I GEORGE DE BENEVILLE, was born in London, July 26th, 1703. My father George De Benneville was a French refu­gee, persecuted for his religion. He re­tired with his family and connections in­to England upon the invitation of his majes­ty king William, who took a tender care of them, and employed them at his court.

My mother was of the Granville family. She had nine children in five years after mari­age, having twins four years successively, and I being the last, she died as soon as I was born. She knew that she would die at that time, and therefore she was very often drawn whilst she was pregnant, to pray for me, and it appears that the Lord heard her prayers and granted her requests.

I was also very young when my father died, and was brought up by one of my un­cles. After the death of my mother, Queen Anne herself provided me a nurse, and she had the care of my first years.

[Page 6]When arrived at the age of twelve years, I was very wild believing myself to be of a different mass from mankind in general, and by this fond imagination I was self-exalted, and believed-myself to be more than other men: but God soon convinced me to the contrary.

As it was designed that I should learn na­vigation, I was sent to sea in a vessel of war belonging to a little fleet bound to the coast of Barbary with presents, and to renew the peace with Algiers, Tunis, and Tripolis. Being arrived at Algiers, as I walked upon deck I saw some Moors who brought some refreshments to fell; one of them slipped down and tore a piece out of one of his legs, two of his companions having lain him on the deck. each of them kissed the wound, shed­ding tears upon it, then turned towards the rising of the sun, they cried in such a man­ner that I was much moved with anger at their making such a noise, and ordered my waiter to bring them before me. Upon demanding the reason of their noise, the pre­ceived that I was angry, asked my pardon, and told me the cause was owing to one of their brothers having hurt his leg by a fall, and that they kissed the wound in order to sympathize with him, and likewise shed [Page 7] tears upon it and took part with him, and as tears were saltish, they were a good re­medy to heal the same; and the reason of their turning towards the sun's rising was to invoke him who created the sun to have compassion upon their poor brother, and prayed he would please to heal him. Up, on that I was so convinced, and moved within, that I thought my heart would break, and that my life was about to leave me; my eyes with tears, and I felt such an internal condemnation, that I was obliged to cry out and say, "Are these Heathens? No; I confess before God they are Christi­ans, and I myself am a Heathen!" Behold the first conviction that the grace of our Sovereign Good employed: he was pleased to convince a white person by blacks! one who carried the name of a christian by a pa­gan, and who was obliged to confess himself but a heathen. But that was soon overcome and forgot. But God who always seeks to convince and save his poor creatures, did not leave his poor wandering sheep; for some time after my return home, being pre­sent by invitation at a ball, and having over heated myself. I order my servant to pre­pare linens for me to change, and as I was putting it on, I fell into a fainting fit, and [Page 8] had a vision of myself, burning as a fire­brand in hell, and coming to myself; again, I cried out, "I am damned!" Prayers were desired in the French Churches for one who had lost his senses and was melancholy— The ministers often visited me, and would fain have made me believe that I had not committed any very great sins, and that I had behaved according to my rank and sta­tion. Then I was obliged to answer them, that if they had no other things than those to tell me, they could answer no pur-pose but as fig leaves to cover my shame, and my damnable estate: that it was in vain to come and visit me with such comfort, for that I felt myself condemned. Then they answered me in another manner than be­fore, saying, since I would not receive their remonstrances it might be looked upon as a mark that peradventure I was destined from the begining to condemnation.

Then they gave me up and came no more to visit me—After that I continued in the state of condemnation during the space of fifteen months, believing that all the world but myself might be saved, and that I ne­ver could be saved, because my sins, as I thought, were too many and too great to be forgiven. At length after the fifteen [Page 9] months were expired, after having passed through many temptations, it happened to me one day having laid myself down to re­pose that I was awakened out of my sleep, and heard a voice within me, which pro­nounced the sentence of my condemnation, and left me no room to hope. I then discover­ed the root of all my sins and iniquities within my heart: that discovery brought me into an extreme agony Dispair entered in­to my soul, which was now pressed on all sides with misery, caused especially by such great unbelief and hardness of heart, which was the most insupportable of all my troubles; I could discover no remedy for my disease, but thought that my sentence of damnation was going to be executed: the sorrow of my soul was even to death: I desired to die, but death fled from me: I could find no remedy but to leave myself to the justice of my judge for a condemned criminal as I was: I knew that his judgements were just, and that I had merited much more than I felt.

Thus abandoning myself to justice, and waiting for its accomplishment in me, I dis­cover between justice, and me the criminal, one of a most majestic appearance, whose beauty, brightness, and grandeur can never be discribed: he cast such a look of love on me as [Page 10] penetrated through me, the fire of which so embraced my soul that I loved him again with the same love. He persuaded me in my, heart that he was my Saviour, Mediator and Reconciliator, and while I thought there­on, he began to intercede for me in this manner, saying, "My father, behold me with thy paternal regard, I have made ex­piation for this sinner, who hath received in himself the sentence of condemnation. I have taken human nature for him. I have suffered all kind of ignominy for him. I have shed my blood even to the last drop for him. I have suffered the shameful death of the cross for him. I have descended into the abyss of hell for him, that I might deliver him. I have been put to death for his of­fences, and raised again for his justification, and where his sins abound, our grace abounds much more. Oh! my heavenly father, pardon this poor sinner, and cause thy mercy to come to him." The judge or justice had nothing more to say. The sen­tence disappeared. Then I heard his eternal universal voice, which penetrated through me with divine power, saying, "Take cou­rage my son, thy sins are forgiven thee." Immediately all the burthen of my sins and iniquities was gone, all the stings and re­proaches [Page 11] ceased in a moment, a living faith came in their stead, and the tears of sorrow were all wiped from my eyes; I cast myself at the feet of my mediator, reconciler, saviour, and intercessor, and embraced him with an enlivening faith, melting into tears of love, humility, and nothingness.

Oh! my Lord and my God, thou hast saved me thro' pure grace; what shall I ren­der to thee for all thy benefits? Oh! my di­vine love, whom I honor and adore, give me a pure a holy heart, filled with thy vir­tues and thy love, even such as thou wouldst that I should have; and renew a right spi­rit within my breast. Now know that thy marvellous mercy hath given me a savior before I knew my danger and slavery; a physician who had the care of my disease be­fore that I felt or knew the same; a redeem­er who undertook to pay the debt that I was neither willing nor able to pay. Oh! my benefactor, guide me by the efficacy of thy spirit to walk in the way of thy truth and universal love. Teach me thy eternal and universal word; speak my Lord and my God, for thy servant heareth. Give me thy grace, oh my divine love, that I may have the eyes of my faith fixed constantly upon thee, and that I may follow thee whe­thersoever [Page 12] thou mayest please to lead me. That thy holy will may be accomplished in time and eternity, to the praise of thy glory, and my compleat salvation.

O my dear soul, sink, thyself down in­to nothingness and the deepest humiliation, and adore in spirit and in truth; honor the ocean of love, and the great wonders of the wisdom and power of thy God, who hath employed all these boundless in comprehensi­ble miracles to restore and to save thee, and not thee only, but all the human species, thro' Jesus Christ our Lord. Oh! the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and power of God, how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out: for of him and through him, and for him are all things. To him be glory eternal.

In the present case his goodness shines. for God hath loved me before that I was born. Oh! what grace. God himself hath loved me in my fallen estate, whence I was wholly lost. Oh! what mercy: God hath even loved me when I was altogether un­worthy, and that freely too.—Oh! what love.

He hath given me his well-beloved son: and in giving his beloved son, he hath given me his paternal heart: and at the time that [Page 13] he took human nature, he became my pa­rent, that by this parentage he might oblige himself to have a right to love and to have the care of me. I feel him the just, for my offences and wickedness which he had ta­ken to bear as his own, brought before the most righteous judgment seat, where he himself alone paid the last penny of the dreadful debt of all the world. I beheld him upon the cross deface and destroy the obligation that was against me, and after that he entered once for all into the holy place by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for me. Approach then now, Oh! my soul, love him which hast loved thee fist. Love him eternally, with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might, who hath made thee to know by ex­perience the great mysteries of his holy love, respecting all his creatures.—Hallelujah— Amen.

O what an alteration from being a child of darkness to a child of light; now I know in whom I have believed, and desire to con­secrate myself to my Lord, my Sovereign Good, the remainder of my days.

My conversion made a great noise among the people, for they saw me praising and adoring my divine Savior on all occasions, [Page 14] and before all company where I came with­out exception; calling and exhorting each one to submit to the love of God, just as they found themselves, and although their sins were many and great, his grace was geater to receive and pardon, but that we must come as we are, for he is the begining and the end of the conversion of all the human species, and whosoever is not converted by him, and to him, is not converted at all.

The French ministers were very uneasy at what they heard concerning me, doubt­ing that I was not a true protestant, and therefore they demanded a written confessi­on of my faith; I told them paper would suf­fer any thing to be written upon it, truth or falshood, but that I was not ashamed to confess with my mouth what I believed in my heart, and that if they would let me know when they would meet together, I would be ready to appear before them to give them an account of my faith, and the wonders which the most holy trinity had wrought within me.

The time was fixed and I appeared be­fore them. They asked me many que­stions, but we could not agree, for they held predestination, and I held the restora­on of all souls; because having myself been [Page 15] the chief of sinners, and that God, through Jesus Christ, by the efficacy of his holy spi­rit, had granted me mercy and the pardon of all my sins, and had plucked me as a brand out of hell, I could not have a doubt but the whole World would be saved by the same power. They answered me that I must not take it ill that they could not own me as a member of their church. I replied, that I was very well content to be cast out, and that my consolation was, that they were not able to blot my name out of the book of life.

Soon after I got acquainted with some persons who led a very retired life, having received a deep knowledge of themselves thro' grace: we sometimes met together, but we soon were persecuted with reproach.

After that I received a voice of grace in­wardly to go and preach the gospel in France; I resisted it more than once or twice, fearing persecution. but I was struck with a sickness and had pain like the agony of death, was ready to die, and knowing it was because I had not hearkened to that voice that had called me to bear witness to the truth of France, I humbled myself be­fore my God thro' Jesus Christ my Lord, asked pardon for my offences, and promis­ing [Page 16] to submit myself to follow his voice, upon which I was immediately healed; and grew more robust than I had ever been be­fore. Then I heard his voice once more, calling me to go to France to preach the gos­pel, and I found myself obliged in my soul to follow the voice, through with fear and trembling.

I took passage at Dover for Calais, and immediately upon my arrival I began to preach and proclaim the good news in the market, even the eternal salvation by Jesus Christ within us, and that each one of us might be saved by pure grace, and that whoso­ever knowing himself, feeling the burden of his iniquities, having recourse to Jesus Christ, refining himself without reserve, with all his sins, even had he found himself in his dam­nable estate, should be delivered, and ob­tain the pardon of all his sins.

As soon as I had done I was taken before a magistrate, who made me to know that my conduct was contrary to the stature of the king: I was then conducted to prison, where I was no sooner arrived than all the fear of persecution vanished; my soul was strength­ened in the Lord Jesus; I felt the love of my divine savior very near accompained with his divine light. After some days had [Page 17] past, I was brought before the justice, & exa­mined by what order I preached; I told him who I was, and that I was drawn by the special grace of my God in Jesus Christ, by the power of his holy spirit, to teach the nations, and that for refusing to obey the voice of my God I was taken very sick. While they were examining me there came in an old man with a white beard; all the justices saluted him: he said to them, have nothing to do with this person, for I have suffered much this night past on his account, and retired immediately.

I was then condemed to eight days im­prisonment, as it was the first time, and to be conducted by the servant of the magistrate out of the bounds of the city, letting me know that if I was found employed in the same manner a second time, my life would be in danger.

I was about 17 years of age when I began to preach in France. In this manner I em­ployed two years in that kingdom, preach­ing the gospel in high and low Normandy, the country of my father, for he was born in the city of Rouan.

There were many ministers of us toge­ther; Monsr. Durant, de la Chevrette; Du­moulin, L'Achar, &c. We met together [Page 18] in mountains and woods, to the number of 400 where God very often wrought great wonder by the power of the gospel, among men and women, and even boys and girls, of the age of twelve or fifteen years, that did not even know how to read or write.— They were convinced by the power of grace, and began to proclaim the gospel with a most marvelous strength of spirit, without any fear, being embraced by love divine.

We were many times taken prisoners du­ring the two years, sometimes by means of our own brothers, who would go and inform the soldiers in the mashelsey where we were met together.

Many of us were hanged, others whiped by the hands of the hangman, and brand­ed with a hot iron; all their goods confis­cated, and they sent on boad the galleys, but all that did not weaken us, but on the the contrary, the grace of our divine love strengthened us to a wonder.

At last we were surrounned by a par­ty of soldiers one day when we were assem­by the side of Dieppe, where many of us were taken prisoners, among whom was myself, and a Mr. Durant, a young man a­bout 24 years of age, of Geneoa.

[Page 19]After a month imprisonment we were condemned to die, he to be hanged, and I to have my headcut off. We were conduct­ed together to the place of execution; he sung the 116 psalm when on the ladder, and died joyfully.

I was then conducted to the scaffold, my eyes were ordered to be bound to prevent my seeing, but upon my earnest request that was omitted.

I then fell upon my knees, and praying the Lord that he would not require my blood at their hands, as they knew not what they did; my soul was filled with exceeding joy. The executioner bound my hands, and while he was employed in so doing a courier arrived from the king, which was Louis XV, with a reprieve for the criminal. Immediately the joy of my heart was gone, and darkness entered into my soul. I was then reconducted to prison at Paris, where I was confined sometime before I was libera­ted thro' the intercession of the queen.

Many things happened to me during my exile in France, and the time of my con­finement One may easily discover here, that the grace of our God never leaves those who trust in him and are faithful, un­til death.

[Page 20]After my releasement I retired into Ger­many, where I began to learn the language with great difficulty. I found many souls who were convinced by grace, and who led a very retired life among the French refu­gees at Bulin, Madeburg. Brandeburg, Brunswick in the Palatinate, Hamburg, Al­tona, Stade, Gluckstadt, Bremen, the country of Hanover, in Flanders, Brabant, the low land of Holland, the country of Waldenses and many other places.

I found work all round, souls who desi­red to be saved. I had also a large acquain­tance among the nobility in Germany, and Holland; we had a large communion of brethern and sisters in Jesus Christ our Lord.

I was wholly employed in traveling from place to place, in visiting the brethern and preaching to the nations, in the German, French, and Dutch language. There were many assemblies of brethern all around: in some places we had liberty, and where that could not be had publicly, we met secretly in particular families; but nevertheless grace wrought wonders in convincing souls, and leading them to a real deep knowledge of themselves, and of the damnable estate into which all men are plunged by nature, for [Page 21] none can obtain salvation without being first damned in themselves.

I was much concerned about the salvation of souls, and their estate deeply effected me. I had also an acquaintance with a company gentry, who dwelt together near Siegen, some of them were married, but only dwelt together as brethern and sisters. The ba­ron of Peuchink, the lord of Fleishbein; and the court of marsey, who was employ­ed in writing books, which are printed in French and German. They led a very re­tired life, filled with love and friendship to all the world, without bound, and were very charitable both to friends and enemies.

Our acquaintance with each other happen­ed in a wonderful manner.—One day bro­ther Marsey had a vision concerning me, when I had arrived in the Palatinate, being about twenty leagues from him. I was drawn by grace, being engaged in prostrat­ing myself in spirit before the presence of the most holy trinity, and having a vision, I discovered a marvellous throne with seven foot-stools, upon each foot-stool were two candlesticks of gold, and upon the throne I saw a greater table with seven candlesticks of gold placed in a round figure upon it.; then I saw many with robes, whiter than [Page 22] snow, who stood up near the candlesticks of gold on each side of the foot-stools and a­round the table. Immediately the candle­sticks were lighted & chairs were brought that each one might set down, then they began to honor the most high, so that my soul was lest in admiration: then altogether bend­ing their knees, the whole company adored the most holy trinity; the vision vanished in an instant, and I came to myself.

Some little time after my brother Marsey sent a letter to me, writen after this manner.

My well beloved and dear brother in Je­sus Christ our Lord, the most holy trinity discovers many wonders to his children, who are rooted upon the rock of deliverance, and have their eyes of faith fixed upon their sovereign good; he honors them with his universal presence, and embraces them with the fire of heavenly love; as I have been favoured with the consolation of seeing you in his holy Presence, I hope you will not deny that communion in the body that we have had together in spirit, to the praise of the glory of our God, thro' Jesus Christ our Lord, by the efficacy of his holy spirit.—Thus wishes and dwells for ever, MARSEY your Brother, united by the grace of God, Amen."

[Page 23]After I had passed about 18 years in Germany, and Holland, I became sickly of a consumptive disorder, occasioned by being greatly concerned for the salvation of souls, and much disquited because the great­est part by far walked in the ways of per­versness, and neglected their conversion, which causad me great trouble, and I took it so to heart that I believed my happiness would be incomplete, while one creature re­mained miserable. Sometimes I was little comforted within by grace insome manner, but that did not last long.

I dwelt at that time in the country with the brethern near the city of Mons, an Ha­guiauth near the border of France, in the emperor's dominions.

My fever increased to such a manner as reduced me almost to a skeleton, so that they were obliged to feed me as an infant. While I lay in this weak situation, I was fa­voured thro' grace with many visions: in one it appeared to me that I was conducted into a fine plain, filled with all kinds of fruit trees, agreeable both to the sight and smell, loaded wiih all kinds of the most delici­ous fruits, which came to my mouth, and satisfied me as with a river of pleasure: same time I beheld the inhabitants, they were [Page 24] beautiful beyond expression, cloathed in garments as white as snow. They were filled with humility, and their friendship and love was towards all beings: they sa­luted me with the most profound reverence and most lovely air, saying to me with the voice of love, which penetrated thro' me: —"Dear soul take courage, be comforted, for in a little time you shall see the wonders of God, in the restoration of all the human species, without excepcion."

The weakness of my body so increased that I was certain of dying. I exhorted my breathern to be faithful unto death,! to be stedfast, immoveable, and to be always turning inward with an enlivening faith, to behold with a fixed attention the Lamb of God, with believing eyes, and to hear­ken to his eternal word within them, and that then they should receive of the fullness of Christ's grace upon grace, by which they should be strengthened to abide stedfast unto the end.

As I had communion with many assem­blies of brethern, but in particular with that connected with my dear brother Marsey; the brethern there had a vision of my death and sent brother Marsey to see me.

When he arrived he found me in the [Page 25] agonies of death: he embraced me with a kiss of peace & love, and saluted me in the name of the brethern, who recommended them­selves to me, and desired that I would remember them before the throne of God & the Lamb.

He then took leave of me and I felt my­self die by degrees, and exactly at midnight I was separated from my body, and saw the people occupied in washing it, according to the custom of the country. I had a great desire to be freed from the sight of my body, and immediately I was drawn up as in a cloud, and beheld great wonders where I passed, impossible to be written or express­ed. I quickly came to a place which ap­peared to my eyes as a level plain, so ex­tensive that my sight was not able to reach its limits, filled with all sorts of delightful fruit trees, agreeable to behold, and which sent forth such fragrant odours that all the air was filled as with incense. In this place I found that I had two guardians, one at my right hand, and the other at my left, exceeding beautiful beyond expression, whose boundless friendship and love seemed to penetrate through all my inward parts.— They had wings, and resembled angels, ha­ving shining bodies and white garments.

[Page 26]He that was at my right hand came before me and said—"My dear soul and my dear brother, take courage, the most holy trinity hath favored you to be comforted with an everlasting and universal consolation, by dis­covering to you how, and in what manner he will restore all his creatures without ex­ception, to the praise of his glory, and their eternal salvation; and you shall be witness of this, and shall rejoice in singing and tri­umph with all the children of God, there­fore as a reward for the friendship and love that you have borne for your neigh­bors, on whose accounts you had many ex­treme griefs, and shed many tears, which shall be all wiped away from your eyes by God himself, who shall turn all your griefs to exceeding great gladness." Then he took his place at my right hand. After that the second guardian who was at my left hand appeared before me, and spoke thus: "My dear soul, my dear bro­ther, be of good cheer, thou shalt be strength­ened and comforted after your griefs, with an universal and eternal consolation—You must be prepared to pass through the seven habitations of the damned; be of good cou­rage, and prepare yourself to feel something of their sufferings, but be turned inward [Page 27] deeply, during the time, and you shall thereby be preserved." Then he took his place at my left hand: immediately we were lifted up in the air, and sometime after we arrived in a dark obscure place, where no­thing but weeping, lamentation, and gnash­ing of teeth, could be understood. A dread­ful place, as being the repository of all sorts of damned souls, under condemnation with the torments, pains, griefs and sufferings which their sins had merited, for each one had his works to follow him in death. All iniquities and sins were reduced to se­ven classes or habitations: there was an eter­nal confusion there, that which one made the other destroyed.

The duellist, in his fire of anger burns a­gainst his enemy, and they pass as a fire-brand of hell, one thro' the other.

You might see fornicators, idoliters, a­dulterers, thieves, the covetous, drunkards, slanderers, ravishers, &c. each being la­boring and being employed with his sins and iniquities. One might also see all kind of conditions of men, divines, deputies, controvertors, advocates, judges, lawyers, and in a word one might discover whatso­ever any of them had done upon earth. In each habitation, I discovered that those who [Page 28] were abased and that appeared sorrowful for their sins, were seperated from the others of their sort that were not yet so. I was then conducted into each of the seven habitati­ons of the damned, where I knew one I had been acquainted with upon earth. I discovered also that he had an habitation a­mong the damned, and that they were able to see the elect from that habitation where he was, but were not able to pass through, be­cause there was a great gulph between them, so that all are obliged to dwell where they are.

It is impossible to describe my condition. as I had great compassion towards the suf­ferers. inasmuch as I had part of their suf­ferings.

After we had passed thro' we were lifted up some distance from the place, where we reposed ourselves; and a messenger was sent to us, who watered or refreshed us as with a river of pleasure, saying eat my belove­ed & drink my friends, to refresh yourselves after all your toils and pains; my dear soul, and my dear brother, (addressing himself to me) the most holy trinity always works wonders in all times within his poor crea­tures without exception, and he will order for a time and half a time, that you shall [Page 29] return into your earthly tabernacle, to pub­lish, and proclaim to the people of the world an universal gospel, that shall restore in it's time all the human species without ex­ception to it's honor and to the glory of it's most holy triniry.—Hallelujah.

Beholding the messenger attentively, I discovered that he had a most glorious body, dressed in a robe whiter than snow, filled with the most exalted love and friend­ship, joined with the deepest humility, which penetrated me thro' and through, and suddenly there was heard a great multitude of the heavenly host, and the messenger said, as he flew to join the same, with a sweet voice—"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and who is to come."

The multitude were innumerable, and there was one who surpassed in granduer, beauty, brightness, majesty, magnificence and excellence, all the others; even the son of the living God, being the brighiness of his glory, and the express image of his per­son, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purg­ed our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.

As the multitude approached the glory [Page 30] caused us to fall down, and to adore in spi­rit and in truth the son of the living God, who marched in the midst of the multiutude.

After they had passed us, we were lifted up, and caused to follow them, for the air carried us the way they went, in a different manner than before. Oh! the wonders of our God! When we arrived in the place of the seven habitations of the damned, we could preceive no more darkness, obscurity, pains, torments, lamentations, afflictions, nor gnashing of teeth; all were still and quiet, and an agreeable sweetness appeared thro' the whole. Then all the heavenly host shouted with one voice and said, "An eter­nal and everlasting deliverance, an eternal and everlasting restoration, universal and everlasting restitution of all things." Then all the multitude adored the most holy trini­ty, and sung the song of the Lamb, even the song of the triumph for the victory gained by him, in the most harmonious manner, and at the end, all the multitude being upon their knees, said with a loud voice, "Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord, God Almighty, just and true are thy ways, Oh! King of Saints;" Present­ly they passed through the seven habitations of the damned, and a multitude were deli­vered [Page 31] from each, and being cloathed in white robes. they followed the heavenly host, praising and glorifying the most high for their deliverance; one might know them a­mongst the others: they all retired by a dif­ferent way than that which they came. The messenger then came and conducted us into a most wonderful place, and ordered my two guardians to conduct me into five celestial mansions, where the Lord's elect abide; and then to reconduct me to dwell yet a time and a half time in my earthly ha­bitation, and to preach to the lower world the universal everlasting gospel; and that the most Holy Trinity hath a pure univer­sal love towards all the human race, with­out exception, and to each in particular; then turning himself towards me he said, my dear suol thou shalt be favored of the most Holy Trinity, to be conducted by thy guardians, who shall never leave thee: when thou shalt have need of their counsel; thou needest but to call them; and they shall be day and night present at thy service; they shall conduct thee into five of the heavenly mansions at this time, where thou shalt par­take in a certain degree, of the celestial glo­ry as much as thy spirit shall be able to re­ceive, as not being yet sanctified and purifi­ed [Page 32] sufficiently, and then thou shall be recon­ducted into thine earthly tabernacle, for a time and half a time, and shall preach to the lower world the universal everlasting gospel, and that the most Holy Trinity hath a pure universal love towards all the human race without exception, and towards each one in particular.

The fountain of grace bless and preserve thee, and cause his face to shine upon and in thee. and enlighten thine understanding both in time & in eternity.—Amen. Our knees bending of their own accord, he laid his hand upon my head, and blessed me, and immediately took wing, and swiftly fled away-

After that my guardians conducted me into five celestial habitations, where I dis­covered many wonders. Some had greater brightness, glory, and majesty than others, and as the places were, so were the inhabi­tants; some were clothed in garments whi­ter than snow; others had transparent bo­dies, and others again had white bodies re­sembling chrystal. It is impossible to ex­press these things. They were moved by boundless burning love, rising up, and then plunging themselves into the deepest hu­mility: all their motions were penetrating, [Page 33] being filled with love and friendship.— their actions and manners are strengthened and animated with brightness, being filled with light as with the rays of the sun; it was the fire of heavenly love, which by inflam­ing all their hearts, causes them all to burn in the same fire, and to be animated by the same spirit. They have no need of any way of speaking there, but the language and motions of eternal and universal love without words for their actions, their motions speak more than all words. I was then conducted into five habitations of the elect. At the first a great multitude came before us with songs to the honor and glory of the most high, and of the victory gained over the damned. They received us with triumph, great zeal, love and friendship, sa­luting us with profound humility, and con­ducting us into a large room: there was a great table covered and furnished with all sorts of fruit, not only pleasant to behold but also exceeding delicious to the taste.

In the mean while we were taking our re­past, the celestial multitudes formed songs, and sung psalms of praise and thanksgiving to the most holy trinity. After that we were conducted into all the five celestial ha­bitations, (that I was to see) where I saw [Page 34] many wonders, impossible to describe. First many thrones lifted up of inexpressible beauty and magnificence; upon one of these thrones I beheld the Royal High Priest, sur­rounded with exceeding great brightness, & clothed in most excellent majesty, being employed in kind intercession before his father, for all the human species, pleading the sufficiency of his blood-sheding to deli­ver and sanctify a thousand such worlds as ours. All the elect, with the heavenly spi­rits, joined their intercession with that of their Royal High Priest, the only chief king, being reconcilers, saviors, and re­stores in the same spirit.—This mutual in­tercession appeared like incence ascending on high into the sanctuary of the Lord. Over against the throne I discovered Adam, with Eve, rejoicing in the only mediator between God and men, and adoring toge­ther the most Holy Trinity for the deliver­ance of their children out of the great mi­series and eternal condemnation into which their sin and fall had brought them, and upon their bended knees adoring the only mediator for the intercession he makes in behalf of mankind. Also I beheld a multi­tude of spirits flying and enflamed with the fire of heavenly love, while we adored, [Page 35] humbled in nothingness, rendering our re­ligious homage to the most high for his in­tercession and the deliverance of all man­kind. Then my guardian, who was at my right hand, coming before me, said thus, "Dear soul, my dear brother, do you see these spirtis flying, who came in great multitudes, and who are vanished in the spirit of love, and gratitude, humbled and self-annihilated as it were, adoring before the throne of grace, and praying to the sa­vior for the intercessions he hath made for them. These are lately delivered from the infernal prisons; it is for them that the tinc­ture of the blood of Jesus Christ hath been shed even to the last drop, notwithstanding they had dwelt a long time shut up in the place of the damned, under the power of the second death, and have passed thro' many agonies, pains and tribulations.—Up­on that I perceived that Adam and Eve ap­proached, and Adam spoke to me after this manner:—"My dear brother, rejoice with universal and eternal joy, as you are favor­ed with the heavenly visions! it is in this manner that our adorable Royal High Priest, Mediator, and intercessor, shall restore all my descendents to the glory of our God, and their eternal and universal salvation for [Page 36] the kingdom of eternal love hath power suf­ficient to draw all mankind out of their bondage, and to exclaim and say; O death, where is thy sting, &c. But my dear bro­ther, this love of our God in Jesus Christ, by the power of his holy spirit, shall not only gain the victory over all the human species, but also surmount or over flow the kingdom of Satan, entirely, with all the principalities of the fallen angels' and shall bring them back in their first glory, which they have had in the begining. I will make all things new said the Lord of Hosts, and the end shall return into its begining O my Lord and my God, what greart wonders hast thou caused to pass before mine eyes! who am I O my God, dust and ashes, an ungreatful and rebellious creature. I should not dare to lift mine eyes towards the heavens if the blood of Jesus Christ thy son did not plead for me. My soul rejoices and is glad, she shouts for joy: O my God, whom I adore, love and respect: before whom I de­sire to be without ceasing, self-annihilated at thy feet. O my God and my Love, the seraphims and cherubims burning with the fire of thy heavenly love, adore and honor thee: give me thy grace also, O my God, that I may be consumed before thee, while [Page 37] I sing the majesty, glory, and the memory of God, who hath created and redeemed me. I would praise him incessantly, not in sha­dow or figure, but in reality and truth. I would continue devoted to thee, and always be swollowed up in the ocean of love with­out a wish to leave it.

Being in this manner conducted into five celestial habitations, I discovered many my­steries, saw many miracles, and beheld the wonders of the most Holy Trinity among the children, the elect, the heavenly inha­bitants, and perceiving how some surpassed others in brightness, light, splendor, and majesty, in friendship, love, humiliation and self-abasement, concerning of which things my tongue is too feeble to speak, and my pen to write. I adore the marvellous ways of my God, with all the happy spirits.

Many thrones, places, edifices, temples, and buildings were erected in all parts, with fruit trees intermixed, rivers of pleasure gliding along thro' the celestial land, which appeared like a garden of heaven, even the paradise of God. It is the court of King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, which the eye hath not seen nor the ear heard, and which the hearts of men have not received; it is [Page 38] the celestial globe where the New Jerusa­lem or mount Sion is placed' where the bosom of Abraham is; where the sufferers who came out of their tribulations are re­freshed, and rejoice, forgeting all their mi­series; being come out of their purifications, they are made to rejoice in Sion: O mag­nificent globe! O thou city of the great God! stately city of this place! where shall a mortal find convenient phrases to lisp out a little of thy glory and splendor? it is the glory and magnificence of the most holy trinity, where God is pleased to manifest himself in his pomp and beauty. The bless­ed angels there have their employment in serving God; they compose the court of the Great King; O my God I am not able to express that which penetrates me, of the granduer, magnificence, spendor, pomp, and majesty of thy dwellings, and of the inhabitants in those transparent places. hal­lelujah and victory for ever.—AMEN.

Then my guardians took me up, and re­conducted me to the house from whence I came, where I perceived the people assem,+bled, and discovering my body in the cof­fin, I was re-united with the same, and found myself lodged within my earthly ta­bernacle, and coming to myself, I knew [Page 39] my dear brother Marsey, and many others, who gave me an account of my being 25 hours in the coffin, and 17 hour before they put me in the coffin, which altogether made 42 hours: to me they seemed as ma­ny years; begining then to preach the uni­versal gospel, I was presently put into pri­son. but soon set at liberty again. I visited all my brethern, preached the gospel and taking leave of them all, because that my God and Sovereign Good called me to go into America and preach the gospel there, I took my departure for the same in the 38th year of my age, and it is 41 years since I first arrived here. The 28th of Ju­ly next, 1782, I shall be 79 years of age, blessed be the name of the Lord for ever.