and Pastours of Jesus Christ they runne and yet are not sent much lesse doth God owne them and what they doe they doe for their honour and Belleys sake and they would not runne neither if they did not obtaine it in their Course of spirituall whoredome and hypocrisie 18. They have turned the right and exceeding precious Mystery of God to a Mystery of their Whoredome and pleasure and therefore the spirit calleth it Babel a Confusion where men doe practice an hypocriticall Service and worship of God acknowledging him with the tongue but denying him in the power where men doe dissemble and flatter God with the lipps but in the heart they embrace and love the Dragon in the Revelation 19. Such as these we must not be if we would obtaine the Divine Mystery and be capable of the light but wholly approve our way to God and resigne our selves up to him that Gods light may shine in us that he may be our intelligence knowing willing and also doing we must become his Children if we will speake of his Being and walke or labour in the same for he commits not his work unto a Stranger who hath not learnt his Worke or the Mystery of his Wonders in Nature and Grace 20. I have read over your Bookes and therein have found your great diligence with very much labour in that you have gathered together the Texts of the holy Scripture in great abundance I understand likewise that you are in good earnest about it and that you would faine clearely prove and set forth thereby the darke termes and places of the Scripture concerning the last Times also concerning the first Resurrection of the dead and also concerning the thousand yeares Sabbath likewise you would manifest and set forth the ruine of Babel and the new building in Zyon of which the Scripture speaketh in many places 21 First what concerneth Babel how it hath growne up and how it shall againe be destroyed is sufficiently manifest the Destroyer is already on foot and is now about the worke he hath long since made a beginning however the World will not see or take any notice of it 22. Men cry Mordio murder confusion and destruction to there adversaries and yet there is no strange Enemy but it is the Turba onely which hath growne up in the middest of Babel in her wickednesses and unrighteousnesses that hath found the limit and destroyeth onely that which for a long time hath been naught uselesse and selvish the which should at all times have beene rejected for where God should have been honoured and loved and our neighbour also as a man loveth himselfe there men have set up in Gods stead the abominable and bestiall coveteousnesse deceit falsehood and wicked craft under an hypocriticall shew and pretence of holinesse and have minded and loved falshood in the place of God and so have made of the Mystery an abominable vicious Babel full of reproachings revilings and contentions where they have with sweet speeches and enticing words of mans wisedome with feigned glosses and expositions of Scripture blindfolding our eyes and binding our consciences have led us captive in a very deceitfull way to the glory and Magnificence of the great Whore so that she hath fatted her adulterous Brat and domineered over our body and soule goods and estate 23. This Bastard is now at odds with himselfe about the great prey and spoyle and doth it selfe discover its owne wickednesse and great shame so that we may see what good ever was in her for the great wickednesse which shee hath committed doth plague her and no strange thing whereby it may be seene that her whoredome hath been manifold and that the Devill had beset and caught us in manifold Nets and that one whoredome or Mystery of hipocricy and iniquity runnes in opposition to another and are malicious biting devouring destroying and slaying each other in an hostile manner 24. For the great Paine is come upon her and shee shall now bring forth the great iniquity wherewith shee in become fully pregnant and therefore shee cryeth out because of her travell and woe which is fallen upon her and shee speaketh of the child which shee shall bring forth Viz. of Murther Covetousnesse and Tyranny she uncovereth her faire feature and sheweth what shee is in the heart now he that will not know her there is no remedy for him 25. The Revelation saith Goe out from her my people that you may not be partakers of her Plagues for shee hath filled her Cup full with the abominations of her Whoredome in the anger of God the same Shee shall drinke off and bee forced to burst Her selfe thereby 26. And this is that which I say of Babel that shee is a Whore and shall suddenly breake in pieces and be destroyed and no stranger shall doe it the spirit of her owne mouth doth strangle her her owne Turba destroyeth her Shee cryeth for vengeance and murder upon Heresie and yet shee doth it not for Gods sake but for her Adulterous Bratt and Belley-God For otherwise if it were for God shee would enter into his Command and will of Love where Christ saith Love one another for thereby men shall know that you are my Disciples 27. The Kingdome of God doth not consist in Warre and revilings or in an externall shew in delicious dayes herein the Children of God are not to be found but in Love in patience in hope in faith under the Crosse of Jesus Christ thereby groweth the Church of God unto the Sacred Ternary to an heavenly Paradiâ—icall Essence and the new Angelicall man hidden in the old springeth forth in God and this is my certaine knowledge briefly comprized concerning this Article in my Writings you may see further of it 28. Secondly concerning Zyon I speake and declare according to my knowledge even as the spirit sheweth it to me that there shall surely come an ending and removall of the Deceit or Mystery of iniquity wherewith men are blinded and Zyon shall be found onely of the Children of Faith not in generall as if there should be no wicked man 29. For the Oppressour shall be a cause that Zyon is borne when men shall see how Babel is an Whore then many Children shall be found in Zyon and seeke the Lord but the Oppressour shall dog them and cry them downe for Hereticks also persecute and put to death and where one is killed there shall ten yea an hundred rise up in his roome 30. But the Generall Zyon appeareth first in greatest Misery when Babel commeth to ruine then it shall stand desolate and miserable and the Children of Zyon shall then say How hath the Lord forsaken us Come we beseech you let us seek his face let us cease from strife and Warre Have we not alas made our Country desolate Is not all store and Provision wasted and spent Are we not Brethren Wherefore doe wee fight We will now enter into Love and
Unity and seeke the Lord and no more fight and destroy our selves we will be content are we not here altogether Pilgrims and Strangers and seek our native Countrey 31. In this time a Zyon verily shall be found and the Heaven shall drop downe its dew and the Earth yeeld her fatnesse yet not so as if wickednesse should be wholly done away for it shall continue unto the end of which Christ saith Thinkest thou that when the Sonne of man shall come that there will be Faith upon the Earth And though the Children of Zyon shall have a fiery deliverance that they shall remaine Maugre the will of the Devill insomuch that God will worke great things as at the time of the Apostles yet it endureth not unto the end for as it was in the dayes of Noah when he entred into the Arke so shall the comming of the Son of man be as it is written 32. But that the holy Ghost shall be in the hearts of the faithfull in Zyon I acknowledge I know it for Zyon shall not be from without but in the new man it is already borne hee that would seeke it let him but seeke himselfe and depart from the old Adam into a new life and hee shall finde whether Jesus bee borne in him 33. If he findes it not let him enter into himselfe and seriously consider himselfe and so he shall finde Babel and her workings in him these he must destroy and enter into Gods Covenant and then Zion will be revealed in him and he shall be born with Christ in Bethleem Jehuda in the darke Stable not in Jerusalem as reason faine would have it that Christ should be born in the old Asse the old Asse must become servant and serve the new man in Zion 34. But that in Foure hundred yeares there shall be a meer golden Age I know nothing of it it is not revealed to mee also the limit of the Worlds End is not revealed to me I cannot speake of any four hundred Yeares for the Lord hath not commanded me to teach it I commend it to Gods might and leave it for those to whome God would vouchsafe the knowledg of it seeing therefore I have not as yet apprehended it I rest satisfyed in his gifts yet I despise no man if he had a knowledge and command so to teach 35. For the fourth Book of Esdras is not sufficient as I understand to give a positive assurance to it yet I wait for my Saviour Jesus Christ and rejoyce that I may finde my Lord when I have him then I hope after the death of my old Adam fully to recreate my selfe in the Still rest of Zion and to wait in my God expecting what he will doe with me in his and my Zion for if I have but him then I am in and with him in the Eternall Sabbath where no strife or contention of the ungodly can any more reach me in my New man at this I doe in the meane time rejoyce in this miserable Vale of Tabernacles 36. The first resurrection of the dead to the thousand yeares Sabbath of which there is mention in the Revelation is not sufficiently made knowne to me how the same may be meant seeing the Scripture doth not mention it elsewhere and Christ also and his Apostles give not an hint of it in other places save only John in his Revelation but whether they shall be a thousand Solar yeares or how it may be referred seeing I have not full assurance I leave it to my God and to those to whom God shall vouchsafe the right understanding of it till God is pleased to open my eyes concerning these Mysteries 37. For they be Secrets and it belongeth not to man to make conclusions about them without the command and light of God but if any had knowledge and illumination of the same from God I should be ready and willing to learne If I could see the ground thereof in the light of nature 38. But seeing it behooveth me not to hide my knowledge of it so farre as I apprehend it in the light of Nature I will therefore set downe some Suppositions or considerable Opinions which are in my minde not positively to affirme but give it to consideration for good and wholesome instructions may be drawne forth thereby and t is also profitable for man so to search I will doe it in all syncere uprightnesse to see if we might attaine somewhat neerer the matter and perhaps there may be some to whom God shall bestow such a gift stirred up thereby to write more clearely 39. As first whether or no it be certaine that the World must continue Seven thousand yeares and one thousand of them should be a meere Sabbath Seeing that God created all in six dayes and began the rest on the sixt day towards evening whence the Jewes begin their Sabbath on Friday evening and Elias also saith that the World should stand but Six thousand yeares and Christ likewise declareth that the dayes of tribulation shall be shortned for the Elects sake else no man should be saved which you apply to the fall of Babel and to the time of Zyon but it seemes as if Christ spâ—ke of the fall of the Jewes and the end of the World and foresheweth an evill End 40. Also Christ saith that it shall be at the time of his comming to judgement as it was in the dayes of Noah where men did Marry and were given in Marriage now we know very well as the Scripture testifieth what manner of wicked World was in the days of Noah that the Deluge must come and destroy them This would intimate and denote a very meane Sabbath 41. And though a man should otherwise expound the words of Christ concerning his comming yet that would not be sufficient to prove it being also that the Disciples of Christ doe alwayes represent the End to be nigh and Paul saith That the end should come after that Antichrist is revealed 42. But that the Resurrection of the dead and the last Judgement should be understood of both namely that the righteous shall arise to the thousand yeares Sabbath and among them some ungodly and that Gog and Magog at the End of the thousand yeares should fight against the Saints it seemes to run quite contrary to the light of Nature 43. For first I cannot apprehend how the first Resurrection must come to passe seeing the Saints shall have their workes follow them according to the words of the spirit besides wee know very well that all our workes are sowne into the great Mystery that they are first brought forth into the foure Elements and so passe into the Mystery and are reserved to the judgement of God where all things shall be tryed by fire and that which is false shall consume in the fire and the figures shall fall unto the Centre of Nature Viz. the darke Eternity 44. But if mens workes shall follow them in the first
81. And though I have not obteined many dayes of pleasure thereby yet I must not therefore resist his will I have written onely according to the forme as it was given to me not according to other Masters or Writings 82. And besides my intent was onely for my selfe albeit the spirit shewed me how it should fall out yet my heart willed nothing but committed the same to him to doe therewith what he pleased 83. I have not run with it not being called and made my selfe knowne to any for I can say also with truth that my acquaintance knew least of it but what I have shewne unto any the same was done upon his entreaty and importunate desire 84. And then further I give you to understand seeing that you have my writings in hand to read that you would not looke upon them as comming from a great Master for Art is not to be seene or found therein but great earnestnesse of a zealous minde which thirsteth after God in which thirst it hath received great things as the illuminate mind shall well â—ee and without light no man shall rightly know and apprehend them as the Reader shall surely finde 85. And yet it could not be written more clearely and ready for the understanding although I conceive that the same is cleare and plaine enough in such a depth but yet if there were any thing that should seeme too obscure and difficult I might represent it in a more simple and plaine manner if it were mentioned to me 86. There are yet other Bookes besides this written concerning the wisedome of God of a very deep sence and understanding treating of the great depths of the wonders of God which at present I have not at hand 87. But that I give you not a large answer of my judgement upon your Booke concerning the thousand yeares Sabbath and the foure hundred yeares in Zyon which you suppose to prove with many places of holy Scripture is because I doe not fundamentally and certainely know whether those Texts may be applyed to such a meaning 88. For there be many sayings of Scripture which seeme to intimate onely one Generall Resurrection of the dead and they are cleare especially in the words of Christ in the soure Evangelists which I hold for the most certaine 89. In like manner the Cause stands with Zyon that wickednesse shall continue to the end and though a Zyon shall be yet it will not be wholly Universall Babel shall go to ruin and get another forme yet they shall not all be Children of God that are called Children in Zyon 90. Also I have no knowledge of the thousand yeares Sabbath I know not sufficiently to ground it with Scripture for we finde one place seeming to crosse another men may interpret the Scripture as they are disposed but seeing I have no command from God of it I let it alone and leave every one to answer for his owne opinion This I tell you syncerely out of good affection and am however your faithfull Friend in the love of Christ 91. In your forty second and forty third Page where you write of the Mystery of the Soules departed or separated you bring the opinion of Theophrastus and others into question and suspition as if they had not written aright of the Mystery it were better thaâ— had been left out seeing you have not understood their Opinion â—s you say and just so it seemes you shall finde in my Booke of the Forty Questions about the thirtieth Question concerning the last Judgement and also in other Questions sufficient and large information if the same be read and rightly understood 92. There is no need of any further searching it is there cleare enough what the Mystery is that comprizeth body and soule and also what condition the separated soules are in both with their expectation of the last Judgement and also in the meane time in respect of their habitation source life and difference I had thought that it was so deeply and highly grounded that the minde of man should be satisfied enough therewith and if you neither have nor cannot set forth any thing more fundamentall then it remaines of right in its owne place the thousand yeares Sabbath and the foure hundred years in Zyâ—â— will but finde fault with all and bring it into suspition and though many objections might be made yet they would be of no service or esteeme 93. Moreover the manifestation of the thousand yeares Sabbath is not of much importance or concernement to the World seeing we have not sufficient ground of the same it should of right rest in the Divine Omnipotence for we have enough in the Sabbath of the new birth for that soule that obtaines this Sabbath of Regeneration will after the death of the earthly body have Sabbath enough in Paradise we may very well leave and commend the other unto the Divine Omnipotence and waite on God what he will doe with us when we shall be in him and he in us 94. For I suppose there should be a better Sabbath in God then in this World and if man should dwell upon the earth in Paradise then must God restore that which in his curse entred into the Mystery as is to be seen in the forty Questions 95. But that you suppose that the righteous shall not be brought with their workes before the judgement is contrary to the words of Christ who saith That all things shall bee proved through the Fire 96. I say not that they shall come into the judgement for the judgement is in the wicked understand the judgement of Anger of which the Scripture saith the righteous or as Christ saith He that beleeveth on me commeth not unto judgement hee understands hereby the source or paine of the judgement his words doe hold forth that they shall all come together before the judgement and every one heare his sentence The ungodly depart hence and the righteous come hither c. 97. Also every one shall stand forth with his owne workes in the Mystery and themselves be judged according to their workes now you know very well that our workes in this World have beene wrought in good and evill and shall be proved and separated in the fire of God how shall they then being unseparated follow the Saints in the Resurrection to the Sabbath and they hold Sabbath therein But if they shall follow them then they must be tryed and separated in the Fre and then they shall have no more any need to come before the judgement but if they should keep a Sabbath without their workes then they are not perfect 98. If we would speake of Paradise and apprehend the same then we must have cleare eyes to see into it for the internall Paradificall World and the externall World doe hang one within another we have onely turned our selves out of the internall into the externall and so we worke in two Worlds 99. Death cannot separate our workes the
light and effectuall working power of God in our Life-Tree Jesus Christ together with all bodily welfare 2. Upon the desire of your selfe and Mr. N. I have considered those sayings of scripture which Mr. N. set downe in his Letter which you delivered to me wherein I was exhorted to expound the same in Christian love according to my gifts and understanding but especially the ninth and eleventh Chapter of the Epistle of Paul to the Romans at which Reason stumbleth which I have not onely done willingly and readily in Christian obligation and good affection with expounding those alleadged Texts but I have also set downe and described the true GROVND of the Divine Manifestation in such a manner that I hope men will see the truth 3. But if there be a minde divinely bent and addicted that can give the honour unto God I hope it will be understood and taken according to my meaning and apprehension and not otherwise interpreted as was done formerly which I passe over and rather prefer christian love as we are bound in Christ to instruct one another friendly in our severall gifts and therein give God the honour and despise none in his Divine gifts for he that doth so he blasphemeth the holy spirit and against such a one the Scripture pronounceth an hard sentence 4. Now although this Treatise be somewhat large yet let not the Reader account it tedious and irksome for I thought it of little importance for me to goe about to prove and cleare such a writing without sufficient ground and therefore I have set the alleadged places of Scripture upon the inner most ground and shewne how they Originally arise out of their centre and what their sence and understanding is 5. For it is not enough that I should gather together a great heap of scripture places for to oppose and contradict the alleadged no no this avariseth nothing before God and the truth for the least tittle or letter of this Law shall not passe away till all be fulfilled saith Christ the sayings of the scripture must remaine true and not clash one against another and though they seem to be contrary and gainsay one another yet it is onely to those to whom the understanding of them is not given and are not gifted or made capable to explain and interpret them 6. But he that will undertake clearely to interpret them aright he must have the understanding of the Accordance that he may know how to reconcile those places which unto reason seem contradictory and not transfer or place them upon a conjecture or opinion whether it be so or no if he will teach fundamentally and assuredly thereof for from opinion and conjecture ariseth onely strife and controversy upon which great Babylon is erected Viz. the spirituall pride and Whoredome where one will be an Apostle and yet is not sent or acknowledged of God but he runneth in opinion and in the driving or instigation of the Cosmick Spirit 7. And albeit many runne in the Drawing of the Father yet if the true light of the eternall life in the word of the Divine essence being an expressing or spiration of the holy and also of the naturall word in its severation whence the creation is arisen and whence good and evill have their Originall doth not appeare unto and illuminate him he will be far from being able to unite the supposed contraries of the Scripture-sayings and to speake from ONE centre so that not the least tittle be diminished in the Accordance or reconcilement of them 8. The which I set downe not to displease N. or any other but onely by reason of the long continued opposite disagreement of reason in which the World runneth astray and truth lyeth Vailed wherby men in this article about the will of God doe so judge and run on in reason and its reasonings without ground but where Christ is borne in man there strife ceaseth and God the Father speaketh his Word in Christ through the soule of man to such conclusions and reasonings there must be an inward divine light which affordeth certainty else there is no grounding upon the reason 9. You may get this Treatise of Mr Michael of Ender who hath now received it which containeth in my owne hand Writing about 42 sheets and if you are pleased to communicate the same to N as your good friend and Kinsman I am content provided that you tell him that he would not understand it so as if I had written anything therein passionately against him or any other for such passions or affections lye not so near in my soule without Vrgent and great cause albeit I am not without failings and declinings yet my Saviour Christ in me hath shewne me such grace that all invectives and opposite objections against me by one word which proceeds out of Divine love towards nâ—e where I perceive a divine earnestnesse doe fall away and are rejected as a weed which I would not williâ—gly plant in my Garden for from thence groweth nothing but a naughty weed again 10. Further it is againe desired of N out of christian love that seeing upon his desire I have expounded his alleadged places of Scripture according to my small gifts which are knowne unto God he would be pleased if this my exposition did dislike him and were not in his opinion sufficiently grounded and fundamentall to doe me so much favour as to expound the alleadged texts especially the 9. and 10. Ch. of the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans and even those very Scriptures which I have explained together with the whole ground of the Divine will to good and evill how its originall is in man or out of man and unâ—old and declare them in a sensall manner 11. And then I desire that he would declare and expound unto me the inspired word of grace in the seed of the Woman in Paradise and then the two lines Viz. Of the Kingdome of the Corrupt humane nature and of the Kingdome of grace in the in-spoken voice of grace 12. Or if my exposition in respect of Abraham Ishmael Isaac and also of Jacob and Esav did not like him that he out of christian love would shew his gifts and expound the ground of them that I might finde his gifts and understanding in those places and then if I can see that God hath gifted him with a larger measure of understanding in these high Mysteries then me I will accept it with great gladnesse and will love him in his gifts and give thankes unto our God therein and I will rejoyce with him as a member in our gifts in the spirit of Christ all which would conduce more to the profit and benefit of our brethren and christian fellow-members and would be more Godly commendable and praise-worthy then a raw contradiction out off affections for mans willfull selfe sake 13. But I pray unto my God in Christ that he would be pleased to open his heart that his soule
reality commeth from his Revelation and Operation 6. For albeit the World prateth and talketh much of God yet it doth it onely from Custome and receiveth its knowledge from the Hystory of the literall word by the habituall faculties of its naturall reason and yet it is void of true knowledge For none knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the son will reveal him 7. And therefore we have no true knowledge of God unlesse it be given us of the son who liveth in us if we be living branches on the vine 8. For Christ said whosoever is of God he heareth Gods word and to the Reason-learned who were onely skillfull and taught in the letter he said therefore you doe not heare because you are not of God also you are not my sheep you are ravening wolves and hirelings 9. Therefore I say that if we will speake aright of God and understand his will then his words must abide in us in a quicke and living working for Christ said without me you can doe nothing also none can call God Lord without the holy spirit in him for his calling Lord must be borne of God and flow from the holy Ghost 10. Nothing is pleasing to God and also nothing is accepted of God but that which he himselfe doth and worketh in and through the spirit of man therefore saith Christ all the plants which my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out and burnt with fire 11. Therefore my beloved brother you doe well to hold and keep your selfe to the Originall of life and desire power and strength from it you shall be well quickned refreshed and strengthened you are an acceptable guest to God and the members of Christ in this your purpose 12. And if you persevere stedfastly and resist the devill the World and the Earthly flesh and bloâ—d and prepare your selfe to fight like a true Noble Champion for Conquest against all these and overcome in you the Potent and open Enemy selfe-love and come aright into our Generall LOVE then you shall certainly know and sinde by experience that the noble and exceeding worthy Trophee or Crowne of Christs conquest which he obtained in the overthrow of death and Hell shall be set upon you with the Heavenly Kingdome of joy 13. And then all the Children of Christ together with the holy Angels shall exceedingly rejoyce more with you then for 99 righteous ones who have allready obtained it 14. And the fair and noble Sophia shall be given for a spouse unto your soule which now at present standeth at the doore of your soule and doth earnestly entreat and call you with her voâ—ce and knocketh bidding you to come forth and hold out aright in Battle against sin death Devill and hell and with your earnestnesse or fixed resolution to set the greaâ— Petards against the strong Fort of nature and shee will helpe you to blow up and demolish this strong Fort. 15. And then you shall see great wonders and at the hour of Conquest the joyfull nuptialls or marriage of the Lambe shall be celebrated in Heaven in you and then the Shepheards staffe shall be given by Christ into the hand of your soule 16. But be sure remember to keep truly and faithfully unto the end what you have promised unto this chast Sophia it must be in right earnest and not to looke back again into Sodom as Lots Wife who was turned into a pillar of Salt 17. But you must goe out of Sodom with Lot according to Gods command and enter into the footsteps of Christ not at all regarding the scoffings reproaches and opprobrious speeches of the World but love the Brand of Christ more then the friendship honour and goods of the whole World and then you may walke along with us upon the Pilgrims path of Christ 18. But if you doe not relish this but minde and desire rather the pleasure and honour of the World then you are not as yet ready and prepared for the Marriage and to come to your Spouse our loving and deare Sophia 19. Therefore consider well your selfe behold and examine well your whole heart if you finde a longing desire and drawing thereunto as I in part perceive and take notice of then doe not delay or put it off an houre but goe forward and enter with a right earnestnesse or fixed minde into repentance and yeeld up your will wholly and fully to enter instantly thereinto and never to goe out from it againe albeit you should therefore forsake body LIFE Honour and Goods 20. And if you doe thus then you are rightly prepared and the true Pioneer will come unto your soule and doe that in you which you cannot doe without him 21. And although afterwards vaine inclinations and great strife and opposition in the flesh might stick and cleave unto you and your reason call you a Foole yea though Gods anger should cover and cloud you in soule and body yet all this will not hurt you you shall spring forth under such thornes with a new minde and walke with the spirit in Heaven 22. And albeit the earthly body must be conversant with the creatures yet it shall be with it as with a rough stone in which fine Gold groweth 23. Be not at all offended at my tribulation and persecution neither be afraid for it is the marck of Christ Looke but back into the Scripture and see how it went with the children of God how were they continually persecuted and killed by those who should have taught the wayes of God 24. For I am entrusted with a precious Pearle which God doth so cover that the unworthy see it not but are blind therein and are offended at the simplicity of the person that so they may remaine blind to themselves in the wisedome of their owne Reason this they see and yet doe not understand it seeing they scorne and despise the simplicity of Christ 25. But the time is very nigh at hand when they shall give an earnest account for it 26. But that God hath given you to understand what it is and from whence it commeth be thankfull to him for it it is befallen you out of grace for you have humbled your selfe before him and there may yet greater grace happen unto you if you persevere stedfast in humility and earnest Prayer 27. I will willingly impart unto you my Love as a member of Christ with praying and cooperating for it is meer joy in my heart so to doe albeit I must therefore suffer bodily trouble and calamity yet I rejoyce to see what God the Lord hath done by me poore Man hitherto 28. Satan cannot hinder the wayes of God and though it seemes as if he hindered them by his murtherous cryes yet they are thereby the more divulged and made knowne so that the Children of God doe enquire after the true ground 29. But the wicked crew is thereby hardned and hindred but others are thereby called and this you
snarl us in despaire and so to open a gate of all lewdnesse and wantonnesse 4. And therefore he liketh not the tast of the open fountaine of Christ in my writings whereupon I have made short a declaration upon his annexed pamphlet and have given it onely in breife to the consideration of him that reads my Book seeing the ground is else where sufficiently and satisfactorily to be found in my writings that men may see how this Carping Pamphletter thinketh to beguil and bereave us of the cheifest treasure on which our Eternall Salvation and happinesse dependeth and that with Cunning words by alleadging and quoting of the Scripture as a Toad that sucketh poyson out of honey even so he Perverteth the Scripture as is to be seen in his description of the Virgine Mary and the promised seed of the Woman how he therein falsifiyeth and imbittereth the Scripture whereupon he buildeth the Election 5. At the which I am much grieved in my heart that the man is so burthened and possessed with such an opinion which burthen is very heavy and he cannot get rid of it unlesse he learne to understand the Centre of all Beings whence good and evill arise what Gods love and anger is and learne to understand the Three Principles else he will not be freed from such Opinions 6. Albeit I wonder not that my Writings seeme strange unto him for there is somewhat New that surpasseth the reach of reason they have another sense another understanding then his another root whence they spring for I have not gathered them together from the Letter neither learned I them from other mens Writings I was an ignorant childe in that respect as Lay men usually are I knew nothing of such things I sought it not also in such a way I sought onely the heart and open well-spring of Jesus Christ to hide my selfe from the Tempest of Gods anger and from the opposition of the Devill that so I might get a guid and leader that might rule and direct me in my life 7. But when this did presse so hard upon me and my minde forced so strongly into the Combate against sinne and death and towards the mercy of God that I was resolved rather to part with my life then to give in or desist such a Garland was then set upon me which I hope to enjoy and rejoyce in it for ever and I have no Pen sufficient to describe it much lesse can I expresse it with my mouth and from thence my knowledge came and also the desire to set it down onely for my owne memoriall and I was intended to keepe it by me till the last of my dayes and how it came to passe that it was published you know Sir very well by Mr. N. But Gods providence and permission herein was such that you and your Brother were called as Firstlings unto it by whose meanes it was propagated 8. Therefore I exhort and entreat you for the eternall salvation sake to heed and minde well the Pearle that God favoureth us with for there will come a time that it shall be sought after and greatly accepted of let no stormy gusts drive you to and fro but looke upon it aright and pray God the most High that he would be pleased to open the doore of knowledge without which no man will understand my Writings for they surpasse and transcend the Astrall Reason they apprehend and comprehend the Divine birth therefore there must also be the very like spirit to understand them aright no speculation or acute apprehension or notion of reason reacheth them unlesse the minde be illuminated from God to the finding of which the way is faithfully shewn unto the seeking Reader 9. I speake in good truth and syncerity before God and Man and appeale also therewith before the judgement of God and declare that there is no good at all in any Disputing without Gods light and spirit also nothing that is permanent constant undoubtedly grounded or well-pleasing to God may arise from thence 10. Therefore he that will learne to understand the right and true way to God fundamentally let him depart and forsake his owne Reason and enter into a penitent humble and to God resigned childlike or filiall life and so he shall obtaine heavenly power and skill and shall put on Christs filiall spirit that shall lead him into all truth else there is no true way to God but this onely 11. If it come so farre that the Virgins Garland be set upon him he shall not need say any more Teach me c. For it is written They shall all be taught of God otherwise I have no knowledge skill or understanding I have been in my Writings as a young scholar that goeth to schoole or as a shower that passeth by what it lighteth upon it hits thus hath my apprehension beene even to this day 12. The Booke Aurora was my first childish beginning I wrote also contrary to Reasons conceit onely according to the appearance of light in a magicall cabalisticall or parabolicall manner I understood it very well but it was not sufficiently explained it needed a more large description and exposition for I intended to have kept it by me but it was taken from me against my will and Published as you Sir know and I commend me into your favor and us all into the meeke love of Jesus Christ Dated the third of July Anno Dom. 1621. THE SEVENTEENTH EPISTLE Worthy and much respected Noble Sir 1. THE hearty salutation and desire of Divine love and fulnesse of joy in Our IMMANVEL in his wondrous sweet power with all bodily and temporall welfare premised I give you friendly to understand that I have entirely considered of the conference lately held and being I perceive you to be a zealous lover of the truth and Divine Mysteries I would not omit to visit you with this Epistle seeing opportunity hath beene given me to answer somewhat upon the Article of a Person who opposed me in the Article of Gods Free-grace of Election and I have sent this my Answer for you to read over 2. But so far forth as the minde cannot rest satisfyed with this little I am ready and willing if it be desired to write such a Book and to enlarge and unfold it so out of the Centre that the heart might rest satisfyed thereupon albeit I should suppose that Christian might finde so much in this little that he might be satisfyed in reference to this and other Articles 3. But seing neverthelesse that this Article hath perplexed many men and thereupon such opinions are stated and concluded which doe set open a gate for all iniquity unto the World I am therefore greived at it being it is given me to know from the most high that this article hath not as yet been understood from the very ground and I wish from my heart that it might be understood that we might not looke so strangely one upon another as Men Devills
exceeding distressed and afflicted Christendome he hath noted her in his wounds peirced with nailes his light shall shine from the East to the West for a Testimony unto all People 38. From the South there ariseth a Lilly towards the North he that getteth it for a propriety or for his owne shall sing the song of Gods mercy and at that time the Word of the Lord flourisheth as grasse upon the Earth and the Nations sing the Song of Babel in one Tune for the beginning hath found the end 39. Thinke upon my darke sayings for at this time I might not be more plaine seeing men have onely sought after Pride and coveteousnesse and despised the mirror of Anger and have not repented but have wrought iniquity with iniquity untill iniquity devoures it selfe and the wrath of God is well satiated 40. Humane Reason shall here hinder little with its Consultations but blow up the fire and give further occasion 41. God was good before distresse but seeing men forsake God thereupon followeth scorne and misery 42. Let every one have a care of himselfe but he that doth not seek and preserve himselfe shall be sought and preserved And so I commit you into the Love of Jesus Christ THE TWENTIETH EPISTLE Our Salvation in the life of Jesus Christ in US 1. NOBLE Sir c. All Cordiall wishes of Divine light in effectuall Divine working power in the fountaine of Love Jesus Christ and all temporall prosperity premised I thought good to visit you with an Epistle and to put you in minde out of a Christian faithfull intent and affection of the Conference between H. N. and D. S. about the Divine purpose and will concerning Man 2 And D. S. was not sufficiently answered at that time upon his question being I was not exercised in their Scholastick way in reference to this Article in the contemplation of the internall ground through the outward ground and also because such meetings by reason of the Drink to which I am unaccustomed do darken and cloud the subtile and pure understanding 3. Also by reason of their Latine tongue or Scholastique expressions I was hindered to comprehend the same in his ground in so much that he began to tryumph with his received Opinion yet without sufficient understanding of the alleadged sayings of Scripture and also without sufficient ground of Logicall conclusions in Reason in which verily he is excellently well exercised in their Scholastique way 4. With which discourse afterward I turned my selfe in Divine grace to the internall ground of Divine Vision to prove the same and prayed unto the Lord that he would open the understanding of the whole ground thereof unto me that I might know the same in its proper and peculiar Species 5. Whereupon it appeared so unto me that I by a Divine introduction into the wonderfull workes of God have sufficient cause and ground therein whereby also it came upon me with great desire to set downe this Ground of the Divine will and eternall purposes in Predestination and to bring it into a Booke the which afterwards being it was desired of Mr. B. T. and others I tooke occasion to doe 6. Not to the intent to despise any body in his Opinion or to undertake to prejudice him with any unchristian disgrace or girding taunts but out of a faithfull reall Christian affection and brotherly imparting of my Talent lent me of God 7. Which worke is so deeply and profoundly grounded that not onely the ground of this Question concerning Gods will may be understood but likewise the hidden God may be knowne in his manifestation in all visible things with a very cleare explanation how the ground of the Grand Mystery which is the eternall expressed word of God wherein the wisedome hath wrought from Eternity and wherein all things have beene seene in a Magicall manner or Idea without any creaturall being is to be understood 8. And also how the same Grand Mystery hath brought it selfe through the expression or outspeaking of the divine Science through the Word of God in the place of this World into a severation and comprehensibility to the Creation and how the originall of good and evill in the Severation of the Divine Science in the Grand Mystery in the Eternall Principles to the Divine manifestation and working is to be understood 9. In which the hidden God may not onely be understood in his Being and will but likewise the whole ground of his manifestation through his expressed Word out of the eternall Powers of the Grand Mystery being the Essence of Eternity and how the same is come into a visible comprehensible creaturall externall Being and what likewise the ground of all Mysteries is And how the same is sufficiently made knowne and manifest 10. Also therein is a large expositive ground of the Cosmick Spirit wherein the Creation of this World liveth and withall a very cleare ground of the internall spirituall Angelicall and soulish life also of the rise fall and restitution of man and also of the Typifications of the Scripture in the Old and New Testament concerning the Kingdome of Nature and the Kingdome of Grace what Gods righteousnesse and his Election or purpose is how the same is to be understood 11. Also a cleare demonstration of the Line in the Kingdome of Nature from Adam upon his Children and of the Kingdome of the manifestation of grace in the inspired Grace voyce of the incorporized Divine Science in the Word of Love in the wombe of Grace 12. And then a cleare explanation of the places of Scripture especially of The 9. 10. 11. Chapters of the Epistle of Paul to the Romans On which reason props up it selfe where a full Sensall ground is demonstrated by the quotation and examination of the Scriptures 13. Yet not in a Logicall way as 't is treated on in the Schooles where they make onely Objections and Contradictions one against another contriving knotty Arguments and Dilemma's and the one will not prove and examine the ground and meaning of the other in a Sensall way in the understanding whereupon they bang urge judge condemne for a Heretick and revile one another which indeed is nothing else but Babel a Mother of proud haughty grand Whoredome of errours and confusion where the Name of God is blasphemed and the holy spirit is reviled and judged by Reason in the literall Word 14. Which I wholly disliked of to follow in my Talent for not one jot or tittle of the Law in the Scripture shall perish till all be fullfilled and the sayings of the Scripture together with there types must remaine true and be not contrary as reason supposeth 15. And thereupon I have taken those sayings of Scripture which seem contrary one unto another as it is written God will that all men shall be saved and then again God hardneth their hearts that they understand not albeit they see it and so cleared and reconciled them together that
may see into the ground of my gifts for truely I am a simple man and I never either studyed or learned this high Mystery neither sought I after it in such a way or knew any thing of it I sought onely the heart of love in Christ Jesus but when I had obteined that with exceeding great joy of my soule then this Treasure of divine and naturall knowledge was opened and given unto me wherewith I have not hitherto vaunted but heartily desired and begged of God whether the time were yet come that this knowledge might be revealed in the hearts of many concerning which I obteined my effectuall answer so that I know very well what I have hinted and made mention of in my writings 14. And though I am therefore hated by many in the World yet men will shortly see wherefore God hath opened and revealed unto a lay meane abject man the grand Mystery Viz. The ground of all secrets and Mysteries and yet I may not reveale all that is made knowne unto me but notwithstanding it might be done unto worthy People if I found that it were Gods will and profitable to men as a while since a very pretious Pearl was revealed to me which hath its time for effectuall practicall use and benefit but it is alwaies a benefit very profitable in my soule and doe not so much wonder and marvell at the simplicity of what God doth for the time of the proud is come to the end 15. Further I desire and entreat Mr N to deale christianly and candidly in love with his gifts and not as formerly to taunt and scandalize my name whereby the gifts of the holy Ghost are evill spoken of and then he shall be answered in like modesty mildnesse and respect but if it shall fall out contrary to my good intenâ— aâ—d hope that I be further scandalized by People or with writings let him know that if I either see or hear the same with certain ground that he shall not want an answere to purpose in a Divine gift and he shall have no advantage or praise thereof 16. And I mean syncerely and I doe exhort him out of christian love and obligation to answer if he will not declare and explaine those places in a sensall large answer then let him reconcile the contraries which seem to be one against another and so we shall mutually exchange our gifts and bring them into one ground to the love and profit of our bretheren 17. And I commend you and yours and all those who seek and desire the child Jesus into the effectuall working love of Jesus Christ desiring that he may be conceived incarnate and borne in all and then strife and contention hath an end when the seed of the Woman breaks the head of the Serpent we come againe into the Temperature and are in Christ onely one as a tree in many boughs and branches Dated Feb. 19. Anno 1623. THE TWO AND TWENTIETH EPISTLE 1. MUCH respected Sir and loving Doctor be pleased to give Mr. N. my Letter to read over but not this Note and exhort him to Christian humility to try if peradventure the eyes of his soule might be opened which I heartily and freely wish unto him it will be no disgrace unto him to love and imbrace the truth for I perceive very well what lyeth in the way and holds him off nothing else but selfe-love in that he hath hitherto layd open and divulged his ground so far and obtained great repute and respect among many and this my ground doth not wholly agree with him thereupon selfe love driveth him to the contrary whereas he hath not as yet apprehended my Ground and is as yet an Infant thereunto 2. But if the Honour of God and member like love doe take place in his affections he hath in truth nothing against me and my Writings yea they might yet better and christianly improve him but without an affectionate will he will remain blind in them for no reason understands this ground without the eternall love of God wherein all the treasures of wisdome are couched 3. But what his opinion is I pray send me word back again in a Letter his hidden ground is hereby opened I hope that he also will become seeing being he hath otherwise a sharp reason and hath well studyed the Logick peradventure he will search further but if he will not his opinion doth not abrogate the gifts of God he cannot overthrow this my ground especially the Exposition of those Texts with any Scripture I meane syncerely towards him 4. Moreover I would entreat you to shew me this friendship as to send the Treatise of Election to Mr. N. to read over seeing he is a curteous Gentleman and also the Disputation of this Article came off so with him that it is not so to be looked upon as if man were struck dead in ignorance 5. But if need require I shall so explaine my selfe that they shall see from what ground I write let them give me what Questions they please let them be in Nature or out of Nature in the Time or in the Eternity I will not at all be lacking therein in Divine Grace but give a sufficient answer provided that it be done in a Christian way and not out of affections passion cavilling or reviling I shall in like manner deale with them 6. In our late meeting I was ill disposed to such a Disputation for Wine and sumptuous fare doe hide the Pearl's ground especially because I am not accustomed thereunto and at home I fare very meanly and soberly and Mr. N. was not sufficiently answered but I offer to answer him and all other that mean Christianly let them but give me their Questions in writing and explaine their opinion therein that I may see what they conclude I will give them a fundamentall large expositive answer and not defend my selfe with any Sect or Sectarian Name or Patronize my selfe therewith in the ground of truth not a Flaccinian as N. supposeth but I shall stand in the ground 7. For I teach no Selfe ability without Christ to atteine the Adoption as N. thinketh onely I am not satisfied with his opinion much lesse with Mr. N. N which wholly clasheth against the Scripture for I am dead to all opinions in me and have nothing but what is given me of God to know and I leave all you to judge whence I know what it is that I as a Lay Illiterate unexercized man have to doe with you who are bred up in the high Schooles and must set my selfe against Learned Art and yet in my reason I know not without Gods knowing to attaine thereunto but I looke upon what God doth but in the ground of my giftâ— I know well enough what I doe in this purpose and intention and yet it is no intention in me but thus the time doth bring it forth and thus HEE who ruleth all things doth drive and order it 8. Concerning
time given me out of his wel-spring of Grace 3. And albeit I have no ability to doe it at my pleasure yet my minde is so wholly enkindled in its Centre that I would very heartily and readily impart it to my bretheren in Christ and I continually entreat the Lord that he would be pleased to open the hearts of men that they might understand the same and that it may come in them to a right quick essentiall and living effect and operation 4. And from a syncere intention I would not conceale from you that I since the new Yeare upon the desire of some learned men and persons of quality have written a treatise of Election or of Gods will concerning man and so expressed and inlarged it out of such a ground or deep soundation that all Mysteries both of the outward visible Elementall and then also of the hidden spirituall World may be therein discerned and thereunto I have in an especiall manner alleadged the sayings of the holy scripture which speake of Gods will to harden and then of his un-willingnesse to harden and so tuned or harmonized them together that the right understanding and meaning of the same may be seen 5. And it is so proved and demonstrated that I hope in God that it shall give furtherance and occasion to take away that strife and controversy in the Churches which is known and manifest that the time is nigh and at hand that the contentions about Religion shall enter into the Temperature but with great ruination of the false Kingdome in Babel that hath set up it selfe in Christs stead together with other great alterations concerning which although men now will hardly believe me yet in a short time shall really appeare and shew themselves and this beloved Sir I would not for your further consideration and christian meditation omit to hint unto you c. THE THIRTIETH EPISTLE IMMANVEL 1. MY very Christian Brother and Friend all Cordiall wishes of Divine Love and further illumination with true persevering constancy and patience patiently to endure the Crosse of Christ premised 2. God in the very beginning of your knowledge hath Sealed you with the mark of Christ unto a further confirmation and hath Crowned you to be a Champion that you should worke as a true owner in his Service 3. And I exhort you as a Christian that you would with Prayer and supplication commit the cause to God in patience and stand qnietly under the Crosse of Christ and be diligent in your Talent entrusted to you you shall see great wonders and your Talent will be more and more pleasant and beloved for so Christ hath also taught us that we should forsake all for his Name sake and cleave onely unto him for he requireth a pure resigned soule in that he will dwell 4. You have no cause to be amazed or terrifyed God knoweth well for what use he employeth you commit your selfe onely to him in Patience and strive against reason which gainsayeth and contradicts and so you will dye unto the World and live unto Christ and then you will exercise your warfare aright for his loves sake and therefrom gain the Noble Crowne of eternall life where we shall rejoyce and injoy one another eternally 5. God hath planted him a Rose Garden in your young heart take heed that the Devill sow not thornes and thistles therein there will soon come another time that your Rose-bud shall bring forth its fruits strive not to be in Office but stand still unto the most high to what he will have you let the smoak of the Devill passe away rejoyce rather at this reproach in the mark of Christ c. THE ONE AND THIRTIETH EPISTLE Our Salvation is in the life of Jesus Christ 1. DEARE Sir and Christian Brother all faithfull Cordiall and syncere desires of my spirit of true Divine light power and knowledge with intimate joy in the Divine contemplation and in our Eternall fraternity in the life of Christ 2. I have received your Letter which you sent and I rejoyce in the Lord my God who doth so richly and abundantly impart his grace unto us and so open our hearts that we in the conjecture of our Gifts desire to Search into his wisedome and wonders 3. And your tendred friendship is very pleasing and acceptable to me and according as this letter doth import I acknowledge you for a springing and very desirous branch on the Vine Christ and also for my member and fellow twig on this Corall and I wish in the power of my knowledge that it may be a true constant and immoveable earnestnesse as I make no doubt but the pretious Coralline branch of the new birth is begotten in you out of Christs spirit and wisdome 4. Thereupon I also would faine with all my heart impart my little sap strength and influence out of Gods gifts unto my fellow-branches and twigs and helpe to quicken and refresh them in my weake power and also receive enjoyment of their gifts as we are obliged and bound mutually to doe for each other both from the command of God and also in the right of Nature unto which I am in an especiall manner driven in my gifts and for which sake I have spent much time and paines yet in great desire longing and delight and it hath been continually my earnest hope and the very drift and ayme of my desire to serve my Brethren in the Lord in the Vineyard of Christ 5. And though I am a simple man and un-expert and un-experienced in Scholastick Learning and Arts neither have I ever been â—ayned up to exercise my selfe in the workes of high masters and to comprehend great Mysteries in my Reason but in my outward occupation I have been a Tradesman wherein I have honestly maintained my selfe a long time yet my inward occupation and exercise hath with very earnest strong desire entred into the mortification of my sinfull man inherited from the corrupt Adam how I might dye to my selfehood and selfe will in the death of Christ and arise in his will to a new spirit and will of Divine renovation of minde and understanding 6. Thereupon I once so strongly and sixedly resolved rather to for one my earthly life then to desist from this Purpose and Combate and â—hat I have suffered therein and therefore the Lord knowes who so led me through his judgement of my sinnes but afterwards Crowned me with the fairest tryumphing aspect of his Divine Kingdome of joy which to expresse I have no Pen sufficient but doe willingly beteeme and heartily wish it to the Reader of this Epistle and to all the Children of God 7. And from this Tryumphing light or joyfull convincing illumination of God that hath been given to me which I hitherto have written for many yeares for I obtained therein so much grace as to see and know my owne Booke which I my selfe am Viz. the Image of God and moreover to