EXTRACTED OUT OF A BOOK [written
by Jane Lead in 1697]
ENTITLED,
" A Message To The Philadelphian
Society, whithersoever dispersed over the whole Earth",
This was first published in
the April, 1697 edition of the "Theosophical
Transactions", by the Philadelphian
Society .
This on-line reproduction presents
the old manuscript "as close to the original as
possible" — rendering the
text and appearance of the old printing without any
interpretation or commentary.
Versions and renditions of this
particular piece have survived through various editings,
truncations, modernizations
and publications, being called at various times the "1679
Prophecy", the "1619 Prophecy", "A Good Report from
a Heavenly Spy", the "1697
Prophecy", etc.
According to our source material,
the extract was originally rendered by one of the
members of the Philadephian Society, and published in their Theosophic
Transactions
for April 1697.
Comparison of the modern versions
with this older one, will show how it has been
radically changed in some places, with words inserted and removed, whole
sections
eliminated, or the
text modified to fit into more modern theological thought.
We are grateful to those who preserved
this version as a benchmark for 21st century readers.
Sixty Propositions
EXTRACTED OUT OF A BOOK ENTITLED,
"A Message To The Philadelphian Society whithersoever dispersed over the whole Earth."
BY JANE LEAD, 1697
1.
There shall be a total and full redemption by CHRIST.
2.
This is an hidden mystery not to be understood without the
Revelation of the Holy Spirit.
3.
The Holy Spirit is at hand to reveal the same unto all holy
seekers and loving inquirers.
4.
The completion of such a redemption is withheld and obstructed
by the apocalyptical seals.
5.
Wherefore as the Spirit of God shall open seal after seal, so shall
this redemption come to be revealed, both particularly and
universally.
6.
In this gradual opening of the mystery of redemption in CHRIST,
doth consist, the unsearchable wisdom of God which may
continually reveal new and fresh things to the worthy
searchers.
7.
In order to which the Ark of the Testimony in Heaven shall be
opened before the end of this world and the living testimony,
which is therein contained, shall be unsealed.
8.
The presence of this divine ark will constitute the Philadelphian
Church and, wherever that is, there must the ark of necessity
be.
9.
The unsealing of the living testimony within the ark of the Lord,
must begin the promulgation of the everlasting gospel of the
kingdom.
10.
The proclamation of this testimony of the kingdom will be as by
the sound of a trumpet to alarm all the nations of the earth, and
more especially all the professions of Christianity because
attended with the power of ACTING ALL WONDERS.
11.
So there shall be an authoritative decision given forth immediately
from CHRIST to the putting an end to all controversies
concerning the true Church.
12.
This decision will be, by the actual sealing of the Members of this
church with the name of God; giving them a commission to act
by virtue of the same. This new name will distinguish them
from the seven thousand names of Babylon.
13.
The ELECTION and PREPARATION of this church is to be after a
secret and hidden manner; as DAVID in his minority was
elected and anointed by the prophet of the LORD; yet was not
admitted to the outward possession of the kingdom for a
considerable time afterward.
14.
Of the stem of DAVID, a virgin church, which hath known
nothing of man or of human constitution, is yet to be born.
15.
And if it be yet to be born, then it will require some
considerable time before it gets out of its minority and
arrives to the full and mature age.
16.
The birth of this virgin church was visionally typified to St. JOHN
by the great wonder in Heaven bringing forth her first born
that was caught up to the throne of GOD.
17.
FOR As a virgin woman brought forth CHRIST after the flesh,
so likewise a virgin woman is designed by God to bring forth
the FIRST BORN after the Spirit - who shall be filled with the Holy
Ghost and with power.
18.
The VIRGIN that is hereto designed must be as of a pure spirit,
so also of a CLARIFIED body, and all over impregnated with
the Holy Ghost.
19.
This church, so brought forth and signed with the mark of the
divine name, shall be adorned with MIRACULOUS GIFTS AND
POWERS beyond whatever yet hath been.
20.
HEREBY all nations shall be brought into it, so that it shall be the
catholic church according to the genuine sense and utmost
latitude of the word.
21.
It must be an anointed church; whereby it may truly bear the
name of CHRIST or Christian, being with Him anointed to the
priestly, prophetical and royal dignity.
22.
Hence there will be no bonds or impositions, BUT the holy
unction among these new born spirits will be all in all.
23.
This catholic and anointed church must be perfectly holy, as
CHRIST Himself is holy; so that it may worthily bear the name of
the Lord our Holiness and the Lord our Righteousness.
24.
Until there be such a church made ready upon the earth, so holy,
so catholic, and so anointed, that is without all spot or wrinkle
and that is adorned as a bride to meet her bridegroom, CHRIST
will not personally descend to solemnize this marriage and
present the same to His Father.
25.
But when the bridal church shall be made ready and thoroughly
cleansed and sanctified from every spot of defilement through
the blood of CHRIST, then He will no longer delay His Coming in
Person.
26.
There is not this day (1697) visible upon the earth any holy catholic,
anointed and bridal church; all the churches and professions
being found light when weighed in the balance: therefore they are
rejected by the Supreme Judge.
27.
Which rejection and condemnation will be for this end that out
of them a new and glorious church may rise up in whom there
shall be no fault to be found, like as He findeth none with the
PHILADELPHIA. (Rev. 3)
28.
THEN shall the glory of GOD and of the Lamb so rest upon it as
the cloud upon the typical tabernacle so that it shall be called
The Tabernacle of Wisdom.
29.
Though this PHILADELPHIAN church is not known in visibility, yet
it may lie hid at this present time as in the womb of the morning.
30.
Notwithstanding, it will be brought forth into visibility as coming
out of the wilderness within a short period.
31.
Then will it go on to multiply and propagate itself universally; not
only to the number of the first-born (which is 144,000) but also
to the remnant of the seed: against whom the Dragon shall
make continual war.
32.
WHEREFORE the spirit of DAVID ["love"] shall most eminently revive in
this church and most specially in some or other selected
members of it as the blossoming root which is to precede the
DAY OF SOLOMON ["wisdom] in the blessed MILLENNIUM. These will have
might given them to overcome the Dragon and his angels, (even
as David and his army overcame Goliath and the PHILISTINES).
33.
This will be the standing up of MICHAEL ["Who is like God"], the GREAT
PRINCE of
Israel, and will be as the appearance of MOSES ["rescued"] against
Pharaoh ["leadership"] in order that the chosen seed may be brought out
from
their hard servitude.
34.
EGYPT ["scientific; worldly; reasoning"]doth figure out this servile creation
under
which each one of Abraham's seed doth groan, but a PROPHET and
prophetical generation will the MOST HIGH yet raise up who
shall deliver His people — by mere force of spiritual arms.
35.
For which there must be raised up certain HEAD POWERS to
bear the first shock, who are to be persons of great eminence
and favor with the TRINITY: whose dread and fear shall fall upon
all nations (visible and invisible) because of the mighty acting
power of the Holy Ghost which shall rest upon them.
36.
For CHRIST, before His own distinct and personal appearance,
will first appear and represent Himself in some CHOSEN VESSEL
or vessels anointed to be leaders unto the rest and to bring them
into the promised land — the new creation state.
37.
Thus, MOSES, JOSHUA and AARON may be considered as types
of some upon whom the same spirit may come, yet to rest in a
greater proportion whereby they shall make way for the
ransomed of the Lord to return to MOUNT ZION.
38.
BUT — none shall stand in any considerable office under GOD,
but who are tried stones after the pattern and similitude of
the Chief Corner stone — CHRIST.
39.
THIS will be a FIERY trial, which very FEW will be able to pass,
or bear up in; wherefore the WAITERS for the visible breaking
out of this Church are strictly charged to hold that fast which
they have and to wait together in the unity of PURE LOVE,
praying in the Holy Ghost according to the apostolical pattern,
that they may be sent forth to multiply more universally.
40.
This TRIAL will be of absolute necessity to every one in
particular, and to all in general, for the constituting and cementing
of the true Philadelphian [brotherly love] Church by clearing away all
the
remaining infirmities of nature and burning up all that there is of
hay, stubble or dross, which they may have added to the work
of the LORD.
41.
FOR nothing must remain in this pure Church but what can
abide in the FIRE. For as a Refiner will the LORD purify the sons
and daughters of it and purge them as gold and silver, that they
may offer unto Him an offering in perfect righteousness.
42.
Though the operation of the Holy Spirit in these WAITERS
may, for a LONG TIME, contend with many infirmities and evils,
yet, if it be kept continually warm and watched to, it cannot at
the last but work out a perfect cure and bring about a full and
perfect redemption from the earth.
43.
There may be some at present living who may come to be thus
fully and totally redeemed, having ANOTHER BODY put on
them, that is, — one after the priestly order.
44.
This priestly anointed BODY will render them impregnable and
qualify them for that high degree of spiritual government which
they are called to.
45.
WHEREFORE it is required on our part to suffer the Spirit of
Burning to do upon us the refining work, fanning us with His
fiery breath and searching every part within us until all be pure
and clear and we thereby arrive to this FIXED BODY from
whence the WONDERS are to flow out.
46.
This BODY will be the sealing character of the PHILADELPHIAN
Church.
47.
Upon this BODY will be the fixation of the URIM and THUMMIM,
[the Mind and the Wisdom of God] that are to be appropriated to the Priests
of the
Melchisedecian order; whose descent is not to be counted in
the genealogy of that creation which is under the FALL but in
another genealogy which is from the RESTORATION — (vide
Prop. 17 & 18).
48.
Hence, these Priests will have a deep inward search and a Divine
sight into the secret things of the Deity; will be able to prophecy
in a clear ground, not darkly and enigmatically, for they will
know what is couched in the first originality of all beings, and
in the eternal archetype of nature; and so will be capacitated
to bring them forth according to the Divine counsel and
ordination.
49.
The LORD, whose Hand is lifted up, sweareth in truth and
righteousness, that from ABRAHAM'S line according to the
Spirit, there shall arise an HOLY PRIESTHOOD.
50.
ABRAHAM ["father of many"] and SARAH ["true judgment"] were a type of THAT
which should be
produced and manifested in the last age of the world.
51.
The mighty spirit of CYRUS is appointed to lay the foundation of
the third temple and to support it in its building.
52.
THESE are the characteristics or marks whereby this pure
Virgin Church, so founded, shall be certainly known and
distinguished from all others and whereby the unction and true
sound of the Holy Ghost shall be discerned from THAT which
is FALSE, LOW, and COUNTERFEIT:
53.
There must be a manifestation of the Spirit wherewith to edify
and raise up this Church suitable to the Resurrection of CHRIST.
54.
This manifestation must be in the absoluteness of power as
well as in the beauty of holiness; so bringing down Heaven
upon earth and representing HERE the NEW JERUSALEM
state.
55.
In order to which, spirits that are thus purely begotten and born
of GOD can ascend to the new Jerusalem above where their
HEAD, in great majesty, doth reign and receive THERE such a
mission whereby they shall be empowered to bring down to this
world its transcendent glory.
56.
None but those that are risen with CHRIST in the regeneration
can thus ascend and none but those that have so ascended
and received of His glory can descend again to communicate the
same, being thereby His representatives upon the new earth as
subordinate Priests and Princes under him.
57.
Now, HE that is ascended and glorified, has made Himself, as it
were, our debtor; consequently, He will not be wanting in
qualifying and furnishing out certain high and principal
instruments WHO SHALL BE MOST HUMBLE and as little
regarded as David was, whom He will dignify with great honour
and priestly sovereignty, for the drawing to them the scattered
flocks and gathering them into one fold, out of all nations, and
languages, and kindreds.
58.
THEREFORE, there should be a holy emulation and ambition
stirred up among all the lovers of JESUS that they may be of the
first fruits unto Him that is risen from the dead, and so be made
principal agents for Him and with Him; that they may, if possible,
be of the number of the first born of the New Jerusalem Mother.
59.
All the LOVERS of JESUS and true waiters for His kingdom in
spirit, under whatsoever professions or forms they are
dispersed, ought to be numbered among the Philadelphian
spirits to whom this MESSAGE appertains.
60.
The [present Philadelphian - 1697] Society is not the Church, but preparatory
to the Church of Philadelphia; it consists of those who have associated
to wait in the unity of the Spirit for its glorious appearance and
manifestation. — WHEREFORE there is such a strict charge given to THEM,
throughout this Message, to be WATCHFUL and quicken up their pace.