September 2. 1678. the Vision Interpreted.
The sermon calls for surrendering one's earthly life to God's will in order to experience spiritual transformation and transcend even angelic realms.
Jane Lead preaches about the necessity of strong faith leading believers to surrender completely to God, risking everything to immerse themselves in His immensity and transcend the limitations of the physical senses that separate them from God. By letting go of earthly life and reasoning, believers can experience true spiritual freedom and eternal life, surpassing even the angels in closeness to God. This surrender allows the superrational life to ascend to its essential light, unburdened by sensuality, and be welcomed by the Father of pure spirits in a refined and excellent state.
Text
It was opened further from this Vision, concerning this Gulf, that when Faith's Life comes to be strong, it will run the whole hazard of sinking into the deep Abyss, where no bottom is, but God's immensity. Where the outward Senses will be drowned, which have been so long the parting Cloud betwixt God and the Soul. Here possibly we may come to loose that Life, that hath made all the strife and enmity, from which, we have now studied in Christ's Light, to be free'd therefrom.
The Spirit doth it evidently shew, that this is the true and safe way to ingulf and suspend the Man of strong reasoning. Which satisfies the saying of our Lord, He that will thus venture to loose his Life, shall keep it to Life Eternal. We have many ways tried the sinking and overturning, the depraved Life of Nature, from its own first conception, but could never bring it to such an annihilation, as no more to receive again. This is an advantageous Gulf to shoot, whereby the earthly Life is sunk, that so by a forcible rebound, the superrational Life may move upwards to its own Essential Light: I say, that it may move pure, and free, and unclogged of sensuality.
Then we may pass and be most friendly entertained, by the everlasting Father of pure Spirits, who will know us again in that more refined and excellent State. Which may transcend the very Angels, whose familiarity will be common to us. Ah my Lord shall this Vision according to this Interpretation be made good unto us. Let us not then delay to hazard all for so great a God.
Sermon Outline
- The Vision of the Gulf
- The benefits of surrendering to God's will
- The call to action
- Freedom from the constraints of nature
- The possibility of transcending even angelic realms
- Hazard all for a great God
- Do not delay in surrendering to God's will
Key Quotes
“He that will thus venture to loose his Life, shall keep it to Life Eternal.” — Jane Lead
“This is an advantageous Gulf to shoot, whereby the earthly Life is sunk, that so by a forcible rebound, the superrational Life may move upwards to its own Essential Light:” — Jane Lead
“Let us not then delay to hazard all for so great a God.” — Jane Lead
Application Points
- We must be willing to let go of our earthly life in order to experience true spiritual transformation.
- Surrendering to God's will can lead to freedom from the constraints of nature and the possibility of transcending even angelic realms.
- We should not delay in surrendering to God's will, but rather hazard all for a great God.