This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.
ACcording to the space of time (before mentioned) as I was waiting upon the Lord, with my heart deeply exercised, in his fear and dread, the glory of what for a long season I had been visited with, descended up∣on me in a Tempest and WHIRL∣WIND; and I beheld until the Tem∣pest was over, yet the Whirlwind re∣mained, whilst I was taken into the
Habitation of Wonders; and the Glory of the Angel of God compas∣sed me about, in the form of TWO WHEELS, moving one within the other, as a Wheel within a Wheel.
By which means I came to the sight of TWO WORLDS, standing the one in the other, in the manner and form of the Wheels, moving the one in the other, as a World within a World; And while I was thus behold∣ing the Vision thereof, the Power of the LIVING CREATURES, that moved in the Wheels overcame me; for the Spirit of the Living Creatures that moved in the Wheels, was in the Wheels; and it rested on my left Arm, in form of a STAR, and qui∣vered in the Blood of my Body, be∣twixt the skin and flesh of my left Arm, for many dayes continuing thus upon me.
For in that in which the Worlds were setled and sought rest, there was a continuance and abiding under sub∣jection to such Power, though faln from what it was in the first work of Gods Creation of all FORMS into being, (for the first FIVE dayes, I thus beheld it) and in every of these five dayes, I saw a change and altera∣tion in the Face of the HEAVENS, which was like unto WATERS.
Whose way and course I observed, until the whole frame of the Worlds became like unto a SEA of GLASSE mingled with Fire; and in the midst of these Waters broke forth a CLOUD, which moved up and down like a Mans HAND; and the Form of a Man was wrought up through the Cloud, travelling in the Heavens with his Hands on his Loyns;
in whom was a sence of pangs and hard labour, from whence I beheld a strugling and striving on the Face of the Waters, as from the WOMB of ETERNITY, of TWO NATI∣ONS to come forth into appearance and manifestation.
And from the Heavens, I heard a cry of pangs and hard suffering, be∣cause of the labour and travel which the Body of NATURE was subject∣ed under, for such sufferings sake; which was like to the sorrow of a Child-bearing-WOMAN, who had brought to the Birth, but had not power to bring forth, until the ap∣pointed time of deliverance from the Father was come.
But as the Womb of Eternity be∣came eased of its suffering and hard
labour, the strugling and striving rested, and seized on the Body of Na∣ture, wherein the Travel remained and continued until the END of TIME and PLACE; For on the Face of the Waters, on which the SPI∣RIT of God did breath (while a Cloud of darkness was over, and co∣vered the face of the mighty Deeps) was hidden the form of all CREA∣TURES, thus come forth.
And the Womb of NATURE was also opened in and before me, in which instant was made intelligible to my understanding, the working of all forms in Nature, that strove to come up in the bodily Frame and Temper, that stood in the ground and cause of such suffering.
And the NAME of the FIRST
DAY was called LIGHT, because in it the Light and Darkness were se∣parated and divided; and in this day came forth all that stood hidden in the Womb of Eternity, in the form and likeness of WATERS, that were of a distinct quality and operation in the creaturely being, until the Word of God had commanded them into form through the work of Creation.
For as the division and separation of such Powers-work through the WORD of God, wrought up the Will of the Worker into appearance and manifestation, the WATERS had their enlightning quality and pro∣perty in the separated beings, shining out from the Face of that which ga∣thered together in the Heavens, from the three that therein bare Record; yea and in the work of the first dayes separation, which was betwixt Light
and Darkness (in these Waters on which the Spirit of God breathed in the light-part of the Waters, which was the Face of the Heavens therein) there became exalted the HEAD and FACE of a Man (for a season;) and in the darkness, or dark parts, which is the dark parts thereof, I saw work∣ing hiddenly the form of a FIRE-DRAKE, or Serpent, called Satan, and the Dragon the old deceiver of mankind, who was got behind God, in the coming forth of his Glory in his Son or Image.
And the Waters that came forth out of the Womb of Eternity, out of which sunk all forms in Nature, that took being in the earthly frame and form, being gathered together into one PLACE, became an overflowing scourge and inundation of miseries, and were like unto a great SEA,
which was the gathering together of all that came forth out of many Foun∣tains and Rivers (of Water.)
Which thus I beheld, until the SE∣COND DAY was passed over, wherein was made a separation be∣twixt Waters and Waters, that thus came forth out of the Womb of Eter∣nity (in a Mystery.) And in the Womb of Nature was the MATRIX of conception brought into a work∣ing frame, wherein the SPERMA∣TIC Vessels of the SEEDS ingen∣drings opened the Gates of Glory into an inward world, where the Kings Daughter was, whom I saw all Glo∣rious within.
And the separation that was made betwixt those Waters, was a Power of firm glory in its working frame, as
a FIRMAMENT placed in the out-spread Air, wherein every thing came forth in its DUALL number, through divided qualities; and the name of the SECOND DAY was called EXPANSUM or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, be∣cause of what came thus forth in the out-spread Firmament.