How they are to be Admitted into the Military Roll that this is already open'd in Heaven the Time Place and Persons for the Rendezvous an Observation upon the Continuance and Success of this War all the Soldiers enter into present Pay all that Conquer are to win a Crown how they are dispos'd of that Dye in Battel before their Warfare is accomplish'd the Resurrection of the Spirit of Deborah and Prophecying in the Army the Discovery of Paradise for the Recovery of which the War is undertaken the Heavenly Auxiliaries the Assurance of Victory the Interest of all Parties to join thomselves with this Army a Description of the Auxiliaries riding on White Mules with Censersin their Hands and the effect of their Appearance being the first Pitched Battel After this follows another Alarm to Battel a Prospect and Promise of greater Conquests the Discovery of the New Jerusalem and repeated Encouragements to Fight for it a Letter from the King of this City to the Army the Counter-plotting of the Enemy the Communication of the Two Jerusalems the Allegory of Esther and Mordecai and the wonderful success of the Children of Wisdom how they are assisted by the Four and Twenty Throne-Elders a Gracious Encouragement to Perseverance how they are visited by an Heavenly Host and from then receive Anointed Shields the Three Watches and the great Power that is given in the Third some particular Instructions to the Soldiers and Watchmen the Miraculous manner of the Increase of this Holy Army the Spies to this Army the Seven Spirits of the Lamb his Mark and Seal the Proclamation of the Jubilee the Watch-word Counsels and Cautions to them that would obtain the Benefit of it the Magical Rod of Moses needful to the great approaching Deliverance of the Captives the due Preparation of the Captives in order to partake of the Promised Jubilee the Blessing upon them a Threefold Appeal concerning the Premises to Vnbelievers to Half-Believers and to Believers In the other Treatise are to be observ'd the many and wonderful Rewards of the Conquerors the Mighty Powers of Faith the Blessed Fruits of Love the Magnificent Conversation of distant Spirits the Angelical Generation and Multiplication the Manner and Progress of the Replanting Paradise the Separation from the Earth the Divine Cup which is the Spring of Vnderstanding the Fountain of Wisdom and the Light of Knowledge the Communication of the Priestly Prophetical and Royal Spirit with an Account of the Court of the Prince of Peace and some Observations on his Ministers All is Calculated with a special regard to the New Century now upon its entring And indeed all the Writings of this Author do point at some great Reformation of the Church as very near at the Door but carried on by an Invisible Power and not by the Wisdom or Arm of Flesh And the substance of them all as well as of these two may be reduced to the following plain Propositions viz. 1. That God is no Regarder of persons but that whosoever truly fears him and seeks to do his Will in any Tribe Profession or Religion is accepted by him and that out of all the Tribes Professions and Religions that are at this Day over the whole World he will gather to himself an Holy and Peculiar People to be as the first Fruits of the Kingdom of his SON 2. That the Promise of the Father concerning the Gift of the Holy Spirit was never determin'd to Place or Time But that it was extended Univerfally to as many as should Believe throughout all the Ages of the Church 3. That this Spirit Blows where it lists and is not controlable by the Wisdom or Power of Man 4. That Regeneration in Man is the Work of the Spirit and that Man ought only to cease from the Activity of his own Will therein and to seek to become wholly Passive to the Divine Operation 5. That in the process of Regeneration there is a Conformity to the Blessed JESUS as to the great Exemplar and that the several Degrees hereof are as so many Steps to the Kingdom of GOD. 6. That this Kingdom consists in perfect Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and in the Renovation of the whole Man Spirit Soul and Body 7. That this Kingdom shall comprehend the utmost Ends of the Earth by Virtue of an Everlasting Decree and that Christ as he is the second Adam is the Head and Representative of the whole Humane Nature 8. That not only the Justice but also the Mercy of GOD is over all his Works and that as the one is not confin'd to this short Life so also not the other but that they may both endure for Ever 9. That CHRIST as he is Heir of all Things will lose nothing that is his Right or that the Father hath given him And that therefore of his Kingdom there shall be no End but all Creatures whether in Heaven or in Earth or under the Earth shall be made to submit themselves to him and to bow the Knee 10. That the Times of Restitution are Now about beginning and that there is a Voice at present in the Wilderness Crying That the Kingdom of Heaven upon Earth is at hand And moreover it is to be remark'd in order to a right understanding both of These and of all such Books that they do generally turn upon these Suppositions 1. That beside the Literal Sense of the Scriptures there is frequently a Mystical one also 2. That it is not enough to Believe the Death or Resurrection of Christ without bearing the Marks of them in our selves And 3. That the Operations of the Divine Spirit and the Openings of the Kingdom of Christ are successive and gradual Which being well understood there will be no great difficulty found in the Reading of these or any other Treatises of the same Author This was thought necessary to premise for Caution to the Readers that so they may Apply what they Read to some of those General Propositions or Interpret her by one or other of these Principles and be careful not to wrest the same to their own Condemnation For as it is very dangerous to be impos'd upon in matters of this nature so is it no less dangerous to impose on our selves by perverting any thing from and against the original Design and more dangerous to judge Definitively in a Case that doth not properly fall under our Judicature and Cognisance lest haply we may be found Fighters against the Spirit of God when we think it not All that is here presented is virtually an Appeal to the Soveraign Judge to whom it belongs to Authorize or Condemn that which is sent forth as in his Name And he will not suffer Judgment to be wrested out of his Hands For the Work of every Person shall shortly be made manifest And the Day is at hand which shall declare it by the Revelation of Fire wherein the Children of the Kingdom shall be Purified in the first place And tho'
Obserservations and from Year to Year did make her Calculations from the same at the beginning of every New Year so long as she had her Eye-sight has been almost continually exercis'd under great Temptations and Oppositions and been Fighting the Good Fight of Faith from her youth upwards has been above Threescore Years call'd by GOD after a manner more than ordinary and to her self exceeding Strange as well as to others unto a Life which the World knows not and cannot Judge of and has been above half the time under the more immediate and constant Visitations of the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation as what hath been already Publish'd doth Testifie And 't is to be observ'd that though she was Baptized and Educated in the Church of England in which all the Extraordinary Stirrings of the Divine Spirit are too generally Slighted and by some Blasphemed it pleased the Wisdom of GOD more Illustriously to break forth in the manner of her Conversion in the Sixteenth Year of her Age and so to give an Evidence that the Voice of the Eternal Woâ—d of God speaking to Souls in a distinct and sensible manner is Real and Substantial not Imaginary being to be distinguished by such who can't be suppos'd to have had any pre-conceived Notions about it but must have the Prejudices of Education directly against it and all External Motives not to attend to it The Sober and Moral Conversation in which she was Nurtur'd was not sufficient to give her any Rest when this Voice first spake to her which was very suddenly and surprizingly For it was in a time of great Festivity at the Celebration of the Nativity of CHRIST according to custom with Musick and Dancing in the House of her Father where was a Concourse for that end of the Gentry when of a sudden grievious Sorrow was darted as Fire into her Bowels and she was made to consider that this was not the way to be Comform'd to CHRIST or to remember his Birth aright And a soft Whisper gently entred into her saying Cease from this I have another Dance to lead thee in for this is Vanity Vpon which she was as constrain'd to give over abruptly her Dancing and so presently withdrew her self from the Company retiring to consider of this Immediate Call Which the Divine Spirit pursued so very hard as after this she had no liberty to Converse as formerly in the Family or to mind any concern of it but was so wholly taken up in the consideration of her Interiour State and of the One Thing necessary as to desert all things besides Yet though her Relations and Acquaintance took great notice and marvelled much at what had happen'd she diligently conceal'd the true Cause from them all excepting only a Chaplain in the House who having some time afterward surpriz'd her reading in his Study inquired into the matter bad her be of good Courage and believe that God had some great Good to bring about by all this Conflict of Soul she was in Which was so terrible indeed as nothing was able to give her any Satisfaction or Rest or to ease her Wounded Spirit that was struck through and through for having once persisted in a falsehood about a Triffle The Sense of which continued upon her for the space of Three Years with very great Anguish and Trouble these Words being frequently brought before her Whoever loveth and maketh a Lye cannot enter into the New Jerusalem The Dreadfulness and Horrour of Sin carried her down to the Gates of Hell and every little Circumstance of its Evil was continually presented to her Mind with all the possible Agnravations thereof And if this were but her beginning what may we expect of her latter End And if in the first Conversion only of a Soul to GOD so great a Dread there be for having offended against the Truth in but a Trivial matter how great of necessity must it be in the Progress of that Soul if it should fall again so strangely to offend against the Truth more Highly more Solemnly and in matters of the very greatest Importance Surely this is no flight Presumption for the Vadility of a Testimony which is given afterward in the most Sacred Form and persisted in with the greatest constancy and chearfulness notwithstanding all kind of Oppositions from the World and the Devil as well as the Flesh Now it was in the Nineteenth Year of her Age when the Light of the Divine Countenance which had been hither to hid begun to shine upon her and to bring her Soul out of this State of Obscurity and Darkness and out of the Pains of Hell that had taken hold upon her feeling the Arrows of the Wrath of the Almighty And she was Comforted with the sweet Message of the Free and Superabounding Love and Grace of the most Tender and Merciful Father and was so richly favoured by her dear and blessed Mediator as to receive at that time the Seal of her Absolution and Assurance in a manner very special there being presented to her in a Vision the form of a Pardon with a Seal to it signifying that her Transgressions were blotted out and that she was Sealed by the Spirit for the Promise of the Father as a Witness whereof a mighty Gust and Power of Prayer was then given to her And ever since she has been a trained Soldier under the Discipline of the Blessed JESVS and the leadings of his Spirit which is a Spirit trying the Reins and the Marrow and that will not abide but with simplicity of Heart and Truth in the inward Parts Let this suffice for the Credibility of the Evidence for the present at least Now as for the Subject Matter both of the one and the other Treatise it is a Divine Call to prepare and fit our selves against the greatest Revolution to come upon the World that ever has been with Directions how we ought to behave our selves in this wonderful Crisis and what shall be the Success if we abide Faithful and Stedfast The stile and manner in which they are written is not suitable to the Genius of this Polite Age and especially of this Nation It is Parabolical and Emblematical full of Figurative Speeches and Abrupt Transitions and so utterly strange to the Mordern Reformation of Language from the Stage as it is not to be wondred at that it pleases so few but withal such as it is the Power of God is the more manifested through it and it wants not also a Beauty and Strength which is peculiar to it and which would be very hard if possible to imitate In the first Treatise there are these Things Remarkable viz the General of the Army appearing upon a White Horse in a Triumphant Manner the Trials Excuses Expostulations and Discipline of the Person to whom he so appears the Parable of the Mill which is to supply the Army the Decree of the Heavenly Council and Proclamation of War the Alarm for the Gathering of a Priestly Host
THE Wars of David AND THE PEACEABLE Reign of Solomon Symbolizing the TIMES Of Warfare and Refreshment of the Saints of the Most High GOD To whom a Priestly Kingdom is shortly to be given after the Order of MELCHISEDECK Set forth in Two Treatises Written by J. LEAD and according to Divine Ordination Publish'd in this present Year of JUBILEE For the Service of all the Children of the Captivity now Watching and Praying in many Countries for the Great Jubilee of the LORD to begin and follow upon This very Speedily CONTAINING I. An Alarm to the Holy Warriours to Fight the Battels of the LAMB II. The Glory of Sharon in the Renovation of Nature introducing the Kingdom of Christ in his Sealed Virgins Redeemed from the Earth Dan. vii 28. Hitherto is the End of the Matter LONDON Printed by J. Bradford in Little Britain 1700. The PREFACE Of the Publisher THE Treatment which the former Books of this Author for the space now of about Twenty Years since they began here to Appear have met with from her own Native Country is such as might be enough indeed to discourage any New Attempt of this Nature and might have prevented the sending abroad in these Kingdoms the two following Divine and Mystical Treatises so that they were like to have been the Portion only of those Foreign Nations that desire them not a little and know how to value them had there not been the Intervention of the Hand of Providence in a manner very Extraordinary to command them forth at this Time with a special Excitement of the Holy Spirit to blow the Trumpet yet louder and louder and to try this Adulterous Nation once more whether they will hear or whether they will refuse Whatever Sinister Suspicions we may before have of any one when they lie upon their Death-Bed we are willing to hear what they have to say for or against themselves The Wills not only of the Good but even of Flagitions Livers are regarded and thought to have somewhat Sacred And the Dying Speeches of the Worst of Criminals such as have utterly Shipwreck'd their Credit are not altogether slighted but are looked into and search'd after How much more then ought we to look into and search after and have an esteem for the Dying Declarations and especially if they be more than ordinary of Persons that have been any whit Singular and Eminent in their Lives by having made a good Profession before God and Man against the general Stream and Torrent of the World But if moreover the Finger of GOD shall shew it self to give an Honour to what is by them Declared will it not still be the more reasonable for us to make a Sober and Impartial Inquiry into the Subject of it Now upon these Considerations What is here presented to the Publick may justly claim a serious Scrutiny and a fair Examination from all manner of Persons who cannot but have their Interest herein if what is said be true and if it be false to detect it For though the Author Blessed be God be yet living being now Aged Seventy Seven Years this will not in the least derogate from the Authority of what is here Delivered from her Mouth and Written down with all Faithfulness as if the same were not to have the value of a Dying Declaration to all intents and purposes Nay it ought to be greater for as much as it has pleased the Mighty Conquerer over Death whose Name is called THE WORD OF GOD to exert his Power upon this occasion in restoring and reviving That which drew near to Corruption and in bringing up from the Gates of the Grave that it might be for a Memorial of his Glory and Praise and for an Encouragement to many unto whom this shall come that they may Believe and be Obedient to the Call that is now sounding in many yea Most parts of Europe and is not heard only in a Corner Now whereas there are several Things in the Journals and in Other Writings of this Author before Published that have given Offence to some Persons of Sincere Intentions and Lovers of the Truth yet not set quite free from the Traditions of Men She was pleased to Declare to them that were about her in the time of her Sickness and in the greatest Extremity of it that though she knew her self to be an unworthy Instrument taken up by GOD out of his free and abounding Grace yet she had endeavour'd to her utmost to be faithful to the Gift committed to her and to discharge her Trust in delivering what she had received which she did not doubt but he would Vindicate and go on to Bless as he had begun to Bless already in several Nations And that she was certainly assured by the Testimony of JESVS her Lord that the Work which was in this Kingdom begun howsoever contemptible it did generally appear should never be stop'd but should prevail against all manner of Oppositions till his Holy and Peaceable Reign should be Here fully Established according to all what she had had a Prospect of in the Spirit and what had been set forth for a publick Good if not in this yet in the approaching Age. Many sweet Admonitions at the same Time and Encouragements to Perseverance without shewing the least Hesitation or Doubt all the while came from her with much Power And she expressed the greatest Satisfaction to put off her Vile Tabernacle and to be with the Lord desiring to be dissolved for this End and so to go to her Predecessors in the Faith unless he had some further Work to â—ill and command her In consideration of which there can be no Legitimate Prejudice against the Sincerity of the Witness or the Validity of the Testimony laid down in the following Papers And all the Esteem that is usually pay'd to the most Solemn and ev'n Dying Words of Persons of the strictest Probity is due to these The Books of this Writer are for the most part to be simply look'd on as Narrations and the value of them doth not depend upon any other Qualifications but upon the Credibility of the Relator Now greater Proofs cannot be given of the Integrity of a Person than what is here to be found there being so little Artifice us'd to Put upon the World as all her Methods have been most strangely contrary to those of the World of which numerous Instances of her Life might be given Neither as to the Ability or Capacity of any Person in order to be a Witness in such Cases are there more favourable Presumptions to be found She has had a long Experience has seen the Miscarriages of many has liv'd in much Watchfulness and Prayer Day and Night all the Years of her Widdow-hood since the Year 1671 has had a longer Course of Observations than would be enough to make one Excellent in the most dâ—fficult and crabbed Sciences where there is but a Disposition in Nature has kept as it were a Calendar of these
Success may thence be expected and they will have no reason to complain of their Labour being lost Therefore seek to learn this Holy Exercise here Describ'd then Read So shall ye Understand and so shall ye Profit Otherwise there is nothing but may be converted into Venom Even the very Love of God it self is at this Day become a Stumbling Block to many as is well known And if it be Pure from all Self-Interest not seeking its Own but Gods this alone we find is enough to raise the Jealousie of the highest Ecclesiastical Princes and Courts Whence as if there were danger of Loving God too much or of seeking his Glory two Generously the Passions of Men have been carried on against it to that Exorbitant Height though still under the fairest Pretexts as even to Decry it for turning Christianity upside down as well as the World Such is the blindness of Humane Nature even in Good Men as coming without that Preparation of Holy Silence which is requisite and without the Practise of that Exercise here recommended we run into the grossest mistakes of Things and Persons that are Spiritual But if any one shall faithfully practise this Holy Exercise and attend to the Presence of God in his Soul he shall be sure to hear and understand that Heavenly Call and Angelical Summons that is now beginning to go forth over the whole Earth by Witnesses raised up in all Parts to Proclaim the Entrance of the Kingdom of Christ in the Restitution of the Evangelical Spirit and in the Renovation of Nature And Thrice Blessed is he that shall be Obedient to this Call For he shall have a Name Written upon the Foundations of the New Jerusalem and shall be made a Pillar in that Temple which descends from Heaven Fountain of Gardens Vol. III. Part I. p. 151. These are those that shall Fight the Battels of the LAMB and bring him to Reign on and over the Earth So that all Kingdoms and Nations may serve him as appearing in his Saints Isa 59.17 19 20. He put on Righteousness as a Breast-plate and an Helmet of Salvation upon his Head and he put on the Garments of Vengeance for Cloathing and was clad with Zeal as a Cloak When the Enemy shall come in like a Flood the SPIRIT of the LORD shall lift up a Standard against him And the Redeemer shall come to Zion Eph. 6.12 13 14. We wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World against Spiritual Wickednesses in high Places wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the Evil Day having done all to stand Stand therefore having your Loins girt about with Truth The CONTENTS of the First Treatise § I. to V. A Signal Deliverance from the Angel of Death being the Preparation and Occasion for the ensuing Divine Manifestation and Alarm with what thereupon did follow both for the Exercise and Encouragement of the Author's Faith V. The ALARM VI. The Manner of the Listing and Calling forth the Soldiers VII The Time of this Call VIII The Persons made choice of IX The Kingdoms of David and Solomon Typical X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI Motives for entring upon the Holy War XVII The First Engagement of the Holy Army Part. II. XVIII XIX The General 's Speech and his Instructions to the Soldiers XX XXI XXII XXIII The Alliance and Joining of the two Armies Superiour and Inferiour XXIV A Description of the Descent of the Heavenly Watchers XXV The Third Watch set XXVI Rules prescribed to the Watchers of the Inferiour Army XXVII to XXXIV Motives and Encouragements propos'd to them XXXIV An Universal Call to every one under Heaven to prepare themselves for the Kingdom of Christ which is at hand The Three Orders of them that are call'd XXXV XXXVI The Seven Spirits and Seven Rewards confer'd on those of the Third Order The Conclusion Of the Second Treatise I. II. THE Manifestation of the Rose of Sharon III. The Multiplication of this Rose Or the Garden of Sharon IV. The Threefold Circle and Fence about this Garden described V. The Approach of this Beautiful and Blessed State VI. The Manner and Means of its Introduction VII The Paucity of its Number in which it will begin VIII IX The Interpretation of the Twelve Leaves of this Rose X. The present Budding of this New Plantation XI The Glory and Excellency of Christ's Kingdom hence arising XII An Order to some Elect Persons to Build the Walls of this Glorious Garden with its Palace XIII A Description of the Twelve Foundations thereof XIV The Qualifications of the Builders XV. The Manner of their Incorporation XVI The Wonderful way of Communion betwixt all the Members of this Royal Corporation XVII Their Assemblies and Colledges by a Personal gathering of the dispersed Members XVIII Their manner of Life here and their Redemption from the Earth XIX The Disciplehood of Abraham Planted in this New Plantation XX. The Renovation of the Paradisical Life And the Hidden Fraternity of the Rose of Sharon XXI The Admission of the Inhabitants to the Kings Presence and Favour XXII The Separation required in all to obtain this High Honour XXIII A needful Caution to all the Candidates that would be admitted into this New Sharon XXIV A General Invitation to all Persons to accept and press after the same Part. II. XXV The Manifestation of Wisdoms Cup. XXVI A Particular Invitation to all the Inhabitants of this New Plantation to drink of it XXVII An Interpretation of the Three several sorts of Wine drunk out of it And first of that which appertains to the Priestly Spirit XXVIII Of that which is appropriated to the Prophetical Spirit XXIX Of that which confers the Royal Spirit XXX The New Sharon further Described it s Seven Pools and the Royal Honours and Prerogatives therein to be enjoyed XXXI The Ministers of State that attend the Prince their singular Wisdom and great Power XXXII Their Commission to Proclaim the Time of the Lily XXXIII The Union of the Lily and the Rose and their Royal Generation thence produced XXXIV The Variety in Unity and Unity in Variety within this Blessed Plantation XXXV XXXVI XXXVII The Conclusion being an Address to all sorts of Persons The PRIZE p. 19. A Considerable Relation sent the Author p. 22.