Confounding the very blackness of darkness.

 

And it has pleased my most Excellent Majesty

(who is universal love
and whose service is perfect freedom)

to set this form

(the writer of this roll)

as no small sign and wonder in fleshly Israel
as you may partly see in the ensuing Discourse

And now

(my dear ones!)

everyone under the Sun
I will only point at the gate
through which I was led into that new city
new Hierusalem
and to the spirits of just men
made perfect
and to God the judges of all

First
all my strength
my forces were utterly routed
my house I dwelt in fired
my father and mother forsook me
the wife of my bosom loathed me
mine old name was rotted
perished
and I was utterly plagued
consumed
damned 
rammed
and sank into nothing
into the bowels of the still eternity

(my mother's womb)

out of which I came naked
and whereto I returned again
naked.

And lying a while there
rapt up in silence
at length

(the body or outward form
being awake all this while)

I heard with my outward ear

(to my
apprehension)

a most terrible thunder clap
and after that a second.

And upon the second thunder clap 
which was exceeding terrible
I saw a great body of light
like the light of the Sun
and red as fire
in the form of a drum

(as it were)

whereupon 
with exceeding trembling
and amazement on the flesh
and with joy 
unspeakable
in the spirit

I clapped my hands

and cried out

Amen
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Amen

and so by trembling
sweating 
and 
smoking

(for the space
of half an hour)

at length with a loud voice

(I inwardly)

cried out,

Lord,
what wilt thou do with me?

My most Excellent Majesty

(in me)

answered and said

Fear not
I will take thee up into mine everlasting kingdom.
But thou shalt

(first)

drink
a bitter cup
a bitter cup
a bitter cup

whereupon 

(being filled
with
exceeding amazement)

I was thrown into the belly of hell

(and take what you can of it
in these expressions,
though 
the matter is beyond expression)

I was among
all the devils
in hell
even
in their most hideous
hew

and under all this terror and amazement
there was a little spark of 
transcendent
transplendent
unspeakable
glory
which survived
and sustained
itself
triumphing
exulting
and
exalting
itself
above
all
the
fiends

and 

confounding
the very blackness
of darkness

(you must take it 
in these terms
for it is infinitely 
beyond 
expression)

upon
this
the life
was taken
out of the body

(for a 
season)

and
it was thus
resembled
as if a man
with great brush dipped in whiting
should with one stroke
wipe out
or
sweep out
a picture upon a wall

&c.

after a while
breath and life
was returned
into the form again
whereupon
I saw various streams of light

(in the night)

which
appeared to the outward eye

and
immediately
I saw three hearts
filling each corner of the room
where I was

and
methoughts

there was variety
and distinction
as if 
there had been several hearts
and yet
most strangely
and inexpressibly complicated
or followed up in unity

I clearly saw
distinction
diversity
variety
and
as clearly saw
all swallowed up
in unity

and
it has been my song
many times since
within and without
unity
universality
universality
unity
eternal majesty

&c.

and
at this vision
a most strong
glorious voice
uttered these words

the spirits of just men
made perfect

the spirits

&c.

with whom I had as absolute
clear
full communion
and
in twofold more familiar
than ever I had outwardly
with my dearest friends
and nearest relations

the visions
and
revelations
of
God

and
the strong hand
of eternal
invisible
almightiness
was stretched out upon me
within me
for the space of four days
and nights
without intermission

the time would fail
if I would tell you all
but it is not the good will and pleasure
of my most Excellent Majesty

(in me)

to declare anymore

(as yet)

than thus much
further

that amongst those various voices
that were then uttered 
within
these were some

blood
blood
where
where?

upon the 
hypocritical heart

&c.

Another thus

vengeance
vengeance
vengeance
plagues
plagues

upon the 
inhabitants
of the earth

fire
fire
fire
sword
sword

&c.

upon all
that bow
not down
to eternal
majesty
universal love

I'll
recover
recover
my wool
my flax
my money

declare
declare
fear thou not
the faces of any
I am

(in thee)

a
munition
of
rocks

&c.

go up 
to London*
to London
that great city
write
write
write

and
behold
I
writ

and lo
a hand was sent to me
and a roll of a book
was therein
which this fleshly hand 
would have put wings to
before the time
whereupon
it was snatched out of my hand
and the roll thrust into my mouth
and I eat it up
and filled my bowels with it

(Eze. 2.8 &c. cha. 3.1, 2, 3)

where it was as bitter as wormwood
and it lay broiling and burning
in my stomach
till I brought it forth
in this form

And now I send it flying to thee
with my heart
and all
per
AUXILIUM
PATRIS

* It not being shown to me, what I should do, more than preach and print something &c. very little expecting I should be so strangely acted as to (my exceeding joy and delight) I have been, though to the utter cracking of my credit, and to my old name which is damned and cast out (as a toad to the dung hill) that I might have a new name, with me, upon me, within me,
which is I am