Page:A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion.djvu/223

Rh prophet mentioned in the Revelation, when an angelic spirit appeared before me, and asked, what was the subject of my meditation? I answered, concerning the false prophet; then he said, Come with me, and I will lead thee to the place of their abode, who are signified by the false prophet, and who are the same that are understood in the xiiith chapter of the Revelation by the beast rising out of the earth, which had two horns like a lamb, and spake like a dragon. I followed him, and lo! I saw a great multitude of people, and in the midst of them several persons of note and distinction in the church, who had taught, that man is saved only by faith in the merits of Christ, and that works are good and profitable, but not in regard to salvation, and that nevertheless they are to be insisted on as agreeable to the word of God, and as a means of keeping the laity, particularly the more simple amongst them, in stricter obedience to the civil magistrate, whilst they are instigated to the exercise of moral duties by the interior obligations arising from religion. Then one of them, observing me, said, Hast thou any desire to see our place of worship, wherein is an image representative of our faith? I answered in the affirmative; so. he conducted me to the building, which was very magnificent, and lo! in the midst of it there was the image of a woman, clothed in a scarlet vest, and holding in her right hand a piece of gold coin, and in her left a chain of pearls; but both the image and the place of worship were the effect of phantasy; for thereby infernal spirits have the power to represent very magnificent objects, by closing the interiors of the mind, and opening only its exteriors. When I perceived however that all this was a mere trick and delusion, I prayed to the Lord, and suddenly the interiors of my mind were open, and then I beheld, instead of the magnificent dome, a poor house, full of