Ens and have taken possession of the will and made it substantiall this Serpents craft doth then hold and entertaine the fame in the Devills murthering Fort as a fine adorned pleasant q q q Text Kittling brat as the Serpent lying on the Tree spake very pleasingly and takingly with Eve untill it could by its friendly intercouse catch her in the desire even so likewise the false crafty conceived Serpents word which proceedeth from the false heart doth hold forth it selfe as a very lovely Eloquent perswasive Syrene and calls it selfe holy till it can discover mans desire set open for it there it layes open its very heart and entreth in to the desire of him and maketh it selfe a place to worke and re-procreate its like 18. Hence now doe come the false close backbiters tale-bearers perverters and wrong interpreters of other mens sayings secret lyars who are very faire before and behinde are a Serpent Revilers and foule mouthed slanderers who take away a mans good Name from him and in this false smooth and well-coloured and adorned Serpents property the Devill hath his Counsell Chamber his schoole where he learneth the children of Eve his Art viz. jugling delusions foppery pride Covetousness Envy Anger and all vices and abominations proceeding from the Abysse of the darke worlds property 19. Thus the Devill ruleth man in Body and Soule by the crafty Essence of the Serpent and worketh abomination with abomination iniquity with iniquity Sin with Sin and this is even the first Originall of Actuall Sin that Eve and Adam did introduce the Serpents crafty Essence which the Devill had infected into their will and desire and so made themselves forthwith Monstrous in the Serpent where upon the darke worlds Essence did awake in them that so soon as this was brought to passe the will did imagine into this monstrous property and formed it selfe into a Substantiall word 20. Even thus the word was now also manifest in man in the property of Gods Anger viz. in the darke worlds Ens and thus man doth now speake lies and truth for there is a twofold Ens in him viz. one from the darke world awakened and stirred up by the desire of the Serpent and Devill and one from the Heavenly limus which is now stirring in man wherein the free will taketh the word that is whence it doth generate a fruit out of the divine Expressed and formed word which is againe received of the likenesse either in heaven or hell that is in the darkness or light 21. For the two worlds are in each other as one the wicked formeth and maketh for God a good word in his wrath unto Death viz. unto the sting of Death and Hell and the holy man formeth and maketh to God out of his good Ens a good word unto the holy life and Operation as the Scripture speaketh very clearely the holy is to God a sweet savour unto life and the wicked a sweet savour unto death viz. to the darke world 22. Now every man is a creatour or framer of his words powers and Doings that which he maketh and frameth out of his free will the same is received as a worke of the manifested word into each properties likeness 23. For Gods word is also manifest in the darke world but onely according to its property as the Scripture saith such as the people is such a God they also have Gods word is manifest in all things in each thing according to its Ens whence the free will proceedeth the free will is the creatour or maker whereby the creature maketh formeth and worketh in the r r r Or revealed manifested Word 24. There is no hearb or thing whatsoever that can be named wherein there lieth not an Ens from the manifested Word of God an Ens both according to Gods Love and Anger according to the dark and light world for this visible world was breathed forth out of this same Word now each Ens of the forth-breathed Word hath a free will againe to breath forth out of its Ens a s s s It s owne likenesse likenesse according to it selfe 25. But this is now the Greatest Evill that the Ens in its Centre is departed out of the likenesse and harmony of the property into an Elevation viz. out of one onely Ens into many entities into many properties of which the Devill being an Hierarch of the place of this world and also the Curse of God upon the Earth is a cause which Curse man stirred up and awakened 26. For now an evill Ens which is from the Awakened property doth t t t Text or is borne carried in c. infuse it selfe into a good vessell and corrupteth the vessell whence the free will should u u u Or create draw from a good property but the evill doth mix it selfe into the good and both come forth againe in the formed Word into a Substance as an evill man doth oftentimes stir up an evill word and worke in a good man which he never before conceived or purposed in his will 27. For the Anger is become stirring or quick in the humane Ens and adhereth to the good Ens and the will of the fire-soule is free it x x x Formeth createth or draweth forth conceiveth as soone in the Ens of anger as in the Ens of Love nay in many a one the Love-Ens is wholly impotent and as 't were dead or extinct He worketh onely from the craftinesse of the Serpent fruit unto Gods Anger and though his mouth doth flatter in the Serpents craft and make a devout shew of the holy Word and sets forth it selfe as an Angell yet it is onely the Ens and forme of the crafty Serpent in the light of the earthly nature and the man deceiveth himselfe 28. Therefore Christ saith unlesse that ye be converted and become as children ye cannot see the Kingdome of God the free will must wholly goe out from the Ens of the Serpent and enter againe in the Spirit of Christ into its heavenly Ens which did disappeare in Adam and againe awaken and stir up this Ens in the hunger of its desire that it also may be againe awakened and borne unto a living Ens in the new Regenerated Word in the humanity of Christ and which did araise and powerfully quicken it selfe in the great Love-property in the mans property in the person of Christ where also the free will becomes a new innocent childe and neither willeth nor letteth in the Serpents Craft otherwise the free will cannot forme and manifest Gods holy Word in it selfe the free will must draw onely out of the good Ens if it will worke and live in the holy Word 29. Now understand aright our writing concerning the Serpents Craft and it s Adorned Art and false vertue I say understand our very profound and high meaning opened out of the Counsell of God thus The Serpents Ens and Originall was a virgin of
will enlarge this exposition through all the chapters of the first Book of Moses and signifie how the Old Testament is a Figure of the New what is to be understood by the Deâ—ds of the holy Patriarchs wherefore the Spirit of God did give them to be set down in Moses and at what the figures of these written Histories doe looke and ayme and how the Spirit of God in his children before the times of Christ did allude with them in the figure concerning the Kingdome of Christ whereby then God hath alwayes represented this Mercy-Seat or throne of grace Christ by whom he would blot out his Anger and manifest his Grace 13. And how the whole time of this world is pourtrayed and modelized as in a watch-work how afterward it should goe in time and what the inward spirituall world and also the outward materiall world is also what the inward Spirituall man and then the externall man of the Essence of this world is how time and Eternity are in one another and how a man may understand all this 14. Now if it should so fall out that when these our writings are read the Reader might not presently apprehend and understand the same seeing this ground which yet hath its full foundation and pregnant Concordance as well with the Scripture as through the light of nature hath for a long time been very dark and yet by divine Grace is given to plaine simplicity let him not despise and reject the same according to the course and custome of the wicked world but looke upon the ground of practice which is therein intimated and give himselfe up thereunto and pray God for light and understanding and at last he will rightly understand our ground and it will finde very great Love and acceptance with him 15. But we have written nothing for the proud and haughty wiselings who know enough already and yet indeed know nothing at all whose Belly is their God who onely adhere unto the Beast of the Babylonicall Whore and drink of her poyson and wilfully will be in blindnesse and the Devills Snare but we have laid with the spirit of our knowledge a strong bolt before the understanding of folly not to apprehend our meaning being they wilfully and willingly serve Sathan and are not the children of God 16. But we desire to be clearly and fundamentally understood by the children of God and doe heartily and readily communicate our knowledge given to us of God Seeing the time of such Revelation is borne therefore let every one see and take heed what Sentence and Censure he passeth Every one shall accordingly receive his reward and we commend him into the Grace of the meek and Tender Love of Jesus Christ. Amen Sept. 11. Anno 1623. DE Mysterio Magno OF THE GRAND MYSTERIE THAT IS Of the Manifestation of the Divine Word through the Three Principles of the Divine Essence The first Chapter What God Manifested is and of the Trinity 1. IF we would understand what the new birth is and how it is a a a Wrought or effected brought to passe then we must first know what man is and how he is the Image of God and what the divine b b b Or how God dwelleth in man and filleth all things with his presence inhabitation is also what the Revealed God is of whom man is an Image 2. When I consider what God is then I say He is the One in reference to the Creature as an Eternall Nothing he hath neither foundation beginning or Abode he possesseth nothing save onely himselfe He is the will of the Abysse he is in himselfe onely one he needeth neither Space or Place He begetteth himselfe in himselfe from Eternity to Eternity He is neither like or resembleth any thing and hath no peculiar place where he c c c Or no Sundry habitation above the Stars in an Emperean Heaven as Reason phancieth dwelleth the Eternall wisdome or understanding is his delight He is the will of the Wisdome the wisdome is his manifestation 3. In this Eternall Generation we are to understand three things viz. 1. An Eternall will 2. An Eternall minde of the will 3. The d d d Efflux effluence the proceeding-forth Egresse from the will and minde which is a Spirit of the will and minde 4. The will is the Father the minde is the e e e Comprehension or Receptacle Conceived of the will viz. the Seat or habitation of the will or the Centre to Something and it is the Wills Heart and the Egresse of the will and minde is the Power and Spirit 5. This f f f Or Tri-Une threefold Spirit is one onely Essence and yet it is no Essence but the Eternall understanding an Originall of the Something and yet it is the Eternall g g g Or mysticall Mystery hiddennesse as the understanding of man is not confined in time and place but it is its own comprehension and Seat and the Egresse of the Spirit is the Eternall Originall Contemplation viz. a Lubet of the Spirit 6. The h h h That which is flown forth from the One Eternall Will Egressed is called the Lubet of the Deity or the Eternall wisdome which is the Eternall Originall of all Powers Colours and Vertues by which the threefold Spirit in this Lubet comes to a Desiring namely of the Powers Colours and Vertue and its desireing is an Impressing a conceiving it selfe the Will conceiveth the wisdome in the minde and the conceived in the understanding is the Eternall Word of all Colours Powers and Vertue which the Eternall Will i i i Or Speaketh forth expresseth by the Spirit from the understanding of the minde 7. And this Speaking is the Motion or life of the Deity an Eye of the Eternall Seeing where one power colour and vertue doth distinctly know each other and yet they all stand in Equall k k k Text Property proportion or Analogy devoid of weight limit or Measure also undivided one from another all the Powers Colours and Vertue lye in One and it is a distinct Mutuall well-tuned Pregnant Harmony or as I might say a Speaking Word in which Word or Speaking all Speeches Powers Colours and Vertues are contained and with the Pronouncing or Speaking they doe unfold themselves and bring themselves into sight and ken 8. This is now the Eye of the Abysse the Eternall Chaos wherein all whatsoever Eternity and time hath is contained and it is called Counsell Power Wonder and Vertue its peculiar and proper name is called GOD or JEOVA or JEHOVAH who is without all Nature without all beginnings of any Essence a Working in himselfe Generating finding or Perceiving himselfe without any kinde of Source from any thing or by any thing He hath neither beginning nor End he is immense no number can expresse his largenesse and Greatnesse he is deeper then any thought can reach he is no where far from any thing or
light-fire which is awakened or raised up in the wrathfull Consuming fire that is it receiveth its lustre and shine from the fire a similitude whereof we have in all outward fires where we see that the light ariseth in the fire but yet hath far nother Source then the fire for the fire is painfull but the light is meeke pleasant Lovely and yeeldeth Essence 2. The Fire causeth light and aire and out of the aire cometh the water by reason of the meekness of the light for the Lubet to the fire is mortified in the fire-blaze and so that which is mortified in the fire is a meeke Essence yet it s only a Spirit but when it proceedeth from the fire in the light it Coagulateth and is the death of the fire whereby the fire goeth out but if it be of a spirituall nature it is the food and refreshment of the fire and we see plainely that every burning fire putteth forth an aire and out of the aire a water which aire and watry Spirit the fire draweth againe into it selfe for its owne life and lustre else if it cannot have it it is soone extinct and goeth out that is it smothers for the aire is its life and yet it begetteth the aire 3. Thus likewise we are to consider of the divine Beeing how the Eternall Understanding of the Abysse introduceth it selfe into the Bysse and Essence viz. into an Eternall Generation and Devoration wherein the manifestation of the Abysse consists and is an Eternall Love-play that the Abysse doth so wrestle sport and play with it selfe in its owne conceived or amassed Bysse it gives it selfe into the something and againe takes the something into it selfe and thence brings or gives forth another thing it introduceth it selfe into a Lubet and desire moreover into Power Strength and Vertue and mutually produceth one degree from the other and through the other that so it might be an Eternall Play and Melody in it selfe 4. And this we are to consider of in the fifth Forme of Nature when the Powers of the Eternall Word or understanding are made manifest through the Eternall spirituall fire in the Eternall light of the Majesty that each Power or property is manifest in it self and entreth into a Feeling Tasting Smelling Hearing Seeing Essence which is effected through the fire where all things become Spritfull quick and full of life even then one Property entreth mutually into another for they are all proceeded out of one viz. out of the free Lubet therefore also this free Lubet is yet in all and they all joyntly desire to enter again into this free Lubet viz. into the One and there when one tasteth smelleth feeleth heareth and seeth the other in the Essence they doe embrace each other in their holy Conjunction wherein then the reall divine Kindome of joy consisteth so likewise the growing and flourishing life of this world as may be understood by way of Similitude in the Seven Properties and the light and power of the Sun 5. The divine Kingdome of joy in the Heaven of God viz. in God manifested in his Expressed or Spirated Essence as I might speake it to the understanding consisteth in the Love-desire viz. in the Power which hath manifested it selfe through the fire in the light for the fire giveth unto the meeke free Lubet Essence and Source that it is Severized and moved and becomes a Kingdome of joy 6. And thus we are to consider of the darknesse whatsoever is a desiring Love in the light wherein all things rejoyce and melodize in Love that in the darknesse is an enmity for the fire is cold and burning hot in the darknesse moreover bitter astringent Compunctive the Properties are wholly rigorous and full of enmity and opposition they seeke not the One but onely the advancement of their own might and the greater their Elevation and inflammation is the Greater is the o o o The Kingdome of joy joy in the light 7. That which is good and holy in the p p p Or light of power powerfull light that in the darknesse is anxious and adverse the darknesse is the greatest enmity of the light and yet it is the cause that the light is manifest for if there were no Black then white could not be manifest to it selfe and if there were no Sorrow then joy were also not manifest to it selfe 8. Thus the joy doth triumph in it selfe that it is not as the Sorrow and the Sorrow triumpheth in it selfe that it is a Might and strength of the fire and light hence arise Pride and Selfe-will because the darke fires Might giveth the Essence and motive Source to the light which did so affect and move King Lucifer that he exalted himselfe in the roote of the fire to rule and domineere over the fire and light and therefore was cast out of the light into darknesse and the light withdrew from him 9. Therefore understand us well heere what Hell and the darke world or the Anger of God is of which the holy Scripture speaketh plainly that there is an hell that is a Gulfe of Desperation or pitt devoid of the hope of God and all good now we are not to understand it to be any locall Place apart but it is the first ground to the Eternall Nature the place is between the Kingdome of God and this world and maketh a peculiar Principle dwelling in it selfe and hath neither place nor locall abode and is every where but inhabiting it selfe onely and yet it giveth Essence to the light-and outward-world that is it is the Cause to the Source viz. the Fire and is the whole Beeing of all Gods Beeings 10. In the darknesse he is an Angry zealous God and in the fire-Spirit a Consuming fire and in the light he is a mercifull Loving God and in the Power of the light he is especially above all other Properties called God and yet 't is all but God manifested who manifesteth himselfe through the Eternall Nature in ingredient Properties else if I would say what God is in his Depth then I must say that he is wholly without Nature and Properties being an understanding and Originall of all Beeings the Beeings are his manifestation and thereof we have onely Ability to write and not of the unmanifested God who also were not known to himselfe without his manifestation The Originall of Life ♃ Jupiter 11. THe sixt Property of Nature and of all beeings ariseth also out of all the rest and is manifest in the fire through the light in the Love-desire it is Natures understanding voyce Sound speech and all whatsoever soundeth both in things with life and without life its true Originall is from the Astringent desire or impression of the first second and third Forme whence the motion and hardnesse ariseth the Essence of the Coagulation is Consumed in the fire and from the Devoration there proceedeth such a spirit both according to the property of the light in the Love and
wherein he liveth 12. Here now lyeth the vaile before Reason that it cannot looke into the eyes of Moses for he saith and the Earth was desolate and voide yea Desolate indeed had not the Spirit of God moved upon the internall water which was amassed with the Fiat in the Heaven and had not God said let there be light the Earth should have been yet Desolate and void The first Day 13. WIth the Word when God said Let it be light the Essence of the Ens did powerfully move it selfe in the lights Property not onely in the Earth but also in the whole Deep p p p Out of which Power or vertue in the lights Property whence on the fourth day the Sun was created that is enkindled in its Place and in this word q q q Germ. Schuff Fiat the Earths Masse and also the very Power which is called heaven Amassed it selfe in the Essence all which before was onely a Spirit a Spirituall Essence 14. And with the Speaking as God spake let it be light the holy Power which was amassed in the wrath moved it selfe and became light in the same Essence in the Power and with this comming to be light the devills might and strength was wholly withdrawn from him in the Essence for heere the light shone in the now anew awakened Power in the darknesse r r r Light which the Prince of wrath could not s s s Receive or perceive comprehend it was also of no benefit to him for it was the light of nature which is uselesse to him 15. And Moses said God severed the light from the darknesse which is thus to be understood the darkenesse remained in the wrathfull Property not onely in the Earth but also in the whole Deep but in the lights Essence the light of nature did arise or spring forth from heaven viz. from the quintessence whence the Astrum was created which Essence is Every where in the Earth and above the Earth 16. Thus the darknesse remained in the wraths Property in the Essence of the Earth and also in the whole deep of this world and the naturall light remained in the lights essence as a working life through which the holy Element did operate and worke in which Operation Paradise t t t Sprang budded through the Earth and beare fruit untill the Curse of God and then the holy bloomings or growth ceased and the holy Element remained as an inward heaven stedfast retired in it selfe and yet it doth diffuse its Power through the light of nature yet not so powerfully as in the beginning for the Curse is the cause of its withdrawing indeed there is no totall departing but yet it is nothing so now as before the Sin of the Second created Prince Adam 17. Thus in the first motion of the Verbum Fiat the Heaven that is the Circle so far as the Verbum Fiat reached it selfe forth to the Creation was Amassed or enclosed and the Earth was amassed with the Verbum Fiat and created to the Planetick Orbe Thus by the Separation viz. of the light and darknesse and by the expelling of Prince Lucifer we are to understand the Creation of the first day 18. Now the first day with the manifested word did convey it selfe through the other five dayes-workes even into the day of Rest where the beginning entreth againe into the End and the End againe into the beginning for the first motion of the word where the light of nature hath enkindled it selfe in the Essence is the joy of the Creation or Creature which did open it selfe with the other dayes through all the Properties of nature where each Property may be called a heaven for it hath and bringeth also its Peculiar operation and efficacy along in it selfe into the u u u Understand into the rest of the Properties or dayes rest and each day one Property did move and manifest it selfe wherein a Peculiar Sundry worke was manifested and revealed Of the Second Day 19. THe Second day we call Munday and therefore because the Moone ruleth the first houre of the day and it is very likely that the ancient x x x Philosophers wise men have understood somewhat thereof in the light of nature which they have kept Secret and mysticall rather deciphering it by figures then clearly explaining it and it is to be seen in the Names of the seven Planets that they have for certaine understood the same in that they have given them names according to the Seven Properties of Nature which doe so wholly agree and accord as well with the Creation as Nature that me thinks they have in part understood the ground of the Creation aright seeing the names of the Planets have their rise and derivation so fully and punctually out of the language of Nature but the reason why it hath not been made clear plaine and manifest is as before mentioned because of the false Magick that it might remaine hidden unto the Artists of jugling and Collusion in nature by reason of the Great Abuse wherefore we also shall still let it so remaine and yet hint enough to the understanding of our school-fellowes 20. Now of the Second day Moses writeth thus and God said let there be a firmament between the waters Vers. 6 7 8. and let it divide betweene the waters then God made the firmament and divided the water under the firmament from the water above the firmament and it was so and God called the firmament heaven and out of the Evening and morning was the Second day 21. Moses saith that out of the Evening and morning was the Second day that is out of the manifestation of the first the Second manifestation proceeded and brake forth and saith further that on the Second day God created the firmament of Heaven and Separated the waters the water under the firmament from the water above the firmament heere now lieth the hidden vaile wherein we have hitherto been pointed and directed unto a heaven Scituate a far off above the Stars without the place of this world so very blinde is Reason as to God that it understands nothing of him and doth not consider that the Scripture saith of God am not I he which filleth all things and that time and place cannot divide him much lesse is it understood what the water above the firmament is which they will flatly hold to be a place afar distant viz. above the Stars whither also we have been shewn into heaven 22. But seeing that God out of Grace doth bestow upon us the understanding therefore we will set it downe for our fellow-schollars who are able to apprehend it and yet herein we shall write nothing for the Selfish wiselings of outward Reason for they have it already in the eyes of their reason and they cannot misse they can judge all things what the Spirit of God revealeth that must be a Heresy unto them albeit they doe not understand it so
introduced earthly will may dye in it 40. For the fire-soule viz. the first Principle hangeth upon the Band of the outward world and continually and eagerly introduceth Something of vanity into it whereby the virgin-childe of the Angelicall worlds Essence viz. of Christs essentiality is defiled obscured and darkned therefore it must be so refined purified and purged again and many a cold piercing rautish wind of tribulation Anguish and great perplexity bloweth upon this child it must be continually as an off-scouring of the world for its Kingdome is not of this world as Christ said my Kingdome is not of this world 41. But the effect is this when the fair morning Star doth dawn and arise in the virgin-child then the outward life is even illuminated Or while it â—ives here in this time and it giveth it selfe up unto the obedience of the Internall life as an instrument and Servant of the internall 42. And then the holy Spirit of God shineth forth through the virgin-child and preacheth Christ crucified and reproveth the world for its Sins and wicked malicious doings and shewes them their false hypocriticall erroneous way that they will needs be the children of God in the outward Kingdome in their selfe-contrived and devised wayes and will seeke an externall forgivenesse of Sin in their owne conceited and received wayes and yet will still remaine in the vanity and in the pleasure of their flesh and desire onely to make devout shewes before God and give good words in a soothing glozing glosse of fine hypocrisie as if they served God in their contrived Conjectures and Opinions but still they will continue in selfehood in the outward shew and Ostentation 43. These the holy Ghost doth rebuke and reprove by the Virgins child in Christs Spirit and calls them hypocrites and wolves in sheeps cloathing and crafty Foxes borne of the Serpents Ens in whom there is the very property of Toads Dogs and wilde Beasts and shewes them that they draw neer to God with their lips but their Heart is full of murther gall and Serpent-desire and hath no true upright Love-desire in it also it shewes them that they are but meer flatterers and dissemblers in their Office who onely seeke pleasure and Temporall Honour and Respect thereby that so they might be able to domineer and Lord it over mens bodies and Soules Goods and Estates and thus they serve God onely from without with hypocriticall mouthes but their heart hangeth to the whoredome of Babylon full of devillish murther and poyson against him that doth but touch their Conscience 44. Such children in the Serpents craft who are best able as cunning Crafts masters in Sophistry to turne this Suttlety most takingly and artificially the children of the world doe set up unto themselves for Teachers and will learne the way of God from them 45. These Teachers doe assume unto themselves and presume upon the writings of the Saints and proclaime with open mouth that they teach Gods word the holy Spirit is poured forth by their teaching and preaching and though their conscience doth even convince them that they are not capable of the Office of the Ministry and that they are in no wise the Temples of the holy Spirit who should teach in and by them yet they care not for that it brings them money and Honour Christ is gone up to heaven and hath placed and Ordained them to be Stewards and Vicars in his office they must compose and contrive their Doctrine out of the writings of the Saints and out of their Reason upon the Letter of the Scripture their heaping together and composing of the words in the forme of their Suttle Reason must be the voice of the holy Spirit they say the holy Spirit is thereby poured forth into the Hearts of men 46. And though they themselves be onely Cain and in their q q q Or composing of the texts or bare letter of Scripture litterall and Bookish rapsody in their Sermons doe cast forth a great deal of light lewd Cainicall scorne and brother-slaughter and oftentimes mix lies and truth together yet the holy Spirit must have taught and the Congregation must thanke God for such holy sound orthodox Evangelicall Doctrine as they call it and after their killing of their brother there they must also help with boldnesse courage and zeale to murther and slay Abel and the little childe Jesus in his members with words and deeds 47. Such Teachers the world sets up to learn the Kingdome of God from and whosoever can but lustily cavill censure and condemne others in their Gifts and propose it with fine Distinctions and suttle Arguments and cloath them with the mantle of Reason and hide the Wolfe which thereby murthereth and devoureth Christs flock under the purple mantle of Christ to him they give diligent attention for the fleshly Serpents Heart doth therewith sooth up and flatter it selfe in its evill property It hath even such an Artificiall nature and Constitution 48. Such Seed these Teachers chosen of men doe sow who onely desire the Calling for temporall Honour and pleasure but are not called of God and are also without divine knowledge and understand not what true divinity is they enter not by the doore of Christ but they come into place by the Election and favour of men through the means of their own willing walking and running these can no way be acknowledged for the shepheards of Christ for they are not borne of Christ and chosen to this Function and divine calling 49. They are onely the great Master-builders of Babylon where the Languages are confounded and men thereby set at ods and variance and they set up war and contention upon the Earth for they wrangle and jangle about the meer Husk viz. about the written word and Letter and they have not the living word of God dwelling in them from which they ought to teach the Spirit of Christ it selfe must be the teacher in the word with the living voice or Expression the Spirit r r r The humane Spirit of man must know and feelingly finde Christ in it otherwise none teacheth the words of Christ onely dumb sencelesse words without power and Spirit 50. Now the Spirit of Christ in his children doth reprove these and shewes them the true way viz. how we must dye wholly in Christs death to the selfehood and the false selfe-full desire of temporall pleasure and honour and be borne again of Christs Spirit with another new will and desire out of Christs s s s Or body Love in peculiar Reall knowledge and preach and teach Christ from our own peculiar and singular knowledge of him in our selves 51. This Babel in Cain cannot endure that one should teach that Christ himselfe must be the teacher in the humane Spirit they plead their Cause from the forewritten Apostolicall word and say if they teach the same then the Spirit of God is poured forth yes forsooth very right I say so
language of Nature a Beholding of the Beginning and End In this same Beginning and End viz. in the Eternall Speaking Word of the Father which would manifest and open it selfe again in the humane life Grace was opened and presented to Noah so that God did establish and Confirme the Covenant with him 3. And here we have a very Excellent and an Emphaticall example which is exceedingly worth the mentioning in the Three Sons of Noah which in their Properties were sprung forth from the Stock of Adam in a threefold Line for we see that three Nations Severall Sorts of People did arise from them and that God did include them all Three with their wives in the Covenant of Grace and commanded them also to goe into the Ark into the Second Monarchy and did not exclude the fleshly Ham. 4. This is first highly to be considered that a Gate of Grace standeth open to all men and that God hath not Set any Election or Predestination in nature but the Election or choyce doth arise out of the free-will when it turneth it selfe from the Good into the Evill 5. Secondly it is a Type of the Three Principles viz. Sem is a type of the Spirituall light-world in the Covenant and Japhet of the fire-world which should be a Sojourner of the light-world and a Mirror of the great Joy in the light-world and Ham is a figure of the Limus of the Earth to which the Curse and the Anger of God doth hang all these Three God took into the Covenant with Noah and brought them into the Arke 6. For Every man hath these three worlds upon him and in him and the Covenant in the word was therefore given that the whole man should be Redeemed 7. For Japhet Signifieth the fire-Soule and Sem the Image of God out of the light-world viz. the spirit out of the Holy word and Ham betokeneth the Limus of the Earth with the outward Dominion or Region of the Air and of the magicall Etheriall Constellations together with the Body which shall be freed by the Covenant from the Curse and arise again out of the Earth The three Brothers were a type of these three Principles 8. Not that One did wholly arise out of one Principle alone No! Sem and Japhet had likewise Hams property in them as did plainly manifest it selfe afterwards in the Jewes who became so wicked and vile a people Onely we speak here of the Superiour Dominion or predominant property of which Principle the Creature hath had in the outward life in its figure 9. Ham had the outward earthly Elementall Kingdome in the figure which stood in the Curse therefore his Image or person was also Cursed of his father in the spirit for the earthly Image shall not inherit the Kingdome of God but he also had a Soul from Adam which stood in the Covenant but the free-will doth very Seldome work any Good thing in such a Lodging and very easily attains the Curse upon the soul as we see that the Curse did afterwards come upon this Generation that Israel must destroy them by their Entrance into the Land of Promise albeit they did not wholly destroy them all yet the Curse was come upon them 10. There is a very great Mystery in the Ark of Noah which the Lord commanded him to build after that manner and shewed him how High How Long and how Broad it should be and directed also that it should have Three Severall stories also concerning the Creatures which he commanded him to bring thereinto which is such a Mystery that the wicked malicious man is not worthy to know it and we also shall not mention it in the ground or depth of its meaning for it hath its Time wherein it shall be opened viz. in the Lilly-time when Babel hath its End but yet to set downe somewhat for a furtherance and direction to our fellow-Branches to whom in its due time it shall break forth and grow out of Our Ens of this Lilly which also shall be a Rose in the lilly-time we will set it downe in an hidden Exposition 11. The Mystery of the holy Trinity also the Three Principles also the Three Sons of Noah also the Three men that appeared to Abraham in the Plain of Mamre also the Vision of the Great Temple in Ezekiel and the whole Revelation of John belongeth unto this figure also the Temple of Jerusalem 12. Set before thee the figure of the Arke with its Three Stories with its height length and breadth and place it in the Three Principles and in the three Principles open the Mysteries of the * * * Or Hierarchies Hierarchy of Christ in the Three distinctions of Heavens which yet are onely One but in three properties as Fire Light and Air are Three and yet but One Place in these distinctions or Severall differences the Three Sons of Noah and go out of their properties into their Monarchy in the world which continueth to the End of dayes also set before thee the formed Word according to all the Three Principles and so you will finde the Ground of all especially Set before thee Moses Elias and Christ in their appearance and Transfiguration upon the Mount the Ark of Noah is the first Type of all these figures and the Hierarchy of Christ is the fulfilling of them at the End of dayes enough to ours 13. And the Lord said come thou and thy whole house into the Ark Gen. VII 1 for thee have I seen Righteous before me at this * * * Or Generation time The Scripture saith elsewhere Before thee none living is righteous if thou wilt impute sin but here God saith I have Seen thee righteous before me at this time the Creature was not the Righteous One without Evill but HE who at this time did in Noah open and manifest himselfe out of the Covenant who grieved at the evill of this time and introduced his Sorrow into Gods Love and Mercy and so brought the Righteousnesse of the mercy into the Sorrow and manifested the Grieving mournfull Spirit in the Ens of the Covenant in the creature thus Noah was righteous before God at this time when the Covenant did move it selfe in him 14. This time is or signifieth the motion of the Covenant which made Noah righteous for this was the time When Noah received Life in the womb the spirit looked with his first glimps of life out of the Divine Ens of the formed word into the Beginning whence the life was come and into the End which was the Kingdome of Christ in this Aspect or Divine glimps the life of Noah receives the Righteousnesse in the Mark of the Covenant at this time for that was the time in him wherein he was found Righteous 15. God brought Eight persons into the Arke and of the clean Beasts * * * Or Seven paire Seven and Seven the male and its female The Seven persons point at the seven properties of the naturall
the Angelicall Spirituall world and the woman was taken out of him and both were in this Turba * * * Text figured formed unto the outward naturall life 25. This Turba is that wherein God did also set the Curse which with Noah was first at the End when God said the End of all flesh is come up before mee and out of this forty-dayes-produced Turba the fountaines of the deep did arise in the water-Source and drowned the Turba in the flesh of these Sexes 26. For from the Sin of Adam came the Deluge over the world and this forty-dayes-produced Turba was the Sin in the flesh otherwise if the water-fountaine had not opened it selfe the fire-fountain had proceeded forth out of the Turba in the wrath of God Therefore God said it repented him that he had made the creatures and his Sorrow went into the Turba and drowned it 27. And let the Reader be put in minde that so often as he findeth the number forty in the holy Scripture that it altogether in the Beginning pointeth at the forty dayes produced Turba viz. the forty Dayes of Moses upon mount Sinai Item the forty yeares in the wilderness also the forty houres of Christ in the Grave also the forty dayes after his resurrection before his Ascention doe all belong unto this and all the numbers forty in the Secret and mysticall propheticall sayings of the Prophets for out of this Turba the Prophet is arisen with his Prophecie 28. But in that I say that if the water-fountaine had not been opened the fire-fountaine would have broken forth is also true for the children in the Turba would have also burnt Noah in the Arke with fire if the most high had not hindred and prevented them with the water for the fires Turba was moved in them this was the worlds end or the end of all flesh for at the End all shall be purifyed and purged in the fires Turba for it will enkindle it selfe 29. There is a very great Mystery in that which the Spirit saith in Moses Noah was five hundred yeares old when he begat Sem Ham and Japhet which otherwise is against the ordinary Course of nature to beget children in such a naturall Age also there is a very great mystery in that God said that he would give the world an hundred and twenty years respit and yet the Deluge came in the Six hundreth year of Noah viz. in the hundreth yeare after the warning or notice thereof and it signifieth the abbreviation of time in its naturall course and also the End of the world hovv that there shall be an abbreviation or shortning of time in the Circle of the conclusion of all Beeings Quere this Treatise by it selfe of which we will mention something in a Treatise by it selfe if the same be permitted us 30. When Noah entred into the Ark Moses saith Vers. 16. the Lord shut him in the intimate signification of the Spirit heere is He shut up the Second time or Age of the world which was at the End being the fire would faine have moved it selfe therefore the Lord shut it up with water and herewith also he opened the Gate of his Entrance to goe forth in the Third time and begin the Second Monarchy in the outward world for the first time was in Paradise the Second under Seths manifestation in the third Enos's manifestation should be opened and set forth 31. And Moses saith further Chap. VIII vers 3.1.2 and the waters stood upon the Earth one hundred and fifty dayes then God remembred Noah and every living thing and all the cattle that was with him in the Arke and God caused a winde to passe over the Earth and the waters asswaged and the fountaines of the deep and the windowes also of heaven were stopped Moses saith God Remembred Noah now reason thinketh had he then forgotten him whereas he is present to all things and is himselfe through all and in all things the Spirit in Moses doth here hang a vaile before the Mystery that the naturall man doth not understand it 32. Gods Remembrance here is the beginning of the Third Time even the Beginning of the Second Monarchy in the foure Elements with the creatures for in the Covenant made with Noah the Second Monarchy was comprehended which went forth out of the Centre of the Generatresse through the divine wisdome in Nature 33. And Moses speaketh further Vers. 4. when the waters were abated the Arke set it selfe down upon the Mount Ararat This Name ARARAT doth plainly hint unto us in the language of nature a mountaine or a Compacting and an Amassing of an Essence out of the Centre of nature even out of the wrathfulnesse being the Anger of God had then reposed it selfe there the Arke stood upon the Allayed Anger but the last Syllable in this word Ara-RAT doth signifie that the wrath of the eternall nature proceeding from the Centre hath betooke or formed it selfe into an active Dominion and would thence forward ride through nature as a warriour and mightily exercise its Power and violence in the humane property whereby they would undertake warres and advance themselves in Pride Pompe and Power and butcher and slay one another Eagerly Contending about this mountaine of the wrath's Might or Severe humane Authority 34. This Mountain Ararat denotes the Houses of the Great ones or domineering Potentates upon the Earth viz. the Great Castles Forts and Bulwarkes the mighty mountaines of the Power violence and strength of the Rich and also the high Nobility sprung up from the mystery of the Great world upon which Kingdome the Arke of Noah hath set down it selfe but the Covenant with Noah I meane the Kingdome of Christ hath set it selfe to be an Eternall Lord over this mountaine of the warlike might and force of Armes sprung up from the Anger of God which dominion and Reigning Power of Christ shall abolish and take away the Kingdome of this Mountaine and quite suppresse it and it denoteth unto us truely fundamentally and exactly that this Power and Authority would take upon it in its own Power the Arke of Noah viz. the Divine Covenant and carry it yea put it on as a Garment and proudly perch up it selfe therein as if it had the Kingdome of Christ in its own Power 35. And also it shewes and denotes unto us how that this mountaine of the wrathfull Anger of God in the humane property or in mans Nature would beautifie trim up and adorne it selfe with the Arke of Noah and would proclaime it to be the holy Arke of Christ and yet it would be onely founded upon the wrathfull Anger and be onely an Antichristian Kingdome which indeed would Carry the Ark viz. the Name of divine holinesse in the mouth but its Heart would be onely this Mountaine A Vessell and Confused heap of Gods wrath and yet it would make devout shewes of holiness and glory in having the Ark upon it selfe but the Aym
hath thus be held it selfe it doth conceive with the Lubet in the Letters viz. in the Sence of nature and composeth the Sences of the Letters together and formeth the Lubet into a word the same standeth in an internall forme viz. in a conceived Thought 55. And even then the free-will taketh the H viz. the Spirit of the forth-breathing and bringeth the formed Thought before the counsell of the five Senses who behold the formed word and prove the same whether it be apt or not if it doth but please them then the H viz. the breathing Spirit taketh the word and brings it upon the Tongue into the Mouth there is the chief framer vâ—z the Fiat which is the divine Instrument and figureth the Senses of the properties out of the letters as the free-will hath set and composed them into a Substance to the Sounding or pronouncing manifestation or Expression 56. Now marke and observe us here very exactly how every word is formed or brought in the mouth to * * * Note when a word is formed or expressed it is brought to Substance Substance viz. to the expression How the chief worker and contriver viz. the Fiat which is in the Senses doth shape and figure it and how the Tongue cooperates or frames it selfe therewith when it takes it and by what way it brings it forth whether through the Teeth or above or with open Mouth also how the Tongue doth frame it self in the conjunction of the word which Sence it doth againe draw back and will not wholly cast forth as there is many a sence which is not halfe put forth but many fully and many againe are drawn halfe backwards towards the heart And now as the word was formed so is also the thing in its forme and property which is named by the word provided that the free-will giveth it also a right Name and doth not impose a strange Name on it out of Malice or Ignorance so it is externally noted and internally in the compaction of the Senses it hath such a vertue or ill malignant property 57. Now whosoever hath the understanding of the Senses viz. of the Spirits of the Letters so that he doth understand how the Senses are set or compounded in the Lubet he understands it in the framing of the word when the same is formed or brought forth to Substance and is able to understand the Sensuall Naturall or essentiall Language of the whole creation and understands whence Adam gave Names unto all things and from whence the Spirit of God hath prophecied in the Ancient 58. This is now the ground of the Head Languages when as all people spake in one Language then they understood one another but when they would not use the * * * Text Sensuall Naturall Genuine tongue then the true and Right understanding was put out in them for they brought the Spirits of the genuine tongue of Sence into an externall grosse forme and framed the subtile Spirit of the understanding into a grosse forme and learnt to speak out of the forme onely as at this day all Nations speak onely from this same forme of their contrived sensuall tongue 59. Now No people doe any more understand the Language of Sence and yet the Birds in the aire and the beast in the fields understand it according to their property 60. Therefore man may well thinke and consider what he is deprived of and what he shall againe obtaine in the New-birth although perhaps not here upon the Earth yet in the Spirituall world for in the Language of Sence all Spirits speake one with another they use no other Language for it is the Language of nature 61. Our Learned ones doe terme themselves Doctors and Masters and yet none of them understands his Mother Tongue they understand no more of the Spririt then the Country man doth of his Toole to the tillage of his ground they use onely the bare contrived forme of the grosse compounded words and understand not what the word is in its Sense hence ariseth the contention and strife wherewith men contend and jangle about God and his will men will teach what God is and yet understand not the Least of God 62. The five holy Speeches in the Language of Sence are Gods Word they are his operation through the Sence-tongue viz. through the properties as it cannot be denied that God giveth power vertue and life to all creatures and vegetables for his holy Name is through all and Adam had this holy Name as a proper possession working ruling and sensibly efficacious in his Senses and even this jewell he lost which is now again restored and enkindled in the holy Name JESVS 63. Therefore none can with Right be called a Divine or Learned in the holy Scripture much lesse a Doctor of the same unlesse that he understands the SensVAll tongue and knowes how the holy Spirit hath spoken by the Sensuall tongue in the holy Pen-men of the Scripture if he understands not the divine Sence in the holy Scripture Let him not undertake to be a Master over it to censure or interpret it he is not at all learned therein he is onely a changer of letters a Chop-Logick in the Scriptures and understands not one letter in its Sense 64. Thus understand us herein concerning the children of Noah viz. Japhet Sem and Ham and their children and grand-children they had lost the SensVAll Language and had made themselves a formed contrived one and so spake in a formed Language which they themselves understood not in the true Sence therefore God was hidden to them for they understood no more the voice of the holy Spirit in their Language viz. the Mentall Tongue of the five Vowells 65. And they looked about or Imagined where God should be and supposed that he must needs be something with forme and dwelling apart from them and being they could not understand any thing of God upon the Earth either what or where he was and yet had heard so much of God spoken by their fore-fathers thereupon they thought that he must needs dwell on high above the Stars and thought them not able to reach thither therefore they undertooke to build them a Towre whose Top should reach to heaven that so they might ascend up to him also they would thereby make themselves a Great Name that it might be said they had built a Towre even unto Heaven 66. Such a knowledge the formed understanding had of God as still to this day such Doctors are to be found who know and understand no more of Gods habitation and being then these Builders of the Towre and build in their Art altogether except the true genuine understanding ones upon this high Towre and can never ascend up to God and therefore they contend about the Building every one saith how it might be built sooner and better and yet they could never agree for they have all built themselves even to Death thereon untill the Lord sendeth a
its Sword by them to destroy the heathen and the Generation of Ham Gen XIIII Verse 14. for Abraham went out with his whole house and people against the Heathen who had carried away Lot his brothers Son captive and he smote the heathen and delivered his brother This was done in the zeale of God which thus delivered his children through the might of his Anger for what conduceth to the wicked for destruction the same conduceth to the holy men for life and deliverance 15. But that those who will be called Christians who ought in and with Christ to be dead to the Anger and wrath of God in Christs death doe wage war they doe it not as Christians but as heathens No Christian warreth for if he be a Christian then he is dead in and with Christs death to the foure Elements of Gods Anger in Selfe and born a new man in Christs spirit of Love who liveth in Righteousnesse in Love and patience and liveth not to himselfe but to God in Christ. 16. For a true Christian leadeth his conversation and will in heaven in the life and Spirit of Christ as S t Paul saith our conversation is in heaven but when the Christians doe wage war they doe it from the heathenish property and not from Christs property for a Christian is not of this world his Kingdome is in heaven and he is dead in Christ to the world according to the new spirituall man in him the Heathen-man viz. the halfe-devillish man who hath his Kingdome in this world who never hath roome enough upon the Earth but liveth in the foure Elements of Gods Anger viz. in Pride Coveteousnesse Envy and Wrath the same desireth in the Christians to warre fight and slay 17. Saint Paul saith give your members to be weapons of Righteousnesse for why doe men fight for the Kingdome of this world Rom. 6.13 and yet as Christ said his Kingdome was not of this world James 4.1 so also his childrens Kingdome in him is not of this world Joh. 18.36 now then if we give up our body and Soule for weapons of Gods Anger and seek onely thereby Selfe interests liberties and priviledges of Mammon and slay one another for the Kingdome of this world I thinke we are herein Christians indeed in the mouth but the heart and Soul is an heathen and not born out of Christs Spirit 18. When Abraham had smote the heathen he desired nothing of the goods which he tooke but restored to the King of Sodom what the Heathen had taken from him and was onely zealous in the Lord he did not fight for Countrey and Kingdome but to deliver his brother Loth this was a true zeale which the Lord drove in him he did not stand up and fight for Countrey or City and albeit he obtained it he desired it not but went again unto his own place 19. And here the Spirit in Moses speaketh very wonderfully and saith that when Abraham returned from the Slaughter that the King of Sodome met him and Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine who was a Priest of the most High God possessour of Heaven and of Earth and blessed Abraham and Abraham gave him Tithes And though we finde almost nothing elsewhere in the holy Scripture of this Priesthood yet the same was really in the figure of Christ for the Spirit saith in another place of Christ that he was an High Priest in the order of Melchisedech 20. Thus the Spirit of God doth very secretly and mystically represent the Figure of Christ by Abraham and calleth him a King of Salem and a Priest of the most High God viz. a Priest of Salvation and the holy Vnction as it intimates in the SenSAll Tongue that is Christ hath blessed Abraham and brought him forth bread and wine viz. his flesh and bloud and is the high Priest before God that makes Atonement for Abraham and his children 21. For Abraham had managed the Sword of Gods Anger against the Heathen now came Melchisedech and blessed Abraham againe least the Sword of the Turba should lay hold on him and he gave him forth bread and wine that is the heavenly Ens which he would introduce into Abrahams Seed and change it into flesh and bloud and here he appeased the Fathers Anger in the Covenant as in the Type 22. For this Priest with Abraham is really to be understood in a spirituall manner for although Abraham might have externally a Priest after the same manner with him under the figure of Christ yet Moses saith he was a Priest of God and said to Abraham blessed art thou Abraham unto the most High who possesseth heaven and earth who hath shut up thine Enemies into thy hands here is none other to be understood but Christ who very often appeared to Abraham in the figure and blessed him alwayes for the Spirit in Moses calleth him also a King of Salem which is nothing else but a King of Salvation 23. And Abraham gave him Tithes indeed he might have such a Priestly Order with him to whom he gave Tithes but this King and Priest was he of whom he preached to whom Abraham gave tithes viz. the Tenth Property of the humane properties of the fiery tongue of the Soule and the Priest gave his bread and wine and his blessing thereinto viz. the Love-fire the Tincture of the light together with the heavenly Substantiality that so Abraham might receive the lights Tincture into the Soules fiery Tincture and become again a compleat Image of God which was separated in Adam with the woman therefore Christ viz. the womans Tincture gave him againe the lights Ens that so the male and female property might become one Image or person this the Spirit doth here signifie in Moses under the Royall Priest of Salem 24. For Esdra when he dictated the lost Bible in the knowledge of the Spirit of God to his Scribes saw this very well Note Esdra dictated the Bible that was Lost. 2 Esdra 14. and therefore the holy Spirit doth so set it down and we see very exactly how Esdras wrote the hystories of Abraham in the vision of the Spirit for the whole hystory of Abraham is delineated under Christs Person and is an Image or Type of Christ. 25. Abraham saw in the Spirit this Priest of Salem and when Abraham offered Sacrifice then this Priest was in the offering and offered to God for he was to make reconciliation for the world with an offering therefore he was a Priest of God 26. He brought Abrahams will-offering viz. his prayer and desire in faith into the holy Ens of God and in the same Ens viz. in the divine Essentiality heavenly bread and wine was brought to Abrahams Soul that it might eat at Gods Table till this Priest became Abraham that is did manifest himselfe in Abraham with the heavenly Corporeity viz. with the Soules food in the Right bread and wine CHAP. XXXIX How God appeared to
For in Abraham the inheritance of the true Sonship was again manifested but Ismael was not born of the inheritance of the Sonship but of the rejected Seed but now God offered again out of free-Grace his holy inheritance in Abraham that he would generate the rejected Seed in this new Mother which gave in it selfe into Abrahams Seed again in himselfe to a childlike Seed 57. Not that the rebellious Runagate Adamicall will in the Selfe-hood in Ismael should be received into this Mother no the same is wholly cast out with Ismael in all respects from the filial Inheritance he cannot be born anew unless he dye to his selfe and own willing and come in a converted will to God in Christ as the lost Son who neither wills nor desires any thing from a naturall proper Right but onely that the Lord of the Goods would have Mercy on him and receive him again to be a Day-labourer This converted will God doth * * * Text. Engraft or in-linage take in to his gratious free-given inheritance viz. into the goods of Abraham in Christ and maketh it to be Heir in Isaac's goods viz. in Isaacks freely given Inheritance in Christ. 58. Ismael was cast out from Abrahams viz. from Gods goods that he might come unto his Son to whom he gave the whole inheritance and entreat him for the filial inheritance for the naturall Adamicall man had lost it and that which was lost was again freely given to the Covenant of Abraham viz. to the blessed Seed that is to the man Christ and he now doth freely give it unto them who come unto him 59. All men who come unto God the Father and pray unto him for the Eternall * * * Or Sonship Adoption unto all them he giveth the Adoption in his Son Christ unto whom he hath freely granted the whole inheritance viz. the Hierarchie of mankinde viz. the possession of the Throne of the Angelicall World even in the place of this world and given unto him all the power of rule and dominion as he said Matth. 28.18 all power in Heaven and in Earth is given to mee of my Father 60. For God the Father ruleth the place of this world in his Son Christ and all men who now come unto God they come to him in Christ who is the Lord viz. the mouth of his Father 61. Christ is the Staffe wherewith he guides and feeds his sheep in Christs voyce all poor Sinners who turn to God are born to a new will and life and in the filial birth in Christs voyce they dye wholly unto the own will of selfehood in Christs death 62. For Christ is dead to the humane Selfehood in the Fathers Anger and buried with the will of Selfe in the eternall death and is risen again in his Fathers will and liveth and ruleth to all eternity in his Fathers will 63. God the Father introduced his Voyce and Word viz. his manifestation into the Seed of Abraham viz. into mans will of Selfe and brought that will of the humane Selfehood with his own introduced voyce into the death and into hell which death and hell were manifest in the Selfehood of mans own will and in the Power of his manifested voyce He did destroy the death and hell in the Voyce and Word of mans Selfehood so that man should not any more will to himselfe but what he now willeth the same he must will in the manifested voyce of God 64. So long as Ismael * * * Or would take the inheritance willed in the voyce of his scorning contemning Selfe he could not be heir of these introduced free-given goods but when he hath turned to God and forsaken the will of Selfe then God also sendeth the Angel to him even while he is in his Mothers Wombe and saith * * * Gen. 16.9 Return again to the free and humble thy selfe under her hand and thou shalt live 65. For Ismael was run away from God in the wombe which signifies the fugitive runagate nature of man in Selfehood and in the Mothers wombe God sent him an Angel to recall him noting that * * * Note all wicked men are called inwardly by the voyce of God while they are yet in the wombe and also the time of their whole life in their own essence and beeing Onely the naturall will of Selfehood stoppeth its hearing so that the voyce of God is not manifest therein 66. That is like as the Sun shineth all the day long and giveth it selfe unto every Essence which will but receive its power so likewise the voyce of God soundeth through all men to recall and reclaim them the whole time of their life so soon as the Seed is sown in the wombe the voyce of God is sounding or working therein to a good fruit but on the contrary also the voyce of Gods Anger soundeth in the Essence of mans Selfehood there is a continuall combate betwixt them as with heat and cold that which gets victory of that is the fruit this strife continueth as long as man liveth in this world 67. Therefore we declare with good ground that men ought not to make conclusions concerning the children of Gods Saints as if God had so out of his purpose begotten one to condemnation and hardned him that he could not come to the Adoption and chosen in himselfe another that he could not be lost it is a meer groundlesse fiction There is no footing or foundation at all for it either in the book of Nature or in the holy Scripture it proceeds from the Abyss and bottomless smoaky pit of darkness and hypocrisie 68. By the * * * Or the Stems Tribes of the Saints in whom the divine Covenant hath opened it selfe viz. by the Patriarchs as Adam Noah Abraham Isaac and Jacob there are alwayes two figures represented viz. Christ and Adam a good and an evill man 69. Cain Ham Ismael and Esau were types of the corrupt man and Abel Sem Isaac and Jacob were types of Christ who opened himselfe in this line and set himselfe forth before the corrupt children of Adam as a light and Preacher to convert them 70. For * * * Joh. 3.17 God hath not sent his Son to condemn the world viz. the poor corrupt man but he hath therefore sent him into the world among the Godless crew of evill men to teach and call them and those who have a willing desire to hear he will save even those that have but a sparkle of the divine Ens which is capable of hearing in them The quickning and renewing voyce of Christ doth cry and call in that little spark which is in all these that is it bloweth up that little spark that it may become a divine fire 71. And that we may open wide the eyes of the blind Selfe-named Christendome and also of the Jewes in their boasting that they may not so brag and stand upon their knowledge as if they onely were
88. For as the Angel came to Ismael being yet in the wombe when his mother fled from Sarah and did enrich him with a blessing and worldly Dominions and bad the mother with the child return to Sarah Thus likewise when the Eastern Countries entred again into the mothers wombe with their knowledge of Religion God gave unto them in the kingdome of nature power and authoritie over the Princely Dominions of the world for to possesse and rule them under the light of nature till its time and then they shall come in again with great joy and with great humility to Abraham viz. to Christ. 89. And not in the form of the Babylonicall formall litterall Christendome in their invented and contrived Orders which are onely * * * Verball outside letter Christians so that a Testimony or some outward footsteps of Christ and his Kingdome have still continued upon the earth but they shall be born in spirit and in power for they are the lost Son which is wandred away from the Father and is become the Swineheard 90. But when the Angel shall bid them return they come in the humility of the lost Son returning to the Father and then there will be Great joy celebrated by Christ and his Angels That the dead is made alive and the lost is again found and the true Golden Jubilee-year of the Marriage of the Lamb ariseth up among them 91. And albeit the Elder Brother who hath continued in the letter doth grumble at it in respect of the different form which he hath made to himselfe for the most part for his Belly and Honour yet they are not moved at it they are merry with the father 92. Now then if we truely compare * * * Painted counterfeit Christendome and the Turkes together and look upon them a right then we see that they since the Turkes departed from them have been but one people before God in righteousnesse and holinesse with different names 93. And they are the two Sonnes * * * Mat 21.28 to one whereof the Father said Go and do this and he said yea but did it not and to the other also do this and he said no but did it which doth so highly advance or set forth the Turkes in the kingdom of nature which the blind Christian world doth not understand 94. Not that we justifie the Turkes and say that they should remain in their blindnesse no but to the * * * Painted counterfeit verball Christians we declare that they are alike with them before God in that they are as blind as to Christs Kingdome as the Turkes as it plainly shews it selfe in that Christendome is full of strife and contention about Christs Deity and humanity and abominably prophaneth the holy Name in his humanity and use it onely for a form and custome to swear and Covenant by also to Idolatry and hypocrisie and are gone from the Sword of the holy Spirit unto a bloud-thirsty confounding Sword wherein is nothing but contending and contemning one another and the whole Titular Christendome is turned into meer Sects and Orders where one Sect doth despise and brand another for unrighteous and thus they have made of Christendome a meer murthering Den full of blasphemies about Christs Person and have bound the Spirit of Christ in which a Christian should live in deepest humility to the Formes and Orders of Disputation and have set foolish Reason to be a * * * Or to judge what the meaning of the Holy Spirit is in the Scripture master of the understanding above Christs Kingdome 95. But ought we to speak so of Christendome and the Turkes as if they were alike Thus we say The Turke is openly an Ishmalite and a mocker of Christs humanity and holdeth him not for the Son of man and God too for he understands not the heavenly Ens in the Person 96. But the Sects of Christendome do indeed cover themselves with Christs Mantle but do attach him in his humanity and Deity and revile him in his whole person tear and rend one another with words and swords about his person the one will have it this way another that way every one will be master over his words and spirit and deâ—ide Christ in his members and are as revolting rebellious and fugitive Ishmalites as the Turkes and live in their selfish will and serve the kingdome of nature in their Self-hood and worldly interests and pleasure 97. A Christian should be dead with Christ to selfe and be risen again in Christ and be born anew of Christ and put on Christ that so he might be a Christian in Christ in the spirit and heavenly flesh of Christ according to the internall spirituall man 98. But instead hereof men have put on â—abel and the Antichrist and do boâ—st themselves of their Ordinances and of the divine Orders in the performances of devout duties in lip-labour and much prating And in the Stone-houses of the Churches Cathedralls and Cloyâ—â—ers of Christendome where indeed they do counterfeit somewhat of Christ seing that they there read the writings which the Apostles left behinde them but afterward in their Preaching for the most part they foist in the Kingdome and Government of nature with brawling and disputing and spend the time with disputing confuting and contending about Sects and their different mentall Idolls and Opinions in so much that one party is brought wholly to condemne another and the Eares and hearts of the hearers are so infected with Gall and bitterness that one Sect willfully opposeth another and cryes it down for devillish whence nothing but warres and disdainfull provocations do arise to the desolating of Countries and Cities 99. Thus they are alike before God and lye as it were shut up in Hagar in the dead Reason except the true Children of God which verily are here and there to be found among all Nations and Sects but wholly simple and despised also covered under Christs Cross to the Reason-wise world 100. For as the four Elements receive the powerfull influence of the Sun and we see in the Substance the body but not the Sun although it worketh therein so likewise the Spirit of Christ is hid in the children of God but as an hearb springing from the earth doth by the vertue of the Sun put forth a fair Blossom and fruit so also Gods children out of their disregarded form oâ— homeliness to the lewd worlds or prating hypocrites eye do bring forth the fair fruits of humility and piety CHAP. XLI Of the Seal of the Covenant of Circumcision and of Baptisme WHen God had made a Covenaant with Abram and blessed him Gen. XVII and made him a father of many Nations which should be blessed through him viz. by Abrams Blessing in the Covenant then he gave him the Seale of the Covenant viz. the Signe and the Figure upon what Ens the blessing passed and shewed him in this figure what in man should Inherite and possesse the
with their writings and teach the Lay people their unchastity and scorne so that one Christian learneth to scorne another out of the holy Scripture and trim their scorne with the writings of the * * * Holy Men Saints Of this it is rightly sayd Reuben thou art my first strength but thou hast climed up upon my Bed and defiled it with unchastity thou hast used my Concubine viz. my formed Word to thy whoredome and hast made of the Churches of my Children a whore-house and hast defiled my Marriage-Bed which I have in the Churches where I beget my children 43. This the Spirit of God signifieth cleerely by the declaration of the Patriarch Jacob Gen. 49. where he sayth thus concerning these Churches and their sacrifices * * * Gen. 49.3 4. Ruben thou art my first sonne thou art my first power and my first might the chiefe in the Offring and the chiefe in the kingdome he was unstable therein as water thou shalt not be the chiefe for thou hast climed up upen thy fathers bed and there hast thou defiled my bed by thy climing up 44. The Spirit speaketh cleerly in this Text for Ruben signifieth the Ordnance of the first Churches viz. the power out of which it was built that is the first power of the Christian Church or Congregation and is Gods Concubine by which he dwelleth but their Ministers are climed up into Gods Marriage-Bed and have gotten the Concubine to themselves and taken her into their power and have gotten her with childe with humane fictions fleshly honour and voluptuousnesse and it sayth cleerly Thou art the chiefe in the Offering and in the kingdom for so it must needs be when the whoredome is committed but seeing Reuben exerciseth whoredome with the Churches it sayth thus Thou shalt not be the chiefe for he was unstable therein as water and signifieth thereby that he would give himselfe to fleshly Lust and selfe-Love and that in unstability and in that regard is rejected of God 45. Thus the Spirit signifieth under this figure how this Concubine viz. the Church would be reproached with its first power viz. of its owne children so that it will be said by the Churches it is a spirituall whore-house which a Man must distinguish from the Temple of JESUS CHRIST for the Spirit sayth thou shalt not be the chiefe neither in the offring nor in the kingdome and thus shee hath lost the true * * * Jus Divinum Divine power by the whoredome of her Ministers and standeth at present rightly as a deflowred one that is made a whore which is dispised of Israel for her unchastity which is practised by her which is cryed out upon by almost every one each party crying out against the Church of the other for a whore-house as is enough manifest and all Libraries are full of such a Cry and Men at present are ready to storme and fall in upon the whore-house 46. But let this be said to the children of God that the Churches hurt no man and they were instituted out of a Good meaning by the first Christian power and were very good and profitable and they need not be thrown downe and demolished if Ruben would but leave his whoredome whereby he reproacheth them that her Ministers might be renewed and not give forth that they are the Ministers of this Concubine of God without the Vnction of the Holy Ghost as is now done onely for temporary honour and pleasure sake which are as profitable to the Church as a fift wheele is to a Wagon unlesse they goe with five wheeles to their Wagon where the fift moveth in the Aire and entreth with their Contention into the Abysse of Hell 47. The Stone-houses of the Churches have no greater holinesse in them then other houses for they are built of Stone and such Materialls as other houses are and God is no more powerfull in them then in other houses but the Church or Congregation that entereth thereinto and there meeteth together and there binde themselves with their prayer into one body in Christ whose Type and Resemblance the Church is that hath the holy Temple of JESUS Christ in it 48. Their Songs of praise and thanksgiving are the Cradle of the childe JESUS CHRIST in which the childe Jesus is rocked with unanimus consent in the Hearts of Men and not within the bounds of the Church which is a dumb and dead Thing 49. Its Ministers are no more then all other Men but the power and vertue that is powred forth in the Vnction of the Holy Ghost hath the power in the offering and is the Key 50. Whosoever will worthily enter into the Church must bring with him the Temple of Jesus Christ within him or at least he must fully take such a resolution and purpose that he will bring it out with him in his Heart otherwise his going in and coming out is but a committing of Spirituall seeming holy but indeed Hypocriticall whoredome and is no whit the holier when he cometh out and had as good have been standing in the Market shewing his pride in his fine cloathes for the people to see him and then perhaps he had not caused many honest hearts to Erre 51. This wee had a purpose to signifie by the knowing of this Figure that a Christian should not looke upon the shew of Churches but consider that the Church is but a †††Fâ—â—bild Type Resemblance of Christ and that he is not a Christian that entereth into the resemblance and approveth of that but he is a Christian that wholly giveth himselfe up into Christs Incarnation Suffering and Death and dyeth to his hypocrisie in the Death of Christ and riseth from the Death of Christ in a New Will and Obedience and who according to his inward ground is and liveth in Christ who himselfe becometh the Temple of Christ wherein Christ worketh with his power and vertue and thereby killeth sinne in the flesh such a one is a Christian in Christ and may rightly enter into the * * * Or Type Resemblance of Christ and exercise his Christianity therein such a one will heare Gods Word and keepe and ponder it in his heart 52. And though a Cowes Lowing in its sound should declare the Name of God yet Christ preacheth in himselfe but none that is dead can awaken another that is dead nor †††Mat. â—5 14 Luk 6.39 one that is blinde shew the way to another but both will fall into the Pit saith Christ. 53. Further the Spirit of Moses sets downe in its figure the Death of the Patriarch Isaac and sayth * * * Gen. 35.27 28 29. And Jacob came to his Father Isaac to the Head Citie in Mamre called Hebron where Abraham and Isaac were strangers and Isaac was an hundred and eighty yeares old and gave up the Ghost and dyed and was gathered unto his people This is a figure shewing that the children of
bloud for the buyer entered with his Money of Grace into this faded Image and tooke it to himselfe and set the soule therein for a High-Priest and Teacher 32. And this Image now was the Priests fields which he bought not for it was Gods before-hand God only set his High Priest Christ therein that he should therein feede and teach the poore soule that it should not eate of the vanity and fully darken and bring to nothing this Image againe 33. And this is also the same in the figure of Joseph in that he bought not the Priests fields and so is the figure concerning Moses and the Levites that they kept their fields and Ground and yet possessed them as Tenants all which denoteth the inward Man of the heavenly worlds substance which is Gods Ground wherein God soweth his word of Grace viz. Christs Spirit which Ground or Substance belongeth onely to the High Priest Christ for a possession and not to the Creaturely Life but the Creaturely Life receiveth power and vertue from it it hath it indeed in it selfe but it is not one and the same thing with Nature as the Light and the painfull source of the fire is not one and the same thing 34. This figure of Joseph in that he bought the Egyptians to be Pharaohs proper owne and made them his owne servants signifieth nothing else but that Christ should buy us from the Anger of God in the famine of our destruction through his Grace to be his obliged servants through his bloud and death and would give us his word for seede that wee might sow his purchased * * * Or possessions Goods viz. our Naturall Life therewith 35. And for this Cause now should wee give him againe the fift part of this fruit viz. the Birth of Love the fift propertie of Life for in the fift propertie standeth Faith and that his children should give to him againe and this he gathereth into his fathers Barnes for an Eternall prayse and to the divine Manifestation of his wonders 36. But that Earthly Men have made such †††Or Bondslavery Bondage and keepe one another for Bondslaves and vex torment and misuse one another therein and squeeze out their sweat for their pomp pride this is an Image of the Anger of God which ‖ ‖ ‖ Imageth or modelleth it selfe representeth it selfe also according to the heavenly Figure 37. For every thing must ‖ ‖ ‖ Imageth or modelleth it selfe fashion it selfe according to the Ordinance or appointment of the Word of God whether a thing ‖ ‖ ‖ Imageth or modelleth it selfe fashion it selfe in Evill viz. in Gods anger according to the property of Hell or in Good in Heaven in the Kingdome of Christ for with the Holy Psa. 18.25 26. the Word is Holy and with the perverse and froward it is manifest in Gods wrath as the People is such is their God also sayth the Scripture 38. Earthly Men represent the Image in the anger of God in that they vex torment squeeze and plague them with * * * Bondslavery Bondage and hold it for just and right and it is right in the wrath of Nature in Gods anger and it is a figure of Hell and it is also a figure of the Kingdome of Christ in the heavenly * * * Bondslavery Bondage For all whatsoever the Earthly Man doth with paine and torment that doth Christ in his Kingdome with his children in Joy Love humility and power 39. The Earthly Man taketh away his brothers Labour also his will and desires his sweate and Trade profession and sustenance Christ also taketh away his childrens evill will desires also their labour working in God when with great paine and anguish they presse thereinto these labours Christ taketh all from them and gathereth them into his Chists of Treasure and searcheth through and through his childrens body and soule to see whether there be yet a little Sparkle that can and will administer to him and work for him that he driveth and necessitateth into the Divine Ministration of Gods Court viz. into the vineyard of Christ. 40. He often also withdraweth the foode of Grace and letteth them afterward hunger and lament for it and letteth them sit in misery and afflicteth them so that they must work in great anguish in lamentation feare and trembling before him in Divine Labour for the old Adams Asse is unwilling and untoward to labour in that which is divine 41. And therefore it is often compelled so that the punishment and threatning is alwayes behinde it where Christs Spirit in the Conscience threatneth it with Hell and the Anger of God as also the Earthly Lords upon Earth doe with their Subjects which stand indeed in the figure of Christ but the Office is altogether unlike 42. Christ gathereth in for his father by the works of his children much heavenly fruit which Man will obtaine againe and enjoy the same for Ever but a worldly Lord gathereth in by the labour and sweat of the poore only Money and Goods into his Chists to his owne honour which labour the poore Man can no more enjoy in this world but Christ is his wages in that he must serve the figure of Gods anger heere in Misery 43. But in the End when the Earthly Offices shall be also gathered into their Barnes into the Treasure Chists of their hearts for whom they have served and ministred then there will be unlike and different reservatories many will have very much gathered into the Kingdome of Gods anger and from that will his foode be given to him againe in Eternity viz. the Curse of the oppressed also the affliction feare paine and molestation of the poore which they have heere with their agitation wrought by the inferiours that will be given them for foode also after this time to Eternity for * * * Gal. 6.7 what any soweth heere that they will finde in Barnes in the Eternall Life 44. All Offices of this world are Gods and all Officers from the Emperour to the least and meanest are Gods Officers but they serve him much unlike and differently one serveth him in Love as a Minister of Christ and the other serveth him in his anger as a Minister of Hell 45. All that seeke their owne in these Offices and not regard God and his Ordinance and so serve Man therein they serve the anger of God and gather up into Hell 46. For all the Treasure of Princes and Potentates should be gathered in for the Common profit of brethren and for the supporting of Good Orders and Offices also of the miserable and impotent even as an * * * Or housholder Inn-keeper laboureth worketh with those that are under him and draweth the profit to himselfe and yet therewith he provideth for feedeth and nourisheth all his servants Ministers and assistants and the over-plus he useth for common necessaries of himselfe his wife and children and
world committed adultery with Gods Concubine through whom * * * God he bringeth forth his fruit and gave up himselfe to the Woman viz. to the Mother of the Outward Nature and lay with her and committed whoredome with her and defiled the holy heavenly Marriage-bed of Chastity thus also stood this figure of Reuben with his Fathers Concubine pourtrayed before the figure of Christ for Christ should bring this Adamicall whoredome into the heavenly marriage-Bed againe and cover the Incest of Man and therefore it is heere prefigured together with the figure of Rachel viz. with the New Regeneration The figure of Christendom †††Or is thâ—â— to be understood stands thus 36. This Concubine in Christendom signifieth nothing else but the * * * Or Temples built with Materialls Stone Churches which are indeed Gods Concubine wherein his Word and Testaments are handled in which God generateth his children in which a Man should work together with God and turne his heart to God But Reuben viz. the Adamicall Man forsakth God and committeth fornication and whoredom with the Stone Churches and hath embraced her in his Armes of Love and goeth in unto her and playeth the hypocrite with her and thinketh it is enough if he doe but goe thither and heare Sermons Preached and make use of Absolution and the Sacraments and beleeve that all is true which is there taught and comforts himself with this that he goes cheerfully willingly and constantly thither esteems that for right good and approveth and assenteth to all that is there performed thus covering himself with the purple Mantle of Christ and goeth out of the Church just as he entered in and goes twenty or thirty yeares together and so to his very End and committeth whoredome with the Churches and thinketh he doth God good service when he appeares there among others sitting and hearing the Preachers Sermons and when he cometh forth knoweth nothing of what hath been don there 37. Also in that Auditory he had his heart at Home or about his trade and busines or casteth his Eyes upon the Beauty of faire Women and Men and upon their brave cloathes and fine fashions of Pride and filleth his heart with Imaginations of Lascivious Lust and broadly commits whoredome with these or in these Concubines the Churches 38. And that which is yet more when the Preacher often reproveth sins abhominations and often indeed out of passion soweth Thornes that is catched up presently and he tickleth himselfe the whole weeke therewith and contriveth how to finde fault with and Censure others and to backbite and blemish them how they may scoffe at people and gall them with cutting and stinging words pricking like Thistles and Thornes and holds that for the best of what he hath heard and so setteth this Lucifer in the place of God and constantly committeth fornication in the whoredome viz. in the burning Lust of these Concubines 39. And the greatest whoredome of all in this Concubine is this that Men so quite take their hearts off from God and set them upon the Ministers of these Concubines and commit whoredom with them and honour them with presents and Gifts so that they many times in their Encomiums praise evill malicious proud wicked covetous people who doe but squeese the miserable and oppresse them with power and authority they make great Epitaphes and Elogies and give them high and stately Titles with high respect and reverence ascribing to them great devotion with the feare and love of God and doe highly advance their †††Or Pedegree Genealogy and Stock and so set up the trade of Juggling for money as a common Juggler so reproach the Concubine of God viz. the Church with hypocrisie and lyes Of this it is rightly sayd Reuben is climbed up to his fathers Concubine and hath committed whoredom with her for they are they that dwell by this Concubine and are her Curates and Bishops or Overseers but they fill this Concubine full of their false fleshly seed and generate Bastards in Gods Concubine that so the false lust of the flesh may wholly bring their heart into her and thinke it availeth before God and is very right their sinnes are thus covered by the venome and poyson of money and this hypocrisie filleth their Imagination so that they think they are better then others and live thus in such proud lofty thoughts continually in such Church whoredom 40. And thus Ruben begets of his Fathers Concubine the Churches a Company of Bastards proud stately boasting covetous people which defile the poore Mother of the Humility and simplicity of JESUS CHRIST viz. the Line of Christ which lyeth hid in this Concubine and shall be generated and manifested and cast the whoredome upon her and thus Gods Concubine viz. the Church is made to be a whore and so very much deflowred that her reproach is come before Israel viz. before the Eyes of all the Children of God who cry fie upon her and accompt her for an uncleane deflowred whore wherein such whoredome as also all pomp pride and pagintry is exercised that the Devill with the Imagination and false Lust doth more teach and governe in such Lust then the Spirit of Christ and it is more a proud whore and a darke valley and Dungeon then a Temple of JESUS CHRIST 41. And that which is yet more abominable many very vaine affectations scornings and derisions are therein managed and taught where for an Opinions sake which every one frames to himselfe they disgrace and persecute one another and cry out against one another for Hereticks and sow abroad such poyson and venome in this Concubine the Church whereby simplicity is seduced and such poyson of defamation riseth up and groweth in their hearts that in the Churches nothing but contention disputation scorne and blasphemy is exercised and taught that one brother despiseth the other calleth him heretick and damneth him to Hell-fire for an Opinions sake whereby all Love Truth Unity and Concord is vanished 42. The Grossest Impudence at which the Heavens and the Elements at present stand amazed which is practised in this Concubine is this that Men take the writings of the Holy children of God viz. of the Prophets and Apostles and their Successours and make use of them falsly putting them on for a Cloake to cover such whoredome corrupting and embittering them and making meere Sects and Swarmes of Schismes of them and thereby reproach slander and persecute one another giving thereby cause of Warrs and Bloudshed and so they make a meere impudent whore of the Bible wherewith every one exerciseth and manageth their whoredome and sucketh Opinions out of it and therewith dispise the Opinion of another and scorneth and condemneth it and yet take all their matters out of the Bible thus they make their fathers Concubine viz. the holy Prophets Apostles all whores and falsly commit whoredome with them practise impudence unchastity and pride