Eternall Word which hath manifested it selfe with the true Milk of salvation in our humanity being blind in regard of God and sucketh this Milk of the Mother into his hungry soule whence the new spirituall man ariseth and thereby the fiery dark and dry soule proceeding from the Fathers property doth reach and obtaine the place of Gods love in which place the Father begetteth his beloved Sonne and therein onely the Temple of the holy Ghost which dwelleth in us is found and therein also the spirituall mouth or beleeving desire of the soul which eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his blood is understood or experimentally and essentially enjoyed 5. For he onely is a Christian in whom Christ dwelleth liveth and hath his Being in whom Christ as to the internall ground of his soule is arisen and made alive in the heavenly Essence which did disappeare and depart in Adam even he I say is onely a Christian that hath put on Christs Victory that is to say Christs Incarnation Humanity Sufferings death and Resurrection against the anger of God and also Hell Devill Death and Sinne in his eternall ground where the Seed of the Woman to wit Christ in his conquest doth also conquer in him and daily trampleth upon the Serpents head in the wicked carnall will and killeth the sinfull lusts of the Flesh 6. For in Christ alone we are received to be Children of God and heyres with Christ not by an outward adventâ—â—ouâ— strange shew of a sundry select Appropriating of Grace I say noâ— through a strange merit of grace or application of promises imputed from without or received in an Historicall apprehension of being justified and acquitted by another as Malefactors but through a child-like regenerating innate in-dwelling member-like and essentiall Grace Where Christ the conquerour of death doth arise in Us with his life Essence and power from Our death and hath his mutuall ruling influence and operation in us as a branch on its Vine as the Writings of the Apostles doe throughout witnesse 7. He is farre from a Christian who onely comforteth himselfe with the Passion Death and Satisfaction of Christ and doth apply and impute it to himselfe as a pardon or gift of favour and yet remaineth still an unregenerated wilde worldly and sensuall Beast such a Christian is every ungodly Man For every one would faine be saved through a gift of favour the Devill also would very willingly be an Angell againe by grace received and applyed from without 8. But to turne and become as a child and be borne anew of Gods grace-water of love and the holy Ghost that pleaseth him not Even so it pleaseth not the Titular Christian who will put upon himselfe the mantle of Christs grace and apply his merits unto himselfe by an Historicall laying claime to a promise and yet will not enter into the Adoption and New birth albeit Christ saith that he cannot otherwise see the Kingdome of God 9. For what is borne of the flesh is flesh and cannot inherit the Kingdome of God John 3. To be fleshly minded is enmity against God but to be spiritually minded is life and peace And he onely heareth Gods Word that is borne of God for onely the spirit of grace in Christ heareth Gods Word 10. For no man hath ever seen God the Sonne alone who is in the unmeasurable bosome of the Father declareth unto us the Word and Will of God in our selves so that we heare and understand his will and good pleasure within our selves and are willing to follow the same yet we are often kept back by the outward sinfull flesh so that the operation or effecting of that same Divine power purpose and godly resolution in our mind doth not alwayes come into the outward Figure yet it goeth into the inward Figure in the inward spirituall World concerning which St. Paul saith Our conversation is in Heaven 11. Of which also all the Saints of God and especially St. Paul hath complained that they had an earnest syncere will and did serve God with the minde of the internall Ground but with the flesh the Law of sinne so that the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit which lust and evill concupiscence is daily drowned and mortified in the death of Christ by the inward ground or the centre of light regenerated in the darke abysse of the soule but this is in those onely in whom Christ is arisen from death and thus there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit c. For the bestiall body belongeth to the earth but the spirituall body belongeth to God but whosoever hath it not he is dead while he liveth and neither heareth nor perceiveth any thing of the spirit of God It is foolishnesse to him as the Scripture saith 12. Therefore this point is not sufficiently understood and cleared by teaching and maintaining onely and alone an outward receiving and application of grace and forgivenesse of sinnes The pardon of sinne and the receiving of us into filiall adoption and grace consisteth in the justifying blood and death of Christ when Christs heavenly blood tinctured us and with the highest love of the Deity in the name Jesu did overcome the anger of God in our soule and inward divine ground proceeding from the Essence of Eternity and did turne it againe into the Divine humility meeknesse and obedience whereby the rent torne and divided temperature of our humane property and spirit of obedience and good will entered again into the harmony and unity of the properties Viz. into Paradisicall light love and life that Reall Temperature where variety doth concenter and accord in unity 13. And even then the wrath of the Father which was awaked in the properties of our life and had set it selfe to be Lord and Master in soule and body whereby we were dead to the Kingdome of Heaven and become children of wrath was turned againe into the unanimous love likenesse and unity of God and our own humane will dyed in the death of Christ from its selfnesse and selvish willing and the first humane will which God breathed from his spirit into Adam did spring forth afresh through the conquest of Gods sweetnesse and love in Christs heavenly blood and then the Devill and Hell which held men captive were confounded and made a scorn This the dry Rod of Aaron which budded in one night and bare sweet Almonds did typifie 14. Now as Sinne came from One and passed from one upon all so also the sweet grace and victory in Christ passed pressed and pierced from one upon all Now this death and the anger of God was broken in pieces in that one Adamicall soul in Christ and a possibility to grace was opened through the disclosing of death through which disclosed gate the will of the soule may re-enter into its first Mother whence it came in the beginning that is into the filiation adoption or
dictate it and did not give place to Reason or to the wisedome of the naturall and Astrall spirit I also doe not acknowledge it for a worke of my Reason which was too weake but it is the worke of the spirit who hath shewne what he meaneth to doe and what shall come to passe and also what is already done for he proceedeth forth out of the Abysse into the Bysse and searcheth through all things he tryeth the heart and reyns and proveth the thoughts of men moreover he doth hereby intimate and declare the last Judgement that he will try and examine every Being through the fire and I could not neither might I write at all even in the fiery instigation except I did set it downe as the spirit did represent it therefore I have made it for a Memoriall to my selfe I have no further intention therewith 16. But because you are desirous to read the same I will send it and I pray you to returne it back againe for I will keep it for a Memoriall and I am assured that so farre as your Noble minde shall give God the praise and read it diligently and take this way to heart with a desire to understand the same that the Lord will open to you the doore of his love in the Mystery and crowne you with the Diadem of his wisedome which is more precious then the created Heaven and this World for the precious Philosophers Stone the ground of all Mysteries and Secrets doth lye therein and this same Diadem or Garland of wisedome is beset with this Stone which Diadem and Crowne of light in the holy Ghost the soule puts on as a Garment being a new body in and for the Kingdome of God wherein it is the Child of God and wherewith it is able to staud in the fire of Gods anger without any hurt or griefe and can therein overcome the Devill Death and this World and therein also can rule over the Stars the poysonfull influences of the Constellation and this outward life which otherwise is a thing impossible for Reason for it giveth that knowledge of things which no Art or litterall acrument from externall Reason is able to search out or dive into it seeth through Heaven and Earth and it reapeth where it hath not sowne it asketh not the question Is it true or no It hath the signe of truth and righteousnesse in it selfe it hath all vertues lying in hope there is no feare of Gods anger in it it affordeth a very joyfull hope and ratifieth and assureth the same and it confirmeth the soule to be the Child of God 17. This garland is a Virgin and a chast purity and divine Beauty a joy of the life it comforteth and rejoyceth the minde in affliction it goeth along with man into death but it hath no death or dying in it it liveth from Eternity and 't is a guide into Heaven and 't is the joy of the Angels its taste is more precious and pleasant then all the joyes of this World and he that once obtaines it esteemes it higher then all the goods and â—iches of this World it cannot be parrallel'd but onely with the Deity but it lyeth hid in a darke Valley the World knowteh it not the Devill blowes against it as a storme of winde and doth often so cover and disguise it that Reason doth not know it but it springeth forth in its time as a faire Lilly with manifold fruits it is sowne in teares it groweth in tribulation and affliction but it is reaped with great joy it is contemned and despised by reason but he that obtaines it holds it for his best Treasure 18. Such a Garland is set upon him that seeketh after it with earnestnesse and wholly resigneth up himselfe unto it but not his selfeâ—Reason in flesh and blood doth obtaine it as my Writings doe fully testifie for what is therein written the Author hath knowne by experience there is no strange hand or spirit foysted in I write not this for my owne vaine glory my boasting is onely in God but for a rule and direction to the Children of God and that they may know what reward God giveth to those who put their trust and confidence in him and regard not the dispraise and contempt of the World 19. I doe likewise wonder how you and many more in Silesia have gotten my Writings for I have no acquaintance with any of them and I am so close in respect of publishing of them that the Citizens here about me know nothing of them save onely of the first part which was Per-force taken from me which by meanes of a Person in the Mysterie of Babel who persecuted it out of envy was proclaimed among them for Heresie which notwithstanding they never read neither was it examined ever as it was meet 20. Indeed I never asked any mans advise about it or ever committed it to the censure and judgement of man to this very houre but commended it to God yet hereby I know and acknowledge the way of God and likewise I understand that it is not knowne only in Silesia but also in other Countries without my fore-knowledge and I must even say that he that hath so persecuted it he hath thereby published it for my intent was to keep it by me as long as I lived and I wrote it for my selfe onely 21. But what God purposed in his Counsell is now manifest and it shall yet appeare more clearely when the two last Bookes shall be read at the which I my selfe in the externall man doe exceedingly wonder and marvell what God intendeth and will do for I acknowledg my self to be altogether unworthy and ignorant and yet the greatest and deepest Mysteries are revealed to the internall man which I give you and other lovers of God in humility to consider of for in truth I cannot at all say that it is the worke of my understanding or Reason But I acknowledge it to be a Wonder wherein God will reveale great things whereinto my reason doth speculate and continually marvelleth at it 22. For I never in all my life studied these Mysteries and likewise knew nothing of them for I am a Lay-man and yet I must bring such things forth to light which all the high Schooles or Universities have not been able to doe to whom notwithstanding in comparison I am but a Child and have none of their Arts or wisedome and I must write wholly from another Schoole and which is yet greater then all this the Language of Nature is made knowne to me so that I can understand the greatest Mysteries in my owne Mothers Tongue 23. Though I cannot say that I have learned or comprehended it but as long as the hand of God stayeth upon me I understand it but if it hides it selfe then I know not my owne Labour and am made a stranger to the Worke of my owne hands whereby I may see how altogether impossible a thing it
regeneration of a new life and will and there it may attaine the sweet blood of Jesus Christ which in Christ did disclose or break open the gate of death and changed the anger of God in our humanity in himselfe into love wherein the poore captive soule drinketh out of Gods fountaine and doth allay and sweeten its fire-breath whence the new Paradisicall budd springeth forth and there the hunger and desire of the soule is made substantiall and essentiall in the blood of Christ after an Heavenly manner 15. Now as the disclosing of death must be done in the person of Christ himselfe in our soule and humanity so that the eternity in Christ wherewith he was come from heaven and was also in heaven John 3. overcame the time Viz. the life and will of the time and did change time with its will into the eternall will of the Deity and all this must be brought to passe in our received humanity So likewise the desire of our soule must receive into it selfe that same eternall will in Christ wherein time and eternity stand in equall agreement and harmony and through the power of the same immerse or cast it selfe into the adoption of free grace in Christ that the same inward Paradisicall ground which dyed in Adam might again spring forth in the will of the obedience of Christ through his heavenly and from us assumed humane blood 16. The atonement and expiation must be made manifest and experimentall in our selves through that atonement which Christ once made indeed the atonement and reconciliation was once fully finished and brought to passe in Christs blood and death but that which was once wrought in Christ must also worke in me it must even Now also through Christs shedding of his blood be brought to passe in me Christ also doth powre forth his heavenly blood into the desire of Faitâ— in my poore soule and tinctureth the anger of God which is therein that the first Adamicall Image of God may againe appeare and become seeing hearing feeling tasting and smelling 17. For that same Image which dyed in Adam from the heavenly Worlds Essence being the true Paradisicall Image dwelleth not in the foure Elements its essence and life standeth not in this world but in Heaven which is manifest in Christ in us Viz. in that one pure holy Element whence the foure Elements sprung forth in the beginning of time and this same inward new spirituall man eateth Christs flesh and blood for he is and liveth in Christ Christ is his stock and he is a branch on the stock 18. For every spirit eateth of that whereof it taketh its Originall the Animall sensuall mortall soule eateth of the spirit of this World of the Stars and Elements of the Kingdome of the World but the true eternall soule which was inspired out of the Eternall Word into man being Divine life eateth also of its Mother Viz. of the holyessentiall Word of God 19. But seeing it was impossible for her after her owne departure and separation from God in her excluded condition property and spirit to eate of the Divine Word and live in the holy Element of love and humility therefore this same Word of life being its true Mother came forth to the abandoned soule into the vaâ—e of misery and into the prison of Hell and infused his heavenly Essence into our humane to be as a body for the soule and therewith did imbrace and cloath our poore soule being captive and did open againe her heavenly mouth afore dead in the anger of God with the tincture of love so that the poore soule can now againe eate heavenly Manna the eating whereof was tryed in Christs person with the humanity which he received from us in the temptation of Christ in the Wildernesse where Adam in Christ did againe eate Manna from Paradise fourty dayes 20. Therefore I say that by a shew and select forme of grace appropriated and imputed from without none commeth to be a true Christian for if he be so his sinnes are not forgiven him by once speaking of a word or appropriating a forme or promise of absolution to himselfe from without as a Lord or Prince in this World doth freely give a Malefactor his life by an externall imputed favour no this availeth nothing before God 21. There is no grace or favour wherby we come to the adoption save onely in the blood and death of Christ him alone God hath fore ordained and appointed to be unto him a throne of grace or propiciation in his owne love which he hath in the Sweet Name Jesu out of Jehovah infused into him He is that onely Sacrifice that God accepteth of to reconcile hiâ—â—nger 22. Now if this Sacrifice or free offering of grace shall doe me good then it must be wrought and brought to passe in me the Father must beget or impresse his Sonne in the desire of my Faith so that the hunger of my Faith may lay hold and comprehend him and if the hunger of my soules Faith doth comprehend him in his promised Word then I put him on in his whole processe of justification in my inward ground and forthwith the mortification and killing of the anger Devill Death and Hell beginneth and goeth forward from the power of Christs death in me 23. For I can do nothing I am dead to my selfe but Christ doth it in me when he ariseth in me then I am dead to my selfe in respect of the true man he is my life and in that I live I live to him not to my selfehood for grace mortifieth my own will and setteth it self up for a Lord in the place of my selfenesse that so I may be an instrument of God who doth therewith what he pleaseth 24. And then I live in two Kingdomes Viz. with my newborne spirit of life or spirituall man in Paradise in the Kingdome of Heaven in the inward spirituall World and with the outward mortall man in the vanity of time in the Kingdome of this World in the dominion of the Starres and Elements in the contrariety and malignant discord of the properties wherein the yoake of sinne yet liveth this Christ taketh upon himselfe in the inward Kingdome of the Divine World and helpeth my soule to beare it 25. For the yoak of this World is Christs burthen which he must beare untill he shall againe deliver up the Kingdome to his Father which he hath given him for he sayd All power in Heaven and Earth is given to me of my Father so also this burthen or charge is layd upon him that he should beare Gods Anger Hell death and all Evill in us as Isaiah saith Hee tooke on him our diseases and carryed our sorrows but we esteemed him stricken smitten of God and afflicted 26. And hence it is that a Christian must be a bearer of the crosse for so soone as Christ is borne in him the assaulting of Hell and the anger of God in the eternall
body is in the Dominion of the Stars and Elements according to the source of this World 7 Thus we are Gods Image and likenesse who himselfe is all Should we not therfore rejoyce Who will separate us from God if the soule be in God where no death or destruction is 8. Therefore my deare faithfull Friend and Brother in Christ I esteeme it great joy unto me that I have found a precious plant of God of you of which my soule smelt and thereby was strengthened when the Oppressour would have torne it out of the Land of the living when it lay under the Oppressours and the Thorny Plantâ— of Antichrist intended to devoure us 9 But as God commeth to helpe the branches which stand in him with his power that they might not perish albeit Devill and Death doe storme against them so they must spring forth againe through death and the wrath or fiercenesse of the anger and Sting of death and though God bestow the most noble and precious hearbe of his Garden upon it yet his will must stand what is sowne in him that must grow in him 10. This we know in that he hath given his heart Viz. the most precious plant in himselfe to become Man for us to a strong sweet savour of regeneration in him that when we were in death we might be able to spring forth with and through him out of death in God his Father and bring forth the fruits of Paradise 11. Being then we know that we are the Plants Fruits or Nurserie of God let us not feare any thing but continually grow in the life of God and bring forth fruit to Gods honour and deeds of Wonder we shall enjoy them eternally 12. And being we know that our pretious life standeth in great danger betweene the Kingdome of Heaven and the Kingdome of Hell lying Captivall to both in this time of life therefore we must walke warily and circumspectly that our Pearl may not be broken we must not let the Savour of wrath into us for to corrupt and spoil us whereby the pretious fruit is hindred in the growth and God should complain of us that he is like a vine-dresser that gleaneth and would faine enjoy the pretious grapes 13. Therefore let us be watchfull to fight against the Prince of wrath that the pretious Grapes and fruites of God may growe in us in which God may have a good smell and tast that we may be a Pleasant sweet savour to him in Christ 14. We shall well enjoy it when we are rid from the vanity of this life and then we shall live and spring up in God and eate of the pure life of God without defect and he will be our food and we his that so there may be a pleasant mutuall Paradisicall growth in one another we in God and God in us in the eternall source of the holy life in Gods Nursery wherein is meere perfection in pure love 15. For which cause we labor so earnestly and suffer the scorne and contempt of the World that while our earthly life springeth in death our heavenly life may spring forth through death that so the earthly life may appeare before the heavenly as a scorne which indeed is not worthy to be called a life comparing it with the heavenly 16. And therefore we suffer patiently in the earthly life and rejoyce in the heavenly in hope that we shall be freed from vanity and then we shall be well refreshed with consolation what we have beene faine here to sow in tribulation and trouble we shall reape in great joy 17. Wherefore my very deare Brother in the life of God in which you stand you are more acceptable to me that you have awaked me out the Sleep that I might goe on to bring forth fruit in the life of God and afterward to rejoyce therein with the Children of God 18. And I give you to understand that after I was againe awakened a very strong Odour was given to me in the life of God and I hâ—pe to bring forth fruit therein and to awaken the sleepy as God hath awakened me out of the sleep wherein I lay 19. And I entreat you for the holy life sake of God in Christ that for the future you would not be faint or weary but animate and quicken up your life in Christ that our spirits may be apprehended and understood which cannot be without the Divine Power 20. For every one speaketh from his Essences in the Wonders of God according as his life is enkindled in God and no man can bring us to an understanding but the onely spirit of God which in the day of Pentecost did in the mouth of the Apostles change the tongues of all Nations into one that the languages of all Nations could understand the tongues â—f the Apostles whereas they spake but from one tongue but the heart and spirit of the Hearers were opened in God that they all understood them every one in his owne language as if the Apostles had spoken in their language 21. Thus it is onely 〈…〉 God that one spirit can apprehend and understand another 〈…〉 feare me that in many places of my Writings I shall be difficult 〈…〉 understood but in God I am very easie and plaine to the Reaâ—â—r if 〈◊〉 soule be grounded in God from which knowledge I onely Wâ—â—e 22. For I have veâ—◠〈◊〉 from the historicall Art of this World and I write nor for the Pride and Honour sake of their Art for I am not begotten of their Art but out of the life of God that I might beare fruit in the Paradisicall Rose-Garden of God 23. And that not for my selfe onely but for my Brethren and Sisters that we might be one holy body in Christ to God our Father who hath loved and chosen us before the foundation of the world was layd 24. Therefore as Christ spared not his life and so also his true Disciples but did freely Preach the Kingdome of God albeit they suffered scorne and death in this World for it and that onely for the sake of the heavenly Kingdome so must we not feare so much the temporall scorne and death for the heavenly lifes sake and so pray that God would deliver us from all evill and give us unity in one minde 25. But I am sorry that I am so difficult to be understood of you in some points of my Writings and I wish that I could impart my soule to you that you might apprehend my meaning 26. For I understand that it concerneth the deepest points on which the maine depends where I have used some Latine words but my meaning resteth in truth not barely in the Latine tongue but much rather in the Language of Nature 27. For it is opened unto me in some measure to sound out the Spirits of the letters from their very Originall and I would very gladly give you the meaning and interpretation of those words which I have
as strangers and Outcasts or as Devill Men one towards another as the Article of Election as it hath of some beene hitherto handled doth give forth and import little lesse 3. And albeit we are apprehended and captivated in the heavy fall of Adam in the Anger that his Anger hath indeed chosen us to be Children of Damnation yet God hath bestowed his beloved heart Viz. The Centre of the Deity thereupon and hath manifested it in the humanity that he might againe regenerate us in him and manifest the life againe in us 4. And as the heavy fall came from one upon all and passed or pressed upon all so likewise the grace came from one and passed upon all and the Apostle saith that Jesus Christ came into the World to seeke and save that which is lost that is the poore lost damned sinner apprehended in the wrath of God and chosen to damnation and not the righteous and who with Abel Seth Henoch Noah Sem Abraham Isaac and Iacob are comprehended in the Love but the poor sinfull man captivated of Gods anger as Cain Ismael Esau and the like he came to seek and call these to returne and be converted as God said to Cain rule over the sin let it not have its power if Cain could not have done this God would not have commanded it him also if it had not been possible for Adam to have stood then he had never forbid him the tree 5. But being man cannot thus absolutely conclude demonstrate and give satisfaction to the minde for it searcheth further after Gods Omnipotence thereupon there is another Study requisite that a man learne really to know the centre of all essences to love and anger what the eternall love of God and what the eternall anger of God is which doth harden and devour man and maketh him to be a child of eternall death and how man may and is able in the time of this life to be freed out of his prison and captivity of Gods anger 6. But Seeing that I have so declared and set it forth at large in my Bookes that I thought the minde should be satisfied especially in the Booke of the Threefold life and in the Three Bookes of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and yet further and deeper in the Book of the Six points concerning the Grand Mystery the eternall birth of the deity and of the three principles of the three Worlds hoâ— they stand mutually in each other as one and how there is an eternall peace and agreement towards each other and how one doth beget the other and desire each other also that one without the other were a Nothing I supposed that the minde would therein finde satisfaction seeing the same can be demonstrated in every Being and thing 7. But seeing Master N. hath part of these Writings in his hands though not all be pleased to enquire after them if they have a minde to them they shall not onely finde the ground of this Article concerning Election but of all Articles and even of all whatsoever the minde of man turneth it selfe unto if the ground be followed and attained which is there opened 8. My Noble heart I pray take not in jest what God manifesteth unto us out of his Love looke not upon the simplicity of the men by whom he doth this it is his good pleasure to manifest his might in the weake and silly as the World accounts them it is done for instruction to the World seeing all live in contention and strife and will not suffer his spirit to draw them that they might know and acknowledge Gods Kingdome to be in VS therefore the Centre of his Being and of all Beings is manifested unto them this is done all out of his love towards us that we might yet depart from the miserable strife contentions and wranglings and step into a brotherly and child-like Love 9. Sir seeing I have found a longing minde in you I would not conceale from you that it will be a time of serious earnestnesse and I say blessed and happy are those that are comprehended under the Sound of the Trumpet that hath already sounded for there commeth hereafter such an earnest severity that Babel and contention together with all Pride Ambition Falshood and unrighteousnesse shall drinke an earnest draught and even that which shee hath filled I entreat you for Eternall Salvation sake further to consider of it it is knowne 10. I am ready so farre as the minde might not finde ground enough in my Writings for its rest and satisfaction if the same were noted downe and sent me so to explaine and enlarge it out of the Centre of all Beings that I hope the minde should be satisfied although it lyeth not in Searching for no searching obtaineth or reacheth the Pearle without Gods light a penitent humble minde is required thereunto that wholly resigneth it selfe into the grace of God and that doth not search or will any thing save Gods Love and Mercy in that ariseth at last the bright morning Star that the minde findeth such a Pearle wherein soule and body rejoyâ—eth and when this is found then there need no further searching or teaching for it is written They shall be taught of God Such a Pearle as this the sound of the seventh Trumpet doth open in the hearts of many who with earnestnesse shall seek it in a humble and unto God resigned will 11. Therefore my Noble heart I would not conceale this from you much disputing and grubling in Selfe-Reason findeth not the Pearle but an earnest fixed penitent will findeth the same which is more precious and costly then the World and hee that findeâ— it he would not give it for the riches of the whole World for it affordeth him Temporall and Eternall joy that he is able to rejoyce and be merry in the midst of the Dungeon of darknesse and he accounteth the goods of this World as dirt and dung in comparison of it Christ sayd Seeke and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you Also My Father will give the holy Spirit to them that aske him for it HEREIN LYETH THE GROVND 12. Let no man say My heart is shut up I cannot pray and if my heart say flatly no yet I will cast my selfe into the suffering and death of Christ let him cast me into Heaven or Hell yet I will be in his death he is made an Eternall life to me and then it is sayd None can pluck my Sheep out of my hands 13. The way to seeke and know the precious Pearle is very sufficiently opened in the Booke of the Threefold life else I would have mentioned something thereof And I commend me into your favour and us all into the meek love of Jesus Christ Dated 2. July 1621. THE NINETEENTH EPISTLE 1 NOBLE Worthy and honoured Sir All sincere wishes through the Love of Christ wherewith he loveth us in himselfe by his Incarnation in us of an happy and
holdeth the sydereall body untill the Stars also consume it and it often hapneth that People doe appeare after there death in Houses with there owne body but the body is cold dead and num and the spirit of the soule doth onely put it on by the astrall spirit so long till the body putrifyeth 10. Also many a body is so strongly possessed of the Astrall or starry Spirit through the Desire of the soule that it is a long while a decaying for the desire of the soule doth bring the sydereall spirit thereinto so that the Elements are as it were impressed with an Astrall life especially if the soule hath not yet attained to rest and that in the life of the body it had strongly imagined upon any thing and taken it to heart and in the mean time the body dyed before it had quitted its desire and taken it out of that thing therefore the will doth still continually run in that same Impression and it would fain rightly effect its cause but cannot and thereupon it seeketh the cause or reason of its detainment and would fain rest in the Eternity but the impressed thing hath its effectuall working and driving untill the stars consume it formerly in the Popish Religion there was somewhat handled about it but without sufficient understanding 11. Now you may easily consider how it fell out that the Engraven Grave-stone shed water or wept it is not done from the power or vertue of the stone but from the strength and might of the spirit whose the stone is whose Image it beares also it is not done from the soules owne essence but magically through the astrall Spirit the constellations in the Spirit of the soule have impressed themselves into the sydereall Spirit in the stone all according to the soules desire it hath hereby signified that there was something that lay heavy in its minde when it lived and this sadnesse or sore pensivenesse of Spirit was yet in the sydereall spirit for Christ said where your heart is there is also your Treasure also in the Revelation of Jesus Christ it is written our WORKES shall follow us 12. Deare Sir it behooves me not to Judge further herein consider whether the mentioned Person had not something in her that lay heavy upon her before her end whether any had done her wrong or shee had done wrong to any body or whether the care about her Husband and children so far as shee was a holy Person did not trouble her seeing any of them going on in an evill course that so through the power of the Sydereall spirit through the Stone shee might give such admonition for amendment Noble Sir consider your selfe aright I may likely among all these mentioned things hit one but seeing I never knew the Person also know nothing of her I leave the judgement unto your Favour you know better then I what her condition herein was I write onely of the Possibility how it may bee and passe no further judgement or determination 13. But that this might be laughed at and be accounted ridiculous I passe not for it I am not deceived I understand I blesse God this ground very well for such knowledge I have not learned of or by Man but it hath been given me and I would sufficiently ground it with further and larger exposition if I should write of the Humane Property how Man is in Life and how in Death 14. I send you the Booke of the Forty Questions there you may see further ground which notwithstanding is better grounded into the Centre of all Beings in the Booke of the Threefold Life and yet much more in the Book of the Signature of all things Furthermore I entreat you not to mention this my jndgement and explanation of the Question much among light people for to a Cow there belongeth Fodder and to the intelligent there belongeth understaning the wicked man judgeth wickedly the understanding man proveth all things I speake from a good intent and affection 1. Jan. 1622. J. B. THE FIVE AND TWENTIETH EPISTLE TO CHARLES OF ENDERN 1. NOBLE Right Honourable Sir I wish and desire unto you from the most holy omnipresent God who is the fulnesse of all things and the power of all Beings a happy joyfull new yeare and all prosperous welfare 2. Albeit I being a simple man never in all my life intended to have intercourse and converse with such high Persons with my Gift which God hath bestowed upon me out of his mercy and love or thereby to be knowne and acquainted with them but when the high light was enkindled in me and the fiery instigation fell upon me then my will was onely to write what I saw man an effectuall peculiar manner and knew in the Spirit and I intended to keepe my Writings to my Selfe 3. I saw well enough what would come to passe but that I should esteeme my selfe as to have my Writings knowne never as yet came into my minde for I esteemed my selfe too simple I intended to write downe the Pearle-like Garland onely for my selfe and to imprint it on my heart 4. But seeing that I as a very simple man did not understand or take notice of this and yet I now see plainely that Gods intention was farre otherwise then ever came into my minde thereupon I 〈◊〉 first this consideration That there is no respect of Persons with God but he that dependeth on him is accepted and beloved of him and he driveth his worke in him for he is onely high and is pleased to manifest himselfe in the weak that it may be knowne That the Kingdome and the Power is his alone 5. And also that it lyeth not in humane Searchings and Reason or depends on the Heavens and their powers for they doe not comprehend him but that he is well pleased to reveale himselfe in the low and humble that he may be knowne in all things for the Powers of the Heavens doe also worke themselves forth continually in shapes formes plant◠and colours to manifest and reveale the holy God that he may be knowne in all things 6. Much more high and cleare can the manifestation of God be made in man being he is not onely an Essence or Being out of the created World but his power matter and peculiar Being which he himselfe is standeth and assimulateth with all the three Principles of the Divine Being 7. And there is nothing diminished from the Being of the divine creature in its fall but onely the divine light wherein it should live walke and be in God in perfect love humility meeknesse and holynesse and so eat the Manna or Heavenly bread of the word and divine power and live in perfection like the Angels 8. This light which in the second Principle shineth eternally in God which is the onely cause of joy love humility meeknesse and mercy is withdrawne and hidden from man in his fall in that the first man when he was formed in
nature beginneth and then the Hell in man is destroyed and the Serpent is troden under foot whence great unquietnesse persecution and reproach from the Devill and the corrupt World doth arise against the outward sinfull man and even then the outward sinfull man must suffer it selfe to be condemned and judged to damnation by the children of Anger and by Gods severe justice in the anger seeing that another man liveth in him which is not like and conformable to the outward mortall man and so Gods Justice executeth its judgement in the anger upon the house of sinne and also all the Ministers of Gods wrath doe helpe the execution thereof 27. And even then Christ helpeth to beare the yoak and man is Sacrificed in Christs processe contempt and scorne in his suffering and death to the justice of God in the anger and becomes conformable to Christs Image 28. The holy Scripture witnesseth in all places that we are justified from sinnes by Faith in Christ and not by the workes of our merit but by the blood and death of Christ which indeed is so taught by many but rightly understood of few that teach us so 29. We are taught indeed an imputed grace but what faith is and how it is begotten and what it is in its Essence reall Being and Substance and how it layeth hold on the merit of Christ with the grace herein the greatest part are dumbe and blinde and depend on an Historicall Faith James 2. which is onely a bare knowledge or literall conjecture and therewith the man of sinne doth tickle and comfort himselfe and through an imagination and blind perswasion doth flatter and sooth up himselfe and calls himselfe a Christian though he is not yet become either capable or worthy of this so high a title but is onely a titular Nominall Christian externally cloathed with Christs Purpur-Mantle of whom the Prophet speaketh saying They draw neere to mee with their lips but their heart is farre from me And Christ sayd Not all that say Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but they that doe the will of my Father in Heaven 30. Now Christ alone is the will of the Father in whom the acceptation oâ— grace and adoption confisteth and none can doe the love will of the Father save alone that onely throne of grace Christ himselfe as the holy Scripture declareth no man can call God Lord without the holy spirit in him 31. For we know not what and how to pray before God as wee ought but he even the holy spirit in Christ maketh intercession for us with unutterable sighes before God in our selves as it pleaseth God we cannot attaine any thing by our willing and knowing he is too deeply hidden from us for it lyeth not in any mans knowing willing running and searching but in Gods Mercy 32. Now there is no mercy but onely in Christ and if I shall reach that mercy then I must reach Christ in me are my sinnes to be destroyed in me Then must Christ doe it in me with his blood and death with his victory over Hell Am I to beleeve then must the spirit desire and will of Christ beleeve in my desire and will for I cannot beleeve 33. But he receiveth my will being resigned to him and comprehends it in his owne will and bringeth it through his victory into God and there he intercedeth for the will of my soule in his owne will before God and so I am received as a child of grace in his will of love 34. For the Father hath manifested his love in Christ and Christ manifesteth that same love in my will being resigned to him Christ draweth my will into himselfe and cloatheth it with his blood and death and tinctureth it with the highest tincture of the Divine power and so it is changed into an Angelicall Image and getteth a Divine life 35. And forthwith that same life beginneth to hunger after its body which body is the degenerated fiery soule into which the will in Christ is entered so that the new life in Christ doth now also tincture the soule whereby the soule in the spirit and property of this new will obtaineth a right Divine hunger and is made to long after and desire the Divine grace and begins to behold and consider in the spirit of his Divine will in Christ what shee is and how shee in her propertyes inclinations and dispositions is departed from God and lyeth captivate in the wrath of God and then shee acknowledgeth her abominations and also her deformity in the presence of Gods Angels and findeth that she hath nothing wherewith shee is able to protect her selfe for shee sees that shee standeth in the jawes of death and hell encompassed with evill spirits which continually shoot the strong influence of their evill desires into her to destroy and corrupt her 36. And then she diveth into that same new-borne spirit of the will and wholy immerseth her selfe into very humility it selfe and so the spirit of Christ taketh hold of her and bringeth her into the spirit of this new will so that the soule essentially and experimentally feeleth and findeth him whereupon the Divine glymps and beame of joy ariseth in the soule being a new eye in which the dark fiery soule conceiveth the Ens and Essence of the Divine light in her selfe and thereupon hungreth and thirsteth after the grace of God and entreth into an effectuall repentance and sorrow and bewaileth the evill which it hath committed 37. And in this hunger and thirst it receiveth Christs flesh and blood for the spirit of the New will which in the beginning entered into the grace of Christ and which Christ received into himselfe becommeth now substantiall and essentiall by the magnetick impressure hunger and desire of the soule 38. And this essentiality is called Sophia being the essentiall wisedome or the body of Christ and in this the faith in the holy Ghost doth consist Here Christ and the Soule beleeve in one Ground 39. For true Faith doth not consist in thoughts or in meere assenting to the History Viz. That a man impresseth or imagineth in his minde to himselfe that Christ is dead for his sinnes and by an Historicall apprehension or blind perswasion of a particular Election clingeth to his merits and righteousnesse without the innate righteousnesse of Christ and life of God essentially working in him and begetting him to a new creature for Faith is a receiving of the promised grace in Christ it receiveth Christ into it selfe it doth impresse him into its hunger with his heavenly flesh and blood with the grace which God offereth in Christ 40. Christ feedeth the soule with the Essence of Sophia Viz. with his owne flesh and blood according to his saying whosoever eateth not of the flesh of the Sonne of Man he hath no life in him but whosoever eateth the same he abideth in him 41. And herein the Testaments of Christ and also the right Christian Faith
Resurrection as you affirme then God must verily move the Mystery that is himselfe which denotes the last Judgement 45. For God hath moved himself but twice onely from Eternity once in the Creation of the World and secondly in the Incarnation of Christ according to his heart the first motion belongeth to the Father of all beings and the second to the Sonne according to Gods heart now the third motion of the holy Ghost is yet to be accomplished both in love and anger according to all the Three Principles where all what ever hath beene corrupted shall againe be restored in the motion of the holy Ghost and each given unto its owner 46. How can then the dead arise in their workes without the motion of the holy Spirit both in love and anger When as the restoration of life doth onely consist in him moreover I doe not know how the first resurrection should come to passe whether it should come to passe in the twofold man which cannot otherwise be understood that is in good and evill but what perfect Sabbath can we hold therein was not Adam unable so to stand 47. Now if the new man should onely arise then he would not be in the foure Elements of this World moreover the new body in Christ need no resurrection it liveth eternally without any want necessity or death in Christ and doth onely wait when God shall move the Mystery where he shall then put on the Crowne of his wonders and workes 48 The manner of the Resurrection is thus the Mystery shall restore what ever it hath swallowed up mans workes shall be put upon him and therewith he shall Passe through the fire and it shall be tryed what will endure the fire or not 49. Now I cannot apprehend how this should agree with the dwelling upon the Earth for if it should be after a Paradificall manner that man should arise with the wonders then it could not be done without the motion of the great Mystery for your writings say that also some wicked men shall arise this sheweth that the Mystery must be moved and at the motion the inflamation or last Judgment of fire must needs be if now the Mystery should be moved it would not onely move awaken and raise up some and that in one source onely seeing that likewise some ungodly shall arise 50. Besides you say that they shal all dye at the end of the six thousand Yeares then there must be a dwelling upon or an inhabiting the Earth where the ungodly that arise should again marry and build of whom there should not be onely some as according to your opinion but according to the Scripture they shall be as the Sand upon the Sea shore whence else should Gog and Magog come or how should they fight against the Children of Paradise for in the Paradisicall Children there is no strife 51. Also it were not necessary that they should dye at the END of the six thousand yeares if they should arise in the twofold body as we are now but if they should arise in the new body then no ungodly man can eyther see or touch them like as we now doe not see Paradise even such is the new body no ungodly man can fight against it 52. What should they fight for Are the Saints in Paradise Then they make no use of the externall Elements but onely of the internall Element wherein all the foure are couched in unity so that they have nothing to strive for but they are separate in the Source 53. But should the ungodly dye and also arise againe in the soure Elements this seemeth much more strange but if they should â—â—ise in the spirituall body then the foure Elements could not containe it but the Abysse and still they would be separate as light and darknesse what pleasure or likeing should God have to bring the Saints againe into the combate and source of the foure Elements unto which they have beene so long dead And yet should they then begin to fight with the wicked Much more fit and agreeable were it for those who here have suffered nothing for Christs sake that is for those who here upon the Earth have not lost their lives for Christs sake 54. And though you would say that they should not fight but the Lord for them what liking could God take to raise up the Saints and to set them againe in the presence of the ungodly or should not the joy in Abrahams bosome be much greater then this in the foure Elements whence naturall strife and contention doe arise but if they should dwell in Paradise without the four Elements then no strife or ungodly man can reach them 55. Besides to what end should the ungodly be upon the Earth if there shall be such a Sabbath Their source is not in the foure Elements but in the Abysse whither their soule goeth when the body dyeth 56. Besides should none but those dwell in the Sabbath who have dyed for Christs sake of which verily there cannot be such a number as is set downe in the Revelation that they should be sufficient to possesse the Earth and should the ungodly also dwell upon the Earth and hold their Hellish Sabbath This runs directly against the light of Nature 57. Moreover Christ saith That they shall marry and bee given in marriage as in the dayes of Noah Also two shall be grinding in one Mill and two sleeping in one bed and the one shall be taken and the other left when the last day shall come 58. Besides Christ saith also That when he shall come to judge the World All generations and kindreds shall see him and tremble before him and the wicked shall waile and lament and say to the wise Virgins give us of your oyle all this denotes a Generall expectation of the last Judgement 59. For if at the last Trumpe two shall bee lying in one bed namely one holy the other ungodly this shewes no difference and if the Saints be mixed with the ungodly then verily there must needs be a poore Sabbath 60. When we looke upon the words of Christ and his Apostles they will not in the least manner agree thereto and though there is mention made of a thousand yeares in the Revelation yet the same is hidden from us and wee know not when they may begin or whether they are begun if the first Resurrection bee Paradificall then it may be done without our knowledge 61. They shall not dwell among us also they shall not Marry for we dye once from Male and Female and we shall not arise Male and Female but we shall live in Paradise in the forme of Angels Matth. 22 30. 62. Besides the wicked shall in the appearance of Christs comming entreat the wise for Oyle of Faith and you write that the fire of God being the anger and hellish source shall be in them and that they shall be tormented here upon the Earth in the foure Elements
I yet say that the righteous keepeth Sabbath in Abrahams bosome in Christs rest for Christ hath destroyed the wrathfull death for us that held us Captive he hath opened life that we in a new man are able to spring forth blossome and rest in him 73. But the old man of the Stars and Elements must abide in his owne Region in his house of Torment and misery till he be committed to the Earth and then all passeth into its owne Mystery again and the soule abideth in its principle till the Judgement of God where God shall again move and enkindle the Mystery and then every thing Severeth it selfe into its owne property Each world shall take in its owne harvest be it good or bad it shall part it selfe as light and darknesse 74. And therefore I doe entreat you wholly as a brother and a Christian that you would be pleased to have a care that you apprehend the Sabbath in the Rest of Christ and be not so moved by the enkindling of the spirit or servent instigation of your minde but search whether you be able to ground the same in the light of Nature if you be able to ground and reach it in the light of the Eternall Nature then indeed you may goe on but shew it us plainely that we may see it else our minde will be unsatisfied unlesse it findes the ground 75. It is not to be proved with Scriptures which might be seemingly alleadged for it they give as well the contrary and may well be otherwise applyed if my minde had not turned it selfe into the LOVE and REST of Christ I would then shew it you after the fashion of this present Controversiall World 76. The Revelation is spirituall and coucheth or sticketh deepe in the Mystery it requires an high illuminate minde and understanding which hath Power to enter into the Mystery of God it speaketh Magically There belongeth likewise a Magicall understanding about it on this manner I finde not the Magicall apprehension for that is an Hystoricall apprehension 77. He that will set upon the Heavenly Magia he must know the Heavenly Figures of the forme of the internall Heaven Viz. The Centre or lifes-Circle whence all Beings doe arise whence this World is produced if he hath not the Magicall guide in him then let him not meddle with the heavenly Figures or else Turba Magna hath power to Spew him out of the Divine Magia 78. John the Evangelist or whosoever wrote the Revelation knew the Figures of the Divine Magia and though he saith that he was ravished in the spirit and it was shewen him yet they are Figures which remaine in the Divine Magia and though they be revealed yet thereto belongeth such a Magist who understands Thesaurinella the little Treasury of Wisedome or Cabinet of the Divine Magia 79. He must understand all the Three principles with their Figures and then he hath power to open and reveal them else his labour writings or expositions fall unto the Turba I speake syncerly if you please read my Booke of the Three fold life aright and there you shall finde the root of the Magia although there be other much deeper extant yet I would you might but understand that for it hath sufficient ground else you will not be able to apprehend the other if it please you then to search further you may very well obtein them onely there must be Earnestnesse withall otherwise they will remaine dumbe or seeme to be onely a bare obscure hystory 80. For the ground of it is deeply magicall as the illuminate minde shall finde indeed if it will but dive into it therein the Revelation is very easily to be understood and in no other manner shall it at all be understood save from the Mystery of God he that is able to dive or sinck himselfe into that he findes whatsoever he doth but search 81. Accordingly I would faine have you to prove your inflammation that you might know the Guide of the internall World and then also the Guide of the externall World that so the Magicall Schoole of both Worlds might be knowne to you and then the Noble minde would be freed from Opinion and Conjecture for in Conjecture there is no perfection 82. The spirit must be capable of and acceptable to the Mystery that Gods spirit may be the guide in its seeing else it onely seeth in the outward Mystery Viz. in the externall Heaven of the Constellation which oft times doth vehemently enkindle and drive the minde of man yet he hath not the Divine Magicall Schoole which consists barely in a plaine Childlike minde 83. The externall Guide laboureth and speculates onely in the Glasse but the internall speculates in the Essence which yet it is not able to doe unlesse Gods spirit guide it therefore God makes choyse 84. Whomsoever the heavenly Schoole taketh he is made a Magist without his hard running and albeit he must run hard yet he is taken by God and driven of the holy spirit 85. Therefore man must try of what guide he is taken if he finds that he hath the Divine light shining in his seeing that his Guide doth bring him into the heavenly Schoole upon the way of truth to Love and Righteousnesse and that hee is thereby assured and confirmed in his minde with Divine certainety then he may proceed in his worke 86. But if it be in Conjecture and Doubt and yet in a fiery driving then the Guide is from this World which ought to be tryed by its will and purpose whether he seekes Gods or his owne honour and applause whether hee willingly resignes himselfe to the Crosse and onely desire to labour in Christs Vineyard â—nd to seeke the Good of his Neighbour whether he Seekes God or â—read and accordingly must his understanding judge and give it leave or reject and â—â—me it as need requires 87. This I would not as a Brother conceale from you in a Christian exhortation and I entreat you that you would accept of it no otherwise then as meant well unto you as my due obligation requireth for upon your desire I am your Dâ—bâ—or in Christ to your anxious Seeking minde as one Member is bound to assist another 88. Concerning your very Christian offer I acknowledge and accept of it as done in Love as one member commeth to helpe the other in time of need it shall be requited in Love be pleased to make me acquainted with what your minde doth further desire and I shall not withhold any thing from you so farre as God shall enable me and so I commend you unto the Love of Jesus Christ Dated Thursday senight after Martins day 1620. Your affectionate Friend and Servant J. B. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous runneth thither and is exalted THE SIXTH EPISTLE BEING A very deepe and Phylosophick Letter WRITTEN To Doctor GODFREET FREUDEN-HAMMERN and to Master JOHN HEUSERN Concerning the Knowledge of God and of all things ALSO A
honour might and power to climbe up and advance himselfe in the lust of the flesh and moreover that this Antichrist hath for a long time so civilly and demurely deckt and adorned himselfe with Christs Purple Mantle that men have not discerned him but they have honoured and adored him for a Saint the which is reasonably well revealed to me in the Grace of the most high and thereupon I would declare unto you in briefe what a Christian is and also what the Antichrist in man is for your further consideration 3. Christ saith Whosoever forsaketh not houses land money goods wife children brothers and sisters and deny himselfe and follow me he is not my Disciple or servant also you must turne and become like children or be borne a new of water and the spirit else you shall not see the Kingdome of God this is not meant that one should run out of his vocation and calling from his wife and children into a solitary Desart and wildernesse and forsake all but onely he must forsake the Antichrist that is the SELFE in all the meum and tuum the mine and thine 4. Whosoever will attain to Divine contemplation and feeling within himselfe he must mortify the Antichrist in his soule and depart from all ownehood of the will yea from all Creatures and become the poorest creature in the owne-hood selfenesse or selfe interest of his mind so that he hath or owneth nothing any more for a propriety be he in what estate and condition he will 5. And though he be a King yet his mind must forsake all owne-hood and esteem himselfe in his place dignity and Temporaâ—l goods no other then a Servant of God and that he therein ought to serve God and his Bretheren and that he hath and possesseth all that he hath not after the right of nature as if it were his owne to doe according to his owne will and pleasure therein but that it is his fellow-bretherens and members and that God hath set him as a Steward and officer over it and he must thinke that he therein serveth his Lord who will require an account of him 6. He must wholy and fully resigne up in himselfe his owne will which driueth him to such possession of owne-hood or selvish affection or union with the Creature to the suffering and dying in the death of Jesus Christ and humbly beseech God in right earnest repentance and conversion that he would mortify this evill will to selfenesse and temporall lust in the deaâ—h of Jesus Christ and bring the will of his soule into the true adoption or filâ—ation of God that so he might not will and desire any longer to his selfe but that Gods will might be in him his will and desire that he might be dead as to the will of the soule in and to his selfe or owne-hood and that God in Christ might be his life 7. He must wholly immerse his will in deepest humility into Gods mercy and lay hold on such a will and resolution in the Divine promise of grace that he this very houre will depart from all owne-hood of the pleasure of this World and never enter any more therein albeit he thereby should become the foole of all the World he must wholly immerse himselfe into the deepest submissive lowlinesse and unworthinesse before God with repentance and yet in the soule apprehend and hold fast the promise of grace and stand therein as a Souldier before his Enemy when it concerns his body and life 8. When this commeth to passe then his owne will being the Antichrist will be apprehended and mortifyed in the death of Christ and his soule will soone become as a young simple child which hath lost its naturall understanding of selfehood and beginneth to lament before God as a young child before its Mother and trusteth in the Mother to give what she pleaseth to it 9. And this is that which Christ said ye must turne and become as children and forsake all and follow me for Adam departed from Gods will into selfe-will and hath in his owne selfe-desire brought the insinuations of the Seâ—pent and the will and desire of the Devill into himselfe so that he hath brought himselfe and his lifes comfort which afore stood in mutuall harmony ' and Agreement in one onely will which was Gods into a division and disunion where the properties of nature departed from the Equall Agreement and Concordance each property entring into its selfe-hood being an owne or peculiar selfe-desire whenâ—e the lust and Imagination to good and evill did arise in him and heat and cold presently fell on hâ—m and â—e dyed from the holy life in the equall and mutuall concordance wherein he lived in one onely pure Element wherein the four Elements were in him in equall weight or Temperature 10. And of this God warned him saying eat not of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill else you shall dye meaning thereby the death to the Kingdome of Heaven namely the disappearing of the faire Angelicall Image which dyed presently in the false introduced desire of the Serpent and therefore this false will of the Serpent must first dye in Christs death by true Conversion and out of this death Christ ariseth in his spirit againe in us in the heavenly Image which dyed in Adam and the inward man is regenerated and new borne in Christs spirit 11. This new Spirit commeth to Divine vision or contemplation in himselfe it heareth Gods Word and hath Divine understanding and inclination and may behold the Grand Mystery in Divine and naturall Mysteries and albeit the earthly flesh yet cleaveth unto him in its inclination yet the same hurteth or spoyleâ— not the new borne spirit at all in him 12. He is in this new birth as solid fine Gold in a rough drossy stone the drossy soyle of the stone being not able to destroy or spoyle the Gold for his right will is dead to the earthly desire and continually desireth to kill and mortifie the lust of the flesh and doth likewise kill it without intermission for here the Seed of the Woman Viz. the new Man borne in Christ bruiseth the head of the Serpents will in the flesh which will is Antichrist 13. And beloved Sir I give you as a Christian and Brother in all faithfulnesse syncerity and uprightnesse to understand that we in our Supposed Religion wherein men doe nothing but contend confute and revile one another about the Letter and the different Opinions thence contrived are as yet in the midst of Babel and that it was never Worse then now whereas yet men doe boast that they are gone out from Babel and have the true Religion which I leave in its worth to be well considered 14. But for so much as is knowne to me in the Lord my God in my exceeding precious Talent given to me of God I say that men indeed have dipped Christs Mantle with its purple colour
you and will no longer to your selfe but onely what Christ willeth through you 20. Deare Sir I feare me there is yet somewhat in you that is displeasing to Christ by reason whereof there is such strife in you Christ willeth that you should with him dye to your owne will in his death and arise in his will and live with him and Christ is at present in your soule and striveth for your soule 21. Let all earthly will goe and resigne up your selfe wholly and fully let joy and sadnesse comfort and conflict be all one unto you and so you shall with Christ be a Conquerour over the World Devill Death and Hell and at last finde by experience what Christ hath beene in you and wherefore this hath hapned unto you which hath been the processe of all the children of Christ I speake out of Christian affection Dated on the day of Christs going to his Suffering and Dying AN. DOM. 1623. J. B. THE FOURTEENTH EPISTLE TO FREDERICK CRAUSEN AT GOLTBERG The open Fountaine in the heart of Jesus Christ be our refreshment and constant Light 1. WORTHY Learned and kind Sir my Friend and beloved Brother in Christ all hearty wishes of the love illumination and blessing of God premised your diligent Study in the Divine Wisedome is very acceptable and joyous to me 2. And so much the more in that I perceive in your Letter that God hath opened your heart and spirit to a right understanding and I wish from my heart as indeed I doe not at all doubt that the precious Corall in the humanity of Christ might againe spring forth in the spirit of Christ and his tender humanity in us from the inward man in your Paradisicall Plant withered in Adam and bring forth true fruits for the Table of God 3. And that the noble and pretious branch may be fast engrafted in the vine of Christ and spring forth a fresh from the same and may blossome with us amidst this present wicked Thorny World and helpe to â—oretell the Summer of Christ in his time of the Lilly indeed some branches out of Christs Rose-garden doe here and there appeare and doe spring forth as a wonder of God in the midst of the fire of tribulation in Babel 4. But that you say my Writings have given you some direction goe to be thankfull to God for it who thus manifesteth his wonders and deep hidden wisdome by mean and unexercised People and sets them for a light to the children who in the Cradle of the World worke in their Babel and Fable and that they are convinced by mean Simplicity that their workes will and life is onely a carved Image and a forged selfish invention that hath not its foundation and root in him 5. As at present the most high hath given us manifoldly to understand whence in short time his wonders in his hidden wisdome are and shall be declared to the World in Writings for the light thereof in which our posterity and all those who obtain understanding from God in them shall not onely wonder but exceedingly rejoyce 6. I understood by Mr Walter that you have received some of my Writings which doe much delight you yet I could wish that you had the last peeces also which are more plaine and cleare and have a Sweeter foundation in which the manifested God may be knowne in all his wonders and workes very clearely 7. They will in many places open more light unto you in your practice for the ground of nature is very clearly discovered therein as also our very fair pleasant Garden of Christ of the new birth 8. Beloved Frederick it will give you much furtherance to temporall and eternall exercise and I hope that you being an engraffted cyon shall not breake of from the tree of the Divine wisdome for shortly there will come a time when it shall be of needfull use and you shall rejoyce among the firstlings that goe out from Babel 9. I highly thank you for your Present which I have received and I shall for its recompence cary it in my will into the Mystery of the most high and it shall be received as a treasure for you and I acknowledge hereby your true open heart 10 However the Pearl will not be therefore given but for nothing as God hath done for us in Christ and so one member is bound unto the other and I commend you to the sweet and pleasant love of Jesus Christ and exhort you further to seeke after the Pearl Dated 17. July 1622. J. B. THE FIFTEENTH EPISTLE The Salvation and Light of God in the life of Jesus Christ enlighten you and give you further to understand his will 1. COURTEOUS Sir and good Friend I cannot but rejoyce with you in that you have given up your life to be a plant of God and so it springeth and buddeth sorth in the body of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God who hath begotten us againe to a living creature in himselfe and hath set us before his Father as a lovely plant in his pleasant Paradisicall Garden to his joy and deeds of Wonder 2. And I finde if I consider aright that you are not onely a Plant of God for your selfe but as a pleasant Hearb and Flower doth not hold its strength and vertue within its Selfe but doth cast forth and diffuse its vertue for a sweet rellish unto all living Essences and freely presents it selfe unto all creatures what ever become of it and so it doth not spare it selfe but continually produceth its power and smell 3. And thus I finde it to be with the soule of man which continually groweth and freely yeeldeth its power or vertue for him to tast that desireth it and is capable of receiving its power be it either to love or anger to the life of God in Christ or to the life of pride leading into the utmost drift of misery which in the end befalls those that are not growne in God 4. But praiâ—e glory and honour unto those who are regenerate in Christ who although they doe here lose their life and appeare before the Sting of the Thoâ—ny Plant as a poore uselesse Hearb that is trampled under foot but as an Hearb that is out downe and â—s no more seene or discerned and reason sayth it is quite gone but for all that it hath its root in the Earth and springeth up thus likewise the soule of the Saints is engrafted into the holy life of Jesus Christ and standeth in God his Father and springeth forth againe through Death 5 At which seeing we have knowne the same effectually we doe rejoyce and therefore we esteeme the life of this World which confisteth in the source of the Stars and Elements as the least and doe rejoyce that we are the Children of God 6. Seeing we know that God is really in us and yet he is hidden to our earthly life therefore we know that our soule is in God and springeth up in God and the
snarl us in despaire and so to open a gate of all lewdnesse and wantonnesse 4. And therefore he liketh not the tast of the open fountaine of Christ in my writings whereupon I have made short a declaration upon his annexed pamphlet and have given it onely in breife to the consideration of him that reads my Book seeing the ground is else where sufficiently and satisfactorily to be found in my writings that men may see how this Carping Pamphletter thinketh to beguil and bereave us of the cheifest treasure on which our Eternall Salvation and happinesse dependeth and that with Cunning words by alleadging and quoting of the Scripture as a Toad that sucketh poyson out of honey even so he Perverteth the Scripture as is to be seen in his description of the Virgine Mary and the promised seed of the Woman how he therein falsifiyeth and imbittereth the Scripture whereupon he buildeth the Election 5. At the which I am much grieved in my heart that the man is so burthened and possessed with such an opinion which burthen is very heavy and he cannot get rid of it unlesse he learne to understand the Centre of all Beings whence good and evill arise what Gods love and anger is and learne to understand the Three Principles else he will not be freed from such Opinions 6. Albeit I wonder not that my Writings seeme strange unto him for there is somewhat New that surpasseth the reach of reason they have another sense another understanding then his another root whence they spring for I have not gathered them together from the Letter neither learned I them from other mens Writings I was an ignorant childe in that respect as Lay men usually are I knew nothing of such things I sought it not also in such a way I sought onely the heart and open well-spring of Jesus Christ to hide my selfe from the Tempest of Gods anger and from the opposition of the Devill that so I might get a guid and leader that might rule and direct me in my life 7. But when this did presse so hard upon me and my minde forced so strongly into the Combate against sinne and death and towards the mercy of God that I was resolved rather to part with my life then to give in or desist such a Garland was then set upon me which I hope to enjoy and rejoyce in it for ever and I have no Pen sufficient to describe it much lesse can I expresse it with my mouth and from thence my knowledge came and also the desire to set it down onely for my owne memoriall and I was intended to keepe it by me till the last of my dayes and how it came to passe that it was published you know Sir very well by Mr. N. But Gods providence and permission herein was such that you and your Brother were called as Firstlings unto it by whose meanes it was propagated 8. Therefore I exhort and entreat you for the eternall salvation sake to heed and minde well the Pearle that God favoureth us with for there will come a time that it shall be sought after and greatly accepted of let no stormy gusts drive you to and fro but looke upon it aright and pray God the most High that he would be pleased to open the doore of knowledge without which no man will understand my Writings for they surpasse and transcend the Astrall Reason they apprehend and comprehend the Divine birth therefore there must also be the very like spirit to understand them aright no speculation or acute apprehension or notion of reason reacheth them unlesse the minde be illuminated from God to the finding of which the way is faithfully shewn unto the seeking Reader 9. I speake in good truth and syncerity before God and Man and appeale also therewith before the judgement of God and declare that there is no good at all in any Disputing without Gods light and spirit also nothing that is permanent constant undoubtedly grounded or well-pleasing to God may arise from thence 10. Therefore he that will learne to understand the right and true way to God fundamentally let him depart and forsake his owne Reason and enter into a penitent humble and to God resigned childlike or filiall life and so he shall obtaine heavenly power and skill and shall put on Christs filiall spirit that shall lead him into all truth else there is no true way to God but this onely 11. If it come so farre that the Virgins Garland be set upon him he shall not need say any more Teach me c. For it is written They shall all be taught of God otherwise I have no knowledge skill or understanding I have been in my Writings as a young scholar that goeth to schoole or as a shower that passeth by what it lighteth upon it hits thus hath my apprehension beene even to this day 12. The Booke Aurora was my first childish beginning I wrote also contrary to Reasons conceit onely according to the appearance of light in a magicall cabalisticall or parabolicall manner I understood it very well but it was not sufficiently explained it needed a more large description and exposition for I intended to have kept it by me but it was taken from me against my will and Published as you Sir know and I commend me into your favor and us all into the meeke love of Jesus Christ Dated the third of July Anno Dom. 1621. THE SEVENTEENTH EPISTLE Worthy and much respected Noble Sir 1. THE hearty salutation and desire of Divine love and fulnesse of joy in Our IMMANVEL in his wondrous sweet power with all bodily and temporall welfare premised I give you friendly to understand that I have entirely considered of the conference lately held and being I perceive you to be a zealous lover of the truth and Divine Mysteries I would not omit to visit you with this Epistle seeing opportunity hath beene given me to answer somewhat upon the Article of a Person who opposed me in the Article of Gods Free-grace of Election and I have sent this my Answer for you to read over 2. But so far forth as the minde cannot rest satisfyed with this little I am ready and willing if it be desired to write such a Book and to enlarge and unfold it so out of the Centre that the heart might rest satisfyed thereupon albeit I should suppose that Christian might finde so much in this little that he might be satisfyed in reference to this and other Articles 3. But seing neverthelesse that this Article hath perplexed many men and thereupon such opinions are stated and concluded which doe set open a gate for all iniquity unto the World I am therefore greived at it being it is given me to know from the most high that this article hath not as yet been understood from the very ground and I wish from my heart that it might be understood that we might not looke so strangely one upon another as Men Devills
the Sinne and Wrath of Adam being yet but One pressed upon and into all so likewise passed and pressed the motion or affection of Gods love in Christ humanity and out of Christs humanity through the whole humanity of all men 17. Christ is againe become the heart in the Humane Tree the Divine Sound voyce or word which hath revealed it selfe in Christs humanity effectually that soundeth through Christs humanity in the Vniversall humane Tree and there is nothing wanting or in the way but that the twig which is on the Tree will not draw the Sap of the Tree into it selfe 18. It hapneth oftentimes that the property is too much in love with Mars and draweth it into it selfe and stirreth up the heat whereby the twigg withereth and so the Mars of the soule draweth wrath and falshood into it selfe whereby its Mercurie becomes poysonfull and then Saturne which is the impression of the lifes property groweth altogether obscure and darke and as long as the Mercurie of the life liveth in such a property he may not be drawne of the love of God but of the anger of God and is chosen to damnation so long as he liveth or continueth in that Free evill wicked will 19. The love of God offers it selfe unto him but he refuseth to accept of it God is desirous of him but the wrath holdeth dim As Christ sayd O Jerusalem Jerusalem How often would I have gathered thy Children as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but you would not 20. The unwillingnesse lyeth in the way that man in his life letteth himselfe be kept or held of Gods anger being the wrath in the out-spoken or expressed Mercury according to the fiery Property of the Father 21. Deare Brother here lyeth the wicked Childe learne but to know what God Almighty is in Love and Anger and how Man is even that same Being and an Image out of the Eternall Spirit 22. Doe not say God willeth the evill he cannot will or desire any thing that is evill according to the property in which he is called God but if I should call this property Viz. of Anger God then I call Hell Heaven darknesse light and the Devill an Angell 23. True all belong unto God or all is Gods yet God is onely understood in the Source or working property of the love of the light the Anger is in his light a cause of the love-desire and of the Kingdome of joy 24. When the soule bringeth its fire desire out of its owne selfe-will into the Love-desire of God and goeth out of its owne selfenesse aud sinketh into the mercy and compassion of God and casteth it selfe into the death of Christ and willeth no longer the fire-source but desireth in its fire life to be dead in the death of Christ then the poyson of the Mercuriall life dyeth in the will of iniquity and there ariseth a new twigge and budding of love-desire 25. Loving Sir and Brother know that I write not as one blind or dumbe without knowledge I have my selfe found it by Experience I have beene as deepe in your opinion as your selfe yet my Saviour hath opened my eyes that I see I doe not see in my owne ability or power but in his as he knoweth me in himselfe and he will see and I wish with all my heart that you might have an insight into my seeing and that you might see with me out of my seeing I would willingly impart my heart and love to you for a propriety and looke through this glasse out of you 26. But I perceive that I am as yet dumbe unto you and that I am not as yet knowne to you in my knowledge which is given me and I wish from my heart that it may yet once be 27. I intreat and exhort you as a Christian in all humility that you would but gather your Objections together and send them to me in Writing I will deale according to my gifts as a Christian ought and I will declare and explaine them in such a manner that I hope you shall acknowledge me as a Brother in it 28 Not that I presume to doe it from my selfe but my desire which burnes in me like fire requires it of you and I as I am I hope to God that we shall both so prosper in it that God will unite us in his love-desire and knowledge and it shall not prejudice you at all with scorne or disgrace for I have a heart that can conceale Secresie 29. I exhort you in love to a filiall humility in the true Resignation of Christ therein you may be able onely to obtaine and comprehend it otherwise my well-wishing good intent and beginning is to no purpose for I can give you nothing but my good affection and charitable will if you will accept of it 't is well If not I protest and testifie before you and the face of GOD that I have begun my christian devoir aright towards you and in you I have done my part as I am bound in Conscience to doe 30. I may come to see you my selfe if my affaires will permit provided that it may conduce to Gods Honour and mans Salvation for I know many thirsty soules thereabouts with whom I might refresh my selfe and they in me 31. I have at present found a very pretious Jewell which might be profitable not onely for the soule but for the body and good for your Patients 32. If men would labour in Christs vineyard God might even now give us such a sunshine which might warme the Apothecaries shop of which many honest People have beene a long time desirous which sun-shine would boldly dispell the smoak in Babel and be a refreshment to the Children of Christ in their Oppression Misery and Tribulation 33. But in truth because men will be so Wicked and Godlesse there shall be an horrible storme of hail and rain at which the Earth shall quake and many thousand soules be drowned in the water 34. I would gladly heere mention somewhat unto you but at this time it cannot be be pleased to take notice of the storme towards the East that towards the North is not far from it in the South there is a great smoak that causeth the eyes of those in the West to smart 35 Let no man say when the storme passeth by that this man or that man is righteous before God it shall goe well with him because of his Religion the anger of God is enkindled in all and they are all alike unto him for all their Religion as long as the one liveth like the other 36. The most High sweepeth out one besom with another but there springeth up a Lilly unto all nations happy are those that apprehend the same 37. The thirsty soul must not say the Lord hath forsaken mee he hath forgotten me as little can God forget as a Mother can forget her child and albeit shee should forget yet the Lord hath not forgotten his poor
be found in the History but in true affiance and in the right resignation into the life and into the Doctrine of Christ Therein the holy Ghost shall appeare with wonders and powers which Babel at present in her inventions forged hypocrisies doth not beleeve yet however it certainely commeth and is already on foot yet hidden from the World 18. I have sent you by Mr. Fabian the whole worke of the Second Booke but I know not whether you have received it for since that time by reason of my Journey I have not spoken with Mr. Fabian if not then you may demand it of him And so I commit you to the meeke Love in the life of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God Given in haste Goerlits Friday before the Advent 1619. The Name of the LORD is a Strong Tower the Righteous flye unto it and is exalted THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH EPISTLE TO CHARLES of ENDERN 1. NOBLE Right Honourable Sir my humble ready and willing Service with all Cordiall wishes of Gods love and grace to your new creature in the New man in the body of Jesus Christ as also all temporall prosperity and blessing for the earthly body premised 2. I have considered your Noble heart and minde which is enkindled and enflamed not onely towards God but likewise towards his Children in love which hath exceedingly rejoyced me in Christ and I must in a speciall manner consider of the true earnestnesse and zeale which I know and acknowledge for you have endeavoured much about my few Writings of the first part and not regarded the murthering or confounding cryes of the Oppressour but sought after it your selfe to read it and to copy it out with your owne hand 3. Which give mee perswasion that God hath opened a little gate of his wisedome unto you which was fast shut to the Oppressor being he sought for it in Art and Pride therefore it was concealed to him for he was offended at the hand of the Writer and did not minde what is written in the holy Scripture My power is mighty in the weake and how Christ thanked his Father that he had hid it from the prudent and wise and revealed it unto Babes And sayd further Yea further For so it hath pleased thee 4. Also I am verily perswaded and convinced in my spirit that you have not done it out of any Curiosity but as it becommeth the Children of God which seeke the precious Pearle and are desirous of it which if it be found is the most precious Jewell which man loveth farre beyond his earthly life for it is greater then the World and more faire beautifull and excellent then the Sun it rejoyceth Man in tribulation and begets him out of darknesse to the light it giveth him a certaine spirit of hope in God and leadeth him upon the right path and goeth along with him into death and brings him forth to life out of death it quelleth the anguish of Hell and it is very where his light it is Gods friend in his love it affordeth him Reason and Discretion to governe his earthly body it leadeth him from the false and evill way and whosoever doth obtaine and keep it him it Crowneth with its Garland 5. Therefore noble Sir I have no other cause to write unto you but from a desire of unseighned love towards the Children of God that I might but refresh and recreate my selfe with them I doe it not for temporall goods or gifts albeit you have tendred your kind and loving favours to me though a stranger in a curteous and friendly manner but for the hope of Jsrael that I may highly rejoyce with the Children of God in the life to come and my labour which here I undergoe in love towards them shall then be well recompensed when I shall so rejoyce with my Brethren and every ones work shall follow him 6. Therefore I am in right earnest being that a Sparkle of the pretious Pearl is given to me and Christ faithfully warneth us not to put it under the table or to bury it in the Earth and thereupon we ought not so much to feare man that can kill the body onely and then is able to doe no more but we ought to feare him that can destroy body and soule and cast them into Hell 7. And though in my time I shall receive but little thankes from some who love their Belly more then the Kingdome of Heaven yet my Writings have their gifts and stand for their time for they have a very pretious worthy earnest Birth and descent and when I consider my selfe in my poor low unlearned and simple person I doe then wonder more then my very adversary 8. But seeing I know Experimentally in power and light that it is a meer gift of God who also giveth me a driving will thereunto that I must write what I know and see therefore I will obey God rather then man least my Office and Stewardship be taken away from me againe and given unto another which would Eternally grieve me 9. But seeing Sir that you have obtained a longing and delight to read the same and that as I verily hope from the providence and appointment of God therefore I shall not conceale it from you seeing that God the most High hath called you through his wonderfull Counsell to publish the first Worke when I thought the Oppressour had devoured it but even then it sprung forth as a green Twig wholly unknowne to me 10. And though I know nothing of my Selfe what God is about to doe and his Counsell and way also which he will goe is hidden from me and I can say nothing of my selfe also the Oppressour might impute it to me for a Pedentick Pride that I would thus onely arrogantly vaunt with my small gifts which were of grace given to me and thereby set forth the thoughts and imaginations of my heart for my owne vaine glory and boasting 11. Yet I declare in the presence of God and testifie it before his judgement where all things shall appeare and every one shall give an account of his doings that I my selfe know not what is hapned to me or how it goeth with me save onely that I have a driving will 12. Also I know not what I shall write for when I write the Spirit doth Dictate the same to me in great wonderfull knowledge so that I often cannot tell whether I as to my Spirit am in this World or no and thereat I doe exceedingly rejoyce and therein sure and certaine knowledge is imparted to me 13. And the more I seeke the more I finde and alwayes deeper that I many times account my sinfull person too weake and unworthy to set upon such high Mysteries where then the spirit sets up my Banner and sayth Arise thou shalt live therein Eternally and be Crowned therewith Why art thou amazed 14. Therefore Noble Sir I give you to understand in few words the ground and cause
time given me out of his wel-spring of Grace 3. And albeit I have no ability to doe it at my pleasure yet my minde is so wholly enkindled in its Centre that I would very heartily and readily impart it to my bretheren in Christ and I continually entreat the Lord that he would be pleased to open the hearts of men that they might understand the same and that it may come in them to a right quick essentiall and living effect and operation 4. And from a syncere intention I would not conceale from you that I since the new Yeare upon the desire of some learned men and persons of quality have written a treatise of Election or of Gods will concerning man and so expressed and inlarged it out of such a ground or deep soundation that all Mysteries both of the outward visible Elementall and then also of the hidden spirituall World may be therein discerned and thereunto I have in an especiall manner alleadged the sayings of the holy scripture which speake of Gods will to harden and then of his un-willingnesse to harden and so tuned or harmonized them together that the right understanding and meaning of the same may be seen 5. And it is so proved and demonstrated that I hope in God that it shall give furtherance and occasion to take away that strife and controversy in the Churches which is known and manifest that the time is nigh and at hand that the contentions about Religion shall enter into the Temperature but with great ruination of the false Kingdome in Babel that hath set up it selfe in Christs stead together with other great alterations concerning which although men now will hardly believe me yet in a short time shall really appeare and shew themselves and this beloved Sir I would not for your further consideration and christian meditation omit to hint unto you c. THE THIRTIETH EPISTLE IMMANVEL 1. MY very Christian Brother and Friend all Cordiall wishes of Divine Love and further illumination with true persevering constancy and patience patiently to endure the Crosse of Christ premised 2. God in the very beginning of your knowledge hath Sealed you with the mark of Christ unto a further confirmation and hath Crowned you to be a Champion that you should worke as a true owner in his Service 3. And I exhort you as a Christian that you would with Prayer and supplication commit the cause to God in patience and stand qnietly under the Crosse of Christ and be diligent in your Talent entrusted to you you shall see great wonders and your Talent will be more and more pleasant and beloved for so Christ hath also taught us that we should forsake all for his Name sake and cleave onely unto him for he requireth a pure resigned soule in that he will dwell 4. You have no cause to be amazed or terrifyed God knoweth well for what use he employeth you commit your selfe onely to him in Patience and strive against reason which gainsayeth and contradicts and so you will dye unto the World and live unto Christ and then you will exercise your warfare aright for his loves sake and therefrom gain the Noble Crowne of eternall life where we shall rejoyce and injoy one another eternally 5. God hath planted him a Rose Garden in your young heart take heed that the Devill sow not thornes and thistles therein there will soon come another time that your Rose-bud shall bring forth its fruits strive not to be in Office but stand still unto the most high to what he will have you let the smoak of the Devill passe away rejoyce rather at this reproach in the mark of Christ c. THE ONE AND THIRTIETH EPISTLE Our Salvation is in the life of Jesus Christ 1. DEARE Sir and Christian Brother all faithfull Cordiall and syncere desires of my spirit of true Divine light power and knowledge with intimate joy in the Divine contemplation and in our Eternall fraternity in the life of Christ 2. I have received your Letter which you sent and I rejoyce in the Lord my God who doth so richly and abundantly impart his grace unto us and so open our hearts that we in the conjecture of our Gifts desire to Search into his wisedome and wonders 3. And your tendred friendship is very pleasing and acceptable to me and according as this letter doth import I acknowledge you for a springing and very desirous branch on the Vine Christ and also for my member and fellow twig on this Corall and I wish in the power of my knowledge that it may be a true constant and immoveable earnestnesse as I make no doubt but the pretious Coralline branch of the new birth is begotten in you out of Christs spirit and wisdome 4. Thereupon I also would faine with all my heart impart my little sap strength and influence out of Gods gifts unto my fellow-branches and twigs and helpe to quicken and refresh them in my weake power and also receive enjoyment of their gifts as we are obliged and bound mutually to doe for each other both from the command of God and also in the right of Nature unto which I am in an especiall manner driven in my gifts and for which sake I have spent much time and paines yet in great desire longing and delight and it hath been continually my earnest hope and the very drift and ayme of my desire to serve my Brethren in the Lord in the Vineyard of Christ 5. And though I am a simple man and un-expert and un-experienced in Scholastick Learning and Arts neither have I ever been â—ayned up to exercise my selfe in the workes of high masters and to comprehend great Mysteries in my Reason but in my outward occupation I have been a Tradesman wherein I have honestly maintained my selfe a long time yet my inward occupation and exercise hath with very earnest strong desire entred into the mortification of my sinfull man inherited from the corrupt Adam how I might dye to my selfehood and selfe will in the death of Christ and arise in his will to a new spirit and will of Divine renovation of minde and understanding 6. Thereupon I once so strongly and sixedly resolved rather to for one my earthly life then to desist from this Purpose and Combate and â—hat I have suffered therein and therefore the Lord knowes who so led me through his judgement of my sinnes but afterwards Crowned me with the fairest tryumphing aspect of his Divine Kingdome of joy which to expresse I have no Pen sufficient but doe willingly beteeme and heartily wish it to the Reader of this Epistle and to all the Children of God 7. And from this Tryumphing light or joyfull convincing illumination of God that hath been given to me which I hitherto have written for many yeares for I obtained therein so much grace as to see and know my owne Booke which I my selfe am Viz. the Image of God and moreover to
and also naturall knowledge it may assure it selfe that it is then drawn and inclined to it by God and then it may well search and finde the deepe ground that is mentioned in my Writings 7. For the spirit of God searcheth by that soule and bringeth it at length into the depths of the deity as Saint Paul saith the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep thinge of God 8. Loving Sir it is a simple childlike way that leadeth to the highest wisedome the World knowes it not you need not seek for wisedome in remote places or Travaile into strange Countries for it she standeth at the doore of your soule and knocketh and if shee shall but finde an empty resigned free place in the soule shee will there reveal her selfe indeed and rejoyce therein more then the Sun in the Elements if the soule yeeld it selfe up to wisedome for a full possession then shee penetrates it with her flaming fire of love and unlocketh all Mysteries to the soule 9. Sir you may perhaps wonder how a plain lay man could come to understand such high Mysteries having never read them nor heard them from any man but loving Sir I tell you that which you have seen in my Writings is but a glimps of the Mysteries for a man cannot write them if God should account you worthy to have the light enkindled in your soul you would see tast smel feel and heare unspeakable words of God concerning this knowledge and there is the true Theosophicall School of Pentecost where the soule is taught of God 10. After this there is no more any need of searching and painful toiling about it for all gates stand open a very simple mean man may attaine it if he hinders not himselfe by his owne willing Imaginations and running for it lyeth in man before hand and needeth onely to be awakened stirred up or quickned by the spirit of God 11. In my Talent or Writings as in my simplicity I was able to describe it you shall easily finde the way to it especially in this annexed Booke which also is of my Talent and but few Weekes agoe was published in print which Sir I present to you in love as to my Christian fellow-member and exhort you to read it over often for its vertue is the more the better liked or the longer the better beloved in this Booke you will see a true short ground acd it is a sure ground for the Author in this practice hath found it so by experience 12. But for the ground of the high Naturall Mysteries which you and M. Walter M. Leonhart Elvern desire a further clearer explanation of be pleased to enquire of M. Walter for it for I have sent to you and him an explanation and other new Writings if you shall like them you may cause them to be copyed out you will finde very great knowledge in them I would that all of you â—ight truely understand it I would faine have made it more plain but in respect of the great depth and also in regard of the unworthy it may not be done Christ saith Math 7. 7. Seek and you shall finde knock and it shall he opened unto you none can give it unto another Every one must get it himselfe of God one may well give a manuduction or direction to another but he cannot give him the understanding of it 13. Yet know that A Lilly blossometh unto you the Northern Countries if you destroy it not with the sectarian contention of the learned then it will become a great Tree among you but if you shall rather choose to contend then to know the true God then the ray or beam of light passeth by and hitteth onely some and then afterward you shall be forced to draw water for the thirst of your soules among strange Nations 14. If you will take it rightly into consideration then my Writings shall give you great furtherance and direction thereto and the Signate-star above your pole shall help you for its time is come about or borne 15. I will freely give you what the Lord hath given me onely have a care and employ it aright it will be a witnesse for you against the mocker let no man looke upon my person it is a meer gift of God bestowed not onely for my sake but also for your sake and all those that shall get to read them 16. Let no man gaze any longer after the Time it is already borne begun or come about whom it lighteth upon him it hitteth whosoever waketh he seeth it and he that sleepeth seeth it not the time is appeared and will soone appeare he that watcheth seeth it many have already felt it but there must first a great tribulation passe over before it be wholy manifest the cause is the contention of the Learned who tread the Cup of Christ under foot and contend about a Child that never was worse since men were this shall be manifest therefore let no honest man defile himselfe with such contention there is a fire from the Lord in it who will consume it and himselfe reveal the truth 17. You shall receive of Mr Walter what he hath besides especially a table with an Exposition of it therein the whole ground of all Mysteries is plainely layd downe and so I commend you Sir to the love of Jesus Christ Dated the 20. c. THE THREE AND THIRTIETH EPISTLE Of the Persecution against JACOB BEEM BY GREGORY RICKTER Primate or Superintendent of GERLITZ Our Salvation and Peace in the life of Jesus Christ Mr. Marcus Mausern 1. MUCH respected and beloved Sir all cordiall wishes of the stedfast working Love of our Lord Jesus Christ in Soule Spirit aad Body premised I have received both your Letters and have observed your Christian heart syncerely inclined in a fellow-memberlike Love towards mee and the pure truth and I desire that God would ratifie strengthen and preserve you in such a purpose that you may grow in the Tree of life Jesus Christ and bring forth abundance of good fruit 2. Your owne reason will give you to know that the hand of the Lord according to his will hath guided me hitherto and brought me to such knowledge wherewith I have again willingly and readily served many seeing I have not learned my knowledge in the Schools or Bookes but from the great Booke of all Beings which the hand of the Lord hath opened in me 3. Seeing then that there is in that Booke a Crosse of the true understanding therefore God signeth his Children to whom he giveth this Booke to read with that same Crosse on which Crosse the humane death is slain and eternall life restored 4. I give you as a brother to know that the same mark is enstamped on my forehead with a Tryumphing Trophy on which the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is imprinted 5. Which mark is dearer unto me then all the honour and goods of the World that God hath so highly esteemed
signifyed under the Characters Ra. Ra. Ra. P. in R. P. As is to be seen in the Revelation 13. We dare not at present make this large Interpretation more cleare all will shew it selfe and then men shall see what it was for there is yet clean another time 14. Concerning the language of nature I certifie you that it is so but what I understand in it I cannot teach or give another indeed I can give a signification thereof how it is to be understood but it requireth much roome and there must be a Personall Conference and intercourse in it it is not to be set downe in writing 15. Also concerning the Phylosophicall worke of the Tincture its progresse is not so bluntly and plainely to be described albeit I have it not in the Praxis the Seale of God lyeth before it to conceale the true ground of the same upon paine of eternall punishment unlesse a man knew for certaine that it might not be mis-used there is also no power to attaine unto it unlesse a man first become that himselfe which he seeketh therein no skill or Art availeth unlesse one give the Tincture into the hands of another he cannot prepare it unlesse he be certainely in the new birth 16. There belong two Centrall fires unto it wherein the might of all things consist which may easily be attained if man be rightly fitted Therefore Sir doe not trouble and toyle your selfe in that manner and way which you mention with any Gold or Minerals it is all false the best in Heaven and in the World from above and below must be ingredient to it which is farre off and nigh at hand the place is every where where it may be had but every one is not fit and prepared for it neither doth it cost any money but what is spent upon the time and bodily maintenance else it might be prepared with two Florens and lesse 17. The World must be made Heaven and Heaven the World it is not of Earth Stones or Mettalls and yet it is of the Ground of all Mettals but a spirituall Being which is environed with the four Elements which also changeth the foure Elements into one a doubled Mercury yet not Quick-silver or any other Minerall or Mettall 18. Read the Water-Stone of the Wise men which is in Print therein is much truth and it is moreover cleare the worke is easie and the Art is simple a Boy of Ten yeares might make it but the Wisedome therein is great and the greatest Mystery every one must Seeke it himselfe it behooves us not to breake the Seale of God for a fiery Mountaine lyeth before it at which I my selfe am amazed and must wait whether it be Gods wil How should I teach others expresly thereof I cannot yet make it my selfe albeit I know somewhat and let no man seeke more of me then I have yet cleare enough signified and I commend you together with all the Children of God into the Love of Jesus Christ JACOB BEEM THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH EPISTLE In Answer to a QUESTION WHY The Statua of one that was Deceased Wept or shed Teares 1. TOUCHING the Question it is dark in the understanding and there needs a Joseph to explaine it for it is a Magicall thing and very wonderfull whereupon it is hard to be answered for it proceedeth from the Magia 2. Yet I will open and shew you in very briefe what my Opinion is thereupon not that I would conclude and passe an absolute determinate judgment concerning it and leave you and other illuminate men of God to their opinion and apprehension in it but whether God hath given me to prove it that I leave to your judgement who know the condition of the mentioned Person better then I for all things proceed according to the time measure and limit of that thing 3. A hard rough Murall Stone hath no life that is moveable or active for the Elementall vegetable life standeth mute and still therein and it is shut up with the first Impression yet not in that manner as if it were a Nothing there is not any thing in this World wherein the Elementall as well as the Sydereall Dominion doth not lye but in one thing it is more moveable active and working then in another and we cannot say neither but that the foure Elements together with the Starres have their daily operation in all things 4. But being this is a hard Stone therefore the Miracle is above the wonted and ordinary course of Nature whereupon we can in no wise say that it hath a naturall cause in the Stone as if the operation of the Stone should move and put forth this but it is a Magicall motion from the Spirit whose Image is hewen out and pourtrayed in the Stone 5. For a Stone consisteth in three things and so all Beings consist of these three things but inclosed in a twofold property Viz. in a spirituall and in a corporall and those three wherein all whatsoever is in this World consist are Sulphur Mercury and Salt in two propertyes the one Heavenly the other Earthly as God dwelleth in the Time and the Time in God and yet the Time is not God but out of God as a pourtrayed Image of Eternity 6. So Man likewise is out of the Time and also out of the Eternity and consisteth of three things Viz. of Sulphur Mercury and Salt in two parts the one being out of the time Viz the outward body and the other standeth in the Eternity Viz. the soule seeing then that Man and the Time as well as the Eternity stand in one Dominion in Man thence wee are to consider of the Question 7. For man is a little World out of the great World and hath the property of the whole great World in him for God sayd unto him after the fall thou art Earth and unto Earth thou shalt turne that is Sulphur Mercury and Salt therein stand all things in this World be it Spirituall or Corporall save the soule which standeth in such a property according to the right of the eternall nature as I have sufficiently demonstrated in my Writings 8. Now when man dyeth then the outward light in the outward Sulphur doth extinguish and goe out with its outward fire wherein the life hath burned and then the body falleth to dust and entreth again into that whence it is come but the soule which is brought forth out of the eternall nature and infused into Adam by the spirit of God that can not dye for it is not out of the time but out of the Eternall Generation 9. Now if the soule hath put its desire into any temporall thing and therewith hath imprinted it selfe or strongly set its Imagination thereupon then it hath impressed the property of that thing into its desire and holdeth it magically as if it had it bodily indeed it cannot hold the body understand the elementall but it