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First, all my strength, my forces were utterly routed, my house I dwelt in afire ; my father and my mother forsook me, the wife of my bosome loathed me, mine old name was rotted, perished ; and I was utterly plagued, consumed, damned, rammed, and sunke into nothing, into the bowels of the still Eternity (my mothers wombe) out of which I came naked, and wheretho I returned again naked. And lying a while there, rapt up in silence, at length,(the body or outward forme being awake all this while) a most terrible thunder-clap, and after that a second. And upon the second thunder-clap, which was exceedingly terrible, I saw a great body of light, like the light of the Sun, and red as fire, in the forme of a drum (as it were) whereupon with exceedingly trembling and amazement of the flesh, and with joy unspeakable in the spirit, I clapt my hands, and cryed out, amen, halelujah, halelujah, amen And so lay trembling, sweating, and smoaking (for the space of half an houre) at length with a loud voyce I Inwardly cryed out, Lord, what wilt thou do with me; my most excellent majesty and eternal glory in me answered & sayd, Fear not, I will take thee up into mine everlasting Kingdom. But thou shalt first drink a bitter cup, a bitter cup...a bitter cup, whereupon being filled with exceeding amazement I was throwne into the belly of hell (and take what you can of it in these expressions) I was among all the Devils in hell, even in their most hideous hew. And under all this terrour, and amazement, there was a little spark of transcendent, transplendent, unspeakable glory, which survived, and sustained itself, triumphing , exulting, and exalting itself above all the Fiends.
And, confounding the very blacknesse of darknesse (you must take it in these terms, for it is infinitely beyond expression), upon this the life was taken out of the body (for a season) and it was thus resembled, as if a man with a great brush dipt in whiting, should with one stroke wipe out, or sweep off a picture upon a wall, &c. after a while, breath and life returned into the form againe; whereupon I saw varous streams of light (in the night) which appeared to the outward eye; and immediately I saw three hearts (or three appearances in the form of hearts), of exceeding brightnesse; and immediately an innumerable company of hearts, filling each corner of the room where I was. And methought there was variety and distinction, as if there had been severall hearts, and yet most strangely and unexpressibly complicated or folded up in unity....
And at this vision, a most strong, glorious voyce uttered these words; The spirits of just men made perfect. The spirits &c. with whom I had a absolut cleare, full communion, and in a two fold more familiar way, then ever I had outwardly with my dearest friends, and nearest relations.