be found in the History but in true affiance and in the right resignation into the life and into the Doctrine of Christ Therein the holy Ghost shall appeare with wonders and powers which Babel at present in her inventions forged hypocrisies doth not beleeve yet however it certainely commeth and is already on foot yet hidden from the World 18. I have sent you by Mr. Fabian the whole worke of the Second Booke but I know not whether you have received it for since that time by reason of my Journey I have not spoken with Mr. Fabian if not then you may demand it of him And so I commit you to the meeke Love in the life of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God Given in haste Goerlits Friday before the Advent 1619. The Name of the LORD is a Strong Tower the Righteous flye unto it and is exalted THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH EPISTLE TO CHARLES of ENDERN 1. NOBLE Right Honourable Sir my humble ready and willing Service with all Cordiall wishes of Gods love and grace to your new creature in the New man in the body of Jesus Christ as also all temporall prosperity and blessing for the earthly body premised 2. I have considered your Noble heart and minde which is enkindled and enflamed not onely towards God but likewise towards his Children in love which hath exceedingly rejoyced me in Christ and I must in a speciall manner consider of the true earnestnesse and zeale which I know and acknowledge for you have endeavoured much about my few Writings of the first part and not regarded the murthering or confounding cryes of the Oppressour but sought after it your selfe to read it and to copy it out with your owne hand 3. Which give mee perswasion that God hath opened a little gate of his wisedome unto you which was fast shut to the Oppressor being he sought for it in Art and Pride therefore it was concealed to him for he was offended at the hand of the Writer and did not minde what is written in the holy Scripture My power is mighty in the weake and how Christ thanked his Father that he had hid it from the prudent and wise and revealed it unto Babes And sayd further Yea further For so it hath pleased thee 4. Also I am verily perswaded and convinced in my spirit that you have not done it out of any Curiosity but as it becommeth the Children of God which seeke the precious Pearle and are desirous of it which if it be found is the most precious Jewell which man loveth farre beyond his earthly life for it is greater then the World and more faire beautifull and excellent then the Sun it rejoyceth Man in tribulation and begets him out of darknesse to the light it giveth him a certaine spirit of hope in God and leadeth him upon the right path and goeth along with him into death and brings him forth to life out of death it quelleth the anguish of Hell and it is very where his light it is Gods friend in his love it affordeth him Reason and Discretion to governe his earthly body it leadeth him from the false and evill way and whosoever doth obtaine and keep it him it Crowneth with its Garland 5. Therefore noble Sir I have no other cause to write unto you but from a desire of unseighned love towards the Children of God that I might but refresh and recreate my selfe with them I doe it not for temporall goods or gifts albeit you have tendred your kind and loving favours to me though a stranger in a curteous and friendly manner but for the hope of Jsrael that I may highly rejoyce with the Children of God in the life to come and my labour which here I undergoe in love towards them shall then be well recompensed when I shall so rejoyce with my Brethren and every ones work shall follow him 6. Therefore I am in right earnest being that a Sparkle of the pretious Pearl is given to me and Christ faithfully warneth us not to put it under the table or to bury it in the Earth and thereupon we ought not so much to feare man that can kill the body onely and then is able to doe no more but we ought to feare him that can destroy body and soule and cast them into Hell 7. And though in my time I shall receive but little thankes from some who love their Belly more then the Kingdome of Heaven yet my Writings have their gifts and stand for their time for they have a very pretious worthy earnest Birth and descent and when I consider my selfe in my poor low unlearned and simple person I doe then wonder more then my very adversary 8. But seeing I know Experimentally in power and light that it is a meer gift of God who also giveth me a driving will thereunto that I must write what I know and see therefore I will obey God rather then man least my Office and Stewardship be taken away from me againe and given unto another which would Eternally grieve me 9. But seeing Sir that you have obtained a longing and delight to read the same and that as I verily hope from the providence and appointment of God therefore I shall not conceale it from you seeing that God the most High hath called you through his wonderfull Counsell to publish the first Worke when I thought the Oppressour had devoured it but even then it sprung forth as a green Twig wholly unknowne to me 10. And though I know nothing of my Selfe what God is about to doe and his Counsell and way also which he will goe is hidden from me and I can say nothing of my selfe also the Oppressour might impute it to me for a Pedentick Pride that I would thus onely arrogantly vaunt with my small gifts which were of grace given to me and thereby set forth the thoughts and imaginations of my heart for my owne vaine glory and boasting 11. Yet I declare in the presence of God and testifie it before his judgement where all things shall appeare and every one shall give an account of his doings that I my selfe know not what is hapned to me or how it goeth with me save onely that I have a driving will 12. Also I know not what I shall write for when I write the Spirit doth Dictate the same to me in great wonderfull knowledge so that I often cannot tell whether I as to my Spirit am in this World or no and thereat I doe exceedingly rejoyce and therein sure and certaine knowledge is imparted to me 13. And the more I seeke the more I finde and alwayes deeper that I many times account my sinfull person too weake and unworthy to set upon such high Mysteries where then the spirit sets up my Banner and sayth Arise thou shalt live therein Eternally and be Crowned therewith Why art thou amazed 14. Therefore Noble Sir I give you to understand in few words the ground and cause
regeneration of a new life and will and there it may attaine the sweet blood of Jesus Christ which in Christ did disclose or break open the gate of death and changed the anger of God in our humanity in himselfe into love wherein the poore captive soule drinketh out of Gods fountaine and doth allay and sweeten its fire-breath whence the new Paradisicall budd springeth forth and there the hunger and desire of the soule is made substantiall and essentiall in the blood of Christ after an Heavenly manner 15. Now as the disclosing of death must be done in the person of Christ himselfe in our soule and humanity so that the eternity in Christ wherewith he was come from heaven and was also in heaven John 3. overcame the time Viz. the life and will of the time and did change time with its will into the eternall will of the Deity and all this must be brought to passe in our received humanity So likewise the desire of our soule must receive into it selfe that same eternall will in Christ wherein time and eternity stand in equall agreement and harmony and through the power of the same immerse or cast it selfe into the adoption of free grace in Christ that the same inward Paradisicall ground which dyed in Adam might again spring forth in the will of the obedience of Christ through his heavenly and from us assumed humane blood 16. The atonement and expiation must be made manifest and experimentall in our selves through that atonement which Christ once made indeed the atonement and reconciliation was once fully finished and brought to passe in Christs blood and death but that which was once wrought in Christ must also worke in me it must even Now also through Christs shedding of his blood be brought to passe in me Christ also doth powre forth his heavenly blood into the desire of Faitâ— in my poore soule and tinctureth the anger of God which is therein that the first Adamicall Image of God may againe appeare and become seeing hearing feeling tasting and smelling 17. For that same Image which dyed in Adam from the heavenly Worlds Essence being the true Paradisicall Image dwelleth not in the foure Elements its essence and life standeth not in this world but in Heaven which is manifest in Christ in us Viz. in that one pure holy Element whence the foure Elements sprung forth in the beginning of time and this same inward new spirituall man eateth Christs flesh and blood for he is and liveth in Christ Christ is his stock and he is a branch on the stock 18. For every spirit eateth of that whereof it taketh its Originall the Animall sensuall mortall soule eateth of the spirit of this World of the Stars and Elements of the Kingdome of the World but the true eternall soule which was inspired out of the Eternall Word into man being Divine life eateth also of its Mother Viz. of the holyessentiall Word of God 19. But seeing it was impossible for her after her owne departure and separation from God in her excluded condition property and spirit to eate of the Divine Word and live in the holy Element of love and humility therefore this same Word of life being its true Mother came forth to the abandoned soule into the vaâ—e of misery and into the prison of Hell and infused his heavenly Essence into our humane to be as a body for the soule and therewith did imbrace and cloath our poore soule being captive and did open againe her heavenly mouth afore dead in the anger of God with the tincture of love so that the poore soule can now againe eate heavenly Manna the eating whereof was tryed in Christs person with the humanity which he received from us in the temptation of Christ in the Wildernesse where Adam in Christ did againe eate Manna from Paradise fourty dayes 20. Therefore I say that by a shew and select forme of grace appropriated and imputed from without none commeth to be a true Christian for if he be so his sinnes are not forgiven him by once speaking of a word or appropriating a forme or promise of absolution to himselfe from without as a Lord or Prince in this World doth freely give a Malefactor his life by an externall imputed favour no this availeth nothing before God 21. There is no grace or favour wherby we come to the adoption save onely in the blood and death of Christ him alone God hath fore ordained and appointed to be unto him a throne of grace or propiciation in his owne love which he hath in the Sweet Name Jesu out of Jehovah infused into him He is that onely Sacrifice that God accepteth of to reconcile hiâ—â—nger 22. Now if this Sacrifice or free offering of grace shall doe me good then it must be wrought and brought to passe in me the Father must beget or impresse his Sonne in the desire of my Faith so that the hunger of my Faith may lay hold and comprehend him and if the hunger of my soules Faith doth comprehend him in his promised Word then I put him on in his whole processe of justification in my inward ground and forthwith the mortification and killing of the anger Devill Death and Hell beginneth and goeth forward from the power of Christs death in me 23. For I can do nothing I am dead to my selfe but Christ doth it in me when he ariseth in me then I am dead to my selfe in respect of the true man he is my life and in that I live I live to him not to my selfehood for grace mortifieth my own will and setteth it self up for a Lord in the place of my selfenesse that so I may be an instrument of God who doth therewith what he pleaseth 24. And then I live in two Kingdomes Viz. with my newborne spirit of life or spirituall man in Paradise in the Kingdome of Heaven in the inward spirituall World and with the outward mortall man in the vanity of time in the Kingdome of this World in the dominion of the Starres and Elements in the contrariety and malignant discord of the properties wherein the yoake of sinne yet liveth this Christ taketh upon himselfe in the inward Kingdome of the Divine World and helpeth my soule to beare it 25. For the yoak of this World is Christs burthen which he must beare untill he shall againe deliver up the Kingdome to his Father which he hath given him for he sayd All power in Heaven and Earth is given to me of my Father so also this burthen or charge is layd upon him that he should beare Gods Anger Hell death and all Evill in us as Isaiah saith Hee tooke on him our diseases and carryed our sorrows but we esteemed him stricken smitten of God and afflicted 26. And hence it is that a Christian must be a bearer of the crosse for so soone as Christ is borne in him the assaulting of Hell and the anger of God in the eternall
fire of God must doe it for they remaine in one Mystery till the judgement of God every one at the houre of the Resurrection shall come forth in his owne Mystery and he shall see his workes before him and feele them in him 100. It is not understood that they shall answer for their selves selves with words for the Kingdome of God consists and proceeds in Power and albeit the ungodly shall cry out Woe upon his abominations and Seducers yet every mans worke shall bee Summoned in POWER which shall either rejoyce or torment him 101. Now the old body of this World is the Mystery of this World and the new body is the Mystery of the Divine light World and the soule is the Mystery of God the Father and the Earth with the Elements hath also both Mysteries which shal be moved through the Principle of the Father 102. And then the doores of the Mysteries shall be set open and each shall give and set forth its Figures which it hath swallowed up for the Principle of the soule must stand before the judgement with both the Mysteries 103. Happy are they which shall have the body of Christ in the Mystery of the wrath or fire of Gods anger they shall have the soules fire or the Principle of the Father surrounded with the light World and illustrate with the Majesty they shall feele no paine or hurt and shall passe unsensibly through the fire and there the outward or third Principle shall be proved and all earthlinesse or falshood shall remaine in the fire but the workes shall be renovated in the fire and freed from their earthly source and soyle and then the earthly Mystery remaineth in the fire and is a food of the fire whence the light ariseth and the Righteous looseth nothing 104. For the works of love which were brought forth in the new body doe passe with the spirit of the soule through the fire and remayne in the Divine Image in the source of the light and they of the third Principle that is of this World doe remaine in the fire-source of the Soule 105. But that which hath been wrought and acted in an wholly evill and malicious manner in the third Principle and yet in this World hath not been renewed by earnest Repentance and Reconcilment toward his Brother that falleth unto the centre of Nature that is the root of the darke World 106. But the workes of the ungodly shall not be able to remayne in the fire for the fire swalloweth them downe in it selfe to the darke Centre Viz. the Originall of nature wherein the Devills dwell and thither also goeth there-soules fire being the Fathers principle for this fire of the soule shall have no matter to make it burn aright but it shall be as a quenched darke painfull sourse-fire onely as an anguish that would faine produce fire this is called Gods wrath and not a principle a death or a dying source 107. For the principle of the father wherein the right and true soule consists is a flaming fire which giveth light and in the light is the pretious Image of God for that light doth qualify and sweeten the burning light with the essentialty of Love so that it is a pleasing delight and a cause of nature and of life 108. Therefore I tell you that you should not thinke it strange or misunderstand it when I or any other let it be Theophrastus or who it will write that man shall stand before the Judgment with his body which he had here I perceive very well that you have not as yet understood my Writings in the Book of the Threefold life and also in the Booke of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ which treateth of Christs suffering dying and rising againe and how we must enter into his death and arise out of his death you shall finde it cleare enough explained and enlarged but seeing you have them not yet at hand be pleased to have patience you may very likely get them to read and then you will be freed from your perplexity and deepe searching in this manner 109. For they lay their ground much deeper then your apprehension is in this doe but read them right you shall verily find what the Mystery is what the magicall Bysse and Abysse is also what the Being of all Beings is there needs no consulting with one or another he that understands the great Mystery whence all Beings have proceeded and doe still proceed he doth not encumber himselfe with such large circumferences 110. You have undertaken a very hard labour which doth nothing but perplex eat up and consume your life it is wholly needlesse he that findeth and knoweth the great Mystery he findeth all things therein there need no literall demonstration God Christ and the eternity with all wonders do lye therein the Holy Ghost is the Key to it are you in the new birth as you say then there is no need of such hard seeking with such hard labour seek onely Christ in the Manger in the dark Stable when you finde him then you shall indeed find where he fitteth at the righ hand of God 111. Searching onely doth nothing the Phylosophers Stone is a very dark disesteemed Stone of a Gray colour but therein lyeth the highest Tincture would you search out the Mysterium Magnum then take before you onely the Earth with its Mettals and so you may well finde what the Magicall or Cabalisticall ground is 112. The deep and Mysticall numbers which otherwise no man is able to fathom or finde out lye all in the Mystery but hee that findes it searcheth not after the numbers he taketh Gold for Earth and doth as one that hath a costly Treasure lying in an obscure place the Manger and swadling cloaths of Christ are more acceptable to him then the whole World with its Figures or externall pompe and glory he hides the Numbers themselves for the outward Kingdome must accomplish its wonders 113. Wherefore should the earthly Mystery be unvailed before the time enquire of the Magists who have understood the heavenly and earthly Magia wherefore they have kept the Tincture secret and not revealed it there is no other cause at all but that the World is not worthy of it so likewise it is not worthy of the Numbers of the Mystery 114. Therefore God hath hidden them from us that the earthly Mystery might accomplish and fulfill all its wonders on us and that all the Violls of Gods anger be poured forth on us how can a man undertake to reveale such secret things without the consent of the Mystery indeed he tampereth about the outside of the Mystery but if he comes in he must have the will of the Mystery 115. The outward instigation to manifest and reveale the Mystery proceedeth from the Starres for they would faine be freed from vanity and they drive mightily in the Magicall Children to manifestation therefore we must prove and examine the instigation
body is in the Dominion of the Stars and Elements according to the source of this World 7 Thus we are Gods Image and likenesse who himselfe is all Should we not therfore rejoyce Who will separate us from God if the soule be in God where no death or destruction is 8. Therefore my deare faithfull Friend and Brother in Christ I esteeme it great joy unto me that I have found a precious plant of God of you of which my soule smelt and thereby was strengthened when the Oppressour would have torne it out of the Land of the living when it lay under the Oppressours and the Thorny Plantâ— of Antichrist intended to devoure us 9 But as God commeth to helpe the branches which stand in him with his power that they might not perish albeit Devill and Death doe storme against them so they must spring forth againe through death and the wrath or fiercenesse of the anger and Sting of death and though God bestow the most noble and precious hearbe of his Garden upon it yet his will must stand what is sowne in him that must grow in him 10. This we know in that he hath given his heart Viz. the most precious plant in himselfe to become Man for us to a strong sweet savour of regeneration in him that when we were in death we might be able to spring forth with and through him out of death in God his Father and bring forth the fruits of Paradise 11. Being then we know that we are the Plants Fruits or Nurserie of God let us not feare any thing but continually grow in the life of God and bring forth fruit to Gods honour and deeds of Wonder we shall enjoy them eternally 12. And being we know that our pretious life standeth in great danger betweene the Kingdome of Heaven and the Kingdome of Hell lying Captivall to both in this time of life therefore we must walke warily and circumspectly that our Pearl may not be broken we must not let the Savour of wrath into us for to corrupt and spoil us whereby the pretious fruit is hindred in the growth and God should complain of us that he is like a vine-dresser that gleaneth and would faine enjoy the pretious grapes 13. Therefore let us be watchfull to fight against the Prince of wrath that the pretious Grapes and fruites of God may growe in us in which God may have a good smell and tast that we may be a Pleasant sweet savour to him in Christ 14. We shall well enjoy it when we are rid from the vanity of this life and then we shall live and spring up in God and eate of the pure life of God without defect and he will be our food and we his that so there may be a pleasant mutuall Paradisicall growth in one another we in God and God in us in the eternall source of the holy life in Gods Nursery wherein is meere perfection in pure love 15. For which cause we labor so earnestly and suffer the scorne and contempt of the World that while our earthly life springeth in death our heavenly life may spring forth through death that so the earthly life may appeare before the heavenly as a scorne which indeed is not worthy to be called a life comparing it with the heavenly 16. And therefore we suffer patiently in the earthly life and rejoyce in the heavenly in hope that we shall be freed from vanity and then we shall be well refreshed with consolation what we have beene faine here to sow in tribulation and trouble we shall reape in great joy 17. Wherefore my very deare Brother in the life of God in which you stand you are more acceptable to me that you have awaked me out the Sleep that I might goe on to bring forth fruit in the life of God and afterward to rejoyce therein with the Children of God 18. And I give you to understand that after I was againe awakened a very strong Odour was given to me in the life of God and I hâ—pe to bring forth fruit therein and to awaken the sleepy as God hath awakened me out of the sleep wherein I lay 19. And I entreat you for the holy life sake of God in Christ that for the future you would not be faint or weary but animate and quicken up your life in Christ that our spirits may be apprehended and understood which cannot be without the Divine Power 20. For every one speaketh from his Essences in the Wonders of God according as his life is enkindled in God and no man can bring us to an understanding but the onely spirit of God which in the day of Pentecost did in the mouth of the Apostles change the tongues of all Nations into one that the languages of all Nations could understand the tongues â—f the Apostles whereas they spake but from one tongue but the heart and spirit of the Hearers were opened in God that they all understood them every one in his owne language as if the Apostles had spoken in their language 21. Thus it is onely 〈…〉 God that one spirit can apprehend and understand another 〈…〉 feare me that in many places of my Writings I shall be difficult 〈…〉 understood but in God I am very easie and plaine to the Reaâ—â—r if 〈◊〉 soule be grounded in God from which knowledge I onely Wâ—â—e 22. For I have veâ—◠〈◊〉 from the historicall Art of this World and I write nor for the Pride and Honour sake of their Art for I am not begotten of their Art but out of the life of God that I might beare fruit in the Paradisicall Rose-Garden of God 23. And that not for my selfe onely but for my Brethren and Sisters that we might be one holy body in Christ to God our Father who hath loved and chosen us before the foundation of the world was layd 24. Therefore as Christ spared not his life and so also his true Disciples but did freely Preach the Kingdome of God albeit they suffered scorne and death in this World for it and that onely for the sake of the heavenly Kingdome so must we not feare so much the temporall scorne and death for the heavenly lifes sake and so pray that God would deliver us from all evill and give us unity in one minde 25. But I am sorry that I am so difficult to be understood of you in some points of my Writings and I wish that I could impart my soule to you that you might apprehend my meaning 26. For I understand that it concerneth the deepest points on which the maine depends where I have used some Latine words but my meaning resteth in truth not barely in the Latine tongue but much rather in the Language of Nature 27. For it is opened unto me in some measure to sound out the Spirits of the letters from their very Originall and I would very gladly give you the meaning and interpretation of those words which I have
into it selfe to the Separation of the last Judgement The Fourth Point Whether the Beasts were so wilde and rough before the Curse as they now are 31. Beloved Mr. Frederick the Garment which Adam had before the Curse when he was yet naked was exceeding faire and became him very well so likewise was the hide of the Beasts rough and hairy unto them but in the Curse all things both in the Beasts and in the Plants of the Earth were deformed and changed into a monstrous strange forme they had indeed such a cloathing but far more glorious in Colours Feature and Ornament of the pure Tincture 32. And I entreat you about these Queries to looke into the Grand Mystery with the eyes of Christ in whom all the Treasures of Wisedome doe lye and then you shall see them better in the understanding then I can in hast briefly set downe in writing and I commit you to the Love of Jesus Christ THE NINTH EPISTLE The open Fountaine of God in the heart of Jesus Christ bee our refreshment and constant Light 1. WORTHY much respected and very Learned Sir I heartily wish unto you even that which my very soule desireth of God namely the reall true Divine Knowledge in the love of Christ that God would vouchsafe to open the Centre of the Soule whereby the Paradificall Lilly-twig in Christs Rose-garden might spring forth grow blossome and beare fruit and the streames out of Christs Fountaine might flow from you and you might be taught of God that his holy spirit might drive and rule you As it is written Those who are driven and moved by the Spirit of God they are the Children of God 2. I have received your Letter and thereby understand that you have read my Writings and that you doe delight in them and I wish from my very heart that the sense and right meaning of the same may be apprehended and understood and then there would be no need of any further asking and searching 3 For the Booke in which all Mysteries lye is Man himselfe he himselfe is the Booke of the Being of all Beings seeing he is the likenesse or similitude of God the great Arcanum lyeth in him the revealing of it belongeth onely unto Gods spirit 4. But if the Lilly in the humanity of Christ springeth forâ—h in the new birth out of the soule then out of the same Lilly the spirit of God proceedeth as out of his owne originall and ground and the same spirit seeketh and findeth all Mysteries in the Divine Wisedome 5. For the Lilly-branch which springeth forth in the new birth ouâ— of Christs humanity understand the new borne spirit out of the soules â—ssence out of Christs power is the true reall branch sprâ—nging from and remaining in Gods Tree 6. As a Mother beareth a childe even so is the new man borne in and out of God and no otherwise at all is he Gods childe and heire a child of Heaven and of Paradise 7. No imputed righteousnesse availeth a stranger cannot inherite Gods Kingdome but an innate righteousnesse out of Gods Essentiality out of the water and spirit of God as Christ told us that We must become like unto Children and be conceived in Gods Essence and like new children in God we must spring forth and be borne anew as a faire flower springeth out of the wilde Earth or as precious Gold groweth in a rough stone or drossy Oare otherwise we cannot see nor inherite the Kingdome of God 8. For whatsoever will possesse the internall spirituall World must be borne out of the same the earthly flesh from the foure Elements cannot inherite the Kingdome of God 9. But the Quint-essence which is the one Element namely Paradise whence the foure Elements have their rise birth and proceeding that same must be predominant and rule over the foure Elements in like manner as the light containeth the darknesse as it were swallowed up and yet the same is really in it even so it must be with Man 10. Onely it cannot be so with the outward man in this time of the earthly life for the outward World ruleth oveâ— the outward Man seeing it was made manifest in Man which is his fall 11. And therefore the externall man must perish as the externall World perisheth and passeth away and therefore Man in this time cannot attaine perfection but the true man must continue in combate and strife against the earthly corrupt life which is its owne enemy where eternity and time strive one against another 12. For through strife or the mutuall combate in Nature the great Arcanum is opened and the eternall wonders in Gods wisedome are made manifest out of the soules Essence 13 As the eternall God hath manifested himselfe through the time and bringeth his eternall Wonders through the time into combate and contest that through the combate or strife that which is hidden and lyeth in the Mysterious Nothing might open it selfe and be brought to light even so in strife and combate the great Mystery must be revealed in Man where Gods anger and love as fire and light are in combate and strife 14. For in the soule which ariseth out of the Eternall fire out of the Fathers property that is out of the Eternall un-inchoative Nature out of the darknesse that light which did extinguish and disappeare in Adam must be renued and borne againe in the incomming of Christ and then the Kingdome of Christ and of God is freely given him out of grace 15. For none can take the same unto himselfe unlesse the love of God doth againe presse out of grace into the Centre of the soule and bringeth the divine will out of the fire of the soul as a new sproâ—t or new Image into the heavenly essentâ—ality as the light shineth out of the fire 16. Therefore all whatsoever Babel teacheth of the externall imputed righteousnesse and the externall assumed Adoption and particular Election and Rejection from eternity is without foundation and footing Christ said You must be borne againe else you cannot see the Kingdome of God 17. The seeming holy flattering comfort with Christs death avalleth nothing but to enter into Christs death and to spring up a new in him and to arise in him and with him and become Christ or an annointed child of God in the new man 18. Like as Christ hath mortifyed extinguished and overcome the World and also the anger of his father being the centre of the Eternall Nature in the soules property with his love that is with the new love fire introduced into the soules essence into which the Devill before had brought in and placed his Desire even so must we in and with Christs spirit quell and quash the earthly Adam in Gods anger and mortify it through Gods love that the new man may spring forth else there is no forgivenesse of fin nor any Adoption or â—liation nor any righteousnesse 19. The Kingdome of God must be inwardly innate and borne
within us else we cannot see with the eyes of eternity into the angelicall World 20. All Imaginations inventions and wayes all reading studying and teachings is to no purpose without this way of the new birth no art or reason can attain it we must enter onely through the gate which God hath opened to us in Christ and spring forth in Gods Kingdome and dye unto the earthly will so that it neither hindereth nor sticketh on us and cloggeth us the seed of the Woman must continually bruise the Serpents head in us 21. Selfe-reason cannot make a child of God for it lyeth not in our willing running and keeping a doe as saint Paul saith but on Gods mercy and Compassion 22. My selfehood cannot attain it my selfehood must dye in Christs death and fall or resigne unto the nothing and then my selfehood falleth into Gods Mercy and is in the limit of the first man and standeth againe in the word Fiat where Gods mercy in Christs entrance into our humanity doth make or recreate the new man out of grace 23. And therefore the corrupt earthly will must dye in a reall true upright repentance and enter into the Resignation that is into the nothing and wholly surrender the will of reason unto death and neither will or know himselfe any more but enter into the mercy and compassion of God 24. And then this saying hath its place and meaning as God speaketh in the Prophet My heart breaketh in me that I must take pitty on him can a Mother forget her Childe that shee should not have compassion on the Sonne of her wombe And albeit shee should forget yet I will not forget thee Behold I have noted thee in my hands 25. In this namely in Gods mercy the new man doth arise and springeth up in the Kingdome of Heaven and Paradise though the earthly body be in this World 26. For Saint Paul saith Our Conversation is in Heaven Thus the new man walketh in Heaven and the old man in this World for the Heaven in which God dwelleth is in the new man 27. Thus beloved Sir and Brother and in no other way and manner have I found the Mystery I have not studyed or learned the same but if you or any other doth thirst after it I am engaged as a Brother in my affection and love to shew him the way how I met with it as I have set downe at large in my Writings chiefly in the Booke of the Threefold life of Man and in the Booke of the three Principles of the Divine Being 28. Indeed I did it for my selfe as a spirituall exercise in Gods knowledge in the Mystery of the great Wonders of God which notwithstanding by Gods providence and guidance is come so farre as to be published and read and I would gladly that every one that earnestly desires to understand the same might have it and I wish from my heart that it may be really manifest and made knowne to the Reader of this Epistle and to every one in himselfe and then there would be no need of any further searching and seeking 29. But seeing God hath promised by the Prophets especially in Joel that he will powre forth his spirit in the last dayes upon all flesh therefore the time is to be considered and taken notice of 30. I say as I have knowne it that whosoever at present will dye to himselfe him shall the spirit of the Lord according to Joels Prophesie apprehend and manifest his Wonders by him therefore if any be in earnest he shall finde it by experience 31. Yet let every one be faithfully warned that if Gods light doth arise in him that he continue stedfast in great humility in resignation namely in the death of Christ 32. For the Heaven shall now at last powre forth its long contrived Egestum of the Constellations which it hath wrought in the humane property least he also be taken hold of by the starry Heaven and goe beyond the limit out of resignation 33. As it may be seen by the Metists who came even unto the gates of the Deep and were againe captivated by the starry Heaven and entred into themselves and exalted themselves and surceased the strife against the Serpent and entred into a selfehood or a singular Luciferian conceit of their owne holinesse supposing that they were changed into a Deity and so they have confounded the externall World with the internall 34. Which is unfound and voyd of ground and of which we must take great heed and see that we continue stedfast in deepest humility that the seed that is sowne may grow unto a Tree and may come to the blossoming and the spirit of God get a forme in us 35. For out of the Blossome ariseth the morning Starre that Man may learne to know himselfe what he is and what God and Time is 36. I give you Sir out of good affection to understand that this present time is seriously to be taken into consideration for the Seventh Angel in the Revelation hath prepared his Trumpet the powers of Heaven be in peculiar motion moreover both Gates stand open and light and darknesse are in great desire as every thing is taken so it shall goe in 37. At what the one shall exceedingly rejoyce the other shall mock at it whereupon followeth the sore and severe judgement upon Babel 38. And so I commit you and yours unto the pleasant and amiable Love of Jesus Christ Dated Gerlits 27. October 1621. THE TENTH EPISTLE OF The Killing of Antichrist in our Selves AND ALSO How wee may attaine unto Divine Contemplation Our Salvation is in Christ Jesus 1. WORTHY and much respected Sir I wish unto you the grace knowledge and blessing of God in Christ Jesus after I was informed of D. K. that you as a Christian Brother and fellow-member in the Lord doe stand in an hearty Desire in the drawing of the Father to Christ Jesus and doe also labour in your minde how you may come to Divine Contemplation and Vision in your selfe therefore upon the request of the Doctor I would not omit to visit and salute you with a short Epistle and briefly to declare unto you out of my Gifts out of Christian love the way to Divine Vision and Feeling and hereby to present unto you in brotherly love the Sap of my little Corall in the spirit and life of Jesus Christ as one branch or twigg on the Tree is bound to doe to the other and I desire that I might be well understood if peradventure I might give further occasion to your zeale 2. Seeing that you very well perceive in your selfe that Antichrist in Babel beareth the sway and government in Christendome and acteth selfehood and the lust of the flesh and that our deare Immanuel hath faithfully warned us thereof and sayd That flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdome of Heaven John 6. And yet the Antichrist seeketh and desireth nothing else but onely temporall
time given me out of his wel-spring of Grace 3. And albeit I have no ability to doe it at my pleasure yet my minde is so wholly enkindled in its Centre that I would very heartily and readily impart it to my bretheren in Christ and I continually entreat the Lord that he would be pleased to open the hearts of men that they might understand the same and that it may come in them to a right quick essentiall and living effect and operation 4. And from a syncere intention I would not conceale from you that I since the new Yeare upon the desire of some learned men and persons of quality have written a treatise of Election or of Gods will concerning man and so expressed and inlarged it out of such a ground or deep soundation that all Mysteries both of the outward visible Elementall and then also of the hidden spirituall World may be therein discerned and thereunto I have in an especiall manner alleadged the sayings of the holy scripture which speake of Gods will to harden and then of his un-willingnesse to harden and so tuned or harmonized them together that the right understanding and meaning of the same may be seen 5. And it is so proved and demonstrated that I hope in God that it shall give furtherance and occasion to take away that strife and controversy in the Churches which is known and manifest that the time is nigh and at hand that the contentions about Religion shall enter into the Temperature but with great ruination of the false Kingdome in Babel that hath set up it selfe in Christs stead together with other great alterations concerning which although men now will hardly believe me yet in a short time shall really appeare and shew themselves and this beloved Sir I would not for your further consideration and christian meditation omit to hint unto you c. THE THIRTIETH EPISTLE IMMANVEL 1. MY very Christian Brother and Friend all Cordiall wishes of Divine Love and further illumination with true persevering constancy and patience patiently to endure the Crosse of Christ premised 2. God in the very beginning of your knowledge hath Sealed you with the mark of Christ unto a further confirmation and hath Crowned you to be a Champion that you should worke as a true owner in his Service 3. And I exhort you as a Christian that you would with Prayer and supplication commit the cause to God in patience and stand qnietly under the Crosse of Christ and be diligent in your Talent entrusted to you you shall see great wonders and your Talent will be more and more pleasant and beloved for so Christ hath also taught us that we should forsake all for his Name sake and cleave onely unto him for he requireth a pure resigned soule in that he will dwell 4. You have no cause to be amazed or terrifyed God knoweth well for what use he employeth you commit your selfe onely to him in Patience and strive against reason which gainsayeth and contradicts and so you will dye unto the World and live unto Christ and then you will exercise your warfare aright for his loves sake and therefrom gain the Noble Crowne of eternall life where we shall rejoyce and injoy one another eternally 5. God hath planted him a Rose Garden in your young heart take heed that the Devill sow not thornes and thistles therein there will soon come another time that your Rose-bud shall bring forth its fruits strive not to be in Office but stand still unto the most high to what he will have you let the smoak of the Devill passe away rejoyce rather at this reproach in the mark of Christ c. THE ONE AND THIRTIETH EPISTLE Our Salvation is in the life of Jesus Christ 1. DEARE Sir and Christian Brother all faithfull Cordiall and syncere desires of my spirit of true Divine light power and knowledge with intimate joy in the Divine contemplation and in our Eternall fraternity in the life of Christ 2. I have received your Letter which you sent and I rejoyce in the Lord my God who doth so richly and abundantly impart his grace unto us and so open our hearts that we in the conjecture of our Gifts desire to Search into his wisedome and wonders 3. And your tendred friendship is very pleasing and acceptable to me and according as this letter doth import I acknowledge you for a springing and very desirous branch on the Vine Christ and also for my member and fellow twig on this Corall and I wish in the power of my knowledge that it may be a true constant and immoveable earnestnesse as I make no doubt but the pretious Coralline branch of the new birth is begotten in you out of Christs spirit and wisdome 4. Thereupon I also would faine with all my heart impart my little sap strength and influence out of Gods gifts unto my fellow-branches and twigs and helpe to quicken and refresh them in my weake power and also receive enjoyment of their gifts as we are obliged and bound mutually to doe for each other both from the command of God and also in the right of Nature unto which I am in an especiall manner driven in my gifts and for which sake I have spent much time and paines yet in great desire longing and delight and it hath been continually my earnest hope and the very drift and ayme of my desire to serve my Brethren in the Lord in the Vineyard of Christ 5. And though I am a simple man and un-expert and un-experienced in Scholastick Learning and Arts neither have I ever been â—ayned up to exercise my selfe in the workes of high masters and to comprehend great Mysteries in my Reason but in my outward occupation I have been a Tradesman wherein I have honestly maintained my selfe a long time yet my inward occupation and exercise hath with very earnest strong desire entred into the mortification of my sinfull man inherited from the corrupt Adam how I might dye to my selfehood and selfe will in the death of Christ and arise in his will to a new spirit and will of Divine renovation of minde and understanding 6. Thereupon I once so strongly and sixedly resolved rather to for one my earthly life then to desist from this Purpose and Combate and â—hat I have suffered therein and therefore the Lord knowes who so led me through his judgement of my sinnes but afterwards Crowned me with the fairest tryumphing aspect of his Divine Kingdome of joy which to expresse I have no Pen sufficient but doe willingly beteeme and heartily wish it to the Reader of this Epistle and to all the Children of God 7. And from this Tryumphing light or joyfull convincing illumination of God that hath been given to me which I hitherto have written for many yeares for I obtained therein so much grace as to see and know my owne Booke which I my selfe am Viz. the Image of God and moreover to
honour might and power to climbe up and advance himselfe in the lust of the flesh and moreover that this Antichrist hath for a long time so civilly and demurely deckt and adorned himselfe with Christs Purple Mantle that men have not discerned him but they have honoured and adored him for a Saint the which is reasonably well revealed to me in the Grace of the most high and thereupon I would declare unto you in briefe what a Christian is and also what the Antichrist in man is for your further consideration 3. Christ saith Whosoever forsaketh not houses land money goods wife children brothers and sisters and deny himselfe and follow me he is not my Disciple or servant also you must turne and become like children or be borne a new of water and the spirit else you shall not see the Kingdome of God this is not meant that one should run out of his vocation and calling from his wife and children into a solitary Desart and wildernesse and forsake all but onely he must forsake the Antichrist that is the SELFE in all the meum and tuum the mine and thine 4. Whosoever will attain to Divine contemplation and feeling within himselfe he must mortify the Antichrist in his soule and depart from all ownehood of the will yea from all Creatures and become the poorest creature in the owne-hood selfenesse or selfe interest of his mind so that he hath or owneth nothing any more for a propriety be he in what estate and condition he will 5. And though he be a King yet his mind must forsake all owne-hood and esteem himselfe in his place dignity and Temporaâ—l goods no other then a Servant of God and that he therein ought to serve God and his Bretheren and that he hath and possesseth all that he hath not after the right of nature as if it were his owne to doe according to his owne will and pleasure therein but that it is his fellow-bretherens and members and that God hath set him as a Steward and officer over it and he must thinke that he therein serveth his Lord who will require an account of him 6. He must wholy and fully resigne up in himselfe his owne will which driueth him to such possession of owne-hood or selvish affection or union with the Creature to the suffering and dying in the death of Jesus Christ and humbly beseech God in right earnest repentance and conversion that he would mortify this evill will to selfenesse and temporall lust in the deaâ—h of Jesus Christ and bring the will of his soule into the true adoption or filâ—ation of God that so he might not will and desire any longer to his selfe but that Gods will might be in him his will and desire that he might be dead as to the will of the soule in and to his selfe or owne-hood and that God in Christ might be his life 7. He must wholly immerse his will in deepest humility into Gods mercy and lay hold on such a will and resolution in the Divine promise of grace that he this very houre will depart from all owne-hood of the pleasure of this World and never enter any more therein albeit he thereby should become the foole of all the World he must wholly immerse himselfe into the deepest submissive lowlinesse and unworthinesse before God with repentance and yet in the soule apprehend and hold fast the promise of grace and stand therein as a Souldier before his Enemy when it concerns his body and life 8. When this commeth to passe then his owne will being the Antichrist will be apprehended and mortifyed in the death of Christ and his soule will soone become as a young simple child which hath lost its naturall understanding of selfehood and beginneth to lament before God as a young child before its Mother and trusteth in the Mother to give what she pleaseth to it 9. And this is that which Christ said ye must turne and become as children and forsake all and follow me for Adam departed from Gods will into selfe-will and hath in his owne selfe-desire brought the insinuations of the Seâ—pent and the will and desire of the Devill into himselfe so that he hath brought himselfe and his lifes comfort which afore stood in mutuall harmony ' and Agreement in one onely will which was Gods into a division and disunion where the properties of nature departed from the Equall Agreement and Concordance each property entring into its selfe-hood being an owne or peculiar selfe-desire whenâ—e the lust and Imagination to good and evill did arise in him and heat and cold presently fell on hâ—m and â—e dyed from the holy life in the equall and mutuall concordance wherein he lived in one onely pure Element wherein the four Elements were in him in equall weight or Temperature 10. And of this God warned him saying eat not of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill else you shall dye meaning thereby the death to the Kingdome of Heaven namely the disappearing of the faire Angelicall Image which dyed presently in the false introduced desire of the Serpent and therefore this false will of the Serpent must first dye in Christs death by true Conversion and out of this death Christ ariseth in his spirit againe in us in the heavenly Image which dyed in Adam and the inward man is regenerated and new borne in Christs spirit 11. This new Spirit commeth to Divine vision or contemplation in himselfe it heareth Gods Word and hath Divine understanding and inclination and may behold the Grand Mystery in Divine and naturall Mysteries and albeit the earthly flesh yet cleaveth unto him in its inclination yet the same hurteth or spoyleâ— not the new borne spirit at all in him 12. He is in this new birth as solid fine Gold in a rough drossy stone the drossy soyle of the stone being not able to destroy or spoyle the Gold for his right will is dead to the earthly desire and continually desireth to kill and mortifie the lust of the flesh and doth likewise kill it without intermission for here the Seed of the Woman Viz. the new Man borne in Christ bruiseth the head of the Serpents will in the flesh which will is Antichrist 13. And beloved Sir I give you as a Christian and Brother in all faithfulnesse syncerity and uprightnesse to understand that we in our Supposed Religion wherein men doe nothing but contend confute and revile one another about the Letter and the different Opinions thence contrived are as yet in the midst of Babel and that it was never Worse then now whereas yet men doe boast that they are gone out from Babel and have the true Religion which I leave in its worth to be well considered 14. But for so much as is knowne to me in the Lord my God in my exceeding precious Talent given to me of God I say that men indeed have dipped Christs Mantle with its purple colour