thy Refuge and thy strong Rock I say Amen! 15. A very lovely Consolation for Judah and Israel with a Comfortable word to the First-born of Joy in their Posterity Hope in the Lord O Israel shout for joy O Judah for the Lord hath looked upon thee in kindness He shall make thee to rejoyce O thou First-born in thy Posterity I am He that hath said it But to whom is my secret known and who is there that understandeth my meaning Nevertheless the Deep shall utter forth the praises of my Righteousness and the Clouds shall declare my Truth Dear Children be not afraid for I am the Truth Abide in my Truth and what is there that can disturb you Unto you I am All in All. He that loveth me hath Everlasting Life and is Justified in me through the power of Faith Cry aloud lift up your Voices for I am a wonderful God one who levelleth the Mountains and pulleth up Men from the Deep of the Earth Be at peace my dear Sion Waver not my Child Behold in thine hands I have signed thee I am a God of thy Name a Keeper of Israel a Friend of Sion a Benefactor of Ephraim Trouble not your selves dear Friends for no Evil shall be able to reach you and as for what you undertake it shall prosper for I will set your Feet in a large place XVIII All these Testimonies and many more were given by God to this Blessed Maid before I had any manner of Acquaintance with Her Upon the Evidence of which she is so Convinced of the Divinity of this matter that not withstanding all the Contradiction and Opposition of Men she doth without the least mixture of Doubt or Fear believe in pure Simplicity and Child-like Confidence that whatever the Lord hath told or shall according to the expectation of her Faith hereafter tell her shall be punctually fulfil'd both in Her and in others She knows in whom she Believes and understands to distinguish between the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Errour with a clear Eye She bears with those who are not as yet able to own in her the Lord's Work but withal she believes that if they be of upright Hearts they will not be swift to pass Sentance upon Her as also that as many as are Enlighten'd by the Divine Light will be capable to feel that to be from God which God has bestow'd upon her But in bearing thus with the weak she permits not her self to be made Weak And so far is she from being disturb'd at the Blasphemous Sentence of the Unbelievers that she prays for them that God would not therefore on a sudden bring them into Judgment as might justly be fear'd but that he would in mercy delay it who is a God using terribly to punish the Blasphemy of imputing that to the Devil which proceeds from the Holy Ghost She says and maintains No body can make me doubtful of that which I have seen and heard No body knows the New Name but he that receives it None but the Spirit of Man which is in him knows what is in Man even so the things of God are not known to any save to the Spirit of God Now we have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit of God that we might be able to know what is given us of God With this one Testimony of the Holy Spirit She overthrows all the Objections made against her from Without which for the most part come from those who cleave too much to the Flesh Notwithstanding all which she trusts that in the end God will manifest His Work so as all the World may own that it is even He himself who hath witnessed all these Words by Her XIX But that you may understand the Method in which these Revelations pass and how this B. Maid doth not see with her Gross and Corporeal Eyes or hear with her Corporeal Ears but doth see and hear the Lord in Spirit and how she doth from time to time write down from his sweet Mouth the Words which she thus hears I will here import a Testimony which was given her on the Twelfth on November in the Year MDCLXXXVIII The LORD himself dictating the same as she wrote to the end that if any were desirous to be inform'd concerning the manner of the Revelation she might be able to answer them in His own Words Which are these Peace be with you the Friends of Our JESUS the Saints Blessed and Beloved I speak with you as one Friend Speaks with another I speak at this time with the Mouth of Truth that I may be heard yet not outwardly by the Bodily but inwardly by the Spiritual Ear which is a Thousand times more delicate then the Outward one I speak to you by my self as true God and true Man and cause my self to be seen not by the Eyes of the Body but by the Internal Eyes the Eyes of the Spirit of such a Spirit naturally as is united and betrothed most strictly to me And this manner of Sight is real tho' it be hidden and subtil This I know will seem strange to you who do not yet understand my Mysteries and my Wonders Yet I tell it you that you may be able to discourse of it properly according to my Inspiration For so and by this means have I spoken to you all those sweet Words which you have hitherto written I have this further in love to speak and say to you Rejoyce ye for your great Glory and Honour since you are rendred so bright through my Righteousness as to become white as the Snow to be cleansed and purged from all Sin yea to be one Heart with me and to be my Temple and Holy Habitation Keep now the House of your Heart clean and let it be mine neither suffer your corrupt sinful Will nor the Love of the Creatures to Lord it therein So will I sink down very deeply into you and then will arise up again in you and such a purifying will I make within you that you shall praise me both with Heart and Mouth My dear little Children rejoice ye for my sake and be of good Courage for I am with you Lay your selves now to rest in my Holy Will and pursue it that I may make you the Instruments of my Graces and Gifts XX. But as the Divinity of this Affair hath been witnessed particularly to some Friends so hath it been to my Wife and Me. For after that God had before this even while we were yet in Holstein made known to us not by such high and extraordinary Revelatiosn but by his Spirit in his Word the great Promise made to Israel in Scripture and the Mystery of his Kingdom and that we for the sake of this had suffered a great deal it pleased him to let us have for about a Year since the knowledge of this Gentle vvoman of whom we had not then heard any thing by the means of a devout Person with whom we
be at all concerned at it but they will send out others who must in like manner be treated Notwithstanding which there shall many be made manifest who love me and keep my Word and I will pour out upon them the Streams of the Spirit and all things I will Praise-worthyly and Gloriously accomplish And no body shall hinder me for I am the LORD and will fulfil my Word which hath this long time been spoken Amen It shall come to pass as surely as I the Lord am the Lord. Amen 11. Next follows a Glorious Promise how God's Truth shall break forth like Light so that none shall be able to withstand it and that it shall fall like Fire into the Eyes of the Fools whence dread and trouble shall come upon them Should I not in this time cause my unfathomable Faithfulness and mine Everlasting Love to break forth seeing that the Hour is come Yea my Light shall arise in the Darkness and my Truth shall Shine like the Sun in his full strength for my Statutes I will make to be acknowledged and my Truth will I not suffer to lye hid in obscurity I will do another thing in Israel yea a strange thing will I do which shall drop from the Spirit of Truth and like Fire fall into the Eyes of the Unwise And if they will not receive it Darkness shall seize upon them O slumber not now ye Wise Virgins but stand on your Watch for the Bridegroom cometh Go ye forth with a new noise Praise ye and Magnifie my Name O ye Nations and Armies For the New Jerusalem is about building Be ye then compacted every one to another in the Love taking no thought how it should be for I am with you 12. The following one is a precious Testimony of Christ towards a Person of great Quality being in the Fear of the Lord vvhom He lifts very Graciously up I the Substantial Truth the Everlasting Love do in the Spirit bear vvitness that I am CHRIST the Lord of Belief the Vanquisher of unbelief the Destroyer of doubt the Light of Men the Spring of Life one that is Holy and Righteous who destroyeth the Kingdom of Darkness taketh avvay the Power of Hell and pulleth out the Sting of Sin I am JESUS CHRIST the Lord who do reveal my self and for the Love which I bear to all Men do witness in the Spirit that tho' I do more clearly and more Familiarly reveal my self to some then I do to others as may be seen in Paul and Cephas yet my everlasting Love is the same unto all Men for I respect not the Person of any but whosoever doth well and keepeth my Commandments the same is well-pleasing unto me Wherefore I JESUS the Lord of Life do bear witness that I am revealed after an hidden Spiritual manner in their Spirits because in singleness and oneness I am delighted to Work I am the very same Spirit that bore witness in the Spirit of all the Apostles namely the Spirit of Christ by whose wounds you are healed I am the Eternal Love through whose Glory you stand in the Father's Presence Therefore Sing ye merrily O let Heaven and the Children of God give a shout for joy for my Hour is come in which I gather in my Vintage even them whom my Father hath given me for an everlasting Heritage whom I have purchased to my self through my Cross and Death In which blessed Way as many as are true believers do follow me under my easie Yoak I am the Way of Life whosoever believeth in me hath Life Everlasting and I will dwell in him and he in me to Everlasting Glory Behold here are the Wounds and the Marks of the Nails for a Testimony in the Spirit of this my so burning Love I spread forth my Arms to take in that which is gone astray to hold up that which is feeble to strengthen that which is fearful for I will take my Flock to my Self and feed them for my Heart melteth towards them Why should I not exalt my self in the Sanctuary And why should I not declare my Power in the Hearts of all the Faithful Yea why not in all Speeches and Languages Am not I your Shepherd How then can I any longer see the Confusion of my Flock Give thy Voice O Lord of Heaven my Father and regard the Desolation hereof and behold how all things are neglected and how my true Word which I uttered by my Prophets and my Apostles is looked on as nought For what they do is all Hypocrisy they forsake the Power of the Word and dig themselves out here and there their own Wells whose being is in the outward Work but the Powerful Principles of Faith whose being is in the Inward Ground they deny And therefore is my Wrath kindled and for this end am I come to Judge the Earth But who is there that hath known my meaning And who hath been of my Counsel Nevertheless the Spirit by whom ye are Sealed unto Holiness searcheth all things even the Spirit so richly poured out on you by the Father and by whose means you believe even by his strength for it is he himself who vvorketh Faith in you Be thou then through this Spirit stirred up in Faith my dear M y Dwell thou in me and I will dwell in thee that thou with memaist live everlastingly Believe and so art thou helped for in believing me thou findest all things Be joyful in Hope patient in Affliction take good heed to this I say and live up to it so shall I for ever remain thy faithful Friend and Brother Wrestle with me in the Faith so shalt thou know me for I will come with the Father and the Holy Ghost and we will dwell with thee for the Father loveth thee for my sake and the Comforter the Holy Ghost is with thee In singleness and lowliness of Heart Sing HALLELUJAH This is a Testimony in the Spirit given from the Everlasting Christ Jesus the Conqueror of Death Devils and Hell 13. The Grafting in again of the Olive Branches which were broken off and the breaking off of the Evil Branches and Transplanting them into a wild place Peace be with you dear Children Speak ye now concerning the help out of Sion and rejoice over the Salvation of Israel For the hour is come in which I bring again the Branches of the Olive and regraft them into their Places for that I am the Lord excercising righteousness and stedfast in keeping my Word But as for the Evil and the Hardned them do I again lop off and send away into a wild Place Why speakest thou so loftily O thou profligate one My Justice I will make thee to see for thou hast nothing of thy self but all that thou hast is from meer Grace But be of good Comfort my Ephraim I will provide for thee my dear Daughter and will deliver thee from the Scorners I have said it to thee be joyful henceforward and fear not for I am
A LETTER To Some DIVINES Concerning the Question Whether GOD since Christ 's Ascension doth any more Reveal himself to Mankind by the means of Divine Apparitions With an Exact Account of what God hath bestowed upon a Noble Maid from her Seventh Year until Now MDCXCI Written Originally in High-Dutch and now set forth in English by the Editor of the LAWS of PARADISE newly Published 1 Cor. 2.16 Who hath known the Mind of the LORD that he may instruct him But we have the Mind of CHRIST LONDON Printed and Sold by John Whitlock in Stationers-Court near Ludgate 1695. TO THE English READER MAny and Vain have been the Pretensions to Inspiration in all Ages of the World even â—o many as to make one almost doubt of the Reality of Any Thing that would be thought to be of that kind If God has had his Prophets the Devil has always had his in much more abundance and he has learnt so well to transform himself into an Angel of Light that it requires perhaps something more than Man to trace out his Windings and pluck off his Vizard Hence it is that some Considering Persons and those as there is reason to believe of Good Intentions have at the end after long Search and Puzlings of their Brain on this Head been tempted to conclude that whatever goes beyond the Reach of the Ordinary Light of Reason or Claims to be deriv'd from an higher Source is Uncertain and altogether Unsatisfactory Whence they have thought it sufficient to observe the Laws of Natural and Moral Religion And for fear they should be Impos'd upon have cut the Knot at once and so without fairly weighing the Arguments on both sides have too hastily decided the Controversie in favour of Human Reason against Divine Revelation Others who are convinc'd of the Corruption and Degeneracy of our Nature the Vncertainty of Human Reasoning and the Imperfect Knowledge which we have at best of the Divine Being or of our own Spirits and Souls have thought it absolutely impossible without the assistance of a more than Ordinary Illumination from Him who is the Fountain of Lights to arrive at any True Discerning in the Concerns of Religion Hence they have determin'd it Necessary and Included in the very Notion of a God which supposes the Care of All that has proceeded from Him that God should send his Prophets Apostles Evangelists and other Inspir'd Teachers to inform us of our Present and Future State so far as is needful for us to know to admonish us of our Duty to keep up in us a Sense of his All-directing Providence and to Foretel and Prepare our Minds for the reception of the various Dispensations of his Love and Justice For the Perfecting of the Saints and for the Building up the Body of Christ that by the means of These we may grow up into Him who is the Head But all this say many among the Great the Wise and the Learned has been sufficiently provided for already God has reveal'd his Holy Will to us in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament the Canon of which is now Seal'd up Christ having abundantly Instructed his Disciples in all that 's Necessary to make Mankind Happy whilst he Convers'd with 'em here Below is now Ascended up on High and speaks no more to us but in that Book which He has left behind for the Ordinary Guidance of his Church until he shall come again in like manner as he was seen to go up He has also forewarned us that in the Latter Days many False Prophets and False Christs should arise who would deceive if it were possible the very Elect. We have Moses and the Prophets yea we have Christ and the Apostles Therefore 't is just that we should cleave to these Alone without looking for any further Revelation or Manifestation from God lest we should come to be Deluded by Dreams and Legends or Tales of Women and to be carry'd about with every Wind or Spirit of Doctrine by the sleights of Men lying in wait to deceive Many instances are produced by them of such as have Knowingly or Ignorantly been the Instruments of Seduction and have drawn in many into a Belief not only of the greatest Extravagances but also of the highest Blasphemies And so many things are truly urg'd concerning the strength of Imagination and the Effects of Religious Melancholly that I do not much wonder at 'em for suspecting all that they hear of Extraordinary Illumination to be no better Notwithstanding which prejudices I have yet met with some few Persons both Abroad and at Home that are neither Fools nor Madmen of whom I do sincerely profess after much Doubting and long Examining that they seem to me assisted in a Special Manner by God for some Great and Glorious Ends which are as yet hid from the World These live in great Humility and Simplicity entire Resignation universal Love and an Heroical Faith that is without Doubting without Fear and as free from Credulity as from either In whom I have beheld the Princely Magnanimity of the Lion mix'd with the Meek Sweetness of the Lamb. With these they go forth Conquering and to Conquer in the Power of God being Dedicated to him and most assuredly Possess'd Enlighten'd and Actuated by Him not living their own Life but His neither speaking their own Words nor doing their own Deeds but letting Him Speak and Act all in them whose Right it is to be All in All of whose Nature they are made Partakers in the New Birth having in 'em the Mind of Christ and being truly the Temples of the Holy Ghost They have their Eyes constantly fix'd upon the Author and Finisher of this Warfare for the sake of whom they not only endure the Cross but what is more to a Brave Spirit despise the Shame They are especially given to the Reading of the Holy Scriptures and they believe the Lives of the Antient Worthies that are there Recorded to be set down for them to Copy and not to give 'em barely an Historical Knowledge of some strange Particulars that are not Now any longer Practicable They say that Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles have all had respect to and prophesy'd of the Times that are approaching very swiftly They expect in these Latter Days to see many False Prophets and False Christs setting up themselves yea that the Great Antichrist shall be reveal'd in the Deceivableness of Lying Wonders But they are not at this at all solicitous or troubled they know on whom they relye they will not mistrust their Heavenly Father as if he would suffer them to be misled who have given up themselves without reserve to be led by Him Let Him do say they with us as he pleases we are no longer our Own but His We know our own Weakness and Inability to Guide our selves and that as we cannot but Err and go Astray whenever we follow the Devices and Desires of our own Hearts let 'em appear
never so Plausible and Rational so we can't but walk in the True Path when having utterly renounc'd them all we are Simplify'd to the state of little Children and made so perfectly Subject to Our Father that his Will may be done no less in us than it is in Heaven We know well enough if it were possible there are some Crafty Serpent-like Spirits having an Appearance of Godliness that would deceive the very Elect But let 'em do all that they can we are satisfy'd that 't is not possible for 'em ever to Deceive these or any that in the Inward Ground and Center of their Hearts do stand in the Faith and Love of Jesus these being they who through the pure Unction of the Spirit of Truth are fully confirm'd and enabled rightly to distinguish Spirits according to Section XLII 3. of This Letter This is their Profession and this they stick to If you tell 'em of False Lights and Impostors of Jannes and Jambres and the like they answer you unconcernedly that the Rod of Moses will prevail over the Rods of all the Evil Magicians That a Simon Magus shall be made to fall down before a Peter and a Divining Spirit to fly at the Command of a Paul And therefore say they lest we should be carry'd about with every Spirit and with every change of Doctrine we humbly conceive it not at all unbecoming the Goodness Justice and Truth of our Lord to send forth Now in these Last Days as in the Times of Old when the Gospel of Christ was first Publish'd some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers instructed by himself for the Compleating that which is left behind in the Saints for the Work of the Ministry even that of the Everlasting Gospel and for the Building up of Sion which is the Body of Christ They say that if there was need Heretofore there is no less need of such Now And were there no such need they suppose that no body can deny but that the more any one has of the Spirit of Christ the fitter such a Person is to declare his Mind They hold the Whole Counsel of God concerning Things Necessary for His own Glory or Man's Salvation to be either expresly set down in Scripture or by good and necessary Consequence to be deduced from it to which nothing Essentially or in Substance differing from it is at any time to be added either by New Revelations of the Spirit or Traditions of Men Nevertheless they not only own the Inward Illumination of the Divine Spirit to be needful for the Understanding of such Things as are there Reveal'd but do also believe that as well for a more powerful Vindication of it from false Glosses and Misunderstandings as likewise for a more free Publication of it over the whole World God whose Arm is not now shorten'd will for these Ends send out some Witnesses to all Nations with great Power before the End shall come Mat. 24.4 Rev. 14.6 7. and Section XI of the Letter Nay some I have found who are not afraid to assert That All the Reasons that can be brought why there should be any New Revelation or Inspiration after Moses will hold good why it ought to be Reviv'd in these Times before the Destruction of the False Mystical Jerusalem This I confess appear'd to me mighty strange at the first being an Assertion so opposite to what I had always entertain'd But I who knew full well the Modesty and Sobriety of these Persons in other Matters dare not be Hasty in Condemning what they profess to see whom I must own in several things to be much clearer-sighted than my self Whether and How they are able to make it good I leave them to consider and the Event to prove And since they are ready to enter the Lists upon this Head I desire no more from 'em but a Candid Hearing who seek those things only that make for Peace This is a True but Imperfect Account of a sort of Persons that are Persecuted Afflicted and Tormented for that Living Testimony of JESUS which the World cannot bear who are in Derision call'd PIETISTS Being in both the Saxonies Brandenburgh Lunenburg Hanover and the Countries of the Two Northern Crowns in which places they are most dispers'd mark'd out by That as Here by other Names If any desire to understand their Character better they may find it in the German Divinity a Book plac'd by Luther but one degree below the Holy Scriptures and in the * Translated out of High-Dutch and Printed in the Year 1685. Octavo Golden Rule of the Travelling Soul Of the Number of These is the Author of this following Letter now after long Consideration set forth in the English Tongue Who is not only of such Integrity in his Life as I have heard it confess'd by such as would have said otherwise if they could as that he cannot be suppos'd to have had any Design to Impose upon others but is also of such Intellectual Accomplishments as well Natural as Acquir'd that 't is not very probable he should be deceiv'd himself as those who intimately know him do assure me Besides the Post which he in the Lutheran Church Honourably bore and more Honourably parted with was not so Inconsiderable that any Thinking Person can imagine that he whatever otherwise his Inclinations might be should be guilty of a Base Action without the least prospect of any Advantage to himself by it but rather of the quite contrary This then is the Case He according to the Duty of his Function having with all Accuracy Studied the Holy Scriptures finds several Great and Glorious Prophesies which cannot with any tolerable interpretation be suppos'd to be as yet Accomplish'd or at best but very imperfectly At length after much Pains taken that he might be able to inform himself and others in these deep Truths he becomes known as is set down Section XX XXI XXII XXIII to a Young Lady of Admirable Endowments who professes to have been Visited by GOD from her very Childhood in a manner very Extraordinary which for many Years she had conceal'd from the World He examines into the matter finds a surprizing Harmony in all and every part and many concurring Events to establish what he heard from her Mouth Whereupon after about a Years time and having had all Opportunities to try the Truth of what she asserted he Communicates the Matter of Fact plainly and simply in This Letter directed to the Clergy holding the Confession of Ausbourg What he did in this unbecoming the Character of his Person unbeseeming the Episcopal Authority lodg'd in him inconsistent with the Care of his own Diocess or District of Lunenburg with his Universal Love for the whole Church of Christ and with a generous Concern for the Good of all Mankind or lastly that a Wise and a Good Man would not do in the same Case notwithstanding all the loud Cries against Him I am not able to
find And I do sincerely assure every Christian Soul that reads this that if it were possible to have found any Real or Material Objection in any one Point I would certainly have shewn it I am not Ignorant of most or all the Objections which the most Jealous and Subtle Spirit can here form yet after all am still more and more through the Grace bestow'd on me confirm'd in the Belief hereof Some Arguments for which both External and Internal I shall briefly hint and leave to the Censure of the Judicious and Sober Among the External Proofs for the Truth of this Matter I place first the Agreement of the Line of Time or the Prophetical Measure Which is not altogether to be despis'd notwithstanding it is so very intricate and perplex'd and that so many have hitherto fail'd in it For allowing it to be true which is not perhaps yet altogether so clear that all have yet been out in it to say thence that none can ever know it is no more than to say That because Multitudes have been mistaken in a Thing 't is not possible that any one should be in the Right Or because we have seen none that have hit the White 't is not possible that any should come near it which would be as if a Naturalist should deny the possibility of making Salt-water Fresh because many have not succeeded in the Attempt But not to lay any greater stress upon this than it will bear it will not be amiss that the Inquisitive Christian look a little into the Face of the Times and consider the present Tendencies which he can perceive towards some Grand Revolution in the Church Of this not some few as of the former but every one is capable and this likewise every one is oblig'd to that believes the Gospel of Christ who for that end gives us at large the Marks and Signs which shall forerun the Coming of the Son of Man to destroy the Wicked Worldly Jerusalem Typify'd under that Bloody City which was raz'd by the Romans under Titus Vespasianus giving at the same time to those who omit to do so the terrible Name of Hypocrites ranking 'em among those who say They are Jews but are not Another Consideration that might incline every serious Person to give a more than ordinary Attention at this time and to take the Pains to try the Spirits whether they be of God or not is that Universal Expectation in all Places of something New that is to break forth upon the Stage of this Lower World Germany is not the only Place France according to all Credible Relations is little less Tinctur'd the Severity of that Monarch and of the Governing Clergy of that Kingdom is not able to put a stop to the Growth of that Mustard-seed which is encreasing into a Tree that is to overshadow the whole Earth Neither has God left himself without a Seed in Italy and what I have found there after the most sincere and impartial search that I have been able to make is enough to satisfie me that it is design'd by God to be the Scene of some very Extraordinary Thing within a little space of time and that there will be such a glorious Manifestation of his Judgment and Mercy as never has been yet there Neither are these great Expectations accompany'd with extraordinary Motions of the Divine Spirit in several Persons only among Christians but even among the Turks and that too among the most Eminently Dignify'd and the Chief Ministers of the Port several of whom as I am inform'd by such as have nearly Convers'd with 'em and whose Integrity as well as Ability I can confide in expect only a Door to be open'd for 'em that they may profess what they are in their Hearts Convinc'd of That there is also something moving at this Day in the Spirits of the very Jews beyond what has hitherto been and in quite another manner is well known to several who have intimately Discours'd 'em upon Divine Matters and the Fulfilling of Scripture Prophesies Some in Holland Germany Italy and even here in England have been found to give some Testimony to some of the Great Things contain'd in this Letter some one way some another some by Interpretation of the Old Scriptures others by immediate Illumination of whom even those who have not understood it have appear'd to themselves to have been surrounded with a Bright Cloud and to behold the Vail drop from them But I forbear considering that many things relating to them and to the rest of the Tribes of Israel are to be kept secret till the Appointed Day For the same Reason also what relates to the Preparation and Disposition which is at this time in the Heathens themselves both in the East and West Indies and how that among these last in like manner as before the coming of the Spaniard there are Expectations and Predictions of another sort of Revolution to be in those Parts than the former one was As also for that I love not to speak of any thing that is at a distance without the Authority I have it from be sufficient to make amends for the same and to put me even beyond almost the possibility of being my self deceiv'd or of deceiving others I shall not insist on but leave this with many other things of a Particular Nature that might be said upon this Head till the Truth shall Powerfully manifest it self Another Consideration to incline us to a serious Weighing at least of the Matter of Fact contain'd in this Letter may be the several Miraculous Appearances that according to the Belief of many have lately been and yet are amongst us here in England Now tho' I would not lay a greater stress upon these than they are able to bear as being sensible that one False or Suspicious Miracle is of greater disadvantage to Reveal'd Religion than all the Real Ones of our Blessed Saviour and his Apostles are of advantage to it in the Minds of many Gentlemen who value themselves above others for what they call Thinking Freely notwithstanding this I am not afraid to assert that be they what they will they are however Alarms to Awaken us to Try the Spirits Which is all that I desire in order to the giving a Verdict upon the Life of this dear Blessed Lady as to that part of it which is here Recorded Neither is that Great Inundation of Atheism and Deism at this present a Sign slightly to be pass'd over of the Breaking forth of the Heavenly Powers For were not the Spirit of God very Active at this time in the Spirits of his Saints the Spirit of the Prince of this World would never be so busie either to Deny him barefacedly or to Oppose at least his Return to Universal Nature to restore it to its Primitive and Paradisiacal State And as there never was more Sadducism in the World than when the Son of God was first Manifested in it and did so many Miracles so is
had then some Conversations concerning the Conversion of Israel and the Kingdom of Christ For this Person happening afterward to Travel through the Town in which dwelt the Widow with her Daughters was informed by some Friends how there was in that Town a Godly Family in which a young Maiden had by particular Illumination received very much from God concerning the Future Grace and Restoration of the Tribes of Israel As the said Person writ this to us withal adding that all this Agreed with what we had been discoursing together we resolved in the Name of God to write to the said young Gentlevvoman from whom we received such an Answer as wonderfully heartned us and gave us presently to see that it must be an higher Hand that guided her's in writing XXI As therefore we knew not yet any thing of these Heavenly Testimonies or of the manner in which the Lord gave and dictated them he was pleas'd to comfort and lift us up who were wearied and tired and despised before the World for having believed and witnessed his Kingdom by a dear Kingdom Testimony which was sent us upon October the 20th of the Year MDCXC by this B. Maid which here follows I the Spirit of Love I the Truth of Jesus Christ do in the Spirit witness and declare that ye my dear Friends do stand in the Truth In which being firmly grounded be sure to hold fast the trust of my Love and I who am the Hope of Israel will bring you forth safe notwithstanding all the oppositions of the Incredulous for I am a Strong Castle wherein ye may securely dwell And the more simple ye grow so much the greater delight do I take that ye may see deeper and deeper into my Mysteries which I will reveal to those that are of a Contrite Heart and will lay open to the Simple in the Faith In this latter time I will declare my Wonders I say it who am the Lord of Faith Jesus Christ to you my beloved having Loved you from the beginning of your Life It is I who bind up what is Sore and heal what is Wounded for I am Love and whosoever remains in Love dwells in God and the Father dwells in him Dear Friends Farewel I have witnessed this in the Spirit from the abundance of the Love which I bear towards you Amen Reading then this Divine Exhortation Encouragement of which we had no manner of doubt we fell upon our Knees giving thanks for it and directing our Vows to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of Sacrificing up to him our whole Life of placing our confidence in him preferably to all Men and of declaring abroad his holy Truth Hereupon we resolved to be acquainted with such dear Friends of God and accordingly we parted hence on the Third of November and arrived there on the Sixth of the same in the Evening where we saw in them much more then we could have before believed and were immediately convinced of the Divinity of the Matter And for as much as they had not hitherto observed in the Holy Scripture that which the Lord had spoken to them as God had made it knovvn to us by his Spirit and also for as much as there vvere also some things contained in those Divine Testimonies vvhich they had received vvhich they did not as yet understand and as vve confer'd one vvith another of the Gift vvhich vve had received from God vve vvere mightily comforted together We my Wife and I for that we saw how that which we had Comprehended and found out in the Prophets and in the Apocalypse concerning future things vvas not according to our ovvn Fancy but in the Truth according to the Sense of God And they for that by our Instructions they came to knovv hovv that vvhat the Lord had given them after an Extraordinary manner had been before conceived by the Spirit of God in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles XXII We vvere then also mightily refresh'd by our dear Lord and Saviour vvho during this Intervievv vvas Graciously pleased to give us this follovving Testimony Be ye joyful be ye joyful ye vvho knovv my Name and have my Love for I will do great things for you Therefore be ye chearful Look and observe well for I am here I go in to the Work Be ye affectionate be filled with Joy and with Psalms of Praise Verily I say unto you the Hour cometh and is now come in which I judge according to Truth and Righteousness I am Christ the Lord who have Compassion over dear Sion and over Ephraim my Beloved I have brought you together with a Blessing and am in the midst of you I am the Light and the Love and I delight to abide with you I have said it unto you but who is there that can discover that which is my Intention Amen I have said it unto you Now according as the Lord who both knows all things and can make all things subservient to his Will had said it so it came to pass While by his Marvellous and holy Conduct we have now had with us this dear Family for these Nine Months past which we had not at our first Meeting any reason to hope for and have according to his Will been by wonderful steps brought to dwell together So upon the Tenth day of November we parted thence with Joy and were led home in Peace But as soon we were return'd the Slanders began afresh to be reviv'd against us but we took new strength from all the Benefits which we had received from the Lord and one day we had this Encouragement given us Peace be with you ye Blessed here am I your loving Saviour your dearest Friend and Brother whose Everlasting Love and Faithfulness cannot be bounded for my Love is flaming and my Heart is all on fire But ye do not yet conceive my Love it is so very great O be glad O cry aloud and sing O praise ye and magnifie my Name for my Right shall get the Victory and my Truth shall be made great It shall arise and spread like the break of the Morning Rejoice ye in my help ye who are driven out I run after you to bring you back to lead you home unto me I who speak it am Christ the Lord. Believe only and hold fast to me and then let not your Hearts be troubled for I will make my Name to be great and my Statutes I will cause to be received Ye are those whom I love confess ye therefore that I am the Lord from Everlasting who lye not that I should be slack to fulfil the Word of my Promise And I would that every one should be converted and live My Hand is not shortened my Faithful Mercy hath no end and my Love grows not cold O Sing with a joyful Melody for my Hour is come and the Day of the Bridegroom is at hand Love ye one another and live happily To your upright Friends in the Truth
Will that Men should believe righteously of me even as I have revealed my self in the Scriptures when not drawn aside with one's own Reason but opened with and by the Holy Ghost who is promised to and resteth upon all those that are upright in my sight As for those who Fight against my Truth with pretence of knowing better and trust to the darkness of their own imaginary Reason they go down into darkness be they of whatsoever Religion they will But as many as love me and seek seriously to be sanctified by me not being content to believe outwardly which is without Foundation or to sit still with outward Worships but searching after me in the Ground of their Hearts in Spirit and Truth they find Grace before me and with me in all Generations and in all Religions If so that they do not wittingly and after that they are once convinced deny me the Everlasting Son of the Father For all must go to the Father by me and all must be purified in me for out of me there is nothing of Purity The Ignorant let no Man presume to condemn for who is there to Judge them but I And my Judgment is Righteous and for this cause they are not judged to Everlasting Misery Otherwise my Judgment would not be Righteous Here is the depth of my Secrets All must praise me and be subdued to my Truth and be hallowed and washed thro' me All must be put under me and thro' me be made Righteous in the true acknowledgment that I am the Lord. But how this shall be done and how it shall be accomplished in the very Heathens ye are not yet able to comprehend and therefore I do not explain it to you This is my word and the Testimony of Truth For I the Lord even the Lord JEHOVAH have spoken it who can do beyond all comparison more than ye are able to comprehend Watch for I come XXXIII After some days there came to this B. Maid a Principal Officer who deliver'd to her a Seal'd Letter which he said came from a Person of Quality The Name of whom he told her which afterwards was found to be a meer Falshood and pray'd her to propose the same as from the said Person to the Lord. The Answer was this I the Lord of Hosts who come upon a Cherub who destroy all Falshood and root out all Deceitfulness even I it is who speak here Who is it that persecuteth me And who is it that is not discovered before me I say unto thee Repent Awake for it is high time and I am coming to thee yea I come speedily For my Love and Mercy is great And to such as have a clean Heart free from all filthiness and dead Works I am gracious and hear their Cry Sighs and Moans And Lo this is my Will and the Testimony which I give to every one that whosoever shall lay hold on me with a pure Heart and with a strong Faith the same shall attain to all that remaineth and shall even in all things be able to find it Yea Amen I the LORD even the LORD who speak with my Voice as the Voice of Thunder have witnessed this and spoken this And there is none that can withstand me For I am risen up and do many Signs and Wonders And blessed is that Person who loveth me and keepeth my Commandments for at the end it shall go well with him See that thou mistake me not so as to do any thing that may mislead thee Follow that which is right before me according as I do in thy Conscience witness to thee in the Truth and be godlily-minded and so shalt thou with me be well led and shalt dwell with me in the Light and not be cast out into the Darkness This is enough for thee and I say no more A little while after the aforesaid Officer sent a Letter Seal'd in his own Name which the Blessed Maid receiv'd thinking that he had enquir'd something of the Lord from a remorse of Conscience And this I thought too for as much as he had frequently said to me that he wish'd to discourse with me about God and in what manner one might advance in Piety And hence I could not but conclude that the Lord would give him a gracious Answer But we were struck with a mighty Astonishment when we read the Lord's fierce Answer Which behold I the LORD have in abhorrence the Blood-guilty and the False And he that is Wicked shall not stand before me Therefore take away the Evil from before mine Eyes that this my Word may not become to thee a Terrible Judgment in the Day of my Wrath For I am a consuming Fire The Elect Virgin made a difficulty of sending him presently this dreadful Testimony Whereupon she sent him back his Letter Sealed without having open'd it and wrote to him at the same time that she had receiv'd a very harsh Answer which startled her the which if he desir'd to see he might send for which he did the next day After some few days he came to Visit us and speaking about the matter of the Letter he told us what had been in it which was such a Question as at which he might for ever blush But he confess'd that he had not well done in it However he endeavour'd to excuse himself with this that in the first Letter among other Religions Questions he had demanded something concerning the Word Sacrament which having not been exactly answer'd to he did not think it was the Lord who spake by her And this he said was the Reason why he had put such sort of Questions into the Second Letter which notwithstanding he wish'd he had never done He also confess'd that the First Letter was written by himself and not by a Person of Quality as he had before pretended As we then read over again the First Answer we saw clearly that it agreed exactly to him containing an express mention of Deceit and Falshood as also that one ought not to resist the Lord to whom all things are discover'd and from whom nothing is hid Lastly That he should take care not to be mistaken so to mislead himself nor to do any thing which might not succeed well with him or lead him into Evil. So that in the First the Lord would answer him not to his Questions but to his Heart And in the Last he hath given him very sharp menacing words that so he might not persist to kick against the prickles God grant that these Testimonies may pierce into his Heart that he may be Converted and do true Repentance XXXIV Upon this Encounter the B. Maid became somewhat more reserv'd and resolv'd not to receive for the future any Letter that should be Seal'd from any Person whatsoever since she must do it in doubt and could not know whether it be writ from an Heart that is upright and humbled before God or not She therefore neither would nor could after this unpleasant
Experience propose to the Lord the Treachery and Abomination of any one else And concluded not to propose to Him any thing but what should proceed from an humble Heart wanting to be satisfied And in this Resolution she hath been Confirm'd by the Lord himself who spake to her in this manner I am Holy therefore let every one that cometh to Ask of me examine himself well whether he be likewise of a clean Heart And if not let him not think that I should visit him in my Word to Answer him For this end hold thou to Me for I will not that thy Righteous Soul should be importuned by the impure Wretches of this World Go out from their Abominations and receive not any thing at all from them For I am the LORD Nay even those who love Me if they come not to me in a Child-like and Humble Heart they shall not be heard by me Let every one that dareth to lift up his Eyes toward me come himself to me with his Heart and not by Letter and I will answer him willingly and will not shut him out I go before in Love For hitherto have I spoken in patience but they would make an ill use of it and would make thee to sin without thy knowledge Break then the Cords and suffer not thy self to be bound and take nothing from them but only from such as are true-hearted and humble Such will I hear when they complain and will answer when they enquire not out of Curiosity Now although the Lord will not Answer such Curious Enquirers and She Sanctify'd and Purify'd in the Blood of Christ will not admit of such like Questions yet nevertheless He was the very same day so Good as to give us that which follows Courage My SION thou dear Shulamite shalt now go suddenly forth out of Babylon I will give to thee the Wings of Righteousness that thou mayest fly away from the Abomination of Babel Thou shalt have no Communion with her that so thou mayest not be polluted For I will have thee to be clean and without Spot I will cloath thee with the Saphir and will Crown thee with Righteousness For thou hast been rudely treated and thy Wounds have been very bad but now it is all over For the Vine beginneth to put forth its Branches and I take pleasure in my Bride for she is become lovely in my Eyes Therefore will I deck her with Light and Glory without measure and she shall find that I deal kindly with her Let then the Babylonian Wicked insult over you with all their might Be ye not dismayed hereat I am your Buckler your Defence and your Armour and with Justice I cover you as with a Garment I the LORD am arming my self to fight for you with a Mighty Arm For now is the time that Light and Darkness must be separated from each other that so SION may dwell before Me. And verily the Cherubs with Thrones and Principalities are in Array to Fight for Sion against Babel But take this in a right Sense The Battel is for the sake of Sion's Spirit that her Cause may be strengthn'd and made certain and that there may be a Separation from the Works of Babel For this end it is time that ye watch and stand upon your Guards Night and Day For I come and do sound all the Depths And therefore I witness thus and will witness in all Languages and Tongues and will pour out my Spirit largely and adorn my Bride as to the Marriage-feast yea as to the Triumph She shall cry aloud for Joy and magnifie my Name aforehand When all this shall be transacted before in the Spirit then shall the Decree or Curse come forth against Babel And Sion shall then be as an Armed Man and I as a Roaring Lion against Babel and all her Abominations And then shall the Jdugment be revealed and come forth Wo to you ye Earthly-minded Men when I come Of whom is that saying true That I shall not find Faith upon the Earth But Blessed are the Simple and the Children for unto such doth the Kingdom belong Therefore be still rest in humility and fear not for I am before you Again I say Blessed are the little Children for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Yea yea Amen! say I the Lord of Lords the God and Saviour in the Spirit of these Children Wherefore study that you may become like to them and so shall ye be made all Light Rejoice ye for the Victory is to Sion XXXV Before I consider the Questions I shall from some Passages of holy Scripture succinctly prove that God never declar'd it to be his Will that there should be no more Apparitions or Revelations after our Saviours Ascension but that on the contrary he hath given express Promises in his Word that before the Dreadful Day of the Lord he will send forth his Scribes Learned in the Kingdom of Heaven his Wisemen and Prophets for a Warning to the World and for an Encouragement to his Faithful Servants Neither have we any room for Doubt as to the Divinity of these Visions and Revelations if once it appear that the Lord according to his holy Purpose and Will doth really and according to the Rules laid down by Mr. Fabricius Superintendent-General of Pomerania in his Discourse * De Probatione Visionum of the Trial of Visions give to his Children in all Ages of the Church such Manifestations as these Of which the said Author has Collected together a great number of Examples from Approv'd Fathers Doctors and other Writers XXXVI That God therefore will for that he may if he will I suppose there is no Divine will deny grant such like Apparitions and extraordinary Revelations I prove first from the Prophet Joel Chap. 2. of which take this brief Account Now that the Contents of this Chapter have never yet been Accomplish'd since the time of Joel will be put out of all Dispute The time in which he Prophesied is not express'd but however certain it is that it was before the Captivity of Babylon Let us then see whether the Prophesie contain'd in this Chapter can have had its fulfulling either in the Calamity which the City of Jerusalem and the People of the Jews suffer'd by Nebuchadnezzar or in that other brought upon them by Titus Vespasian Now it is certain by these Verses viz. 1 7 9 and 11. that when this Chapter must have its Accomplishment then Mount Sion must be in a good Estate and the City of Jerusalem with its Temple be standing Moreover in ver 2. a Day which is call'd the Day of the Lord is describ'd as a Day of Darkness and of Gloominess of Clouds and of thick Darkness And this shall herein consist that a mighty and strong People of whom there has not been ever the like neither shall be any more to all Eternity shall come upon Jerusalem as the Morning spread upon the Mountains Now that this cannot be said
an appearance of Godliness as if it were possible the very Elect would be deceived by them For they have Tokens of Perfection making to themselves a Glory of true Humility notwithstanding which there is nothing in them but Deceit and Abomination As I live I will destroy them for they Prophesie by their own Spirit with which the Starry Spirit is intermixed and bring forth many Wise Sayings and say I am he I am he believe me for here is Immanuel Christ is in me he speaks by me But all this is meer deceit they are Lies and Fallen Spirits Yet be not afraid ye Lambs who hear my Voice for ye shall be preserved against the Hour of Temptation for to Babes is the Mystery discovered and that which is Foolish and that which is Simple before the World is that which I have prepared for my self And the Simple tread securely and that which is Nothing I have chosen and unto little Children is given the Heavenly Wisdom to the end they may put to shame that which is lifted up in the Carnal Sense and that which is little may put that which is exalted underneath it Be not then afraid ye Lambs for unto you is given the true Wisdom to the end ye may be certain and able to discern for ye have the pure Ointment and the Spirit of Truth whereby ye may know all the secret Pleasures and become certain Take heed for the False Spirit is now in all States though not so powerfully as he shall be Judge now my Fathers and Brethren beloved in Christ a true Judgment in the Eyes of God I earnestly beseech you for the Universal Love of the Truth and to the Publick Confession of the Holy Wonders of God to send me as soon as may be your Theological Answer May the Lord JESUS to whom this Matter appertains be powerful with his Spirit in your Spirit May he defend you with his Mighty Arm against all the Gainsayers of his Holy Truth and Crown you in the Day of the Resurrection of the Righteous with Everlasting Glory Amen I remain Your c. Most Obliged to Love and Prayer J. W. P. The Postscript IT having pleas'd our Good God and Saviour by several Testimonies of the same kind and Revelations given to Persons in many Places and of all Sorts and Ranks as Rich and Poor Noble and Plebeian Learned and Unlearned Men and Women Young and Old hidden from the World but known to God to confirm what he has Reveal'd by his Spirit in this Blessed Lady I beseech you Country-men and Brethren from the Deep Centre of Love to hearken to this one Sealing Testimony which some few Years since flow'd from the Vnity of the same Spirit to One in This Nation I heard a Voice saying Great silence in Heaven for half an Hour Then there was a great Gathering together of many Saints and Angels before the Throne and they seem'd in great Consultation And He that sate on the Throne appear'd in great Glory with a glorious Crown on his Head Then I heard a Voice saying Arise my Servant that art to go forth with the Everlasting Gospel for I am coming forth with Ten Thousands of my Saints to Judge the Earth Pray and cry aloud that Judgment may not break out in the House of the Lord Say Spare thy People O Lord and deliver thy Heritage and let them not be consumed with the Wicked Mourn O my People betwixt the Porch and the Altar so may ye prevent the Judgment that is coming forth Behold I will put a Key into the Hand of my Servant that is to go forth with the Everlasting Gospel which will unlock the Heavens and bring down a Blessing upon my People Sing O ye Heavens and rejoice O ye Saints that live upon the Earth For I will deliver you from the Adversaries by the mighty Hand of my Power Fast and Pray and your Cries shall be heard and your Tears shall be shut up into my Bottle for a Memorial before me And such as rise up against you shall fall before you And I saw a Rainbow about the Throne and the Voice said This shall be a Covenant betwixt me and my People Then I heard a great Voice saying I will come forth with Power and will scatter such as rise up against the Everlasting Gospel Arise arise my Servant and put on my Strength and come forth For I am coming to do great things upon the Earth Howl ye Wicked for I will pour out my Spirit on my Servants and on my Handmaids and they shall Prophesie and their Prophesies shall come to pass Prepare your Hearts O ye Saints to meet your God and I will fill your Hearts full of Joy and Rejoicing For it is given to you to sing the Song of Praises and Thansgivings Then shall the Daughters of Sion be fill'd with Praises and Songs of Deliverance For behold the King cometh with Triumph and Victory and the Voice of the LORD shall be heard through the Earth Then I beheld Four Cherubims clapping their Hands together and crying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbaoth Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory Then I beheld a Glorious Throne in the midst of Mount Sion and Twenty Four Elders round about the Throne and they threw down their Crowns saying Amen Amen so be it FINIS