Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence

(born of God) must here begin to * learn concerning i or teach. this birth ; for the spirit of this world apprehendeth no more here, this is foolishness to it ; and though he go ' very far, yet he is but in Babel, in his own " in studying 31. Therefore we set it down here (according to be our knowledge) that the pure chaste virgin, mth which God was born [or generated], is the chaste virgin [that is] in the presence of God, and it is an eternal virgin ; before ever heaven and earth were created, it was a virgin, and that without blemish ; and that pure chaste virgin of God put itself into 1 in Mary's Mary, in her l incarnation, and her new man was be a human in the holy element of God; and therefore she was her becoming the blessed among all women, and the Lord was with her, as the angel said. 32. Thus now we may know, that God is all in all, and filleth all, as it is written, Am not I he that Jilleth all things ? And therefore we know, that the holy pure element in paradise is his dwelling, which is the second Principle, and is in all things, and yet the thing (as a dead dark out-birth) knoweth it [the second Principle] not, as the pot [knoweth not] its potter, so also that [thing] neither comprehendeth nor apprehendeth that [second Principle]. For I cannot say (when 1 take hold of, or comprehend anything) that I take hold of the holy element, together with the paradise and the Deity, but I comprehend the out-birth, the kingdom of this world, viz. the third Principle and the substance thereof, and I move [or stir] not the Deity therewith. And so we are to know [and understand] that the holy new man [is thus] hidden in the old, and not separated, but in the temporal death.

33. And now seeing the holy [thing] is in all places, and seeing the soul is a spirit, therefore Oh. 22] THE NEW REGENERATION IN CHRIST 601 there is nothing wanting, but that our soul comprehend the holy [thing], so that it hath that for its own, and if once it be united with that, then it attracteth [and putteth] on the pure element, wherein God dwelleth. 34. And therefore thus we say of Mary : She hath comprehended the holy heavenly eternal virgin of God, and put on the holy and pure element, [together] with the paradise, and yet was truly a virgin in this world [generated] by Joachim and Anna. But she was not called a holy pure virgin according to her earthly birth ; the flesh which she had from Joachim and Anna was not pure, without spot ; but her holiness and purity is according to the heavenly Virgin. Besides, she 1 the wisdom J . . * ofGod. brought not the heavenly virgin to her out 01 her own ability ; for the angel said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most high shall over-shadow thee; therefore that holy [thing] that shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.

35. Here understand [and consider] it rightly ; the virtue [or power] is the heavenly virgin, for she is the 2 mercy of God ; and the holy [thing] a mercifulness. is the centre in that [virtue or power], and that is the eternal birth of the Holy Trinity ; and the Holy Ghost (which goeth forth out of the centre of God) overshadowed the humanity of Mary. Thou must not think that the corrupted humanity hath comprehended the holy Deity as its own, so that we might as it were say, that Mary (in her corrupted humanity) is like God : No ; the very pure element together with the paradise is inferior to God ; and though indeed we are generated out of his [power or] virtue, yet that [virtue] is substantial, and God is purely spirit ; for the name of God hath its original in the centre of the spirit, and not in the heaven ; only the light in the centre is the holy [thing], and [the light] hath Or of nature, no centre, for it is the end of l all things. 36. Therefore we say of Mary, that she hath received the heavenly pledge, which was unknown to nature, and which she (in her outward man) knew not at all, viz. the heavenly chaste virgin of God ; and in that [she received] the eternal Word of God the Father, which continueth eternally in the Father ; out of which the Holy Ghost goeth forth eternally, wherein the whole Deity is comprehended.

37. We cannot say, that the heavenly virgin of 2Barmhertz- the 2 mercy of God (viz. that which entered into c ' Mary out of the council of God) is become earthly ; but we say, that the soul of Mary hath comprehended the heavenly virgin ; and that the heavenly virgin hath put the heavenly new pure garment of the holy element out of the chaste virgin of God, viz. out of the [Barmhertzigkeit, mercifulness, or] mercy of God, on to the soul of Mary, as a new regenerated man ; and in that same she hath conceived the Saviour of all the world, and borne him into this world. Therefore he said to the Jews, I am from above, but you are from beneath, and oj this world. I am not of this world. And he said also to Pilate, My kingdom is not of this world. This (night Highly to be Considered. 38. You are to know, that as Mary did bear the heavenly image, viz. a new man born out of the mercy of God in the old earthly [man], viz. in the kingdom of this world, which kingdom she had in her as her own, which yet did not comprehend the new man ; so also the Word of God entered into the body of the virgin Mary, intothe heavenly matrix, into the eternal virgin of God, and that [Word] in that [eternal virgin of God] became a heavenly man, out of the paradisical holy pure element, in the person of the new regenerated man of the Virgin Mary, and (with his eternal Deity) was together generated in the beginning own soul of Mary, and with his entrance of his Deity hath brought the soul of Mary again into the holy Father; so that the souls of men (which were gone out from the Deity) were newborn again in the soul of Christ, and begotten to the Heart of God.

39. For Christ brought no strange soul out of heaven with him, into the highly blessed heavenly pure virgin ; but as all souls are generated, so Christ also received his soul in his body, though in his undefiled body of holiness, which was become Marys own. For we must say, that the \ Barmhertz- pure element in the l mercy of God, became fulness. Marys own, wherein her new body (2in her ^Or belonging origjnal g()ulj consisteth. The most precious Gate. 8 new or 40. For no 8 other soul is generated in any man, strange. .. 11-1 i • -i * • -\ i t Or by but a new body, but the soul is renewed * with the pure Deity ; and Christ with his entrance into death (where he severed .his holy man from the 6 the soul. kingdom of this world) severed 6 it also from the 6 Or working fierceness of the eternal anger, and from the 6 source 41. And as the pure element (which is in the presence of God, and wherein God dwelleth) is truly everywhere in the whole space of this world, and hath attracted to it the kingdom of this world,

7 the pure viz. 7 its own out-birth, as a body, and yet this very own oat- body doth not comprehend the element, no more than the body [comprehendeth] the soul ; so Christ also hath truly, in the body of the Virgin Mary, attracted to him [or put on] our human essences, and is become our brother; yet these human essences cannot comprehend his eternal Deity, only the new man, born in God, comprehendeth the Deity, after the same manner as the body doth the soul, and no otherwise. 42. Therefore the body of Christ is inferior to the Deity ; and in these our human essences he suffered death, and his Deity of the holy man in the pure element entered together also into death, and bereaved jieath of its power, and did separate the natural soul (which Christ commended to his Father, when he died on the Cross) from the kingdom of this world, also from death, from the devil, and from hell, in the strong divine might [or power], and opened a gate for us all, who come to him, and incline ourselves (with mind and thoughts) to him ; then the Father draweth our soul (which is in him) into the pure love of Christ ; where then it putteth its imagination again through Christ l forward into the Holy Trinity, and is fed ' Or in true

. . r . ^TT , - resignation. again from the Verbum Dorrnm [the Word of the Lord]; where then it is an angel again, quite separated from the kingdom of the devil, and of this world, in the death of Christ. 43. And for this cause God became man, that he might in himself new generate the soul of man again, and might redeem it from the chains of the fierceness of anger, and not at all for the bestial body's sake, which must melt again into the four elements, and come to nothing; of which nothing will remain, but the shadow in the figure of all 2 its works and a his, or 3 matters, which he hath wrought at any time. 3 qr substance, 44. But in the new man (which we attract on to our souls in the bosom of the virgin) we shall spring and flourish again ; and therein is no necessity nor death, for the kingdom of this world passeth away. Therefore he that hath not this image in the new birth, shall, in the restoration of the spirit of the eternal nature, have the image of what his heart and confidence hath been set upon here [put upon him] ; for every kingdom imageth (or figureth] its creatures, according to the essences which were grown here in their will.

45. And that you may rightly and properly understand us ; we [mean or] understand here no strange Christ, who is not our brother ; as himself said, at his resurrection, Go to my brethren, and your brethren, and tell them, I go to my God and to your God. As indeed the body (which we here carry about us) is not the image of God, which God created ; for the kingdom of this world put its image upon us, when Adam consented to yield to it ; and we (if we be regenerated) are not at home in this world with our new man ; as Christ said to his disciples, / have called you out of this world, that you shall be where I am ; and St Paul saith, Our conversation (as to the new man) is in heaven. Thus we understand also, that our Immanuel, [who is] the most holy of all, with his true image of God (wherein also our true image of God doth consist) is not of this world ; but as the old mortal man (from the kingdom of this world) hangeth to us, so our mortal man also hung to the image of God in Christ, which he drew from his mother Mary, as the pure element [draweth] the kingdom of this world [to it].

46. But now we must not think, that the holy man in Christ died, for that dieth not ; but the mortal [man] from the kingdom of this world [is that which die.th] ; that [was it which] cried (on the cross) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? And we see very clearly the great might [and power] of the holy man in Christ, when the mortal (which was taken from this world) went into death, how the holy almighty [man] wrestled with death, insomuch that the elements did shake with it, and the sun (which is the light of the nature of this world) lost its splendour, as if it were then to perish ; and then the living Champion in Christ fought with the anger, and stood in the hell of the anger of God, and loosed the soul (which he commended into his Father's hands) quite off from the anger of God, also from the source [or torment] of hell ; and this was that which David said, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor permit thy holy [one'] to 1 perish. 1 rot, consume, 47. The Deity was in the human soul, and°r here it brake the sword of the Cherubim ; so that as Adam had brought his soul into the prison of anger, and so afterwards all souls from Adam are generated such, and are all of them, as in one root, imprisoned in the anger of death, till Christ ; so the noble Champion Christ here destroyed death in the human soul, and brought the soul through death into his eternal new humanity, and put it

into an eternal 2 covenant. 'contract, 48. And as Adam had opened the gate of the marriage'. °r anger, so hath the Deity of Christ opened the gate of the eternal life, so that all men can press in to God, in this opened gate. For the third Principle is broken here, and judgment passed upon the prince of darkness, which so long held us prisoners in death. 49. But since man is so slow of apprehension, it may be, we shall not sufficiently be understood, and therefore we will once more set it down briefly and accurately, how these great Mysteries are ; for we know what adversary we have, viz. the prince of this world ; he will not sleep, but try what he can to suppress this noble grain of mustard-seed. 50. Behold, thou noble mind, thou who desirest the kingdom of God, to thee we speak, and not to the Antichrist in Babel, who desireth nothing else but the kingdom of this world ; take notice of it, the time of sleep is past, the bridegroom cometh, for the bride saith, Come, be in earnest, gaze not at the hand that used this pen, it is another pen that hath written this, which neither thou nor I do know ; for the mind (if it be faithful) apprehendeth the Deity ; and do not so slight thyself ; if thou art born in God, then thou art greater and more than all this world.

51. Observe it; the angel said to Mary, Thou shalt conceive and bear a Son, and shalt call his name Jesus ; he shall be great, and be called a Son of the Most High, and God the Lord shall give him the throne of his Father David, and he shall be a king over the house of Jacob eternally, and of his kingdom tJiere shall be no end. 52. You must- understand, Mary was to conceive in the body, viz. in her own body, not in a strange assumed [body], as the unenlightened (who apprehend not the kingdom of God) might interpret our writings to mean. Besides, it is not the ground either which the ancients and those heretofore have set down (which yet went very high) as if Mary from eternity had been hidden in Ternario Sancto [the holy Ternary or Trinity], and that she entered at that time only into Anna, as into a case [or house], and was not of the seed of Joachim, and blood of Anna. They say, she was an eternal virgin out of the Trinity, of whom Christ was born ; because he came not out of the flesh and blood of any man, and as himself witnesseth, that he was not of this world, but was come from heaven. He saith, That he came forth from God, and must return again to God ; and to Nicodemus he said, None goeth into heaven, but the Son of Man which is come from heaven, and who is in heaven.

53. And there he spake clearly of the Son of Man, of his humanity, and not of his Deity merely ; for he saith plainly, The Son of Man. But God from eternity was not the Son of Man, and therefore no Son of Man can proceed from the Trinity ; therefore we must look upon it aright. If Mary had proceeded out of the Trinity, where should our poor captivated souls have been? If Christ had brought a strange soul from heaven, how should we have been delivered ? Had it been possible to redeem man [without it], what needed God to come into our form, and be crucified ? If it could have been so, then God should instantly have separated or freed Adam from death, when he fell. Or dost thou suppose that God is so maliciously zealous, as to be so angry without a cause ? 54. Indeed, when his wrath was sprung up in man, then he would manifest his wonders, but that was not the purpose of God when he created Adam ; but it was tried which of them should get the victory, the meekness, or the fierceness in the eternal root ; but the soul in Adam was yet free, and there was nothing else that could perish, but

1 self-will, or the l own will. 55. And so now the soul was the will, which was breathed into Adam, by the spirit of God out of the eternal will of the Father, and yet out of that place where the Father (viz. God) out of the darkness, in his own reconceived will, entereth into himself, and in himself generateth the meekness in his own reconceived will. 56. And so the soul of man is out of the same balance in the angle of the recomprehended will, towards the light, and also in the first will in itself, in its own centre, where behind it the darkness is comprehended, and before it is the end of the eternal band, and in itself there would be nothing but an anxious source [or property] ; and if anything else were to be in it, then the first will (in the eternal band) must conceive another will in itself, to go out of the dark source [or property] into a joyful habitation without a source. 57. If now the first eternal will doth thus •conceive another will, then it breaketh the source of darkness, and dwelleth (in itself) in the joyful habitation, and the darkness remaineth darkness still, and a source [or working property] in itself, but toucheth not the reconceived will, for that dwelleth not in the darkness, but in itself; thus we understand the soul's own power [to be], which God breathed into Adam, out of the gate, the breaking through, in himself into the light of the habitation of joy.

58. This soul (being clothed with the pure elementary and paradisical body) severed its will, [which came] out of the Father's will, which tendeth only to the conceiving of his l virtue [or1 Or Son power], from whence he is impregnated to beget his Heart, [and severed it] from the Father's will, and entered into the lust of this world ; where now (backward in the breaking [or destruction] of this world) there is no light ; and forward there is no comprehensibility of the Deity ; and there was no counsel [or remedy], except the pure will of the Father enter into it again, and bring it into his own will again, into its first seat, that so its will may be directed again into the Heart and light of God. 59. And now if it is to be helped again, then the Heart of God with its light (and not the Father) must come into it ; for it standeth in the Father, however, yet turned away from the entrance (to the birth of the Heart of God) backward into this world, where no light is to be comprehended, either behind or before it ; for the substance of the body breaketh, and then the poor soul standeth imprisoned in the dark dungeon ; and here the love of God towards the poor imprisoned soul is [made] known : Consider thyself here, 0 dear mind.

60. Here was no remedy now, neither in God,, nor in any creature ; only the mere Deity of the Heart of God must enter in Temarium Sanctum [into the holy Ternary], viz. into the BarmhertzigJceit [the mercifulness], which is from eternity generated out of his holiness, wherein the eternal wisdom, which [coming] out of the speaking of the Word, through the Holy Ghost, standeth as a virgin before the Deity, and is the great wonder, and a spirit in the Barmhertzigkeit [the mercifulness] ; and the mercifulness maketh the holy Ternary, (the holy earth), the essences of the Father, in the attracting to the Word, viz. the holy constellations, as may be said in a similitude. 61. And as we perceive that in this world there are fire, air, water, and earth, also the sun and thestars, and therein consist all the things of world, so you may conceive, by way of similitude, that the Father is the fire of the whole [holy] constellations, and also in the [* holy] element ; » and that the Son (viz. his Heart) is the sun, which setteth all the constellations in a light pleasant habitation ; and that the Holy Ghost is the air of the life, without which neither sun nor constellation would subsist ; and then that the concreted spiritus majoris mundi [or spirit of the great world] is the chaste virgin before God ; which spirit of the great world, in this world, giveth to all creatures, mind, sense, and understanding, through the influence of the stars ; and so also [doth the chaste virgin] in the heaven.

62. The earthly earth is like the holy Ternary, wherein is the heavenly 2aquaster (viz. in the2 Or waterheavenly earth, which I call the [one holy] element) §E which is pure. Thus God is a spirit, and the pure element is heavenly earth, for it is substantial ; and the essences in the heavenly earth are paradisical buds [or fruits] ; and the virgin of wisdom is the great spirit of the whole heavenly world, in a similitude, and that not only openeth the great wonders in the heavenly earth, but also in the whole deep of the Deity. 63. For the Deity is incomprehensible, and invisible, yet 3 perceptible ; but the virgin is visible 8 findabie, or like a pure spirit ; and the [one holy] element is her body, which is called Tei^narius Sanctus [the holy Ternary], the holy earth ; and into this holy a the image of God. Ternary the invisible Deity is entered, that she may be an eternal espousal [or union] ; so that (in a similitude) the Deity is in the pure element, and the element is the Deity ; for God and Ternarius Sanctus are become one thing, not in spirit, but in substance, as body and soul. And as the soul is above the body, so also God is above the holy Ternary.

64. And this now is the heavenly virgin, of which the spirit of God spake, in the wise men l of old ; and Ternarius Sanctus is our true body in the 2 image which we have lost, which now the Heart of God hath taken to him for a body ; and this noble body (as also the virgin of God) was put upon Mary, not as a garment, but very powerfully in her essences ; and yet incomprehensible as to the essences of this world of flesh and blood in the body of Mary, but comprehensible as to the soul of Mary ; for the soul did pass into the holy Ternary ; and yet she could not so be severed 3 Or cormpti. from the 3 fierce wrath, but that was to be in the breaking of the earthly body from the heavenly, in the death of Christ. 65. Thus the Word in the holy Ternary let itself into the earthliness, and received to it a true soul out of the essences of the soul of Mary (like all other men) in the time, viz. in the end of three months, not out of the holy Ternary, but our soul ; yet not our body, wherein the kingdom of this world and sin did stick.

66. It is true indeed he took our body on him, but not mingled with the holy Ternary ; for death stuck in our body, and the Ternarius Sanctus was 1 his death, and victory ; and in the holy Ternary 1 Or its death i • -TV • -. , . PI The death of was his Deity ; and that man is come irom heaven, the death of and hath put on the earthly [man,] and brought to °l pass the redemption (between the earthly and the heavenly), whereby the soul was 2 severed from the 2 Or freed, anger and wrath. 67. You must not say that whole Christ with body and soul came from heaven. He brought no soul out of the holy Ternary ; the heavenly virgin was the soul in the holy Ternary ; and that he brought with him for a bride to our soul, as this whole book doth treat of it. For what would it help me, if he had brought a strange soul with him ? Nothing at all. But that he hath brought my soul into the holy Ternary, I rejoice at that ; and thus I can say, that Christ's soul is my brother, and his body is the food of my soul ; as he saith in the sixth chapter of John, My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

68. Come hither, ye contentious 3 shepherds of3 pastors, Babel, open your eyes, and consider what his presbyters, or Testaments of the Baptism and his Last Supper are : I shall shew you well enough, if you be but worthy ; however, we write for the children of the lily ; therefore let every one see where he harboureth ; it is in earnest. We slight not the understanding of the ancients. It may be, it was purely generated in the beginning, but we find how Antichrist hath set up himself upon it, and made gods of the creature. 69. Yet men cannot say that Mary was born out of a barren womb, although the body of Anna was unfruitful, which was from the counsel of God ; in that they were honest [virtuous] people, fearing God, that their tincture might not be defiled, because they were to generate that which the Lord would highly bless. God knew how to open it in due time, and that in old age, when the wanton lust (of this world from the elements) was extinguished, as in Sarah, Abraham's wife. 70. For if the soul standeth in the fear of God, then the tincture also (in which the soul springeth up) is purer ; although that be not free from the original [or inherited] sin. Thus Mary is indeed truly generated of Joachim, and Christ hath his natural soul from the tincture of Mary, yet but half; for the limbus of God was the man [or masculine seed], and therein was the chaste virgin of God in the holy Ternary, and in the holy Ternary the Trinity, the whole fulness of the Deity ; and the Holy Ghost was the work-master.

71. Here we clearly find what Christ said to his Father concerning us men, Behold the men were thine, and thou hast given them to me ; and I will that they be with me where 1 am, that they may see my glory. When the Word (or Heart of God) went into the holy Ternary, there it was the Son of the Father, and also his servant, as Isaiah saith, and as it is in the Psalms ; for he had [united or] espoused himself * to the element, and had the l m or into, form of a servant ; but the Word which went into the [pure] element, was his Son ; and thus he took our soul upon him, not only as a brother, for the limbus of God (in the heavenly tincture) was the man, and that was our Lord ; for the whole world standeth in the might thereof, and that might shall sweep the threshing-floor of this world. And thus we are his servants, and also his brethren in respect of his mother ; but in respect of his Father we are his servants ; and before the fall we were the Father's, also till his humanity [or becoming man], though in the Word of the Promise [it was], in which the faithful entered into God.

72. Thus he is a king over the house of David eternally, and his kingdom hath no end, and he hath the throne of his father David, for this world is become his ; he is entered into this world, and hath taken possession of it ; he standeth in the holy Ternary, and in the Trinity, and also in this world ; he hath the 2 casting-shovel in his hand, a Or fan. as John the Baptist saith, the judgment is his, at which the devils do tremble. He hath the throne of David from the counsel of God ; for David was a type of him, and had the promise, and God set him upon the throne, in the promise ; for the sceptre of his kingdom was the sceptre of the faithful, who looked upon God, who was the king ; and so also indeed the outward kingdom was his. Thus also Christ was a king in the holy Ternary, and this world also was his own. Of the dear Name Immanuel. 73. And thus we can truly say, Immanuel, God with us, God in us. In the language of nature it soundeth right; but our tongue [we have] from

1 the outward this world doth but stammer it, and l cannot name tongue cannot . ,. , ,. . express the it according to our understanding. I1 or 1m is the name. ' Heart of God in the holy Ternary, for it is conceived [or comprehended], as thou mayest understand it, in the conception [or comprehending, or expressing] of the word. Ma is his entering into the humanity in the soul ; for that word [or syllable] presseth out from the heart ; and we understand that he conceived [or comprehended] the heart (viz. the virtue of the Father) in the soul, and goeth with the word [or syllable] nut aloft, which signifieth his ascension into heaven, as to his soul. El is the name of the great angel, which with the soul triumph eth above the heaven, not only in the heaven, but in the Trinity. 74. For the word Himmel [heaven] hath another meaning in the language of nature. The syllable Him goeth out from the heart (viz. out of the virtue of the Father) or out of the essences of the soul, and putteth forth upwards into the holy Ternary ; and then it compresseth it with both the lips, and bringeth the angel's name downwards

(viz. the syllable Mel) which signifieth the humility of the angels, that they do not exalt their heart in pride, flying into the Trinity ; but as Isaiah saith, that they cover their faces in humility (before the holy God) with their icings, and continually cry, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord 1 of hosts. l Zebaoth. 75. So now you understand that this angel is greater than any angel in heaven, for he hath a heavenly human body, and hath a human soul, and hath the eternal heavenly bride, the virgin of wisdom, and hath the holy Trinity ; and we can truly say [he is] a Person in the holy Trinity in heaven, and a true man in heaven, and in this world an eternal king, a Lord of heaven and earth. 76. His name Jesus sheweth it more properly in the language of nature ; for the syllable Je is his humbling [in-coming] out of his father, into the humanity; and the syllable sus is the bringing in of the soul above the heaven, into the Trinity ; as the syllable sus indeed presseth aloft through all. 77. Much more is understood in the name Christus, which comprehendeth not his incarnation, but goeth (as a man [that is] born) through death ; for the syllable Chris presseth through the death ; and the syllable tus signifieth his strong might, in that he thus goeth forth from death, and presseth through ; and it is very properly understood in the word, how he severed the kingdom of this world and the angelical man asunder, and continueth in

God, in the angelical man, for the syllable tus is pure without death. 78. Though indeed here we shall be as one that is dumb to the world, yet we have written it for ourselves, for we understand it very well ; and it is plain enough to the tree of the lily. But that the Person of Christ, with his deeds and essence, might be rightly demonstrated to the Reader, that he might apprehend it aright, I therefore direct him to the temptation of Christ in the wilderness after his baptism ; whereat thou shouldst open thine eyes, and not speak like the spirit in Babel, which saith, We know not what his temptation was. And lay the fault upon the devil, that he was so impudent to presume to tempt Christ ; saying, moreover, We ought not to dive into it, [nor be so inquisitive about it], we will let that alone till we come thither [into the other life], and then we shall see what it is. Besides, they forbid him that hath eyes to see, none must search into it, [if they » do] they are called enthusiasts, and are cried out upon for novelists [such as broach new opinions and pretend to new lights] and for heretics.

79. 0 ye blind wolves of Babel, what have we to do with you ? We are not generated from your the schools * kingdom. Why will you rend and tear our dear sities. Immanuel out of our hearts and eyes, and so would 8 Or heresy, make us blind ? Is it a 2 sin for us to enquire after God our salvation, and after our true native country? Sure it is much more 2sin to hearken after your prating and blasphemy, whereby you make our women and children scoffers, so that they learn nothing bat scornful and reproachful speeches, and so persecute and vex one another therewith in such things ? Or rather do you not build the wrangling. scornful and reproachful church of Babel ? Where is your apostolical heart, [consisting] in love ? Is your scorn and derision of others, Christ's meekness, who said, Love one another, be ye followers of me, and so it shall be known that ye are my disciples ? To you it is said; the 2 anger burneth in Babel ; 2 Or wrath -11 i of God. when the flame thereof nseth up, then will the elements shake and tremble, and Babel shall be burnt in the fire.

80. The temptation of Christ rightly sheweth \ us his Person ; therefore open thy eyes, and let not Babel trouble thee, it is the price of thy body and soul ; for that [temptation] in the hard combat of Adam in the Garden of Eden, which Adam could not hold out in, here the worthy Champion went through with it, and hath obtained victory, in his humanity in heaven, and over this world. 81. As we have demonstrated the true Christ, who is God and man in one undivided Person, so we must now shew what kind of man he is, according to the kingdom of this world ; for the great wonders cannot sufficiently be described, they are still greater; there is need of an angelical tongue as well as of an earthly, and because we have but an earthly, therefore we will write from an angelical mind, and speak the great wonders of God with the earthly tongue. 82. Let us look upon his baptism, and then upon his temptation instantly after his baptism, and so we shall find our new regeneration, as also in what kingdom we lie imprisoned ; and we very highly rejoice (in this knowledge) that God is become man : And if now we would apprehend it, we must first set down the baptism of Christ, and then the temptation in its right order.

Of the Baptism of Christ upon Earth, in Jordan. 83. It is known to us, that (in Adam's fall) we are fallen into the anger of God, when the spirit, or soul of Adam, turned from the Heart of God into the spirit of this world, where instantly the holy heavenly image was extinguished, and the anger in the darkness held the poor soul captive, and where the devil instantly gat his entrance and habitation in the anger of the human soul ; and if the Treader upon the Serpent had not entered instantly into the mark of separation, in the centre of the light of life, then the wrath would have devoured us, and we should have continued eternally to be companions of the devils ; but when the Treader upon the Serpent thus1 entered into the middle (though not so presently into the humanity, but into the centre of the light of life) then the poor imprisoned souls which turned them- Oh. 22] THE NEW REGENERATION IN CHRIST 623 selves to God again, were (in the centre) bound or knit to the Deity again, till the Champion [or Saviour] came -into the humanity, where (in his conception and humanity) he received the whole man again, and this we see clearly in his baptism ; for there was that one Person which was both God and man, he had the heavenly and also the •earthly body.

84. But now Baptism was not instituted in respect of the earthly corruptible [man], which belongeth to the earth, nor for the heavenly [man's] sake, which was pure and spotless without that, but for the poor soul's sake. Seeing the heavenly man in Christ took our natural soul (in the body of the Virgin Mary) to his heavenly man, and that also the earthly man hung to the soul, therefore the holy Trinity [by the hand of man] took the water of the eternal life in the pure element, and dipped the soul therein, as I may so speak. 85. See, thou beloved soul, thou wast gone out from God ; but his love caught hold of thee again, and 1 fastened thee (with the Promise) to his thread ; l tied or knit. and then came the fulfilling of the Promise, and put another new body on to thee ; but thou canst not have another soul, for thy soul was out of the eternity. Therefore now as the Holy Ghost overshadowed and filled [or impregnated] Mary, so the water out of the heavenly matrix (which hath its beginning out of the Trinity) in the baptism of Christ (and in all baptized Christians) overshadowed and l filled the soul of Christ in the baptism in Jordan, and also the souls of all Christians, and so renewed the earthly water (of the out-birth) in the 2 in true soul, and washed it clean, that it is 2in itself a pure angel, which of itself may eat of the heavenly fruit ; and that is the cause of the baptism.

0 Man consider thyself. 8 6. Now when the poor soul was thus bathed in the water of eternal life (out of the pure element) which sinTerncrio is 3 in the holy Ternary, that it not only enjoyed the same outwardly, but was also filled [or impregnated] therewith, as the Holy Ghost impregnated Mary in the holy Ternary ; then it stood [inclined] 4 in true * forward, viz. right forward towards God, and into God, as a new half-generated and washed creature, 6 in self. and 5 behind it was the anger of the darkness in the kingdom of this world still fast bound to it, so that it could not be wholly freed from it, except it entered into death, and quite brake off the kingdom of this world. Of the Temptation of Christ. 87. Therefore must Christ now (after the baptism) be tempted ; and he was set against the kingdom of the fierce wrath, to see whether this [second] Adam, thus new prepared, could stand in the new and old man, with the half new-born and washed soul, and set his imagination upon God, and eat of the Word of the Lord. And there it was tried whether the soul would press in to God, or into the spirit of this world again.

88. And here you may clearly know, that the spirit of God brought this Christ into the wilderness to be tempted, in that the devil was permitted, in the kingdom of God's anger, to set upon him, and to tempt this second Adam, as he had tempted the first Adam in the Garden of Eden. 89. And there now was no earthly meat or drink ; and the soul in Christ understood now very well what inn [or house] it was in, that it was in God, and that it could of stones make bread, seeing there was none there ; but it must eat no earthly bread, but heavenly [bread] out of the holy Ternary, in its heavenly body ; and the earthly body must be hungry, that the soul might be rightly tempted. For the earthly body was an hungred, as the text in the Gospel saith very rightly. 90. Now the heavenly [body] must overcome the earthly, that the earthly may be as it were dead and impotent, and that the heavenly may 1 keep the dominion. And now as Adam stood in i or be prethe 2 angle (between love and wrath) when he was 2° tempted, there stood both kingdoms against him, balanceand pulled at him ; and as God the Father (direct forward, in his reconciled will) is the kingdom of heaven, and the clear Deity ; and backward (in the

eternal root of nature) there is his wrath and 1 the kingdom auger, and yet * both of them are in the eternal of heaven and , ., , kingdom of Father ; and as in the eternal nature 01 the wrath, the light or the kingdom of heaven is not known, and also in the eternal light, the kingdom of fierceness and wrath is not known, because each kingdom is in itself, so is the soul of man also ; it hath both 2imagineth, kingdoms in it; in which it 2 tradeth, in that it ia inclined, or . i i • i c yieideth itself standeth. Jt it trade in the kingdom ot heaven, to, or con- . i i • i «• i -n • -i -i • • i verseth with, then the kingdom of hell is dead in it ; not that it is ceased, but the kingdom of heaven is predominant, and the kingdom of fierceness is changed into joy ; so also, if it trade in the kingdom of wrath, then that is predominant, and the kingdom of heaven is as it were dead ; although indeed (in itself it doth not vanish) yet the soul is not in it.

91. Thus also the temptation was to try, which kingdom in the soul might overcome, and therefore the food and drink was withdrawn from the earthly body, and the kingdom of heaven was predominant in him, in the holy Ternary, and in his Deity, and the kingdom of wrath and the kingdom of the devil were against him. And there the new-washed and half-regenerated soul stood in the midst, and was pulled at by both kingdoms, as Adam in paradise. 92. The Deity in Christ in the holy Ternary said, Eat of the Word of the Lord, and go forth from the outward man, rest in the kingdom of heaven, and live in the new man, and then the old man is dead, for the new man's sake ; on the contrary, the devil said to the soul, Thy earthly body doth hunger (because there is no bread for it) therefore make bread of stones, that thou mayest live ; and the strong soul in Christ as a Champion stood and said, Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God : And he rejected the earthly bread and life, and put his imagination into the Word of God,

and did eat of the Word of the Lord, and then the soul in the kingdom of heaven was predominant, and the earthly body was as it were dead for the kingdom of heaven's sake ; whereas yet it was not dead, but it became the servant of the heavenly body, and lost its potent * dominion. i regimen, or 93. And now when the kingdom of hell had this government mighty blow, and was thus overcome, then the devil lost his right in the soul ; yet he said in himself, Thou hast a 2 right in the earthly body. a Or jurisdicAnd somewhat was permitted to him ; and then etrtM^body. he took the body with the soul, and set them upon the pinnacle of the temple, and said, Cast thyself down (for thou art powerful and canst do all things) and then the people shall see that thou art God, and hast overcome. This is the right fluttering spirit, wherewith the devil would fain always fly above the thrones over the Deity, and yet goeth but in himself into the hellish fire> and apprehendeth not the Deity. 94. And 3here also was Adam tempted, [to try] « Or herein, whether he would steadfastly put his imagination

into the Heart of God, and then he should have continued in paradise ; but when he turned away his mind from the Heart of God into the spirit of this world, and would fly out beyond the humility, and would be like God, then he went forth beyond the throne of God, in the spirit of the fierceness of the anger. Therefore here the soul of Christ must be accurately tempted, [to try] whether it would (seeing it had retained the heavenly bread) fly out also in pride in the might of the fire ; or whether it would in humility look only upon the Heart of God, and *give itself up to that, that it might be carried only in the will of God, and become an angel in humility, and not rely only upon itself, to fly in its own might [or power]. 95. And here the devil's master-piece is seen, in that he 2 useth the Scripture, and saith, The angels will bear ihee up ; whereas here the matter was not about the body, but about the soul, which he would bring into pride, that it might tear itself off from the love of God, and rely upon the angels bearing it up ; and that it should break itself off again from the new body (which can fly well enough with that) and leap down in the old body, and rely upon the angels, and so should fly out from God into the spirit of this world again.

96. But here his valour is seen ; though he stood (with his earthly body) upon the pinnacle of the temple, yet he committed his earthly body to God, and trusted in him, and that he was everywhere Cll. 22] THE NEW REGENERATION IN CHRIST 629 in God ; and said to the devil, It is written, ihou \ shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Here the devil's pride (in the kingdom of wrath) was rightly overcome ; and the humility, the strength, and the might remained to be our Christ's ; and the soul of Christ is entered into the holy Ternary, as into the humble love, and espoused itself with the humble chaste virgin of the divine wisdom. 97. Now when the devil had lost twice, then he came at last, with his last powerful temptation, as he did also to Adam, he would give him the ivhole world, if he would fall down and worship him. The business with Adam also was about this world, he would draw this world to him, and so be like God with it, that as God had drawn this world to him, to manifest his great wonders there- with, so the soul in Adam thought [with itself],

Thou art the similitude of God, thou wilt do so too, and so thou shalt be like God ; but thereby he went forth from God into the spirit of this world. Now therefore the second Adam must hold out the standing of the first Adam, whereby it was tempted [or tried,] whether the soul would continue in the new holy heavenly man, and live in the Barmhertzigkeit [the * mercifulness] of God, 1 Or mercy. or in the spirit of this world. 98. And thus stood the soul as a valiant Champion, and said to Satan, Get thee hence, Satan, thou shouldst worship the Lord thy God, and serve him only. I have no more to do with thee. There the devil, hell, and the kingdom of this world, were commanded to be gone, and the valiant Champion gat the victory ; and the devil was fain to get him gone, and the earthly [part] was overcome. And here now the noble Champion standeth upon the moon, and receiveth all might, in heaven, hell, and on earth, into his power, and ruleth (with his soul, in the holy Ternary, in this outward body) over death and life ; and here this world is become Christ's own, for he hath overcome it ; he could live in God, and needed not the earthly food nor drink.

99. And the Reader must know, that the combat (with the temptation) was held in body and soul ; and that this temptation concerneth us also ; he hath overcome for us. If we put our whole trust in him, then we have victory in him, over sins, death, hell, and the devil, and also over this world ; for he held the last victory in his death, when he brake the sword of the Cherubim, and destroyed the hell of the devil, and hath led captivity captive, that thereby thou mightest live by the death of Christ. 100. And we see that all is true, as is above mentioned ; for when he had overcome in the temptation, and had stood forty days, then he had wholly overcome till the last victory in death, for so long Adam was in the temptation, in the the tempta- . .. . tion. kingdom (as a king over heaven and this world) with signs and wonders ; and in bis first miracle turned water into good wine ; he also healed the sick, made the blind to see, the lame to go, and cleansed lepers ; also he raised the dead, and shewed himself to be the true king over the 1 quick and dead, and sat upon David's throne of l over the

promise, and was the true priest in the order of the dead. Melchisedech. All whatsoever Aaron was (in the Father's might) in a type, that this High-Priest was in virtue [and power], with deeds and wonders ; which we will clearly describe in the succeeding Book, if we live, and God shall give us leave to do it.

Of the highly precious Testaments of Christ, viz. Baptism and his Last Supper, which he held in the Evening of Maundy-Thursday with his Disciples; which he left us for his Last [ Will], as a Farewell for a Remembrance. The most noble Gate of Christianity. 1. ~TT is apparent, how they have hitherto in -J- Babel danced [or contended] about the Cup of Jesus Christ, and about his holy Testaments, for which they have caused many wars and blood-sheddings ; but what kind of knowledge concerning those [Testaments] they in Babel have, appeareth by their works of love among one another, which their Councils have brought to pass, where men have stopped the mouth of the 1 rule or Holy Ghost, and have made a worldly * dominion out of the priesthood of Christ. 2 Or the 2. 0 you high-priests and 2 scribes, what answer the Scripture, will you make to Christ, when you shall be found thus [at his coming]? Or do you suppose you stand in the dark '? No, you stand in the presence of the clear countenance of Jesus Christ, who is Cll. 23] THE PRECIODS TESTAMENTS OF CHRIST 633 judge of the quick and dead ; do but open your eyes, and rightly feed the flock of Jesus Christ, he cometh and demandeth them of you. You are not all shepherds or pastors, but intruded covetous wolves ; you rely on your school-art [or universitylearning and scholarship].

0, that availeth nothing in the presence of God ; the Holy Ghost speaketh not from that, he will not be bound up. If you will be pastors, then you must hold out in the temptation, and put on the garment of the Lamb in your heart ; you must not take the wool of the sheep only from them, but you must give them the food of the Holy Ghost in true love, and be practisers of it yourselves. But xhow will you i Note this, give it, if you be in the wilderness still, and have chosen the kingdom of this world to yourselves in the last temptation ? What shall be said of you ? Is not the anger broke out and burning? Carry fuel to it, for Babel is on fire, the 2 water is dried 2 humility

up. Or what have 1 to do with tnee, that 1 must write thus ? 3. We have shewn in few words the incarnation and birth of Jesus Christ the Son of God, and yet we are so very earthly, and cannot apprehend it, but are continually asking, Where is Christ with his body? Where shall we seek for him? And therefore our soul longeth to write of his omnipresence, and that, notwithstanding all the raging and fury of the devil, and of Antichrist. 4. We having clearly described, how God, out of his love and mercifulness of grace hath turned his beloved Heart to us again, and how he hath opened the gate to the kingdom of heaven for our souls, therefore now we are further to consider of the body of Christ. For reason saith continually, The body of Christ is gone up into heaven, he is far 1 government, from us, we must erect a kingdom, that we may or form of serve him in his absence, as Jeroboam did with the calves ; and so that kingdom is rightly called Babel. 5. Dost thou boast thyself to be a Christian, why dost thou not then believe his word, when he said, He would be with us to the end of the world ; and said, moreover, He ivould give us his body for meat, and his blood for drink ; also his body is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed] What do you understand by this, an absent [Christ]?

0 thou poor sick Adam, wherefore art thou gone again out of paradise ? Hath not Christ brought thee in again, wherefore then didst thou not stay there ? Dost thou not see, that the Apostles of Christ and their successors (who dwelt in the paradise of Christ with their souls) did great wonders 1 Wherefore art thou again entered into the spirit of this world ? Dost thou suppose that thou shalt find the paradise with thy reason in thy art ? Dost thou not think it hath another Principle, and that thou shalt not find it, except thou be born anew ?

6. Thou sayest, Christ is ascended into heaven, how then can he be in this world? And when thou reachest furthest, thou thinkest that he is present only with his Holy Spirit, here in his Testaments, and that the Testaments are only 1 signs of his merits. What sayest thou then of 1 symbols of thy new man ? When indeed the soul is fed with tion. the Holy Ghost, what [food] hath thy new man then? 2 For each life feedeth upon its mother. 2Thenewman 7. Now if the soul eateth of the clear Deity, the pure «ie- what ffoodl hath the body then ? * or thou outward man knowest that the soul and the body are not one four elements. and the same thing ; it is indeed a Tveryl 3 body, 3 Corpus, and 3 . . they differ as but the soul is a spirit, and must have spiritual body and food, and the body must have bodily food. Or wilt thou give the new man earthly food ? If thou meanest so, thou art yet far from the kingdom of God. The heavenly body of Christ did eat no earthly food, but the outward body only did eat that. Is not Christ's body now in the 4 holy Ternary, * the pure

and eateth paradisical food ? Wherefore then shall tiaiity, viz. not our new man do so ? Did he not eat heavenly world, the 11 /• n°ly earth. food forty days in the wilderness, and always afterwards ? And did he not tell his disciples at Jacob's well, / have meat to eat that ye know not of-, and \ further, It is my meat to do the will of my Father which is in heaven \ Is the will of God his food, why then is it not ours, if we live in him ? Hath not the Deity of Christ put on the kingdom of heaven for a body? Is not the pure element (wherein the Deity dwelleth) his body? 8. But reason saith, The body of Christ is but in one place, how can he then be everywhere ? He is indeed a creature, and a creature cannot be in all places at once. Hearken, beloved reason : When the Word became man in the body of Mary, was he not at that time also aloft above the stars ? When he was at Nazareth, was he not then also at Jerusalem, and everywhere in all the thrones [of heaven] ? Or dost thou suppose, when God became man, that he was shut up and confined within the humanity, and was not everywhere ? Dost thou suppose, that the Deity (in Christ's becoming man) divided itself ? 0 no ; he never went from his place, that cannot be.

9. And now he is become man, therefore his humanity is everywhere, wheresoever his Deity was ; for thou canst not say, that there is any place in heaven or in this world, where God is not ; now wheresoever the Father is, there also is his Heart in him, and there also is the Holy Ghost. Now his Heart is become man, and in the humanity of Christ ; and therefore if you will think, that the body of Christ is far off in heaven, yet you must also say, that the Heart of God is in him ; and now (when you say that God the Father is here present) will you say, that the Heart in him is not here present with him ? Or wilt thou divide the Heart of God, and wilt only make it, that there is but a spark of it in the body of Christ, and that the rest of it is everywhere all over? What do you do1? Desist, and I will truly and exactly shew you the true ground. 10. Behold, God the Father is everywhere, and his l Heart and light is everywhere in the Father, 1 Or Son. for it is always from eternity begotten everywhere of the Father, and his birth hath neither beginning nor end, he is even at this very day continually generated of the Father ; and then also when he was in the body of Mary, yet he stood in the Father's birth, and was continually begotten of the Father, and the Holy Ghost proceeded continually from eternity, from the Father through his 2 Heart; 2 Son or for the whole 3 generation of the Deity is no other-

wise, neither can it be otherwise. working. 11. Now the Father is greater than all, and the Son in him is greater than all, and his 4 mercifulness 4Barmhertzigis also greater than all ; and the [one pure] element consisteth in his 4 mercifulness, and is as great as God ; only, it is generated of God, and is substantial, and it is under [or inferior to] God, and so therein is the Temarius Sanctus, with the wisdom of God in the wonders ; for all wonders are manifested therein, and that is the heavenly body of Christ, with our (here assumed) soul in it, and the whole fulness of the Deity is in the centre therein ; and thus the soul is environed with the Deity, and eateth of God, for it is spirit. Thus, my beloved soul, if thou art regenerated in Christ, then thou puttest on the body of Christ, [which is] out of the holy element, and that giveth thy new body food and drink ; and the spirit of this world in the four elements giveth our old earthly [body earthly meat and drink that is earthly and elementary]. 12. Thus understand and know this precious depth ; as Christ made a covenant with us, in the Garden of Eden, that he (as above mentioned) would thus become man, so also after he had laid off that which was earthly, he made a covenant with us, and hath appointed his body for food, and his blood for drink ; and the water of the eternal life (in the originality of the Deity) for a holy baptism, and commanded that we should use it till he come again.

13. Now thou wilt say, What did Christ give to his disciples in his Last Supper, when he sat with them at table ? Behold, the Deity is not comprehensible [or circumscriptive], and the holy body of Christ is also not measurable (it is creaturely indeed, but not measurable); he gave them his holy heavenly body, and his holy heavenly blood, for food and for drink, as his own words import. Dost thou say, How can that be ? Then tell me, how it can be that the holy element hath put on this world, and hath another Principle in the body of this world1? That holy element is the heavenly body of Christ. Thus he gave them outward bread and outward wine in the kingdom of this world, and therewith his holy heavenly body in the second Principle, which compriseth the outward, and like- wise his heavenly blood, wherein the heavenly tincture and the holy life consisteth. 14. Now saith. reason, That was another body, in another blood, and not his own creaturely body. Prithee, reason, tell me, how can it be another body ? Indeed it is in another Principle, but of no other creature. Did not Christ say, / am not of this world ? And yet he was really, according to the outward man, of this world. Or dost thou understand it only of his Deity ? What becomes then of his eternal humanity, according to which he was a king of the promise upon the throne of David "? If the promise had been able to ransom us, then the work need not have followed ; and Moses likewise had been able to have brought the people of Israel into the true promised land ; which verily Joshua (who was a type of this Christ) could not do, but he brought them only into the land of the heathen, where there was continually war and strife ; and it was only a valley of misery.

15. But xthis Christ sitteth upon the throne of * Joshua and David, upon the throne of the promise ; like as mg* David was an outward king, and in his spirit a prophet before God, and so sat outwardly as a champion in the world, and inwardly as a 2 priest 2 One copy before God ; who prophesied of this Christ that he should come, and commanded all doors to be set open, and all gates to be lifted up on high, that this King of Glory might enter in. Thus he speaketh not only of his Deity, from which he . prophesied (for that was however with him, and in the power and knowledge of the same he spake) but he prophesied of his eternal humanity. For that was not a king, who only sat there in the spirit, we could neither see him, nor converse with him ; but that is a king who sitteth in the humanity. 16. Now this king was promised of God, that he should possess the gates of his enemies, and should lead his enemies captive ; and the devils are these enemies. Now how dost thou conceive, that when this creature bound the devils at Jerusalem, and as a confined creature that did reach no further, did lead them captive, who then did bind them at Rome ? Thou sayest ; his Deity. 0 no ! that was not its office ; the devils are however in the Father's most internal root ; in his auger. A creature must only do it, who was so great as could be everywhere with the devils.

17. Therefore must Christ in his temptation overcome the kingdom of the anger, and this extern birth ; and by his entrance into death, he brake the head of the serpent, viz. the devil, and all devils, and took them captive. Thou must understand it thus ; That the inward element (which compriseth the whole body of this world) became Christ's eternal body ; for the whole Deity, in the Word and Heart of God, entered there- 1 uniteth or into, and * espoused itself to remain therein to all eternity ; and this same Deity became a creature, even such a creature as can be everywhere, as the Deity itself ; and this same creature hath captivated all devils in the kingdom of this world. And all men who with their mind draw near to this Christ, and desire him in right earnest, they are drawn by the spirit of the Father, (viz. of the clear and pure Deity) into the humanity of Christ, that is, into the pure element l before the Trinity. l wherein the , . -, , . , „ , . presence of And if they continue steadfast, and do not again the Trinity is

i » ,-N -i • i r» 1 i M i everywhere depart from God into the desire of the devil, then manifest, the precious Pearl, viz. the light of God, is sown in their soul, which [light] attracteth to itself the precious body of Jesus Christ, with paradise, and the kingdom of heaven. And thus the right new man ( Christus) groweth on the soul in the heavenly virgin of God's wisdom, in the holy Ternary, in the kingdom of heaven. And thus such a man is, according to the new man in heaven, in the body of Jesus Christ, and as to the old earthly man, which hangeth unto the holy [man], he is in this world in the house of sin, and the Deity acteth the new humanity, and the spirit of this world the old, until he puts him off in death ; for he is a man in heaven, born in the 2 mercy of God in the body oi^Barmhertz- 18. I set you a deep consideration ; behold, how the angelical thrones and principalities 8 were in 3 sparkled, the beginning beheld [apprehended or aspectedj by appeared, the wisdom of God ; which aspect [manifestation

or idea] the Fiat took to create ; and in the angelical throne the infinite multiplicity, according to the eternal wisdom in the wonders of God. All which was so created in the Fiat of God, according so that all angels, in every throne, gave their will unto the angelical throne or archangel ; as it is sufficiently to be known by the fall of Lucifer ; and also may be discerned in the regions of the kingly governments of this world ; if the devil did not so 2 agreement, destroy the right 2 union, as is very clearly to be or compact. J ° j j seen. Thus likewise (understand us, I prithee, thou very precious and noble mind) this second surpassing excellent creation is in the Fiat ; when God saw and took notice of our miserable fall, he did illustrate [or manifest] himself by the holy eternal virgin of his wisdom in the eternal wonders, in 3 mercy which always floweth out of his heart, and did comprehend with his speculation [or manifestation] the throne ; and did further illustrate himself in the throne into many millions without number, and established his covenant with his oath therein, with his precious promise of the woman's seed.

19. Thus, my very precious mind, apprehend it aright. This same throne was made in time (as the time of his covenant was revealed) an angelical principality in the mercy of God, in the holy pure element, in the sacred Ternary, that is, in the holy earth, wherein the Deity is substantially known; so that the whole mercy of God (which is unmeasurable, and everywhere in the sacred Ternary ; which is likewise so great in the holy element, that it compriseth heaven and this world) became a man ; that is, a substantial similitude of the spirit of the Trinity, in which (likeness) the Trinity dwelleth with complete fulness ; and in this great angelical throne and principality stood in the beginning, and from eternity, the aspect in the infinite multiplicity proceeding from all the essences in the limbus of the Father, and became truly illustrate [or manifest] in the time of the promise. 20. Thus now even unto this very day all things are yet in the Fiat, or creating, and the creation hath no end until the judgment of God, where that which hath grown on the holy tree shall be separated from the unholy thistles and thorns ; and we men are these innumerable aspects (or ideas) in the Fiat of the great princely throne ; and we, who are holy, shall be created in the body of this Prince in God ; but we that degenerate, or perish, shall

be cast out as naughty x apples unto the swine of 1 fruit, the devil. 21. Thus we were foreseen [or elected] in Christ Jesus before the foundations of the world were laid, that we should be his angels and servants in his high princely throne, in the body of his element, in which his spirit, viz. the Holy Trinity, will dwell. 22. This I would clearly demonstrate unto thee * in the kingdom of this world, yea in all things ; 2 Or upon it, thou shalt not be able to name any thing out of example. which I will not demonstrate it unto thee, if God give us leave ; but seeing it will here take up too much room, I will write a book by itself of it, if the Lord permit. 23. Therefore, my beloved soul, be lively, and see what thy noble bridegroom hath left thee in his Testaments for a legacy ; as namely, in the Baptism, the water of his covenant, flowing from his holy original body. Whereas we in this world, viz. in the extern birth of his body, do acknowledge four things, namely, fire, air, water, and earth, wherein our earthly body consisteth ; so likewise in the heavenly body there are four such things. The fire is the enkindling of the divine desire. The water is that which the fire desireth, whence it becomes meek, and a light. The air is the joyful spirit which bloweth up the fire, and maketh in the water the motion. And the earth is the true essence which is born in the three elements, and is rightly called Ternarius Sanctus [the sacred Ternary], in which the tincture is brought forth in the light of the meekness ; and therein also is born the holy blood out of the water, being an oil of the water, in which the light shineth, and the spirit of life consisteth.

24. Understand it thus, that water is the water holy Ternary ; and that is the water which bap20rceiebra- tizeth the soul, when we keep the 2use of his Testament, for the soul in his covenant is dipped and washed in that water, and it is rightly the bath [or laver] of regeneration, for by its dipping in the holy waterr it is received and quickened by the holy water, and cometh (in the covenant of Christ) into the soul of Christ; indeed not fully into his soul, but into his body, and becometh the brother of the soul of Christ ; for Christ's soul is a creature, (as our souls are), and is in the body of the mercifulness in the Trinity, being surrounded therewith, and hath the same in it for food and strength [or refreshment]. So also our souls in the covenant, if they be faithful and continue in God, they are the brethren of Christ's soul. 25. For Christ hath taken this pledge (viz. our soul) from us men in Mary ; at which we rejoice in eternity, that the soul of Christ is our brother, and the body of Christ our body, in the new man. And should I not rejoice that my soul is in the body of Christ, and that the soul of Christ is my brother, and that the Holy Trinity is the food and virtue [or strength] of my soul ? Who can judge

me, lay hold of me, and l destroy me, when I » spoil or hurt am (in my true man) in God ? When, as I am immortal in my new man, wherefore should I be much afraid in the earthly man, which belongeth to the earth ? Let everything take its own, and then my soul will be 2 freed from the 3 driver. 2 Or rid of 26. Or what shall I say ? Must I not in this ™r' body (which I here in the earthliness carry about corruption. me) through the new man, reveal the wonders of God, that so his wonders might be manifested ? I speak not only concerning myself, but concerning all men, good and bad ; every one must manifest 1 God's. the great wonders (wherein he standeth) in l his kingdom, whether it be in love or anger, (after the breaking [or dissolution] of this world) it must all stand in the figure. For at present this world » Or seed- standeth in the creating, and in the 2 sowing, and is like a field which beareth fruit. 27. Thus we every one of us labour and finish our day's work, every one in his own field, and in

3 Or be in his the harvest every one shall stand 3 by his labour, employment. . . . and enjoy his fruit which he hath sown ; therefore 4 diving or my hand shall not be weary of 4 digging : this we searching. J . J , speak seriously, according to its high worth in the wonders of God, known in the counsel of the 6 the wisdom 6noble virgin. 8 Celebration Of the 6 Use of the highly precious Testaments tion. of Christ the Son of God. 28. Christ began the use of the Baptism by John, who was his forerunner, and John was born into this world before Christ, which hath its signification, therefore open thy eyes. As the water is in the originality, and a cause and beginning of the life, and [then] in the water n£r of?he ^7 tne tincture) the 7 sulphur is first generated, body. wherein the life becometh stirring, and the 8 tinc- the HfeDUlg ° ture generateth again the sulphur and the water, wherein afterwards the blood in the tincture cometh to be ; thus now, as the beginning of the life is, so must also the l order in the regeneration be, that » Or ordithe poor soul first receive the water of eternal life, and be baptized therein, and then God giveth it the grain of mustard-seed of the Pearl, that so, if it receive the same, it may become a new fruit in God.

29. And therefore he sent his 2 angel hither 2 Or before him, that he should baptize with the water gc of the eternal life ; for so 3 can the eternal body 3 came or (into which the soul must enter, and in its tincture, in its blood, be new-born again) be translated into the body of Christ ; to describe which, a great space is requisite. But I will finish here briefly, and mention it more in another book. And now we will handle the matter of the use [or celebration], for it is very hard to be apprehended by the simple. And therefore we will deal with him after a childish manner, to try whether he may come to see, and find the Pearl, for all shall not find what we in the love of God have found ; though indeed we could earnestly wish that all might have it, yet there is a great matter between it ; viz. the 4 swelled, 4 the vapour- puffed-up kingdom of this world and the devil will menury life * , , , in the le»rntd. set themselves against it, as raging dogs, but the smell of the lily will make 6 him faint ; and so now • we will speak as a child.

30. The 'minister (in a brotherly Christian 8 office) of the covenant and Testament of Christ, taketh water, and (upon the commandment of Christ in his covenant and Testament) sprinkleth [or poureth] it upon the head of the infant, in the name of the covenant, and in the name of the Holy Trinity, of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; this was the command of Christ, and therewith he hath set up his covenant with us, as it is a Testament which he afterwards confirmed with his death, and we must do it also, and not leave it undone ; it is not in the l liberty of a Christian's or free-will. . . ., . „ will to do it, or leave it undone ; but it he will be a Christian, he must do it, or else he contemneth his Testament, and will not come to him. 31. For the Testator standeth in the covenant, and saith, Come ; and whosoever doth not desire to come, goeth not in to him. Therefore it lieth not in our high knowledge, for he standeth in his covenant ; and the child that is newly born is as acceptable to him, as an old sinful man that repenteth and steppeth into his covenant. For it lay not in us that he became man, and received us into his love, but it lay in his love, in his

2 Barmhertz- 2 mercy ; for we knew nothing of him, nor did we fulness. know whether we could be helped or no ; but he 3 Or into. alone chose us, and came to us out of grace, 3in our humanity, and took pity on us ; and so also the covenant of his promise was a covenant of grace, and not out of our foreknowing or merit. And therefore whosoever teacheth otherwise is in Babel, and confoundeth the covenant of Christ. 32. For Christ said also, Let little children come to me, for to such belongeth the kingdom of God. Say not, What doth Baptism avail a child, which understandeth it not ? The matter lieth not in our understanding, we are altogether ignorant concerning the kingdom of God. If the child be a bud, grown in thy tree, and that thou standest in the covenant, wherefore bringest thou not also thy bud l into the covenant ? Thy faith is its * Or in. faith, and thy confidence towards God in the covenant is its confidence. It is indeed thy 2 essences, - o children -and generated from thy soul. And thou art to branches. know, according to its exceeding worth, if thou art a true Christian, in the covenant of Jesus Christ, that thy child also (in the kindling of its life) passeth into the covenant of Christ, and though it should die in the mother's womb, it would be found in the covenant of Christ. For the Deity standeth in the centre of the light of life ; and so now if the tree stand in the covenant, then the branch may well do so.

33. But thou must not omit baptism for all that ; for when the child is born into the world, then it is severed from its tree, and is in this world, and then itself must pass into the covenant, and thou must with thy faith present it, and with thy prayer give it to God, in his covenant ; there needeth no 3pomp about it, that doth dishonour 3 bravery, . . . . sumptuous- the covenant ; ]t is an earnest thing. ness, or 34. There are three Witnesses to this covenant, the one is called God the Father, the other God the Son, and the third is God the Holy Ghost; these are the workmasters who do the office, they baptize [or administer baptism]. But if thou filthy trimmed whore now comest thus stately, and bringest the poor soul to the covenant of Christ, and doth but stand there in pomp and bravery, and understandest very nothing of the Baptism, and dost not put up the least prayer to God, what thinkest thou ? How dost thou stand in this covenant before the Holy Trinity? Even like a swine before a looking-glass. 35. Or shall I be silent ? I must speak, for I see it ; do what thou wilt, this is the truth ; thou carriest a new-washed soul from the Baptism, but thou art a filthy swine, even in the kingdom of all

1 Or bath. the devils. But the * laver of regeneration (if thou art a beast, and far from the kingdom of God) lieth not in thee, but it lieth in the covenant of Christ. 36. But this I say, according to my knowledge, (and not out of any command), that if the parents be wicked, and indeed in the kingdom of the devil, and that they have thus begotten their fruit out of their false [or evil] essences (in which [parents] there is no faith, but only a false hypocrisy, 2 mock Christ, and yet will 2in an apish mockery be counted accounted Christians ; and as the devil oftentimes changeth Christians. t • i*. 11 M nimselr into the likeness oi an angel, so they also send their children with the like trimmed false angels before the covenant of Christ) ; such doing is very dangerous, which also instantly sheweth itself in the growing of the tree ; indeed the cove- nant continueth still, but there must be earnestness in avoiding of the devil. It may be, that very many ape baptized in the anger of God, because they do but contemn the covenant; and many times wicked drunken priests use it, who even stick in hell-fire over head and ears ; and therefore the covenant of grace standeth as a testimony against the l congregations of the l the heap or wicked. And that which they see and know (and do not perform it with earnest sincerity) that shall judge and condemn them.

37. Now saith reason, How is the Baptism then ? I perceive nothing but water, and words. I answer ; Hearken, beloved reason, thy outward body is in this world only, and therefore outward water is requisite. But as the hidden man Christ, with his pure element, holdeth the out-birth of this world (viz. the four elements, wherein our body consisteth) and as all is his, so he holdeth also the outward water, and baptizeth with the inward water of his element, with the water of the eternal life, [coming] out of his holy body. For the Holy Ghost in the covenant baptizeth with the inward water, and the minister baptizeth with the outward ; the outward [man] receiveth the earthly elementary water, and the soul [receiveth] the water of the washing in the regeneration. 38. The soul is washed in the holy water, and the Word is presented to it, and the soul standeth in the covenant. And now it may reach after the Pearl ; although the soul be tied backward in the kingdom of this world, yet it standeth in the covenant for all that. And if, in the unfeigned faith of the parents, of the priest, and of the standers by, it be thus washed in the laver of regeneration, and so pass into the covenant, then the devil may not touch it, till [the time] that it

ceiveth, or . ,. , . f .,, disc«nieth. into one of them in a iree will. 2 wickedness, 39. And now if it entereth into the 2 evil of this world, and suffereth itself to be drawn by the devil, then it goeth away out of the covenant, and forsaketh God and the kingdom of heaven ; and there then the noble virgin of God standeth in the centre of the light of life (which instantly in the entering of the light of life yielded herself into the centre of the light of life, as a conductor and loving companion to the soul) and warneth the soul of the ungodly ways, that it should turn, and step into the covenant again. But if it do not, and that it continue in the kingdom of the devil, then she continueth standing in the centre of the holy paradise ; and she is a virgin of herself, but the soul hath afflicted her, and so they are parted ; except the soul return again, and then it will be received again by its virgin with great honour and joy. 40. And therefore it is that Christ made two Testaments, the one in the water of the eternal life, and the other in his body and blood ; that

(whensoever the poor soul should be defiled by the devil) it might yet in the other enter into the body of Christ again ; and if it turn with sorrow for its sins, and putteth its trust in the mercy of God again, then it steppeth again into the first covenant, and then it may come to the other Testament, and draw near to God, and then it will be received again with joy ; as Christ saith, That there is more joy in heaven for one poor sinner that repenteth, than for ninety and nine righteous that need no repentance. 41. Then saith reason, I can see nothing but bread and wine, and Christ also gave his disciples but bread and wine. I answer, As the Baptism outwardly is outward water, and the inward is the water of the eternal life, and the Holy Trinity baptizeth, as may be seen in Jordan, that three Persons appeared ; the Son of God, in the water ; the Father, in the voice of the words ; and the Holy Ghost over the water, moving upon the head of Christ ; and so all three Persons in the Deity baptized this man Christ ; thus it is also in the Supper.

42. The outward is [earthly] bread and wine, as thy outward man also is earthly ; and the inward (in his Testament) is his body and blood, and that thy inward man receiveth ; understand it aright, the soul receiveth the Deity, for *it is i the soul. spirit ; and thy [inward] new man receiveth Christ's real body and blood, not like a thought in the faith, although faith must be, but in substance, incomprehensible to the outward man. 43. Not that the holy is changed into the outward, that thou shouldst say (of the bread which thou eatest with the outward mouth, and also the wine) that the outward is the flesh and blood of 1 case, shell, Christ; No, but it is the * chest, and yet it cannot be comprehended or enclosed by the * chest, as this world cannot comprehend the body of Christ in the holy element, or as our outward body cannot comprehend the inward new [body] of the soul. Also the first Supper of Christ teacheth you this, when Christ sat with them at table, and gave them his holy hidden body and blood to eat and drink (z after a peculiar manner) under bread and wine.

44. For thou canst not say (when thou dost handle the blessed bread), Here I hold the body of Christ in my hand, I can feel and taste it : No, my friend, the outward is earthly bread, from the outward element ; and the incomprehensible in the holy element is the body of Christ, which (in this his covenant and Testament) is offered to thee under the outward bread, and that [body] thy new man receiveth ; and the old [man receiveth] the bread ; and so it is with the wine. 45. Make me no absence of the body and blood of Christ, the soul needeth not run far for it ; and besides, the body of Christ in his blood (in this Testament) is not the food of the soul ; but the mere Deity is the food of the soul ; and the body of Christ is the food of the new man, which the soul hath put on from the body of Jesus Christ, and the body and the blood of Jesus Christ feedeth the new man ; and if the new man abideth faithful in the body of Jesus Christ, then the noble Pearl

of the l light of God is given to him, so that he can i or divine see the noble virgin of the wisdom of God ; and lg *' that virgin taketh the Pearl into her bosom, and goeth continually with the soul into the new body, and warneth the soul of the false [or evil] way. But what manner of Pearl this is, I would that all men might know it. But how much it is known, is plain before our eyes. It is brighter than the splendour of the sun, and of more worth than the whole world ; but how clear soever it is, yet it is 46. Now then reason asketh, What doth the wicked receive who is unregenerated ? I answer, Hearken, my beloved reason, what St Paul saith, Because he distinguisheth not the body of Christ, therefore he receiveth it to his own judgment. As the Prophet saith, They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me ; and as is before mentioned, whosoever goeth away from God, entereth into his wrath. 47. How wilt thou receive the holy body in the love, if thou art a devil ? Hath not the devil also been an angel ? Wherefore went he away from God ? If thy old man [captivated] in the wrath be only on thy soul, and no new [man], then thy

soul receiveth the wrath of God, and thy old man receiveth the elementary bread and wine. The noble Pearl is not cast before swine ; indeed the Testament is there, and the l Testator inviteth thee to it, but thou makest a mockery of it ; he would fain help thee, and thou wilt not. 48. I say not that thou receivest the wrath of God in the bread and in the wine, but in thy false confidence ; thou art with thy body and soul in the anger, and wilt not go out from it. Wherefore then dost thou approach often to the covenant of God, seeing thou art captivated of the devil ? Dost thou think that 2 he will adorn thy hypocrisy, and will hang his Pearl on thee ? Thou art a wolf, and howlest with the dogs ; thy mouth prayeth, 1 «in Schaick. and thy soul is 3 abominably wicked [and naught] ; when it goeth from the Testament of Christ, it entereth into the stall of robbery again, and is a murderer ; it howleth with the dogs ; it is a perfidious whore ; when it goeth away from the covenant, it steppeth into whorish corners, into the den of thieves ; and there they stand, and pretend great holiness. 0, this day is a holy day to me, I must not sin. And yet they think, to-morrow or next day they will go thither again,

49. 0 thou knave, if thou bringest not another man than such to it, stay away from the Testament of Christ ; thou art but a murderer, and dost scandalize thy neighbour, so long as thou art in such a way ; thy prayer is false, it cometh not from the bottom of the heart ; thy heart desireth only the pleasures of this world, and the l driver receiveth 1 hunter, perthy prayer, he is thy god ; therefore consider what the devil. thou dost. 50. 0 Babel, we have a great deal to say to thee, but not here ; thou shalt once be talked with in the anger, at which the elements shall shake and tremble ; go forth (it is high time) that the anger may be allayed.

Of true Repentance : How the poor Sinner may come to God again in his Covenant, and how he may be released of his Sins. The Gate of the Justification of a poor Sinner before God. A clear Looking-Glass. 1. IV /T~Y beloved Reader, we tell thee this, -1-VJL that all things from the original of the essence of all essences (everything from its originality) hath its driving [or impulsion] in its own form ; and it always maketh that very thing, with which the spirit is impregnated ; the body must always labour in that wherein the spirit is kindled. When I consider and think, why I write thus [many wonders], and leave them not for other sharper wits, I find that my spirit is kindled in this matter, whereof I write ; for there is a living running fire of these things in my spirit, and thereupon (let me purpose what I will) yet this thing continually moveth and swimmeth on the top, and so I am captivated therewith in my spirit ; and it is laid upon me as a work which I must exercise. Therefore seeing it is my work that my spirit driveth, 1 will write it down for a Memorial,

in such a manner as I know it in my spirit, and 1 in such a manner as I attained to it, and I will set 1 th« way how down no 2 strange thing, which myself have not a ^he^thing tried [and known], that I be not found 3 a liar con- *™ JJJH. cerning myself before God. « Or to write 2. Now then, if there be any that have a desire " to follow me, and would fain have this knowledge whereof I write, I advise him that he follow me in this following table [pattern or way], not presently with the pen, but with the labour of the mind, and then he shall find how I could come to write thus ; whereas I was not taught from the schools of this world, but only a little of this mean hand-writing, as may be seen here. 3. But now seeing I have in hand the articles of repentance, therefore I certify the Reader, that in my earnestness this pen was given me, which the hunter would have broken, with whom I began an earnest storm, insomuch that he had cast me down to the ground under his feet, but the breath of God helped me up ; so that I stand up, and have the first pen in my mind still, wherewith I will write further, though the devil for malice should storm hell.

4. Therefore now, if we will speak of this most serious article, we must go from Jerusalem to Jericho, and see how we lie among murderers, who have so wounded us, and beaten us, that we are half dead, and we must look about us for the Samaritan with his beast, that he may dress our wounds, and bring us into his inn. 0, how lamentable and miserable it is, that we are so beaten by the murderer (the devil) that we are half dead, and yet feel our smart no more ! 0, if the Physician would come, and dress our wounds, that our soul might revive and live, how should we rejoice ! Thus speaketh the desire, and hath such longing hearty wishes ; and although the Physician is present, yet the mind can nowhere apprehend him, because it is so very much wounded, and lieth half dead. 5. My dear mind, thou supposest thou art very sound, but thou art so beaten, that thou feelest thy disease no more. Art thou not very near unto death, how then canst thou account thyself to be sound ? 0, my dear soul, boast not of thy soundness, thou liest fettered in heavy bonds, yea in a very dark dungeon ; thou swimmest in a deep water, which riseth up to thy very lips, and thou must continually expect death. Besides, the

nature. . r J thy worst enemies, whereby he draweth thee continually down by his chains into the horrible deep, into the abyss of hell, and his crew thrust thee on behind thee, and run upon thee on all sides, yelling and hunting, as if they had the hind they hunt after. 6. Then saith reason, Wherefore do they so? 0, my dear soul, they have great cause for it ; behold, thou hast been their hind, and thou art Cb. 24] OF TRUE REPENTANCE 661 broken out of their l garden ; besides, thou art so > Or park, strong, that thou hast broken down the hedge of their garden,, and hast taken possession of their dwelling. Besides, thou hast made their meat as bitter as gall, that they cannot eat it ; thou hast broken their throne with thy horns, and hast brought a strong 2 host into their garden, and thou » company, of hast used a strange power, to drive them out of" their garden ; and though they have thee in their fetters, yet thou opposest them, as if thou wouldst destroy their kingdom ; thou breakest their cords in pieces, and breakest their bands, and thou art a continual stormer of their kingdom ; thou art their worst enemy, and they thine ; and if thou wert but gone out of their garden, they would be contented, but thou being in it still, the strife continueth, and hath no end, till the Ancient [of Days] cometh, who will part you asunder.

7. Or dost thou suppose that we are mad, that we write thus? If we did not see and know it, we should then be silent. Or canst thou not once know the thorny bath, wherein thou swimmest? Dost thou still say, thou art in the garden of roses ? If thou thinkest thou art there, see well whether thou art not in the devil's pasture, and art his most beloved hind, which he fatteneth to the slaughter for his food. 8. I tell thee for certain, and it is in earnest ; when I was at 8 Jericho, there my beloved Com- » in or of the panion opened my eyes for me, that I saw ; and behold, a great generation of men and multitudes of people and nations were together, one part were like beasts, and one part like men, and there was strife between them ; and beneath there was the abyss of hell, and the beasts saw not that, but the men were afraid and would be gone ; to which the devil would not consent, because his garden had 1 Or de- no doors [open] ; but they 1 brake open his garden, and so he must watch at the door that they do not run away from him ; but the beasts (which were men also) they did eat of his food, and drank of his drink, and he did nothing to them, because he fattened them for his slaughter, and there was a continual enmity between the right men and the bestial men.

9. Or dost thou suppose this is not true, which my beloved Companion hath shewn me, when he opened my eyes, that I saw ? Then come, and go with me to Jerusalem, we will go together along the way to Jericho, and see it well enough ; and by the way is this garden, wherein the devil with his great generation dwelleth ; we will shew thee great wonders, thou shalt see and know all that which we mentioned above, if thou art but a man, and not the devil's fatted beast. 10. Behold, we understand by Jerusalem the paradise, and by the way to Jericho the going forth out of paradise into this world, where then the world captivated us in her garden, where continually the great sea of misery is wherein our soul swimmeth. Also the devil is therein, who hath bound us with the chains of the anger of God, and he leadetb, the poor soul captive (in the dark garden of Hesh and blood) into his fierce garden of anger ; where the new-born souls continually break out of his garden, and break his hellish kingdom in pieces ; also they have taken possession of his

1 royal throne, where he was an angel, and with their 1 regal or horns (which are the spirit of God) have broken in pieces his hellish kingdom which he set up ; also they oppose him with their storm out of hell into heaven, and assault his kingdom ; but he holdeth the poor soul captive with the chains of the anger, in this evil flesh and blood, and continually setteth on the crew of the wicked, that they seduce it, and 2 baptize it in the anger of God up to the very lips ; a Or dipiit. and there the poor soul standeth up to the neck in the sea of misery, ready to be drowned ; and there the devil thrusteth it down with the vices and sins of the body, and would drown the poor soul in the anger of God in the abyss of hell. 11. All malicious captivated men (whom he hath captivated) are his hounds, which hunt the poor soul with haughtiness, bravery, covetousness, unchastity, anger, cursing, and wrongful oppression, so that the poor soul is infected with these things, and is very often set upon the devil's horse, as one of the [devil's] captives, and then the devil will ride with it into hell into the anger of God. 0 how often doth he rob the poor soul of her fair garment

(of the knowledge of God) ! How doth he rend away the word of God from their ears and hearts, as Christ saith clearly ! Now if it will not do as he willeth, and that it breaketh out of his garden, then he casteth his dirt and filth upon it ; and then he stirreth up all his blood-hounds, they must bawl at it, and cast more disgrace upon it ; and then it standeth as an owl among the birds, who one and other will have a fling and a pluck at it ; and so it is also with the poor soul, which steppeth, through earnest repentance (out of the devil's net), into the new regeneration. 12. On the contrary, those others (who feed upon the weeds of the devil in vices and sins) are in peace ; for he fasteneth them in the anger of God, and they are his blood-hounds wherewith he hunteth the hind, the poor soul, which would escape and storm his hellish kingdom. The devil would be well contented, though some souls should escape (though he had rather increase than weaken his kingdom) but that his kingdom would be broken by it, which he cannot like.

18. For as he goeth a-hunting in his kingdom, and catcheth the poor souls which way soever he can, and layeth wait for them by his servants, with all manner of vice and wickedness, and so continually setteth such looking-glasses before the soul, that it should behold itself in its own wickedness, and tickleth it also with fair promises of great honour, power, and authority, he setteth the poor despised sort before the soul, and saith, Wilt thou only be the fool of the world, come along with me, I will give thee the kingdom of this world for a possession, as he said to Christ ; so in like manner, when the soul hath put on the kingdom of heaven, and yet sticketh in the dark valley in flesh and blood, and seeth the devil's l murdering of its brethren and » Or mas- sisters, then it cometh to be armed of God to fight against the devil, and to discover his 2 burrow. For 2 trap, snare, ... . . , or pitfall the love to its neighbour constrameth it to do so, because it would help to increase the kingdom of heaven ; therefore it teacheth and reproveth thus, it warneth against sin, and teacheth the way to the kingdom of heaven ; which indeed the bestial body doth not understand ; it goeth away, like the rude ass, and thinketh with the starry and elementary mind, as followeth.

14. 0 ! what mischief I do to myself, in making myself the fool of the world ! What do I get by it but scorn and disgrace ? I am not sure of my life, thereby I bereave me and mine of our daily bread and livelihood, and must always be expecting of death, and swelter in the scorn of people. 0 ! how suddenly thou committest a fault, and then thou art persecuted, and art thrown away like a rotten apple ! And what reward have those thou leavest behind thee, but to suffer [the more] for thy sake? 15. Thus man in flesh and blood judgeth, and when the devil understandeth it, how soon is he there watching, as a cat watcheth for a mouse, saying, 0 ! who can tell, whether that be true or no, which thou teachest, thou hast not seen it ; neither hath any come from the dead, and told it thee. There are many dead, that have taught just as thou dost; and yet doth not the world stand in its old l course, at one time as at another? They were counted fools, and so art thou, and after thee again things will be still as they were before. To what purpose then is thy care and pains ?

16. At length 2he cometh with a subtle snare, and saith, through the spirit of the great world in the mind, in himself, O, the heavens have caused thee to be born to it, that thou dost such foolish tricks, and would play juggling feats in thee, thy gifts are not from God ; God hath never spoken with thee ! And what canst thou know then ? Leave off, let it alone, thou mayest be a Christian well enough, and be quiet ; let the priests teach, 8 livings, pay, they have their 3 wages for it. What hast thou or hire for it. to do with it ? Beloved Reader, with these blows this pen was once thrown to the ground, and the driver would have broken it, but the breath of God took it up again ; therefore it shall write what happened to it, to be an example for all wellwishers ; and it is an exceeding precious one. 17. Now when the devil had thus thrown it down, then it was silent, and desired not only to write no more, but the devil rushed in upon it, and beat it along, and would have broken it. He came forth

with his sour apples, and held them before the soul of this pen, and would have it eat of his dainties ; also he strowed sugar upon them [as he did for Eve]. If he had gotten the soul again into his chains, how would he have been revenged on it ! as was afterwards known in the storm, where his mind was known very well. Now when it was thus, the lily faded and lost its fragrant smell, the Pearl did hide itself, and the virgin of the Pearl stood mourning, and the noble mind sank down in great unquietness. 18. Indeed the driver said at the beginning, that it should have rest with being quiet ; but it was rest only to flesh and blood, and yet it was no quietness either, but a furtherance to the hunting. But when the mind found itself in great unquietness of soul, it recollected the soul, and sought the Pearl which the soul had before, and supposed that it lay as a treasure in the l case of the soul, but » Or cabinet it was gone ; and then the mind sought that [Pearl] in body and soul, and behold it was not there, it could not be found ; and there was nothing to be seen but the devil's sour apples, which were strowed before the soul, that it should feed on them. But the soul stood in great perplexity, and would not eat of its evil fruit ; it called its virgin, but she sat as if she were asleep.

19. Thus the soul stood with great longing and desire ; also was many times in great combat with the hunter, who would still throw it to the ground. When it set itself in opposition against him, then pen in this world can sufficiently describe it. 3 the wisdom of God. he took all the vices (which stuck in flesh and blood) and cast them upon the soul, that he might entangle it with them, and hinder it from comprehending the virgin again ; he made a great mountain of the sins in the flesh and blood, and therewith covered and shut close up the 1 mercy of God, viz. the new man in Christ, and the gates of heaven, which stood open before, were shut up close : Misery and great trouble were heaped upon the soul, till at length once again, from the breath of God (which came into it again) it was moved to break the devil's chains in pieces, and it entered into combat with him, so that he was quite thrown to the ground, and its covering was rent in pieces, and then the soul saw its beloved virgin again. What 2 friendly welcoming there was then, I had rather the Reader might find by experience, than that I should write of it.

20. Thus the soul desired the Pearl again, but it was gone, and must be generated anew, and be sown as a grain of mustard-seed, which is small and little, and afterwards there groweth a great tree out of it ; and thus the Pearl groweth in the bosom of the 8 virgin in the soul. Therefore keep what thou hast, for misery is an ill guest ; regard not what sugar the devil stroweth, though the kingdom of this world seem as sweet as sugar, it is nothing else but gall ; consider that the poor soul in this world, and in the flesh and blood, is not in its true home, it must travel into another country. Therefore suffer not the devil to cover it thus with the untowardness of the flesh, for great earnestness is requisite for the driving away of the devil ; though that would not be in our ability [and power], if the exceeding worthy Champion did not aid and assist us. 21. Therefore none should be so presumptuous, as to mock and despise the children of God, who are in the combat against the devil. But think that it will come to thy turn also ; if thou wilt not go about it when thou art well and in health, thou must come to it at thy death ; when the poor soul cometh to part from the body, then it must enter into the combat, there is no remedy ; for it must depart from the body out of the spirit of this world, and then two gates stand open, viz. heaven and hell, it must go in at one of them, there is no other place out of this world.

22. If now it be hard captivated in sins, and still goeth on in sinning from day to day, so that it is clothed with the anger of God, and hath loaded itself with mockiug the children of God, and so sticketh over head and ears in the anger of God, and scarce hangeth by a thread [to Christ], 0, how hard it is with that soul ! Must not that soul needs swelter a tedious while in the scorn which it hath put upon the children of God ? How can it suddenly reach the noble virgin in the love and mercy of God? And then where is the noble Tree of Pearl [in the meanwhile], which is sown as a small grain of mustard-seed, and in the growing of it cometh to flourish like a bay tree ? Whence hath it its sap, if the soul standeth thus in the bath of the anger? 0! it will (in many) not grow green in eternity. And therefore saith Christ, In the resurrection they shall excel one another in glory, as the sun, moon, and stars. 23. And what then will thy gold and silver, thy money, goods, honour, and authority, which thou hadst here, avail thee, when thou must leave all, and part from them ? What will it profit thee, that thou hast scorned and contemned the children of God ? Also, what will thy covetousness and envy avail thee, now thyself must swelter therein with great shame and anguish, where thou hast so great shame before the angels of God, and where all the devils mock thee, that thou hast been God's branch, and hast had so long a time [that thou mightest have been a great tree], and art now but a dry withered twig ?

24. Or what thinkest thou, if thy twig be thus very dry and withered, and that thou must eternally swelter in the anger of God, where instantly thy human image will be taken away, Or figure, and thou wilt be in the * shape of the most abominable beasts, worms, and serpents, all according to thy deeds and practice here, where then all thy deeds will stand in the figure in the tincture eternally before thy eyes, and will gnaw thee sufficiently, so that thou wilt continually think, if thou hadst not done this or that, thou shouldst have attained the grace of God ? Thy mocking standeth before thy eyes, and thou art ashamed to let the least good thought into thy soul ; for good is as an angel before thee, and thou darest not (for great shame) so much as touch it with thy mind, much less look upon it. But thou must eternally devour into thyself thy great scorning, with all thy vices and sins, and thou must eternally despair ; and though thou thinkest to go forth after 1 abstinence, yet the light striketh thee down J ease or «- again, and so thou goest but forth aloft (in thy forbearance of

devouring fretting worm, in thyself) without the6' thrones of God ; and it is with thee, as with one who standeth upon a high stony cliff of a rock, and would cast himself into a bottomless gulf ; and the further he seeth, the deeper he falleth. Thus thy own sins, scornings, deridings, cursings in contempt of God, are thy hell-fire, which gnaweth thee eternally ; this I speak in the word of life. 25. Therefore, 0 dear soul, turn, and let not the devil captivate thee, and regard not the scorn of the world ; all thy sorrow must be turned into great joy. And though in this world thou hast not great honour, power, and riches, that is nothing ; thou knowest not, whether to-morrow will be the day it will come to thy turn [to die]. Doth not a bit of bread taste better to the needy, than the best dainties to the great ones? What advantage hath the rich man then, but that he 672 THE THREE PEINCIPLES [Ch. 24 seeth much, and must be tormented and vexed in many things, and in the end must give an account of all his doings and stewardship, and how he hath been a planter in this world ? He must give an account of all his servants, and if he hath been an evil example to them, and hath been a scandal to them, so that they have walked in ungodly ways, 1 woe be then their poor souls cry eternally l for vengeance superiors. upon those their superiors ; there all standeth in the figure in the tincture. Why then dost thou contend and strive so much after worldly honour that is transitory ? Rather endeavour for the Tree of Pearl, which thou carriest along with thee, and shalt rejoice eternally in its growing and fruit.

26. 0 ! is not that a cheerful welfare, when the soul dareth to look into the Holy Trinity, " Or faculties, where with it is filled, so that its 2 essences grow [flourish and blossom] in paradise, where always the Hallelujahs or songs of praise break forth in God's deeds of wonder, where the perpetual growing fruit springeth up [in infinitum] endlessly, according to thy will, where thou enjoy est all, where there is no fear, envy, nor sorrow, where there is mere love one of another, where one rejoiceth at the form and beauty of another, where the fruit groweth to every one according to his essences [and taste or relish], as there was a type of it in the manna to the children of Israel, where it tasted to every one according to their essences [or desire] ? Of ike, Way [or Manner] of the Entrance. 27. Beloved, mind, if thou hast a desire to this way, and wouldst attain it, and the noble virgin in the Tree of Pearl, then thou must use great earnestness ; it must be no lip-labour, or flattery with the lips, and the heart far from it. No, thou canst not attain it in such a way. Thou must collect thy mind, with all thy thoughts [purposes] and reason, wholly together in one will [and resolution] to desire to turn, and resolve that thou wilt forsake thy abominations, and thou must set thy thoughts upon God [and goodness], with a steadfast confidence in his mercy, and then thou wilt obtain it.

28. And though the devil (in thy sins) saith it cannot be now, thou art too great a sinner ; let not anything terrify thee, he is a liar, and maketh thy mind fearful ; he maketh as if he were not present, but he is present, and snarleth like a mad dog ; and thou mayest know for certain, that all doubting whatsoever, that cometh into thy mind, is nothing else but his suggestions [and objections]. 29. For there are but two kingdoms that stir in thee ; the one is the kingdom of God, wherein Christ is, which desireth to have thee ; and the other is the kingdom of l hell, wherein the devil is, > Or of the which desireth also to have thee. Now there must wnuhofGod. be striving here in the poor soul, for it standeth in the midst. Christ offereth it the new garment, and the devil presenteth the garment of sin fulness to it. And when thou hast but the least thought or inclination towards God [and goodness], that thou wouldst fain enter into true repentance, then truly that thought is not from thy own self, but the love of God doth draw thee, and invite thee ; and the noble virgin of God calleth thee thereby, and thou shouldst only come and not neglect it. And so truly when (in such a way) thy great sins come before thee, and hold

thee back (so that thy heart many times receiveth no comfort) this is the devil's staying of thee, who casteth into thy thoughts, that God will not hear thee, thou art yet in too great sins, he will let no comfort come into thy soul, he layeth the sinful kingdom of this 1 comfort. world over * it ; but be not discouraged, he is thy enemy. It is written, If your sins were as red as blood, if you turn, they shall be as wool, white as snow : Also, As true as I live, I have no pleasure in the death of a poor sinner, but that he turn and live.

30. Thou must continue steadfast in this resolute purpose ; and though thou gettest no virtue [or strength] into thy heart, and though the devil also should beat down thy tongue, that thou couldst not pray to God, yet then thou shouldst desire and sigh to him, and continually hold and go on in this thought and purpose, with the Canaanitish woman ; the more thou pressest forward, the weaker the devil is ; thou must take the suffering, death and satisfaction of Jesus Christ before thee, and must throw thy soul into his promise ; where he saith, My Father will give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him for -it. Also, Knock, and it shall be opened unto you; seek, and you shall find; ask, and you shall receive ; and the more earnestly thou pressest forth from the devil, and from thy sins, the more mightily doth the kingdom of God press into thee ; but have a care that thou dost not depart from this thy will, before thou hast received the jewel ; and though it hold off from morning till night, and still from day to day, [let not that discourage thee], if thy earnestness be great, then thy jewel will also be great which thou shalt receive * at thy overcoming. * Or in thy

31. For none knoweth what it is, but he that™ hath found it by experience. It is a most precious guest ; when it entereth into the soul, there is a very wonderful triumph there ; the bridegroom there embraceth his beloved bride, and the Hallelujah of paradise soundeth. 0 ! must not the earthly body needs tremble and shake at it ? and though it know not what it is, yet all its members do rejoice at it. 0 what beauteous knowledge doth the virgin of the divine wisdom bring with her ! She maketh learned indeed ; and though one were dumb, yet the soul would be crowned in God's works of wonder, and must speak of his wonders ; there is nothing in the soul but longing to do so; the devil must be gone, he is quite weary and faint. 32. Thus that noble jewel (and in it the Pearl) is sown. But observe it well ; it is not instantly become a tree ; 0 how often doth the devil rush upon it, and would fain root up the grain of mustard-seed ! How many hard storms must the soul undergo and endure ! How often is it covered with sins ! For all that is in this world is against it ; it is as it were left alone and forsaken ; even the children of God themselves rush upon it ; for the devil doth plague the poor soul thus, to try if he can lead it astray, either with flattery and hypocrisy, that the soul might flatter itself, or else with sins in the conscience.

He never ceaseth, and thou must always strive against him ; for so the Tree of Pearl groweth, as corn doth in the tempestuous storms and winds ; but if it groweth high, and cometh to blossom, then thou wilt enjoy the fruit well enough, and understand better what this pen hath written, and where it was born. For it was a long time in this condition, many storms went over its head ; and therefore this shall be for a lasting Memorial, and continual remembrance to it ; seeing we must sit here in the murdering den of the devil ; if we do but overcome, our great reward will soon follow us.

33. Now saith reason; I see no more in thee, nor in any such as thou art, than in other poor sinners, it must needs be but a hypocritical pretence ; besides, saith reason, I have been also in such a way, and yet I stick in my wickedness still, and do that which I would not do; and I am still moved to anger, covetousness, and malice. What is the matter, that a man doth not perform what he purposeth, but that he doth even what himself reproveth in others, and that which he knoweth is not right? 34. Here the Tree of Pearl standeth hidden ; behold, my beloved reason, the Tree of Pearl is not sown into the outward man, he is not worthy of it, he belongeth to the earth, and the man of sin sticketh in him, and the devil often maketh his seat therein, who heapeth together anger and malice therein, and bringeth the poor soul often into 1 lusts, unto which it doth not consent, so that the l abominable body meddleth with that which the soul is against ; wickedness, and now when this is so, it is not always the soul that doth it, but the spirit of the stars and elements in man ; the soul saith it is not right, nor well ; but the [outward] body saith, we must have it, that we may live and have enough ; and so it is one time after another. So that a true Christian knoweth not himself, how then should he be known by others ? Also the devil can cover him sufficiently, that he may not be known ; and that is his master-piece, when he can bring a true Christian into wickedness, to fall into sins, so that outwardly nothing is discerned by him, but that he reproveth the sins of others, and yet sinneth outwardly himself.

35. But now when he doth thus commit sins, yet he committeth them not in the new man ; but the old [man] in sin, who is subjected under sin, who is in the anger of God, he is driven by the anger, so that he doth not always that which is right ; and if he doth anything that is good, yet he doth it not (out of his own will and ability), but the new man compelleth him to it, that he must do it ; for the old [man] is corruptible, but the soul is incorruptible ; and therefore the poor 1 in the chink soul is always in strife, and sticketh l between the door and the hinges, and must be often pinched and bruised. 36. But yet we do not say, that sin in the old Or evil man is no 2 hurt ; though indeed it cannot sway 1 scandaiizeth the new man, yet it giveth 3 offence ; and we must with the new man live to God [and serve him], though it is not possible to be perfect in this world, yet we must continually go on and hold out ; and the new man is in a field, where the ground is cold, bitter, sour, and void of life.

37. And as an herb (by the pleasant sunshine) groweth out of the earth, so our new man in Christ groweth out of the old, sour, cold, harsh man of our earthly flesh [and blood]. And that is the true light of the Pearl, when we apprehend it truly and really (in the knowledge) in the new man ; and it is the sword wherewith we can fight against the devil. Only we must take the sword of the death of Christ into our hand, which cutteth so sharply, that the devil must fly away.

The Suffering, Dying, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God: Also of his Ascension into Heaven, and sitting at tJie Right hand of God his Father. The Gate of our Misery ; and also the strong Gate of the Divine Power in his Love. 1. ~TF we consider ourselves in our right reason, -L and behold the kingdom of this world, in which we stand with our flesh and blood, also with our reason and senses, then we find very well, that we have the substance and stirring of it in us ; for we are its very proper own. Now all whatsoever we think, do, and purpose in the outward man, that the spirit of this world doth in us men ; for the body is nothing else but the instrument thereof, wherewith it performeth its work ; and we find, that as all other instruments (which are generated from the spirit of this world) decay, corrupt, and turn to dust, so also our earthly body, wherein the spirit of this world worketh [and acteth] for a while. 2. Therefore none should scorn or despise another, though he leadeth not the same course that he doth himself ; or though he be not of that way in his mind and will which himself is ; or that another cannot learn and follow the same stately courtly manners and behaviour with himself. For the natural heaven maketh every one, according as its form (in its influences) is, at all times ; and so every creature getteth its condition, form [or shape], inclination and will, which cannot wholly be taken away from the outward man, till the [natural] heaven breaketh its beast. Therefore we ought to consider the great strife in us ; when we are regenerated out of the eternal, then the eternal strive th against the corruptible, against the malice and falsehood of the corruptible.

1 worketh or 3. And now each kingdom l effecteth its will ; the inward goeth right forward, and consenteth not to the wickedness of the outward, but it 2 it aimeth at. runneth to its 2 mark ; and the outward also goeth forward with its desire, and performeth its work according to the influence of its constellation. 4. But if it happeneth, that the outward doth not what its desire willeth, that proceedeth not from its wisdom, but the heaven hath altered it by •Or aspect, another 'conjunction; but if 4it be compelled to maneou leave off that which is evil, that is not 5by the •from the course of the heavens, but the new regenerated "ting. man (who is in strife with the earthly) doth many times overcome, but cannot swallow up the earthly ; for the earthly getteth up again, as we see by our anger ; for if my new man have the upper hand, he will have no anger, nor any evil desire ; but if this world's driver assaulteth him, then the fire of anger riseth up in the old man, and his desire is often kindled to do what he rejected and reproved a little before.

5. Now we cannot say, that the spirit of this world alone consenteth to, and doth that which is evil and wrathful ; for the whole man oftentimes runneth with all his thoughts, and his whole will after it And here we l find our great misery, for i or know, the poor soul (which lieth yet tied in the bands of anger) is often kindled, that it burneth like a fire, and runneth after [evil] ; for it is in the band of eternity, in the Father, and reacheth (in its most inward root) the anger of God ; and that is even the birth of its life, and its originality ; and the noble grain of mustard-seed (that was the new garment of the soul, which was new put upon it in its repentance) is many times destroyed ; therefore none should be secure, though he doth once attain the Garland of Pearl, he may lose it again ; for when the soul consenteth to sin, then it goeth forth from Christ into falsehood, and into the anger of God. 6. Now therefore as we know, that Christ (by his entrance into the incarnation) hath opened a door into heaven, into his holy body, so that we (through a true repentance and confidence) may come to him and put the new white garment of his innocency, in his love, upon our souls, so we

know also that the soul standeth yet fast bound with two chains. One is the birth of its own life, whose most inward root is poison and wrathfulness ; and so the soul being [sprung] out of the eternal source, and having its originality out of the 1 Or bring it eternity, none can 1 redeem it in its own root of eternity, or bring it out of the auger, except there come One who is the love in itself, and be born in its own very birth, that so he may bring it out of the anger, and set it in the love in himself, as it was done in Christ. 7. The other gate or chain is the flesh and blood, with the region [or dominion] of the stars ; there the soul is fast bound, and swimmeth therein, as in a great sea, which daily so 2stirreth up the soul, that it is kindled. 8. Concerning these two chains, we know in our deep knowledge, and see them in the ground of the originality, and know very exactly, that we could not be redeemed, except the Deity did go Or regener- into the soul, and 3 bring forth the will of the soul

again out of the fierceness in itself, into the light of the meekness ; for the root of life must remain, or else the whole creature must be dissolved. 9. But because the soul stood with its most inward root in the abyss of hell, and according to the kingdom of this world in the hard [frozen] death, so that (if the flesh and blood, as also the dominion of the stars, should leave it) then it 2 infecteth it, that it there is no source [or active property], and itself, in its own property, would be but in the fierceness, of the originality, in great misery ; therefore it was necessary, not only for God to come into the soul, and generate it to the light (for there was danger, that the soul with its imagination might go forth out of the light again), but also for God to assume a human soul, from our soul, and a new heavenly body, (out of the first glorious body before the fall), and put it on to the soul, with the old earthly body hanging on it, not only as a garment, but really [united as one] in the essences ; so that it must be a creature, that is, the whole God, with all the three Principles.