deeper into the abyss being where the greatest of Wisdom's secrets are to be known when the spirit of the Soul can after this manner steal slide away from time and mortal day then open stands that gate that given entrance to behold the glorisi'd beings to hear the languages of that light world which none else can hear but them that are got out of the noise of all other hearings into that still and silent deep where most pleasant joyful Voices and Sounds are heard which entring through the several Orgains as a siery Bresth and nothing of vocal Words is either required or needed there Now then by this you may judge that pure and unadultered revelation and vision of a true sight is not so quickly rushed into nor easily attained it is a great and peculiar Gift and also requires great watchfulness and attenders upon it if any would enjoy and hold it incorruptedly And that there may be no deceit in this matter when you come to try your own and other Spirits take this observation further with you If any one brings out a Prophecy or Revelation take notice what defensive power and guard it hath upon it The beloved John when he had all those visions and revelations he gives an account how they were seen and heard by him for saith he I was in the Spirit on the Lords day and a good proof there was of it as much as if he had said That it was neither Mans nor Mortals day that did rise and inclose upon him but the one everlasting Day or Ancient of Days in whose Light he had the glorious Prospect of heavenly things themselves Thus he was in the Spirit which was his defensive power and guard to keep out all ether trifling Spirits Observe this further it is a much different thing for the Mind and Spirit of the Soul to be caught and taken up into the spirit pure and abstractedly for then it is secured from mixtures but when the holy Spirit is come only into the Property of our Souls giving sorth lustrous Light and Revelation in speaking fluently yet hazardable to be twisted about from the self-promoting Essence that ready and apt is to dash in upon the divine inspiring as soon as it arise from its own center deep This I speak knowingly having traced through the deep Meanders before I arrived to know the true and certain way of Revelation by which now I am put out of doubt concerning the true Oracle speaking in the Soul as to my own particular watching thereunto with heedfulness for the keeping out all fluttering Spirits that have their birth and nourishment from the astaral and elementary Region that can go in and out for proving till we are got beyond their Kingdom Now indeed when the spirit of the Soul meets with such a pull up into the Spirit as the beloved Disciple then it is out of all fears but this is very rare they are high favourits that do frequently meet with such transportations but the other is more common and frequent to Saints that lovers and enjoyers are of that Ministration for whose sakes I have been impulsed to open these secret things that they may put on their impregnable strength of defence for the preserving this great immunity as the choicest of all of Gods favours and that incorruptedly as from the pure spring of the Spirit then you will find every faculty tinged with the fiery Glance of the holy Ghost as you see by the dark hard body of Iron being inclosed with Fire it is so penetrated therewith as it becomes as one and the same fire flame but you must keep and feed it there as the Salamander which always liveth in the fire after this manner doth the holy Ghost with his invisible flaming Body penetrate through the spirit of the Soul that it is encompassed with Light as the Angel which is said Rev. 19. 17. standing in the Sun all appearing as the very Sun of glory therefore highly valuable it is for any Saint to get such a clothing of the Spirit upon them for nothing of Adam's weak or impotent Nakedness can here be seen but all glory strength and power will be your habitation therefore these are gifts to be much set by and desired and not slighted or despised Now having given a plain and experimental account of this nice and difficult Point which I hope may have reached to the satisfaction of the doubtful I shall now by virtue of a heavenly Commission given me from the Lord give counsel and caution to three sorts and degrees of Persons The First of this is to them that do question Whether there be any Spirit of Prophecy or Revelation given forth since the Apostles deceased as believing all dyed with them This would be a sad and deplorable thing if God should since that Age cut off the spring of Revelation from its original that so the Sheep and Lambs of Christs flock should no more expect to be fed from the fresh springing Pastures where no footing hath been as also to drink of those flowing Rivers of Life that renew daily from the fount of the God head let such but call to mind and consider those many Scripture-Prophecies and Promises concerning the continuation of this Gift unto the very end of time both in the old and new Testament I shall mention only some of the latter John 14. 16 17 18. 2 Cor. 4. 8. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12 13 14. John 2. 28. Heb. 8. 9 10 11. Many more than these Scriptures could call up for confirmation of the continued run of the Spirit throughout all Ages Christ by his Spirit comforting us saying Lohe would be with his to the end of the World Now as from the Lord I beseech you not to eclipse the light of the Day-star 2 Pet. 1. 19. in your own Souls nor quench the Spirit nor despise Prophecying then may the witness of Jesus rise in you to confirm this most glorious Ministration as a burning Lamp of Revelation A word of Love-caution is to another sort of Persons who are entred into this Ministration in its first degree and are under the Spirits discipline and teaching the word of Counsel from the Father of Spirits is this That they keep precisely to the Rules and Laws of the Spirit for there will be expected from such more shining and singular Conversation shewed forth in a self-denying Life dying to all of those mortal things and sensual enjoyments that strangle and choke the fiery Breath of the holy Spirit to stop it from kindling further and deeper in the Soulish Essence that so there may be a coming up to a mighty Increase and Fruitfulness in the love and unity of the Spirit having all tenderness to support love and cherish each Olive Plant that springeth out of this Eden Garden which is watered by the holy Mists and dropping Dews of the Spirit Now to the third sort this word of Wisdom and Counsel doth
of it as yet because the Elect Stones are at present lying amongst the Rubbish of Confusion who in due time are to be linked together to make up a strong City of Defence through the Gates of which no unclean Vessel shall pass nor whatsoever is Lame or Blemished according as was seen in the Pattern This the Lord will effect by his Might and Spirit and establish this City on mount-Mount-Zion at which the whole World shall Tremble Whilst the Lord was communing with me about this heavenly City I saw it descend and cover the whole Earth and all those who were not prepared to enter and who could claim no Birth-right freedom in this Mother-City did flee away by Multitudes Heaps upon Heaps to hide themselves from the bright Splendor of the divine Body with the anointed head in the midst of it The Glory was so great that we can only give an Eclipsed account of what was seen But as the descent of this Magnificence did terrifie and cause above three parts of the World to flee away as having an irreconcileable Enmity to Spirits and Bodies of such Purity so on the other hand I saw a Numerous Company gathered to it from all Quarters the Trumpet-shout of Jerusalems great King calling them in from all parts they were all the first-born of this Mother-City who well knows her own calling them by that Name which is impressed upon them in flaming Characters of Love Multitudes of this kind encompassed the holy City but few were admitted to the Seraphick wreathe even those only who had put on the glorified Body Whereupon I asked Why those who were called and had the Name of the heavenly City upon them were not received in And the Lord said That those who were taken into the Glory had finished their inward Transformation to the utmost Perfection waiting only for the Consumation of the Nuptial Glory but that the rest though far gone in true Regeneration could not be admitted until their Redemption were perfectly wrought out to the end that no flaw may be found in the Stones that are to constitute this divine Building but as any shall arrive to this degree of Perfection so this City shall descend and take them in Hereupon followed a further discovery to let me know the Royal Freedom of the spiritual Seed proceeding from the New-Jerusalem as the Virgin Bride of God who though come down into this visible Birth of Time yet was before all Time in the Substantiality of spiritual Essence by whom the renewed fruitfulness of this free Birth shall in this last Age of the World be made manifest which was the joyful Message which sounded in my Heavens with what is further to be declared for our Consolation It was thus laid before me That the Jerusalem from above hath been these many Ages travelling to bring forth her first and free-born according to that divine Likeness whose Descent is not to be found within the verge of Time For here the Gate of Gods deep hath been opened to let us in to see the wonderful Mystery that was fore-ordained to work through all the Vicissitudes of Time since the first Creation Now then let us consider what the first Plant of Paradise was from whence we are all sprung it was but a flower from the Earth for out of the Dust of the Earth the Lord God created man and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and man became a living Soul which was pure as immediately proceeding from the most Holy But how soon did this Glory fade and return to Earth again whereas if he had kept his first Estate he would have been advanced to higher degrees of Perfection and become fruitful in Gods Virgin off-spring All which Design for a limitted time was overturned but the Foundation of Gods Election stood so firm in the Essentiality of the out-breathed Word which was the Light of Adam's Life in the Center of Immortality that the same Word will restore all again according to the first gracious Intent of the wise Creator whose purposed Grace shall renew the face of all things that have been marred in the first Adamiral Image But though so desperate a Fall hath overtaken the whole Creation yet is it but as the fading or cropping of a flower whose eternal Root remaining will put forth and spring a-fresh in a more glorious Beauty and Figure than the first ever had For though by one mans Disobedience all are made subject to Death and the Curse which is the bruising of the Heel yet the Head-Life remains which will recover raise and make all sound again for in this promised seed the faded Life will be quickned according to the Election of Him who will hereby more Eminently make known the Riches of his Grace and Glory in his Vessels prepared thereunto For though there be in all men an holy seed remaining whereby they are in a possibility of recovery yet because all have not an Heart to improve this Talent it continues an unprofitable dead Seed to many notwithstanding all are called To take of the Water of Life freely that by its quickning Virtue the buried Seed may be raised to a new Life in a Body of its own kind which Seed through many Deaths does renew its never fading Flower of Life for a higher degree of Glory in the New Jerusalem state of fixation Now from what hath been said we are informed that there is an Elect Number which is to make up the New Jerusalem-Bride here upon Earth who shall finish the Mystery of the Seventh Seal and be all instated in that Kingdom which the Alpha and Omega hath designed for his Virgin-Bride before Paradise or this World were And that I might know that this design and unchangeable purpose of God is still going on there was shewed me a clear White Stone in which were engraven numberless Names all ordained to make up the Glory of this City of God which shall be the Praise and Admiration of the Heavens and a dread and amazement to the Earth for the Revelation of it will bring a Wo upon them who have no part in it This the Lord himself did signifie saying Henceforth know your Free-Birth Name and Place in this City and be not fearful or unbelieving but travel on in the assured Hope that shall not be made ashamed for the everlasting Father hath prepared for you this City of which I am the Builder in you The hand of the Lord was strong upon me still and took me up into an high and lofty Place where I saw a burning Furnace which appeared all Blew like the airy Clouds and the Lord walking in it to and fro who said See whether thou canst make thy Pass to me and abide in this pure everlasting burning Region which is the Spirits purging Fire which will devour whatsoever is not of the same Essentiality with me Upon which I replied Ah! my Lord I am free to make my Pass to thee but how
spring The Virgin feels her self in the Centre of the Deity she handles what doth not appear to be tangeable viz. Breath Spirit Fire and Air in all these her feeling-motion is in great Serenity A Center-Life that burneth from the Mirror of the Deity boyles Love up to that height as nothing is felt but Pleasure and ravishing Delight it is the Heat and Blood that runs through every Vein of the Virgin-Body and is an Antidote against all Fear and Pain which is felt in the mortal Sense Oh! what Deaths Akings and Griefs have we felt in our Souls as well as in our Bodies our Minds being in continual Anxiousness and Trouble to see what we are fallen into I speak of such who have been touched with the Fire-Stone of the Virgin which must go before her healing Medicine And blessed are they who have first known the painful feeling under her severe Discipline for such shall be her polished Pillars on which she will engrave her Virgin Name as he saith who is the true and faithful Witness who is come to take off the Virgins Vail that we may see her in the Glass of perfection and come to know and feel her not as distinct and a-part from us but all Virginized in her essential Deity that the joyful feeling in breath of Fire and Air may be witnessed and then we shall see what shall follow the Harmony of these Sences which is the Character of the Virgin-Nature the Pattern we are to try our selves by for which end we are also called to look into her Mirror that so it may stir up all favour of desire in us to have those Sences in their excellency awakened in us Oh great Goddess and Queen of all Worlds wilt thou after so long a time of Desertion once appear again Who is it that hath entreated thy Favour and gained a Promise from thee of a Visit though this be too short because nothing now will satisfie unless thou bestow thy self with all thy divine Sences as a co-deified Life to shew that thou art now prevail'd upon to joyn with the Redeeming Blood to restore thy own Virginity where thou findest Humility and Importunity in that Personality which is all beloved of the highest Wisdom and only Spouse of God know and remember us who are brought to thy feet and have been under thy severe Discipline therefore allot thy self to be our Garland and Crown Now we are advanced one step higher towards Wisdom's heavenly Throne from whence her Golden Scepter is stretched forth to lay hold on which passeth through and beyond every elementary Cloud which the sensitive Life hath raised so as we could not see our way to that sparkling Rock of the Deity for which cause the bright Sun now shines from her eternal Orb through the dark Clouds that we might see every ascending degree twisting and winding so intricately that without a Guide expresly sent down from that Sphear there is no possibility ever to come to any one of her Gates which lead to the New Jerusalem These are set before me to be in number Twelve five of which were spoken of in the fore-going Chapter and now we repair to her Oracle as our Guide for the revealing of the other seven Gates together with the Way which leads from one to to the other where the hidden Track of the Virgins Way may be found treading upon that unknown ground under which is found a rich and precious Stone from which the highest blessing will abound The Way to the first of these seven Gates is very solitary and lonely it is very rare to meet with two agreed to hold out in it to the end it is so full of rending Thorns and affrighting wild Beasts for herein lies the design of the horned Beast to scatter and divide such who are agreed to travel in Wisdoms Path Also the Nimrod Hunters of this World send out after them either to divide or bring them back again These are the Oppositions we may expect in this Way against which we must be provided and fore-armed that our entrance by this Gate may not be prevented The Inscription of this Gate is Abnegation or Renunciation of this outward Principle The first Question which is asked by the Angel who keeps this Gate is Are you come away as Strangers and Pilgrims Will you no more return to the Traffick of Babylon For the Prince of this City will only admit of such as shall abjure all Commerce with the Merchants of Tarshish though by this means all earthly Riches are gained to keep up a Worldly Reputation and Fame but the Angel of this Gate will have good Assurance that whoever comes up hither be quite broken off from and have no further dealing with the Harlot daughter of Sidon who hath deceived the Kingdoms of this World with her Sorceries Whoever they be that get through this streight Gate for them a sure and good Foundation is laid to walk forward towards the second Gate But here another thing is to be considered before entrance can be given for this Angel is charged not to take any ones single Security but enquires whether Christs Spirit in them and his Person for them will stand engaged to perform all this Agreement For she dares not trust the Soul upon a single Promise though fervent and unfeigned and full of good Will yet it is not sufficient if he be not able to maintain the Gate ground against his Enemies that will attempt to circumvent him Therefore we that are come hereunto are to give in the Name of our Security and so pass on freely to the second Gate The second Gate is called the wrestling or struggling Gate it is the Gate of Probation before it stands a Center-Gulf Here will rise what will countermand the Pilgrim back again into the worldly Principle which he had abjured and left behind Wisdom stands by her Angel to call and invite to come through but the Gulf swells so very high that it appears impossible to get over Legions of Spirits here do follow crying out What mean you to run so great a hazard as to have a place where is store of all good things for Supply and Maintenance Thus Temptations and Assaults will beset the Pilgrim threatning hard and bitter things to him who is a seeking his own Native Country and original Virginity and endeavours with great wrestling to get rid of all these knawing Vipers What! say they will you turn quite away from those pleasant Joys in which others live spending their days in Gods Love and Peace and therein rest contented not attempting the passing of this Gulf till the limit of your Life requires it All this and much more will press in to turn away the Soul from pursuing after its Virgin Crown and therefore this Gate is called the Probation Gate Now if the Spirit of Christ be so powerful in the Soul as not to regard these Temptations being resolved to venture through the fiery Gulf that