Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
kingdom_n earth_n heaven_n time_n 3,575 5 3.5394 3 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A28532 The second booke, concerning the three principles of the divine essence of the eternall, dark, light, and temporary vvorld shewing what the soule, the image and the spirit of the soule are : as also what angels, heaven, and paradise are : how Adam was before the fall, in the fall, and after the fall : and what the wrath of God, sinne, death, the devils and hell are, how all things have been, now are, and how they shall be at the last / written in the German language by Jacob Behmen, aliàs Teutonicus Philosophus.; Beschreibung der drey Principien göttliches Wesens. English Böhme, Jakob, 1575-1624.; Sparrow, John, 1615-1665? 1648 (1648) Wing B3417; ESTC R17042 460,920 444

There are 36 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

it selfe back into the Anguish of the foure formes of the Originall and will horribly f Or Worke in continuall generating as the breath goeth in and out continually for the preserving of life breath forth out of pride in the Originall of the Fire knowing it selfe shall so become powerfull it so becometh a Devill For the Devils also with their Legions had this Originall and they out of pride would live in the g Or Strong fierce wrath of the fire and so they perished and remained Devils 22. Yet if the soule elevate its h Or exercise its thoughts and purposes in resignation Imagination forward into the light in meeknesse and comelinesse or humility and doth not as Lucifer did use the strong power of its fire in its qualification or breathing then it will be fed by the i Verbum Domini Word of the Lord and getteth vertue power life and strength in the i Verbum Domini Word of the Lord which is the heart of God and it s owne Originall strong fierce wrathfull source of the Birth of the Eternall life becometh Paradisicall exceeding pleasant friendly humble and sweet wherein the k Laughing for joy rejoycing and the fountaine of the Eternall l Or Halelujahs Songs of Praise springeth up and in this Imagination it is an Angel and a childe of God and it beholdeth the Eternall Generating of the m Note what is possible to be spoken of and what not indissoluble Band and thereof it hath abilitie to speak for it is its own Essence or substance but it is not able to speak of the infinite generating for that hath neither beginning nor end 23. But if it undertaketh to speak of the unmeasurable space or infinite Geniture then it becometh full of lyes and is troubled and confounded for it belyeth the unmeasurable Deity as Antichrist doth which will have the Deity to be onely above the starry Heaven that thereby himselfe may remaine to be God upon Earth riding upon the great Beast which yet must shortly goe into the originall lake of Brimstone into the n Or Dominion of the anger of God Kingdome of King Lucifer for the time is come that the Beast shall be revealed and spewed out concerning which wee may be well enough understood here by the Children of Hope but there is a wall and seale before the servants or ministers of o The whore of the Beast Antichrist till the wrath be executed upon her whoredome and that shee have received her full wages and that the p Or Ornament of her kingdome Crowne of their Dominion which they have worne be their shame and till the eyes of the blinde be opened and then shee will sit as a scorned whore which every one will adjudge to Damnation The very sublime Gate of the Holy Trinity for the Children of God 24. If you lift up your thoughts and minds and ride upon the Chariot of the soule as is before-mentioned and looke upon your selfe and all creatures and consider how the Birth of life in you taketh its Originall and the light of your life whereby you can behold the shining of the Sunne and also looke with your Imagination without the light of the Sunne into a huge vast space to which the eyes of your body cannot reach and then consider what the cause might be that you are more Rationall than the other Creatures seeing you can search what is in every thing and consider farther from whence the Elements Fire and Aire take their Originall and how the Fire cometh to be in the Water and generateth it selfe in the Water and how the light of your body generateth it selfe in the Water 25. And then if you be borne of God you attaine to what God and the Eternall Birth is for you see feele and finde that all these must yet have a higher roote from whence they proceed which is not visible but hidden especially if you look upon the starry Heaven which endureth thus unchangably therefore you ought to consider from whence it is proceeded and how it subsisteth thus and is not corrupted nor riseth up above nor falleth downe beneath though indeed there is neither above nor beneath there Now if you consider what preserveth all thus and whence it is then you finde the Eternall Birth that hath no beginning and you finde the Originall of the Eternall Principle viz. the eternall indissoluble Band and then secondly you see the separation in that the materiall world with the Starres and Elements are out of the first Principle which containeth the outward and third Principle in it for you finde in the Elementary Kingdome or Dominion a cause in every thing wherefore it is generateth and moveth as it doth but you finde not the first cause from whence it is so there are therefore q Viz. The first and the third Principle Two severall Principles for you finde in the visible things a corruptibility and perceive that they must have a beginning because they have an end 26. And thirdly you finde in all things a glorious power and vertue which is the life growing and springing of every thing and you finde that therein lyeth its beauty and pleasant welfare from whence it stirreth Now look upon an hearb or plant and consider it what is its life which makes it grow and you shall finde in the Originall harshnesse bitternesse fire and water and if you should separate these foure things one from another and put them together againe yet you shall neither see nor find any growing but if it were severed from its own mother that generated it at the beginning then it remaineth dead much lesse can you bring the pleasant smell nor colours into it 27. Thus you see that there is an Eternall Roote which affordeth this and if you could bring the colours and vegetation or growing into it yet you could not bring the smell and vertue into it and thus you will finde in the Originall of the smell and of the taste there must be another Principle which the stock it selfe is not for that Principle hath its originall from the light of Nature 28. Now look upon the humane life a little further you neither see finde nor apprehend any more by your sight than flesh and bloud wherein you are like other Beasts secondly you finde the Elements of aire and fire which r Or Mingle themselves worke in you and that is but an animall or beastiall life for every beast hath the same in it from whence proceedeth the lust to fill them and to propagate themselves as all plants hearbs and grasse and yet you finde no true understanding to be in all these living creatures for although the Starres or Constellations doe operate in Å¿ Animall or Beastiall man Man and afford him the senses yet they are onely such senses as belong to nourishment and propagation like other Beasts 29. For the Starres themselves are senslesse and have no
never at all be able to reach it 71. For he is alwayes shut up in the first Principle as in the eternall Death and yet he raiseth himselfe up continually thinking to reach the heart of God and to domineere over it for his bitter sting in the birth climeth up thus eternally in the k Or Roote source of the fire and affordeth him a proud will to have all at his pleasure but he attaineth nothing his food is the l Fountaine of poyson source of water viz. the Brimstone-spirit which is the most aking mother from which the indissoluble band is fed and nourished his refreshing is the eternall m Viz. the cold fire fire an eternall freesing in the harsh mother an eternall hunger in the bitternesse an eternall thirst in the source of the fire his climeing up is his fall the more he climeth up in his will the greater is his fall like one that standing upon a high clift would cast himselfe downe into a bottomlesse pit he looketh still further and he falleth in further and further and yet can finde no ground 72. Thus he is an eternall enemy to the heart of God and all the holy Angels and he cannot frame any other will in himselfe His Angels and Devils are of very many severall sorts all according to the Eternall Birth For at the time of his Creation he stood in the kingdome of Heaven in the point Locus or place where the holy Ghost in the birth of the heart of God in Paradise did open infinite and innumerable Centres in the eternall Birth in this seate or place he was n Or Created bodified and hath his beginning in the opening of the o In the opening of the ground as a building from the Earth Centres in the Eternall Nature 73. Therefore as is mentioned before in the third Chapter when the Birth of life sprung up every Essence had againe a Centre in it selfe according to its owne property or quality and figureth a life according to its Essences viz. Harshnesse bitternesse fire and sound and all further according to the ability of the eternall birth which is p Or established confirmed in the kingdome of Heaven 74. Seeing then that they stood in Heaven in the time of their Creation therefore their quality was also manifold and all should have been and continued Angels if the great fountaine Lucifer from whence they proceeded had not destroyed them and so now also every one in his fall continueth in his own Essences onely the second Principle is extinguished in them and so it is also with the soule of man when the light of God goeth out in it but so long as that shineth therein it is in Paradise and eateth of the word of the Lord whereof shall be clearly spoken in its due place CHAP. V. Of the third Principle or creation of the materiall world with the Starres and Elements wherein the first and second Principle is more clearly understood 1. BEcause I may happen not to be understood clearly enough by the desirous Reader and shall be as one that is altogether dumb to the unenlightned for the eternall and indissoluble band wherein the Essence of all Essences standeth is not easily nor in haste to be understood therefore it is necessary that the desirous Reader do the more earnestly consider himself what he is and from whence his Reason and a Inward senses or thoughts Senses do proceed wherein he findeth the similitude of God especially if he consider and meditate what his Soul is which is an eternall uncorruptible Spirit 2. But if the Reader be b Or be in true resignation born of God there is no neerer way for him to come to the knowledge of the third Principle then by considering the new Birth how the soul is new born by the love of God in the light and how it is translated out of the prison or dungeon of darknesse into the light by a second birth And now if you consider that darknesse wherein it must be without the new birth and consider what the Scripture saith and what every one findeth by experience that falleth into the wrath of God and whereof there are terrible examples that the soul must endure irksome torment in it self in the birth of the life of its own self so long as it is in the wrath of God and then that if it be born again exulting great joy ariseth in it and thus you finde very clearly and plainly two Principles as also God Paradise and the kingdome of Heaven 3. For you finde in the root of the originall of the spirit of the soule in it self in the substance of the eternall birth and uncorruptible eternall band of the soul the most exceeding horrible inimicitious irksome c Or torment or working property source wherein the soul without the light of God is like all Devils wherein their eternall source consisteth being an enmity in it self a will striving against God and goodnesse it desireth nothing that is pleasant or good it is a climbing up of pride in the strength of the fire a bitter fierce odious malice or wrathfulnesse against Paradise against God against the kingdome of heaven also against all creatures in the second and third Principle lifting up themselves alone against all this as the bitternesse d In wrath or anger doth in the fire doth 4. Now the Scripture witnesseth throughout and the new-born man findeth it so that when the soul is new born in the light ●f God then on the contrary it findeth how very humble meek courteous and cheerly it is it readily beareth all manner of crosses and persecution it turneth the body from out of the way of the wicked it regardeth no reproach disgrace or scorn put upon it from the Devill or Man it placeth its confidence refuge and love in the heart of God it is very cheerfull it is fed by the word of God in which there is a Paradisicall exulting and triumph it cannot be hurt or so much as touched by the Devill for it is in its own substance wherein it stands in the first Principle of the indissoluble band enlightned with the light of God and the holy Ghost who goeth forth out of the eternall e Generation begetting or working birth of the Father in the heart and in the light of the heart of God he goeth forth in it and establisheth it the childe of God 5. Therefore all that it doth seeing it liveth in the light of God is done in the love of God the Devill cannot see that soul for the second Principle wherein it liveth and in which God and the kingdom of heaven standeth as also the Angels and Paradise is shut up from him and he cannot get to it 6. In this consideration you may finde what I understand by a Principle For a Principle is nothing else but a new birth a new life besides there is no more than one Principle wherein there
whole substance and an Essence of a thing 77. Now Abel is the first Christian Church in Patience which God established that the Cainish Church should be converted by Abel he hath not therefore so rejected the Cainish Church that he would have no member out of it Understand it thus the true Christian Church standeth like a sheepe among Wolves though indeed wee are Men and not Wolves but in Minde and in Figure p The Abellish Church It teacheth the wicked and if he be converted then it hath gained him and he is figured into an Image of God and thereby Joy is caused among the Angels of God that the Kingdome of Heaven hath the victory 78. Or doest thou suppose that the word in Daniel is nothing Chap. 10. concerning the Angel Gabriel who said that the Prince in Persia withstood him one and twenty dayes and that our Prince Michael came to helpe him Thereby it may be seene how the Princes and Throne-Angells strive against the Kingdome of the fierce wrath and assist Men the cause whereof is this The Devill awakeneth the Anger against Men and the Angels of God viz. the Throne-Princes keepe it back because God q For all the Devils stirring up or awakening of his Anger yet willeth not Evill 79. Wee are especially to observe in Cain and Abel what their purpose was Cain was a Plowman or Tiller of the Ground and Abel was a Shepheard or keeper of sheepe Abel relyed upon the blessing of God towards his flock to maintaine himselfe by the blessing of God Cain relyed upon his own labour to maintaine himselfe by his own skill and industry Eve tooke part with Cain and Adam with Abel for Eve counted him to be the Prince on Earth to whom the Kingdome did belong and supposed that he as a Champion would chase and hunt away the Devill although shee knew r The Devill him not 80. But if Men search very Deepe this that followeth they will finde is the very Ground Eve was the Childe in the Matrix of Adam which Adam if he had not been overcome should have generated out of himselfe in great modesty purity and holinesse but because Adams Matrix was impregnated from the Spirit of this world therefore God must frame a fleshly woman out of it which afterwards in her first fruit became lustfull and infected from the Devill as well as the Limbus in Adam 81. And therefore they also generated such a towardly childe as looked onely after covetousnesse as Eve also did who would be like God and surely Adam had some minde that way or else he should not have entred into the spirit of this world 82. And such also now was their Sonne Cain he supposed that he was Lord on Earth and therefore he grutched that his Brother should have any thing especially when he saw that he was accepted before God that vexed him and he thought that Abel should come to be Lord on Earth in his sacrifice he regarded not the feare of God though he as an appearing holy Man or hypocrite sacrificed also but he regarded onely the ſ The highest place of Earthly Dominion Region 83. And here the Antichristian Kingdome tooke its beginning where Men t Or speake good words before God give God good words and their heart is possessed with covetousnesse and seek after nothing but power and authority to domineere over the needy and miserable who trust and relie upon God Therefore Antichrist hath his God in his Chist and in the strength of his power and behinde his cloake there hangeth a Fox He prayeth yet he desireth nothing else but the Kingdome of this world his heart doth not leave off to persecute and to hunt poore Abel But Abel prayeth to the Lord and his heart inclineth it selfe to the Love of God in the true Image for he desireth the Kingdome of Heaven and the Blessing of God here for his u Necessitie or subsistence of the body maintenance 84. Now the Devill cannot endure that a holy Church should grow up in his Dominions he will murther Abel still as he did then because Cain feared not God therefore the Devill gat an accesse to him and stirred up the inbred wrath in Cain against Abel that he slew him Here surely all the Devills danced at it and thought now is the Kingdome ours againe whereat Adam and Eve were much amazed and affrighted when they saw that he whom they accounted for a Prince became a murtherer and as the History saith they copulated or knew one another no more in seaventy yeares after 85. Now it being thus therefore they sought for quite another Treader upon the Serpent also now they inclined their heart to God so that seventy yeares after this murther they begat a very upright vertuous holy Sonne that feared God who established againe the pure Church of the feare of God and promised seede of the Woman whose name was Seth who also begat a very upright vertuous Sonne whose name was E●os and then Men began to preach openly or plainly of God and the Christian Church alwayes rose up like a small flock in spite of all the Ragings of the Devills 86. But Cain exalted himselfe to be a Lord over his kindred from whence arose the Dominion and Rule or Government of this world all according to the influence of the Starres generated per Spiritum Majoris Mundi by the Spirit of the x Or Macrocosme Great world and is not as Cain supposed so ordained by the cleere Deity 87. It is true indeed when the world became so evill malicious and murtherous then there must needs be Judges and Magistrates that the fierce wrath might be stopped by punishment and feare but if thou haddest continued in Love then thou shouldst have had no Lords but loving Brothers and Sisters O Cain thy potent Kingdome cometh not from God but hath its influence from the starry Heaven in Anger which domineereth over thee and many times giveth thee Tyrants who consume thy sweat in Pride and this thou hast for thy Paradise 88. Saint Paul writeth very well that there is no power authority or Magistracy but of God but he saith it is an y Or for the punishment of evill doers avenger of the wicked and beareth not the sword in vaine herein thou hast ground enough that God useth the worldly Government and the sword thereof for the wicked's sake under which thou must now for the sake of sinne beare thy yoake because thou art a continuall devourer and murtherer doe but behold thy selfe together with the avenging sword perhaps thou wilt see thy selfe 89. But if any say that God doth abhorre or loath the Great Tyranny and Oppression when they domineere and take away the sweat of the poore and needy and consume it in pride and statelinesse that Cain cannot endure if the terrible Example of the Floud or Deluge did not stand there then Tyranny would be accounted holinesse but thy z The
time will not beare the Exposition of this let every one finde it with their own eyes Kingdome O Cain is set up in Babell and thy Beast Ruleth in Sodom and Gomorrha there is a fire from the Lord of Heaven in it it is time to goe with Lot out of Sodom sinne is awakened in Cain 90. Now when Cain had murthered his Brother then he went securely as a Lord and thought now thou art sole Prince on Earth but the voice of the fierce anger of God came and said Where is thy Brother Abel and he answered I know not Shall I be my Brothers keeper And a Gods Anger He said What hast thou done Behold the voyce of thy Brothers bloud cryeth to mee from the Earth and now thou art accursed upon the Earth which hath opened its mouth to receive thy Brothers bloud from thy hands When thou shalt till the Ground it shall not yeeld its strength to thee henc●forward thou shalt be a vagabond and fugitive upon Earth 91. And now when the Anger of God stirred the sinne in Cain then it became awakened and he was perplexed or troubled and then his false Faith was seene for he despaired and said My sinnes are greater than that they can be forgiven mee behold thou drivest mee away from the Lord this day and I must hide my selfe b Or Before from thy Countenance and I must be a fugitive and vagabond upon the Earth and it shall befall mee so that whosoever c Or meeteth findeth mee will slay mee 92. Here there appeareth to us the most terrible Lamentable and miserable Gate of despaire upon the committing of sinnes for when God said d This concerneth Christendome to consider it Cursed art thou upon the Earth which hath opened its mouth and received thy Brothers bloud from thy Hands then the lofty selfe potent glistering hypocriticall flattering Kingdome of Antichrist was rejected of God and it hath with it entring into the fierce wrath in the Murther seperated it selfe from God 93. Therefore said God Be thou accursed and the distinction of this cursing or flying out of the fiercenesse e Or sheweth is that the Love of God will not dwell in the fiercenesse and that Kingdome must not be called after his Name for God consented not to the Murther but the fiercenesse or wrath of which God warned Cain at his sacrificing saying B thou upright and thou shalt be accepted if not then sinne and the Kingdome of the fierce wrath lyeth at the Doore he should not let f The wickednesse or fiercenesse it have any power but should rule over it but when he letteth it have power then it ruleth and vanquisheth him 94. Thus also God withdrew that is Cain went out from God from the Kingdome of God into the Kingdome of the fiercenesse of the Driver therefore also his affaires which he further managed held forth and pretended were not of God but from the Kingdome of the fierce wrath that fiercenesse lead him and generated or awakened g The wonders of the fierce wrath its wonders through him that the Kingdome of the fiercenesse might be also manifested even as it was a great wonder h Or that how the Noble Image in Abel by the fiercenesse of Hell and of this world i Or was could be seperated in the k Dissolution breaking of the body whereas the Kingdome of Hell would faine have found or felt it and therefore the first Death must be hastily or suddenly where then the Treader upon the Serpent shewed his first l Schollership Master-piece when the Kingdome of this world m Or was severed parted from Abel when the Cherubine did this first time n With his sword cut off the foure Elements from the holy Element 95. And there the Word or the Treader upon the Serpent stood in the new regenerated Element in the soule of Abel in the Centre in the Gate of the Deepe and did breake the Serpents that is the Kingdome of the fiercenesses head of its might for the Head signifieth the strong Might of the fierce Anger And there the Love of God out of the Heart of God o Or put let it selfe into the Hell of the Anger and did smother the kindled fire of the poore soule in the Love againe and here the first worke was proved according as was promised from God to Adam and Eve 96. Secondly also the terrible work of the entring into the fiercenesse or Anger was proved in Cain for each Kingdome proved its owne And now when Cain went into the Anger then the Love of God stood in the Centre before him wholly hidden there Cain as a Champion should have broken the Serpents Head which he before supposed that he was the Man that should doe it and would doe it in his own power and might and here it was rightly tryed whether it were possible in ones own selfe-power through the lustre of the Father in the fire to possesse the Kingdome of God 97. But it was miserable and all in vaine for Cain in his tender humanity cryed woe woe is mee his sinnes were greater than p Or above his power he he could not in his own power presse in to God he trembled and at length stood amazed before the Abysse of Hell which had captivated him and held him in it he q Seperated severed himselfe now also from the company of Men and said Now whosoever shall finde mee will slay mee for I must flie from thy face 98. And here is seene the seperating of the Christian Church from the Cainish where God expelled Cain that he must dwell in another place and the true understanding of these high hidden secrets sticketh wholly in the Word under the vayle of Moses and was almost never knowne yet but in the time of the Lilly it shall r Or be known stand in the Wonders and thou Antichristian Church on Earth shouldst know that all whatsoever thou inventest without the Spirit of God for thy trimming and pride also for thy strength and power is gone forth with Cain from Abel out from the Church of Christ beyond Eden into the Land of Nod if thou art so highly learned and doest understand ſ This speech of Moses this in the Language of Nature what it is as thy flatterers in their Bonnet or promotion suppose they doe but they apprehend nothing but the t Or the strife contention wrangling disputations foure Elements in the going forth with Cain and not the One Element before God therefore the same is the Babell of Confusion and of various Opinions and not the Ground u In the agreeing love and unity in the One Element which standeth in one alone and not in multiplicity 99. Thou hast been a cleere x Or Example Glasse in him of Mens own conceits or opinions what ones own good meaning without the Spirit of God is Cain went not into the
in your high puffed up Lust have stirred up the Spirit that you might finde out the thoughts of your hearts let the Resurrection of Christ be powerfull and effectuall to you for his Resurrection is your Resurrection and in him wee shall grow and flourish and live Eternally onely stick to him and then you cannot perish in any distresse for if you have him you have the Holy Trinity of God 85. If you will pray to God then call upon God your Heavenly Father in the Name of his Sonne Jesus Christ desiring that he would forgive you your sinnes for the sake of his sufferings and death and give you what is good for you and may further your salvation Give up and yeeld all whatsoever is earthly to his pleasure and will for wee know not what wee should desire and pray for but the Holy Ghost helpeth us in Christ Jesus before his Heavenly Father Therefore there is no need of many words or Long Prayers But a beleeving Soule which with its whole Earnest resolved purpose yeeldeth it selfe up into the Mercy of God to live in his will in the Body of Jesus Christ and continueth constant then he is sure and safe from the Devill 86. That Phantasie about the Intercession of the Saints is unprofitable it is but a vexation whereby you disquiet the Saints in their Rest Doth not God himselfe call you continually and doth not your Virgin waite for you with a Longing Desire doe but come and shee is yours you need not send any forraine Embassadours it is not heere as at Court Christ would alwayes faine increase his Heaven in his Joy Why stand you so long in doubt because of your sinnes Is not the Mercy of God greater than Heaven and Earth what doe you meane There is nothing neerer you than the Mercy of God onely in your sinfull impenitent Life you are with the Devill and not with Christ Say what you will though you sent a Million of Embassadours to him if your selfe be wicked you are but with the Devill still and there is no remedy but you must your selfe rise with Christ and be borne anew in the body of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Ghost in the Father i● your own soule If thou makest a feast or keepest a solemnity doe it for the benefit and q Or Maintenance reliefe of the afflicted and needy whereby God is praised in thy Love and that is well but if it be for the Rich Glutton who onely useth it out of pride and lazinesse thou hast no benefit of that for God is not praised therewith neither doth Paradise grow therein 87. And doe not relie upon the hypocrisie of the Antichrist he is a lyar and covetous and a dissembler he mindeth onely his Idoll the Belly and is a Thiefe in the sight of God he devoureth the Bread that belongeth to the needy he is the Devils Hell-hound learne to know him 88. Speaking then of the true Resurrection of Christ wee will also shew somewhat concerning his conversation those forty Dayes after his Resurrection before his Ascension Because wee know that he is become a reall Lord over Heaven Earth and Hell therefore wee shew you how the Kingdome of this world with all the Essences and qualities thereof hath been subjected to him And although he did not alwayes converse visibly with his Disciples yet many times he shewed himselfe to them visibly palpably and staying with them r According to the ruling property of the four Elements according to the Kingdome of this world according to his body which he had heere which was swallowed up by the new Body which he must present againe as God would have it to be presented for God is Lord of every thing and every thing must be changed as he pleaseth that he might thus shew his Disciples his reall Body and the Print of the Nayles which stand in the Holy Christ in his holy Body in Eternity as a signe of his victory and shine brighter than the Morning-Starre 89. He thereby confirmed his Disciples weake faith and so shewed that he is Lord also over the Kingdome of this world and that all whatsoever wee sow build plant eate and drinke is fully in his Almighty power and that he can blesse and increase it and therefore he is not severed or parted from us 〈◊〉 a flower groweth out of the Earth so his Word Spirit and power or vertue groweth in every thing and if our minde be sincerely inclined to him then wee are blessed of him in body and soule but if not then the curse and the Anger of God is in all things and wee eate death in all fruits or food And therefore it is that wee pray that God will blesse our meate and drinke also our bodies and soules in Christ and that is right 90. Secondly wee intimate also how Christ conversed upon Earth forty dayes after his Resurrection understand in the Kingdome of this world whereas yet he was in Heaven yet he bare that Image without any outward Glory or Clarity before the eyes of Men and he had the body wholly with every Essence as it hung on the Crosse except the ſ Or working property of the foure Elementary world source of the Principle which he had not but else he had all Essences in flesh and bloud and yet the outward flash stood in the might and power of the Heavenly This wee see by his going in to his Disciples the Doore being shut and passed with his body through the wood of the Doore Thus you may understand that the world is as nothing to him and that he hath power over all things 91. And further also wee intimate to you that these forty dayes are the forty dayes of Adams being in Paradise before his sleepe ere the Woman was made out of him where he stood in the Paradisicall Temptation where he was still pure and heavenly And so this Christ must also stand forty dayes in the Paradisicall source or condition in the Temptation to try whether the body would continue Paradisicall before he was Glorified and therefore he did eate and drinke with his Disciples in a Paradisicall manner as Adam should have done int● the Mouth and not into the Body for the consuming consisted in the vertue or power 92. Heere it was rightly tempted whether the body would live in divine vertue and power as Adam also should have done while he was in Paradise in this world and though he were there yet he was in this world and yet he lived not in the source of this world but in the Paradisicall property above the world and also above the wrath of the Anger in the Hell he should have lived in the source of Love Humility Meeknesse and t Barmhertzigkeit Mercifulnesse Mercy is the friendly will of God and so he should have ruled over the Starres and Elements and there should have been no death nor frailty or corruption in him 93. Therefore
for want of Examining what is in themselves yet they may well perceive that the Ground of what hath ever been lyeth in Man for whatsoever any Man hath been or can be must needs be in that Man that attaineth to it as the Ground of the Most Excellent Flower is in the Roote from whence it groweth and then sure the Ground of all that was in Adam or any since or shall be is in any one of us for whatsoever Ground lay in God the same lyeth in Christ and in him it lyeth in us because he is in us all There is nothing but may be understood if wee doe but consider how every thing that ever was or shall be knowne truly is feelingly understood by and in him that knoweth it as he ought and he that thus knoweth God within him cannot but know the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Angels Men and all other Creatures even the Devils and may well be able to speak the Word of God infallibly as the Holy Men that Penned the Scriptures and others also and he that can understand these things in himselfe may well know who speaketh by the Spirit of God and who speaketh his own Phansies and Delutions as our Saviour said He that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven shall know of my words whether they be of God but if that will of his Father in Heaven had not been in them from the beginning of their life in their Conception in their Mothers womb how could they to whom he said this have done that will whereby they might know whence his words proceeded and according to this Rule may any discerne the words and writings of All therefore such things as these are necessary to be knowne There are some who have desired his writings might be Epitomised for ease of those that have not leisure to reade so large Treatises truly the spare time they spend in any other outward thing may be spent with more benefit a thousandfold in this and where he hath written at large it would not be understood if it were contracted more in briefe all his Books as large as they are are but a small sparke of the Great Mystery and where he hath written more in briefe it is so obscure to some that they think it impossible to be understood which he wrote both so briefly obscurely as I conceive that none but such as would be diligent in the practise of that which he hath written plainly and at large should be able to understand it It is intended that the Booke of the Threefold Life which with the Three Principles and forty Questions are a Compleate contence of All the Mysteries should be published in English with the soonest conveniency and in the meane time for a Tast of the Spirit of Prophecy which the Authour had there is a little Treatise of some Prophecies concerning these latter times collected out of his writings by a Lover of the Teutonick Philosophy and Entituled Mercurius Teutonicus In turning the German into English I retaine in some places the propriety of the German Language because the Authour should be rendred as neere as might be in his own Expression that those Excellent Notions which he layeth down might not be slipt over as men doe common current English but that the strangenesse of the words may make them a little stay and consider what the meaning may be having some difference from the vulgar English phrase also where it is somwhat hard at first sight to know what some of the words meane I have set the Synonima's in the Margin and sometime the English rendring between two such Semiquadrates In the Preface to the Lovers of Wisdome set before the 40 Questions in English there are some of the many benefits mentioned that would arise from the studying this Authours writings which may be there Read among the Rest there is a hint about reforming the Lawes by Degrees in every Nation and there is no doubt but if those in whose hands it is to make Lawes did but consider that the Spirit of God is and may be stirred up in them they would stirre him up make a Reformation according to that Spirit of Love the Holy Ghost and then they would be Gods true Vicegerents they would be Fathers of their Countrey deale with every Obstinate rebellious Member in the Kingdom as a Father would doe with a disobedient childe first tell him lovingly and shew him his faults if that will not do he will inquire the Reason and study some course to remedy the cause that hindreth his amendment but if he should goe beyond the bounds of reason and be beside himselfe he would take care of his safety livelihood and cure God taketh such care for us all though we be most obstinate enemies against him and we should do so for all our Brethren the sonnes of Adam though they be our Enemies wee should Examine their wants in all things and supply them that necessity may not compell them to be our enemies still and offend God that they may but live If they will not be quiet when they have their wants supplied and their wrongs redressed but will turne Murtherers and so deserve to live no longer in mercy let them be provided for as other more friendly children of the Common-wealth and removed to live by themselves in some remote uninhabited Countrey where they may have no occasion to doe hurt among those whom they would not suffer to live quietly but let them not there want that which may give them honest subsistence as others who are willing to transplant themselves and for those that desire to live quietly and peaceably at home let all their Earthly things be so ordered that they may easily understand what right and wrong is by having most briefe plaine easie Lawes to be Governed by and have their wants considered and supplied then all Hearts will blesse the Hands of such Reformers and Love will cover All the Ends of the Earth and the God of Love will give us his blessing of Peace all the world over and then the King of Glory will dwell with Men and All the Kingdomes of the Earth will be his Who would not desire such a Thing with mee The unworthiest of the Children of Men J. S. The Authors Preface to this BOOKE 1. MAN can undertake nothing from the beginning of his youth nor in the whole course of his Time in this world that is more profitable and necessary for him than to learne to know himselfe What he is out of what from whence and for what he is Created and what his a Duty employment or businesse is Office is In such a serious Consideration he will presently finde that he and all the Creatures that are come all from God he will also finde among all the Creatures that he is the most Noble Creature of them all from whence he will very well perceive how Gods intent is towards him in that
be new-borne in him 17. Therefore there is nothing more profitable to Man in this world while he dwelleth in this miserable corrupted house of flesh than to learne to know himselfe now when he knoweth himselfe aright he knoweth also his Creator and all the Creatures too also he knoweth how God entendeth towards him and this knowledge is the most acceptable and pleasant to me that ever I found 18. But if it should happen that these Writings should come to be read and perhaps the Sodomitish world the fatted swine thereof may light upon them and roote in my Garden of Pleasure who cannot know or understand any thing but to scorne scandalize reproach and d Or dispute alwayes arguing without looking after the Salvation of their souls Cavill in a proud haughty way and so doe know neither themselves nor God much lesse his children I entend not my writing for them but I shut and lock up my Book with a strong Boult or Barre from such Ideots and wilde Heifers of the Devill who lye over head and eares in the Devils murthering Denne and know not themselves they doe the same which their e Or Schoolemaster Teacher the Devill doth and remaine children of the severe Anger of God But I will heere write plainly and clearly enough for the children of God the world and the Devill may roare and rage till they come into the Abysse for their Houre-Glasse is set up when every one shall reape what he hath sowen and the Hellish Fire will sting many sufficiently for his proud spitefull and despising haughtinesse which he had no beliefe of while he was heere in this life 19. Besides I cannot well neglect to set this downe in writing because God will require an account of every ones Gifts how they have employed them for he will demand the Talent which he hath bestowed with the encrease or use and give it to him that hath gained much but seeing I can doe no more in it I commit it to his will and so goe on to write according to my knowledge 20. As to the Children of God they shall perceive and comprehend this my writing what it is for it hath a very convincing Testimony it may be proved by all the Creatures yea in all things especially in Man who is an Image and Similitude of God but it continueth hidden and obscure to the Children of Malignity or Iniquity and there is a fast f A Seale that can be opened by no Academick or University or Scholastick learning but by earnest repentance fasting watching praying knocking and seeking in the sufferings of Iesus Christ by the Holy Ghost Seale before it and though the Devill dis-relish the smell and savour and raise a storme from the East to the North yet there will then in the wrathfull or Crabbed soure Tree grow a Lilly with a roote as broad as the Tree spreadeth with its branches and bring its sent and smell even into Paradise 21. There is a Wonderfull Time coming but because it beginneth in the g Or Great darknesse or blindnesse Night there are many that shall not see it by reason of their sleepe and great drunkennesse yet the Sunne will shine to the h Children o● Sophia or Divine Wisdom Children at Midnight Thus I commit the Reader to the i Or Sweete Meeke Love of God Amen The First Chapter Of the First Principle of the Divine * Beeing or substance Essence BEing we are now to speak of God what he is and where he is we must say that God himselfe is the Essence of all Essences for all is Generated or borne Created and proceeded from him and all things take their first beginning out of God as the Scripture witnesseth saying Through him and in him are all things Also the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens are not able to contain him also Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstoole and in Our Father is mentioned thine is the Kingdome and the Power understand All Power 2. But that there is yet this difference to be observed that Evill neither is nor is called God this is understood in the first Principle where it is the Earnest fountaine of the Wrathfulnesse according to which God calleth himselfe an Angry Wrathfull and Zealous God for the Originall of Life and of all Mobilitie consisteth in the wrathfulnesse yet if the tartnesse be kindled with the Light of God it is then no more tartnesse but the severe wrathfulnesse is changed into Great Joy 3. Now when God was to Create the world and all things therein he had no other a Or materials Materia Matter to make it of but his own b Essence or substance Beeing out of himselfe But now God is a Spirit that is incomprehensible which hath neither beginning nor end and his Greatnesse and Depth is All yet a Spirit doth nothing but ascend flow move and continually generate it selfe and in it selfe hath chiefly a threefold manner of forme in its Generating or Birth viz. Bitternesse harshnesse and c Or scorching heate and these three manner of forms are neither of them the first second nor third for all these three are but one and each of them d Begetteth beareth or bringeth forth Generateth the second and third For between e Astringency or at tracting Harshnesse and Bitternesse Fire is Generated and the wrath of the Fire is the bitternesse or sting it selfe and the harshnesse is the stock or father of both these and yet is generated of them both for a Spirit is like a will sence or thought which riseth up and in its rising beholdeth f Infecteth impregnateth or mixeth seed in it selfe perfecteth and generateth it selfe 4. Now this cannot be expressed or described nor brought to the understanding by the Tongue of Man for God hath no beginning but I will set it down so as if he had a beginning that it might be understood what is in the first Principle whereby the difference between the first and second Principle may be understood and what God or Spirit is Indeed there is no difference in God onely when it is enquired from whence evill and good proceed it is to be known what is the first and originall fountaine of Anger and also of Love since they both proceed from one the same original out of one mother and are one thing thus we must speak after a creaturely manner as if it took a beginning that it might be brought to be understood 5. For it cannot be said that Fire bitternesse or harshnesse is in God much lesse that aire water or earth are in him onely it is plain that all things have proceeded out of that Originall neither can it be said that Death Hell-fire or sorrowfulnesse is in God but it is known that these things have come out of that Originall For God hath made no Devill out of himselfe but Angels to live in Joy to their comfort and
with flesh and bloud and it infecteth the will of the minde and the will g Looketh upon it selfe discovereth it selfe in the Spirit of this world in lust and beauty might and power riches and glory pleasure and joy and on the contrary in sorrow and misery cares and poverty paine and sicknesse also in art and wisdome and on the contrary in folly and ignorance 19. All this the glimps or discovery of the senses bringeth into the will of the minde and setteth it before the King before the light of the life and there it is tryed and the King giveth it first to the eyes which must see what good is among all these and what pleaseth them And here now beginneth the wonderfull forme or framing of Man h Or according to the Complexions out of the Complexions where the Constellation hath formed the childe in the Mothers body or womb so variously in its Regions For according to what the Constellation in the time of the i Or the childes becoming Man Incarnation of the childe in the wheele that standeth therein hath its aspect when the dwelling of the foure Elements and the k Or the dwelling of the senses thoughts house of the Starres in the head in the Braines are built by the Fiat according to that is the vertue also in the braines and so in the Heart Gall Lungs and Liver and according to that is the inclination of the Region of the Aire and according to that also a Tincture springeth up to be a dwelling of the life as may be seene in the wonderfull l Different thoughts variety in the senses and formes or shapes of Men. 20. Although indeed wee can say this with ground of Truth that the Constellation Imageth and formeth no man as to make him to be the similitude and Image of God but it formeth onely a Beast in the will manners and senses and besides it hath no might nor understanding to be able to figure or forme a similitude of God though indeed it elevateth it selfe in the highest it can in the will after the similitude of God yet it generateth onely a pleasant subtill and lusty Beast in Man as also in other creatures and no more Onely the eternall Essences which are propagated from Adam in all men they continue with the hidden Element wherein the Image consisteth standing in man but yet altogether hidden without the New-Birth in the water and the Holy Ghost or Spirit of God be attained 21. And thereupon it comes that Man many times in the dwelling of the Braines and of the Heart as also in all the five senses in the Region or Dominion of the Starres is in his minde m Or suddenly often like a Wolfe churlish Dog crafty fierce and greedy and m Or suddenly often like a Lyon sterne cruell sturdy and active and devouring of his prey m Or suddenly often like a Dog snappish envious malicious often like an Adder and Serpent subtle venomous stinging pysonous slanderous in his words and mischievous in his deeds ill conditioned and lying like the quality of the Devill in the shape of a Serpent at the Tree of Temptation n Or suddenly often like a Hare timorous or fearfull starting and running away n Or suddenly often like a Toad whose minde is so very venomous that it poysoneth a tender or weak minde to the temporall Death by its Imagination which many times maketh Witches and Sorcerers for the first Ground serveth enough to it n Or suddenly often like a tame Beast and n Or suddenly often like a merry Beast c. all according as the Constellation stood in o The childes its Incarnation in the wrestling wheele with its vertue of the Quinta Essentia so is the starry minde on p In the minde of the childe its Region figured although the houre of Mans q Or Nativity Birth altereth much and doth r Or over-powereth the first Complexion of the houre of the Incarnation or becoming Man hold-in the first whereof I will write hereafter in its place concerning Mans Birth or Nativity 22. And now if the glance out of this minde out of this or any other forme not here mentioned glance or dart through the eyes then it catcheth up its own forme out of every thing as its starry kingdome is most potent at all times of the Heaven in the good or in the bad in falshood or in truth And this is brought before the King and there must the five Counsellours try it which yet are unrighteous knaves themselves being Å¿ Or poysoned infected from the Starres and Elements and so set in their Region or Dominion and now those Counsellours desire nothing more than the Kingdome of this world and to which sort the starry house of the braines and of the heart is most of all inclined for that the five Counsellours also give their advice and will have it be it for pomp pride statelinesse riches beauty or voluptuous life also for art and t Or vertue excellency of earthly things u Or the sick soule is not regarded and for poore Lazarus there is no thought there the five Counsellours are very soone agreed for in their own forme they are all unrighteous before God but according to the Region of this world they are very firme Thus they counsell the King and the King giveth it to the Spirit of the soule which gathereth up the Essences and falleth too with hands and mouth But if they be words that are to be expressed then it bringeth them to the roofe of the mouth and there the five Counsellours distinguish or separate them according to the will of the minde and further the Spirit bringeth them upon the Tongue and there the senses divide or distinguish them in the flash Glance or in a Moment 23. And there stand the three Principles in strife The first Principle viz. the kingdome of sternnesse or wrathfull fiercenesse saith goe forth in the midst of the strong might of the fire it must be so then saith the second Principle in the minde stay and consider God is here with the virgin feare the Abysse of Hell and the third Principle viz. the kingdome of this world saith here wee are at home wee must have it so that wee may adorne and sustaine the body it must be so and it taketh the Region of the aire viz. it s own Spirit and bringeth that Region out at the mouth and keepeth the x Difference or separation distinction according to the kingdome of this world 24. And thus there goeth forth out of the earthly y Or thoughts senses and minde lyes and folly deceit and falshood also meere subtilty with lust and desire to be elevated many to be elevated in the might of the fire as by force and anger and many by humane are and z Or vertue policy of this world a World which is but a
our own Reason and in the consideration of our high knowledge look upon what the world at Babell hath introduced in this high Article of Prayer whereof wee are about to treate in that Antichrist hath set himselfe therein and shewed his great n Or Authority Power therein then our Reason might well keepe us back because of the great sting and danger that might befall us from the fierce wrath of Antichrist But seeing it appeareth to us without our knowledge therefore wee will rather obey the voice of God than the earthly feare in hope to be recompenced And though it should happen that Antichrist should destroy our earthly body which yet standeth in the permission of God which wee must not withstand yet wee will more highly esteeme that which is to come than that which is transitory which things to come if wee attaine them are our true Native Countrey out of which wee in Adam are gone forth and the Spirit inviteth all mens attention before this Glasse 63. Hitherto the honour of Invocation or worship hath been done and afforded to the virgin Mary and other Saints or holy People that have been here in this life whereas yet in the ground of the light of Nature this Command or Law was not knowne at all and it is most highly necessary to be knowne that the ground thereof hath been taken in the confused Babell when men were weary of the poore Christ who in this world had not whereon to lay his Head then they did as Israel with Moses who made themselves a Calfe to be their God and said Behold Israel these are thy Gods which brought thee out of the land of Egypt and they made a calvish worship of God for their voluptuous life and looked no more after Moses but they said Wee know not what is become of this man Moses and they said to Aaron Make thou us Gods which may goe before us and he made them the Calfe but when Moses came and saw it then he was wrath and took the Tables of God and brake them and threw them away and said Hearken yee that belong unto the Lord Gird every Man his sword to his side and slay his brother the worshippers of the Calfe 64. In such a forme or condition also is the confused Babell in the kingdome of Christ upon Earth in the blind earnestnesse of mans own reason where men seek Christ in the o Or in the bravery and glory of this world kingdome of this world whereby they could not finde him as Israel could not finde Moses while he was on the Mount And thereupon they have made other Gods to goe before them and have instituted and set up their Divine-service or worship of God with the richest and costliest Ornaments and holy shew and they continually say in their minde Wee know not what is become of this Jesus for he is gone from us wee will erect a Divine-service for him in our Countrey and wee will make merry at it and that shall be done according to our own will and pleasure that wee may be rich and fat with it and refresh our selves fully with this Jesus 65. Are wee not Lords in his Kingdome And being in his Ministry service or worship wee are the most holy and best who may compare himselfe with us He is ascended into Heaven and he hath given us his Dominion on Earth The Keyes of Peter he must be Deputy Viceroy Vicar or Keeper of the City and those he hath left us to open the Kingdome of Heaven and of Hell who will take them away from us we can get into Heaven well enough though wee be evill it matters not wee have the Keys that can open it wee are Priests in Power or Ministers having Authority wee will let those in that make much of us fatten us and give much to our Kingdome and then the Christian Church will be in great honour glory and esteeme when they so highly honour her Ministers or servants that will well please our Lord and Master where is there such a Kingdome as we have should not that Kingdome be crowned with the p With riches or the best Treasure of this world gloriousest Crowne of this world and should not all bend and croutch before it 66. Yes indeed say they wee our selves confesse that wee are evill wicked Men but this q Holy Orders Ordination of Ministers Presbyters or Institution of the Spiritualty or Clergy Order maketh us holy our Office is holy wee are the true Ministers of Christ in his service and although wee be evill meere naturall wicked carnall Men yet our Office remaineth holy and the highest dignity is due to us for our Office sake As Aaron with his worship of the Calfe must be called holy in his Office and although they forgat Moses and rose up r Their gluttony and drunkennesse from eating and drinking to dance and to play and so also Aaron must be highly honoured and reverenced for his Ministry or service to the Calfe 67. But that the Kingdome of Christ on Earth in Babell might stand in great earnest zeale they say wee will ordaine a holy Divine service and worship of God that may be divers or seperated and set apart from the world and procure there that our Lawes may be in force and put in execution by them wee will impose great fasting Dayes and holy Dayes of feasting that the world also may have a looking Glasse of Holinesse and highly honour and reverence us and acknowledge that our Ministry or worship which wee performe when wee pray before God is holy wee must be the Holy Priests of God whosoever judgeth otherwise wee will condemne them and wee doe right in it and doe God good service by it For though an Angel should come from Heaven and preach any other Doctrine than wee he is accursed as Paul saith 68. Whatsoever wee have Å¿ Or concluded ordained at the Convention of the Chiefe Fathers Rulers Elders or Presbyters with the whole consent of our Concilium or Councell that is holy for it is written Thou shalt not curse the chiefe or Ruler of thy People And when our hearts before the light of Nature t Challenge accuse and affright us condemne us or that wee must stand ashamed of our selves before God and acknowledge our selves great sinners then wee will invocate the Holy Mother of Christ and his Disciples that they may pray for us that so our sinnes may not be knowne when wee goe in Pilgrimage to honour them and performe divine service or worship then shee will make intercession and speake to her Sonne for us and pray for us so that wee may thus in her service be holy and although wee stick continually in Beastiall lechery selfe-honour and voluptuousnesse yet that is no matter wee have the Keys of Peter and the Mother of Christ for our Assistance 69. Thus it is with the holy Priests as it was not Israels meaning in Moses
Faith and that h Or the ungodly did not partake of them not imparted to the ungodly 78. For one Tincture caught hold of the other so that the Saints departed in the Element became longing after the strong faith especially those Saints departed that on Earth had turned many to Righteousnesse for as every ones works of Faith follow after them so also their will to turne more Men still followeth after them and therefore one Faith in the Tincture of the Holy Element caught the other and so Miracles or Works of Wonder were done at the Memorialls of the Saints this God permitted for the Heathens sakes that they might see that the Saints that were slaine or departed were in God and that there was another i So that God is the God of the living and not of the dead life after this that they should turne and be converted and therefore God suffered these works of wonder to be done 79. But in the Ground of the Originality it is not so that one that is departed hath power to help one that is living into the kingdome of Heaven or that they should undertake to bring and report the miseries of the living before God and pray for them for that were a great disrespect to the Heart of God which without intercession or their prayer powreth forth his Mercy over all Men with stretched out Armes and his voyce is never any other than onely thus Come yee all to mee yee hungry and thirsty and I will refresh you Matth. 11. He said Come to mee I will doe it willingly Also It is delight to mee to doe well to the Children of Men. 80. Who is it that will presume to undertake to stand before the source or spring of the Mercifulnesse and make intercession or pray for one that invocateth them As if the Love in the Heart of God were dead and did not desire to helpe those that call to him whereas his Armes continually without end stand stretched out to help all those that turne to him with their whole Heart 81. Thou wicked Antichrist thou sayest that faith alone doth not justif●e the soule but thy invented works for thy avarice or covetousnesse these must doe the Deed wherein wilt thou be regenerated in thy Mausim or Belly-God or through the Birth of Jesus Christ Which is neerest of all to the Deity thy works passe away and follow thee in the shadow yet the soule hath no need of any shadow but it must be earnest it must enter in through the Gates of the Deepe and must passe through the Centre of the grimme fiercenesse of Death through the wrath of the Eternall Band to the meeke Incarnation of Jesus Christ and become a member of the body of Christ and receive of his fulnesse and live therein his Death must be thy Death his Essences must flow in thee and thou must live in his source property or vertue thus thou must be regenerated anew in him if thou wilt stand before his Father else nothing will help if there had been any thing in the whole depth of the Deity that could have helped God would have bestowed it upon Adam and would not have let his Heart against the course of Nature to become Man But there was no Counsell or Remedy neither in Heaven nor in this world except God did become Man Therefore be thou in earnest and doe not seeke by-wayes to Babell 82. God indeed in former times permitted much for the conversion-sake of the Heathen but he hath not ordained the Antichrist to be so in his Covetousnesse Ordinances or Lawes and brabble in their Councells where Men have stopped the mouth of the Spirit of God that it should speak no more but that the k Viz. Those that are learned in Reason in the universities Spirit of this world should speake and build a Kingdome of Heaven upon Earth in Lawes Disputations and great talkings and therefore that Kingdome of Heaven upon earth must be bound up with precious Oaths or Covenants because it stood not in the Liberty of the Holy Ghost that so it might be fatt and lusty great and wanton and never be broken But it is come to be a Babell of Confusion thereby and in the Confusion it breaketh or destroyeth it selfe 83. If now thou wilt behold the virgin Mary with her Sonne Jesus Christ then thou shalt finde that shee hath been justified and saved through her Sonne although shee is come into great Perfection as a l A holy or half morning starre or as a halfe Lucifer before he fell Bright Morning Starre above other Starres and therefore also the Angel called her blessed among Women and said The Lord is with thee But shee hath not the Divine Omnipotence 84. For the Word which God promised in the Garden of Eden sprung and budded in the light of her life in the Centre of God and when the Angel Gabriel from the Command of the Father stirred that Word of the promise with the Message then it let it selfe into the chast virgin m In the Element before God in the Element in and not so wholly and altogether into the soule of the virgin or into the earthly body that shee was n Or Godded Deified no for Christ himselfe saith None goeth into Heaven but the Sonne of Man who is come from Heaven and who is in Heaven all others must goe through him into Heaven o He is in the Father and his members are in him he is their Heaven and the Father is his Heaven he was in the Heaven and also in the bosom of the virgin in this world the world was made through him how then could it comprehend him 85. The virgin comprehended or conteined him as a Mother doth her childe shee gave him the naturall Essences which shee inherited from her Parents those he assumed to the Creature which was God and Man the Essences of his Mother in her virgin-Matrix out of flesh and bloud he assumed to the Limbus of God out of the holy Element and in these became a living soule without blemishing of the holy Element and the Word was in the middest the might strength height and depth of the soule reacheth even into the Father and the outward kingdome of this world hung to the inward as the foure Elements hang to the one Element p Foure Elements which in the end shall passe away againe and goe through the fire 86. And as the childe is another person than the Mother and as the childes soule is not the soule of the Mother so also here in this place For the outward virgin could not comprehend that shee did beare the Saviour of the world but shee committed that in her virgin-chastity to God whatsoever he did with her shee would still be contented with it 87. But thou abominable Antichristian Beast that wouldst devour all this thou shalt know concerning the holinesse of the virgin Mary that the virgin Mary is higher and hath
body and soule and then what new body shall there grow Shall it stand in the Heaven in the Holy Element or in the Abysse or shall the Pearle be cast before swine 28. If thy Maker in thee doth not make the Image of God but the Image of the Serpent how wilt thou then bring thy Beast into the Kingdome of Heaven Doest thou suppose that God hath Adders and Serpents in the broken Gate of the Regeneration in the Pleasant Habitation or dost thou suppose that he looketh after thy hypocrisie that thou buildest great b Colledges Churches or Monasteries Houses of stone for him and therein doest exercise thy hypocrisie and pomp What careth he for thy songs and roaring noise if thy Heart be a murtherer and devourer He will have a New-borne Man who yeeldeth himselfe up to him in righteousnesse and in the feare of God him the Treader upon the Serpent taketh into his Armes and maketh him an heavenly Image such a one is a childe of Heaven and not thy c Or thy subtile cunning seeming holinesse Fox 29. Now it may be asked wherefore thou art called the Antichrist Hearken thou art d Or against Christ the Opposer of Christ and thou hast built thy selfe a seeming holy hypocriticall Kingdome with a great shew and patience therein thou exercisest thy hypocrisie thou carriest the Law of God upon thy lips and thou teachest it but with thy deeds thou deniest the power thereof thy heart is onely bent upon the spirit of this world the Kingdome of thy hypocrisie tends onely to thy own honour and repute under a pretended holinesse all knees must bend before thee as if thou wert Christ and thou hast the heart of a greedy Wolfe 30. Thou boastest that thou hast the Keys of the Kingdome of Heaven and yet thy selfe is in the Abysse thy heart hangeth on thy Keys and not on the Heart of God thou hast the Keys of the Chist of Gold and not of the breaking through by confidence in God thou makest many e Cannons Ordinances and Orders Lawes and yet thy selfe keepest none and thy e Cannons Ordinances and Orders Law is to as much purpose as the Tower of Babell was which should have reached to Heaven and thy e Cannons Ordinances and Orders Lawes reach to Heaven as much as that did 31. Thou prayest before God but in thy wolvish Beast the Spirit of this world and not God receiveth thy Prayers for thy heart is a devourer and entereth into the devourer thou desirest not earnestly to enter into God but meerly with thy historicall hypocriticall mouth and thy heart presseth earnestly into the spirit of this world thou desirest onely much temporall goods honour power and authoritie in this world and so thereby thou drawest the f Or Kingdome Region of this world to thee 32. Thou suppressest the miserable and needy under thy feete and thou constrainest him with necessity and makest him vaine or carelesly wicked so that he runneth after thy Beast and gazeth upon thee and also becometh a servant of the Opposer of Christ thy Beast whereon thou ridest is thy strength and power which thou usurpest to thy selfe thou fatnest thy Beast with the fatnesse of the earth and thou crammest it with the sweat of the needy it is filled up with the teares of the miserable whose sighes and groanes presse in through the Gate of the Deepe to God and with their pressing in they g Or stirre up awaken the Anger of God in thy Beast as the bloud of Abel did the Anger in Cain 33. Thus thou comest galloping with thy prancing Horse and thou ridest before the Gate of Heaven and desirest h Rest forgivenesse or comfort abstinence and in thy shape thou art a Wolfe What shall Saint Peter say to it doest thou suppose that he will give thee the Keys of the Kingdome of Heaven O no! he hath none for Wolves he hath but one for himselfe he had never any to spare for others 34. Wouldst thou get into Heaven then thou must put off thy Wolfe and get into a Lambs skin not with hypocrisie in a Corner i Closet Cell or in secret Chamber Cloister or Wildernesse and Hermitage but with earnestnesse in the New Birth and thy Light must shine forth in Righteousnesse and Mercifulnesse to the overthrow of the Kingdome of the Devill and it must destroy his Nest with kinde well-doing to the needy 35. Hearken thou Antichristian scorner it is not enough for thee to stand and say I have the true ground of the knowledge that leadeth to the Kingdome of Heaven I have found the true Religion and doest condemne every one that hath not thy knowledge or doth not consent to thy opinion thou sayest such a one is a Heretick and of the Devill and thou art a Wolfe and doest nothing else but confound the sheepe with thy fiercenesse and causest them to offend and to calumniate those whom neither thou nor they know as the Ephesians did by Paul Doest thou suppose that thou hast hunted away the Wolfe by this meanes or hast thou not rather generated a heape of young scornfull Wolves which houle and yell and every one would devoure and yet know not where the evill Beast is nor especially that evillist Beast of all which generated them O blinde Babell the Kingdome of Christ doth not consist herein but the abominable Antichrist of Confusion in Babell 36. But what can be said the Devill will have it no otherwise When his Kingdome beginneth to be stormed battered and assaulted at one place then he bloweth up the storme all over as well in one as in another in the children of God the Spirit of Punishment vengeance or reproofe is stirred up and in the worldly Beastiall Man the Devill bloweth up meere scorning and disgracing Mockers for they have the Kingdome of Christ in the History and the Devills Kingdome in themselves as their own possession 37. What doth thy knowledge availe thee thou Opposer of Christ that thou knowest how to speak of the Kingdome of Heaven of the suffering and Death of Christ and of the New-Birth in Christ when thou art without it sticking meerly in the History Shall not thy knowledge be a witnesse against thee which shall judge thee or wilt thou say thou art not the Antichrist of Babell Surely thou art the hypocrite and thou fatenest thy evill Beast yee more and more and thou art the devourer in the Revelation of John thou dwellest not onely at Rome but thou hast possessed the breadth of the Earth I have seene thee in the Spirit and therefore it is that I write of thee thou Wonder of the World of Heaven and of Hell 38. Thus this Kingdome tooke beginning with Cain and it hath its ground from the Devill who is a Mocker of God for the Devill desireth nothing else but strong and mighty exalting in his own power above the Thrones of Heaven but he cannot get in and
learne with great earnestnesse to know the true way of Entrance into the Eternall Joy that wee may not with the Devils Dogges howle Eternally in the anguishing Inne 4. And now if wee look round about us every where upon Heaven and Earth the Starres and Elements yet wee can see and know no way or passage where wee may goe to our Rest wee see no other than the way of the entrance in of our Life and then of the end of our Life where our body goeth into the Earth and all our Labour also our Arts and Glory is inherited by another who also vexeth himselfe therewith for a while and then followeth after us and that continueth so from the beginning of the world to its end 5. Wee can in our misery never b Understand or comprehend know where our Spirit doth abide when the body breaketh and cometh to be a Carkasse except wee be againe new-borne out of this world that so wee may dwell in this world as to our body and as to our minde in another eternall perfect new life wherein our spirit and minde putteth on a new Man wherein he must and shall live Eternally and then wee first know what wee are and where our home is 6. Seeing then wee clearly see and understand that wee have our beginning altogether Earthly and are sowen in a field as Graine is sowne in the Earth where our life springeth up groweth and at length flourisheth as Corne or graine doth out of the Earth where wee can know in us nothing but an earthly life yet wee see very well that the c Or Starres Constellations and Elements qualifie or work in us and nourish drive governe and guide us also fill us and bring us up and so preserve our life a while and then breake it againe and turne it to dust and ashes like all Beasts Trees Plants and all things that grow but wee see not how it is with us afterwards whether all be ended with it or whether wee goe with our Spirit and Conversation into another life and therefore it is most necessary to learne and to seeke the right way 7. Now that is testified to us by the Writings of those who have been regenerated out of this d Or transitorinesse Earthlinesse and at length are entred into a holy and uncorruptible life who have written and taught of an Eternall joyfull Life and also of an Eternall perishihg and anguishing Life and have taught us how wee should follow after them and how wee should step into a new Birth where wee should be regenerated out of this Earthlinesse into a new Creature and that wee should doe nothing else about it but follow them and then wee should finde e Or really in deed and in truth what they had spoken written and taught yea even in this life wee should see our true Native Countrey in the new Regeneration and f Uunderstand or apprehend know it in the new-borne Man in great Joy whereas then our whole minde would incline to it and in our new knowledge in the new Man true Faith would grow and the hearty desire of the unfeigned love towards the hidden God for which noble knowledge sake many times g Holy people they have yeelded their earthly body and life to the unregenerated gainsayer according to his Devilish malicious revengefulnesse into Death and have taken it with great Joy and have chosen for themselves the Eternall uncorruptible Life 8. Seeing then there is the greatest and highest Love in the new Birth not onely towards God or ones selfe but also towards Men our brothers and sisters and seeing those that were unregenerated have had their desires and love so carried towards Men that they have very earnestly taught men with meeknesse and reproving and that their love to them in their Teaching hath been so great that they have even willingly yeelded their life up to Death and left their earthly goods and all they had in assured hope in their strong and firme knowledge to receive all againe in great honour and glory 9. And therefore wee also have longed to seeke after that Pearle of which wee write at present and though now the unregenerated in the Kingdome of this world will give no credit to us as it hath happened to our forefathers from the children of this world wee cannot help that but it shall stand for a witnesse against them which shall be a woe to them Eternally that they have so foolishly ventured and lost so great an Eternall Glory and holinesse for a little pleasure of the eye and lust of the flesh 10. And wee know in our deep knowledge that h The holy forefathers they have rightly taught and written that there is one onely God which is threefold in Personall Distinction as is before-mentioned And wee also know that he is the Creatour of all things that he hath generated all out of his own i Essence or Beeing substance both light darknesse as also the Thrones and k Or Regiments Dominions of all things Especially wee know as the holy Scripture witnesseth throughout tnat he hath created Man to his own Image and similitude that he should Eternally be and live in the Kingdome of Heaven in him 11. And then wee know also that this world wherein wee now are and live was generated out of the Eternall Originall in time through the pure Element in the Fiat and so created and so l The world of foure Elements it is not the substance of the holy pure Element but an issue or out-birth out of the Eternall Limbus of God wherein the Eternall Element consisteth which is before the cleere Deity wherin consisteth Paradise the Kingdome of Heaven yet the Limbus together with the pure Element is not the pure Deity which is alone holy in it selfe and hath the vertue of the Eternall Light shining in it but hath no Essences in the light of the Clarity in it for the Essences are generated from the vertue m Or of according to the Light as a Desire and the desire attracteth to it from whence the Essences proceede as also the Eternall Darknesse in the source as is before-mentioned 12. Seeing then God is all in all and hath created Man to his Image and similitude to live with him Eternally in his Love Light Joy and Glory therefore wee cannot say that he was meerly created out of the corruptibility of this world for therein is no Eternall perfect Life but Death and perplexity anguish and necessity but as God dwelleth in himselfe and goeth through all his works incomprehensibly to them and is hindred by nothing so was the similitude before him out of the pure Element it was indeed created in this world yet the Kingdome of this world should not comprehend that Image but the similitude Man should mightily and in perfect power or vertue Rule through the Essences with the Essences out of the pure Element of the
write thus 3. Wee have shewed in few words the Incarnation and Birth of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God and yet wee are so very earthly and cannot apprehend it but are continually asking whereis Christ with his body where shall wee seek for him and therefore our soule longeth to write of his Omni-presence and that notwithstanding all the raging and fury of the Devill and of Antichrist 4. Wee having cleerly described how God out of his love and mercifulnesse of Grace hath turned his beloved heart to us againe and how he hath opened the Gate to the Kingdome of Heaven for our soules therefore now wee are further to consider of the Body of Christ for reason saith continually the body of Christ is gone up into Heaven he is farre from us wee must erect a e Government Discipline or forme of Religion Kingdome that wee may serve him in his absence as Jeroboam did with the Calves and so that Kingdome is rightly called Babell 5. Doest thou boast thy selfe to be a Christian why doest thou not then beleeve his Word when he said He would be with us to the end of the world and said moreover He would give us his body for meate and his bloud for drinke Also his body is meate indeed and his bloud is drink indeed What doe you understand by this an absent Christ O thou poore sick Adam Wherefore art thou gone againe out of Paradise Hath not Christ brought thee in againe wherefore then didst thou not stay there Doest thou not see that the Apostles of Christ and their Successours who dwelt in the Paradise of Christ with their soules and did great Wonders Wherefore art thou againe entered into the Spirit of this World Doest thou suppose that thou shalt finde the Paradise with thy Reason in thy Art Doest thou not think it hath another Principle and that thou shalt not finde it except thou beest borne anew 6. Thou sayest Christ is ascended into Heaven how then can he be in this world and when thou reachest farthest thou thinkest that he is present onely with his holy Spirit here in his Testaments and that the Testaments are onely f Symboles of his satisfaction fignes of his Merits What sayest thou then of thy New Man When indeed the soule is fed with the Holy Ghost What food hath thy new Man then g The new Man feedeth upon the pure Element and the outward Man eateth of the foure Elements for each life feedeth upon its Mother 7. Now if the Soule eateth of the cleere Deity what food hath the body then For thou knowest that the soule and the body are not one and the same thing it is indeed a very h Corpus And they differ as body and spirit body but the soule is a Spirit and must have spirituall food and the body must have bodily food Or wilt thou give the new Man earthly food If thou meanest so thou art yet farre from the Kingdome of God The heavenly body of Christ did eate no earthly food but the outward body onely did eate that Is not Christs body now in the i The pure holy substantiality viz. the Angelicall world the holy earth holy Ternary and eateth Paradisicall food Wherefore then shall not our pew Man doe so did he not eate heavenly food forty dayes in the Wildernesse and alwayes afterwards and did he not tell his Disciples at Jacobs Well I have meate to eate that yee know not of and further It is my meate to doe the will of my Father which is in Heaven Is the will of God his food why then is it not ours if we live in him Hath not the Deity of Christ put on the Kingdome of Heaven for a Body is not the pure Element wherein the Deity dwelleth his body 8. But reason saith the Body of Christ is but in one place how can he then be every where He is indeed a Creature and a Creature cannot be in all places at once Hearken beloved Reason when the Word became Man in the body of Mary was he not at that time also aloft above the Starres When he was at Nazareth was he not then also at Jerusalem and every where in all the Thrones of Heaven Or doest thou suppose when God became Man that he was shut up and confined within the Humanity and was not every where Doest thou suppose that the Deity in Christs becoming Man divided it selfe O no he never went from his place that cannot be 9. And now he is become Man therefore his humanity is every where wheresoever his Deity was for thou canst not say that there is any place in Heaven or in this world where God is not now wheresoever the Father is there also is his heart in him and there also is the Holy Ghost Now his Heart is become Man and in the Humanity of Christ and therefore if you will think that the body of Christ is far of in Heaven yet you must also say that the Heart of God is in him and now when you say that God the Father is here present will you say that the heart in hint is not here present with him Or wilt thou divide the Heart of God and wilt onely make it that there is but a spark of it in the body of Christ and that the rest of it is every where all over What doe you doe Desist and I will truly and exactly shew you the true Ground 10. Behold God the Father is every where and his k Or Sonne Heart and Light is every where in the Father for it is alwayes from Eternity begotten every where of the Father and his birth hath neither beginning nor end he is even at this very day continually generated of the Father and then also when he was in the body of Mary yet he stood then in the Fathers Birth and was continually begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost proceeded continually from Eternity from the Father through his l Sonne or Word Heart for the whole m Geniture or working Generation of the Deity is no otherwise neither can it be otherwise 11. Now the Father is greater than all and the Sonne in him is greater than all and his n Barmhertzigkeit Meryc Mercifulnesse is also greater than all and the one pure Element consisteth in his n Barmhertzigkeit Mercy Mercifulnesse and is as great as God onely it is generated of God and is substantiall and it is under or inferiour to God and so therein is the Ternarius sanctus with the wisdome of God in the Wonders for all Wonders are manifested therein and that is the heavenly body of Christ with our here assumed soule in it and the whole fulnesse of the Deity is in the Centre therein and thus the soule is environed with the Deity and eateth of God for it is Spirit thus my beloved soule if thou art regenerated in Christ then thou puttest on the body of Christ which is out of
yee Turkes and other superstitious People you should observe and understand aright wherefore Christ gave us ●●ch Lawes as command us not to be revengefull and that when any strike us on the one cheeke wee should present the other to him and so further that wee should blesse them that curse us and doe well to them that hate us and hurt us understand yee this 94. Behold a true Christian who liveth in the Spirit of Christ must also walke in the conversation of Christ he must not walke in the fierce sterne revenging Spirit of this world but as Christ lived and conversed in this world after his Resurrection and yet not in the source or property of this world And though it is not possible for us while wee live in the source of this world to doe so yet in the new Man in Christ whom the Devill hideth and obscureth wee may if wee live in meeknesse then wee overcome the world in Christ if wee recompence Good foa Evill then we witnesse that the Spirit of Christ is in us and then wee are dead to the Spirit of this world for the sake of the Spirit of Christ which is in us and though wee are in this world yet the world doth but hang to us as it hung to Christ after his Resurrection and yet he lived in the Father in the Heaven even so doe wee also if wee be borne in Christ 95. Therefore let this be told you yee Jewes Turkes and other Nations yee need not looke for any other there is no other Time at hand but the Time of the Lilly and the signe of that time is the u See vers 82. signe of Elias Therefore take heed in what Spirit you live that the fire of Anger doe not devoure you and x Or consume you eate you up It is high time to cast Jezabel with her whoredomes out of the house least you receive the wages of the whore and as you revile one another so you devoure one another Truly if the contentious Disputations be not suddenly stayed and these courses mended the fire will burne out aloft over Babel and then there will be no remedy till the Anger eate up and consume all whatsoever is in it 96. Therefore let every one enter into himselfe and not speake of another and hold his way to be false but look that he turne himselfe and have a care that he be not found in Anger of the devourer else if he should hoope and hallow and laughing say looke how Babell burneth then he must be burnt and consumed also for he is fuell for that fire and whosoever feeleth a thought in himselfe that doth but wish for the Anger to devoure y And he is of Babell that proceedeth from Babell 97. Therefore it is very hard to know Babell every one supposeth that he is not in it and yet the Spirit sheweth mee that Babell z Includeth incompsseth encloseth the whole Earth therefore let every one look to his own wayes and not hunt after covetousnesse for the a The wrath devoureth all that covetousnesse gathereth together Driver destroyeth it and the Stormer eateth it up and consumeth it the Counsell of the Wise Man will not help then all the Wisdome of this world is folly for that b Or the devouring punishment Fire is from the Anger of God your Wisdome will turne to your hurt and scorne Of Christs Ascension into Heaven 98. As wee know when Adam had lived forty dayes in the Paradise then he went into the Spirit of this world whereas he should have gone into the Trinity for he stood in the Time of the Temptation and if he had held out these forty dayes then he had been fully with his soule in the Light of God and his body in Ternario sancto in the Holy Ternary like this Christ 99. For when he had conversed forty dayes after his Resurrection in the Proba or Triall in this world then he went up into a Mountaine whither he had appointed his Disciples to come and went up aloft visibly with his own body which he had offered up on the Crosse till a cloud came and did hide him from their fight for a sure signe that he was their Brother and that he in this Earthly forme and body would not forsake them as he also said to them Behold I am with you to the end of the world 100. Now then saith Reason whither is he gone is he gone out of this world aloft above the Starres into another Heaven Hearken my beloved Reason incline thy Minde to Christ and behold I will tell it thee for we see it and know it not I for when I say we you must not barely understand it of my Earthly Man for the Spirit that driveth this Pen is spoken of also therefore I write and say wee when I speake of my selfe as of the Author for I should know nothing if the Spirit of knowledge did not stirre it up in mee and there could be nothing found but in such a way the Spirit would not be in any other way but he did hide and withdraw himselfe and then my soule was very much disquieted in mee with great longing after the Spirit till I did learne how it was 101. Behold that which the Antients have invented and taught is not the Ground They tooke upon them to measure how many hundred thousand miles it is to c Coelum Empyreum they call it the Heaven whither Christ is gone They did it to this end that they might be Gods upon Earth themselves as their invented Kingdome sheweth and declareth which standeth meerly in Babell Behold when wee speake of the Thrones it is cleane another thing than that they meane and their blindnesse and ignorance is found though there is a Spirit in their knowledge which is not so much rejected but that Spirit is not or cometh not ex Ternario sancto out of the Holy Ternary out of the Body of Jesus Christ but it is out of the High Eternity which flieth up above the Thrones which may be mentioned in another place 102. Wee must continue in this Throne which is ours what are the other Thrones to mee where the Principalities of Angels are they are indeed our friends and faithfull helpers in the service of God wee must look upon our own Throne wherein wee were created and made Creatures and upon our Prince in that Throne upon God The first Purpose of God when he created us and beheld us in the Eternall Band that must stand 103. This was the Throne of Lucifer with his Legions but when he fell he was thrust out into the first Principle and then the Throne in the second Principle was empty in the same Principle God created Man which should continue therein and it was tempted to try whether that were possible and to that end it was that God created the Third Principle in the place of this world that Man also in the fall
master who is God he keepeth that light and life so that it standeth and continueth in the eternall matrix and yet it is not the eternall wisdome it selfe 3. Now because this birth of the Sun hath a beginning through the will of God and entreth again into its g Or repository Ether therefore it hath not the vertue or power of the wisdome but it continually h Or buildeth worketh according to its kinde it vivifieth and killeth what it doth it doth not regarding whether it be evill crooked lame or good beautifull or potent it causeth to live and to dye it affordeth power and strength and destroyeth the same again and all this without any premeditated wisdome whereby it may be perceived that it is not the divine providence and wisdome it self as the heathens did suppose and did foolishly relye upon the vertue thereof 4. But if we would see the ground thereof we must onely look upon the first mother in her birth and so we shall see and finde it all For as the first mother considering her in the originall without the light is soure or harsh dark hard and cold and yet there is the i Or spirit of the water water-spirit in the bringing forth Thus you may finde when the materiall world sprung up that God then on the first day created the heaven and the earth 5. Now the heaven cometh out of the soure matrix which in the Paradisicall heaven is the water-spirit and out of that Paradisicall water-spirit or matrix the materiall heaven or matrix is created as Moses writeth that the heaven was created out of the midst of the waters and it is very right And also in that very houre the earth and the stones and all metals the matrix of this world being yet dark were generated out of the matrix 6. For when the matrix was stirred and that Lord Lucifer would domineere in the fire then the dark matrix attracted all that was wrought in the k Out-birth birth together from whence earth stones metals brimstone and salt did proceed hereby the kingdome of Prince Lucifer was shut up and he remained in the inward centre captivated in the outward 7. But the vertue which was in the matrix was that which could effect such things in the matrix for a stone is nothing else but a water l The originall Text Mercurius mercury salt and brimstone wherein an oyle is hidden Now the birth of the matrix hath such a form in its eternall Essence and m Or continuall generation and subsistence birth of its life For first there is the harshnesse or sournesse fiercenesse or eager strongnesse and hardnesse from whence the cold proceedeth Now the sournesse or harshnesse attracteth and sharpneth the cold and in its attracting it maketh the bitter sting or prickle which pricketh and rageth and cannot endure the hard attracting but vexeth like a furious madnesse it riseth up and rageth and becometh like a brimstone-spirit 8. And in this form in the wrath or fierce strongnesse in the watry soure mother the soure bitter earth brimstone and salt is generated before the kindling of the Sunne in the matrix that is void of understanding But the separation that is in it is caused from the births standing in great anguish and from its desiring the separation in the birth for the bitternesse agreeth not with the harshnesse or sournesse and yet they are as mother and sonne and as members one n In. of another and it must be so or else nothing could be for it is the eternall band and the originall of life 9. Moreover when the bitternesse rageth riseth up and o Aketh vexeth in the soure harsh mother then it falleth into a glimmering flash most terribly in this form the Mercurius or venome or poyson is generated For when the matrix perceiveth this flash of fire in its dark soure form then it is terrified and becometh dead in her hard soure property And in this place death poyson p Falling away or decaying destruction withering and corruption are generated in the matrix and also the noble life in the Mercurius and in the springing up of the third Principle 10. And further when the horror or crack or skreek of the fire is come into its harsh mother and hath thus overcome its mother then it selfe is much more terrified for there it loseth its fierce or strong property because the mother hath attained another q Or root source and out of the horror of the fire a r Glance or lustre brightnesse is come to be in which in the inanimate matrix the Materia or matter in the midst of the horror or crack is come to be a soft and bright Å¿ Or concrete mixt matter viz. from the crack of the light is prococeeded Gold Silver Copper Tin Lead c. according as every place in the matrix stood in the wrastling centre 11. For the birth in the whole space of this world as farre as Lucifers kingdome did reach was thus Note and therefore there is much different kinde of earth metals and other things in one place than in another And it is plain before our eyes that all metals are mixt which proceedeth from the t Or out-birth bringing forth in infinitum which we well understand and see but cannot utter nor dare we speak it for it troubleth us and it reacheth into the Deity which is without beginning and eternall therefore the creature must let it alone upon pain of the losse both of its reason and sense 12. But to declare this further when the matrix stood thus in the birrh where the matter of the earth was generated then the matrix with the kindling became water you must understand it aright not wholly in substance but it hath generated the earth stones and metals and yet the matrix continueth still so also the water still continueth in the killing and overcoming whereby the materiall world took beginning where the globe of the earth was drawn together in this moving and standeth in the middle of the Circle from above and from beenath as a point or punctum 13. And there in the centre in the Paradisicall matrix Note and in the Paradisicall heaven the Spirit of God stood in his own eternall seat neither did it depart from thence and moved upon the materiall water with the Fiat and there formed the heaven which was created out of the midst of the watry matrix and he separated the root of the darknesse from the light in the matrix in which darknesse the Devils remained and they have not comprehended the matter in the matrix nor the new light which sprung up in the matrix and so with this creation and separation the length of one day was finished and out of beginning and end and morning and evening was the first day as Moses writeth 14. But that we may so speak of the heaven that
yet is Paradisicall and it cannot comprehend it but it maketh a p Or sowing of seed semination onely wherein there is again a centre to the birth And thus is the originall of both Sexes and their propagation yet it doth not attain the Paradisicall childe of love but it is a vehement hunger and so the propagation is acted with great earnestnesse 45 But that I now write that the starres doe rule in all Beasts and other creatures and that every creature received the Spirit of the starres in the creation and that all things still stand in the same Regiment this the simple will hardly beleeve though the Doctor knoweth it well and therefore we direct them to Experience Behold a Male and Female beget young ones and that often now they come forth out of one onely body yet are not of one kinde nor of the same colour and vertue nor shape or form of body All this is caused by the alteration of the starres For when the seed is sown the q The fashioner or the Fiat Carver maketh an Image according to his r Or desire pleasure Å¿ As of a Lion a Lion of a sheep a sheep yet according to the first essence he cannot alter that but he giveth the spirit in the essence to it according to his power or ability or dominion as also manners and senses colour and gesture like himselfe to be as he is and as the Constellation is in its essence at that time when the creature draweth breath first in its mothers body whether the essence be in evill or in good inclined to biting worrying and striking or to meeknesse or loving kindnesse and gentlenesse all as the t Or the Matrix heaven is at that time so will also the spirit and the beast be CHAP. IX Of the Paradise and then of the transitorinesse of all creatures how all take their beginning and end and to what end they here appeared The Noble and most pretious Gate or exposition concerning the reasonable Soule 1 NO Money nor Goods nor Art nor Power can bring you to the eternall rest of the eternall soft meeknesse of Paradise but onely the noble Knowledge into that you may wrap up your soule that is the Pearle which no Moath can eat nor Thiefe can steale away therefore seek after it and then you will finde the noble Treasure 2 Our wit skill and understanding is so very hard a Cold frozen or shut up knit up that we have no more any knowledge of Paradise at all and except we be again born anew by water and the holy Ghost the veile of Moses lyeth continually before our eyes when we read his writings and we suppose that was Paradise whereof Moses sayd GOD placed b Adam him in the Garden of Eden which hee had planted that he might till it 3 O beloved Man that is not Paradise neither doth Moses say so but that was the Garden in Eden where they were tempted the exposition whereof you may finde about the fall of Adam The Paradise is the Divine joy and that was in their minde when they were standing in the love of God But when disobedience entred they were driven out and saw that they were naked for at that instant the spirit of the world caught them in which there was meere anguish necessity turmoyle and misery and in the end corruptibility and death Therefore it was of c Needfull necessity that the eternall World did become flesh and bring them into the Paradisicall rest again whereof you shall finde the exposition in its due place about the fall of Adam 4 Paradise hath another Principle for it is the Divine and Angelicall joy yet not without the d Extra locum place of this world Indeed it is without the vertue and source or active property of it neither can the spirit of this world comprehend it much lesse a creature for it standeth not in the anguishing e Operation birth and although it thus taketh its originall yet it consisteth in exact perfection meere love joy and mirth wherein there is no feare neither misery nor death no Devill can touch it nor no beast can f Or attain it reach it 5 But when we will speak of the source or fountain and joy of Paradise and of its highest substance what it is we have no similitude of it in this world we stand in need of Angelicall tongues and knowledge to expresse it and though we had them yet we could not expresse it with this tongue it is well understood in the minde when the soule rideth in the Chariot of the Bride but we cannot expresse it with the tongue yet we will not cast away the g That little which wee can expresse of it A. B. C. but tattle or stammer with the children till another mouth be given us to speak withall 6 When God had created the Beasts he brought them to Adam that he should give them their names every one according to their essence and kinde as they the beasts were qualified or according to the quality and condition they were of Now Adam was in the Garden of Eden in Hebron and also in Paradise at once yet no beast can come into Paradise for it is the Divine h Or habitation or refreshment joy wherein there is no unclean thing also no death or corruptible or transitory life i Therefore the garden of Eden is not Paradise much lesse is there the knowledge of Good and Evill yet Moses writeth of it that in the Garden of Eden there was the tree of temptation which bare the knowledge of Good and evill which indeed was no other Tree than like the Trees we now eate of in the k Or In the transitory body corruptibility neither was it any other Garden than such as wee now have wherein earthly fruit Good and Evill grow as is before our eyes 7. But the Paradise is somewhat else and yet no other place but another Principle where God and the Angels dwell and where there is perfection where there is meere love joy and knowledge where no misery is which Paradise neither death nor the Devils doe touch neither doe they know it and yet it hath no wall of earth or stones about it but there is a great Gulfe or cliffe between Paradise and this world so that they who will passe from hence thither cannot and they who would come from thence to us cannot neither and the Hell and the kingdome of darknesse is between them and none can come therein but by a new Birth which Christ spake of to Nicodemus The soules of the Saints holy and regenerate must enter into it by the death of Darknesse whom the Arch-Shepherd with the Angels bringeth thereinto upon his l Note the Bride-Chariot is the true Resignation into the bosome of the Father Bride-chariot of which you shall finde an exposition in its proper place in order 8. But seeing
the inexpressible words of the heart of God and rejoyceth at the Eternall and also at the created Images which are not in essence or substance but in figure 15. There the soule eateth of all the words of God for the same are the food of its life and it singeth the Paradificall a Halelujahs songs of Praise concerning the pleasant fruit in Paradise which groweth in the divine vertue or power of the divine Limbus which is the food of the b The heavenly and Eternall paradisicall body body for the body eateth of the Limbus out of which it is and the soule eateth of God and of his word out of which it is 16. Can this be no joy and rejoycing and should not that be a pleasant thing with the many thousand sorts of Angels to eate heavenly bread and to rejoyce in their communion and fellowship What can be possibly named which can be more pleasant Where there is no feare no anger no death where every voyce and speech is Salvation power strength and might be to our God and this voyce going forth into the Eternity Thus with this sound the divine vertue of Paradise goeth forth and it is a meere growing in the divine Centre of the fruits in Paradise And there is the place where St Paul heard words inutterable that no man can expresse Such a man was Adam before his Fall and that you may not doubt that this is very sure and most truly thus look upon the Circumstances 17. When God had created Adam thus he was then in Paradise in the joyfulnesse and this clarified or c Illustrious or shining brightened Man was wholly beautifull and full of all manner of knowledge and there God brought all the Beasts to him as to the Great Lord in this world that he should look upon them and give to every one their Name according to their Essence and vertue as the Spirit of every one was figured in them And Adam knew all what every Creature was and he gave every one their Name according to the quality or working property of their Spirit As God can see into the heart of all things so could Adam also doe in which his perfection may very well be observed 18. And Adam and all men should have gone wholly naked as he then went his clothing was the clarity or brightnesse in the vertue or power no heat nor cold touched him he saw day and night cleerly with open eyes in him there was no sleepe and in his minde there was no night for the divine vertue and power was in his eyes and he was altogether perfect he had the d The seede Limbus and also the * The womb Matrix in himselfe he was no male or Man nor female or Woman as wee in the Resurrection shall be neither though indeed the knowledge of the marks of distinction will remaine in the figure but the Limbus and the Matrix not severed as now they are 19. Now Man was to dwell upon the Earth as long as it was to stand and manage rule and order the beasts and have his delight and recreation therein but he ought not to have eaten any earthly fruit wherein the corruptibility or transitorinesse did stick it is true he should have eaten but onely with the mouth and not into the body for he had no entrailes stomack or guts nor any such hard dark flesh it was all perfect for there grew Paradificall fruit for him which afterwards e Or disappeared went away * Because that he when he went out of Paradise and then God cursed the Earth and the heavenly Limbus was withdrawne from him together with that fruit and he lost Paradise God and the kingdome of heaven for before sinne when Paradise was upon the Earth the Earth was not bad or evill as now it is 20. If Adam had continued in innocency then he should in all fruits have eaten Paradificall fruit and his food should have been heavenly and his drink should have been out of the mother of the heavenly water of the source or fountaine of the Eternall life The f Or the materiall water Out-birth touched him not the element of aire he had no need of in this manner as now t is true he drew breath from the aire but he took his breath from the incorruptibility for he did not g Or was united mingle with the spirit of this world but his Spirit ruled powerfully over the spirit of this world over the Starres and over the Sunne and Moone and over the Elements 21. This must be Adams condition and thus he was a true and right Image and similitude of God he had no such hard bones in his flesh as wee now have but they were strength and such a kinde of vertue also his bloud was not out of the tincture of the h Or watery Mother aquastrish Matrix but it was out of the heavenly Matrix In briefe it was altogether heavenly as wee shall appeare and be at the day of the Resurrection For the purpose of God standeth the first image must returne and come againe and continue in Paradise and seeing it could be done in no other forme way or manner nor that which was lost be restored againe therefore God would rather spend his own heart his eternall will is unchangeable that must stand 22. And when God had created Man then he planted a Garden in Eden towards the East and placed him therein and caused to spring up and grow all manner of fruit delightfull to behold and all sorts of Trees good to eate of and the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden and the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evill and when God had placed Man in the Garden he commanded him and said You shall eate of every Tree in the Garden but of the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evill thou shalt not eate for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the Death Here the vaile lieth upon Moses and they must be sharp or piercing Eyes that can behold the face of Moses God hath not without cause let Moses write this so very mystically hiddenly and obscurely 23. For what needed God to care so much for the biting of an Apple as to destroy so faire a creature for it Doth he not forgive many greater sinnes And he so exceedingly loved Man that he spared not his onely Sonne but let him become Man and gave him unto Death and could he not forgive a small sinne seeing he was omniscient or knew all things therefore why did he let the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evill grow 24. Reason judgeth thus that if God would not have had it so Adam should not have eaten of it or else he should not have forbidden that Tree onely sure he made it for a stumbling stock to him Thus the Reason of one sort or party judgeth The Reason of the other party will mend the matter which is
under feet And so should Adam also have troden the earthinesse underfoot but it overcame him therefore afterwards the childe of the Virgin when it had overcome the tempting Tree must also enter into the first death of the strong fierce wrath in the death and overcome the first Principle 12. For he stood forty dayes in the Temptation in the Wildernes where there was no bread nor drink then came the Tempter and would have brought him from obedience and said He should out of the stones make Bread which was nothing else but that he should leave the heavenly bread which man receiveth in Faith and in a strong confidence in God and put his imagination into the Spirit of this world and live therein 13. But when the childe of the virgin laid the heavenly bread before him and said Man liveth not onely o Or by or of from this world o Or by or of from the earthly eating and drinking then came the second way or kinde of Temptation forth viz. the might power dominion and authority of this world the Prince of the wrath or strong fiercenesse would give him all the power of the Starres and Elements if he would put his imagination into him and pray to or worship him that was the right scourge or whip wherewith Adam was p Or driven on with scourged viz. with the might riches and beauty of this world after which at last Adam lusted and was taken But the childe of the Virgin laid before him that the kingdome was not his viz. belonging to the Prince of the fierce strong wrath but it belonged to the word and heart of God he must worship God and serve him onely 14. The third Temptation was the same into which the Devill also was fallen q Or out of with high mindednesse or pride when he Christ was tempted to have fline from above from the pinnacle of the Temple and should have elevated himselfe above humility and meeknesse for the meeknesse maketh the angry Father in the Originalnesse soft and joyfull so that the Deity thus becometh a soft and pleasant Essence 15. But Lord Lucifer would in the Creation have faine been above the meeknesse of the heart of God above the end of nature therefore he would faine also have perswaded the sonne of the virgin to flie without wings above the end of nature in pride of which shall be handled in its due place at large I have brought this in thus but in briefe that my writing may be the better understood and how it stands with or upon the ground or foundation of the Scripture and is not any new thing neither shall there be any thing new in them but onely the true knowledge in the holy Ghost of the Essence of all Essences Of Adams sleepe 16. Adam had not eaten of the fruit before his sleepe till his wife was created out of him onely his essences and inclination had eaten of it in the spirit by the imagination and not in the mouth and thereupon the spirit of the great world captivated him and mightily r Or wrought upon him qualified in him or infected him and then instantly the Sunne and Starres wrestled with him and all the foure Elements wrestled so mightily and powerfully that they overcame him and so he sunk downe into a sleepe 17. Now to an understanding Man it is very easie to be found and knowne that there neither was nor should be any sleepe in Adam when he was in the Image of God For Adam was such an Image as wee shall be at the resurrection of the Dead where wee shall have no need of the Elements nor of the Sunne nor Starres also of no sleepe but our eyes shall be alwayes open eternally beholding the glory of God Å¿ Or which will be from whence will be our meate and drinke and the Centre in the t Or Propagation multiplicity or springing up of the Birth affordeth meere delight and joy for God will bring forth out of the earth into the kingdome of Heaven no other kinde of Man than such a one as the first was before the Fall for he was created out of the eternall will of God that will is unchangeable and must stand therefore consider these things deeply 18. O thou deare soule that swimmest in a darke u Or Bath lake incline thy minde to the gate of Heaven and behold what the fall of Adam hath been which God did so greatly loathe that because of it Adam could not continue in Paradise Behold and consider the sleepe and so you shall finde it all Sleepe is nothing else but x Or a being overcome an overcoming for the Sunne and the Starres are still in a mighty strife and the Element of water viz. the Matrix is too weake for the fire and the Starres for that Element is the y Or over-commednesse being overcome in the Centre of Nature as you finde before in many places 19. And the light of the Sunne is as it were a God in the Nature of this world and by its vertue and influence it continually kindleth the Starres or Constellations whereby the Starres or Constellations which are of a very terrible and anguishing Essence continually exult in triumph very joyfully For it the Sunne is an essence like the light of God which kindleth and enlighteneth the dark minde of the Father from whence by the light there ariseth the divine Joy in the Father 20. And so it the Sunne maketh a triumphing or rising to be in the z Roote or mother Matrix of the Water alwayes like a a Or boyling seething for the Starres altogether cast their vertue or influence into the Matrix of the water as b The starres being in the Matrix being therein in like manner also now the Matrix of the water is continually seething and rising from whence cometh the c Vegetation growing in Trees plants grasse and Beasts for the uppermost Regiment or Dominion of the Sunne and Starres and also of the Elements ruleth in all creatures and it is a blossome or bud from them and without their power there would be in this world in the third Principle no life nor mobility in any manner of thing nothing excepted 21. But the living Creatures as Men Beasts and fowles have the tincture in them for in the beginning they were an Extraction taken from the quality of the Starres and Elements by the Fiat and in the tincture there standeth the continuall kindling fire which continually draweth the vertue or Oleum the Oyle out of the Water from whence cometh the bloud in which the noble-life d Or is standeth 22. Now the Sunne and the Starres or Constellations continually kindle the Tincture for it is fiery and the Tincture kindleth the body with the Matrix of the water so that they are alwayes boyling rising and seething The Starres or Constellations and the Sun are the fire of the Tincture and the
active property with the Indissoluble Band is generated in every soule and there is no soule before the kindling of the light in the childe in the mothers body for with the kindling the eternall Band is knit or tied so that it standeth eternally and this Worme of the three Essences doth not die nor sever it selfe for it is not possible because they are all three generated out of one onely fountaine and have three qualities and yet are but one being or substance as the holy Trinity is but in one onely Essence or substance and yet they have three Originalities in one Mother and they are one onely being or substance in one another Thus also and not a whit lesse is the soule of man but onely one degree in the first going forth for it is generated out of the Fathers eternall will and not out of the heart of God yet the heart of God is the neerest to it of all 11. And now it may very exactly be understood by the Essences and property of the soule that in this house of flesh where it is as it were generated it is not at home and its horrible fall may be also understood thereby for it hath no light in it selfe of its own it must borrow its light from the Sunne which indeed springeth up along with it in its Birth but that is corruptible and the Worme of the soule is not so and is seene that when a man dyeth d The light of the Sunne or a Mans facultie beholding of that light ceaseth it goeth out And if then the divine light be not againe generated in the Centre then the soule remaineth in the eternall Darknesse in the eternall anguishing source or quality of the Birth where nothing is to be found in the kindled fire but a horrible flash of fire in which source property or quality also the Devils dwell for it is the first Principle 12. And the soule here in this world useth the light of the third Principle after which the soule of Adam lusted and thereupon was captivated by the Spirit of the great world But if the soule be regenerated in the Holy Ghost so that its Centre to the regeneration spring forth e In true resignation then it seeth with two lights and liveth in two Principles and the most inward Principle viz. the first is shut up fast and hangeth but to it in which the soule is tempted and afflicted by the Devill and on the contrary the f The vertue or power of God virgin which belongeth to and is in the Tincture of the Regeneration and in the departure of the body from the soule shall dwell in the same Tincture is in continuall strife and combate with the Devill and trampleth upon his head in the vertue and power of the soules Prince and g Saviour or Conquerour Champion viz. the sonne of the virgin when a new body out of the vertue or power of the soule shall h Or be generated spring forth in the Tincture of the soule 13. And that when the soule is i Or seperated departed from the body it might no more be possibly tempted by the Devill and Spirit of this world there is a quiet rest for the soule included in its Centre in its own Tincture which standeth in Paradise betwixt the kingdome of this world and the kingdome of Hell to continue untill God shall put this world into its k Or receptacle Ether when the number of men and figures according to the depth of the eternall minde of God shall be finished 14. And now when wee consider how the temporary and transitory life is generated we finde that the soule is a cause of all the l Organs or Instruments members or faculties of or to the life of Man and without it there would not be one l Organs or Instruments member to or of the life of man generated For when wee search into the beginning and kindling of life wee finde strongly with cleere evidences all manner of faculties or members so that when the cleere light of the soule kindleth then the Fiat standeth in very great joy and in the twinckling of an eye doth in the Matrix sever the pure from the impure of which the Tincture of the soule in the light is the m Or Work-master worker which there reneweth it but the Fiat createth it 15. And now when the soure harsh Matrix is made so very humble thin and sweet by the light the sterne or strong horrour which was so very poysonous before the light kindled flieth upward for it is terrified at the meeknesse of the Matrix and it is a terrour of great joy yet it retaineth its strong or sterne right or property and cannot be changed neither can it get farre from thence for it is withheld by the Fiat but it raiseth it selfe suddenly aloft and the terrour maketh it a filme from the soure or harsh Fiat which holdeth the terrour fast and that is now the Gall n Above upon about or neere the heart of the heart 16. But when the Matrix from which the terrour was gone forth was thus loosed from the terrour of the anxiety and became so very sweet like sweet water then the spirit of the great world figured or imprinted it selfe instantly in the Matrix and filleth the foure Elements also within it and thinketh with it selfe now I have the sweet virgin and the Fiat createth o That which was brought in it and severeth the Elements which also are in strife and each of them would have the virgin and are in a wrestling till they one overcome another and that the fire being the mightiest and the most strong stay above and the water sink down and the earth being a hard grosse thing must stay below But the fire will have a p Kingdome or Dominion Region of its own 17. For it saith I am the Spirit and the life I will dwell in the virgin and the soure harsh Fiat attracteth all to it and maketh it a Mesch Massa q Or substance concretion and moreover it maketh it flesh and the fire keepeth the uppermost Region viz. the heart for the foure Elements sever themselves by their strife and every one of them maketh it selfe a severall r Or Dominion Region and the Fiat maketh all to be flesh onely the Aire would have no flesh for it said I dwell in no house and the Fiat said I have created thee thou art mine and closed it in with an inclosure that is the bladder 18. Now the other Regions set themselves in order first the sterne flash that is the Gall and beneath the flash the fire whose Region ●● the heart and beneath the fire the water whose Region is the Liver and beneath the water the earth whose Region is in the Lungs 19. And so every Element qualifieth or acteth in its own source or manner of operation and one could doe nothing without
bringing forth of the pleasant fruit of the Lilly in infinitum or infinitely where then the Essences of the Lilly springing up in wonders in many thousand thousands without number of which you have a similitude in the springing or blossoming earth 89. Beloved Minde behold consider this this now is God and his heavenly Kingdome even the eternall Element and Paradise and it standeth thus in the eternall originall from eternity to eternity Now what joy delight and pleasantnesse is therein I have no Pen that can describe it neither can I expresse it for the earthly tongue is too much insufficient to doe it all that men can say of it is like drosse compared with Gold and much more inferiour yea although the virgin n Discovereth it in the minde b●ingeth it into the minde yet all is too dark and too cold in the whole man so that he cannot expresse so much as one spark or glimps thereof sufficiently wee will deferre it till wee come into the bosome of the virgin wee have here onely given a short hint of it that the Author of this Book may be understood for wee are but a very little drop out of the fountaine of the wisdome of God and wee speake as a little sparkle or glimps but high enough for our earthly understanding and o Or in respect for our weake knowledge here upon earth for in this life we have no need of any higher knowledge of the eternall substance being or essence if wee doe but barely and nakedly speake of what hath been from eternity it is enough CHAP. XV. Of the a Or understanding knowledge of the Eternity in the corruptibility of the Essence of all Essences 1. NOw if wee consider of the Eternall will of God and of the b Beeing of all beeings or substance of all substances Essence of all Essences then wee finde in the Originalnesse but one onely beeing substance or Essence as is mentioned above out of this onely Essence is generated from Eternity the other beeing substance or Essence viz. the divine Essence and wee finde that both the beeings substances or Essences stand in Divine Omnipotence but not in one c Or working property source neither doe they mix together nor can either of them both be destroyed dissolved corrupted or broken 2. But yet they have two sorts of inclinations or desires each in it selfe for its own Yet because the divine beeing or Essence from Eternity is generated out of it selfe therefore it is inclined to helpe the weake and is rightly called Barmhertzigkeit Mercifulnesse 3. And now seeing the virgin of the eternall wisdome hath d Or Shone discovered her selfe in the Eternall Originall and in the eternall minde in the sharpe Essence of the breaking of the darknesse in the fire-flash hath found the depth of the e Eben-Bildes very Image of God and that the similitude of God is there in the Eternall Originall therefore shee hath longed after the similitude and that longing makes the attracting in the will and the will stood f Or presented before right against the similitude and the Fiat in the attracting of the willing created the will in the similitude out of which came the Angels altogether But now the Eternall Essences were in the similitude and the wisdome discovered or manifested her selfe in the Essences in many thousand thousands that the eternall wonders might be revealed or made manifest and thereupon there went forth according to every essence as out of a fountaine many thousand thousands 4. And from thence came the Names of the Thrones and Principalities as according to the Essences of the first and great g Or fountain source which in the discovering of the Eternall wisdome of God goeth forth againe into many thousand thousands yet there is a certaine number of them and in the Centre of God none or no number but infinitenesse and thus out of the fountaine of every Essence are gone forth first the h Or Throne-Angels Thrones and in the Throne many thousand thousands 5. These the Fiat created to a similitude and Image of God and overshaddowed the same in the Fiat with the overflowing vertue of God and the will of God i Or presented it selfe before set it selfe right against the Image and similitude and they now which received the will they became Angels for they set their imagination in the will in the heart of God and they did eate of the Verbum Domini of the Word of the Lord but they that set their Imagination in the darke minde as Lucifer did that he might flie out above the Deity and meeknesse in the might of the fire in the flash in the sharpe might of God and be Lord alone they became Devils and they have that name from their being thrust or driven out of the light for they were in the light when the Fiat created them for the Fiat which created them stood in the light 6. Thus the Devill is the fault and guilty of his own fall for he suffered himselfe to be moved by the Matrix of the k Or Grimnesse sternnesse fiercenesse sourenesse or wrath whereas he yet had his own will to take hold of Light or Darknesse And Lucifer was a Throne that is a l A fountaine with a great many veines or as a stock with many branches source or fountaine of a great essence from whence went forth all his servants or Ministers and they did like him and so they were thrust back into the darknesse for the light of God goeth not into the grimnesse wrath or fiercenesse 7. And there the Fiat which created the fierce wrathfull or grim Devils in hope that they would of Devills become Angels who set their imagination therein that thereby they might domineere over God and the Kingdome of Heaven was infected in the figuring of the similitudes and so instantly kindled the Element in the similitude viz. in the out-Birth or procreation in the speculating or beholding so that the Essence hath generated to the highest Essences from whence goe forth the foure Elements of this world of the third Principle and the sharp Fiat of God which stood in the Out-Birth or procreation hath created the out-Birth out of which the earth and stones are proceeded 8. For when the Fiat kindled the Element in the Out-birth then the kindled Materia or matter became palpable or comprehensible this was not now fit for Paradise but it was ex-created or made externall yet that the Element with its out-Birth might no more generate thus therefore God created the Heaven out of the m The one pure Element Element and caused or suffered out of the Element which is the heavenly Limbus the third Principle to spring up where the Spirit of God againe discovered or revealed it selfe in the virgin viz. in the Eternall Wisdome and found out in the out-Birth n the corruptible substance the similitude againe and the discovering stood in
the noise and the sharpnesse of the flash are in the dwelling of the will free from the darknesse and the flash elevateth the will and the will triumpheth in the sharpnesse of the flash and the will discovereth it selfe in the sharpnesse of the sound in the flash of the light d Extra without the darknesse in the breaking in the infinitenesse and in that infinitenesse of the flash there is in every discovery of the whole e Or into a particular in the particular in every reflection againe a Centre of such a Birth as is in the whole and those particulars are the senses and the whole is the minde out of which the senses proceed and therefore the senses are mutable or transitory and not in the f Whole or fix substance but the minde is whole and in the substance 6. My beloved Reader just thus is our minde also it is the Indissoluble Band which God by the Fiat in the moving Spirit breathed into Adam out of the Eternall Minde from whence the Essences are a particular or a sparkle out of the Eternall Minde which hath the Centre of the breaking and in the breaking hath the sharpnesse in it selfe and that will driveth forth the flash or glimpse in the breaking and the sharpnesse of the consuming of the darknesse is in the glimpse or flash of the willing and the will is our minde the glimpse is the eyes in the fire-flash which discovereth it selfe in our Essences g The glance of our eyes can look upon the evill and good both within and without us in us and without us for it is free and hath both the Gates open that Gate in the Darknesse and that Gate in the Light For although it doe continue in the darknesse yet it breaketh the darknesse and maketh all light in it selfe and where it is there it seeeth As our thoughts they can h Or see into speculate a thing that is many miles off when the body is far from thence and it may be never was in that place the discovery or glimpse or piercing sight of the eye of the minde goeth through wood and stone through bones and marrow and there is nothing that can i Let or hinder it withhold it for it pierceth and breaketh the darknesse every where without rending the body of any thing and the will is its horse whereon it rideth Here many things must be concealed because of the Devillish Inchantment or else wee would reveale much more here for the Nigromanticu● or Nigromancer is generated here 7. But now the first will in the minde is out of the source anxiety and its glimpse or discovery in the Originall is the bitter strong or soure fire-flash in the sharpnesse which maketh the stirring and noise and also the seeing in the Glance of the sharpnesse of the fire-flash that so the reconceived Glimpses discoverings or Glances in the thoughts have a light in them from whence they see when they run along like a flash 8. Yet this k Or Earnest will first will in the minde ought not to stay behinde in the Abysse of the soure fiercenesse in which the fierce malice is but ought to goe forward in the Centre of the breaking forth out of the darknesse into the light for in the light there is meere meeknesse lowlinesse humility good will and friendly desires that it might with its re-conceived will goe out of it selfe and to open it selfe in its precious Treasury for in the re conceived will to the Birth of the Light there is no source of anxiety but onely meere friendly desires for the Glimpse riseth up out of the darknesse in it selfe and desireth the light and the desiring draweth the light into it selfe and there the anguish becometh an exulting joy-in it selfe an humble cheerfulnesse a pleasant habitation for the re-conceived will in the light is impregnated and its fruit in the body is vertue or power which the will desireth to generate and to live therein and this desiring bringeth the fruit out of the impregnated will and presenteth it before the will and the will discovereth it selfe glimmereth or shineth in the fruit in an infinite pleasant number and there goeth forth in the pleasant number in the discovered or manifested will the high Benediction or Blessing favour loving kindnesse pleasant inclination or yeelding pliablenesse the tast of joy the well doing of meeknesse or affability and further what my Pen cannot expresse The minde would much rather be freed from vanity and live therein without molestation or disturbance 9. Now these two Gates are in one another the nethermost goeth into the Abysse and the uppermost goeth into Paradise and a third Gate cometh to these two out of the Element with its foure issues and presseth in together with the fire aire water and earth and their kingdome is the Sunne and Starres which l Or Mingle qualifie with the first will and their desire is to be filled to swell and to be great these draw into them and fill the Chamber of the Deepe viz. the free and naked will in the minde they bring the Glimpse or Glance of the Starres into the Gate of the Minde and qualifie with the sharpnesse of the Glimpse or flash they fill the broken Gates of the Darkness with flesh and wrestle continually with the first will from whence they are gone forth for the Kingdome or Dominion and yeeld themselves up to the first will as to their Father which willingly receiveth their Region or Dominion for he is obscure and darke and they are rough and soure also bitter and cold and their life is a seething source of fire wherewith they governe in the Minde in the Gall Heart Lungs and Liver and in all Members or parts of the whole body and Man is m The foure Elements own their own the Spirit which standeth in the flash bringeth the Constellation into the Tincture of its property and infecteth the thoughts according to the Dominion of the Starres they take the body and tame it and bring their bitter roughnesse into it 10. Now the Gate of the Light standeth between both these Regions as in one onely Centre inclosed with flesh and it shineth in the Darknesse in it selfe and it moveth towards the might of the Darknesse and fiercenesse and sheddeth forth its rayes even unto the noise of the breaking through from whence the Gates of seeing hearing smelling tasting and feeling goe forth and when these Gates apprehend the sweet loving and pleasant rayes of the Light then they become most highly joyfull and run into their highest Region into the heart as into their right dwelling house into the Essences of the Spirit of the soule which receiveth it with joy and refresheth it selfe therein and there its Sunne springeth up viz. the pleasant Tincture in the n Element-water Element of Water and by the sweet joy becometh bloud for all Regions rejoyce therein and suppose that they have gotten
Executioner 67. He is Executioner in the kingdome of this world the Starres are the Councell and God is the King of the Land and whosoever departeth from God falleth into the Councell of the Starres which run many upon the sword and make them lay violent hands upon themselves and bring some to a Rope others to the water and there he is very busie and is the Driver or Executioner 68. Into this great misery Man is fallen and he is fallen quite d Into the bosom home to the kingdome of the Starres and Elements as to his body what these doe with him that he is and that standeth in the substance they make one great another small one straight another stooping and crooked they send one fortune and riches and another poverty of one they make a crafty subtill Man according to the counsell and kingdome of this world and of another they make an Ideot they make one a King and they breake and pull downe another one they kill another they bring into the world and continually drive the minde of Man yet into nothing else but into vaine turmoile discontent and vexation 69. Besides the kingdome of Hell and of fierce wrath alwayes gape after the soule and set their jawes wide open to devoure the captive soule which is held fast fettered with two strong chaines the one of the kingdome of Hell the other of the Kingdome of this world and is continually led by the heavy lumpish beastiall and sickly body as a Theefe who is often led to the place of Execution and still by a Petition reprieved and laid in prison againe and the poore soule must lye thus in Prison the whole time of the body where the Devill on the one side very suddenly rusheth upon it with his devouring fiercenesse wrath and malice and would carry it into the Abysse then instantly it is beat upon by the glistering flattering world with pomp bravery covetousnesse and voluptuousnesse o● Perdition presently againe cometh upon it sicknesse and feare and it is continually trembling and quaking and when Man goeth but in the dark how is it amazed and continually afraid that the Executioner will take it and e Or Execute Justice doe execution upon it The Gate or Exposition of the great sinne and contrariety of will against God * Cōmitted by or through Man in Man 70. If wee did well consider the abominations and great sinnes of Man before God which our first Parents inherited for us then wee should scarce ever be merry in this world at all if the Spirit of this world did not cast foolish fancies and seeming joyes and pleasures before us in our imprisonment or if the Regeneration did not cause us so highly to rejoyce that wee shall once be delivered out of this Prison for in this life wee finde nothing else but meere abomination sinne misery and death and scarce attaine in this temporary life so much as a glimpse of the Eternall Joy 71. Now the minde asketh What is sinne then How is it sinne Wherefore hath God a loathing against the substance which he hath created Behold thou childe of Man there is no sinne in Heaven in the presence of God onely in thy selfe there is sinne and sinne seperateth us and our God asunder otherwise all things are fix or perfect and good in their own beeing or substance the kingdome of Hell and of wrath is good in it selfe according to its own Region it doth not vex or torment it selfe but its woe paine or smart is its birth and the rising of its source also it desireth nothing else 72. And so also the Kingdome of this world is fix or perfect and good in it selfe neither doth it vex or torment it selfe but the elevating of the Elements viz. the kindling of the heate cold aire and water is its growing and springing neither doth it torment it selfe in it selfe nor hath in any distresse or feare in it selfe 73. Onely Man who is proceeded out of another Principle hath in both those forementioned Principles woe misery sorrow and distresse for he is not in his native Countrey and none of these two Principle can attaine his native Countrey Therefore the poore soule must be thus g Pinched and squeesed plagued and tormented that it may attaine its native Countrey againe it must goe againe through the Gate of the deep anguish of Death it must breake through two kingdomes and it sticketh here h In the chinck cra●●y or closing of the doore between the Doore and the hinges and is continually infected with those things which keep it back and plague it it sticketh as it were in a Presse 74. If it straineth to God wa●● then the Devill holdeth it on one side with one Band and the world with another Band and they i Or assault it set upon it the Devill handleth it in fiercenesse sternnesse frowardnesse or wrath which is a source or quality and sinne which cannot attaine to the kingdome of God and the world leadeth it into pride covetousnesse and fleshly lust so that the k Or budding substantiall vertues Essences of the soule grow full or impregnated with the fleshly will for the will of the minde draweth these things into the soule and so the soule from that which is attracted becometh wholly uncleane l Mudded swelled and dark and cannot attaine the light of God its Essences that should give up themselves to God cannot for they are too rough and cannot get into the light that kindleth not it selfe in its Essences the Gates of the Deepe must be broken open first and then the Essences of the soule may presse into the liberty m Beyond without the darknesse but if the minde be n Or big with pride covetousnesse envy anger might and pomp filled then it cannot come into the liberty and then begin horrour feare distresse and despaire of the kingdome of God and this maketh meere torment woe paine and smart in the soule 75. Thus thou shalt know in what manner it is sinne before God thou hast in thy selfe the one eternall pure Element which is a joy in the presence of God and now if thou rage and rave with the source quality or property of Hell then thou touchest or troublest the Element and though stirrest up the o Or fierce grimnesse wrath and makest it to goe forth and thou doest as the Devill did when he awakened or stirred up and kindled the fierce o Or fierce grimnesse wrath in the Fiat whereby the o Or fierce grimnesse fiercenesse generated earth and stones thou finnest piercing into the Heaven in the presence of God upon which the Prophets complained in many places That the disobedient did grieve their God though in himselfe he felt no paine yet his wrath was kindled in the first Principle in the Gate of the Deepe wherein the soule standeth and that is a meere abomination before him 76. Behold all whatsoever thou lettest into thy
so that Adam lusted 94. But because he beguiled Adam and Eve with his Sugar therefore God hath prepared such a dwelling house for him as Adam lets forth from the Å¿ From the earthly voluptuousnesse and dainty delicacies the Dung. earthly Sugar at the nethermost Exit and that shall be left for him at the corruption of the Earth when it goeth into its Ether and then that pleasant smell of the stinck of sinne and abominations in the kingdome of the fierce wrath shall remaine for him and that Sugar he shall eate Eternally and frame his will continually therein to get other Sugar in the t Or Oven furnace of the fire and then he may make that ready for him as may best sute with his pallat at which he quaketh and trembleth when he heareth the Spirit declare such things and hereby it is also signified to all the ungodly that they shall also eate the same Sugar Eternally which they have continually baked here with their blaspheming cursing covetousnesse scorne backbiting thorny-taunting murthering robbing and taking the sweat of the needy and miserable to maintaine their haughty stately Pride 95. And now when these two thus captivated by the Devill and this world stood before God with feare and great horrour and felt the anger of God and the severe Judgement then the Heart of God which had made them pittied them and it u Appeare or discover it self to see did look whether there were any remedy or counsell that might help poor Man and redeeme or deliver him from the Bands of the Eternall fiercenesse or wrath and from the mortall body of this world but there was nothing found neither in Heaven nor in this world that could make them free there was no Principality or Throne-Angel which had the ability to doe it all was lost they were in the Eternall Judgement of the Temporall and Eternall Death For the first Principle had captivated them in the Spirit of the soule and qualified or mingled with the soule the Kingdome of Heaven in the Light was shut up and there was a firme enclosure of a whole Principle between and x The soule it could not reach the kingdome of Heaven againe except that it were borne of God againe otherwise there was no counsell nor help nor refuge in any thing at all 96. Then the Devill mocked the Image and Hell opened its jawes wide and had the bridle in their Essences and continually drew them therewith towards the hellish fire of the fierce wrath and then there was trembling and horrour in the minde and they could not reach the love of God Heaven was their Enemy no Angel came neere them but the horrible Devills they shewed themselves and hooped crying Ho ho wee have gotten the Game wee are Princes over Men wee will torment them soundly because they would have possessed our Throne wee should have been their footstoole and now wee are their Judges what care wee for God he dwelleth not in our kingdome wherefore hath he thrust us out wee will be sure to wreake our spleene upon his Image The most pleasant and most lovely Gate or Exposition of the promise of the Treader upon the Serpent highly to be considered 97. Now when no counsell or remedy was found and that Man was sunk downe into Hell to the great Triumph of the Devills then said God to the Serpent the Devill Because thou hast done thus be thou cursed and the seede of the Woman shall tread upon or break thy Head and thou shalt bruise or y Or sting wound his Heele at which the Abysse of Hell did quake and tremble but the Devill understood not wholly what that should be onely he saw that the word imagined or represented it selfe in Adam and in Eve in the Centre of Life and that it opposed the fiercenesse of the kingdome of Hell of which he stood in feare and his jollity was lessened for he did nor relish that 98. Moses writeth here as if the Serpent had beguiled Eve because God cursed it and said That it should eate Earth and creepe upon its belly but Moses here putteth the vayle before our eyes that he cannot be looked in the Face for all Prophecies stand in dark words that the Devill may not know nor apprehend them and learne the Times and that he may not strow his false seede before the wonders of God appeare as may be seene in all the Prophets who prophesied of the Treader upon the Serpent 99. Wee know that the Devill slipt into the Serpent and spake out of the Serpent for God did not meane by it that the Treader upon the Serpent should tread upon the head of the beastiall Serpent but that he should destroy the Devill and the Abysse of Hell But that was the Punishment of the Beastiall Serpent that it should remaine a poysonous Worme without feete and eate Earth and have communion with the Devill for so all Evill Spirits in Hell appeare in their owne forme according to their source or quality as Serpents Dragons horrible Wormes and evill Beasts 100. This now the Devill did not understand because God spake of the Serpent and cursed it to be a horrible Worme and he supposed that it did not concerne him neither doth he yet know his own judgement he knoweth onely what he learneth from Men that doe z Or Prophesie declare things in the Spirit of God yet the Spirit of God doth not wholly intimate his Judgement to him but all in the Depth afarre off so that he cannot wholly understand it For to the enlightened Men all Prophesies even concerning the wickednesse of Men are thus given and they dare not set them downe clearer that the Devill may not wholly learne the Counsell of God and strow his Sugar upon it though in this place there are very excellent things that ought not to be revealed to the world for they remaine till the Judgement of God that the Devill may bring no new sects into it and lead men into doubt and therefore they shall be passed over till the time of the Lilly 101. So now when wee consider the great love and mercifulnesse in that he hath turned to Man wee finde cause enough to write and teach these a Matters or wonderous works and deeds things for it concerneth our eternall Salvation and Redemption out of the Jawes of Hell therefore I will set downe the ground of the promised Messiah that the following writings may be the better understood especially Moses in his Booke of the Law where there is need of it now he that will see nothing God help he must needs be blinde for the time of the visitation of the hardned Jewes Turks and Heathens cometh now Whosoever will see let them see the Lamps for the Bridegroome are shortly to be kindled he cometh whosoever desireth to be a Guest let him prepare him a Wedding Garment 102. Now saith Reason how could Adam and Eve know what God meant by the
hast eaten of the Tree whereof I told thee that thou shouldst not eate cursed be the ground for thy sake with care thou shalt maintaine thy life thereon all thy life long Thornes and Thistles shall it bring forth to thee and thou shall eate the hearb of the field till thou become Earth againe from whe●●e thou wert taken for thou art now Earth and to Earth you shall returne againe 4. Here now stand the great secrets which wee cannot see with g Or with the eyes of reason our earthly eyes wholly naked and plaine and there is no vayle before it onely wee are blinde to the kingdome of God for God cursed the Earth and said it should now beare Thornes and Thistles and Man h Or must should eate the fruit of the accursed Earth This indeed is a new thing He allowed them not in Paradise to eate of the earthly hearbs but of the pleasant fruit And if he had eaten of the hearbs of the fields yet that which he had eaten was heavenly and when the Lord cursed the Earth then all became earthly and the holy Element was withdrawne and the fruit did grow in the issuing of the foure Elements in the kindling of the fiercenesse out of which Thornes and Thistles grew 5. Wee must conceive that there i Before the Curse was then a very pleasant habitation upon the Earth for all the fruits did grow spring and bud out of the hidden Element through the fiercenesse of the foure Elements and although the foure Elements had also their fruits yet Man should not but the Beasts of the field should have eaten thereof but now when the Lord cursed the Earth then the Element withdrew from the roote of the Fruit for Gods cursing is nothing else but his flying from a thing and thus Gods holinesse is flien from the roote of the fruit and so the roote of the fruits remaineth in the foure Elements in the out-birth and Adam and Eve were also fallen k Into the four Elements thereinto and thus now like came to like his body also was become earthly and must turne to Earth againe 6. But that God did say Thou shalt turne to Earth from whence thou wert taken that is also very true but the understanding is hidden in the Word and the earthly vayle hangeth before it wee must looke under the vayle For Adam was taken out of the earth not out of the foure issuings of the Elements but he was an Extract out of the Element which qualified or mingled with the Earth But when he fell into the foure Elements then he became Earth as also fire aire and water and now what should the Beastiall Man doe with the heavenly Paradisicall fruit he could not l Or enjoy it eate of it and therefore God doth not cast his heavenly kingdome to beasts and swine but it belongeth to Angels 7. So also it is very cleere and manifest that before the curse there grew such venomous or poysonous Thornes and Thistles and poysonous fruits and if God had not cursed the Earth from the one Element then no Beast should have been so fierce and mischievous or evill for God said Let the Earth be cursed for thy sake From whence now is also arisen the disobedience of the Beasts towards Man and their wildnesse or flying in their face as also that they are so cruell fierce mischievous and evill and that Man must hide himselfe from their fierce rage and fury whereas God in the Creation gave all into his power all Beasts of the field should be in subjection under him which now is cl●ane contrary for Man is become a Wolfe to them in devouring the Beasts and they are like Lyons against him and there is meere Enmity against one another he can scarce order the tame Beasts much lesse the wilde 8. And wee are to know that there was a great difference in the Beasts before the curse for some viz. the tame ones were very neer a kinne to the Element with whom Man should have had joy and delight on the contrary some viz. the wilde ones which flie from Man were very neere a-kinne to the foure Elements for the m The wonderfull reason why one beast was better than another causes of those wonders stuck wholly in the Essences and they were very well knowne and seene in the light of the life in the knowledge of the n Or Divine Wisdome virgin there is nothing so deepe that Man cannot search into and see it most o Infallibly assuredly if he doe but put away the vayle and look through the Tables p Or transparent Law graven through with q Or Jesus Joshua into the promised Land 9. And God said In the sweat of thy r Or Browes face thou shalt eate thy Bread till thou turne to Earth againe Here now all is cleere and manifest in the light for he had lost the heavenly fruit which grew for him without labour or toyle of his and now he must dig and delve in the earth and sow and plant and so in the foure Elements must get fruit in cares labour toyle and misery for while the Element or the vertue or power out of the Element sprung forth through the Earth there was so long a continuall lasting roote to the fruit but when the Element by the curse withdrew then the ſ Or frozen congealed Death frailty and transitory fading was in the roote and they must now continually be t Or transplanted planted againe Thus the turmoyling life of Man took beginning wherein wee must now u Or swelter our selves bath our selves 10. God could well have created creatures which should have managed the Beasts so that Man might well have stayd in Paradise in the Angelicall forme and besides that there are already in all the foure Elements creatures without a soule God would well have laid the labour or charge of managing the Beasts upon another generation which were also x Or of the foure Elements earthly But he saw well that Man would not stand therefore instantly the burthen was laid upon him as Moses also writeth of it 11. But if God y Had desired would have had Beastiall Men then he would have created them so in the beginning and given them no Commandement neither should they have been tempted as indeed the Beasts have no z Or Commandement laid upon them Law 12. Therefore all Objections which fall into Reason are nothing else but the subtle contradictions or fallacies of the Devill who would very faine maintaine that God did will the Fall of Man There are also Men that dare to say that God did will it and say that he fitted the tongue of the Serpent to seduce Eve whose judgement is very justly upon themselves because they offer to confirme the Devils word with lying and goe about to make God a lyar 13. 'T is very true according to the first Principle viz. the Abysse
the beginning and shee discovereth her selfe in all created things so that by her the wonders of all things are brought to the Day-light The strong Gate of the Incarnation or becoming Man of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God 23. And out of this Heart and Word of God the Father with and through the chast virgin of God of his wisdome of the Omniscience is proceeded the Treader upon the Serpent in and with the Word of the Promise of God the Father to Adam and Eve and their children and hath Imaged or imprinted it selfe in Adam's and Eve's minde and espoused it selfe in Eternity therein and opened for the soule the Gate to the Kingdome of Heaven and hath with the chast ſ The wisdome of God virgin set it selfe in the Centre of the light of life in the Gate of God and hath given the virgin to the soule for a perpetuall Companion from whence Man hath his skill and understanding or else he could not have understanding shee is the Gate of the t Or thoughts senses and yet shee u Or avoydeth leaveth the Counsell of the Starres because the soule liveth in the source or quality of the Starres and is too rough crude or soure and therefore shee cannot imprint or unite her selfe with the soule yet shee sheweth it the way of God But if the soule become a hellish Worme then it withdraweth into her Gate and standeth before God before his Word and Heart 24. But because the soule of Adam and of Eve and of all the children of Men were too rough wilde and too hard kindled from the first Principle so that they had the source of Hell in them being inclined to all evill malice or mischiefe therefore the Word and the Treader upon the Serpent did not so instantly Image or imprint it selfe in the soule of Adam but stood opposite to the Kingdom of the Devill and of Hell and against their poysonous Darts in the minde and in the Minde of those men which incline and yeeld themselves to the Treader upon the Serpent it breaketh the head of the Serpent the Devill 25. And so it was tried for a long time whether it were possible that Man should be recovered this way so that he might yeeld himselfe wholly to God that the soule might be borne in the Word and at last stand before God yet all was in vaine the kindled soule could not stand but there came to be Man-slayers and Murtherers also self-willed people in meere lechery and unchastity of the flesh also aspiring in state pride and domineering according to the x Rule or Dominion Regiment of the Starres and Elements that driveth the body and soule of Man at all times and there were but few that did cleave to the Word of God 26. Then God sent the Deluge of Flood upon the whole world and drowned all flesh except Noah who did cleave to the Word of God he and his sonnes and their wives were preserved and so the world was tryed whether it would be afraid of the horrible judgement and cleave to the Word but it was all in vaine Then God chose to himselfe the Generation of Sem which did cleave to the Word that so he might erect a light and office of Preaching that the world might learne from them But all availed nothing the Starre● ruled Men according to their source or quality in meere covetousnesse unchastity and pride which was indeed so very great that they purposed to build a Tower whose top should reach to Heaven such blinde people they were as to the kingdome of God 27. And then God confounded their Language that they might yet see that they had onely confounded senses or thoughts and should turne them to God that they also might see that they did not understand the Language of the Saints or holy people of the stock of Sem and that they must be scattered abroad over the whole world so that a holy seede might be preserved and that all might not perish but it availed nor they were wicked 28. Then God out of the fiercenesse of the first Principle burnt Sodom and Gomorrah those five kingdomes with fire for a Terrour but it availed not sinne grew like a greene Branch And then God promised the chosen Generation that if they would walke before him he would blesse them as the Starres of Heaven and make them so great that they should not be numbered and yet there were still among them evill Birds hatched And then God brought them into a strange Land and prospered them to try whether they would acknowledge his goodnesse and depend on him but they were yet worse 29. Then God did stirre up a Prophet among them even Moses who gave them Lawes and sharp Doctrines as Nature y Promoted or thrust forth required and these were given them through the Spirit of the z Macrocosme great world in zeale in the fire Yet seeing they would live still in the roughnesse therefore they were tryed or tempted to see whether they would live in the Father and God gave them Bread from Heaven and fed them forty yeares to try what manner of people they would be and whether they would by any meanes be brought to cleave to God he gave them Ordinances and Customes to observe in meats and drinks and also a Priestly Order with heavy and hard precepts and punishments which he published also to them but it availed not they were onely wicked and walked in the Dominion or Regiment of the Starres and yet far worse they walked altogether according to the wrathfulnesse of Hell 30. And there is a great matter for us to see in the severall Meats which God forbad them especially Swines flesh whose source quality or property will not subsist in the fire but affordeth onely a stinck and so it doth also in the fire of the soule which reacheth or stirreth the Originality of the first Principle from whence the first Principle in the soule stincketh or maketh a stinck which is a Or loathsom contrary to the Word and the noble virgin and it maketh the Gates of the breaking through into the light swelled thick misty fumy and dark for the soule is also a fire which burneth and if it receive such a b Or fuell for its burning source quality or property then that darkeneth it the more and burneth in the vapour like a flash of lightening as may be seene in the fat of swine for which cause God did forbid it them 31. And there was no other cause of their employment about offering sacrifice than because Man was earthly and so the Word standing neere the soule in the Gate of the light of life c God he heard their Prayers through the earthly source quality or property of their smells d Or Offerings of Incense or Incense and so they had a token in the fire that their prayer was acceptable to God as may be seene in many places in Moses which
concerning the Calfe to acknowledge it for a God and to account it for the true God because they knew that the Calfe was Gold and that the true God had made himselfe knowne to be otherwise and also they had good experience of the true God by the wonders which were wrought before Pharaoh but they would thereby worship and reverence the absent God and make a remembrance and worship of God for themselves As King Jeroboam with his Calfe-worship where yet the honour must be u Entended by it done to the true God 70. And as Jeroboams Calves were an abomination to God which he yet with earnest zeale set up to serve the true God thereby onely that he might but preserve his worldly Kingdome that the People might not fall from him when they were to goe up to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice and God rejected him and his whole house for it and as Moses came in wrath because of their Divine service before the Calfe and brake the Tables of the Divine Law and took his sword and one brother must slay the other because of their abominations and sinnes of false worshipping of God so also thou blind world in Babell of confusion seeing thou art fallen away from the every where present all knowing all-seeing all hearing all smelling and all-feeling Heart Jesus Christ and set upon thy own conceited wayes and doest not desire to see the gracious countenance it self of Jesus Christ and wilt not lay aside thy shame and whoredome thy appearing shew of holinesse or hypocrisie thy selfe conceited willfull pride might authority pomp and state but livest in thy invented holinesse for thy pleasure in covetousnesse gourmundizing gluttony and drunkennesse and in meere exalting of thy selfe in honour therefore the second Moses which was promised by the first and which Men should heare hath broken the Tables of his Law whereupon his precious x Or becoming Man Incarnation suffering Death Resurrection and entring into Heaven stood and hath stopt their entring into thy eares and he hath sent thee strong delusions out of the spirit of thy own invented shew-holinesse as Saint Paul saith so that thou beleevest the Spirit of lying and livest according to thy fleshly lust that so thy own invented shew-holinesse with thy false Key which doth not open the suffering and dying of Jesus Christ in his Death doth deceive thy selfe 71. For thou art not entered into the Father by the intercession of men but by the precious Incarnation of Jesus Christ and if thou doest not instantly turne in the last voyce of Gods call whereas many of you have been much called and goe out from Babell then Moses standeth in wrath and saith Gird every one his sword to his side and slay his brother in Babell and so thou destroyest thy selfe for the Spirit of thy own mouth will destroy thy selfe so that thou shalt be no more called Babell but fiercenesse wrath and sword within thy selfe which will consume thee and not spare for thou murtherest thy selfe thou great wonder of the world 72. O how have all the Prophets written of thee and yet thou knewest not thy selfe thou ridest so upon thy fatt pampere●t Beast and that riding pleaseth thee so well that thou wilt rather goe to the Devill into the Abysse of Hell than that thou wilt light off thy Beast What shall become of thee then thou blind Babell doe but yet light off from thy great ugly Beast which indeed is thy might pomp state and pride behold thy Bridegroom cometh and reacheth forth his hand to thee and would lead thee out of Babell 73. Did not he walke on foote upon earth He did not ride so He had not whereon to lay his head what kingdome doe you build for him Where is the place of his Rest Doth he not rest in thy Armes Wherefore doest thou not embrace him Is he according to thy Reason too poore in this world yet he is rich in Heaven who wilt thou send to him to be reconciled to thee The Mother of Jesus O no that will not availe he doth not stand behinde thee and absolve thy wickednesse for thy inclination of falshood He knoweth not thy y Thy Embasses and Messages Letters which thou sendest to him by the Saints who are in the still Rest before him in the heavenly Element 74. The Spirit of their soules is in the stillnesse in the still habitation before God it doth not let thy rough sinnes come into it to sleepe upon them but its Imagination and whole will standeth directly bent into the Heart of God and the z The originall property of the Spirit of their soules saith Spirit of the first Principle of its originall source sayth Lord when avengest thou our Bloud And the meeknesse of Jesus Christ saith Rest in the stillnesse till thy Brethren also come to thee who shall be slaine in Babell for the witnesse of Jesus 75. a The holy souls doe not pray for thee They make no intercession for thee neither doth it availe any thing for thou must be Regenerated anew through earnest sorrow and repentance thou must light downe from off thy Beast and must goe on foote with Christ over the Brooke Kidron into his sufferings and Death and through him thou must rise againe out of his Grave thou thy selfe must come to this another cannot save thee thou must enter into the Birth of Jesus Christ and with him be conceived by the Holy Ghost thy soule must in the Word and in the New Man Christ in the one Eternall Element be borne or brought forth out of the foure Elements into the water of the Element of Eternall Life thy Antichristian fained Fables help thee not for it is said such b Or Faith beliefe as a People have such a God also they have to blesse them 76. But that thy c Fore-fathers Predecessours after their Death have d Or done Miracles appeared in Deeds of Wonder upon which thou buildest that was caused by the Faith of the Living and their e Or Imagination Imaging in or impresse upon their Tincture which is so strong that it can remove Mountaines An evill Faith also if it be strong can in the first Principle stirre up Wonders as may be seene by f Of Witches and Conjurers Incantation and by the wicked shewers of signes before Pharaoh g Or it was done according to their Faith as they beleeved so it was done 77. And while the Faith of the Living at the time of thy forefathers was yet somewhat good and pure as to the kingdome of God still and they did not seek their Bellies and pomp as they doe now therefore their Faith or Beliefe pierced into the Heaven into the pure Element to the Saints or holy soules who thus did also naturally appeare with Works of Wonders or Miracles to the Living Saints in their Element in the strong Faith which Works of Wonder were onely comprehended or taken hold of in the
at home 7. For as this world breaketh and passeth away so also all flesh which is generated out of the Spirit of this world must breake and passe away Therefore now when the poore soule must depart out of this body wherein yet it is generated if then it hath not the new Garment of the Regeneration of the Holy Ghost in it and is not clothed with the Mantle of Christ with his Incarnation suffering Death and Resurrection in him then there beginneth great sorrow and unquietnesse viz. in those onely which at the breaking of their bodies are but in the Gate and so swim between Heaven and Hell and there then h Or beginneth the wrestli●● is need of wrestling and strugling as is to be seene by very many when they are a dying 8. There then the poore soule in the first Principle doth i Swing 〈◊〉 swimme● move in the Doore of the Deepe being clothed with the vertue or power of the Dominion or Region of the Starres appearing in that shape or forme of the body which it had here and many of them desireth this or that which was its last Will in hope thereby to attaine abstinence and quietnesse or Rest also many by night according to the sydereall spirit shew themselves very disquiet with tumbling and tossing of the body which our Learned Men from the Schoole of this world ascribe to the Devill but they have no knowledge or understanding in it 9. Seeing therefore that this is the weightiest Article and cannot be apprehended in such a way wee will describe the dying of Man and the departure of the soule from the body and try if it might so be brought to knowledge that the Reader may comprehend the true k Or understanding of it meaning of it 10. Mans Image borne of a Woman here in this life is in a threefold forme and standeth in three Principles or beginnings viz. the soule that hath its originall out of the first Principle out of the strong and soure Might of the Eternity and it swimmeth or moveth between two Principles begirt with the third Principle it reacheth with its originall Roote into the Depth of the Eternity in the source or quality where God the Father from Eternity entereth through the Gates of the breaking through and opening in himselfe into the Light of Joy and it is in the Band where God calleth himselfe a Jealous angry and austere God and is a sparkle out of the Allmightinesse l Sparkling forth or discovered appearing in the great Wonders of the wisdome of God through the deare virgin of Chastity and with the forme of the first Principle it standeth in the Gate of the sourenesse of Eternity mingled united or qualified with the Region of the Sunne and Starres and begirt with the foure Elements and the holy Element viz. the Roote of the foure Elements that is the body of the soule in the second Principle in the Gate before or towards God and according to the Spirit of this world the Region of the Starres is the body of the soule and the issue of the foure Elements is the source-house conduit-house or work-house or the Spirit of this world which kindleth the Region so that it springeth forth or worketh 11. And thus the soule liveth in such a threefold source or working quality being bound with three m Or Reines coards and is drawne of all three The first coard is the Band of Eternity generated in the rising up of the Anxiety and reacheth the Abysse of Hell The second coard is the Kingdome of Heaven generated through the Gates of the Deepe in the Father and Regenerated out of the birth of sinnes through the humanity of Christ and there the soule also in the n Or becoming 〈◊〉 ●an Incarnation of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God is tyed up and is drawne by the deare virgin in the word of God The third coard is the Kingdome of the Starres qualifying or mingling with the soule and it is hard drawne and held by the foure Elements and carried and lead by them 12. But the third Kingdome is not also in the Eternity but is generated out of the one Element in the time of the kindling of the Fiat that now is corruptible and hath a certain seculum limit and time how long it shall last and so this Region in the soule when the light of Life kindleth it selfe hath also a certain seculum and time of its breaking and that kingdome o Or Educateth Man bringeth Man up and giveth him the source of his manners conditions and disposition will and desires to evill and good and setteth him in beauty glory riches and honour and maketh him an earthly God and it openeth to him the great Wonders p In the Kingdome of the four Elements in him and runneth along with him inconsiderately to the end of his seculum terme and end and then it departeth from him and as it did help Man to his life so it helpeth him also to Death and breaketh off from the soule 13. First the foure Elements break off from the one Element and then the source or working faculty of the third Principle ceaseth and that is the most horrible thing of all when the foure Elements breake in themselves and that is the Death when the Brimstone Spirit which hath its originall from the Gall and kindleth the Tincture of the Heart is choaked where then the Tincture with the shadow of Mans substance goeth into the Ether and remaineth standing with the shadow in the roote of the one Element from which one Element the foure Elements were generated and gone forth and therein onely consisteth the woe in the breaking where one source-house is broken off from the soule 14. But if now the q Or issuing substantiall faculties or vertues Essences of the first Principle of the soule have been so very conversant about or addicted to the Kingdome of this world so that the Essences of the soule have sought after the pleasures of this world onely in temporary honour power and bravery then the soule or the Essences out of the first Principle keepeth the starry Region to it still as its dearest Jewell with a desire to live therein but then the starry Region hath the Mother viz. the foure Elements no more and therefore it consumeth with the time it selfe in the Essences out of the first Principle and so the Essences of the first Principle continue raw or naked without a body 15. And here standeth the r Or Refining fire Purgatory thou blinde world if thou canst doe any th●●● then help thy soule through the ſ Or Strong strait Gate now here if the Treader upon the Serpent hath not hold of the coard then it must indeed continue in the first Principle Here now is the great Life and also the great Death where the soule must enter into the one or the other and that is its Eternall Countrey for afterwards For the
into Paradise that in this world is miserable amd contemned there are not many that desire it for it hath meere scorne and contempt from the Devill and his followers it consisteth in righteousnesse and truth and that is not valued in this world and therefore it must lie at the Rich Mans doore with poore Lazarus and at his feete if any doe but let it appeare that they are the childe of God then the Devill will away with them presently or else will put them to such scorne and disgrace that they cannot be knowne that so the Devill may continue to be the Great Prince upon Earth and that the world may not learne to know him 32. The other Kingdome is that of Antichrist with a Golden Splendour or Glance Prancing in state Glittering on every side every one saith it is a happy thing for it adorneth it selfe most sumptuously and setteth its seate over the Hills and Mountaines every one saluteth it or doth it reverence it draweth the Tincture of the Earth to it selfe that it may glister alone it bereaveth the Kingdome of Christ of its temporall food livelihood or bread it devoureth the sweat of the needy and saith to him You are mine I am your God I will set you where I please you are the dogge that lieth at my feete If I had a minde to it I could hunt you out of my house you must doe what I will and the needy Worme must say I am your poore servant doe but spare my life and if he squeeze out the sweat of his browes so that it smarteth which his ſ Lord or Superiour Master consumeth or spendeth then he groweth impatient with his Master and curseth him and seeketh out wayes of lying and deceit and by what way he might make his heavy burthen lighter 33. And then if he finde his Master so unjust he riseth up against him and taketh away his t Or false unrighteous Bread which he thinketh to eate under a soft yoake and u Or plagueth worrieth him to the uttermost and leaveth him no time to escape but sticketh full of impatience under that heavy burthen he grumbleth and ●●aundereth and seeketh all evill devices to ease his yoake that he might eate his bread in quietnesse and yet it will not be the Driver Hunter cruell Tyrant his ●aster is behinde him and taketh away his bread and feedeth him with sorrow under his yoake 34. And then he studieth cunning and deceit and casteth about to finde which way he may by shifts and tricks fill his belly and live he curseth his Master secretly and though he steale away closely by some slight the bread of another needy Man yet that must be right with him and his Master doth not regard it so he eate not of his cost and so that he continue to be his dogge under his yoake Thus the Master Lord or Superiour is unrighteous and x Evill or false wicked and maketh also that his servant is unrighteous and x Evill or false wicked whereas otherwise if he might eate his bread under an easie yoake he would not be so cursed and cunning in Theevery 35. But what will the Spirit of this Kingdome say Art thou not shining in Bravery Hast thou not taken possession of all Hast thou not the Earth in possession freely as God gave it thee Doest thou not right Doest thou not punish the wicked and lookest to it where the enemy breaketh it Doest thou not defend thy Countrey Are thou not a light to the blinde and appointest Teachers for them which y Or Exhort drive them to patience The Kingdome is thine indeed thou hast purchased it the poore is thy servant indeed that in thy opinion cannot faile but be right 36. But the Divine Answer in the Light of Nature saith to mee Behold out of what art thou growen Have I planted thee art thou not growen in my wilde Garden When Adam went into the wilde Garden there he z Grifted or inoculated planted thee how art thou growen so great who hath given thee vertue or sappe thou wilde Tree My Love never stirred thee up all thy branches are wilde and thy fruit is wilde Doest thou think that my soule lusteth after thy food I will not eate of thy fruit I am strong and the Kingdome is mine he that cometh under my a Or fatnesse wings I will shelter him no storme can touch him moreover the Countrey is mine I have left it to you to be used in unanimous Love and have set you out of one and the same roote that you should be alike and love one another and prevent one another in chast Love 37. Thou wilde Beast how comest thou so great and strong Hast thou not trampled in my Garden of Roses and there made thee a Goutch Where are thy Brothers and Sisters Haw cometh it to passe that they lie at thy feete and that they are so leane and thou onely art strong and lusty Hast thou not devoured my Branches and brought forth young Wolves which devoure thy b Kine Calves Sheep Lambs c. Cattle also and thou art a Beast with thy young ones should I suffer thee in my Garden of Roses Where is the Noble fruit which I did sowe Have you not turned them all into wilde branches And where now shall I seeke for the fruit and profit of my Garden of Roses And my soule would faine eate of the Good fruit but thou hast trampled all underfoote an●●ade it a denne of Murther 38. Besides I heare a great howling and lamentation that all thy servants cry woe over thee because thou plaguest them and moreover thou hast shed my Noble seede and not sowen it but thou hast sowen thy wilde seede for the promoting of thy great devouring and pomp behold I have spewed thee out towards Babell in the Presse of my fierce wrath and there I will presse thee and I will plant my Lilly-Branch in my Garden of Roses which bringeth mee forth fruit after which my soule lusteth of which my sick Adam shall eate that he may be strong and may goe into Paradise Of the Thrusting Adam and Eve out of the Paradise of the Garden in Eden 39. And when God had thus provided Adam and Eve a Beastiall Garment to cover their shame and to defend them against the cold then he let them out of the Garden and set the Cherubine with a naked c Or warning flaming sword two edged sword before it to keep the way to the Tree of Life and he Man must now till the Ground But the understanding of us poore children of Adam and Eve is d Darkened chilled shut up or frozen so hard sunk so much that at our last old age wee scarce reach the understanding of any thing concerning the lamentable Fall of Adam and Eve Seeing wee must seeke very deep for it in the Centre of the Light of Life for it is very wonderfull which Moses saith God s●t the Cherubine
therefore he is so maliciously enraged and his source or quality standeth in the anguish not towards the Birth but towards the k Or Torment of fire source of fire Of the Kingdome of Christ in this world 39. Seeing now Man is entered into the Spirit of this world and hath all Gates in him viz. the Kingdome of Heaven and the Kingdome of Hell and also the Kingdome of this world and must thus live in the presse or narrow chink between heaven and this world where the Devill stirreth up one Mocker after another who are brought up by the Kingdome of fiercenesse and continually stirreth them up against the Children of God so that the world is full of Tyrants and Beastiall bloudy incestuous persons also murtherers and theeves and because covetousnesse grew up therefore the Office of Ruling was most profitable that the wicked l Hunter persecutour or oppressour Driver might be stopped by power and authority 40. And so it is seene how the Providence of God is come to the help of the Kingdome of this world and hath by the Spirit of this world stirred up Rulers who have inflicted punishment yet the Spirit of God complaineth of them that they are turned Tyrants who suppresse all with their power and the Abellish Church in love consist not therein but the strong might of God for the suppressing of evill Doers 41. It is true indeed the Judges and Kings as also Princes and Rulers or Magistrates are the Officers of God in the house of this foure Elementary world whom God because of sinne hath set to punish secretly that thereby the wicked drivers and oppressours might be stopped 42. And their state condition Jurisdiction or authoritie is founded in the Originality of the Essence of all Essences where God in the beginning created the Thrones according to his Eternall Wisdome where then both in Heaven and also in Hell there are m Or Throne-Princes Thrones and Principalities and also a Region or Dominion according to the seven Spirits of the Eternall Nature of which here much ought not to be said for the World holdeth it impossible to know such things whereas yet a Spirit borne in God n Or hath knowledge of searcheth into the Kingdome of He●ven 43. But a true Judge who judgeth according to righteousnesse he is Gods Steward Viceroy or Vicegerent in the Kingdome of this world and that it might not be needfull that God should alwayes powre forth his wrath upon the people and Nations therefore he hath put the sword into their hands to protect and defend the righteous and to punish the Evill and if any doe so in earnest uprightnesse in the feare of God and nothing partially for o Or for by-respects favour then he is Great in the Kingdome of Heaven for he beareth the sword for righteousnesse and he shineth as the Sunne and Moone exceeding the Starres 44. But if he turne tyrant and doth nothing but devour the bread of his subjects and onely adorneth his state and dignity in pride to the oppression of the needy and hunteth after nothing but covetousnesse accounting the needy to be but his dogges and placeth his Office onely in voluptuousnesse and will not heare the oppressed then he is an insulting tormenting Prince and Ruler in the Kingdome of Antichrist and is of the number of the Tyrants and he rideth upon Antichrists Horse 45. And wee are to consider how the true Christian Church is environed with the Cainish Antichristian Church and how they live in one onely Kingdome in this world As the first Principle incloseth all and yet can comprehend or hold nothing but the Kingdome of Heaven is from Eternity brought forth out of the Anger as a faire sweet smelling flower out of the Earth so also the holy Church standeth in the Antichristian where they both together goe to pray before God and one is accepted by God and the other is accepted by the Spirit of this world each Image goeth into its own Region or Kingdome 46. There is nothing more secret in this world than the Kingdome of Christ and also nothing more manifest than the kingdome of Christ And it is often so that he who supposeth he hath it and liveth therein hath it not but hath the Kingdome of Antichrist and he is an hypocrite and scorner and hath the Serpents p Or Image figure and his heart also is but the heart of a greedy Wolfe and he standeth not in the Angelicall p Or Image Figure 47. On the contrary many a one is in great anguish and longeth after q The kingdome of Christ it and generateth very painfully he would faine have q The kingdome of Christ it but then the Devill rusheth upon him and after stirreth up irksomnesse vexation and discontent and also overwhelmeth him with great sinnes so that he knoweth not himselfe and then dejecteth him with impatience and doubting and his heart standeth continually in anguish it would faine get out of Evill and endeavoureth continually for abstinence or r Forgivenesse comfort or rest forbearance many times with groanes sighing and longing But then the Devill holdeth his sinnes before him and barreth up the doore of the Grace of God that he might despaire 48. Yet he soweth the Pearle in his afflicting anguish and the Devill covereth it in him that he may not know it neither doth he know himselfe he soweth into the Kingdome of God and knoweth not his own seede but the seede of Sinne and of the Hunter And so he consenteth not to the sins which he committeth but the Devill with his ſ Sect. followers or associates over-powre him so that the Adamicall Man in the Anger doth that which the new-borne Man in the holy Element willeth not now though he doth it yet the new Man in the Image doth it not but the old Man in the t Or in the striving soure Elements Anger And therefore there is in him a continuall strife and he runneth continually to repentance where yet the hidden Man in the t Or in the striving soure Elements Anger cannot reach the Lilly but the hidden Man doth it 49. Therefore he standeth often in doubt and impatience and in such a Man there is great strife he knoweth not himselfe he seeth and knoweth nothing else but his wickednesse and yet is borne in God for his Spirit continually breaketh the gate of the Darknesse but then the Anger in him doth hold him back that he cannot enter in but yet sometimes he reacheth a Glimpse from whence the soule is cheared and the Pearle is sowen in a very dark valley 50. And then when he considereth the sweet fore tast of the Pearle which he had then the soule would faine goe through and it seeketh the Pearle but then cometh the Black Spirit and covereth it from him and then the storme and strife about the Pearle beginneth each would have its right the soule would have it and then the
figure of all u His or Mans works its works and x Or substance things or businesse matters which he hath wrought at any time 44. But in the New Man which wee attract on to our soules in the bosom of the virgin wee shall spring and flourish againe and therein is no necessity nor Death for the Kingdome of this world passeth away Therefore he that hath not this Image in the new Birth shall in the Restoration of the Spirit of the Eternall Nature have the Image of what his heart and Confidence hath been set upon here put upon him for every Kingdome Imageth or figureth its Creatures according to the Essences which were groyne here in their will 45. And that you may rightly and properly understand us wee meane or understand here no strange Christ who is not our Brother as himselfe said at his resurrection Goe to my Brethren and your Brethren and tyll them I goe to my God and to your God As indeed the body which wee here carry about us is not the Image of God which God created for the Kingdome of this world put its Image upon us when Adam consented to yeeld to it and wee if wee be regenerated are not at home in this world with our New Man as Christ said to his Disciples I have called you out of this world that you should be where I am and Saint Paul saith Our Conversation as to the New Man is in Heaven Thus wee understand also that our Immanuel who is the most holy of all with his true Image of God wherein also our true Image of God doth consist is not of this world but as the Old Mortall Man from the Kingdome of this world hangeth to us so our Mortall Man also hung to the Image of God in Christ which he drew from his Mother Mary as the pure Element draweth the Kingdome of this world to it 46. But now wee must not think that the holy Man in Christ dyed for that dyeth not but the mortall Man from the Kingdome of this world is that which dyeth that was it which cryed on the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and wee see very cleerly the great Might and power of the holy Man in Christ when the mortall which was taken from this world went into Death how the holy Allmighty Man wrestled with Death in so much that the Elements did shake with it and the Sunne which is the Light of the Nature of this world lost its splendor as if it were then to perish and then the living Champion in Christ fought with the Anger and stood in the Hell of the Anger of God and loosed the soule which he commended into his Fathers hands quite off from the Anger of God also from the source or Torment of Hell and that was it which David said Thou wilt not leave my soule in Hell nor permit thy holy one to y Rot consume or corrupt perish 47. The Deity was in the humane soule and here it brake the sword of the Cherubine so that as Adam had brought his soule into the Prison of Anger and so afterwards all soules from Adam are generated such and are all of them as in one Roote imprisoned in the Anger of Death till Christ so the Noble Champion Christ here destroyed Death in the humane soule and brought the soule through Death into his eternall New Humanity and put it into an Eternall z Contract Espousall or Marriage Covenant 48. And as Adam had opened the Gate of the Anger so hath the Deity of Christ opened the Gate of the Eternall Life so that all men can presse in to God in this opened Gate For the third Principle is broken here and Judgement passed upon the Prince of Darknesse which so long held us prisoners in Death 49. But since Man is so slow of apprehension it may be wee shall not sufficiently be understood aod therefore wee will once more set it downe briefly and accurately how these great Mysteries are for wee know what Adversary wee have viz. the Prince of this world he will not sleepe but try what he can to suppresse this Noble Graine of Mustard-seede 50. Behold thou Noble Minde thou who desirest the Kingdome of God to thee wee speake and not to the Antichrist in Babell who desireth nothing else but the Kingdome of this world take notice of it the time of sleepe is past the Bridegroom cometh for the Bride saith Come be in earnest gaze not at the hand that used this Pen it is another Pen that hath written this which neither thou nor I doe know for the Minde if it be faithfull apprehendeth the Deity and doe not so slight thy selfe if thou art borne in God then thou art greater and more than all this world 51. Observe it the Angel said to Mary Thou shalt conceive and beare a Sonne and shalt call his Name Jesus he shall be great and be called a sonne of the most High and God the Lord shall give him the Throne of his Father David and he shall be a King over the house of Jacob Eternally and of his Kingdome there shall be no end 52. You must understand Mary was to conceive in the body viz. in her own body not in a strange assumed body as the unenlightened who apprehend not the Kingdome of God might interpret our Writings to meane Besides it is not the ground neither which the Ancients and those heretofore have set downe which yet went very high as if Mary from Eternity had been hidden in Ternaris sancto the holy Ternary or Trinity and that shee entered at that time onely into Anna as into a Case or house and were not of the seede of Joachim and bloud of Anna. They say shee was an Eternall virgin out of the Trinity of whom Christ was borne because he came not out of the flesh and bloud of any Man and as himselfe witnesseth that he was not of this world bur was come from Heaven he saith That he came forth from God and must returne againe to God and to Nicodemus he said None goeth into Heaven but the Son of Man which is come from Heaven and who is in Heaven 53. And there he spake cleerly of the Son of Man of his humanity and not of his Deity meerly for he saith plainly The Sonne to Man But God from Eternity was not the sonne of Man and therefore no sonne of Man can proceed from the Trinity therefore wee must look upon it aright If Mary had proceeded out of the Trinity where should our poore captivated soules have been If Christ had brought a strange soule from Heaven how should wee have been delivered Had it been possible to redeem Man without it what needed God to come into our forme and be crucified If it could have been so then God should instantly have seperated or freed Adam from Death when he fell or doest thou suppose that God is so maliciously zealous as to be so
Fall he did illustrate or manifest himselfe by the holy Eternall Virgin of his Wisdome in the Eternall Wonders in x Barmhertzigkeit mercy which alwayes floweth out of his heart and did comprehend with his speculation or manifestation the Throne and did further illustrate himselfe in the Throne into many millions without number and established his Covenant with his Oath therein with his precious Promise of the Womans Seed 19. Thus my very precious minde apprehend it aright This same Throne was made in Time when as the Time of his Covenant was revealed an Angelicall Principality in the mercy of God in the holy Pure Element in the Sacred Ternary that is in the holy Earth wherein the Deity is substantially knowne so that the whole Mercy of God which is unmeasurable and every where in the Sacred Ternary which is likewise so great in the holy Element that comprizeth Heaven and this world became a Man that is a substantiall Similitude of the Spirit of the Trinity in which likenesse the Trinity dwelleth with compleat-fulnesse and in this great Angelicall Throne and Principality stood in the beginning and from Eternity the Aspect in the infinite multiplicity proceeding from all the Essences in the Limbus of the Father and became truely illustrate or manifest in the Time of the Promise 20. Thus now even unto this very day all things are yet in the Fiat or creating and the Creation hath no end untill the judgement of God where that which hath growne on the holy Tree shall be separated from the unholy Thistles and Thornes and wee men are these innumerable aspects or idea's in the Fiat of the great Princely Throne and we who are holy shall be created in the body of this Prince in God but we that degenerate or perish shall be cast out as naughty y Fruit. apples unto the swine of the Devill 21. Thus we were foreseen or elected in Christ Jesus before the foundations of the world were laid that we should be his Angels and Servants in his high Princely Throne in the body of his Element in which his Spirit viz. the holy Trinity will dwell 22. This I would clearly demonstrate unto thee z Or upon it as by an Example in the Kingdome of this world yea in all things thou shalt not be able to name any thing out of which I will not demonstrate it unto thee if God gave us leave but seeing it will here take up too much roome I will write a booke by it selfe of it if the Lord permit 23. Therefore my beloved soule be lively and see what thy noble Bridegroom hath left thee in his Testaments for a Legacy as namely in the Baptisme the water of his Covenant flowing from his holy Originall body whereas we in this world viz. in the externe birth of his body do acknowledge foure things namely fire aire water and earth wherein our earthly body consisteth So likewise in the heavenly body there are foure such things The fire is the enkindling of the divine desire The water is that which the fire desireth whence it becomes meeke and a light The aire is the joyfull spirit which bloweth up the fire and maketh in the water the motion And the earth is the true Essence which is borne in the Three Elements and is rightly called Ternarius Sanctus the Sacred Ternary in which the Tincture is brought forth in the light of the meeknesse and therein also is borne the holy bloud out of the water being an oyle of the water in which the light shineth and the spirit of life consisteth 24. Understand it thus that water is the water of the Eternall Life in the a Or seede Limbus of God in the Holy Ternary and that is the water which baptizeth the soule when wee keepe the b Or Celebration use of his Testament for the soule in his Covenant is dipped and washed in that water and it is rightly the Bath or Laver of Regeneration for by its dipping in the Holy Water it is received and quickned by the holy Water and cometh in the Covenant of Christ into the soule of Christ indeed not fully into his soule but into his body and becometh the Brother of the soule of Christ for Christs soule is a Creature as our soules are and is in the body of the Mercifulnesse in the Trinity being surrounded therewith and hath the same in it for food and strength or refreshment So also our soules in the Covenant if they be faithfull and continue in God they are the brethren of Christs soule 25. For Christ hath taken this Pledge viz. our soule from us Men in Mary at which wee rejoyce in Eternity that the soule of Christ is our Brother and the Body of Christ our Body in the Mew Man And should I not rejoyce that my soule is in the body of Christ and that the soule of Christ is my brother and that the Holy Trinity is the foode and vertue or strength of my soule Who can judge mee lay hold of mee and c Spoyle or hurt mee destroy mee when I am in my true Man in God When as I am Immortall in my new Man wherefore should I be much afraid in the Earthly Man which belongeth to the Earth Let every thing take its own and then my soule will be d Or rid of the Driver freed from the e Or from corruption Driver 26. Or what shall I say Must I not in this Body which I here in the Earthlinesse carry about mee through the New Man reveale the Wonders of God that so his Wonders might be manifested I speake not onely concerning my selfe but concerning all Men good and bad every one must manifest the Great Wonders wherein he standeth in f Gods his Kingdome whether it be in Love or Anger after the breaking or dissolution of this world it must all stand in the Figure For at present this world standeth in the Creating and in the t Or seed time Sowing and is like a field which beareth fruit 27. Thus wee every one of us labour and finish our dayes-worke every one in his own field and in the Harvest every one shall stand h Or be in his employment by his Labour and enjoy his fruit which he hath sowen therefore my hand shall not be weary of l Diving or searching digging this wee speake seriously according to its high worth in the Wonders of God knowne in the Counsell of the k The wisdome of God Noble Virgin Of the l Celebration or Participation use of the highly Precious Testaments of Christ the Sonne of God 28 Christ began the use of the Baptisme by John who was his forerunner and John was borne into this world before Christ which hath its signification therefore open thy eyes As the water is in the Originality and a cause and beginning of the life and then in the water by the Tincture the m Or beginning of the
also turne againe and the poore soule must enter into Christ againe through the earthly Death and spring up againe like this Murtherer Theefe or Malefactour on the Crosse who desired the Kingdome of Christ 35. And thus you may well beleeve that all whatsoever happened in the Fall of Adam whereby Adam is fallen the same was the second Adam faine to beare upon his shoulders for b Adam he was fallen into the Anger of God and now if that must be allayed and reconciled then the second Adam must set himselfe therein and yeeld his outward body with an Essences therein and he must goe through Death into Hell into the Anger of the Father and reconcile it with his Love and so himselfe must undergoe that hard condition wherein wee must have been in Eternity 36. And now when this earnest businesse was taken in hand that the S●●io●● of the World hung on the Crosse as a curse and wrestled with Earth and Hell he said I thirst O that Great Thirst the fierce wrathfull Kingdome was weary as also the Kingdome of this world they desired strength and the Kingdome of Heaven thirsted after our soules it was a Thirst of all the Three Principles 37. And when he saw John with his Mother under the Crosse he said Behold that is thy Mother and to her he said Behold that is thy Sonne and instantly that Disciple tooke her to him His Mother signifieth his Eternall new Humanity which he had c Assumed received in his Mother viz. in the holy Ternary which wee should take to us and refresh our selves with his Mother and therefore he shewed her to John of which very much might be written but this shall be expounded in another place 38. And this is as cleere as the Sunne that as the poore soule in us hangeth between two Kingdomes which both keepe it altogether imprisoned so must Christ hang between two Malefactours take this into great consideration and weigh it well it is a most serious matter and wee see the whole terrible earnest severity that when the soule of Christ brake off from the Earthly Body when it passed into the Anger of the Father viz. into Hell then the Earth trembled and the stony Rocks cleft in sunder also the Sunne lost its Light and this wee see cleerly and understand it from the mouth of Christ 39. When he now had undergone all the reproach and sufferings he said on the Crosse It is finished while he yet lived in the Earthly Body he said it was finished understand all that should have remained upon us Eternally and should have sprung up in us with all the ignominie in which wee stood before Hell and the Kingdome of Heaven he had all that laid upon him concerning which Esaiah saith Surely he bare our infirmities and tooke upon him our transgressions yet wee held him as one smitten of God tormented and afflicted but he tooke upon him our diseases and all our miseries were laid upon him and through his wounds wee are healed wee all went astray like sheepe every one hath looked upon his own way and yet wee could not help our selves but wee went as miserable halfe slaine sheepe and wee must let the Devill in the Anger of God doe with us what he will for wee beare on us a monstrous Garment and stand in great ignominie before Heaven and Hell 40. Even as God d Or scorned reproached Adam in the Garden of Eden when he had put the outward Garment upon him saying Behold Adam is become as one of us All this reproach and scorne must the Man Christ take upon him also all torment and misery into which Adam was fallen this Champion in the Battle must beare upon him before his heavenly Father and there was the Lambe of God and he hung upon the Crosse as a Patient Lamb in our stead for wee should have been afflicted Eternally in our Crosse-Birth and therefore there hung in great Patience as an Obedient Lamb for the slaughter the Prince of the Eternall Life and set himselfe before his Father as if he himself were e Or Guilty the Transgressour The Gate of the Great f Or hidden Mystery Secret 41. Heare my beloved Reader if thou art borne of God open the eyes of thy Spirit wide that the King of Glory may enter into thee and open thy understanding consider every syllable for they are of great moment they are not g Or Dumb. mute neither are they from a blinde Centre brought forth into the Light Behold here hung on the Crosse God and Man there was the Holy Trinity there were all the Three Principles and the Champion stood in the Battle 42. Now which was the Champion in the Battle Behold when Christ had finished he said Father I commend my Spirit into thy hands and he inclined his head and departed Behold his Father is the Kingdome Power and Glory and in him is All and All is his the Love is his Heart and the Anger is his Eternall Strength the love is his Light and the Anger is the Eternall Darknesse and maketh another Principle wherein the Devils are 43. Now it was the Love that became Man and had put on our humane soule and the soule that was enlightened from the Love and stood with its Roote in the Anger as in the strong Might of the Father and now the New Man in the Love commended the soule to the Father into his Might and h Quitted or left yeelded up the Earthly Life which proceeded from the Constellations and Elements viz. Kingdome of this world and so the soule now stood no more in the Kingdome of this world in the i Or active propertie source of Life but it stood in Death for the Kingdome of this world the blower up of Life the Aire was gone 44. And now there was nothing more on the soule but onely that which it selfe is in its own Eternall Roote in the Father And here wee should have remained in the Anger in the dark Hell but the bright Father in his Glory tooke the soule to him into the Trinity Now the soule was cloathed with the Love in the Word which made the Angry Father in the innermost source of the soule pleasant and reconcilable and so in this Moment in the Essences of the soule the lost Paradise sprung up againe whereupon the Earth trembled viz. the Out-Birth our of the Element and the Sunne the King of the Life of the Third Principle lost its Light for there rose up another Sunne in Death understand in the Anger of the Father the Love was shining like a bright Morning Starre 45. k Note out of what the Sun is proceeded And thus the Body of Christ on the soule was the pure Element before God out of which the Sunne of this world is generated and the same Body included the whole world and then the Nature of this world trembled and the Stony Rocks cleft in sunder for the
to be beleeved and Christ saith By their works thou shalt know them for a good Tree bringeth forth good fruit and an evill tree bringeth forth evill fruit also he teacheth us plainly that we should not gainsay the Prophesie that is of God but should learne to try them by their fruits 15. Wee speake not of perfect Works done by the body which is captivated in the Spirit of this World but wee speake of their Doctrines that wee must trie them whether they be generated of God For if that Spirit teacheth blasphemies slanders and persecutions then it is not from God but it proceedeth from the covetousnesse and haughtinesse of the Devill For Christ teacheth us meeknesse and to walk in brotherly Love wherewith wee may overcome the enemy and take away the Might of the Devill and destroy his Kingdome 16. But when any fall to fireing killing with the sword to undoe people ruine Townes and Countreys there is no Christ but the Anger of the Father and it is the Devill that bloweth the n Or the Cole fire For the Kingdome of Christ is not found in such a way but in Power as the Examples of the Apostles of Christ declare who taught no revenge but they suffered persecution and prayed to God who gave then signes and great Wonders so that people flocked to them and so the Church of Christ grew mightily so that it overshadowed the Earth Now who is the Destroyer of this Church Open thy eyes wide and behold it is Day-light and it must come to the Light for God would have it so for the sake of the Lilly It is the Pride of the Learned 17. When the Holy Ghost spake in the Saints with power and Miracles and converted people powerfully then they flocked to them they honoured them greatly they respected them and submitted to them as if they had been Gods Now this was well done to the Saints for the honour was given to God and so humility and love grew among them and there was all loving Reverence as becometh the children of God and as it ought to be 18. But when the Saints comprised their Doctrine in Writings that therby in their absence it might be understood what they taught then the World fell upon it and every one desired to be such a Teacher and thought the Art skill and knowledge stuck in the Letter thither they came running old and new who for the most part onely stuck in the Old Man and had no knowledge of God and so taught according to their own conceits from the written words and expounded them according to their own meanings 19. And when they saw that great respect and honour was given to the Teachers they fell to ambition pride and greedinesse of money for the simple people brought them presents or gifts and they thought that the Holy Ghost dwelt in the Teachers whereas the Devill of Pride lodged in them and it came to that passe that every one called himselfe after his Masters name whose Doctrine he prized most one would be of Paul another of Apollo another of Peter and so forth And because the Saints used not the same kinde of words and expressions in their Teaching and Writings though they spake from one and the same Spirit therefore the Naturall Man which being without the Spirit of God knoweth nothing of God began all manner of strife and Disputations and to make Sects and Schismes and they set themselves up for Teachers among all sorts of People not for Gods sake but for temporall honour riches and pleasure sake that they might live brave lives For it was no very hard labour and worke to hang to the bare Letter and such strife and contention arose amongst them that they became the most bitter enemies and haters one of another and none of them were borne of God but their Parents held them close to the Scripture that they might come to be Teachers that so they might be honoured in and for their children and that their children o Might have good maintenance or great Livings for their Beastiall Man might live bravely 20. And so it fell out that every one would get the greatest conflux of people be could that he might be esteemed by most people and these Lip Christians did so multiply that the sincere hearty desire to God was lest and they onely looked upon the Lip Priests who did nothing but cause strife and contentions and they all vapoured and boasted of their own Art and skill which they had learned in the Schooles and Universities and cryed loe here is Christ come running hither thus and thus hath Paul written and another saith come hither here is Christ thus and thus hath Peter written he was the Disciple of Christ and had the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven this cannot be amisse they doe but deceive you follow after mee 21. Thus the poore ignorant people looked upon the p Such as Apishly Teach the words of Holy Men without the understanding they had Mouth-Apes those greedy covetous Men which were no other than q Mock Priests Monsters of Priests or Priests in a Play vizard-Priests and so lost their deare Immanuel for Christ in them from whence the Holy Ghost goeth forth which driveth and leadeth Men and who at first had begotten them with power and Miracles must now be nothing but a History and they became but History-Christians yet so long as the Apostles and their true Disciples lived they stopped and reproved such things and shewed them the right way but where r The Apostles and their Disciples they were not there the History Priests mis-led them as may be cleerly seene in the Ephesians 22 And so the Kingdome of Christ grew not in Power onely but for the most part in the History the Saints borne in Christ they confirme that many times with great Wonders or Miracles and the History-Priests of Baal they alwayes built upon those Miracles of the Saints same that which was good for the promoting vertue and good manners many brought forth thistles and thornes that they might make strife and warres many sought onely great honour dignity and glory that it should be conferred upon the Church of Christ and her Ministers as it may be seene in Popery out of what Roote it is growne And it came so farre that they mingled the Jewish Ceremonies in their Doings as if the Justification of a poore sinner did lye in them because they were of Divine appointment for which cause the Apostles held the First Councell at Jerusalem where the Holy Ghost concluded that they should onely cleave to Christ in true Love one to another and that was the onely Justification before God 23. But it availed not Pride would erect its Throne and set it above Christ the Devill would be God and they made Å¿ Faire suttle pretences and Expositions of Scripture Glosses that they might bring it to passe in such a way that the simple people might not take
Reader of the The Three Principles Second Booke of our Writings a little more fundamentally that he may not hang so to the bare letter and make a Historicall matter of our Writings but that he may observe the minde and spirit what that Sprit meaneth when it speaketh of the Divine Life and useth not alwayes the same words and names 2. For if wee look into the Creation of God wee finde very wonderfull things which yet in the beginning proceeded out of one onely Fountaine for wee finde evill and good life and death joy and sorrow love and hate weeping and laughing and wee finde that it all sprung out of one onely substance for that may very well be seene in all Creatures especially in Man who is the similitude of God as Moses writeth and the Light of Nature convinceth us Therefore wee ought to consider of the Threefold Life in Man which is found so also in the Gate of God the Father 3. If wee consider of the alteration how the minde is changed as it is how suddenly joy is turned into sorrow and sorrow into joy then wee ought well to consider from whence that taketh its Originall For wee finde it all to be in one and the same minde and if one forme property or quality riseth and getteth above the other there then presently Or a substance or reality something followeth so that the minde collecteth all its thoughts together and sendeth them to the Members of the Body and so the hands the feete the mouth and all goe to worke and doe something according to the desire of the minde and then wee say that forme or property that driveth the work is predominant qualifying and working above other formes wherein yet all other formes of Nature lye yet hidden and are subject to that one forme And yet the minde is such a wonderfull Essence or substance thing that suddenly out of one forme that is now predominant and working more than all other it bringeth forth and raiseth up another and quencheth the forme that was kindled before so that it becometh as it were a nothing as may be seene in joy and sorrow 4. Now therefore when wee consider whence all taketh its Originall wee finde especially three formes in the minde wee speak not heere of the Spirit of this world onely for wee finde that our minde hath also a desire or longing after another minde and that it is anxious for that which the eyes of the body see not and which the mouth tasteth not and the feeling of the earthly body doth not perceive neither doth the earthly eare heare it nor the nose smell it which yet the Noble Minde can see taste feele perceive and heare if the forme of the Divine Kingdome in that minde be predominant or qualifieth more than the other two there then instantly the other two are as it were halfe dead and overcome and the Divine forme riseth up alone and then it is in God 5. And wee see also how instantly the Minde raiseth up another forme and maketh it predominant viz. the Spirit of this world in covetousnesse pride in the oppressing of the needy and lifting up it selfe onely and so drawing all to it whereupon then instantly also the third forme breaketh forth out of the Eternal Indissoluble Band as falshood envy anger and malice so that the Image of God is as it were dead and overcome where then the minde in this manner Or standeth is in the Anger of God in Death in the Jawes of Hell over which Hell in the Anger of God insulteth for hereby its Jawes are set wide open and it becometh predominant but when the Divine forme breaketh forth againe then the Kingdome of Hell is overcome and as it were dead and the Kingdome of Heaven cometh to be predominant and working againe 6. Therefore St Paul saith To whom you yeeld your selves as servants in obedience his servants you are whether of sinne unto Death or of the obedience of God to righteousnesse and that source or property wee have and in that Kingdome wee live and that Kingdome with the property thereof driveth us seeing then heere in this life all is in the sowing and in the growing therefore the harvest also shall one day follow where then the one Kingdome shall be seperated from the other 7. For there are in the minde of Man Three Principles all which Three in the Time of this foure Elementary Life he may open but when the body is broken then he liveth in one Principle onely and then he hath lost the Key and can open no other Principle more he must continue Eternally in that source or quality which he hath kindled heere For wee know that Adam with his going out of Paradise into this world brought us into Death And Hell in the Anger of God groweth from Death and so our soule is capable of going into the Kingdome of Hell and standeth in the Anger of God where the Jawes of Hell then stand wide open against us continually to devoure us and we have made a Covenant with Death and wholly yeelded our selves up to it in the sting of the Anger in the first Principle 8. Wee not onely know this but wee know also that God hath regenerated us in the life of his Sonne Jesus Christ to a living Creature to live in him And as he is entered into Death and againe through Death into Eternall Life so must wee enter into the Death of Christ and in the life of Jesus Christ goe forth out of Death and live in God his Father and then our life and also our flesh is no more earthly but holy in the power of God and wee live rightly in Ternario Sancto in the Holy Trinity of the Deity For then wee beare the holy flesh which is out of the holy Element in the presence of God which our loving Brother and Saviour or Immanuel hath brought into our flesh and he hath brought us in and with himselfe out of Death into God his Father and then the Holy Trinity of the Deity is substantially or really working in us 9. And as the Eternall Word in the Father is become true Man and hath the Eternall Light shining in him and hath humbled and abased himselfe in the Humanity and hath put upon the Image which wee heere beare in this Life the Image which is out of the pure unspotted Element in the presence of God which wee last in Adam which standeth in the Mercy of God as is cleerly mentioned in our second Booke with all the Circumstances of it so must wee also put on to us that Image which is out of the pure Element out of the body of Jesus Christ and live in that bodily substance and in that source condition and vertue wherein he liveth 10. Wee doe not heere meane his Creature that wee must enter into that but wee understand his source for the depth and breadth of his life in his source is unmeasurable and as God his
somewhat is lent mee from the grace of the power or Divine vertue of God that I might know the way to Paradise and seeing it behooveth every one to work the works of God in which he standeth of which God will require an account from every one what he hath done in the labour of his dayes work in this world and will require the work which he gave every one to doe with encrease and will not have them empty or else he will have that unprofitable servant to be bound hand and foot and cast into Darknesse where he must be faine to worke yet in the anguish and in the forgetting of the Day-labour which was given him to doe here or of the Talent which he had received here wherein he was found an unprofitable servant 9. Therefore I will not neglect my Day labour but will labour as much as I can on the way and although I shall scarce be able to m Much lesse to spell or reade tell the Letters in this so high a way yet it * My labour shall be so high that many will have enough to learne in it all their life long he that supposeth that he knoweth it very well he hath not yet learnt the first letter of Paradise for no Doctors are to be found on this way in this Schoole but onely n Children going to schoole schollers or learners 10. Therefore let not my Master of Art in his o Or Crowned Hat Hood and Tippet thinke himselfe so cunning in this matter nor powre out his meckings so presumptuously against the children of God for so long as he is a se●rner or mocker he knoweth nothing of this he ought not to thinke his cap doth become him so finely nor ought he to boast of his humane calling as if he did sit in his calling by p By holy Orders Divine institution or Divine Right the Ordinance of God whereas he is not set or confirmed therein from God but by the favour of man He ought not so much to prohibit and forbid the way to Paradise which himselfe doth not know He must one day give a heavy account of his q Or institution Ordination by the favour of man because he boasteth of a Divine calling and yet the Spirit of God is far from him therefore he is a lyar and belyeth the Deity 11. Therefore let every one take care what he doth I say againe that whosoever he be that intrudeth himselfe to be a Pastour or r Or Minister Shepherd without the Divine Calling without the knowledge of God he is a theefe and a murtherer he entreth not through the doore into Paradise but he creepeth in with the dogges and the wolves into the den of theeves and he doth it but for his bellies sake and his own honour and esteeme he is no Pastour or Shepheard but he dependeth on the great Whore upon Antichrist and yet he supposeth that he is a Pastour or Shepherd but he is not knowne in Paradise 12. Christ teacheth us and warneth us faithfully of the Times that were to come wherein they shall say Loe here is Christ or Loe there he is he is in the wildernesse he is in the chamber goe not forth beleeve it not for as the lightening breaketh forth in the East and shineth to the West so will the coming of the Son of man be 13. Therefore O childe of Man see whether it be not so where the false Pastours or Shepherds without the Divine calling alwayes wrangle strive contend and dispute and every one of them saith ſ Or come and resort to me Follow me here is Christ there is Christ and they one judge and condemne another and give one another over to the Devill they abandon unity and forsake the love wherein the Spirit of God is t Acteth or worketh generated and cause bitternesse and lead astray the simple plaine people to think that Christ is such a wrangling Shepherd Pastour Priest or Minister and doth so grapple with his u The adverse party Opponents in raising warre and murther as they doe and that the Spirit of God must needs be in such doings which are accounted zeale for God and that this must be the way to Paradise 14. Christ said Love one another thereby shall men know that yee are my Disciples if any smite thee on one cheeke turne to him the other cheeke also if you be persecuted for my Names sake then rejoyce for your reward is great in the Kingdome of Heaven But now there is nothing taught but meere ignominy reproach and revilings they that are dead for many hundred yeares agoe and are in the Judgement of God and some also may be in Paradise these must be judged and condemned and cursed by the wrangling Shepherds or contentious Priests Doth the Holy Ghost speake by them as they cry out and say he doth whereas they are still full of gall and bitternesse and nothing but covetousnesse and vengeance is kindled in them and they are far from the way of Paradise 15. Therefore thou childe of Man take heed let not your eares be tickled When you heare the false Shepherds or Pastours judge and condemne the children of Christ that is not the voice of Christ but of Antichrist the way to Paradise hath cleane another entrance your heart must with all your power and strength be directed to God or Goodnesse and as God desireth that all men should be saved so his will is that we should help to beare one anothers burthen and beare with one another and friendly soberly and modestly meet one another with entreaties in the Holy Ghost and seek with earnestnesse the salvation and welfare of our neighbour in humility and wish heartily that he might be freed from vanity and enter with us into the x Into the sweet smelling pleasant peacefulnesse Garden of Roses 16. The knowledge that is in the infinite God is various and manifold but every one should rejoyce in the gifts and knowledge of another and consider that God will give such superabundant knowledge in the Paradisicall world of which wee have here in the variety and difference of Gifts but a Type Therefore we must not wrangle nor contend about Gifts and knowledge for the Spirit giveth to every one according to his Essence in the wonderfull God to expresse that Gift he hath after his own forme or manner for that forme in the perfection of love in Paradise will be a very inward hearty sport of love where every one shall speake from his knowledge of the great wonders of the y The holy Paradisicall bringing forth holy Birth 17. O what z Bitter envie sharp thornes the Devill hath brought into the sport of love that we practise such proud contention in the noble knowledge in so much that men binde up the Holy Ghost with Lawes What are Lawes in the Kingdome of Christ who hath made us free that we should walke in him in
the Holy Ghost To what purpose are they invented but for the pleasure of Antichrist who thereby doth strut in might and pomp and is God on Earth O flie from him thou childe of Man the time is come for us to awake from the sleepe of Antichrist Christ cometh with the faire Lilly out of Paradise in the valley of Jehosaphat it is time for them to trim their Lamps that will goe to the Marriage of the Lamb The Gate or the Exposition 18. Paradise consisteth in the power and vertue of God it is not corporeall nor a Palpable comprehensible but its corporeity or comprehensibility is like the Angels which yet is a bright cleere visible substance as if it were materiall but it is figured meerly from the vertue or power where all is transparent and shining where also the centre of the Birth is in all things and therefore the birth is without measure or end 19. I give you a similitude in the minde of man from which the thoughts are generated which have neither number nor end for every thought hath a centre to generate againe other thoughts and thus is the Paradise from eternity to eternity But being the light of God is eternall and shineth without wavering or hinderance therefore also in the birth there is an unchangeable substance wherein all things spring up in meere perfection in great love 20. For the spirit of knowledge intimateth this that there are fruits and things that grow in Paradise as well as in this world in such a forme or figure but not in such a source or property and palpability For the matter or body of it is power and it groweth in the heavenly b Soyle or earth Limbus its roote standeth in the Matrix wherein there is neither earth nor stone for it is in another Principle The fire in that Principle is God the Father and the light is God the Sonne and the Aire is God the Holy Ghost and the vertue or power out of which all springeth is Heaven and Paradise 21. As we see that here out of the earth there spring plants hearbs and fruits which receive their vertue from the Sunne and from the Constellation so the Heaven or the heavenly Limbus is in stead of the earth and the light of God in stead of the Sunne and the eternall Father in stead of the vertue of the Starres the depth of this substance is without beginning and end its breadth cannot be c Fathomed reached there is neither yeares nor time no cold nor heate no moving of the Aire no Sunne nor Starres no water nor fire no fight of evill spirits no knowledge nor apprehension of the affliction of this world no stony rock nor earth and yet a figured substance of all the creatures of this world For all the creatures of this world have appeared to this end that they might be an eternall figured similitude not that they continue in this spirit in their substance no not so All the creatures returne into their d Receptacle Ether and the spirit corrupteth or fadeth but the figure and the shadow continue eternally 22. As also all words both the evill and the good which were here spoken by a humane tongue they continue standing in the shadow and figured similitude and the Good reach Paradise in the Holy Ghost and the false evill and wicked ones reach the abysse of Hell and therefore it is that Christ said Man must give an account of every idle or unprofitable word and when the harvest cometh then all shall be seperated for the Scripture saith also That every ones works shall follow them and all shall be tried by the fire of Nature and all false or evill workes words and deeds shall remaine in the fire of Nature which shall be the Hell at which when the Devils heare it they tremble and quake 23. All shall remaine in the shadow and every thing in its own source or property therefore it will be an eternall shame to the wicked that they shall see in the eternity all their works and words as a menstruous cloath which shall stick full of the wrath of God and shall burne according to their essence and according to their here kindled source or property 24. For this world is like a field wherein good seed is sowne into which the enemy casteth weeds or Tares and goeth his way which grow together untill the time of the harvest when all the fruit shall be gathered and brought into the Barne of which Christ also faith That the Tares or weeds shall be tyed up in bundles and cast into the fire and the wheate shall be brought into the barne The Holy Gate 25 REason which is gone forth with Adam out of Paradise asketh Where is Paradise to be had or found Is it farre off or neere Or when the soules goe into Paradise whither do they goe Is it in this world or without the place of this world above the starres Where is it that God dwelleth with the Angels And where is that desirable Native Countrey where there is no death Being there is no Sunne nor Starres in it therefore it cannot be in this world or else it would have been found long agoe 26 Beloved Reason One cannot lend the Key to another to unlock this withall and if any have a key he cannot open it to another As Antichrist boasteth that he hath the keys of Heaven and Hell It is true he may have the keys of both in this life time but he cannot open with them for any body else every one must unlock it with his own key or else he cannot enter therein for the Holy Ghost is the key when he hath that key then he may goe both in and out 27. There is nothing that is neerer you than Heaven Paradise and Hell unto which of them you are inclined and to which of them you tend or walke to that in this life time you are most neere you are between both and there is a birth between each of them you stand in this world between both the Gates and you have both the births in you God beckneth to you in the one Gate and calleth you and the Devill beckneth you in the other Gate and calleth you with whom you goe with him you enter in The Devill hath in his hand power honour pleasure and worldly joy and the roote of these is death and hell fire On the contrary God hath in his hand crosses persecution misery poverty ignominy and sorrow and the roote of these is a fire also and in the fire there is a light and in the light the vertue and in the vertue or power the Paradise and in the Paradise are the Angels and among the Angels joy The e Or dimme fleshly eyes grosse eyes cannot behold it because they are from the third Principle and see onely by the splendour of the Sunne but when the Holy Ghost cometh into the soule then he regenerateth it anew in