A fountain of gardens Vol. II. Being a continuation of the process of a life according to faith, of the divinely magical knowledge, and of the new creation. In mutual entertainments betwixt the essential wisdom, and the soul in her progress through paradise, to Mount Sion, and to the new Jerusalem. By J. Lead.

August the 20th. 1677.

I have great Soul-wrestlings about a restraint from the Broad Walks of the World. The former part of the Night I spent thus, being made sensible of the divine pleasurableness of keeping to the Narrow Track of the Spirit. I was then greatly thoughtful, how we that were, as in the midst of a thicket of wild thorny Bria••s, should pass out as un∣touched, to get into that privacy of walking with God, according to the late words of Councel received from the Spirit; which word followed me still. In the midst of these solicitations that sprung in me, I was overset with a drou∣siness upon my animal sense. And im∣mediately I saw my own Person with another, got up a good height upon a mighty Bank, where some stragling Houses were; and we were minding to do and act some petty matters, and con∣cerns in them. Of a sudden I looked down, and beheld a Sea at the bottom floating; and a Voice cried, Hast way, for here is no stay. This Bank with all

its Buildings will be overflown, when the Sea breaks in. With that I was afraid, and called to my Friend with me to draw up higher, for here was no stand∣ing for us, the danger was so imminent. Then was shewn to us, through some degrees of ascent, a place all plain, of each side railed: in into which we de∣signed to make our way with all expe∣dition. But the ground being parched, and bare, and slippery, we were con∣strained to stay each other by the hand; till we came to that pleasant Walk, which was so secured, as before was mentioned, where we were without fear. Then were we in another Region, all encom∣passed with a bright Element with two Globes, all with spangling Sparks a∣bout them: Which was a Vision so Glo∣rious, as could not well have been born, if the bodily senses had not been sus∣pended, that so the Spirit might actuate free in its own Specie. Whereby it may positively be concluded, that the activity of the corporeal faculties are a great impediment to Divine Vision. Therefore taught I am, whenever I would attain any thing of this kind, that then I must be slain to the exteriour

imaginariness: and that an absolute death is very meet in this case. For there by the Spirit of the Mind is made free to slide down into its own Abyss, from whence it was, before it came into Na∣ture.