A short Account of the wonderful Life and Visions of Hans Engelbrecht, Cloath worker and Citizen of Brunswick, taken out of a larger Treatise, writ and publisht by himself in the German Tongue.
I Have been all my Life long, a man of Sorrow, and of a sad and afflicted Spirit, from my Youth upward, by reason of great Anguish and Distress of Soul, which made me continually to pray and cry to God, That he would be pleased to Comfort me with his Holy Spirit.
I was three Years with a Cloathier, to learn his Craft; but could never make use of it to my profit, by reason of the great anguish of Soul, and deep Sorrow, wherewith I was continually overwhelmed. Now what kind of Anguish this was, I am no way able to describe or express to you, neither can any one know it, except he hath been tempted and tryed in [Page 2]like manner. This made me often attempt to make away with my self, yea, I have often risen suddenly from my labour, and run out of the House without being able to rest any where, by reason of the extream anguish and horrour of mind that still followed me: Sometimes I could run down into the Cellar, and hide my self there, not knowing for extream anguish where to bestow my self. I daily frequented the Churches where any Preaching was, hoping there to meet with some Comfort, but all in vain, for my Anguish still continued: And as for converse with men, and merry-meetings, these I altogether refrained, and had aversion for them, which made me the object of the flouts and derision of all my Companions, and fellow Apprentices.
In the Year 1634▪ the Friday before the second Sunday in Advent. I went to the Church of St. Kathrines, in Brunswick, to hear a Sermon, where I was surprised with unutterable Sorrow and Anguish of Mind, by occasion of seeing so few Auditors there; and reflecting, how many for f [...]r of losing any opertunity for outward profit, did neglect the Eternal Good of their Souls; this anguish still [Page 3]increased upon me, till my return home, where the extremity of it overcoming my bodily strength and health, I was fain to betake my self to my Bed, my Stomach being altogether taken from me, so that I could not get down the least bit of Bread or drop of Drink: The next day finding by the great increase of my Weakness, that my departure was near I received the Holy Communion at the hand of Mr. Jorden, and to the amaze ment of all that were present; I received the Bread and Wine without the leas reluctancy of my Stomach; whereas som [...] time before I had like to have been choaked, by endeavouring, at the pressing importunity of my Master, to swallow on little bit of boyled Fish.
Having taken this Heavenly Provision I was all on a sudden so overset with unutterable horrour and anguish of So [...] which made me cry and roar out most h [...] deously, insomuch that our affright Neighbours came running in to see w [...] was the matter; who finding me in su [...] an Agony, they all fell down upon th [...] Knees, recommending me to God, a [...] praying that he would deliver me out my extream Distress and Horrour, cause whereof was Satan abjecting [Page 4]Sins to me, tempting me to dispair, and strangely tormenting me by shuteing his fiery Darts into me, wherewith I was as sensibly pained as if so many Daggers or Knives had been stabbed in my Heart.
Soon after this, Death began to sease me, manifesting it self in the extream coldness of my Feet, which increased upward, till all feeling was taken from me; neither could I so much as open my Mouth, my Flesh was grown so stiff and cold: Not long after perfectly perceived my Eye-strings to break; yet my Hearing continued, for I could distinctly hear them Pray for me: I also heard them say one to another, Eccl his Legs and Feet how cold they be; he will not continue long now: All which I heard with my Ears; but was not sensible when they touched me: I heard the Watch-man cry past Eleven a Clock, and about Twelve my Hearing was taken away likewise, and then it seemed to me as if I had been taken up with my Body, and carried much swifter than an Arrow out of a Bow, till I came before the Gates of Hell, where I could perceive nothing but thick Darkness, Smoke, and a most abominable Stink, and loathsom bitter Savour, which I cannot compare with any Stink in this World, it [Page 5]was so intollerable: Here I heard many gashly & terrible Voices, crying, Mountains fall upon us, Hills cover us, that we be not placed before the face of God: Wo! O Wo to us! damned to all Eternity. And after a while I found my self surrounded with many thousand Devils, who tempted me to dispair, but I defended my self with the Shield of Faith, trusting in the Mercy of God through Christ; in this Prayer of Faith my Spirit cryed earnestly to God, and presently thereupon this dark and loathsome Scene disappeared.
Then the Holy Ghost appeared to me in the Figure of a man cloathed all in White, and having placed me in a Golden Charriot, he carried me into the clear heavenly Light, whence God is called the Father of Lights, from whom all good and perfect Gifts do proceed, and indeed this was such a Gift, when the Holy Ghost carried me in the Golden Charriot Christ, out of the hellish Darkness, into the splendor of the Divine Glory: for Christ alone is the Way, the Truth and the life, neither can any one come to the Father of Glory but by him.
And when I was thus placed in the Light of the divine Glory, I saw the Quires of the holy Angels, Prophets and [Page 6]Apostles, singing and making melody round God's Throne, with Heavenly Voices and divine Musick; but not in Bodily Shapes: The holy Angels appeared in the likeness of innumerable Flames of Fire, and the Saints like bright shining Lights; the Throne of God appeared like a Glorious shining Brightness, which no human Reason can conceive, neither can I in the least describe what it was: Here I heard the Heavenly Harmony, and smelled such sweet Odours, to which all Earthly delights compared, are trifles and meer shadows, all which as was afterwards told me, was therefore manifested unto me, that I might comfort the Afflicted and Sorrowful of Heart, who are under great crosses and anguish in this World; and was charged to assure them that one Ounce of Cross and Sorrow here, shall be rewarded with a thousand Pound of Heavenly Joy; and all this of meer Grace.
During my abode here, the Holy Ghost by the ministry of an Angel, opened unto me the understanding or meaning of the whole Pible, and that in a moment. And by the Angelical Revelation, it was shewed me, That I was to tell all those [Page 7]who desire to enter into this Kingdom of Glory, that they must have a Living Faith in Jesus Christ, and give proof of this Faith by their Love; and repent from their whole Hearts, and be converted: Because the Lord will no longer indure that Hypocrisie and shew of Holiness which is so common in the World, because it is determined in the council of the Holy Trinity, that no man shall see Christ face to face, to all Eternity, but he who hath [...]eheld here in this time in Faith, and in Spirit in his own Heart.
Many have a knowledge of Christ, according to the Flesh, and the comprehension of their own carnal Reason; but few know Christ by Faith, and in Spirit, which their Evil Fruits are an undoubted evidence and to en of; and especially this▪ that there is scarcely any true Love left in the World; for all the Friendship of the world is meer Dissembling and Flattery, no man intending the good of his Neighbou [...] from the bottom of his Heart, by [...] which they make it appear that they have no Faith: for as little as Light can be without shining, the Sun without Beams, a good Tree without good fruit, so little can Faith be without Love and good Works.
So far Hans his own Words.
The following was writ of him concerning how it was with him after he came into the Body again.
The Lord was pleased to ratifie and confirm the Revelation He had given to him, after his return to Life again, by these following Miracles:
The [...]rst was, That immediately upon his return to Life, he found himself in more perfect Health and Vigor then ever he had enjoyed before, and that without the use of any Medicine, or any human help whatsoever. It was observed that as his Hearing was the last Sence he lost, so it was the first Sence he recovered upon his return to the Body; for he heard the Voice of those that were in the Room, before he and the use of his other Sences.
2. Another Wonder was, that the Light which had been communicated to his Soul, whilst he was in Heaven, continued with him after his return to Life, and gave him the knowledge of the Mysteries contained in the Scriptures, tho' he had never read them.
3. Another mir [...]ulous thing observed was, that he could and did Discourse whole Lays and Night together; without either [Page 9]exhausting the treasure of his Mind, or the strength of his Body, in which thing he challenged those Ministers that slandered him to do the like.
4. Moreover his Life and Health was preserved for many Weeks together, without any outward bodily Meat or Drink. He also experienced after he began to eat, that the most exquilit Dainties of this world could not overcome the relish of those inconceiveable Sweets which he had tasted in the other World, and which ever after continued uppermost with him.
5. Another Wonder was, That he never Slept for many Weeks together; and when his Step-mother after much ado had perswaded him to eat something, in hopes that it might procure Sleep to him; yet for all that his watchfulness continued with him nine Months together.
6. The last Wonder was, that for one and forty Nights after his return to the Body, he continued to hear the Musick of Angels, as he had heard it in the other World, and himself was wont to Sing with them whole Nights together: During this time of his hearing the Angelical melody, it happened that a certain Woman having continued with him one [Page 10]Night, till all the rest of the company was gone, and hearing him say ever and anon, Don't you hear how sweetly the Angels sing: She became thereby inflamed with a strong desire to pertake of that Caelestial Harmony; whereupon he bid her lay her Ear to his Ear; which she had no sooner done, but she heard it likewise, and in a strange transport of Joy broke forth into the high Praises of God.
Some time after his return to Life, he had the following Visions of the New Heaven and Earth, which he expresseth as followeth.
Hans Englbrecht's Vision of the New Heaven and Earth.
BEing in an Extacy, I saw my self placed on a transparent Earth, the Heavens that surrounded, were as bright as the Sun, and in the same I beheld a Sun infinitly brighter and more glorious than that in the outward Firmament: I saw also the Moon and Stars, but unutterably surpassing those we see here, in splendor and beauty. The Heaven, Sun, Moon and Stars, reflected their Glory [Page 11]upon the Christaline Earth, and were seen in it far more clearly then any opposit Objects are discerned in the best Looking-glasses. I beheld also the Earth adorned with most beautiful Flowers of all sorts, which were splendorous and shining, and their Colour far more lively then these here below.
I saw no Man upon this Earth save only the Lord Jesus in his glorified Body, resembling a transcendently beautiful Young Man, his Body was transparent, so that I could see his Heart in the midst of it; his sacred Wounds shined like so many glorious Stars; and his whole Body shew'd a lustre far beyond that of the New Heavens; in his Face I descerned my own Face more clearly then ever I had seen it in a Looking-glass. But what shall I say more of the Glory and Beauty of his all Glorious Face, the remembrance whereof doth to this day fill my Heart with such exalting Joy, as I cannot compare with any of the pleasures or delights of this world. As I was beholding the unutterable Beauty of Christ, I said unto him. Dearest Lord Jesus, shew unto me thy Father: Which I had no sooner said, but I saw a wonderful Flame, streaming forth from his [Page 12]Heart, which immediately filled the New Heavens and Earth, and gave them a thousand fold greater Glory then they had before. I said unto him also, Lord shew me the Holy Ghost: and as soon as I had so said, I saw many thousands of Beams darted from all parts of his Body in like manner, as Rays proceed from the Sun: Thus I saw the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son; and I saw the Father in Christ, and Christ in the Father, for the whole Body of Christ was filled with the fiery flaming Glory of the Father; and I saw the Holy Ghost in the likeness of infinit Rays, proceeding from the Father through Christ, even through all the parts and members of his Body.
Then I desired to behold the Souls of Saints; whereupon he led further into the Father, and shewed me the Souls of Believers in God's Hand, where no pain could touch them; they appeared to me in the likeness of many great Sparks of Light, very swiftly moving one through another. Then I desired to see my Mother in her bodily Figure; for she dyed when I was yet a Child; which at the first was denyed me; but afterwards upon continuing instant in my request, [Page 13]I was commanded to return to the World, and to call all the Dead in Christ, and to bid them arise, for Christ commanded it. Upon this I saw many Graves open, out of which Bodies arose, and they came with me into the New world, and stood about the Lord Jesus, I could discern them all in his Body, as it were by reflection; and he again did shine, and was seen in every one of their Bodies in like manner as when a Cristial Globe being hung up in the midst of a Room, with many lesser Globes round about it, all the lesser are seen in the great Globe, and the great Globe appears in every one of the lesser. I needed not to ask any Questions what this or that was, for whatsoever I saw, I knew also.
I saw moreover a great number of Birds with Golden Feathers, flying under the Heavens, and praising God. I saw also the Beasts of the Field, which were most beautiful, the Hair of their Skin shining like Gold; with these the Saints delighted themselves, blessing and praising God, who had created such a vast number of beautiful Creatures for his Praise and Glory.
Whilst I was surprised with these Wonderful Sights, and transported with [Page 14]Songs and Melody of the Saints and Angels, the Lord said unto me, Now return again unto the Earth, and declare unto the Children of Men what thou hast seen and heard, and tell them, That if they would come hither to enjoy whatsoever their Hearts can desire, and have their Bodies made like my Glorious Body, they must heartily Repent, and not res [...]st the Holy Ghost by any known Sin, and thereby hinder him from working Faith in them, which evidenceth it self by Love, without which none can be saved, or have their Souls purified, and clarified; for none shall have their Bodies glorified in Eternity, whose Souls have not been purified here in time. And when I was instant with the Lord, that I might remain in Paradise; aleadging that if I should return to the Earth, men would not believe my Report. The Lord comforted me, and said, Do thou bear it patiently, when thou hearest men Blaspheam my Works: for the more thou shalt suffer for my sake in the World, the more hereafter shalt thou rejoyce with me in Soul and Body: Return thou therefore again into the World, and tell them the things that I command thee: Run apace, gird up thy self, l [...]t not the long Garments of this World intangle thy Feet; let no man stop or stay thee: haste thee away I say, [Page 15]and I will follow thee at thy Heels, and will come quickly to make an end of this Wicked World, and take my Saints to me in my Kingdom, where they shall enjoy Eternal Happiness; and will send the Wicked to the Bottomless Pit of Hell.
Then I desired that before my departure out of Paradise, I might fly up into the Air; which was granted me, where I saw David and Solomon delighting themselves with Birds, that perched on their Fingers, and sung most Melodiously: And from thence, at my desire, I mounted up to the Stars, and from thence was carried up into the infinite space of Eternity, where I beheld the unutterable and inconceiveable Glory of God, which I can no way in the least declare what it was.
Then the Lord Jesus put a Golden Tankard into my Left hand, and a Golden Cup into my Right hand, and said, Go now, and return to the World, and fill out to every one a Taster of this Heavenly Wine of my Kingdom, and to every one that doth relish it, and desire to pertake of this my Banquet, and to have their fill thereof to all Eternity: Do thou declare that I will come quickly, and take them along with me to my Heavenly Banquet: [Page 16]And those that indure great Crosses and Troubles, do thou charge, from me, that they bare it patiently till that blessed Hour shall come, when I shall take them to my self, to live with me in fulness of Joy to all Eternity; wherefore let them rather in Submission to my Will, chuse to suffer Anguish and Affliction, then in their own Wills to be freed therefrom; for in my Will all true Happiness is to be found, here in this time with Cr [...]sses and Tribulation, but hereafter in Endless Joys for ever.
And whereas I had seen a Young man, through the Body of Christ; and he also saw me through the same Body, so that we beheld one another through the Body of Christ; the Angel told me, That hence I should take occasion to tell Christians, That they must look one upon another, in and through Christ, with the Eyes of Love and Charity; as also that Christ must dwell in us, and we in [...]im. And whereas it was a Young man whom I saw, the Angel bid me to signisie to Men, from thence, That in this Eternal Life we shall continually grow more Young and Beautiful: whereas here we still grow Older and more Deformed.
[Page 17]Also, whereas I found that I could do whatsoever I desired, or wished for, the Angel bid me tell Men, That when they come hither, nothing shall be impossible for them; and whatsoever they desire, shall, as soon as desired, be effected.
Moreover I knew for certain, that there we shall find a Glorious New Heaven and Earth, and that Paradise shall be in the midst of the Eternal Space, and the New Heavens shall surround the New Earth, upon which shall live all manner of Beasts, and the Air shall be full of Birds; though these shall never come into Eternity, no more then the Sun, Moon and Stars; because in Eternity nothing of this outward Creation is to be found; but the Beasts shall abide upon the New Earth, and the Birds in the Air, and upon the Trees; where they shall sing most Melodiously to the Praise of God; for upon the New Earth shall be all sorts of most pleasant and beautiful Trees, Plants and Flowers.
And when we are here, we may as oft as we please, ascend up into Eternity, and descend again to the New Earth, and sport with Beasts and Birds, ven, with the Sun, Moon and Stars: Here we shall, as oft as we please, begin a Divine [Page 18]Musical Consort, and shall rejoyce in God after an infinite variety of ways, now altogether unknown to us: we shall be able to pass through and through the New Earth, with the same ease as Fishes glide through the Water, or Birds through the Air. The Earth it self will be a thousand times more transparent then the most clear Looking-glass, and consequently shall continually receive, by reflection, the luster of the New Heavens, with its Sun, Moon, and Stars, which will make the New Earth surpassing bright and Glorious: We shall likewise be able to see quite through the Earth, though the thickness of it be of some thousand of Miles: But Eternity will be our Mansion-house, as being the Palace of the great King; and Paradise shall be as a Garden of Pleasure belonging to the same Palace, where the Saints, those heavenly Kings shall go to recreat themselves, whose Bodies shall shine brighter then the Sun in the Firmamament, for the Glory of God shall pierce them through and through. Now how great, think we, will that Glory be, when many hundred thousands of such Bodies are met together: But besides, there we shall see also Christ our Saviour, whose Body shall be more bright and Glorious [Page 19]than many hundred thousands of the Bodies of the Saints together; and indeed it will be an inconceiveable Joy to us to behold his more then Aimable and Friendly Aspect, for we shall see the Father in him, and him in the Father, and the Holy Spirit going forth from them both. Here we shall see truly what God is, which in this World cannot be exprest fully, or understood: As for my part, I can never call to remembrance the Revelation of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as was shewed to me in Paradise; but my Heart is filled with such ravishing Joys, as I can compare to nothing in this World; yea, if it were told me, that I was King over the whole World, it could not give me a Joy comparable to what I feel in my self, upon calling to mind what I there saw.