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.

February the 24th. 1676/7.

Feeling great Peace and Joy so long as I could restrain the moving, acting Life of Sin, then I did obtain near access to the most Holy, during the seasons and times, when I could reign over all the Region of Natural Sence. Which the Interiour Spirit may thus keep upon its Watch-Tower; so it would then be alto∣gether a subject meet for the Holy Tri∣nity, to open the Depths belonging to their Immense Love-Being. Which by reason of these Cloudy Vails are little understood: for when I did measure my

self at such a time, when so raised, as to desert all, that might be called car∣nally rational; then little enough I seem∣ed to be, so light and so free, so purely sprightly, to pass through the Glassy G••te. But while I am again cast into the Nature of a gross thick Body, tin∣ged with Sensibility; then no Ability there is for me to pass, where I would. As the Day and Night be thus in a mo∣ment still of force, to oppose each the other in the divided Property, till the everlasting Day of the Spirit shall alto∣gether dis-inherit the dark benighted Sense. Whereof hopes given are by that Spirit, who thus spake from my Lord Jesus, putting this Question unto me, saying, How dost thou think it possible to know the Majesty, who is encircled in such excessive Light, whilst thou livest in so many Degrees below the Seraphick sphere? For great is the remoteness that may be from hence to them. Who altogether are confined to a Terrestrial state. For in that Word is weight, that divided hath the Spiritual in, and from the Natural. Who is uncapable to know, discern, or judge of any matter, but what is his own: that is, which lieth within the Sphere of his

understanding, as a rational Man, who is wise for himself. Which Wisdom is all to protect and hold up, and save what is to be cast down, and be destroy∣ed. Thus the Serpently Birth of Wis∣dom, will hold its own, in opposition to the pure, meek, essential Being and Birth, which is from the Spirit. Who is a great Sufferer, while he is so near adjoyned to the Natural Man, who is a fit Recptacle, for what this evil Principle can shake him withal: which the Prince and great Commander of this World, will enough of this trash and earthly stuff•• load him withal, to give the mind full em∣ploy to prevent that which is Sublime and Celestial. Therefore, in vain the Scripture hath not said, None can know the Thoughts of a Man, save the Spirit that is in him; that is, none can pry or reach into the subtlety of the deceitful Heart, that is working and busie, mind∣ing and Plotting, to compass the heighth of earthly things, to which his Life would wholly extend: As desiring to know nothing more, or above, or beyond his Na∣tural Sphere; being satisfied with the sight of his Eye, with the hearing of his Ear, being wholly taken up with what is mi∣stred

from this mortal state, which finds out a daily variety to hold this Life in Captivity.

Thus you see the Earthly Man made out; he is distinct from the Heavenly. He knows nor perceives nothing of the Spiritual Man's concerns, but as living in one and the same Body, hath great advantage to interfere, and cast in many times his cloudy Reasonings. This na∣tural part as the Night doth cleave to the Day, but yet they have their divided Court: they may be possiby kept a part, through the constant Watch, and Calling in Wisdom's succour and aid. Eve's Birth is yet permitted, thus near Im∣manuel's Nature to live for probation. For the Dragon must try successively up∣on every one his Temptation; Which could not be, if he had not recourse to Eve's depravity, that hath lodged you in Elementary Bodies, by which the Strife is occasioned. For the Serpent doth make great claim, to what he finds sticking and still abiding within the cor∣poreal case. Which hath so degraded you, as to the Visibility of and from that God-like Image, in which ye once were considered; as now verily ye little

differ from that low degree of the pure Animal Creatures; but that your inward Mind is yet of a superiour Magnanimity, that was still kept and preserved within the interiour Faculties; thought he out∣ward Image of Glory did forthwith fade, through the closing with the Tempta∣tion: from whence Hope there is, that the Stem of the whole and Eternal Mat∣ter, being yet left for Attraction, may assume again its lost Paradisical Body; through the Gift of the Holy Ghost. For if ye once come to recover your inward Spiritual transformed Might, Power and Purity, the outward, at your pleasure will be for alteration. For the way to the Tree of Life will be known by the Spiritual Man: which being fed upon•• will operate for another manner of Covert, then a Goat-like Skin, wherein is your deformity. For the Spiritual Man born again, will be so wise and knowing, as it will lose nothing, that doth belong to it upon Election; though for a time, Nebuchadnezzar-like, driven out from his Paradisical Kingdom hath been, to feed amongst the wild Beasts; whose gross Body sucks in answerably what this low Element can afford him.

This is the earthly Mans Portion, till he be Born again into the Spirit; then he comes to a clear Understanding and sound Judgment, and calleth over what Heavenly Revenue doth belong to him. Another Heart and Spirit is returned, which makes him for to see and loath that former Image, wherein all of the Earthly was found, conversing daily a∣mongst Men in Beastly Shapes. From which by the mighty Birth of the Spirit of Jesus, you are returned, to get esta∣blishment in your own Kingdom. Who are true Heirs thereof, through Love's Adoption; but not being come to the full Age, are not to have yet the Reins of Government wholly put into your Hand: this is reserved for a full grown Spirit of Wisdom, which will spring in you by degrees. But this is now doing for you, saith the deep searching Spirit, a Catalouge is making out of what Goods and Spiritual Stuff do belong to you, that so you may know what ye have to trust unto, and so set your Heart thereupon. Your Heavenly Father would not that you should be kept ig∣norant of what is your Eternal Dowry; For the knowledge of this will act you

forth answerably, into all Deified great∣ness of Spirit, as expecting such a King∣dom to come, and such a Priesthood of the highest Order to be given to you. All which is to make you, for to bethink your selves, how for to carry it, while in this World, ye shall be vied withal from mighty Powers and Principalities, that Command all Delights and Pleasures, that the visible Earth affords. But these must be nothing available with you, who do proceed from another Line, therefore do you only mind the things of the Spirit, none else can know them. Therefore marvel not, that they are de∣spised by all other, these special things are only registred in the Book of Life for you. The deep searching Spirit may look here into, who is privledged to take out of the Original Copy of your Fa∣ther's Will, what he hath alotted you in matters Eternal. Upon this free Dis∣course and Conference, which flowed as Oyl, to make the Lamp of my Under∣standing, for to burn bright, that so I might be of a quick Sight in Spiritual Things, yet more deep to see: Who here could not be at rest, till the Spirit would give to me a particular of those

rich Immunities and Glories, that so we, who herein are concerned, might whol∣ly be taken up, in a satisfying Joy with our own Spiritual things, and mind no∣thing more, of what is another's in Earth∣ly things.