light in all its members Now if any boast himself to be the child of God and yet suffereth the body to burn in sins he is not yet capable of being a child but lieth captive in the fetters of the Devill in great darknesse and if he doe not find in himselfe an earnest will burning in him of well-doing in love then his pretence is but an invention of Reason proceeding from Selfe which cannot see God unlesse it be born anew and shew forth in its power and vertue that it is his child For there is no fire but hath light in it and if the divine fire be in the mind it will shine forth and the mind will doe that which God will have done 40. But perhaps thou wilt say I have a will indeed to doe so I would willingly doe it but I am so hindred that I cannot 41. Yes thou vile man God draweth thee to be his child but thou wilt not the soft cushion in evill is dearer to thee then so thou preferrest the joy of wickednesse before the joy of God thou wholly stick'st fast in Selfe still and livest according to the law of Sin and that hindereth thee thou art unwilling to dye from the pleasure of the flesh and therefore thou art not in the filiation and yet God draweth thee to it but thou thy selfe wilt not 41. O how fine a thing would Adam think it to be if he might be taken into heaven with this will of the voluptuous flesh to have the child of wickednesse that is full of deceit set upon the Throne of God Lucifer also would fain have had it so but he was spewed out 42. It is a troublesome thing to mortifie the evill will none are willing to have it so we would all willingly be the children of God if we might be so with this garment but it cannot be This world passeth away and the outward life must dye what good can the childhood in the mortall body doe me 43. If we would inherit the filiation we must also put on the new man which can inherit the filiation which is like the deity God wil have no sinner in heaven but such as are born anew and become children which have put on heaven 44. Therefore it is not so easie a matter to become the children of God as men imagine Indeed it is not a burdensome thing to him that hath put on the filiation whose light shineth for it is joy to him But to turn the mind and destroy Selfe there is a strong continual earnestnesse requisite and such a purpose that if the body and soule should part asunder by it yet the will should persevere constantly and not enter again into Selfe 45. A man must wrastle so long till the dark center that is shut up so close break open and the spark in the center kindle and from thence immediatly the Noble Lilly-branch sprouteth as from the divine grain of Mustard seed as Christ saith A man must pray earnestly with great humility and for a while become a foole in his own reason and see himselfe as voyd of understanding therin untill Christ be formed in this new incarnation 46. And then when Christ is born Herod is ready to kill the child which he seeketh to doe outwardly by persecutions and inwardly by temptations to try whether this Lilly-branch will be strong enough to destroy the kingdome of the Devil which is made manifest in the flesh 47. Then this destroyer of the Serpent is brought into the wildernesse after he is baptized with the holy Spirit and tempted and tried whether he will continue in Resignation in the will of God he must stand so fast that if need require hee would leave all earthly things and even the outward life to be a child of God 48. No temporall honour must be preferred before the filiation but he must with his will leave and forsake it all and not account it his owne but esteem himselfe as a servant in it onely in obedience to his Master hee must leave all worldly propriety Wee doe not mean that hee may not have or possesse any thing but his heart must forsake it and not bring his will into it nor count it his own if he set his heart upon it he hath no power to serve them that stand in need with it 49. Selfe onely serveth that which is temporary but Resignation hath rule over all that is under it Selfe must doe what the Devill will have it to doe in fleshly voluptuousnesse and pride of life but Resignation tteadeth it under with the feet of the mind Selfe despiseth that which is lowly and simple but Resignation sitteth down with the lowly in the dust it saith I will be simple in my selfe and understand nothing lest my understanding should exalt it selfe and sin I will lye down in the Courts of my God at his feet that I may serve my Lord in that which he commandeth me I will know nothing my selfe that the commandment of my Lord may lead and guide mee and that I may only doe what God doth through me and will have done by me I will sleep in my selfe untill the Lord awaken mee with his Spirit and if he will not then will I cry out eternally in him in silence and wait his commands 50. Beloved brethren men boast much now-a-dayes of faith but where is that faith The modern faith is but the History Where is that child which beleeveth that Jesus is borne If that child were in Being and did beleeve that Jesus is born it would also draw neere to the sweet child Jesus and receive him and â—urse him 51. Alas the Faith now a dayes is but Historicall and a meere knowledge of the story that the Jewes killed him that hee left this world that he is not King on earth in the animall man but that men may doe what they list and need not dye from sinne and their evill lusts All this the wicked child Selfe rejoyceth in that it may fatten the Devil by living deliciously 52 This sheweth plainly that true faith was never weaker and feebler since Christs time then it is now when neverthelesse the world cryeth a loud and saith we have found the true saith and contend about a child so that there was never worse contention since men were on earth 53. If thou beest Zion and hast that new-born Child which was lost and is found again then let it be seen in power and vertue and let us openly see the sweet Child JESUS brought forth by thee and that we may see that thou art his Nurse if not then the children in Christ will say thou hast found nothing but the History viz. the Cradle of the Child 54. Where hast thou the sweet child Jesus thou that art exalted with the History and with thy false and seeming faith O how will the Child Jesus visit thee once in the Fathers property in thy own Turba which thou hast fatted It
must bee in us too for the Devill dwelleth in hell wheresoever he is he is in hell and cannot come out of it Yes when he possesseth a Man hee dwelleth in hell viz. in the Anger of God in that man 12. Therefore we ought to consider well what Man is and how hee is a Man and then we may perceive that a true Christian is not a meere Historicall New Man as if it were enough for us outwardly to confesse Christ and beleeve that he is the Son of God and hath paid the ransome for ns for righteousnes availeth nothing if it be imputed from without that is by beleeving onely that it is imputed but an innate righteousnesse or the righteousnesse born in us in which we are the children of God that availeth 13. And as the flesh must dy so also the life and will must dye from sin and be as a child knowing nothing but longeth after the mother which brought it forth so must also the will of a Christian enter again into its mother viz. into the Spirit of Christ and become a child in it selfe in its own will and power having its will and desire inclined and directed onely towards its mother and a new will and obedience in righteousnesse which willeth sinne no more must rise from death out of the Spirit of Christ. 14. For that will is not born a-new which desireth and admitteth vanity into it selfe and yet there remaineth a will which longeth after vanity and sinneth in the New-born or Regenerate Man Therefore the Image of man must well be considered and how the New-birth commeth to passe seeing it is not wrought in the mortall flesh and yet truly and really in us in flesh and bloud in Water and Spirit as the Scripture saith 15. We should therefore rightly consider what kind of man it is in us that is the member of Christ and Temple of God who dwelleth in heaven And then also what kind of man it is that the Devill Ruleth and driveth for he cannot meddle with the Temple of Christ nor doth he care much for the mortall flesh and yet there are not three men in one another for all make but one man 16. Now if we will consider this rightly we must consider Time and Eternity and how they are in one another also light and darknesse good and evill but especially the originall of man This may thus be considered 17. The outward world with the Starres and foure Elements wherein Man and all creatures live neîther is nor is called God Indeed God dwelleth in it but the substance of the outward World comprehendeth him not 18. We see also that the light shineth in darknesse and the darknesse comprehendeth not the light and yet they both dwell in one another The foure Elements are also an example of this which in their originall are but one element which îs neither hot nor cold nor dry nor moist and yet by its stirring severeth it selfe into foure properties viz. into Fire Aire Water and Earth 19. Who would beleeve that fire produceth water and that the originall of fire could be in water if we did not see it with our eyes in tempests of thundring lightning and rain and did not find also that in living creatures the essentiall fire in the body dwelleth in the bloud and that the bloud is the mother of the fire and the fire the father of the bloud 20. And as God dwelleth in the world and filleth all things and yet possesseth nothing and as the fire dwelleth in water and yet possesseth it not also as the light dwelleth in darknesse and yet possesseth not the darknesse as the day is in the night and the night in the day time in eternity and eternity in time so is man created according to the outward humanity he is the time and in the time and the time is the outward world and it is also the outward man 21. The inward man is eternity and the spirituall time and world which also consisteth of light and darknesse viz. of the love of God as to the eternall light and of the anger of God as to the eternall darknesse whichsoever of these is manifest in him his spiirit dwelleth in that be it darknesse or light 22. For light and darknesse are both in him but each of them dwelleth in it selfe and neither of them possesseth the other but if one of them doe enter into the other and will possesse it then that other loseth its right and power 23. The passive loseth its power For if the light be made manifest in the darknesse then the darknesse loseth its darknesse and is not known or discerned Also on the contrary if the darknesse arise in the light and get the upper hand then the light and the power thereof is extinguished This is to be considered also in man 24. The eternall darknesse of the soule is hell viz. an aking source of anguish which is called the anger of God but the eternall light in the soul is the kingdome of heaven where the fiery anguish of darknesse is changed into joy 25. For the same nature of anguish which in the darknesse is a cause of sadnesse is in the light a cause of the outward and stirring joy For the source in light and the source in darknesse is but one eternall source and one nature and yet they have a mighty difference in the source the one dwelleth in the other and begetteth the other and yet is not the other The fire is painufll and consuming but the light is yeelding friendly powerfull and delightfull a sweet and amiable joy 26. This may be found also in man he is and liveth in three worlds One is the eternall dark-world viz. the center of the eternall nature which produceth the fire viz. the source of anguish 27. The other is the eternall light-world which begetteth the eternall joy which is the Divine Habitation wherein the Spirit of God dwelleth and wherein the Spirit of Christ receiveth the humane substance and subdueth the darknesse so that it must be a cause of joy in the Spirit of Christ in the light 28. The third is the outward visible world in the foure elements and the visible starres though indeed every element hath its peculiar constellation in it selfe whence the desire and property ariseth and is like a mind 29. Thus you may understand that the fire in the light is a fire of love a desire of meeknesse and delightfulnesse but the fire in the darknesse is a fire of anguish and it is painfull irk some enimicitious and full of contrariety in its essence The fire of the light hath a good relish or taste but the taste in the essence of darknesse is unpleasant loathsome and irksome For all the Forms till fire are in great anguish CHAP. II. How Man is created 30 HEre we are to consider the creation of Man Moses saith God created Man in his Image in the Image of God created
Christ calleth poore sinners so kindly and graciously to himselfe and will refresh them and that God hath sent his Sonne into the world to seeke and save that which is lost viz. the poore repentant and returning sinner and that for the poore sinners sake he hath given his Life into Death and died for him in our Humanity which he tooke upon him Furthermore he must firmely imagine to himselfe that God in Christ Jesus will much rather heare him and receive him to grace then he come and that God in the love of Christ in the most deare and precious Name JESUS cannot Will any evill that there is no angry countenance at all in this Name but that it is the highest and deepest love faithfulnesse the greatest sweetnesse of the Diety in the great Name JEHOVAH which he hath manifested in our Humanity corrupted and disappeared as to the heavenly part which in Paradise disappeared through sinne and therefore moved himselfe in his heart to flow into us with his sweet love that the anger of his Father which was kindled in us might be quenched and turned into love by it all which was done for the poor sinners sake that he might get an open gate of grace againe In this consideration he must firmely imagine to himselfe that this very houre and instant he standeth before the face of the holy Trinity and that God is really present within and without him as the holy Scripture witnesseth saying Am not I he that filleth all things and in another place it saith The word is neere thee in thy mouth and in thy heart also it saith We will come unto you and make our dwelling in you also Behold I am with you always even to the end of the world also The Kingdome of God is within you Thus he must firmely know and beleeve that with his soule he standeth really before the face of Jesus Christ even before the holy Deity and that his soule hath turned its backe to the face of God and must resolve that he will this very houre turne the eyes and desire of his soule towards God againe and with the poore lost and returning sonne come to the Father He must with the eyes of his soule and minde cast downe in feare and deepest humility beginne to confesse his sinnes and unworthinesse before the face of God as followeth A short forme of Confession before the eyes of God Every one as his case and necessitie requireth may order and enlarge this confession as the holy Ghost shall teach him I will but set downe a short direction O Thou great unsearchable God Lord of all things Thou who in Christ Jesus of great love towards us hast manifested thy selfe with thy holy substance in our Humanity I poore unworthy sinfull man come before thy Presence which thou hast manifested in the Humanity of Jesus Christ though I am not worthy to lift up mine eyes to thee acknowledging and confessing before thee that I am guilty of unfaithfulnesse and breaking off from thy great love and grace which thou hast freely bestowed upon us I have left the Covenant which of meere grace thou hast made with me in Baptisme in which thou hast received me to be a child and heire of eternall life and have brought my desire into the vanity of this world and defiled my soule therewith and made it altogether beastiall and earthly so that my soule knoweth not it selfe because of the mire of sinne but accounteth it selfe a step- strange child before thy face not worthy to desire thy grace I lie in the filth of sinne and the vanity of my corrupt flesh up to the very lipps of my soule and have but a small sparke of the living breath left in me which desireth thy grace I am so dead in vanity that in this vanity I dare not lift up mine eyes to thee O God in Christ Jesus Thou who for poore sinners sakes didst become Man to helpe them to thee I complaine to thee I have yet a sparke of refuge in my soule I have not regarded thy purchased inheritance which thou hast purchased for us poore men by thy bitter Death but made my self partaker of the heritage of vanity in the anger of thy Father in the curse of the earth and am ensnared in sinne and halfe dead as to thy Kingdome I lie in feeblenesse as to thy strength and the wrathfull death waiteth for mee the devill hath poisoned me so that I know not my Saviour I am become a wilde branch in thy tree and have consumed mine inheritance which is in thee with the devills Swine what shall I say before thee who am not worthy of thy grace I lie in the sleepe of death which hath captivated me and am fast bound with three strong chaines O thou breaker-through-death assist thou me I beseech thee I can not I am able to doe nothing I am dead in my selfe and have no strength before thee neither dare I for great shame lift up my eyes before thee for I am the defiled keeper of Swine and have spent my inheritance with the false adulterous whore of vanity in the lusts of the flesh I have sought my selfe in my owne lust and not thee Now in my selfe I am become a foole I am naked and bare my shame standeth before thy eyes I cannot hide it thy judgement waiteth for mee what shall I say before thee who art the Judge of all the world I have nothing else to bring before thee here I stand naked and bare before thee and I fall downe before thy face bewailing my misery and flie to thy great mercy though I am not worthy of it yet receive me but in thy Death and let me but die from my death in thy Death cast me down I pray thee to the groūd in my received self and kill this self of mine through thy death that I may live no more to my selfe seeing I in my self worke nothing but sin therefore I pray thee cast downe to the ground this wicked beast which is full of false deceit and selfe-desire and deliver this poore soule from itsheavie bonds O mercifull God it is thy love and longsuffering that I lie not already in hell I yeeld my selfe with my whole will sences and minde up into thy grace and flie to thy mercy I call upon thee through thy death from that small sparke of life in me encompassed with death and hell which open their throate against me and would wholly swallow me up in death upon thee I call who hast promised thou wilt not quench the smoaking flaxe I have no other way to thee but thy Death and Passion because thou hast made our death Life by thy Humanity and broken the chaines of Death and therefore I sinke the desire of my soule downe into thy Death into the gate of thy Death which thou hast broake open O thou great fountaine of the love of God I beseech thee helpe mee
soule to come into thee my soule crieth to come into that Spirit from whence the soule was breathed into the body and which hath formed it in the likenesse of God my soule desireth in its thirst to get the sweete fountaine which springeth from IEHOVAH into it selfe to refresh Gods breath of Fire which it selfe is so that the sweete Love of IESVS may rise in its breath of Fire through the Fountaine IESVS springing out of IEHOVAH and that CHRIST the holy one may be manifested and become Man in my disappeared Image of heavenly spirituall corporality and that the poore soule may receive its beloved Bride againe in its Armes with whom it may rejoyce for ever O IMMANVEL thou Wedding Chamber God and Man I yeeld up my selfe into the Armes of thy Desire towards us in us it is thy selfe whom I desire O blot out the Anger of thy Father with thy love in me and strengthen my weake Image in mee that I may overcome and tame the vanity in flesh and bloud and serve thee in holinesse and righteousnesse O thou great and most holy Name and power of God IEHOVAH which hast stirred thy selfe with thy most sweete power IESVS in the limit of the Covenanted promise to our Father Adam in the womans seede in the Virgine Mary in our disappeared heavenly Humanity and brought the living essentiality of thy holy power in the Virgin-wisedome of God into our humanity which was extinguished as to thee and hast given it to us to be our life victory and new Regeneration I entreate thee with all my strength beget a new holy life in me by thy sweete power IESVS that I may be in thee and thou in me and that thy Kingdome may be made manifest in me and that the will and conversation of my soule may be in heaven O great and incomprehensible God thou who fillest all things be thou my Heaven in which my new Birth in CHRIST IESVS may dwell let my spirit be the stringed Instrument harmony sound and joy of thy holy Spirit strike the strings in me in thy Regenerate Image and carry through my Harmony into thy Divine Kingdome of Joy in the great Love of God in the wonders of thy Glory and Majesty in the Communion of the holy Angelicall Harmony build up the holy City Zion in me in which as children of Christ we all live together in one City which is Christ in us into thee I wholly plunge my self do with me what thou pleasest Amen A Prayer In temptation under the Crosse of Christ at that time when all our enemies assault us and when we are persecuted and hated in the Spirit of Christ and slandered and reproached as evill doers POore man that I am I walke full of anguish and trouble in my Pilgrimage into my native Country again from whence I came in Adam and goe through the thistles and thornes of this world to thee againe O God my Father The thornes teare me on every side and I am afflicted and despised by my enemies they scorne my soule and despise it as an evill doer who hath broken the faith with them they despise my walking towards thee account it foolish they thinke I am senselesse because I walke in this thorny way and goe not along with them in their hypocriticall way O Lord Jesus Christ I flie to thee under the Crosse O deare Immanuel receive me and carry me into thy selfe through the Path of thy Pilgrimage in which thy selfe didst walke in this world viz. Through thy Incarnation Poverty Reproach and Scorne also through thy anguish Passion and Death Make me like unto thy Image send thy good Angel along with me to shew me the way through the horrible thorny wildernesse of this world assist me in my misery comfort me with that comfort wherewith the Angel comforted thee in the Garden when thou didst pray to thy Father and didst sweat drops of bloud sustaine me in my Anguish and Perfecution under the reproach of the devills and all wicked men that know not thee but refuse to walke in thy way O great love of God they know not thy way and doe this in blindnesse through the deceit of the devill have pitty on them and bring them out of blindnesse into the light that they may learne to know themselves and how they lie captive in the filth and mire of the devill in a darke dungeon fast bound with three chaines O great God have mercy upon Adam and his children redeeme them in Christ the new Adam I flie to thee O Christ God and Man in this Pilgrimage which I must passe in this darke valley every where dispised and troubled and accounted an ungodly wicked man O Lord it is thy judgement upon me that my sinnes and inbred vanity may be judged in this pilgrimage before thee and I as a curse be made an open spectacle on which thy Anger may satiate it selfe and thereby may take the eternall reproach away from mee It is the token of thy love and thereby thou bringest me into the reproach anguish suffering and death of my Saviour Jesus Christ that so I may die from vanity in my Saviour and spring up in his Spirit with my new life through his reproach and ignominie through his Death I beseech thee O Christ thou patient Lamb of God grant me patience in my way of the Crosse through all thy anguish reproach thy death and passion thy scorne and contempt upon the Crosse where thou wert despised in my stead and bring me therein as a patient Lamb to thee into thy victory Let me live with thee and in thee and convert my persecutors which unknowne to themselves by their reproaching sacrifice my vanity and inbred sinnes before thy Anger they know not what they doe they thinke they doe me harme but they doe me good they doe that for me which I should doe my selfe before thee I should daily lay open and acknowledge my shame before thee and thereby sinke my selfe downe into the death of thy beloved Sonne that my shame might die in his death but I being too too negligent weary faint and feeble therefore thou usest them in thy Anger to open and discover my vilenesse before thy Anger which thy wrath taketh hold of and sinketh it downe into the death of my Saviour O mercifull God my vaine flesh cannot know how well thou intendest towards me when thou sufferest my Enemies to take my vilenesse from me and sacrifice it before thee my earthly minde supposeth that thou afflictest me for my sinnes and I am extreamely perplexed at it but thy Spirit in my inward new man telleth me that it is of thy love towards me that thou intendest good to me by it when thou sufferest my enemies to persecute me it is best for me that they performe the worke in my stead and unfold my sins before thee in thy anger that it may swallow them up that
viz. into the lust after good and evill Fourthly Which happened to them both because they had the light of understanding shining in selfe wherein they could behold themselves by which the spirit of selfe went into the Imagination viz. into a desire to get the Center that they might exalt themselves and so grow great potent and more skilfull Now when Lucifer sought after the Mother of fire in his Center and thought to raigne therewith over the Love of God and all the Angels and when Adam also desired to trie in the Essence what it was in the Mother from whence evill and good did spring and brought his desire into her of purpose to become skilfull and full of understanding thereby Both Lucifer and Adam were captivated thereby in their evill desire in the Mother and did breake off themselves from Resignation which proceedes from God and so were captivated by the spirit of the will by the desire in the Mother which desire immediately did get the dominion in nature and so Lucifer stucke fast in the wrathfull Source of fire and that fire became manifest in the spirit of his will whereby the creature in its desire became an enemy to the love and meekenesse of God Fifthly So also Adam was immediately caught by the earthly Mother which is evill and good created out of the love and anger of God made one substance upon which the earthly property immediately got the dominion in Adam and from thence heate and cold envy and anger and all malice and contrariety against God became manifest and did beare rule in him Sixthly But if they had not brought the light of knowledge into selfe then the Glasse of the knowledge of the Center and of the Originall of the creature viz. of the power of it selfe had not been manifested from whence the Imagination and Lust did arise 7 As also we see now a dayes it bringeth danger upon the enlightned children of God so that when the Sunne of the great Presence of Gods Holinesse shineth by which the life passeth into triumph and then Reason beholdeth it selfe therein as in a glasse and the will goeth on in selfe viz. in its owne searching and will trie what the Center is out of which the Light shineth and will of it selfe force it selfe into it from whence ariseth abominable pride and selfe love so that its owne reason which is but a mirrour or glasse of the eternal wisedome supposeth it selfe to be greater then it is and then whatsoever its Reason doth it thinketh Gods will doth it in it and that it is a Prophet and yet is but in it selfe and goeth on in its owne desire in which the Center of nature suddenly raiseth it selfe a loft and entreth into that owne selfe desire of falshood against God and so the will entreth into selfe-conceitednesse 8 And then the flattering Devill entreth into it and fifteth the Center of nature and bringeth evill desires into it so that a man becomes as it were drunken in selfe and perswadeth himselfe that he is driven by God by which the good beginning wherein the divine light did shine in nature cometh to be spoyled and so the Light of God departeth from him 9 Yet then the outward light of the outward nature remaineth shiing in the creature for its owne selfe throweth it selfe thereinto and then supposeth that it is still the first light of God but it is not so and into this selfe-conceitednesse in the light of its outward reason the Devill throweth himselfe againe though in the first light which was divine he was forced to depart returning with a seven-fold desire of which Christ spake saying when the uncleane spirit departeth out of a man he wandreth through dry places seeking rest findeth none and then he taketh to himselfe seven spirits worse then himselfe and returneth to his first house findeth it swept garnished and then he dwelleth therein and so it is worse with the man then it was before 10 This house that is thus swept and garnished is the light of reason in selfe for if a man bring his desire and will into God and goeth on in abstinence from this wicked life and desireth the love of God then that love will manifest it selfe to him with its most friendly and chearefull countenance by which the outward light also is kindled for where the light of God is kindled there all will be light the Devill cannot stay there he must depart thence and then he searcheth through the Mother of the Originall of life viz. the Center but it is become a dry * feeble place the anger of God viz. the Center of nature is in its owne property altogether feeble leane and dry and cannot get the dominion in the wrathfull property Satan searcheth through these places to finde an open gate to enter with the desire so sift the soul that it might come to exalt it selfe 11 And now if the spirit of the will of the creature doe throw it selfe with the light of reason into the Center viz. into selfe and entreth into selfe-conceitednesse then it goeth forth againe from the light of God and then the Devill findeth an open gate for him to enter in at and a garnished house to dwell in viz. the light of reason and then he taketh to himselfe the seven o formes of the property of life in selfe viz. the flatterers which are departed from God into selfe And there he entreth and putteth his desire into the lust of selfe and evill Imaginations wherein the spirit of the will beholdeth it selfe in the formes of the properties of life in the outward light and there that man sinketh into himselfe as if he were drunk and then the stars lay hold on him bring their strong constellations into him that he might seek the wonders of God there that so they may manifest themselves therein For all creatures groane and long after God And though the starres cannot apprehend the Spirit of God yet they had rather have a house of light wherein they may rejoyce then a house shut up wherein they can have no quiet 12 Then this man goeth on as if he were drunke in the light of the outward reason which is called the starres and apprehendeth great and wonderfull things and hath a continuall guide in them and then the Devill presently observeth where any gate standeth open for him where he may kindle the Center of life that so the spirit of the will may mount aloft in pride in selfe conceit or covetousnesse from whence selfearrogancy ariseth the will of reason desiring to be honoured for it supposeth it hath attained the summe of all happinesse when it hath gotten the light of reason and can judge the o house that is shut up which neverthelesse God can well unlocke He now supposeth that the honour is due to him because he hath gotten the understanding of reason and never considereth that the Devill
maketh himselfe merry with his desire in his seven formes of life of the Center of nature nor what abominable errour he setteth up 13 From this understanding false Babell is brought forth in the Christian Church on earth where men rule and teach by the conclusions of reason and have set the childe which is drunke in its owne pride and selfecovetousnesse as a faire Virgine upon the Throne 14 But the Devill is entred into its seven formes of life of the Center viz. into its owne selfe conceited reason continually bringeth his desire into this trimmed Virgin which the starres receive Hee is her Beast on which shee rideth well adorned in her owne forces of life as may be seene in the Revelations Thus it hath taken into possession the outward glance of divine holinesse viz. the light of Reason and supposeth it selfe to be the faire childe in the house but the Devill hath his lodging within it 15 And thus it is with all these that have beene once enlightened by God and after goe forth againe from true resignation and weane themselves from the true milke of their Mother viz. true humility The way which a true Christian must follow 16 REason will object and say Is it not right for a man to attaine the light of God and also the light of the outward nature and reason that he may be able to order his life wisely as the Scripture sayth 17 Yes it is very right nothing can be more profitable to a man neither can any better thing happen to him nay it is a treasure above all earthly treasures for a man to have the light of God and of time for it is the eye of time and of eternity 18 But marke how thou oughtest to use it the light of God first manifesteth it selfe in the soule it shineth forth as light from a candle and kindleth the outward light of reason immediately yet it yeeldeth not it self wholly up to reason to be under the dominion of the outward man no the outward man beholdeth himselfe in this through shining lustre as he doth his likenesse in a looking-glasse he presently learneth to know himselfe which is good and profitable for him 19 And when he doth so Reason which is the creaturely selfe cannot doe better then to behold it selfe in the selfe of the creature nor to enter with the will of the desire into the Center in seeking it selfe if it doe it breaketh it selfe off from the substance of God which riseth together with the light of God of which the soule ought to eate and refresh it selfe therewith and eateth of the outward substance and light and thereby draweth the venome into it selfe againe 20 The will of the creature ought to sinke wholly into it selfe with all its reason and desire accounting it selfe an unworthy childe that is no whit worthy of this so high a grace nor should it arrogate any knowledge or understanding to it selfe or desire and begge of God to have any understanding in its creaturely selfe but sincerely and simply sinke it selfe into the grace and love of God in Christ Jesus and desire to be as it were dead to it selfe and its owne reason in the divine life and wholly resigne it selfe to the life of God in love that he may doe how and what he will with it as with his owne instrument 21 It s owne reason ought not to enter upon any speculation in divine or in the ground or foundation of humane matters nor to will and desire any thing but the grace of God in Christ and as a child continually longeth after the breasts of the Mother so must its hunger continually enter into the love of God and not suffer it selfe to be broken off from this hunger by any meanes when the outward reason triumpheth in the light saying I have the true child but then the will of the desire must bow it selfe downe to the earth and bring it selfe into the deepest humility and simple ignorance and say thou art foolish and hast nothing but the grace of God thou must wrap thy selfe up into that with great humility and become nothing at all in thy selfe and neither know nor love thy selfe all that thou hast or is in thee must esteeme it selfe as nothing but a meere Instrument of God and then must bring the desire onely into Gods mercy and goe forth from all thy owne knowing and willing and esteeme it as nothing at all nor must thou ever entertaine any will to enter into it againe 22 As soone as this is done the naturall with entreth into weakenesse and then the Devill is not able to fift it thus any more with his evil desire for the places of his rest become very weake and drie and then the holy Spirit proceeding from God taketh possession of the formes of life and maketh his dominion prevaile viz. He kindleth the formes of life with his flames of love and then the high skill and knowledge of the Center of all Things ariseth according to the inward and outward Constellation of the creature in a very subtile drying fire with great delight and desire to sinck downe into that light and esteeme it selfe nothing and thinketh it self to be unworthy of it 23. And thus it s own desire pierceth into that nothing viz. into that wherein God createth and doth what hee will therein and the Spirit of God springeth forth through the desire of the resigned Humility And so the humane self immediately followeth the Spirit of God in trembling and joy of Humility and so it may behold what is in time and eternity for all is present before it 24. When the Spirit of God riseth up as a fire and the flame of Love then the spirit of the soule descendeth and saith Lord glory be to thy Name not to me Thou art able to take vertue power strength wisdom knowledge doe as thou wilt I can doe nothing I know nothing I will goe no whither but whither thou leadest me as thy instrument doe thou in me and with me what thou wilt 25. In such an humble and totall Resignation the spark of Divine power falleth into the center of the forms of life as a spark into Tinder and kindleth it viz. the fire of the soule which Adam made to be a dark coale in himselfe so that it glimmereth And when the light of Divine power hath kindled it selfe therein the creature must goe on as an instrument of Gods Spirit and speak what the Spirit of God telleth it and then it is no more in its own proper possession but it is the instrument of God 26. But the will of the Soule must without ceasing in this fiery-driving sink into nothing viz. into the deepest humility in the sight of God For no sooner doth the will of the soule in the least measure goe on in its own speculation or searching but Lucifer layeth hold of it in the center of the formes of life and sifteth
can also enter into that whereinto Man bringeth the desire of his soul which is also from the eternall in wickednesse 11. For the originall of the soule and of Angels out of the eternall is the same But the Divell hath no power more over the time or temporary condition of this world but in the great Turba wheresoever that kind leth it selfe in the eternall and naturall wrath there he is busie as in warres fighting and strife as also in great tempests without water in the fire he proceedeth as farre as the Turba goeth in great showres and tempests of thunder lightning and haile but he cannot direct them for he is not Lord or Master in them but servant 12. Thus the creature stirreth up with the desire good and evill life and death The Humane Angelicall desire standeth in the center of the eternall Nature which is without beginning and wherein it kindleth it selfe whether in good or evill it accomplisheth its work in that 13. Now God created every thing for and in that wherein it should be the Angels for and in heaven and Man for and in Paradise if therefore the desire of the creature goe forth from its own mother then it entreth into the contrary will and into enmity and it is tormented with the contrariety therein and so a false will ariseth in a good and thence the good will entreth into its nothing again viz. into the end of Nature and Creature and so leaveth the creature in its own evill or wickednesse as appeareth by Lucifer and also by Adam and had not the will of the love of God met with him and of meere mercy entred into the humanity again there could be no good will in man 14. Therefore all speculation and searching about Gods will is a vain thing without the mind be converted For when the mind stādeth captivated in the selfe-desire of the earthly life it cannot o comprehend what the will of God is it runneth on but in Selfe from one way into another and yet findeth no rest for selfe-desire evermore bringeth disquietnesse but when it sinketh it selfe wholly into the mercy of God desiring to die from it selfe and to have Gods will for a guide to the understanding so that it acknowledgeth and esteemeth it selfe as nothing and willeth nothing but what God will and then if the desire of anger in the earthly flesh goe along or joyneth with the Devils imagination and assaulteth the will of the soule then the resigned desire crieth to God and saith Abba Ioving father deliver me from the evill And then though the earthly wil should grow too strong in the wrath of God by the infection of the Devill the desire of anger would work but in or upon it selfe as St. Paul saith Now if I sin I doe it not but sin that dwelleth in my flesh also now I serve the Law of God in my mind but in my flesh the law of sinne Paul meaneth not that the will should consent in the will of the flesh but sin is so strong in the flesh viz. the awakened anger of God in Selfe that oftentimes it is brought into lust by force through the evill provocations of wicked men or else by beholding worldly pomp and glory so that it wholly bedeafeth the resigned will and ruleth by force 15. Now when sin is wrought in the flesh then the wrath sporteth it selfe therewith and catcheth at the resigned will and then the resigned will crieth to God for deliverance from the evill and prayeth that God would remove the sinne away from it aud bring sin into the center viz. into death that it might die 16. And S. Paul saith further Now there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus that are called according to the purpose of God that is those that in that purpose of God in which God called man are again called in the same calling to stand again in that purpose of God wherein he created man to be his likenesse and image of him 17. So long as a mans own will standeth in Selfe so long it is not in the purpose and calling of God it is not called for it is gone forth from its own place but when the mind turneth it selfe back again into the calling viz. into Resignation then the will is in the calling of God viz in the place for and in which God created it and then it hath power to become the child of God as it is written He hath given us power to become the children of God 18. The power which he hath given us is his purpose for and in which he created Man in his Image this God hath brought again into the humanity and he hath given power unto that power to break the head of sinne in the flesh viz. the will and desire of the Serpent that is the resigned will in Christ treadeth upon the head of the desire of the sinful wil of the Serpent and killeth again the sins which were committed This power that is given becommeth a death to death and the power of life to life 19. Therefore no man can make any excuse as if he could not will Indeed while he sticketh fast in himselfe in his own desire and serveth onely the law of sinne in the flesh he cannot For he is kept back as being a servant of sinne but when he turneth the center of his mind away and turneth it into the will and obedience of God then he can 20. Now the center of the mind is come out of eternity out of Gods Omnipotence it can bring it selfe into what it will and whither it will for that which 〈◊〉 out of the eternall hath no Law but the will hath a law to obey God and is born out of the mind and it must not rent it selfe away from that out of which God created it 21. Now God created the will of the mind for and in Paradise to be a companion with him in the Kingdom of divine joy it ought not to have removed it selfe from thence but since it hath removed it self from thence God hath brought his will again into the flesh in his new-brought-in will hath given us power to bring our will into it and to kindle a new light in it and so to become his children again 22. God hardeneth no man but his own will which goeth on in the flesh of sin that hardeneth the mind viz. the will of Self bringeth the vanity of this world into the mind and so the mind is shut up and continueth so 23. God so far as he is called God is God cannot will any eivll for there is but one onely wil◠in God and that is eternall love a desire of thatwhich is his like viz. Power Beauty and Vertue 24. God desireth nothing but what is like his desire his desire receiveth nothing but what it selfe is 25. God receiveth no finner into his power and vertue unlesse the sinner goe forth from his sinnes
Letters of the word proceed from and stand all in one Root which is the spirit of God as the many flowers stand all in the earth and grow by one another None of them fight with the other about their colours smell and taste they suffer the Earth the Sun the Raine the Wind the heate cold to doe with them as they please and yet every one of them grow in their own Essence and property 167. And so it is with the children of God they have various gifts and knowledge yet all from one Spirit They all rejoyce at the great wonders of God and give thankes to the most High in his wisdome why should they long contend about him in whom they live and have their being and of whose substance they themselves are 168. It is the greatest folly that is in Babel for people to strive about Religion as the Devill hath made the World to doe so that they contend about Opinions of their owne forging viz. about the Letter though the Kingdome of God consisteth in no Opinion but in Power and Love 169. As Christ said to his Disciples and left it to them at the last saying Love one another as I have loved you For thereby men shall know that you are my Disciples If men would as fervently seeke after Love and righteousnesse as after Opinions there would be no strife on Earth and wee should live as children in our Father and should need no Law or Ordinance 170. For God is not served by any Law but only by Obedience Lawes are for the wicked which will not embrace Love and Righteousnesse they are compelled and forced by Laws 171. We all have but one only order which is to stand stil to the Lord of all Beings resign our wil up to him and suffer his Spirit to play what musick he will and work and make in us what he will and wee give to him againe as his own fruits that which he worketh and manifesteth in us 172. Now if we did not contend about the various fruits gifts and knowledge but did acknowledg them in one another like children of the Spirit of God what could judge us For the Kingdome of God consisteth not in our knowing and supposing but in power 173. If wee did not know halfe so much and were more like children and had but a Brotherly minde or good will towards one another and did live like children of one and the same mother and as branches of one tree taking our sap all from one root we should be far more holy then we are 174. Knowledge serves only to this end to learne to know wee having lost the Divine power in Adam and so now are inclined to evill that wee have evill properties in us and that doing of evill pleaseth not God so that with our knowledge wee might learne to do right Now if we have the power of God in us and desire with all our powers to doe and to live aright then our knowledge is but our sport wherein we rejoyce 175. For true knowledge is the Manifestation of the Spirit of God through the eternall wisedome Hee knoweth what he will in his children He powreth forth his wisedome and wonders by his children as the Earth produceth its various flowers 176. Now if we dwell one with another like humble children in the spirit of Christ one rejoycing at the Gifts and knowledge of another who would judge or condemne us who judgeth or condemneth the birds in the woods that praise the Lord of all Beings with various voyces every one in its owne Essence Doth the Spirit of God reprove them for not bringing their voyces into one harmonie doth not the sound of them all proceed from his power and they sport before him 177. Those men therefore that strive and wrangle about knowledge and the will of God and despise one another for that are more foolish then the birds in the woods and the wild beasts that have no true understanding they are more unprofitable in the sight of the Holy God then the flowers of the field which stand still quietly submitting to the Spirit of God and suffering him to manifest the Divine Wisedome and power through them yes those men are worse then Thistles and Thornes that grow among faire flowers for they stand still indeed those men are like the ravenous Beasts and Birds of prey which fright the other birds from singing and praising God 178. In summe they are the growth of the Devill in the anger of God which must by their paine yet serve the Lord for by their plaguing and persecuting they presse out the sappe through the Essence of the children of God so that they move and stir themselves in the Spirit of God with praying and continuall sighing in which the Spirit of God moveth himselfe in them 179. For thereby the Desire is exercised and so the Children of God grow greene flourish and bring forth fruit for the children of God are manifested in Tribulation as the Scripture saith when thou chastiâ—est them they cry fervently to Thee CHAP. VIII Wherein Christian Religion consisteth and how men should serve God and their Brethren 180. ALL Christian Religion wholly consisteth in this To learn to know our selves First what we are and whence we are come how we are gone forth from the Unity into dissention wickednesse and unrighteousnesse how we have awakened and stirred up these things in us 181. Secondly how we were in the Unity when we were the children of God in Adam before he fell Thirdly how we are now in dissention and disunion in strife contrariety Fourthly whither we goe when we passe out of this corruptible Being whither we goe with the immortall and whither with the mortall part 182. In these foure poynts our whole Religion consisteth viz. to learn to come forth from disunion vanity and to enter again into that one Tree Christ in us out of which we are all sprung in Adam 183. We need not strive about any thing we have no contention Let every one exercise himselfe in learning how he may enter again into the love of God and his Brother 184. The Testaments of Christ are nothing else but a loving Boâ—d or brotherly covenant wherewith God in Christ bindeth himselfe to us and * us to him All teaching willing living and doing must aim at that All teaching and doing otherwise whatsoever is Babel and a fiction also a meer graven Image of pride in unprofitable judgings a disturbing of the world and an hypocrifie of the Devil wherewith he blindeth simplicity 185. Every one whatsoever that teacheth without the Spirit of God and hath no divine knowledge and yet setteth himselfe up for a Teacher in the Kingdome of God and will serve God with teaching that teaching is false and doth but serve the belly his Idoll and his own proud and insolent mind in desiring to be honored and accounted holy he beareth an office to which he
the 57. question Of the perishing of the world of mans body in and after the resurrection where heaven and hell shall be of the last judgement and wherfore the strife in the creature must be A DISCOURSE BETWEEN A Soule hungry and thirsty after the Fountain of Life the sweet love of Jesus Christ and a Soule enlightned Shewing which way one Soule should seek after and comfort another and bring it in îts knowledge into the Paths of Christs Pilgrimage and faithfully set before it as a looking-glasse the thorny way of the world in which the fallen Soule walketh which leadeth into the Abysse or pit of Hell Composed by a Soule which loveth all that are the Children of JESUS CHRIST under the Crosse. Written in the German Language Anno 1624 By JACOB BEHMEN Alias Teutonicus Philosophus LONDON Printed by M. S. 1648. The Way from Darknesse to true Illumination THere was a poore Soule wandred out of Paradise and came into the Kingdom of this World and there the Devill met with it and asked Whither dost thou goe thou Soule that art halfe blind The Soule sayd I would goe see and speculate the Creatures of the world which the Creator hath made The Devil sayd How wilt thou look upon them when thou canst not know their Essence and property thou wilt looke upō the outside only as upon a graven Image and canst not know them thoroughly The soule sayd How may I come to know their Essence and property The Devil sayd Thy eyes would be opened to see them throughly if thou didst but eat of that from whence the creatures are come to be good and evill and thou wouldst be as God himself is and know what the creature is The soule sayd I am now a noble and holy creature but if I should doe so I should dye as the Creator hath sayd The Devil sayd No thou shouldst not die at all but thy eyes would be opened and thou wouldst be as God himself and receive or possesse good and evill Also thou shalt be mighty powerfull and very great as I am all the subtilty that is in the creatures would be made known to thee The soule sayd If I had the knowledge of Nature and of the Creatures I would then rule the whole world as I listed The Devil sayd The whole ground of that knowledge lyeth in thee doe but turn thy wil and desires from God or goodnesse into Nature and the Creatures and then there will arise in thee a lust to taste and so thou mayst eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil and so come to know all things The soule sayd Well then I will eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill that I may rule all things by my own power and be a Lord of my self on earth and doe what I will as God himselfe doth The Devil sayd I am the Prince of this world and if thou wouldst rule on earth thou must turn thy lust towards my Image desire to be like me that thou mayst get the cunning wit reason and subtilty that my Image hath And thus the Devill did present to the soule the Mercury in Vulcan that is the fiery wheele of Essence or Substance in the form of a Serpent The soule sayd Behold this is the power which can do all things how may I do to have it The Devil sayd Thou thy selfe also art such a fiery Mercury if thou doest break thy will off from God and bring thy desire into this Art then thy hidden ground will be manifested in thee and then thou mayst work in the same manner also But thou must eat of that fruit wherein each of the foure elements in it self ruleth over the other and are in strife the heat striving against the cold and the cold against the heat and so all the properties of nature work feelingly and then thou wilt instantly be as the fiery wheele is and so bring all things into thy own power and possesse them as thy own The soul did so and what hapened upon it And when the soule broke its will thus off from God and brought its desire into the Vulcan of Mercury viz. the fiery wheele there presently arose a lust to eat of the knowledge of good and evill and the soule did eat thereof As soon as it had done so Vulcan did kindle the fiery wheele of its Substance and so all the properties of nature did awake in the soule and exercised their own lust and desire First then there arose the lust of pride to be great mighty and powerfull to bring all things under subjection at command and so be its own Lord without controule to despise humility and equality to esteeme it self onely prudent witty and cunning and account all folly that is not according to its way Secondly arose the lust of covetousnesse a desire of getting which would draw all things to it selfe into its possession for when the lust of pride had turned away its will from God then the life of the soule would not trust God any further but would take care for its selfe and therefore brought its desire into the creatures viz. into the earth metals trees and other creatures and so the kindled fiery life became hungry and covetous when it had broken it self off from the unity love and meeknesse of God and attracted to it selfe the foure Elements and their essence and brought it selfe into beastiality and so the life became obscure dark void and wrathfull and the heavenly vertues and colours went out Thirdly there awaked a stinging thorny lust in the fiery life viz. envie a hellish poyson and a property which all Devils have and a torment which makes the life an enemy to God and to all creatures Which envie did rage furiously in the desire of covetousnesse as a sting of poyson in the body Envie cannot endure but hateth and mischieveth that which covetousnesse could not draw to it selfe by which the noble love of the soule was smothered Fourthly there awaked in this fiery life a torment like fire viz. anger which would murther and destroy all that which would not be subject to this pride Thus the ground and foundation of hell which is called the anger of God was wholly manifested in this soule and thereby it lost the Paradise of God and the Kingdome of heauen and became such a worme as the fiery Serpent was which the Devil presented to the soule in his owne Image and likenesse And so the soule began to rule on earth in a beastiall manner and did all things according to the will of the Devill living in meere pride covetousnesse envy and anger and having no true love towards God any more but there did arise in the stead thereof an evill beastiall love of filthy Lechery wantonnesse and vanity and there was no purenesse more in the heart for the soule had left Paradise and taken the Earth into its possession the Minde thereof was onely bent upon
worthily to the marriage of the Lamb which wee our selves have found by experience in this our way and course and know for certain that we have a sure ground from which we write and we would from the bottome of our heart willingly communicate it to our brethren in the love of Christ and if it were possible that they would beleeve our faithfull childish Counsel they would find by experience in themselves from whence it is that this simple hand knoweth and understandeth these great Mysteries 18. But having heretofore written a Treatise at large of Repentance and Regeneration therefore here we forbeare to write more then this short direction and referre the Reader to those Treatises as also to the great worke upon Genesis and there he shall find the ground of whatsoever he will or can aske sufficiently laid downe and we christianly admonish him that he will follow our way and course and then he shall attaine the Divine vision in himselfe and heare what the LORD through Christ speaketh in him and hearewith wee commend him to the love of CHRIST Dated the 9. of February 1623. The XV. Chapter taken out Of the three-fold life of Man Concerning the mixt World and the wickednesse thereof what it now iâ— and how it ruleth which is a Glasse wherein every one may behold himselfe and find what kind of Spirits Child he is from the Seale of the WONDERS 1 CHrist said O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thy children together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but ye would not Also Oh Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee Also We have piped unto you but you have not danced Also what should I doe more to this stubborne or perverse Generation which will not suffer my Spirit to reprove them any more Also their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse the poyson of Asps is under their lips and their hearts are never at unity O! how faine would I eat of the best grapes But I am as a Vine-dresser that gleaneth I am altogether a stranger to my Mothers children they that eat of my bread tread me under foot 2. Thus did the Mother then lament and complaine of the wicked children of men but what should she doe now in these times she is now in great sorrow and lamentation and hath turned her face away from these wicked children and will not endure them in the garment they are now cloathed with all any more she crieth and there is none that heareth her she is in great sorrow weeping and wailing over the wickednesse of these evill and unruly children yet every one runneth after that Whore Covetousnesse which is full of all vice wickednesse and abominations This doth the Shepherd and also the sheep It is a time of highest and greatest calamity which if it should not be shortned none could be saved Thirdly It is a time of which all the Prophets have prophesied and thou supposest it to be a golden time but consider thy selfe thou blind man whither thou art gone dost thou thinke that this wickednesse and falshood which thou practisest is the Ordinance of God waite but a while and thou shalt soone see that it is the time of the last Seale in which the Anger of God poureth forth its vialls so that the Wonders of Hell are come to light and knowne Let this be told you wee have knowne it in Ternario sancto or wee have understood it in the heavenly substantiality in the Angelicall world 4. For the Mother hath rejected the wicked child of this time and will endure the abominations thereof no more she is with child and bringeth forth a Sonue in her old age who shall shorten the dayes of iniquitie Let this be told you whosoever persevereth or goeth on in his iniquity shall have great shame thereof 5. Are not the little boyes and children that runne up and downe playing together now a dayes full of venome and devillish wickednesse and doe not all vices and abominations appeare in them doe they not mock and scorne blaspheme curse sweare cheat and lye and so are fully fitted to serve the Devill in all shamelesse vices lascivious impudence is Eloquence and fine Language with them they know readily how to jeere the simple with all manner of scornefull and scoffing Jests all theeving filtching and stealing is counted a great piece of Art and skill with them deceit and slie tricks are a credit to them they mock honest people without any regard One that feareth God they hout and wonder at as if it were an Owle and count him for a foole and this the old ones and their parents see and take delight and pleasure in it that their children are so expert in insolence and vanity and when their children readily scoffe and jeere at honest people their hearts are tickled at it what they dare not doe themselves they teach their children to doe it that they may have their owne hearts lust fulfill'd All this the Devill teacheth them and so rideth in their hearts domineering over soule and body 6. They that can cozen slander despise and betray their neighbour and overthrow his honour or good name blemish his reputation diminish or hinder his estate take great delight therein All impudent wanton laughter or unseemely words and gestures are counted wit dexterity and Art he that can out-jeere or laugh another to scorne is master of the game or place all these are the Devills tricks and feats and so he leadeth the poore soule in a string and man understandeth it not 7. Youths both male and female learne the Devills trade and handicraft before they learne any other thing Despitefull scornefull wicked disdaine pride and insolence is the first worke they learne and this their Elders help them forward in and count it civillity manners gallantry and Art 8. And if they grow to be a little elder then the desire of beastiall lust and lasciviousnesse is the next worke they learne to which one sex provoketh another Youths yeeld their heart for the Devill to dwell in in their first springing growth that the Devill may make his nest in it and so he ensnareth one by the abominations of the other the Male by the Female and the Female by the Male. 9. If a man send his sonne to the University to have him learne somewhat that is good that he may be serviceable to God and the Common-wealth there he learneth Pride bravery and cunning crafty subtiltie and how he may deprive the simple of his goods which hee hath gotten by his sweat and labour and cloake their doings with that which they call their Right they may doe it by Law but the cloake is the Devills and the false deceitfull heart is his servant if he can smatter a little of any strange language then no plaine man is good enough for him his pride and haughtinesse doth so overflow his
very fooles and laughing stockes to the world and must must be forced to starve 18 If a man should not give his children liberty to learn the fashions and dealings of the world they would be nothing but derided and despised also if a man should not be somwhat like in his carriage and take some state and bravery upon him he should not be regarded and except he use some device to get by he cannot maintaine that for with truth and love and righteousnesse saith hee I am sure to get nothing but shall dye a Beggar I must do as others do and then I may be able to live amongst them Why should I onely bee the foole of all the world If I do commit sin God is gracious and mercifull hath not Christ slain finne and death upon the crosse and taken away the power of the Devill I shall once repent well enough and be saved 19 This is the Rule that the world goeth by this is the course both of superiour and inferiour of the shepheard and of the sheep Christs passion and suffering must be the cloak for their knavery every one would bee accounted a Christian and weare the Mantle of Christ when the poore soule playeth the whore with the Devill if with the mouth they can but confesse themselves to be Christians and cover their knavery with the purple mantle of Christ then all is well and so we are brave Christians with our lips under the mantle of Christ and yet we lodge the whore of Antichrist in our hearts 20 O yee false Shepheards of Christ you that climb up into the sheep-fold by the doore of Robbers why doe you tickle or comfort the knave of wickednesse with the sufferings and death of Christ Doe you think that Christ was such a one For none should weare his mantle but such as are like him Search the center or ground of Nature and shew the people the Abysse that is in their hearts shew them the snares of the Devill which we lye intangled in that they may no more look after the cursed course of the world but that they may learn to fight against flesh and bloud and also against the Devill and an hypocriticall life that they may goe forth from the pride of the Devill and enter into righteousnesse love and humility 21 The passion of Christ will benefit none unlesse they turn from their evil false and wicked purposes and repent and enter into the Covenant of God to such a one the sufferings of Christ are very powerfull and profitable The hypocrites they seemingly carry themselves so that they may have the Name of Christ put upon them but they thereby abuse the Name of God and must give a strict account of that 22 O yee Antichristian Shepheards of the new Order you that with with false hypocrisie for the favour of men or for your own Idols sake the belly cast the garment of Christs sufferings over the hypocrites and deceivers who are but seeming Christians how will you answer it when Christ shall require an account of his sheep from you you having wittingly and wilfully for favour money riches honour and reputation covered Wolves in whom the Devill dwelleth with the purple mantle of Christ why doe you not breake the Nut shell and looke upon the kernell and heart that lieth within it and tell the superior as well as the inferior of his abominations and wickednesse If you be the Shepheards of Christ why doe you not as Christ did who told every one the truth to his face he did both bruise and heale not for favour or respect to the person of any but according to the will of his Father the shepheards of Christ ought to doe so too 23 O beloved Reason thou walkest very wisely in the way of this world as farre as concerneth the outward body but what becometh of the poore soule this outward body is not its home it is not its eternall native countrey What will it avail thee to take thy pleasure here a very little while and suffer eternall losse Or what profit will it be to suffer they children to follow their own will in bravery luxury and insolence or what ill they please for a little while in this world and for thee to take delight in their despising of the poore and needy when after this life thou shalt lose them for ever Thou supposest thou lovest them and doest them good when thou hast so brought them up that the word commendeth their cunning fetches deceit and gallantry and it likes thee well but the Devill taketh that to himselfe and thou art the murtherer of thy own children and art their greatest enemy for children look upon their parents at every turn and when they see their idle unhappy waggery and roguish trickes doe please them then the children play their trickes the more and grow stouter hardened bold and brazen-faced in their villany These will cry out at the last judgement day against their parents for not with-holding and restraining them from vanity and their wicked course by nurturing them correcting them and bringing them up in vertue and in the feare of God 24 If thou lovest thy life and thy children then lose thy life and thy children as to the iniquity of this world that they neither walk nor be therein and then thou shalt find them and thy life again in heaven as Christ saith Whosoever loveth his life shall lose it but whosoever loseth his life his goods his credit for my sake he shall find them again in the kingdome of heaven Also when the world despiseth persecuteth and hateth you for my sake then rejoyce your reward is great in the kingdom of heaven Also what wil it profit a man to enjoy temporall pleasure and honor here in this life that endureth but for a moment and lose his soule that endureth to eternity 25 Loving children in Christ let every one consider in what soyle he groweth here we must not stay a fitter season for the bettering of our life but to day to day when the voyce of God soundeth let every one enter into himself and search and try himself let none regard the broad way of the world if he doe he will goe into the Abysse to the Devils for the way to the kingdome of heaven is a very strait and narrow way whosoever will walk therein must not carry till the Devil quite grateth or stoppeth up the doore he must not regard the course of this world he must onely enter into himselfe and seek or search himselfe the time will come that he shal think that himselfe onely is left alone but God hath alwayes his seven thousand with Elias besides himselfe whom he knoweth not of 26 For a sincere earnest Christian doth not altogether know himselfe he seeth nothing but his vices and faults in which the Devill fighteth against him they are alwayes in his sight but he knoweth not his own holinesse in this world for Christ hideth it under