Name 5. But Lucifer making an harsh jarring Tone and changing his Golden Letters into black of poysonous composition raced himself and his whole Hierarchy out of that fair Record Then did the creating Word speak or incert and interline Man into that part of the Book out of which Lucifer and his Angels had been raced which with the additional skill of Interliners had the Out-principle as an adjunct to him this was the second race of Intellectuals 6. And tho' the skill of the speaking Word were perfect yet as usually it is in Interlinings the obliterated Letters had left some flaws or scratches tho' not in the holy Book yet in the adjunct shadower or cover viz. the Out-birth which being new bound and the lacerated pieces cemented in the cover rested such stains and rents that thereof came the perillous poysonous stinging Animals and Vegetables and Beasts of prey bearing the impressions of the clauses of the dark World 7. Whereinto when Man fell their contagion so affected him that he could not sound a due consonance to the Harmonious Dialect of the Holy Book which as to him became so closed and sealed that he could not read open nor so much as look thereon But as Men Illiterate cannot Spell nor Read so the Language of Nature of the Heavenly Holy World our true Mother Tongue was lost he had no Ears to hear the Angelical Ravishing Voices nor Tongue to utter it till the Fiery Cloven Tongues descended 8. Now come we to the Holy Language it self which if any could speak would not some say this Man is full of new Wine But we may mournfully tell of our Losses easierthan regain them we must say that Language was one and but one For its Nature it is pure for its extent it is comprehensive of all and therefore no wonder all understood it for its power it hath Authoritatively Omnipotence in it actually or executively it hath the Keys of Life and Instruments of Death this Word slew Ananias and Sappâ—ira and freed Tabitha from the Bonds of Death 9. Now as in Mens ordinary Affairs the Reason and Understanding prevail to move the Mind so that after Debate a Will is formed this Will is the Result of all consideration and is the Man the Soul the Spirit the Body the Passions Affections all make one Intire Will and the Magical driving power of all this becomes the Word this Word is the Executive Instrument and not barely the Herauld of the Soul or whole Man It is the Energy and expressed Vigor of all the Powers wherefore it is said By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned for the word is the work and the worker 10. Thus and no otherwise is the Divine Language which the Holy Ghost opened in the Apostles viz. the Result and Law or Abridgment of all the Powers of the hidden Holy World it was the Opener of all Doors the Epitomy of all Openings the understanding of which is offered by this simile 11. The Intricacies of the perverted perplexed confused Tongues in the multiplicity is compared to the Night season when a Man can only see the House or Room that contains him and that not without the aid of Fire or Candle Light where is much shadow many uncertainties some colours not distinguishable And the explicating opening and voice of the holy one Language is compared to the Noon-day which shews every thing at once without Door and within 12. Thus the Divine Word or Language comprehends all opens all Doors therefore was it that all Nations understood them for the unity contains the multiplicity as every Genus doth every of its own Species or as the Element of Fire doth every Spark of Fire This hath the Life of all openings as the Vowels are the Spirit of the whole Alphabet All the sounds Musical or otherwise are contained in three and in seven both Concords and Discords All Voices or Tones expressing the Passions and Affections in the two Extreams of Joy and Sorrow and the Mean of Equiponderating Solemnity of Humane Creatures or others are comprised in the sixth Fountain Spirit or property of the Eternal Nature and must have its efficacy in every formation Q. 147. What doth this shedding forth of the Holy Ghost out of Christs Resurrection and Ascention to Heaven profit or benefit us How may that be also effected in us A. 1. When the Epâ—esians who had been Baptized by John were ask'd Have ye received the Holy Ghost since you be ieved Answer'd We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost they may not be thought wholly ignorant of the Eternal Existence of the Holy Ghost for all the Holy Men from the Creation were guided by him But that these knew not of this glorious and plentiful Effasion of the Holy Ghost on the whole Assembly 2. And now how the pouring forth of the Holy Ghost profits us is not only that records deliver this to us as once done in them but that the same is vouchsafed more or less Eminently as those sacred Visits are more or less welcom'd by joyful Obedience or grieved by stubborn Resistance For as the precious Ointment going down to the Hem of Aaron's Vesture is not said to be spilt on the Rocks or sterile Earth so neither doth the Holy Spirit always strive with Gaâ—sayeâ—s 3. Again the coming of the Holy Ghost out of Christs Death and Resurrection profits us also that whereas it finds us in as many pieces as there are Properties in Nature and drawn by as many contradictory wills as there are subordinate Species in those Properties figâ—â—'d by the confused Languages at Babel this Holy Spirit unites us as Fire unites all sorts of Fuel into a like Flame 4. Thus it found some of them in one form and extream some in another some Busied with Curiosities others Brutishly Ignorant and Remiss some seeking by fraud or otherwise to establish their particular propriety some making Ambitious Designs their Idol c. The sacred Spirit putting out their several false Fires and Gloworm fictitious Light brought them and willeth to bring us into one Kingdom by one Spirit to mind the same things leads us by one will to be imploy'd in one work for our scatter'd Interests extravagant Desires and private selfish Contrivances must as Rubbish be removed before the Lords House be Erected or as Weeds be eradicated before the good Seeds flourish 5. 'T is true our Humane Powers and the Spirit of the great World in us and the Tincture convey'd us thereby may be used by the Almighty Architect as unhew'd Timber rough stone and other Materials whereof to frame a Building like as the Principles and Properties were extracted out of the first Chaos So may our confusions be consecrated and made conducible to the work of the new Creation which is effected in us by dying of our first wilful desires For by giving up the might of our first principle into the Intellectual
the Almighty Power of the Holy Ghost the latter perfected and consummated by the same Power concurring with the Gracious Providence of Infinite Wisdom The first so great an inward Divine Work as none but such in whom it is wrought can speak more of it but as Parrots so that the Experimental Work only enables rightly to see taste feel and know it And the Spirit working it can only rightly open the Mouth and guide the Hand to tell and describe it And this being spoken in the plainest simplest way can yet be received and profitable to such only who by the same Spirit are not only enlighten'd but made alive by the new Regeneration 2. Therefore in answer to the first part of the Question we are to know that God made of one Blood all Nations of the Earth and all Men in one Principle viz. the third consisting of the first four Properties for its Root But the second was Mans Paradisical Garland his Heaven his Crown and Divine Image This our Root and common Father the first Adam suppressed extinguished and caused to die and disappear Thenceforth Man became like the Cursed Earth whereof some plats bear Thorns and Briars others fetid Weeds others poysonous Plants others less noxious Products according to the prevalency of every of which the plat is named So some Men are hurried by the impetuous storms and fury of the four Anguishes of the first Principle and so are Devilish others are swallow'd up of the voluptuous Lusts of the Elementary Spirit and thence rightly called sensual others steered and regulated by the Maxims of the Siderial World and these can be no more or better than Earthy 3. Now out of all these the Divine Power ingenerating Faith not only acting in the understanding but swaying the Scepter of the Will also self-denial both as from abhorrence of the defiling self and also from self-interest property and self-pleasing which is as the Flower of Grass then cometh a hunger after the unseen Manna which is the Root producing the meek resignation of self-pleasing desires patient submission to the Cross which as it were insensibly enkindleth in the Soul the sweet dear silent retirement rest and peace the passing into the fifth form and this walkt in gradually regenerateth and tinctureth the dark perverted Soul with the noble new universal Power and Might And these are as different according to the procedure of Men as years distinguish the growth and stature of Children But done so silently by the Holy Spirit in Mans Spirit as the Blossom issueth and after it the Fruit. 4. The true new Regeneration in the Spirit of Christ is always new and that continually and successively renewed if indeed it be true not as the natural Birth of Children into this World who are so Born but once but rather as the growing of the Embrio in the Womb to a formed animated perfect Child Nor as an Arrow flying through by the force of its first push but as a Ship sailing through successive Perils and always returning to its latitude from various aberrations and passing through raging Surges as over so many Deaths Or as young people recover out of escaping from and through many Sicknesses and Relapses For the Lord himself teacheth saying to his Disciples who none doubts were before that converted Except ye be converted and become as this little Child ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Which then they were not for their quest was who should be the greatest thus tho' Metal upon Metal be false Herauldry Conversion upon Conversion is true Christianity 5. Nor is this less plain and evidently real in it self to the Children of the day tho' Nicodemus the Night Visiter misunderstood it than that the outward Suns Diurnal appearances on the Earths Revolutions make so many new days and every advance of the new Born Soul towards Perfection is such another thing than was the former as this Harvest is than the last was for the Soul can no more continue to grow by the first stirrings of the Heavenly World in it than the Body be nourished and supported by the Food it received the last Month or the Plants by the Rain they imbibed the last year or the Manna gathered one day be Food the following day when grown Verminous Thus God saith Behold I make all things new 6. Such therefore who pinfold their apprehensions of the new Regeneration by the Gage and Glass of the Natural Birth of Children may as equally infer the Mortification or Dying to the corrupt Man to be one only act Contrary to the Apostle I die daily Whereas we both die daily and are daily regenerated as Night and Day Winter and Summer are successively perpetuated Among the Roman Ecclesiasticks their Novices are under an absolute Arbitrary Subjection to the Tyranny of their unaccountable Superiors but the higher the Soul advanceth to the superior parts of true Regeneration the more simply and resignedly obedient is he till he actively passively and compleatly become as a little Child 7. And now to the second part of the Question Is it done in this time or after this time It is answer'd in the immediately preceding Discourse on the first part of this Question That the Regeneration is not wrought by one act as neither is Mortification done at once but gradually by little and little effected as a Summer hath its Spring a Day its Dawning a Vintage its sprouting out Obj. 1. â—8 Is it objected Omnipotence may perfect the Regeneration at once by one single act A. Without the Censure of confining Infinity it 's queried on what Ground is this presumption Built God shews us his way by all his gracious Discoveries for instance that of the Creation of the Out-world leads us as by the Hand to the view of the progress of the new Creation in which not to touch particulars which were repeating what is elsewhere done and digressive it may not be denyed but the Light call'd for at the beginning might have been multiplied into the inkindling of the whole deep that all had been as a Sun and so the alone figure of the Heavenly World but how then had this Out-birth figur'd both Worlds or both Principles wherein the seven properties should impress themselves in their distinct powers Therefore was that Light collected and the place of the Sun ennobled with the preheminence of the Empire of the Out-world as the Representer of the Holy Infinite second Principle the Son of God And the Darkness which before covered the Deep was conserved by condensation of the Terrestrial Globe whereon we creep and the Crassitude of the other Stars to figure the Infinite Eternal first Principle whereinto according to the dark impression thereof Man fell and out of which he is gradually recover'd as by way of similitude the Suns lustre attenuateth the gross Air by his continual variation by steddy orderly and regular approaches toward either Tropick Obj. 2. 9. But God new regenerateth the Spirit of Christ in
is the seventh Form or Seal of the Eternal Nature wherein the six Seals disclose themselves And natural Wisdom instead of finding the Heart of God by humble resignation hath found the Wonders of this World by Thunders Voices and Strife for when after the Apostles times Men left Love and Meekness and fell to Pomp and Pride the Golden Candlesticks and seven Stars withdrew and were hid and all became seven Seals The Glassy Sea is the Angelical World The Voices of the seven Thunders would be hid proceeding out of the stern Essences did we not put our Imagination into them and open them in us So that only the Lamb excepted none in Heaven nor Earth were worthy to open the Seals nor look thereon we were shut up by them under Death Darkness which only the Light in the Heart of God could open for Man was become an abominable Beast a Dragon with seven Heads and ten Horns and ten Crowns on the ten Horns this Beast the hypocritical Woman rideth on is this the Ass Christ humbly rode on 4. It is hellish Pride and worldly Pomp on which the Woman of seeming Holiness rideth she pretendeth to the Keys of Heaven and makes Laws Decrees and Canons yet knoweth not the New Birth He only that is born of God in his inclined heart the Seals are opened But when and wheresoever the Lamb openeth the seventh Seal then and there the Whore the Beast and Dragon are cast into the Lake of Fire then doth the good Shepherd lead his Flock into green Pastures then they that mark hearken incline the heart mind and thoughts coming humbly with broken hearts are met and embraced in them Christ is born they have him in the Baptism Supper and hearing of the Divine Word in all places for the Holy Ghost satisfieth the longing of the contrite spirit CHAP. V. Of the Seventh Form of Nature the Corporeity 1. COrporeity subsisteth in the 7th Form of Nature and as all the other six Forms are a hunger and longing desire to each other so are all their desires to the seventh to have a Body or Rest and the desire of the Essences is to preserve and sustain the Body The whole Essence of all Essences is a continued hunger of propagating from its fulness so that when one Form attaineth the other a third riseth yet the two former vanish not but all keep one in the other their own respective Powers and so of the rest And tho' the still Eternity is the only true Rest yet is the seventh Form a substantial Body of Rest whereinto the six diffuse their vertues and the same seventh Form standeth and is the comprehensible Body of Darkness and Light 2. The sharp Fire in the Liberty holdeth its right and the anguish whence the Fire ariseth sinking as a death affordeth matter and weight as in my self I see the Fire the cause of feeling in the dead Corporeity which else in the anguish sinketh into weight and is burthensom as a stifling Now what as Fire ascendeth not or as weight sinketh not in death doth as anguish remain neither uppermost nor lowermost which as the begun anguish is the Centre of both and not getting up nor down presseth side-ways like the lower Branches of a growing Tree 3. The Deity longed to see the Wonders in the Eternal Nature and Innumerable Essences yet created all for the Light not for the Darkness for the Tincture is awakened in the Centre in the death of the Earth which is the life of all Gems Minerals Vegetatives and Animals And in the deep the Sun having the Tincture of the Fire is the Father and Life of all the Stars who in the beginning proceeded from its Centre not that they all sprang from them for as the Sun is the Centre of the uppermost in the Liberty so is Saturn or the Earth of the lowermost in death yet is there no dying but a transmutation for neither doth this World die but the Essences change to be what they were not and remain as figures for ever to the glory of God's works And if the gross Visibles were not created to the Darkness how much less the Spirits which are out of the Eternal Mind and therefore Eternal like as our Mind hath diversity of innumerable thoughts and those thoughts essentially potent when exalted as in that of a Woman with Child whose thoughts can magically impress foreign preternatural substances as well as heterogene incongruous figures on the fruit of her womb 4. When God willed the Fiat viz. the creating the Eternal Essences or Powers which flowed into substance which Eternal Essences before went forth without substance then time hads its beginning But the Holy Will still proceeded with the Powers into the love and delight in meekness contrariwise Lucifer's direful Fall was his delight of turning back his will to domineer in the Tincture of the Fire root his motion to which was the forms of the Genitrix before enkindling of the Light as sour bitter dark tart stinging envious for in the fourth form stands Love and Anger in opposition being the middle form of the seven having three drawing one way and the other three drawing the other Lucifer therefore was drawn of both but that the Root forms prevailed was because he saw the Divine or Second Birth proceed out of the Centre and himself standing in the Essences of the Nature of Eternity the great Fountain he therefore despised the Humility whereof Love and Light are the Off-spring and would rule over it and so was cast out of the uppermost Life into the nethermost Death and Darkness for he was offended to see the greatest Mysteries to stand in the greatest lowliness 5. The attaining the Divine Light consisteth in a fixt resolution wrought in us of Humility wherein the Love is generated But all Laws and Devices to attain it are fabulous and as the making costly works wherein the Artificer pleaseth only himself with things wholly unprofitable reaching no higher than imitation of useful things like also as there are many Spirits Aerial Aquastrish Terrestrial and in the Anguish which are not out of the Eternal Well-spring but from the beginning Will generated by the Tincture of Heaven in Nature which mutable at their time leaving only their shadow to manifest the wonders of God And from Eternity there hath been such a Government where the knowledge was only in God but at the coming out of the Angelical World an Intellect was also in the Creatures The Gate into the Holy Trinity 6. In no Creature in Heaven or this World stand the three Principles open as in Man The first Principle or Father tho' he standeth in the Liberty Eternal Stilness is not call'd Father as such but as he is the desiring Thus the Mind of a Man being one only Will is desiring yet therein out of the Eternal Will are innumerable Wills the first Will is Master and the other are recomprehended leading to Light and Darkness to Joy
till that be consumed and then their Power lyeth in Darkness waiting the last Judgment when the Holy shall be seen by the Wicked 5. If any conceit a place where they sit one among the other that is quite contrary to the Magia every one is where it will be and where ever it is it is in God or in Darkness but this Deep is our Aether and Kingdom 6. A Soul may if it desire it go into the upper Angelical World where God's Angels will lovingly entertain it and they have pure Works with them they also delight to be with us Q. 22. What every Soul departed doth whether it rejoyceth or no till the Day of the last Judgment A. 1. They all abound with great inward Joy and wait to put on their bright fair holy new Body out of the old their Joy and Hope is different as Labourers Expectations are who at the end of the Week receive every one according to their degrees of Labour and Diligence 2. Those who have put on Christ's Body here are as one who having overcome his Enemies in a Fight represents the Victory before his King who receives him with great Joy and Honour 3. The Expectation of the wicked Soul is as an imprison'd Malefactor still listening when any thing stirs and the Executioner comes all their passed wickednesses stand before them in such different Aggravations as they had here Q. 23. Whether the wicked Souls without difference in so long a time before the Day of Judgment find any Mitigation or Ease A. 1. The Souls of the wicked have no Mitigation their greatest Mitigation is the climbing up of their Minds to do still the wickednesses they did here and the terror of the last Judgment continually seizeth on them 2. In this Life the Soul is in the Angle of the Ballance and may go into Love or Anger but when the Ballance breaketh it is past recovery for who can break Eternity 3. But here God's Spirit in his Prophets teacheth the Cross and the Devil teacheth Pleasures take which you will and be taken in it Eternally the Cross leadeth to Love and Pleasure to the Anger Kingdom Q. 24. Whether mens Wishes profit them any thing or sensibly come where they are or no A. 1. The Prayers of the Righteous pierce into Heaven not into Hell out of Hell is no recalling Prayer for such returns to you again and continueth in its own Principle 2. But where such leave much falshood behind them for which torment is wished them that cometh where they are But let all beware they sow not into Hell that they reap it not 3. Some Souls hang as by a thread 'twixt Faith and Doubting where Fire and Light part whose weak Faith is detained by their Turba some a tedious time yet the Anger cannot devour their little Faith but they sink down at last through Anguish into the meek Kingdom 4. To such may come a total hearty zealous Prayer of a faithful Brother for the Prayer of such can open the Gates of the Deep a whole Principle and take hold of that which is capable of it For the weak Soul layeth hold on its loving Brother's Divine earnest Will and Might and sinks down out of Anguish through Death and attains God's Kingdom But cannot help it to Glorification for that shines out of the Souls own Substance 5. The Popish Juglings for Money by Masses is gross Deceit for the Prayer of the Covetous entreth only into his Chest. But Christ's Holy Congregation where all is done in true earnestness hath great Power Q. 25. What the Hand of God and Bosom of Abraham are A. It is the All-Substantial or All-Being every-where-presence of God in the Messiah Christ viz. in its own Principle as is sufficiently explained before Q. 26. Whether the Souls of the Deceased take Care about Men their Children Friends and Goods and know see like or dislike their Purposes and Undertakings A. There are three distinct sorts of Souls or in three several Conditions 1. Such as have not yet attained Heaven but have Humane Matters on them searching the cause of their detention and many of them appear in Human Form in the Starry spirit take care about Wills c. Sometimes their earthy Business sticks to them taking care of their Children and Friends but when the Starry-spirit is consumed they have no more feeling Knowledge only see it in the Magia for in care is the Turba which they are sunk through But a living Man hath Power to reach into Heaven as King Saul did to Samuel 2. Such as are sunk down farther but are yet in one place of the Principle with the other these meddle with no business wherein the Turba sticketh but rejoyce when living vertuous Souls send their Works to them and are so friendly as to appear to Men magically in their sleep instruct them in good and often reveal Arts which lye deep in the Abyss of the Soul For now the Soul is free and in the Arcanum of God Even so do the Damned Souls magically teach the wicked great Master-Pieces of Evil and Mischief This the Devil doth by Human Souls himself being too rough and terrifying the Magia 3. Such as are in Abraham's Bosom in Christ's heavenly substantiality those none can stir unless they will themselves nor do they but to serve God's Honour nor Pray they for us our Blessedness lyeth in our entring into God who will receive a converting Sinner they rejoyce that God's Kingdom is coming into us But Wonders have been wrought by the Livings Faiths laying hold of the Deceased Saints Faith Q. 27. Whether the Souls in Death know or understand this or that Art or Business in which they were Skilled when they were in the Body A. They know the deepest founded Arts but awaken them not because they are in the Turba But the highly enlighten'd Souls have Skill in heavenly Matters and all that lyeth in the Mystery especially those who have been conversant in the Mystery here and every one in those he hath most delighted here but all in an humble Paradisical simple Childrens life Q. 28. Whether they have any more Skill or Knowledge of Divine Angelical and Earthy things and also of Devillish things and can have more certain Experience of them than they had in the Body A. Of Divine and Angelical Skill they have much more but it is various for the Souls without a Body are under God's Altar till the last Judgment Day and for up no Wonders But the highly enlightened Souls that have God's Body have overflowing â—kill Yet take no care about devilish things it belongs to the Angels 〈…〉 Devil and defend Men. Q. 29. What the Soul 〈…〉 ing and Clarification are A. This is sufficiently Exâ—â—ain'd before Q. 30. What the difference of the Living and Dead resurrection of the Flesh and of the Soul is A. God shall move all the three Principles Fire Light and Looking-glass The Judge Christ shall sit upon the
Deep one Power and Lustre receiveth the other The Deep with its Lustre is hidden but yet hath the power of the Sun in it 4. So Christ's Substantiality filleth Heaven and Paradise and swalloweth up the Earthiness also where it is received and obeyed 5. Thus Christ brought back what Adam lost and much more for the Word is every where become Man See the Extracts of the latter part of the 18th Chapter of the Three Principles The 2d Part being of Christ's Suffering Dying Death and Resurrection CHAP. I. Q. IS it said Was it not sufficient that God became Man why must he also die Could God no other way save Man What pleasure takes he in Death and Dying If God had by his Sons Death paid a Ransom for us why must we also die CHAP. V. Ver. 54. to the end Ans. 1. MAN had lost the Divine Substantiality and Angelical Property and imagined into the Out-birth viz. into the Earthy part was departed from the Divine Light into the Light of this World and captivated in the fierce Wrath of God which the Devil had kindled viz. the four first Forms according to which God calleth himself a consuming fire 2. The corrupted Out birth also had put a Body on him which it destroyed and swallowed up again in its essential fire 3. But being the Soul was breathed into Man out of the Holy Spirit of God out of the Eternal and so is an Angel 4. Therefore hath the Power of the Holy Light World the Heart of God resumed the same entring into the Human Essence which lay in the Anguish Chamber surrounded with Death and took to himself a Soul out of our Essence and our Mortal Life and introduced the Soul through Death through the earnest severe Fire of God the Father into the holy meek Light-World and so destroyed Death by bringing in Divine Substanâ—iality into the fierce Wrath of the Father the Centre of the Anguish-Chamber the Fire World in the Soul Christ being the right Centre of the Holy Trinity is with the out gone Holy Spirit the flaming Majesty the Light-World 5. And whosoever will possess the Light-World and be an Angel must enter in through the same path bear old Adams Cross go forth through the harâ—â—â— astringent stern and malignant corrupted Adamical Man and slay him and be born anew out of the Anxious Wheel 6. But seeing we were not able to do this Christ gave himself into the Centre of the fierce Wrath in the Soul brake and extinguished it with his Love So that now when we go out of our selves to the death of sin we come into the death of Christ the path he hath prepared for us and leads to his Resurrection whereby we ascend into his Arms the unshut Light-World which is also Abraham's bosom the Paradise wherein we were created our true dear native Country 7. It consisteth not in this that we think it enough to pourtray and represent what Christ hath done and suffered for us and tell of a Faith in that but that we daily and hourly fight and slay the Evil Adam as to his will and doings with resigned and resolved earnestness and then we enter into Christ's Death in our living Bodies put on his Life in us become impregnated with the Kingdom of Heaven Get on us Christ's Thorny Crown and still be accounted one that is not worthy to live on the Earth through all which we must faithfully proceed on knowing we must either be Angels or Devils 8. In this Death nothing dieth to or in us but only the Earthy Evil dead Adam whose will and life we have here continually destroyed This Enemy departeth from us into the Essential Fire into the four Elements and into the Mystery and must at the end be tryed through the Fire of God and then our Bodies and Works must be given us again through that Fire whatever the Earthy Mystery had swallowed up But not such an Evil one for the Fire of God devoureth the Evil but such a one as we here in anxiety have sought a Divine Spiritual Substance like the Wonders and Wisdom of God 9. Hypocritical Reason saith Christ hath done all for us we cannot It is right Christ hath done what we cannot do he hath broken Death and restored a new Life and is in Heaven But 't is not knowing but doing the Devils know but what availeth that we know if we remain without and enter not into Christ in the way and passage he hath made for us doing good for evil in truth and simplicty CHAP. VII Ver. 75. 1. IT is not enough to cry Lord give me a strong Faith in the Merits of thy Son he hath satisfied for my sins But I must enter into Christ's suffering and dying and be born a second time out of his Death become a Member in and with him Constantly crucifie the old Adam Always hang on Christ's Cross Become an obedient Child Tho' I plainly walk this way yet I have so evil a ghest in me that I still work too much evil must therefore continually strive and fight till I vanquish 2. Christ indeed hath in and for us broken Death and made way but what doth that comfort me unless I enter in that very way and path as a Pilgrim or Stranger here CHAP. IX CHrist's Sufferings c. 1. Men content them to participate of in the Lord's Supper v. 29. But his Divine Flesh and Blood is that which the wicked cannot participate of that is Sacramentally 2. They receive the four Elements in the Anger of God because they discern not the Lord's Body which is every where present in Heaven and Earth and is fed upon by the Heavenly Soul not as a sign as others dream not Spirit without Substance but the Substance of the Spirit Christ's Flesh which filleth the Light-World which the Word that became Man brought with it into the Virgin Mary and there became opened in its Flesh and Blood the assumed Human Essence 3. Yet was it at that very time while Christ lay in the Virgins Womb in Heaven in the one Element in all places It came not into Mary from many miles off but the Centre which Adam in God's Anger had shut up in death the Word of the Deity did unlock and bring in the Divine Substantiality not entring in but unshutting ingenerating and in this World exgenerating God and Man one person heavenly Substantiality and Virginity one only Man in Heaven and in this World See the latter part of the 18th Chapter of the three Principles The third part being of the Tree of Christian Faith CHAP. I. WHat Faith is 1. It is not our forcing the mind to belief of Articles which are the work of our Reason 2. But true Faith is one Spirit with God working in and with God is the might of God dwells in the liberty in God's Will inclined to his Love and Mercy is free from the fierce Wrath and Torment in Nature is not comprehended subsisteth in
all things but hidden to the things not dwelling in the things for it self hath a substance in it self after the manner of Eternity 2. The first Eternal Principle is Magical and like a hidden Fire is Eternally known in its Colours in the figure in the Wisdom of God as in a Looking-glass The opening of which Mystery openeth the three Principles according to the Trinity 3. The Magical Centre of the first Principle is Fire which as also the second is as a Spirit without palpable substance therefore the longing is to generate the third where the Spirit of the Principles might manifest it self by Similitude In this desiring Powers Colours and Virtues come to be 4. And for as much as every desiring is attractive The first Principle impregnateth it self with Nature and the second with Light And this meek Fire of the Majesty of the second being set opposite to the Fire of the first quenching its wrath puts it into an Essential Substance thereby and the first giveth the second power strength and might being together an Eternal Band that without the one the other could not be 5. What the first Principle is wholly and alone in it self The first Will willeth to be free from the darkness and by desiring cannot attain it for the desiring is a stern attraction So that out of the thin rare liberty where nothing is a darkness comes And the greater the desiring the greater will be the attraction The drawing giveth sting and the attracted giveth hardness from the desiring comes the feeling thence also comes the third form viz. the Anguish which is as it were the Centre where Life and Will originate 6. Hence it is the Will would flee but is withheld by the harshness so that it becomes whirling as a Wheel and the greater the Anguish the greater the whirling and the greater the bitter sting of the Essences and Multiplicity But in the whirling the Essences become a mixed will where lye innumerable multiplicity of Existencies or Beings justly called the Eternal Mind 7. The first will which is called Father and is in it self the Liberty desireth Nature and Nature groaneth after the liberty from the Anguish The conception of which in the Imagination causeth a shriek of joy and when it attaineth the liberty the shriek becomes a flash in the meekness breaking the sting of Death and passeth into the Kingdom of Joy and so into the Love for the meekness draweth the Joy into it and that is the Water of Eternal Life 8. And when the Fire drinketh the Water of Eternal Life it giveth forth the Light of the Majesty where dwell the Father and the Son And the Holy Spirit is the Life of it opening the meek substantiality viz. Colours Wonders and Vertues That is called the Divine Wisdom the House of the Holy Trinity and in its Colours and Vertues the Spirit hath all the Angelical Quires 9. The second substance of the shriek is an Inimicitious Quality exciting a panting to be loosed from the quality of Anguish Whence in the Fathers Will ariseth pity compassion and mercifulness 10. Hence also cometh the Gall into Creatures which tho'it be a Poyson is the cause of Life viz. of Mobility for Death is the Root of Life as may be seen in Christs Death and also in our own 11. The Souls Fire uniteth with the Eternal Nature The right Souls Spirit is one Spirit with God The Images Corporeity is of the Substance wherein the Faithful shall live Eternally CHAP. II. What the Principle is or what they all three are Further of the First Point 1. WHen Life findeth it self where none is that is a Principle Fire is a Property so is Light for tho' it be caused by the Fire it is not the Fires Property and the wrathful Anguish is the cause of both 2. But the Will to the Anguish called Father a Man cannot search out We only fathom how the Anguish gains the highest Perfection in the Holy Trinity and manifesteth it self in the three Principles What Essence is and how it originateth because thence spring the Senses and Thoughts and the Wonder of all Beings 3. The third Principle of the Stars and Elements manifesteth the other two And that which in moving attained the fierce wrath became the Globe of the Earth Thence is it that out of it while the Centre of Nature is in it and it freed from Death the pure Child of the Eternal substance may be extracted as in Gold Tho' by defect of attaining the Eternal Fire Life is not so brought out of Death save only in Man and what is beyond Man belongs to God and we wait the Renovation in the end of time 4. of the Substance and Property of the three Principles The first Principle standing in the Fire of the Will The second in the Will to the Light the one giving its desire into the other yet are not mixt each retaineth its Property yet dwelleth in the other The third hath the Properties of both yet is neither It is an awakener manifester and similitude of the Eternal yet is not the Eternal but is become a substance in the Eternal desire 5. The Creation was an awakening of the Power and Form which was in the Eternal Will and because it was in the beginning comprized in the Eternal therefore must the substance in this World together with the figure go into the Eternal 6. But whatsoever became comprized in the desire out of the beginning recâ—des into its Ether becoming what it was when it was no substance So this Worlds substance being a coagulated Vapour returns into the Magia or Mystery whereof it served a while to be a manifester 7. For nothing attains the liberty of Eternity that subsisteth not in the Willfire of the Eternal in which the Light can bring its lustre and dwell and that it be as subtle as the Lights substantiality 8. Mans Soul may if it will become generated out of the fierce wrath into Renovation by forsaking the Earthy renew what he hath generated out of the Eternal which else remaineth in the quality of Torment For whatever is not like to the Love fire Light and Water cannot subsist in the liberty but remains in an opposite Will in the dark Torment it awakened in it self 9. The right Man out of the new Birth is three Worlds the Eternal Light World shineth through all whatsoever is thin rare or transparent and thereby capable of it which can no more be hinder'd than the Sun can be that it should not shine 10. The Properties of the first Principle sprout making Sulphur Mercurius and Sal. 11. The second Principle sprouteth in it self making Love a Friendly Vertuous Pioâ—s Humble Patient Will to stoop and bear with evil in others ever hidden to the old Man lashing it forward as a lazy Ass denies him the worldly Jollity it lusteth after and makes him a Servant it with standeth the evil Influences of the Stars and the fierce Devil and Malicious Men so
Also we must know whoever will understand the Old Testament must set before him the two Types externally Adam the earthy Man and internally Christ and change both these into one and so he may apprehend Moses and the Prophets CHAP. XLVII Of the Covenant of Abimelech and Abraham and what it points at 1. BEershebah a bruising to Death is the same Fountain which the Angel shewed Hagar which Abraham viz. Christ digged and there afterwards preached the Eternal God The Covenant between Abimelech and Abraham is the Covenant of Christ with the Humanity where he sware not to destroy the Humanity as he said he was not come to condemn the World Abimelech viz. the Soul out of the Father's Property Picholl the outward Nature the third Principle Field-Captain or Officer of the Soul Abraham is Christ in the Humanity Now Abimelech's restoring Abraham's Wife saying he knew not c. signifieth That the Soul of Adam knew not Christ in the Tincture of Heavenly Venus therefore went into Self-lust but when God shewed it to the Soul the Soul said I knew not that God's Wife the Holy Tincture the Heavenly Matrix was in me 2. But now I restore whatever I have taken of the Divine Worlds Property it is thy Wife then all the Women of Abimelech and his Servants Eves Daughters were healed 3. Christ here sweareth not to shew any unkindness to the Human Property nor to the Children nor to the Grandchildren or Nephews viz those springing out of the wild Property where often a wicked Husband or Wife are joyned to a godly one and so those Children spring from the wild Property 'T is said Thou shalt do according to the kindness that I have done unto thee viz in restoring thy Wife thy Image shalt thou do to me and to the Land viz. the outward Man wherein thou viz. Christ sojournest art a Stranger Which Christ Sweareth As I live saith c. Then Abraham Christ reproved Abimelech the Soul that the Soul's Servants the Essences of Nature had taken away the Well the Essence from the Heavenly Corporality viz. Christ's Body in Adam for Christ's Holy Fountain sprung up in the fiery Essence of the Soul which being taken to Self-Power the Heavenly Image disappeared And Abimelech the Soul answered I knew not till this Day viz. that the Devil had deceived me 4. Then Abraham viz. Christ took Sheep his Children the Jews and Oxen the Gentiles and gave them to the Father of whose Property the Soul is by an everlasting Covenant And set seven Ewe Lambs apart viz. the seven Properties of the Natural Humanity of Christ manifested in us A part viz. a distinct Person 5. We poor Jews and Gentiles may not say we are Christ but his House he is a part with the Divine Property But in right resignation when Man's Will is Dead to Self Christ only liveth in it such Eternally witness that Christ digged the Well At Beersheba the place of Contrition Christ planted Trees Heavenly Branches Preached c. and remained there a long time viz. all the time of the Natural Life CHAP. XLVIII Of Abraham's Offering up Isaac 1. ABraham is represented in Adams stead Isaac in Christs Humanity The Voice is God the Fathers so is Christ Offered by Adam's Children the Jews to the Fathers Fire Thy Son whom thou lovest viz. thy will brought into Self-love in the devoration of which in Gods Wrath-fire the true Man Created in Adam must be form'd and preserv'd as Gold or Silver in the Crucible where Copper and all Impurities evaporate On Mount Moriah which God not we chuseth 2. Christ wholly resigns up our Humane Will of self to his Father in his Death for all and in all Men As when the stock of a Tree dyeth the Branches die also and as the Tree reneweth its Youth as the Râ—d of Aaron did it introduceth new Life into its â—ranches Abraham rose early teaching immediate obedience And girt his Ass the Bestial Man with power Took with him two young Men one the Soul from the first Principle the other the Spirit of the outward Life Clave the Wood as Adam clave Gods Love and Anger On the third day pointing at Adam's sleep to the Angelical World and the time of Christs Resurrection Afar off the Final Offering of Christ above two Thousand years The two young Men to tarry with the Ass till Christ is Offered and come again Abraham took the Knife and Fire Gods Anger and Death Isaac said Here is the Wood the Sins of all Men and the Fire Gods Wrath but where is the Lamb Abraham's Ens of Faith saw the Lamb. Abraham bound Isaac so was Christ and so must our self-wills be bound and resign'd to God in entire earnestness The Angel calleth hurt not Nature as he had done to Hagar at Beersheba He saw a Ram hung c. shews death kills not the true Man but the pushing Beast hung in the Devils Thickets of Thorny Cares and Vanity Next follows the Blessing increase and prevalency And Abraham return'd with his Son and two young Men to Beersheba into the toil and labour of this World so God exerciseth his people not always in operation of the Spiritual Figures but in weakness and infirmities in the Kingdom of Nature And sometimes again under the Cross and so they grow as in a Field sometimes Storms sometimes Sun-shine 3. Nahor Abraham's Brother had eight Sons by Milcah of whom came great Nations the Assyrians who tho' they sprung not from the Ens of Faith in the Line of Christ the Blessing of Abraham passed on them CHAP. XLIX Of Sarah's Death and Abraham's Hereditary Sepulchre 1. WHile Abraham lived he was a Stranger no continuing abode had he but when his Sarah died he would have a certain Possession of a peculiar and Hereditary Sepulchre for his Wife himself and Children which he would not have to be given him but bought it of the Sons of Heth and Ephron for four hundred Sheckles of Silver viz. the Cave of Machpelah The inward Figure of which is That 2. When Isaac viz. Christ is come the two fold Body returns back to its original Mother the Eternal and Temporal Nature When the Saints die to self the outward Life The resigned Life will no longer stand in a strange Serpentine one it cannot of due right take the first true Field but it must be purchased Thus Abraham in the Figure of Christ doth of the Sons of Heth who stand in the Fathers Figure And that Christs Ransom is signified by four hundred Sheckles hath this meaning The first is the true Magical Fire the second is the Light the third the holy sound of the Mental Tongue the fourth the conceived Ens of the other Properties forming the holy Life This is the pure Silver 3. And whereas the Children of Heth would freely have given it yet at last took Money for it So hath God the Father freely given the Kingdom of Grace to Christ