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 significance of Redemption and the process of yielding to God's will, emphasizing the need to remove any impurity from our lives as the Lord's Passover approaches. Believers are called to partake in the Passover of the Philadelphian Church, symbolizing liberation from captivity and bondage to serve God. Through faith and divine revelation, believers are encouraged to embrace a new spiritual state that leads to vivification and the celebration of the great Triumphant Passover.
September 24. 1678. the Passover.
From the open flowing Spring, as beholding in a Crystal Stream, how, and after what manner, Redemption is to be wrought out. (For which the piercing Unction doth bore the Ear for to hear, what is further to be yielded in order hereunto;) This Word in a pure soft Breath did run through, giving a charge, that no Leaven should be found within our Habitation. For the Lord's Passover is at hand, in which he will rise, and go before us. And his invisible Armies shall deliver that which hath been under secret Oppression. But then forbear we must of the old Leavening lump, any more to taste: since the Flesh of the Holy Lamb, is now to be our Meat, with the pure Blood of the Grape. Whereby the strength of Spirit will feelingly increase. [This is the Passover of the Philadelphian Church, whom a Trumpet from the Heavens doth now call, to go forth out of the Land of their Captivity, and out of this House of Bondage; wherein they have been so long made to serve after the manner of the rest of Mortals. The Voice of which Trumpet hath been frequently heard by this Author, as She doth elsewhere sufficiently declare, in the several Treaties by Her hitherto Published. And a Scheme of this Blessed State hath been given down from above, by the Hand of this dear Instrument, in order to a Figuration, or Formation of the same, that must of necessity precede its Vivification or Animation. Accordingly as it was some Days after most expressly and emphatically shewn, in the manner following, by a Figurative Representation. And for this end the Divine Wisdom hath seen it expedient, and necessary, to call forth this Third Volume of the Openings of the Spirit into Light: that it may be a lively Portrait, Pattern, and Model, in this and the approaching Age, whereby to excite Faith accordingly, so that hence a Spirit entering into it, this may come to be perfectly Animated, in many who shall Read, and Believe, what is here delivered from the Revealer of these deep and mysterious Things; who also is the Worker of them. And he cannot cease to Work, till all this be brought to pass, according to what is in the Idea, or Pattern, exhibited: that so the great Triumphant Passover may be Celebrated, and the Song of the Lamb be Sung; which none can Sing but such as shall hereby, through high Divine favour, attain to the Glorious Mark of the First Resurrection, as upon the Holy Hill of SION, where is to be the Seed of the Love-Kingdom: and upon which the Philadelphian first Fruits are to be gathered. This may suffice for the better understanding the Connexion with that which follows.]
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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.