenth part is meant all for ten is a perfect number as ten hornes mentioned that sets forth a perfect strength or all their strength or all their power and I said Lord it hath been generally understood to be Nations as our Nation for one that shall fall off from Rome first to be the City but I the Lord of hosts say this City is formes and Lawes Governments and wayes of worship which is in all Nations and so is the spirituall Sodome and Egypt that crucified my Son and hath from time to time murdered my Saints But the time of her power is almost at an end and she must be destroyed And whereas you see all sorts of people run to quench the fire that it did not burne It shewes the unwillingnesse of all sorts of men and women to have that which hath most deceived them to be burned up because some yea most have made the observations or traditions of men to be their rule to walke by and so have walked more by forme and custorne then by any thing else But now I come I come saith the Lord of hosts and I will take from men from the powers of the world those things which they have gone a whoring after and they with all their might shall not hinder me from doing my worke And the word of the Lord came againe unto me saying Behold behold what dost thou now see and lo I beheld a Temple and it was full of smoke and there appeared one in this temple with a crown of gold upon his head and his rayment was of all colours like unto a rainbow and I beheld that he stretched forth his hands and as he stretched them forth the smoke vanished away and I beheld that after the smoke was gon there went out of his mouth flames of fire and burned up the pictures that were in the Temple and after they were consumed he cryed with a loud voice that the fourtie and two moneths and the time times and halfe times is now come to an end and then the temple and holy city which for 42 moneths was given to the Gentils to be troden under foot shall now no longer be troden under foot But I will redeem it and deliver it from the bondage and slavery that it hath bin subject unto and after this I beheld seven lighted torches brought into the temple And said I Lord whose temple is this and the Lord said it is mine and I said what doth this temple set forth and the Lord said this temple are my sons and daughters and he whom you see in it is I the Lord of hosts who am come to take possession and to make them my dwelling-place But as you see it was full of smoke this smoke is darknesse and gloominesse and cloudinesse and such a mist that untill it be consumed my people are not able to know me but I said Lord it is said that no man was able to enter into the temple for the smoke which seemes to hold forth the temple to be somewhat else then thy Saints and the Lord said that is a metaphor which seems to hold forth some thing else that is my sona and daughters are not able to come to the true knowledge of me as to see and know that I live in them without a more fuller discoverie of my self to them saith the Lord of hosts but as you see me spread forth my hands and the smoke vanished away that they come to have some knowledge of me but as you see flames of fire issued forth from me that burned up the pictures these flames are a full manifesting of my self to my sons and daughters and the pictures are all the wayes of worship formes and governments which by the wit of man are set up and as pictures resemble something else besides what they are so these formes and wayes of worships and governments and all outward administrations have seemingly appeared to be the way which I would have them observe Though indeed it hath been but a picture of me Or my way and not my right way or mine own way but a way of confusion So that when I shall fully manifest my self to my sonnes and daughters my spirit shall burn up all their pictures that is all their wayes of worship and formes of what sort soever and consume them to nothing for I the Lord of hosts am a consuming fire and will ere long appear to be so that they may see me to be forms and wayes of worships and see me all and in all and so to see that they shall have no need any longer of outward administrations But to see me to be their teacher I said Lord what is meant by the temple or holy City that hath been troden under foot 42. months by this temple or holy City is meant my sons and daughters which for the time of Antichrists reign hath bin kept in darkness or in forms or wayes of worships which men have set up and by his crying with a loud voice he was come to deliver it from bondage or from the Gentiles and so from them both it is I by my coming to Judge all the powers of proud flesh which hath been an Alien and Gentile to me and to destroy them burn and consume them up as the forms of men and worships set up by them that so I may deliver them from bondage saith the Lord of hosts for the dayes of my coming is at hand What doth these seven torches or lamps signifie And the Lord said the seven lamps burning shews a perfection of light that shall be When
the forty and two month that are spoken of shall be at an end for these forty two months are a certain time saith the Lord of hosts that I have suffered my self to be hid and my glory hid from the Temple but now the set time is at an end and my light and glory shall shine and as you see the lamps burning and none put them out So will I appear burning up flesh and sin and none shall hinder me from doing my work saith the Lord of hosts that will reign in mount Sion for ever And again the the word of the Lord came unto me saying what seest thou now And I beheld and saw the Moon and the Sun and the Heavens and the Stars and at length I saw them turned into bloud and they fell from the place that they were in and fell to the earth and I saw a company of Swine and Dogs lick them up they being like unto bloud and with their falling upon the earth the earth was changed And I said Lord what is this Sun and Moon and Heaven and Stars which is changed into blood is it the material Sun that gives light by day and the Moon that give light by night And the Heaven the Heaven that fouls fly in and my eternall God within me said No but by these is meant other things as the Moone is a borrowed Light from the Sunne and not a perfect Light it selfe so by the Moone is meant outward Ordinances that People have and are under by which they have received some Glympse of Light but not the Light it selfe by the Sun is meant a more glorious Dispensation of outward Ordinances or Ordinances in a more higher Nature As the one being a Baptizing of Infants and so they in this Dispensation fetch Light from Creatures or from the Men of this World which seemingly have light but have not So the other which is of a more higher Nature as the Baptizing of Believers is a Sun-light as they call it and so the Baptisme-way of Baptizing Believers and breaking of Bread together is a way wherein according to the Scriptures they seeme to be more like the Sunne than the other but yet is not the way which I approve of saith the Lord of Hosts and the Heaven is the Heaven of outward Dispensations and Formes and wayes of Worships Governments and Rules to walke by that so long as People living under these and do observe punctually to fulfill these as the observing the Sabbath Day Praying and Preaching and going to Church as they call it and others meeting in private Places as they thinke fit to meet in and so to heare a Man speake something of God this is Heaven which People live in and meant by this Vision saith the Lord of Hosts and the Starres is their professions of God according to the severall Dispensations they are under and so this Heaven and the Starres therein and the Sunne and Moone mentioned in Scriptures turned into bloud is meant all outward Administrations as Formes Governments and Rules and wayes of Worships which have been as lights that People have seen something of God in and so have seen God at a distance from them are now changed from light to bloud and so are fallen from their places that they may no longer be as lights and by the Dogges and Swine licking them up is nothing else but a totall Distinction of them that they may never be more and the People may from hencefortb loath them and see me the Lord of Host to be all and in all for my great and notable Day which these shall be turned into bloud my coming to my sonnes and daughters and so judging all these things in them and making of them darknesse is the Earth that they fell upon and was changed and the Dogs and Swines as is set forth by them a totall fall of Worships by licking up the bloud so by them is set forth the most greatest and most wickedst Men which have by their power set up these things a change in them that they shall no longer do so any more but shall become new for I have taken their power from them and they are become new saith the Lord of Hosts and as thou seest a new Heaven and a new Sunne and Moon in the place of the former and a new earth is but the fulfilling of Prophesies that have a long tine since been spoken of and now are come to passe this new Heaven is the enjoyment of me they living in me and I in them so they shall have no need of Heaven of Ordinances or wayes to walk by but I will be their light both Sun and Moon and so that they shall have no need of these lights to walk by but I will be the glory of them and as you see former things passed away and all things become new it is the passing away of the Sun Moon Stars and Heaven which are outward Administrations and Formes of Worships Teachers of Men that I the Lord of Host may be both Heaven Sun Moon Stars and Teacher to and in them that they may hear a voice saying this is the way wallk in it and the new earth is a change of Men which have had power over their fellow Creatures and did desire to have so that they may be accounted great but this was not an Earth wherein Righteousnesse dwelt and so must pass away that there may be a new one which new one is an alteration or change of Mens mindes that as they have desired a superiority and have strived to cozen and cheat others for to make themselves great they shall no longer strive for these but instead of them shall humble and abase themselves and throw away their Idols of Gold and Silver their money I mean which they have made gods of to them that have none that there may be equality and universality all injoying the fruit of the Earth saith the Lord of Host who hath commanded the Writer hereof to write it as my will and not his that so all things may become now and there may be an Earth wherein Righteousnesse shall dwell And again the word of the most high came unto me saying behold behold what seest thou now and low I beheld something almost in the fashion of an house but it was not an house and I said Lord what is this and my God said it is a tabernacle and as you saw one with a Crown of gold goe into it it was I the Lord that went into it and I said is this the tabernacle of God that is said to be with men and the Lord said it is and this tabernacle is my people wherein I will dwell and as he had a Crown of gold that went into it it betokens a victory that I have taken it to be my possession and as soon as I was in it you saw flames of fire burn up the gold pearles and precious stones and the wood hay and stubble and
one and removed this house and set it upon that great mountain as was by it and I saw men and women come from East West North and South to this house and I said Lord whose house is this and my God and Father said it is my house and the Sion spoken of in Scripture and as you see it carried by one and set upon the top of a great mountaine it shewes that I the Lord of host have removed sorrow away from Sion by my owne power and this mountain that you see the house set upon is but the fulfilling of the Sciptures that the Lords house shall be set above all mountaines for this mountain which you see is set an is the powers of the world and by its being set on it shewes that it is above them above great mountaines which are great men as have had the power but now have not and the mountaine being under it it shewes that great men have not power over Sion as they have had but are rather Sions foot-stoole and so bend to the soles of Gods feet in Sion and I said Lord is this house Sion and the place that thy sons and daughters shall come out of all Notions to and the Lord said this is Sion or it doth represent Sion and by people coming to it out of all Countries it shews that I the Lord of host have people in all Countries and this house doth onely shew by standing in a place as you see it doth the place that my sons and daughters shall make merry in and where they meet together if two or three of them they shall be Sion and they shall come to Sion with everlasting joy upon their heads and sorrow shall flie away for their going to Sion with joy and rejoycing and their singing in the height of Sion and making musick as they go to Sion is not their going to one place to worship but they are glorying and rejoycing in me because those that formerly were their enemies are now cut down so that they may speak of me without any fear for a Law shall go forth of Sion which Sion is my Church and the Law is my self that they shall declare and speak abroad for all the enemies as Antichrist and the beast and the Whore and forms and governments and rules of men being destroyed there shall be now no other law then what shall come forth of Sion I will now appear to be teacher and Law and rules and worships and all in all and this Sion are my Church or sons and daughters unto whom I have made forth my self and appeared now by manifesting my self unto them that I dwell in them and am a Law in them and unto this Sion shall people say come let us go up to the house of the Lord and he will teach us his wayes the God of grace will be our teacher and instructer and when he teaches us we shall have no need of men to teach us for he will write his Law in our hearts and in our inward parts and we shall sin no more and I said Lord shall there be no Law or formes to walk by as hath been formerly And the Lord said there shall be no other law but I my self will be all the Law and if any offend me I my self will terrifie him and not man for I will be a terror to them that know not me and a joy to them that know me and when I have thus set my house upon the top of all mountains then shall war cease and then shall stony hearts be taken out of men and instead of them they shall have hearts of flesh and so I will saith the Lord make men to beat their swords into Plousheers and their spears into pruning hookes and the nation shall not learn War any more for when I have taken the power from great men and likewise their self interest that so he that laboured all the day and he that laboured but one hour in the vinyard had both wages alike so it shall be that they that have strived for honour and greatness and have laid up baggs of Gold and Silver for five or two or twenty or thirty fourty yeers together shall have no more then he that hath not laid up any thing at all or else hath laid up but a very little but in one yeer and whereas he that had wrought in the heat of the day did murmur and thought it harsh that he should have no more then he that worketh but one hour the Lord of the vinyard told him it was his own he might chuse whether he would give any thing or no and what I do give thee I do it out of mine own free will for all is mine saith the Lord of hosts all the beasts of the field and all the riches of the world is mine and not thine and though I have lent thee them and thou having not made a right use of them I take them from thee and give them to thy fellow creatures for their use as well as thine for when thou hadest these things as I have now taken from thee thou madst them but instruments of cruelty to thy fellow creatures and so did not use this world as if thou used it not but used this world as if thou shouldest never part from it but I have taken these things from thee that thou shouldest use this world as if thou used it not for the fashion of this world passeth away and all things shall now become new and these your Idols of gold and silver I will be such a terror to you that if you do not throw them away ye shall be consumed in my wrath Now I arise to shake terribly the earth and I will do this my act my strange act as to make the low and poor equal with the rich that they may every one sit under his own vine and none make him afraid but all enjoying the fruits of the earth and so no longer to work for others or others to have the benefit of their labours but every man shall now enjoy the fruits of his own labour and if any be servants it shall be those that know not me saith the Lord of hosts Thus will I stain the pride and glory of man and will bring down the haughtiness of menand will lay low the mountaines and will exalt the vallies and then both oppressors and oppressions shall cease that the creation may be restored from bondage and this is the time of the restitution of all things whom the heavens must retain but the time being now come that the heavens cannot retain me any longer therefore I come for to restore all things and the creature man from slavery and bondage into the liberty of my sons that they may now no longer be in subjection to their fellow creatures but shall now see themselves to be equal with them and the fat swine to be but men whose breath is in their nostrils that I may
as soon as I did speak with the Generall it should open which was now so closed for a signe to convince me of my unbeliefe and also a stumbling-block for those that did by violence open it as a Priest for one who was the chief cause of it I being then in the Generalls house intending for to have spoken with him as to deliver to him what God should have made out to me But I see it since to be the wisdome of my God that I did not speak with him and likewise the wisdome of God that my hand was opened by violence that it may prove the fall of the enemies of Sion and give them cause to mock and laugh at me that so thâ—y may be for the slaughter when the Lord ariseth to shâ—ke the earth terribly And this I writâ— because I would not have you wonder why I do not go to the Generall for to speake with him and so conclude that I am deluded as they that openâ—d my hand did for the wayes of God are past finding out and my message is done for the present in that I have endeavoured for to speak with him and I am as much satisfied with my condition as if I had spoke with him for I see an over-ruling power and so am made for to wait upon that power that made all creatures knowing that he will do his pleasure untill he doth in a more poweâ—full manner carry me forth in such a way to act which as I am a creature I am dead to and when he appeares in power in his own time for to make use of me or aâ— any other of his creatures they shall not be able to wiâ—hstand him as I fâ—r my own paâ—t have not beene able to withstand So with this caution to you all not to mock at me lest you mock not only me but the All of all things and so dash your selves against that rock which will beat to pouder all other powers besides himselfe that he may be all and in all I am willing to be silent leaving my God to do with me and all creatures what he pleaseth GEORGE FOSTER January 14 1650. THe first day of the appearing of the eternall God in me so as to make his excellent Majesty most illustriously to shine in me as the most excellent and most glorious object was by declaring himself to be my God and that he was come to make himselfe known unto me who had a long time been in me buried under the clouds of proud flesh and I was ignorant of him and though I was ignorant of him of the eternall God dwelling in me yet he did dwell in me and was the life of me which is a great mystery and vnknown to most creatures though most professe they know God that God even the eternall God dwels in them by which they live and move and have their being But it hath pleased the infinite Iehovah who is the fulnesse of all and fills the Creation with his grace to appeare most gloriously in me stripping and robbing me of all my former glory that he alone may appear to be my all and in all and so to declare and make himselfe manifest to me that he the eternall God doth dwell in me and is the life of me and that he will no longer be buried in me but now will arise like a man of warre tearing and destroying all proud flesh which hath covered him that he alone may appear to be my eternall King and so to take me up into the full injoyment of himselfe by declaring in me saying I the Lord of hosts am come which voice was the most joyfullest voice that ever sounded in mine eares though it was a terrour to my flesh yet I may say with the Prophet this is the day which the Lord hath made come let us be glad and rejoyce in it The Prophet was not ignorant that the Lord did make all the dayes for he knew well enough the Lord did make all but this day wherein he sayes he will rejoyce was that day even that day as the eternall God did appeare to be his God and so apprehending him selfe by the manifestations of God to him to be one with God and no longer at a distance from Godâ— did cause him to rejoyce and be glad But who shall abide the day of his coming or who shall be able to stand when he appeareth Surely no flesh shall be able to stand in that body when the mighty God of Jacob appeareth neither shall any flesh abide there neither shall that creature in whom he is pleased to manifest himself be able to oppose him for the Lord will do all his pleasure He is like a refiners fire and fullers sop The eternall God by his bright appearing in his sons he will purifie and refine them by destroying that which hath troubled them and hath kept them at a distance from him and cause them to see evill no more and to see former things to passe away and all things become new And thus it hath pleased my excellent Majestie who dwels in me to make known himself unto me that so J may see former things or old things passe away and all things become new And as the eternal God caught Paul up into rhe third heaven and he heard there words not fit to be uttered because if he should have made them know they could not understand them by reason of the difference of dispensations wherein they lived Paul being a father all they babes and children So my excellent Majesty the eternall God having taken me up into himselfe by his appearing in me in such a high discovery of his love unto me as to make me see himselfe in me and I to have no life but he to be my all yea my life and that I can do nothing without him who hath caused me to deliver my Kingdome all my strength he being now the end of it to my Father that he may be all and in all yea he hath even my eternall God so powerfully overcom me that whether I was welling or no destroyed my flesh for God is a consuming fire that he may take the kingdom to himselfe and so to be all and in all in me even thus it pleased my eternall God even in a moment in the twinkling of an eye to strike me dead and likewise to raise me from the dead and to cause me to heare the Angell sound the last Trumpet and so to take me up to meet the Lord in the aire and so to be ever with the Lord sounding the tune of the seven Trumpets alwayes in mine ears and causing me to hear the noise of the last trumpet even the mystery of God saying it is done it is done and time shall be no longer making me to see seventy weeks spoken of in Daniel to be at one end and so to see sin and transegression to be finished and to hear a voice within me saying everlasting righteousnesse is
brought in This is that voice which hath already shoke the earth but yet once more saith my excellent Majesty who doth most gloriously shin in me that he wil shake not only the earth again but the heavens also for it is not the worke of God onely to destroy the earthly powers and to bring them to nothing though he will do it but he will also destroy the heavenly powers even that welfavoured harlot even those that thinke themselves to be Iews and are not as well Independency and Baptisme way as he hath done Episcopacy and Presbyterie and so to bring all flesh in to confusion and to destroy the wisdome of man that he alone may be exalted and then wil the lord make a way in the wildernesse and pathes in the desarts for to give water unto his people And when the Lord hath done this great work as he will do to cause the poor creatures as think themseves as lights and stars and have taught otheres to be nothing but in confusion then will they appear to be the wilderness and desarts barren and empty and that nothing will satisfie them but the powring of the spirit from on high which is no other but God appearing in them and making himself known to them that he dwels in them which dwelling in them will be as water of life unto them and so will the Prophesies be fulfilled I will do a new thing which new thing will be the depriving of the creature of all his selfe-righteousnesse or holineste and will make him to say in the Lord have I righteousnesse which righteousnesse will be God alone appearing to be the old way and so will make them hear a voice behind them saying this is the old way walke in it O the abundance of joy that is contained in these words O it is the unspeakable Ioy which the Apostle mentions to hear God Preaching and speaking to us yea in us what a deale of labour will this save poor creatures this will stay them from running to broken cisterns that can hold no water this will take them off from Idolizing Priests when the voice of God speaks in us behould this is the mysterie that is to be made manifest to the sons of Sion in these later dayes Christ in them the hope of glory that so in seeing God in them and they to be in God are the new jerusalem that is com out of heauen and so are the guests of that joyful wedding hearing those joyful wâ—rds the mariage of the Lamb is ready and so loose themselves to be married to the eternal God and they to be the Lambs wife and so by the power of the eternal God dwelling in them they overcome and do inherit all things by being brought into the injoyment of God and so inherit all things in God for God being theirs all things are theirs whether things present or things to come so that they shall now see weeping and sorrow to be fled away and so to go with everlasting songs to Sion in singing and dancing to the house of the Lord Beloved this is that feast of fat things upon the mountaine wine upon the leaves even God the eternall King dwelling and manifestling himselfe to you as he hath done to me whereby I see by the excellent Majestie the eternal God in me that crooked wayes are now made streight and rough places made smooth high places made low and low places made high flesh brought to nothing and God to be all and in all all my life joy and strength and so no longer to labour and travell with child but to bring forth or declare that this eternall God is in me and that he hath manifested himselfe unro me in a more extraordinary manner then ever before he did which extraordinary manner was as followeth As I lay awake in my bed between three and foure a clock in the morning Ian. 14. 1650. the Lord caused me to heare a pleasant fit of musick or melody which musick made me much admire being so early in the morning and one being with me I would faine have asked him if he heard or knew where it was But as J was thinking to know where it was I was taken in a strange manner with trembling shaking burning and groaning which made the party which lay with me much wonder and speak to me but J could not make him any answer And after J had lain trembling and groaning being full of paine within and without for halfe an houre and upwards J began to have abundance of inward joy and consolation even so full of joy was J that I was not able to containe my selfe or expresse that comfort I had within me but J did at length break forth in laughter so heartily that I scarce ever laughed so heartily before and did utter these words the Lord of hosts is come and the most joyfull day that ever came is now and no joy like unto this joy and then afterwards was J taken with trembling and Groaned as I did before and then afterwards I brake forth with laughing and thus I did for foure times in the morning useing the same expressions as J did at first all this while beholding nothing with my outward eyes for they were shut up that J could scarce open them but beheld a glorious object within mee which made me much rejoyce and so I continued sometimes rejoycing within my selfe and sometimes full of trouble untill about twelve a clock at noon And then was I taken in the same manner as before and had three more fits and in the last of the three I being filled more with joy then in any of the rest J lifted up my hands and cryed out the Lord of hosts is come And it is done it is done being so filled with joy as if it was the most joyfulls newes which ever came to me which since I have found it to be and that never no joy was like this joy to me if I may speake the truth and lie not And afterwards I passed the day and night sometimes being full of joy and somtimes full of sorrow and the next day being thursday J passed that with joy and went to bed finding my self prittie well satisfied but not quite satisfied and slept a while but awaked about 2. a clock and being awake I was much troubled in my self and perplexed in my minde but at length I heard a voice within me saying heare my voice and I cried out who art thou that I should heare and I was answered with these words I am the Lord of hosts the holy one of Israel and I was presently yea of an instant taken with shaking and groaning and being tormented in my minde I then heard a voice saying to me I am now come to torment thee to consume and burn thee up to nothing and I did then apprehend a bundance of miserie and sorrow crying out I was in hel presently I was as ful of joy in apprehending a
glorious God within me which made me as much rejoyce laugh within my self as if I had bin in no miserie at all yea though I was in hel among all the Devils I cryed out sorrow and sighing shall flie away Some 5 or 6. of these fits in my miserie I cryed out I was in hel In my joy I cryed out the Lord of hosts is come and sorrow and sighing will now flie away and that the Lord of hosts will not shake the earth but the heavens also These fits being over there did appear to me four black horses all in harnesse drawing and tugging as if they had bin in a cart that was set and strived harder then ordinary to get out And I said Lord what is the meaning of this sighing and groaning untill I had an answer and I was answered that these do represent the powers of the world that do oppose God in his people all powers that they are now ready to be drawn in pieces and these being vanished There appeared four horses al' read and I said Lord what is the meaning of this and the Lord said these do represent all powers to be in blood readie to be strangled and these being gone there appeared 4. pale horses like unto death for J looked much upon them for they looked very pale yet not withstanding they did brance up and down and kept a vaporing about But presently death seized upon them and I beheld till I saw all powers throwne down and covered in the earth that they should rise no more And after these 4. pale horses were covered under the earth there appeared one white horse without spot or staine and one upon him all in glory having a sword in his hand and he rid from East to West from North to South and he said the kingdomes of this world are becom the kingdoms of the Lord he doth raign Isaid Lord what doth this mean and the Lord said That I the eternall God will appeare so glorious in my people to the burning up of flesh and sin that they shall appear Conquerours and Kings and I the Lord God am and will appear to be all and in all to my people And as he prances from East to West from North to South without any let or hinderance so shall my people live in the injoyment of me and nothing shall make them afraid and a little while after I beheld an Angell coming from God and haveing in his hand abook and it was open And he came to me and bid me put forth my hand and take it and eat it and I did put forth my hand and did take it and I said Lord what means this and my God said that this is a testimonie or a seal to you that I am come to you and have put my law in your heart and have writ it in your inward parts and you shall sin no more and I was made to bow seven times to this Angell and my father said even so shall all flesh bow to me in my people and as the book was open in his hand it shews that the mysterie which hath bin his is now to be made manifest and the everlasting Gospel to be preached And on the thurseday morning between 5. and 6. a clok I was taken with trembling and horror and was strook dead for a while so as I drew no breath at all and at length I heard a great roaring of waters which made a great noise and when I came to my selfe I groaned and sighed and said Lord what means this noise and my excellent majestie which dwell in me said that as you heare the roaring of waters and none is able to still the noise so shall my people even my sons come with singing and rejoycing to Sion and none shall make them weep any more hearing of this I was much taken with joy even overcome with joy and continued full of joy I was taken as I was before and my breath being gone from me again I lay as dead for awhile And did at length see a company of men and women standing upon Sion having harpes and made musick and then came some others and they danced and there was one more glorious then the rest in the midst of them And I beheld till he that was in the midst of them did go into them all and they became all as one And on Friday morning about five or six a clock I was taken with horrour and feare and was much perplexed in my selfe in mind and at length J heard a voice saying heare me and observe what I say and write That as I have tormented and plagued thee so will I torment plague all powers besides my selfe And J said Lord wilt thou torment and destroy this Parliament and the Lord said J will destroy and consume and bring to nothing the Parliament all power that have exercised cruelty upon my people will give the glory and honour and strength of Kingdomes to my people that there may be universall liberty and freedom and will make the Wolfe and the Lamb lie down together and be at peace one with another and as you did see a white horse and one upon him all in glory the night before last night with a sword in his hand riding from East to West and from North to South and none to oppose him and none to help him but that he did destroy all his enemies himselfe So I will even by my own power and by my spirit bring to nothing all the glory honour and power of all fleshly powers that J alone may be and none besides me And J said Lord how long will it be first and the Lord said in a very little while and J will overturne overturne overturne and will appear in my Temple to the effecting of mine own work And on the 25. of January in the night J was taken in the same manner as before but only my fit of trouble was lesn'd and my fit of laughter more then any J had before and after my mirth was over J was caused to lie still And J heard a voice of very great waters which made me greeve within my selfe untill I had an answer what they should meane or what the noise should signifie And at length my God within me told me that the waters doth signifie the persons of Sion singing and rejoycing in Sion and as the noise of the waters was great so should the joy and gladnesse of Sion be great and as I heard a noise and did not know from whence it came so should their joy and gladnesse come from God within them and not from Creature objects And I said Lord they rejoyce and sing allready but my eternall God within me told me that their joy now is mixt with sorrow and so is not perfect joy But they shall ere long be brought into a full enjoyment of me and then shall cease from sorrow And presently after J beheld two
thing in his hand which I did not know till I asked God And then it was told me it was a vial and he poured it forth upon great men As Kings and Parliaments and all sorts of men and on the beast that comes out of the bottomlesse pit and on the Locust and on the scarlet colloured whore that is decked with all manner of precious things and they all became dead and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to God and I said Lord what is the meaning that but one of them powred forth his vial and the Lord said that the rest had powred forth their vials had tormented the men of the earth already but this one that powres forth his vial now doth not onely torment but destroy the men of the earth and I said Lord wilt thou take their lives from them that they shall be no longer and my God said I I will take from them that which hath bin their life but yet I will not take from all of them their natural life but from Kings and Parliaments great men I will take from them their power which they have had and they shall instead of haveing power become humble and submissive and be as lowly as the poor for this vial is my wrath that shal burne and consume all fleshly powers and as he that powres it forth is more glorious then the rest it shewes my sons daughters shall have more glorious discoveries and manifestations of me their God dweling in them saith Lord of host and through the fulnesse they have of me I being in them they shall now say time shall be no longer and I said Lord what is the meaning of the bottomlesse pit and the Lord said by the bottomlesse pit is meant the heart of man and by the beast that riseth out of it is not meant the Pope and Emperours but is meant all the wisedome of the proud flesh that hath and doth stil invent all the wicked actions of men that have murdered the Saints as formes and governments and from this bottomlesse pit ariseth threatnings and malicious words even such there is hatcht within it as a man is never able to know from whence they come or whether they go For the putting to death of Saints is first contrived here in this pit which I the Lord of host doth say is the heart of man and then according as they have invented how and after what manner they shall put them to death they put their power in execution to do it and by the Locusts is meant the Priests for as Locucts destroyes and devours the fruits of the earth so have these Priests from time to time been the chief actors and setters on of the Kings and great men of the earth for to make Lawes for them to worship God by as they call it and so poor creatures have been deluded by them to worship something but they nor the Priests knew not what instead of me saith the Lord of host and so haue destroyed the earth thaâ— is their bodies and being Spiritual Merchants they have not onely destroyed the bodies of men but have also made Merchandize of the souls of nem and all this they have done pretending they did preach to bring them to heaven when indeed they rather did the things that was a cause of ignorance and darkness by telling them they were the ministers of God sent to Preach and that none was to preach but they and so did keep them from the enjoyment of me saith the Lord of hosts and to throw them into hell so their preaching of me was more for their fat Benefices then to bring souls to me as they made it appear to bee for if at any time any did out-strip them or did doe something tending to the setting forth the glory of me or had some discoveries of me and so would teach for nothing they must be heriticks and so must he cut off and thus these priest-like Locust have devoured men and kept them in bondage by their philosophy and cuning craftinesse but time shall be no more And the woman which thou faw'st arayed with all manner of precious things is the whore of Babylon and her Scarlet Colloured cloathes and precious things sets forth her formes and wayes of worships decked with outward zeale of professions so that they seem to the eye of men to be my way saith the Lord of host for she being so gloriously arayed sets forth all outward administrations of what sort soever but time shall be no longer for the vials of my wrath is now powered forth upon them all and they shal all be consumed and brought to nothing and all these outward administrations which seem'd before to have life shal now be slaine and appeare to be dead that I alone may be all and in all such is the worke that I wil now do that those that shall be left alive shall be affrighted and give glory to me for the remnant were affrighted and they gave glory to God these of the earthly powers as Kings and Lords and of all sorts of men that doth escape with their lives as they be not taken away shal give glory to me some of them by being purified and my sons and some of them by bringing their riches to my sons and daughters for those that know not me I will be a terror to them and will make them throw away their Idols of Gold and Silver and in so doing they shall glorifie mee and I said are these that powred forth thy vials Angels that are invisible or be there no Angels but thy servants and sons here below and the Lord said that they that power forth my vials are my sons and my sons are Angels and ministring spirits they are Angels and the Angels mentioned in Scriptures are no other but my sons and daughters and those two Angels that came to Lot in Sodome where two men but because I made them my messengers they were called Angels and the Angel that smote the Assyrians and slew so many thousands Was a man whom I appointed to do that work and so was called an Angel of the Lord because he did my will saith the Lord of hosts and for those that think Angels are invisible spirits and so cannot be seen and so doth likewise think that I am in a place above the skies called heaven and so think I have invisible Angels to keep me company are out of the way and have missed of the mistery which I will now make manifest saith the Lord of host The word of the Lord came unto me saying behold behold what seest thou now And loe I beheld a woman cloathed with white and black spots upon her Gown and I beheld and there came one with fire and laid it upon her cloathes and the fire burned all her cloathes and upon her brest were knots of several ribons but they were all consumed and so I saw her naked stript of all but presently he
that burned her cloathes and she was not hurt in her body brought her cloathes again to put on her all white without spot and she to my thinking was then far more glorious then she was before and I said Lord what woman is this And my eternal King said it was his Church and as she was in white it did shew that she did apprehend her self to be clean by Christ as she had black spots it doth shew that she is not so pure as to be free from imperfection and as she had knots of several ribons on her breast it doth shew that she the Church hath several outward ordinances or dispensations formes by which she doth worship me saith the Lord of Hosts but as you saw one came with fire and burnt all her cloathes and all her ribons and yet did not hurt her body it shews that I the Lord of host who am a consuming fire will burn all her dross or consume all fleshliness and dross from my people or Church and so will strip her naked of all her administrations and outward ordinances and Church-fellowships and pastors and teachers and of all though it seems never so glorious And as you saw he that burned up her cloaths bring her new cloaths to put on all white without spot or wrinkle it shews that I the Lord of hosts after I have burned up and consumed all the flesh and fleshliness of my Church as all her outward ordinances and dispensations as formes of worships and all her pastors and teachers and Church-fellow-ships and so they striped her naked of all that then I will new cloath her that she shall the Church appear far more glorious then ever she was before for when she is thus striped of all and is naked in her own apprehensions she shall be cloathed with the Sunne mentioned in the Revelations and the Moon shall be under her feet this Son is my righteousness which will make her the Church all in white as you see the woman after she had lost all was cloathed in white and all outward Ordinances represented by the Moon under her feet that when my church is stripped of all outward excellencies then shall I appear to be excellent as to be her pastor and teacher and ordinances and so her all and in all and then shall she be more free and at more liberty when these shall be taken from her then she hath been yet for then my Church shall not run after men and so go gadding about for food but shall quickly rest her self contented with me the bread of life and so shall worship me in spirit and in truth and so my Church shall be compacted of living stones that the prophesie may be fulfilled there shall not be a Cananite in the house of the Lord any more but she shal now wholly throw away that which shee hath highly esteemed of as outward means which hath been but streams which have flown from me who am the fulness of all things and shall now wait onely to hear the voice within her saying this is the way walk in it and so heard this voice which voice is I the Lord of hosts speaking in her she shall have more satisfaction and rest in her spirit then ever she has had as yet for she thus waiting upon me shall speak the pure language which none shall have but those my sons and daughters that I make out my self unto for the effect of this language which is the spirit of me will cause all difference and confusion to end that some shall no longer worship me the Lord of hosts one way and some another way but being possest of me and hearing me teaching in them I will make them all to serve me with one consent which cannot be so long as they worship me in several forms therefore do I this saith the Lord of hosts to strip my people of all forms that some might not run one way and some another but that all may serve me in one way which way is onely to wait on me saith the Lord of hosts who wil bring it suddenly to pass And as thou sawest one bring a book and it was sealed and he that brought it opened it and gave it her in her hand this book is the mistery of mee which is now to be finished and as you see it was sealed up it shews that this mistery which is I the Lord of hosts in my people have been hid and none hath been able to look into it but as he that opened it and gave it to her doth shew that though it hath been hid yet I the Lord of hosts will now open it and make it known to all my sons and daughters as the woman doth represent by having it open in her hand and when they shall see this mistery I the Lord of hosts to be in them then shall they know how to worship me which will be without ordinances or forms only waiting for me to teach them and no longer to wait upon the teaching of man for man hath teached them to look for me in heaven or that I do dwell in heaven in a place above the skies but they know not where not teaching them to look for me within them where they now in waiting upon me shall know that I do dwell saith the Lord of hosts And again the word of the Lord came unto me saying behold behold what doest thou now see and loe I beheld a beast that had upon his head one horn and he continied pushing until there came one and cut him down and burned his body and I said Lord what beast is this And my eternal Majesty the King of eternal glory within me said this beast is that beast with one horn mentioned in Daniel and yet is the same beast mentioned in the Revelations That made an Image like unto the former beast that had a wound and did live which caused all both small and great bond and free to receive a mark in their foreheads or in their right hand that they might live and have a being amongst them but here is wisdom let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of man and his number is six hundred threescore and six And I said Lord what doth this Beast represent That proceedeth from the Kings and doth think to change laws and times and had power given him until a time and times and dividing of times And my eternal God within me said that this beast is the Parliament who have their poewr by reason the 10 horns are cut down that is by reason Kingly power as the name of it is cut off with the late King that was beheaded and likewise these formes of worships as the Episcopal Government for matter of rules of worships to walk by as to do as the Bishops was pleased to have people do they are all cut down by the Parliament which the beast as thou sawest did set forth