Jane Lead
Jane Lead (March 1624 – August 19, 1704) was an Christian mystic whose calling from God inspired a visionary ministry that shaped the Philadelphian Society, proclaiming divine wisdom and spiritual renewal across the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Born Jane Ward in Letheringsett, Norfolk, England, to Hamond Ward, a prosperous gentleman, and Mary Calthorpe, she was the youngest of twelve children in a well-off family, baptized on March 9, 1624. Her education was informal, shaped by a comfortable upbringing and personal spiritual experiences rather than formal theological training, culminating in a transformative moment at age 15 during a 1639 Christmas dance when a heavenly voice declared, “Cease from this, I have another dance to lead thee in.” Lead’s calling from God unfolded after marrying William Lead, a merchant, in 1644, living happily with him and their four daughters in King’s Lynn until his death in 1671 left her penniless in London. That year, a vision of the Virgin Sophia—divine wisdom personified—called her a “Bride of Christ,” igniting her ministry of recording divine revelations. Ordained informally by her mystical experiences, she preached through writings and leadership, joining John Pordage’s Behmenist group in 1668 and assuming its helm after his 1681 death, renaming it the Philadelphian Society in 1694. Her sermons, preserved in works like A Fountain of Gardens (1696–1701) and The Revelation of Revelations (1683), called for a universal restoration through the Inner Light, influencing Quakers and Pietists despite opposition from Anglican authorities. Widowed, with no further marriages, she passed away at age 80 in London, leaving a legacy of mystical preaching that echoed beyond her time.
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Jane Lead preaches about the revelation of the Spirit of Power and Life bringing forth a Treasury of Light and Knowledge from the Eternal Light, generating matter and renewing all of God's creation. She emphasizes the importance of keeping this Sacred Fire pure and unquenched in order for it to manifest the Holy Trinity's presence on Earth, fulfilling prophecies and bringing about a complete Redemption through a Fire-Baptism experience that each individual must undergo to be restored to original purity.
February 21. 1678. the Interpretation of the Vision.
The next Morning calling it over again, and observing the way, which the Spirit dictated, as the Fish into the Sea did sink to bring up the Treasury of Light and Knowledge, which was hereby found Being explained unto me by an internal Voice, which told me, that I had seen the gulf of Eternal Light, from whence the matter was generated. This Spirit of Power and Life, that shall enter into Nature all of God to renew evidently, where this shall have its opening, it will work consumingly, and yet therefrom shall come a Body of encrease, that shall be mighty upon the Earth. For it is the sparkling Fire-Seed from the Deity, that will for it self create a meet Tabernacle for the Holy Trinity's manifestation. Then was it declared that this Sacred Fire had now begun its enkindling in our Earth, therefore have regard unto it, that nothing of this World quench it, but keep it pure and entire, and then the Deity will sprinkle that with Fuel: For its great encrease shall be brought forth substantially, into working Powers, operatively to make good and fulfill all of Prophesie; which only the sure Testimony can give, that God is again returned into Humanity, therein to fulfill the grand Mystery of a compleat Redemption. Which no other way finished can be, but through this Fire-Baptism, which each one may and must feel in themselves, as a rising pleasant Flame, which will do no other hurt, but to consume that, which hath been introduced from the strange Spirits. Therefore let us seek and pray earnestly for this Coelestial spring to rise, for to recover us into the original Purity, to which we have lain so long as slain.
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Jane Lead (March 1624 – August 19, 1704) was an Christian mystic whose calling from God inspired a visionary ministry that shaped the Philadelphian Society, proclaiming divine wisdom and spiritual renewal across the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Born Jane Ward in Letheringsett, Norfolk, England, to Hamond Ward, a prosperous gentleman, and Mary Calthorpe, she was the youngest of twelve children in a well-off family, baptized on March 9, 1624. Her education was informal, shaped by a comfortable upbringing and personal spiritual experiences rather than formal theological training, culminating in a transformative moment at age 15 during a 1639 Christmas dance when a heavenly voice declared, “Cease from this, I have another dance to lead thee in.” Lead’s calling from God unfolded after marrying William Lead, a merchant, in 1644, living happily with him and their four daughters in King’s Lynn until his death in 1671 left her penniless in London. That year, a vision of the Virgin Sophia—divine wisdom personified—called her a “Bride of Christ,” igniting her ministry of recording divine revelations. Ordained informally by her mystical experiences, she preached through writings and leadership, joining John Pordage’s Behmenist group in 1668 and assuming its helm after his 1681 death, renaming it the Philadelphian Society in 1694. Her sermons, preserved in works like A Fountain of Gardens (1696–1701) and The Revelation of Revelations (1683), called for a universal restoration through the Inner Light, influencing Quakers and Pietists despite opposition from Anglican authorities. Widowed, with no further marriages, she passed away at age 80 in London, leaving a legacy of mystical preaching that echoed beyond her time.