EXCERPTS FROM:

A Treatise of Extraordinary Divine Dispensations*

[* Visitations, Dreams, Miracles, Inspeakings, Visions, Transports, &
Prophecies]
under the Jewish and Gospel Administrations.

By Thomas Bromley [1629 - 1691]

My last Observation, ... is this; That as immediately before and just at Christ's
coming in the Flesh, extraordinary Dispensations of Visions and Prophesy, began to
be renewed, and to break forth amongst some choice Ones of the Jewish Church: So
now just before Christ's second coming in Spirit (2Thes. 2.8) to deliver and reform
the Church, which had been long in Babylon, extraordinary Dispensations of Visions
and Prophecy, &c. begin amongst Christians to be renewed after their so long
withdrawment and Cessation; whose Enjoyments evidently discover themselves to be
of God, and the very fulfilling of that promise, Joel 2.28. 1st, From the way of
attaining them. 2d, For their substantial Agreement with those of Patriarchs,
Prophets and Apostles. 3d, From the Effects they produce in those that enjoy
them.

1st, Then, as to the way of their attainment, it hath been that of the Cross, i.e.
by the habitual Practice of Self Denial, both internal and external :

Internal, as first, by dying to all Imaginations, and speculative Pollutions,

keeping up our Thoughts to God, and heavenly Objects. Second, by continual
Watchfulness over our Affections and Passions, in exercising the Cross, upon the
first Motions of them. Third, by dying to the desire of Repute and Honour amongst
Men in the World, looking after that Honour which comes from God only.

External, first, by Fasting, and keeping under our Bodies, by constant Observations
of the Rules of Christian Sobriety. Second, by abstaining from all Objects of
sensual Lust and Pleasure, in observing the Rules of Chastity. Third, by
withdrawing ourselves, except for necessity, both from all Persons and Employments
that might interrupt our inward Communion, or awaken any earthly Passion, as
knowing that evil Communications corrupt good Manners; especially where the Habit
of Mortification is not yet very strong, and deeply rooted.
A second Means hath been frequent and earnest Prayer in private. Third, in
spending our Time when together, by redeeming Time in Prayer and heavenly
Discourse, in relating our Experiences, in exhorting and encouraging one another:
And all this from a Principle of Love to God and Faith in Christ, by whose Goodness
and spiritual Blessing, these Means have been effectual to the fitting of us for
our present Enjoyments.

2dly, Their substantial agreement with those of the Patriarchs, Prophets and
Apostles, will appear by paralleling their and our enjoyments.

1st, Then we have Visions of Representations, exhibiting spiritual Mysteries and

truths; so had they, as Zachariah�s golden Candlestick, and Peter's Vessel, &c.
2d, We have Visions of Angels appearing in Brightness and Splendour, and
particularly of the blessed Angel Gabriel, the Seraphims, &c. so had they. 3dly,
Some of us have seen the Vision of Christ in Glory, so did some of the antient
Pillars of the Church. 4thly, We have been wrapt up into the third Heaven�s, or
Paradise, where the Majesty and Glory of God and the blessed Spirits have been
beheld; so were some of them. 5thly, We are much taught by angelical Dreams
and Visions in Dreams, in which spiritual Mysteries are discovered, and future
Things oft predicted; so were they, as appears by those of Joseph, Daniel, &c.
6thly, We see the personal Angels one of another at a distance, so did some of
them:

Now, as to the Objects of internal Faculties of Hearing. 1st, We have internal

Words, or inspeakings from the Spirit; so had they, Acts 7.12.13.2. And these
inspeakings are oft in the very Language and Words of Scripture; by which sometimes
particular Scriptures are applied to our particular Condition, heavenly Mysteries
sometimes opened, and Directions given in doubtful Things. 2d, We hear Things
spoken by the Angels, so did they. 3rd, We sometimes hear the Harpers upon Mount
Sion, and the spiritual Songs of the Blessed above; so did divine John, and the
poor Shepherds. 4th, As to other spiritual Gifts. 1st. We have first immediate
Prophecies, the Accomplishment of which, to my knowledge, hath proved the Truth of
them, so had they. Then, 2d, [We have] Immediate Revelation and Interpretations
of deep mystical Scriptures, so had they. 3d, [We have] Immediate spiritual
Hymns and Songs, which are accompanied with so much Power and reviving Virtues,
that they clearly speak their Author to be the Spirit; such also had the Saints of
old; other eminent and extraordinary Enjoyment I could here annex, but they shall
be discovered in their Time, few being yet able to bear them.

3rdly, As to the Tendency and Effects of these Enjoyments, they have been and are
suitable to the Means thro' which they were attained, leading to those Things which
are the chief Scope of the Scripture;

as 1st, To the giving of us a deep Sense of our natural Corruption, and sad
Condition in this elemental Body.
2dly, Of the very great Grace of God, in affording us such happy Means of
Redemption by the Blood, Life and Death of his Son.
3dly, Of our Necessity of Conformity to the Death and Sufferings of Christ, in
regard that the way to Life is thro' Death, and the Opposition of Devils very great
and constant.
4thly, They lead us to a continual Watchfulness over our inward and outward Man.
5thly, To the Denying our selves of all Enjoyments pleasing to the Flesh, which are
any way hindrances to the spiritual Temper and Progress of the Soul to God.
6thly, To the freeing of us (by Abstinence) from many fleshly Entanglements, in
which many Christians are sadly ingulfed.
7thly, To a constant Sense and Sight of the Presence of God and his holy Angels.
8thly, To the enjoying of exceeding much spiritual Comfort and Refreshment.
9thly, To the loving of God and our fellow Saints, with a pure, strong and constant
Love.
10thly, To the renouncing of the Desires of Honour and Riches in this World.
11thly, To the denying of spiritual Pride, and the selfish Desire of Greatness and
Honour in the Kingdom of God.
12thly, To the continual taking up our Cross, and constant pressing forward to the
Mark, for the Prize of the high calling in Jesus Christ; hence we shew the Danger
of spiritual Sloth, and the Principles that lead to it, affirming it our Duty to
labour to be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect and that our Business and
Work in this World, is to return to God and Paradise.
13thly, To the spiritual opening of Scriptures, more to the Advantage of God's
Kingdom, and our spiritual growth, less to the indulging of the Flesh, and corrupt
Principles of old ADAM.

I have now performed my Work in raising my Observations upon the collected

Scriptures, and in vindicating those Saints, whom the Lord hath blessed with a
renewal of extraordinary Dispensations: And I would have the Reader know that my
Scope was not to discourse particularly of every extraordinary Dispensation, but in
general to treat of them so far as to show the Happiness of them that enjoyed them,
and the great Advantages and Priviledges that the Church in general, and many of
it's Members in particular received by them, and the great Disadvantages and
Inconveniences our Churches lie under for want of them, together with the springing
Hopes we have of their Resurrection, in regard to those blessed Christians, who now
enjoy them: and God's Promises both to increase and spread them over the Church
again, and I believe it hath been a great design of the Devil to raise up many
Pretenders to Visions and Revelations, whose Lives and Ends have been unsuitable to
those blessed Saints, who in the purest Times were eminent for them, that so he
might raise Prejudices against all that shall enjoy or possess them tho'
immediately given from that holy Spirit, which must again be poured out upon the
Saints, for the pure reformation of the Church, the vindication of the Scriptures
from the false glosses, the destruction of Antichrist, and for the Preaching of
that everlasting Gospel, which must yet go forth with mighty Power and Authority
thro' the World; and this Plot of the Devil's is the same he invented and set on
Foot, before the first pouring out of the Spirit upon the Apostles, after Christ's
Ascension, as you may see, Acts 5. by Gamaliel, that learned and sober Pharisee's
Speech, in which he shews how before that time one Theudas, had started up,
boasting of great Things, who drawing 400 after him, was slain, and all his
Disciples scattered, and after him, Judas of Galilee, in the Days of the taxing,
who likewise drew away many People, yet afterward perished with the dispersion of
all his Adherents; these Instances he applied to the Apostles, who at that time
were called before the Jewish Council, for their Miracles, and Preaching the
Gospel, yet he did not so apply them, as positively to conclude that the Apostles
were such Deceivers, and that their Works and Miracles were from the Devil; for
then he had rashly Blasphemed the Holy Ghost, even as they do now, who conclude
from the many Miscarriages of Persons, who pretend to extraordinary Things, that
all our enjoyments, being the very effects of the Holy Ghost, are either
Pretentions only, or Delusions of the Devil: But all such should learn Charity of
Wise Gamaliel, who after these Instances, thus concluded his Speech to the
imbittered Jews: Refrain from these Men and let them alone; for if this Counsel,
or this Work be of Men, it will come to naught; but if it be of God, ye cannot
overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

And I know the Day will come, when it shall be powerfully demonstrated; that they
who now oppose and Judge that Spirit which lives in us, and affords extraordinary
Gifts to us, oppose and fight against the Spirit of the living God; tho'
ignorantly, as Poor Paul once did. And as to the Interpretation of those
Scriptures, in which we differ from the common Road, we may take notice, that our
Interpretation is more to the Advantage of God's spiritual Kingdom; more to the
killing of the Flesh; to the calling of us out of the World; to the fitting us
for Heaven and Eternity, and the State of Perfection, than the Expositions of
others: Yea, exactly agreeable to Christ's own Practice, who came to set us a Copy
without Blur, which we ought to imitate. And is it any wonder, if this last
Dispensation of Christ's second coming in the Spirit be more Spiritual, Pure and
Glorious, than any that have yet been generally embraced? Especially,
considering that it hath been God's usual way, to make latter Dispensations, exceed
former in Glory; as the Temple did the Tabernacle; evangelical Prophets; that of
the Law; Christ's Dispensation in the Flesh that of the Prophets, and the pouring
out of the Holy Ghost, that of his Corporeal Presence. And is it not agreeable to
Divine Wisdom, that this Dispensation which is now coming forth, to disperse all
the Clouds of Anti-Christ, should be more bright and glorious, than that upon which
Anti-Christ prevailed? Which carrying so great Evidence of Truth with it, may
teach us to beware of setting Limits to God's Spirit, or of confining the Holy One
of Israel, in reference, either to his abolishing of any Shadows, or to revealing
the Substance of Truth more clearly, and vindicating it when sadly Misapprehended,
by a more spiritual and powerful effusion of Glory.

End of Excerpt: 'A Treatise of Extraordinary Divine Dispensations'

Note: This treatise was written in the late 1600's when Thomas Bromley was a part
of the Philadelphian Society with Jane Lead. The "we", to whom he refers, must
surely have been those of his immediate fellowship � the Philadelphians. The
entire scholarly manuscript contains thirteen of Bromley's "observations", the
last of which is presented in the above excerpt.

For the complete text go to: 'A Treatise of Extraordinary Divine Dispensations'
by Thomas Bromley.