A fountain of gardens watered by the rivers of divine pleasure, and springing up in all the variety of spiritual plants; blown up the pure breath into a paradise, sending forth their sweet savours, and strong odours, for soul-refreshing. By Jane Lead.

In the Month of August.

THe Mind of Wisdom thus opened it self in me, as I waited in my Spirit upon her, she did shew me what Key would open the Great Mystery, which lay deeply hid in my self. It was wrought and carved out of such pure Gold, as had passed through many Fires; many Keys I had tryed, but could not turn in this secret enclosed Lock, but still it shut upon me, though I thought I had that Key which was compounded of such Metals, as would have made its entrance, as Love, Faith, Patience, Hu∣mility, which with strong Supplication and Prayer, I presented, as the Key o•…•… the work. All which was too short t•…•… reach it. Whereupon I was put to loss altogether to seek how this Gat•…•… should be opened, having compasse•…•… the Holy City, and waited and trye every way, where I might find Passage Circling from one Path to another, fro•…•…

Prayer to Prayer, and from Faith to Faith; so that in good earnest I began to consider I had not found this won∣derful Key, for want of which I might run out in wast all my days, and grope as in the dark, yet never find the Door which opens into my true Shepherd's Fold. Whereupon being cast into a deep astonishing silence and stillness, the Word of Wisdom thus opened it self unto me; Oh thou deep searching Spirit, marvel not thou hast been so long frustrated, for as to thy present state and dispensation, thou couldst never reach me to all Eter∣nity, for my Birth in thee lies deeper then thy present Gift of Faith and Pray∣er can open; thou hast with many others been in a great mistake. But in as much as thou •…•…wnest and bewailest thy unskilfulness, I will make known to thee what Key will turn this great Wheel of my Wisdom, so as it may move, and manifest it self in thee, through all thy Properties, if thou canst bid up to the Price of it. For understand that it is compounded of all pure Gold, subsisting in a burning Furnace of many Fires: And although this wonderful Key is of Wisdom's carving out, and her free gift,

yet, Oh thou seeking Spirit, she will cost thee very dear, if ever thou obtainest her. Yet she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her, and will shew her self within the Walls of the Mind, and meet them in every thought that waits for her Laws and Counsel, and brings a Kingdom which will be well worth thy selling all for. But the great thing, saith Wisdom, now is to discipline and make thy Spirit a cunning Artist, to give it Knowledge of what Matter in Num∣ber, Weight and Measure this pure Key is made up of, which is all pure Deity in the Number THREE; which is weigh∣ty indeed, being one exceeding weight Glory, sitting in the Circle of the Hea∣vens within Man's Heart, measuring with the Line of his Power, the Temple and inward Court, with the Worship∣pers therein. This is VVisdom's Key, which will make our Hands drop with sweet smelling Myrrh upon the Handle of her Lock. Which while I was open∣ing her Privy-Door, with this Key, my Soul failed within me, and I retained no strength, my Sun of Reason, and the Moon of my outward Sense were folded up, and withdrew. I knew nothing by

my self, as to those working Proper∣ties from Nature, and Creature, and the Wheel of the Motion standing still, ano∣ther moved from a Central Fire; so that I felt my self Transmuted into one pure Flame. Then came that Word to me, This is no other then the Gate of my Eternal Deep, canst thou subsist in this Fiery Region, which is Wisdom's Man∣sion, where she meets with holy ab∣stracted Spirits, and gives forth a fiery Law, which if thereunto thou canst give heed, so as to come up to her Requi∣rings, then no Secret shall be with-held from thee. Thus far am I admitted to, come into the entrance of her House, where I must stop till I hear further from her.

Now as I was attending to obtain a fresh Visit, being entred into this first Mansion of her House, to hear and learn further, she said on this wise, That I was greatly beloved, and she would be my Mother, and so should I own her and call her, who would now be to me as Re∣becca was to Jacob, to contrive and put me in a way how I should obtain the Birth-right-Blessing. For if I would ap∣ply my self to her Doctrine, and draw

my Life's Food from no other Breast, I should then know the recovery of a lost Kingdom; At which Salutation I was dis∣solved and melted, the fervent heat of this Love strongly impulsing me to a re∣solve, for to obey her in all things.

VVhich pure Oil from Wisdom's Vessel stopping, it opened again not till Octo∣ber the 20th. in the Morning-Watch; then heard I her Voice thus; Sequester and draw out of thy Animal Sensitive Life, that is too gross: I cannot appear till that disappear. There must be Spi∣rit with Spirit, Light with Light. No sooner had I this caution, but I felt Power which suspended the active busie mind, which for a time was expired in∣to silence: Know then (said the same Voice) thou shalt supplant thy Brother Esau, who according to the Figure, is a cunning Hunter in the out-birth and field of Nature. While he with his sub∣tilty seeking it abroad, in the wild Pro∣perties of the External Region; I will now help thee to it •…•…ear at Hand, even in thy own enclosed Ground. There the true Scape-Goat feeds, of which I will make savoury Meat, such as God thy Fa∣ther loves. Hearing this Salutation from

my late known Mother, I was deadly ra∣vished in the Spirit, in the Light of the Lord, and feared to return to the dark House of my outward Senses again; which opened a Spring of Intercession in me, that as one of the Friends of the Bridegroom, I might hear his Voice still, which indeed was so pleasant and sw•…•…t, as I could well have admitted of a disso∣lution of my Elementary Being, rather than this Conference should not still be maintained with this renowned Pearl of Wisdom. But I have learned to observe her Time and Seasons, I witness her opening as in the twinkling of an Eye, a pure, bright, subtil, swift Spirit, a working Motion, a Circling Fire, a pe∣netrating Oil.

Notes

• This having been found without any Date of the Year, and the Author ha∣ving forgoten when it was, cannot find any one that more nearly succeeds the foregoing one.