fence or stop to the darknesse of the originall matrix that it might no more kindle it selfe and generate earth and stones And therefore he made the enclosure or firmament out of the midst of the waters which stayeth the might force or power of the fire and became the visible heaven whence the creatures are proceeded whereout now the Elements Fire Aire and Water proceed 9 The third day God by the Fiat divided the waters upon the earth and created them for several places that there might be a dwelling upon the earth and so the earth became dry Now when this was done then God did seek the creature and the eternall Father sayd that is he wrought through the Sonne who is his heart and glance or lustre in the Fiat in the earth and there budded the life through death and grasse hearbs and all manner of trees and plants sprung up every one according to the eternall source as it had been before Thus every essence became visible and God manifested his manifold vertue with the manifold hearbs plants and trees so that every one that doth but look upon them may see the eternall power vertue and wisdome of God therein if he be born of God he may know in every spile of grasse his Creator in whom he liveth Thus in this time sprung up all that grew or was in the earth If men would not be blinde they night here see the mystery of the Man Christs remaining in death till the third day and his bringing of life out of the earth 10 And the Matrix of the Earth stood still till the third day as it were in death in respect of the great storm But in the Fiat the life sprung up through the death and the eternall vertue or power and wisdome of God which hath formed it self together in the Fiat discovered it selfe on the blossoming earth where the similitude of the Paradisicall world may be clearly seen 11 For although many thousand severall hearbs stand one by another in one and the same Meadow and one of them fairer and more vertuall than another yet one of them doth not grudge at the form of another but there is a pleasant refreshment in one Mother so also there is a distinct variety in Paradise where every Creature hath its greatest joy in the vertue and beauty of another and the eternall vertue and wisdome of God is without number and end as you found before in the third Chapter concerning the opening of the Centres of the eternall life You shall finde no book wherein the Divine wisdome may be more searched into and sound than when you walk in a flowry fresh springing Medow there you shall see smell and taste the wonderfull power and vertue of God though this be but a similitude and the divine vertue in the third Principle is become materiall and God hath manifested himselfe in a similitude But this similitude is a loving Schoolmaster to him that seeketh he shall there finde many of them 12 On the fourth day God took the place of this world rightly at the heart for therein he created the wise master out of his eternall wisdome in the third Principle viz. the Sunne and Starres herein men may first rightly see the Deity and the eternall wisdome of God as in a cleare glasse though indeed the essence or substance that is visible to the eyes is not God himselfe but it is the Goddesse in the third Principle which in the end goeth into her Ether again and taketh her end 13 Though men must not cast the Pearle in the way that the beasts may tread it under foot much lesse must men throw it among the grains or husks to be devoured by the swine for that would not be beneficiall to the wanton world because that seeketh nothing thereby but to misuse it selfe therewith for the Devill whom the world serveth doth teach it that when it learneth the ground of the Heaven and of the Stars to will presently to be a God as Lucifer did yet I will write somewhat of the beginning and vertue or power of the Starres because man and all creatures live in the vertue working and essences of them and that every creature receiveth its property from them for the sake of him that seeketh who would willingly flye from the bestiall man and would fain live in the true man who is the image and similitude of God For to such it is very highly necessary to be known Also for the Lillyes sake which groweth in the tree of the soure wrath towards the North in the Matrix 14 Moses writeth God sayd Let there be lights in the Firmament of Heaven which may separate and distinguish day and night and be for signes for times and seasons for dayes and years And to be for lights in the Firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth and it was so And God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night Also he made the Starres And God set them in the Firmament of heaven that they might shine upon the earth and rule the day and the night and separate the light from the darknesse 15 And though Moses hath written very rightly that they should govern the day and the night and should separate the light from the darknesse and make times and seasons yeares and dayes yet is it not plain enough to be understood by the desirous Reader For there is found a very high thing in the vertue and power of the stars which is that every life growth colour and vertue thicknesse and thinnesse smalnesse and greatnesse good and evill is moved and stirred by their power For this cause the wise Heathens did relye upon them and honoured them as Gods therefore I will write somewhat of their originall as farre as is permitted to me at this time for their sakes that seek and desire the Pearle But I have written nothing for the swine and other bestiall men who trample the Pearle into the dirt and scorn and contemn the spirit of knowledge such as they may with the first world expect a deluge or flood of fire and seeing they will beare no Angelicall image therefore they must beare the images of Lions Dragons and other evill beasts and worms or creeping things and if they will not admit of good counsell that God may help them then they must look to finde by experience whether the Scriptures of Prophesie doe lie to them or no. 16 The Evangelist S t John writeth of the originality of the essence and creatures of this world so very highly and exactly as may be read in no other place of Scripture in the Bible In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God This was in the beginning with God all things were made by it and without it was nothing made that was made In it was the life and the life was the light of
it is a climbing up of pride in the strength of the fire a bitter fierce odious malice or wrathfulnesse against Paradise against God against the kingdome of heaven also against all creatures in the second and third Principle lifting up themselves alone against all this as the bitternesse in the fire doth 4. Now the Scripture witnesseth throughout and the new-born man findeth it so that when the soul is new born in the light of God then on the contrary it findeth how very humble meek courteous and cheerly it is it readily beareth all manner of crosses and persecution it turneth the body from out of the way of the wicked it regardeth no reproach disgrace or scorn put upon it from the Devill or Man it placeth its confidence refuge and love in the heart of God it is very cheerfull it is fed by the word of God in which there is a Paradisicall exulting and triumph it cannot be hurt or so much as touched by the Devill for it is in its own substance wherein it stands in the first Principle of the indissoluble band enlightned with the light of God and the holy Ghost who goeth forth out of the eternall birth of the Father in the heart and in the light of the heart of God he goeth forth in it and establisheth it the childe of God 5. Therefore all that it doth seeing it liveth in the light of God is done in the love of God the Devill cannot see that soul for the second Principle wherein it liveth and in which God and the kingdom of heaven standeth as also the Angels and Paradise is shut up from him and he cannot get to it 6. In this consideration you may finde what I understand by a Principle For a Principle is nothing else but a new birth a new life besides there is no more than one Principle wherein there is an eternall life that is the eternall Deity and that would not have been manifested if God had created no creatures in himself viz. Angels and Men who understand the eternall and indissoluble band and how the birth of the eternall light is in God 7. Thus now herein is understood how the divine Essence in the divine Principle hath wrought in the root of the first Principle which is the begettresse matrix or genetrix in the eternall birth in the Limbus or in the originall water-spirit by which operation at last the earth and stones come forth For in the second Principle viz. in the holy birth there is onely spirit light and life and the eternall wisdome hath wrought in the eternall inanimate genetrix which is void of understanding viz. in her own property before the originall of the light out of which came the dark Chaos which in the elevation of Lord Lucifer when the light of God departed from him and the fiercenesse of the source of the fire was kindled became hard matter viz. stones and earth whereupon followed the gathering together of the earth as also the spewing out of Lucifer from his Throne and the creating of the third Principle and thereupon it followed that he was shut up in the third Principle as a prisoner expecting henceforth the judgement or sentence of God Now whether it be not a shame disgrace and irksomnesse to him to be so imprisoned between Paradise and this world and not to be able to comprehend either of them I propound it to be considered 8. Thus now if we will speak of the third Principle viz. of the beginning and birth of this world then we must consider the root of the genetrix or begettresse seeing every Principle is another birth but out of no other essence and so we may finde that in the first Principle in the indissoluble band which in it self is inanimate and hath no true life but the source of the true life is born by the moving spirit of God which from eternity hath its originall in the first Principle and goeth forth from eternity in the second Principle as in the birth of the heart or Sonne of God the matrix of the genetrix is set open which is originally the harshnesse yet in the light it is the soft mother of the water spirit Thus it is seen found clearly and plainly before our eyes that the Spirit of God hath wrought there in the matrix so that out of the incomprehensible Matrix which is but a Spirit the comprehensible and visible water is proceeded 9 Secondly you may thus see the separation clearly by the starres and fiery Heaven that the eternall separation or distinction is in the eternall matrix for you may see that the starres and the fiery heaven and the watery the aiery and earthly are generated out of one mother that they qualifie with or have influence upon one another and that the birth of their substance is in one another also that one is the case or vessell to hold the other in and yet they have not one and the same property qualification or condition Thus here in the separation you may know that the eternall matrix hath a separation in it selfe as is mentioned before in the third chapter concerning the eternall birth of the four anguishes where the fire is generated between Harshnesse and Bitternesse and the light in the flash of fire and so every source retaineth its own due 10. Understand it thus as the Spirit moved this Matrix so the matrix wrought and in the kindling from rhe Spirit of God in the fift form of the matrix the fiery heaven of the Constellations did exist which is a meere Quinta essentia or Quintessence born in the fifth form of the matrix in which place the light hath its originall out of which at last the Sunne is born or brought forth wherewith the third Principle becometh opened and manifested which Sun now is the life in the third Principle and the opener of the life of every life in the matrix in this place or Locus as the heart of God in Paradise in the immateriall heaven and birth openeth the eternall power of God wherein the eternall life continually springeth up and wherein the eternall wisdome continually shineth Thus also the light of the Sunne which is sprung up in the inanimate matrix by the flowing hovering or moving spirit in the matrix openeth the third principle of this materiall world which is the third and beginning Principle which as to this forme taketh an end and returneth into its Ether in the end of this enumeration as the Scripture witnesseth 11. And then all in this third Principle remaineth again in the first matrix onely that which hath been sown in this Principle and that hath its originall out of Paradise out of heaven and out of the second Principle viz. Man that continueth eternally in the matrix And if he have in this lifes time atrained the second Principle so that he is born therein it is well with him
whence proceedeth a twinckling flash at which the darke harshnesse is terrified and sinketh backe as vanquished And so when the bitternesse findeth the mother overcome and as it were halfe dead or soft or meeke it is terrified more than the mother But the skreek or terrour being past in the harsh mother which is now halfe dead or soft pliable or meeke then the bitternesse looseth its terrible right or property and becometh white light and cleere and thus is the kindling and birth of the Fire as is mentioned before 23. Deare Reader account not this ridiculous that this birth which also is just so in the beginning of your life may not trouble or confound you and observe it further 24. When God in the first Matrix moved himselfe to create and created the Angels he created them in Paradise in the light holy Matrix which is this and no other but the Matrix with its fiery dark and harsh bitter property remained altogether hidden for the light of God from eternity preserved it and kept it pleasant cleare and bright But when God moved himselfe to create then it became manifested for the Angels were created out of the indissoluble Band out of the Matrix and were bodified from the moving Spirit of God 25. Now when God had created great potent princely Angels and that in the place of the fourth forme in the Matrix where the source of Fire hath its originall they stood not neither did they cast their imaginations forward into the fift forme wherein the sprouting forth of Paradise consisteth but they cast their Imaginations back into themselves and formed or created a will or purpose in the Matrix to domineere in the fire over the light of God and Paradise For the fiery Matrix viz. the abysse of Hell moved it selfe in the creation so hard that Lucifer that great Prince hath formed his will out of it and is continued therein supposing that so he should be a Great and terrible Lord in his whole place of Dominion 26. Thus the Devill moved the Matrix and the fiery forme moved the Devill for that also would be creaturely as well as all the other formes in the Matrix which yet was opposite to the fift forme in the Matrix where in the meeke and cleere light the pleasant source of love springeth up wherein the second principle standeth eternally 27. When this storme was in the Creation in the first Principle the Matrix became very big or much impregnated and kindled and every forme in the Matrix wrought stirred or acted But because the anger and the wrath had there elevated it selfe and that this place could not thus subsist in Paradise therefore God moved this place yet more in the Matrix which was yet the more kindled where then is to be the Devils Bath repository or dwelling place and the fourth forme stood in the flash of the fire which reflected back into the mother and found the Spirit of God in the forming or creation where in a moment that fourth forme lost its wrathfull smart fierce property authority or right and became in great joy white cleere and light and in this place or thing consisteth or standeth the Fiat by which God created Heaven and Earth for before the fiat the third Principle was not manifested but there was meerly Paradise in the place of this world 28. But God seeing that the great Prince Lucifer would domineere in the Matrix in the strength of the fire in his place therefore he shut up the fift forme in the Matrix of Paradise from him for it is shut up both in its inward corporeall forme and outwardly also 29. For when the Matrix became thin again dead and vanquished from the risen light then the materiall Matrix turned to water as wee may perceive and in this kindling before the light of the Sunne when the Matrix was still in the harsh fiercenesse the Matrix attracted that which was wrought together into a water-spirit out of which came the rocky cliffs stones and the dark earth which before the time of the Creation was but a Chaos and in that time sprung forth the third Principle the fiery Heaven in the fift forme in the Matrix by the fiat which the Father spake through his heart or Son by and in the going forth of his Spirit who there upon the Matrix in the fift forme framed the fiery Heaven as the highly worthy Moses hath cleerly written of it for the Matrix is the water-spirit in the originall in the first forme and now when it became materiall in the place of this world then the Spirit moved upon the Water in the heavenly Matrix which is immateriall from whence the materiall water is generated and so formed the Creatures 30. Thus in this springing up or going forth the materiall Matrix was extinguished and the wrathfulnesse tartnesse or fiercenesse is come in the stead thereof And the Devill remained in the originall of the Matrix which cannot be altered in Eternity between Paradise and this world in the dark Matrix and with the creation of the Earth he was thrust downe from his high Throne or seate where now the fiery starry Heaven is CHAP. VI. Of the Separation in the Creation in the third Principle 1. IF ye consider of the Separation and the springing forth in the third Principle of this world how the starry Heaven should spring up and how every Starre hath a peculiar forme and property in it selfe in every of which a severall Centre is observed so that every one of them is fixed or steady and master or guider of it selfe and that every one of them ruleth in the Matrix of this world and worketh and generateth in the Matrix after their kinde And then afterwards if wee consider the Sunne which is their King heart and life without whose light and vertue they could neither act nor effect any thing but remain in the hard dark death and this world would be nothing but a fierce rough hardnesse And further if we consider the elements of fire and water and observe how they continually generate one in another and then how the constellations doe rule in them as in their own propriety and also consider what the mother is from whence all these things must proceed then we shall come to see the separation and the eternall mother the genetrix of all things 2. Nay we have it clearly and plainly to be seen in our selves and in all things if we would not be so mad blinde and self-conceited and would not be so drawn and led by a School-boy but did stick close to the Schoolmaster himselfe who is the master of all masters for we see indeed that all things spring out of the eternall mother and as she is in her own birth so she hath generated this world and so is every creature also generated And as that mother is in her
springing forth in multiplication where every fountain or source hath another centre in it from the genetrix and a separation or distinction but undivided and not asunder so also this world is generated out of the eternall mother which now is such another genetrix and yet is not separated or sundred from the eternall mother but is come to be in a materiall manner and it hath through the Sun attained another light and life which light and life is not the wise master himselfe but the wise master who is God he keepeth that light and life so that it standeth and continueth in the eternall matrix and yet it is not the eternall wisdome it selfe 3. Now because this birth of the Sun hath a beginning through the will of God and entreth again into its Ether therefore it hath not the vertue or power of the wisdome but it continually worketh according to its kinde it vivifieth and killeth what it doth it doth not regarding whether it be evill crooked lame or good beautifull or potent it causeth to live and to dye it affordeth power and strength and destroyeth the same again and all this without any premeditated wisdome whereby it may be perceived that it is not the divine providence and wisdome it self as the heathens did suppose and did foolishly relye upon the vertue thereof 4. But if we would see the ground thereof we must onely look upon the first mother in her birth and so we shall see and finde it all For as the first mother considering her in the originall without the light is soure or harsh dark hard and cold and yet there is the water-spirit in the bringing forth Thus you may finde when the materiall world sprung up that God then on the first day created the heaven and the earth 5. Now the heaven cometh out of the soure matrix which in the Paradisicall heaven is the water-spirit and out of that Paradisicall water-spirit or matrix the materiall heaven or matrix is created as Moses writeth that the heaven was created out of the midst of the waters and it is very right And also in that very houre the earth and the stones and all metals the matrix of this world being yet dark were generated out of the matrix 6. For when the matrix was stirred and that Lord Lucifer would domineere in the fire then the dark matrix attracted all that was wrought in the birth together from whence earth stones metals brimstone and salt did proceed hereby the kingdome of Prince Lucifer was shut up and he remained in the inward centre captivated in the outward 7. But the vertue which was in the matrix was that which could effect such things in the matrix for a stone is nothing else but a water mercury salt and brimstone wherein an oyle is hidden Now the birth of the matrix hath such a form in its eternall Essence and birth of its life For first there is the harshnesse or sournesse fiercenesse or eager strongnesse and hardnesse from whence the cold proceedeth Now the sournesse or harshnesse attracteth and sharpneth the cold and in its attracting it maketh the bitter sting or prickle which pricketh and rageth and cannot endure the hard attracting but vexeth like a furious madnesse it riseth up and rageth and becometh like a brimstone-spirit 8. And in this form in the wrath or fierce strongnesse in the watry soure mother the soure bitter earth brimstone and salt is generated before the kindling of the Sunne in the matrix that is void of understanding But the separation that is in it is caused from the births standing in great anguish and from its desiring the separation in the birth for the bitternesse agreeth not with the harshnesse or sournesse and yet they are as mother and sonne and as members one of another and it must be so or else nothing could be for it is the eternall band and the originall of life 9. Moreover when the bitternesse rageth riseth up and vexeth in the soure harsh mother then it falleth into a glimmering flash most terribly in this form the Mercurius or venome or poyson is generated For when the matrix perceiveth this flash of fire in its dark soure form then it is terrified and becometh dead in her hard soure property And in this place death poyson withering and corruption are generated in the matrix and also the noble life in the Mercurius and in the springing up of the third Principle 10. And further when the horror or crack or skreek of the fire is come into its harsh mother and hath thus overcome its mother then it selfe is much more terrified for there it loseth its fierce or strong property because the mother hath attained another source and out of the horror of the fire a brightnesse is come to be in which in the inanimate matrix the Materia or matter in the midst of the horror or crack is come to be a soft and bright mixt matter viz. from the crack of the light is prococeeded Gold Silver Copper Tin Lead c. according as every place in the matrix stood in the wrastling centre 11. For the birth in the whole space of this world as farre as Lucifers kingdome did reach was thus and therefore there is much different kinde of earth metals and other things in one place than in another And it is plain before our eyes that all metals are mixt which proceedeth from the bringing forth in infinitum which we well understand and see but cannot utter nor dare we speak it for it troubleth us and it reacheth into the Deity which is without beginning and eternall therefore the creature must let it alone upon pain of the losse both of its reason and sense 12. But to declare this further when the matrix stood thus in the birrh where the matter of the earth was generated then the matrix with the kindling became water you must understand it aright not wholly in substance but it hath generated the earth stones and metals and yet the matrix continueth still so also the water still continueth in the killing and overcoming whereby the materiall world took beginning where the globe of the earth was drawn together in this moving and standeth in the middle of the Circle from above and from beenath as a point or punctum 13. And there in the centte in the Paradisicall matrix and in the Paradisicall heaven the Spirit of God stood in his own eternall seat neither did it depart from thence and moved upon the materiall water with the Fiat and there formed the heaven which was created out of the midst of the watry matrix and he separated the root of the darknesse from the light in the matrix in which darknesse the Devils remained and they have not comprehended the matter in the matrix nor the new light which sprung up in the matrix and so
creature cannot binde it selfe as to that but is manifested therein and according to that spirit is comprehensible and perceptible and yet is incomprehensible to the spirits of the other Elements 33. For all things are come to be something out of nothing and every creature hath the Centre or the circle of the birth of life in it selfe and as the Elements lie hidden in one another in one onely mother and none of them comprehendeth the other though they are members one of another so the created Creatures are hidden and invisible to one another for every Creature looketh but into its mother that is fix or predominant in it The materiall creature seeth a materiall substance but an immateriall substance as the spirits in the fire and in the aire it seeth not as the body seeth not the soule which yet dwelleth in it or as the third Principle doth not comprehend nor apprehend the second Principle wherein God is though indeed it selfe is in God yet there is a birth between As it is with the spirit of the soule of man and the elementary spirit in man the one being the case chest or receptacle of the other As you shall finde about the Creation of Man CHAP. VIII Of the Creation of the Creatures and of the springing up of every growing thing as also of the Starres and Elements and of the Originall of the Substance of this world 1. IN the beginning of the last fore-going Chapter it is mentioned that it is not strange for a man to write speak and teach of the Creation of the world though he was not present when it was doing if he have but the knowledge in the Spirit For there he seeth in the Mother as in a glasse the genetrix of every thing for one thing alwayes lyeth in another and the more is sought the more is found and there is no need to cast the minde beyond this world for all is to be found in this world yea in every thing that liveth and moveth Whatsoever any looketh upon and searcheth into he shall finde the Spitit with the Fiat therein and the divine vertue or power discovereth or beholdeth it selfe in all things as it is written The word is neare thee even in thy heart and lips For when the light of God dawneth or breaketh forth in the centre of the spirit of the soule then the spirit of the soule seeth very well the creation of this world as in a cleare glasse and nothing is afarre off 2 Therefore now I direct the Reader to the creatures that he may search into them and so he shall finde all things and that more wonderfully than any man can write or speak if we be born of God We must not think with our understanding and skill of Gods making or creating as of a man that maketh somewhat as a Potter maketh a vessell of a lump of clay or a Stone-cutter or Carver maketh an Image after his pleasure and if it doth not please him then he breaketh it again No the works of God in the creation of the world were altogether fix and stedfast good and perfect as Moses writeth And GOD saw all that he had made and behold it was very good 3 For he took not one lump after another or many lumps together and made beasts of them that is not likely and it is much more a bestiall than a humane thought But as is mentioned before after that the Devil was fallen with his legions who had his throne in the place of this world standing bodily after the manner of a Spirit in the first Principle and throughly enlightned all over with the second Principle truly dwelling in Paradise and in the divine vertue or power and yet with pride fell from the light of God and catched at his own mother the root of the fire thinking to domineere over the meeknesse of the heart of God then his dwelling continued to be the first Principle in the fiery dark Matrix and God created the Out-birth out of the matrix for a Principle and in the eternall matrix in the longing will opened the centre or birth of life and there after the manner of the Deity as the eternall Deity from eternity hath alwayes generated arose and sprung up the third Principle in which the Deity standeth as it were hidden yet forming imagining or imprinting it selfe powerfully in all things which is incomprehensible and unprofitable for the Devill 4 Yet the third Principle is a similitude of the Paradisicall world which is spirituall and standeth hidden therein And thus God manifested himselfe and seeing the spirituall world of the Angels in the place of this world continued not therefore he gave another Principle to this place wherein a light springeth up still and where there is a pleasant refreshment for the purpose of God must stand and the first creatures must continue in darknesse rather than that the purpose of God should faile 5 So the matter of this world as also the Starres and Elements must not be looked upon as if God were not therein his eternall wisdome and vertue or power hath formed it selfe with the Fiat in all things and he himselfe is the Master-workman and all things went forth in the Fiat every thing in its own essence vertue and property For as every starre in the Firmament hath a property different from the other thus is it with the mother also out of which the fifth essence of the stars went forth For when the fiery form of the starres was separated from her she was not presently severed from the first eternall Birth-right but she kept her first eternall vertue Onely the rising power of the fire is severed from her so that she is become a pleasant refreshment and a kinde mother to her children 6 Now when God on the first day had gathered together the lump of the earth in the great deep of this world then the deep became purified yet the deep between the firmament and the earth though it was cleansed from dregges was dark and had no light in the matrix but the fifth essence that is the fifth form in the matrix shined as a fire wherein the Spirit of God with the Fiat moved upon the watry matrix and the earth was naked bare and void neither had it so much as one spile of grasse 7 Now sayth Moses And GOD sayd Let there be light and there was light This light now was the fifth form in the matrix For the fifth essence was not yet created in the matrix nor separated till the fourth day when God created the Sunne and Starres out of it and separated the light from the darknesse where then the light got the vertue of the glance or splendor into it selfe for its own and the root of the fire in the centre remained hidden in the darknesse 8 On the second day God created the Firmament of the heaven viz. the strong enclosure
with the Matrix in the deep above the earth and hath one and the same dominion The constellation ruleth in all things and it is the Limbus or the Masculine wherein the tincture consists and in the Matrix of the earth is the Aquastrish or watery Spirit they come forth onely out of the Matrix of the earth that they might be of the essence of the earth that so they might eat of the fruits that grow out of the earth For every Spirit lusteth after its mother from whence it came 39 Now then if the Beasts or Animals nature were meerly out of a lump of earth then they would eat earth but seeing it is proceeded out of the Matrix of the earth by the Fiat therefore it desireth also such food as the matrix affordeth out of its own essence and that is not earth but flesh yet this flesh now is a Masse whence the body cometh and the spirit of the constellation maketh the tincture therein which Spirit ruleth over all as in one mother and in every life it maketh the understanding for the spirit of the constellation ruleth in all things in the earth stones metals elements and creatures 40 For in the beginning of the creation at the time when the earth became materiall all was generated out of one onely substance and there was no more done but a separation made of one from another therefore in every separation there must needs be alwayes a vehement hunger of one after another An example whereof you have in propagation for the sake whereof the separation was so made For you see that there is a male and a female and that the one continually desireth copulation with the other that they may generate This is a great hidden secret Observe when the Creator by the Fiat separated the Matrix from the Aquaster or watery Mother for the first form is heavenly and incorruptible as long as the kingdome of this world standeth and the root of the first form holdeth Paradise I will set it down more intelligibly or plainly for the simplest Readers sake 41 Observe as hath been often mentioned that as in the Fiat in the aking matrix viz. the dark harshnesse or sournesse the fire rose up in the breaking wheele in the kindling and that in the fiery the light of the Sunne and of all the Starres sprung up which is done in the harsh matrix which from the light is become thin lowly and materiall water and the pleasant source of love sprung up so that one form vehemently loverh the other in respect of the kinde meek light which was come into all formes So now the soft meeknesse was become a new childe which was not the dark originalnesse in the anguishingnesse But this childe was the Paradise yet being it stood not in the Materia or matter therefore the matrix of the harshnesse could not comprehend it but it yeelded it selfe forth very desirously and longing with great earnestnesse according to the fire and bitternesse to comprehend the pleasant source of love and yet could not comprehend it for it was Patadisicall and thus it still stood in great longing and generated water 42 But now God separated the fire viz. the fifth essence or form from the water and out of that made the starres and the Paradise is hid in the matrix Therefore now the mother of the water desireth with great earnestnesse the mother of the fire and seeketh the childe of love and the mother of the fire seeketh it in the mother of the water where it was generated and there is between them a continuall vehement hunger one after another to copulate 43 Now God sayd Let all manner of beasts come forth every one after its kinde and so there came forth out of the essence of every ones kinde a male and a female And thus the Spirit of the Starres or the Spirit in the form of Fire had now by its longing copulated with the watry Spirit and two Sexes sprung out of one essence the one according to the Limbus in the forme of fire and the other according to the Aquaster or spirit of the water in the watry form yet so blended or mixed that they were alik as to the body and so the Male was qualified according to the Limbus or form of fire and the female according to the Aquaster in the watry forme 44 And so now there is a vehement desire in the creatures The Spirit of the male seeketh the loving childe in the female and the female in the male for the irrationality of the body in the unreasonable creatures knoweth not what it doth the body would not if it had reason move so eagerly towards propagation neither doth it know any thing of the impregnation or conception onely its spirit doth so burne in desire after the childe of love that it seeketh love which yet is Paradisicall and it cannot comprehend it but it maketh a semination onely wherein there is again a centre to the birth And thus is the originall of both Sexes and their propagation yet it doth not attain the Paradisicall childe of love but it is a vehement hunger and so the propagation is acted with great earnestnesse 45 But that I now write that the starres doe rule in all Beasts and other creatures and that every creature received the Spirit of the starres in the creation and that all things still stand in the same Regiment this the simple will hardly beleeve though the Doctor knoweth it well and therefore we direct them to Experience Behold a Male and Female beget young ones and that often now they come forth out of one onely body yet are not of one kinde nor of the same colour and vertue nor shape or form of body All this is caused by the alteration of the starres For when the seed is sown the Carver maketh an Image according to his pleasure yet according to the first essence he cannot alter that but he giveth the spirit in the essence to it according to his power or ability or dominion as also manners and senses colour and gesture like himselfe to be as he is and as the Constellation is in its essence at that time when the creature draweth breath first in its mothers body whether the essence be in evill or in good inclined to biting worrying and striking or to meeknesse or loving kindnesse and gentlenesse all as the heaven is at that time so will also the spirit and the beast be CHAP. IX Of the Paradise and then of the transitorinesse of all creatures how all take their beginning and end and to what end they here appeared The Noble and most pretious Gate or exposition concerning the reasonable Soule 1 NO Money nor Goods nor Art nor Power can bring you to the eternall rest of the eternall soft meeknesse of Paradise but onely the noble Knowledge into that you
he doth it but for his bellies sake and his own honour and esteeme he is no Pastour or Shepheard but he dependeth on the great Whore upon Antichrist and yet he supposeth that he is a Pastour or Shepherd but he is not knowne in Paradise 12. Christ teacheth us and warneth us faithfully of the Times that were to come wherein they shall say Loe here is Christ or Loe there he is he is in the wildernesse he is in the chamber goe not forth beleeve it not for as the lightening breaketh forth in the East and shineth to the West so will the coming of the Son of man be 13. Therefore O childe of Man see whether it be not so where the false Pastours or Shepherds without the Divine calling alwayes wrangle strive contend and dispute and every one of them saith Follow me here is Christ there is Christ and they one judge and condemne another and give one another over to the Devill they abandon unity and forsake the love wherein the Spirit of God is generated and cause bitternesse and lead astray the simple plaine people to think that Christ is such a wrangling Shepherd Pastour Priest or Minister and doth so grapple with his Opponents in raising warre and murther as they doe and that the Spirit of God must needs be in such doings which are accounted zeale for God and that this must be the way to Paradise 14. Christ said Love one another thereby shall men know that yee are my Disciples if any smite thee on one cheeke turne to him the other cheeke also if you be persecuted for my Names sake then rejoyce for your reward is great in the Kingdome of Heaven But now there is nothing taught but meere ignominy reproach and revilings they that are dead for many hundred yeares agoe and are in the Judgement of God and some also may be in Paradise these must be judged and condemned and cursed by the wrangling Shepherds or contentious Priests Doth the Holy Ghost speake by them as they cry out and say he doth whereas they are still full of gall and bitternesse and nothing but covetousnesse and vengeance is kindled in them and they are far from the way of Paradise 15. Therefore thou childe of Man take heed let not your eares be tickled When you heare the false Shepherds or Pastours judge and condemne the children of Christ that is not the voice of Christ but of Antichrist the way to Paradise hath cleane another entrance your heart must with all your power and strength be directed to God or Goodnesse and as God desireth that all men should be saved so his will is that we should help to beare one anothers burthen and beare with one another and friendly soberly and modestly meet one another with entreaties in the Holy Ghost and seek with earnestnesse the salvation and welfare of our neighbour in humility and wish heartily that he might be freed from vanity and enter with us into the Garden of Roses 16. The knowledge that is in the infinite God is various and manifold but every one should rejoyce in the gifts and knowledge of another and consider that God will give such superabundant knowledge in the Paradisicall world of which wee have here in the variety and difference of Gifts but a Type Therefore we must not wrangle nor contend about Gifts and knowledge for the Spirit giveth to every one according to his Essence in the wonderfull God to expresse that Gift he hath after his own forme or manner for that forme in the perfection of love in Paradise will be a very inward hearty sport of love where every one shall speake from his knowledge of the great wonders of the holy Birth 17. O what sharp thornes the Devill hath brought into the sport of love that we practise such proud contention in the noble knowledge in so much that men binde up the Holy Ghost with Lawes What are Lawes in the Kingdome of Christ who hath made us free that we should walke in him in the Holy Ghost To what purpose are they invented but for the pleasure of Antichrist who thereby doth strut in might and pomp and is God on Earth O flie from him thou childe of Man the time is come for us to awake from the sleepe of Antichrist Christ cometh with the faire Lilly out of Paradise in the valley of Jehosaphat it is time for them to trim their Lamps that will goe to the Marriage of the Lamb The Gate or the Exposition 18. Paradise consisteth in the power and vertue of God it is not corporeall nor comprehensible but its corporeity or comprehensibility is like the Angels which yet is a bright cleere visible substance as if it were materiall but it is figured meerly from the vertue or power where all is transparent and shining where also the centre of the Birth is in all things and therefore the birth is without measure or end 19. I give you a similitude in the minde of man from which the thoughts are generated which have neither number nor end for every thought hath a centre to generate againe other thoughts and thus is the Paradise from eternity to eternity But being the light of God is eternall and shineth without wavering or hinderance therefore also in the birth there is an unchangeable substance wherein all things spring up in meere perfection in great love 20. For the spirit of knowledge intimateth this that there are fruits and things that grow in Paradise as well as in this world in such a forme or figure but not in such a source or property and palpability For the matter or body of it is power and it groweth in the heavenly Limbus its roote standeth in the Matrix wherein there is neither earth nor stone for it is in another Principle The fire in that Principle is God the Father and the light is God the Sonne and the Aire is God the Holy Ghost and the vertue or power out of which all springeth is Heaven and Paradise 21. As we see that here out of the earth there spring plants hearbs and fruits which receive their vertue from the Sunne and from the Constellation so the Heaven or the heavenly Limbus is in stead of the earth and the light of God in stead of the Sunne and the eternall Father in stead of the vertue of the Starres the depth of this substance is without beginning and end its breadth cannot be reached there is neither yeares nor time no cold nor heate no moving of the Aire no Sunne nor Starres no water nor fire no sight of evill spirits no knowledge nor apprehension of the affliction of this world no stony rock nor earth and yet a figured substance of all the creatures of this world For all the creatures of this world have appeared to this end that they might be an eternall figured similitude not that they continue in this spirit in their substance no not
wherein it liveth in which the Paradise and the kingdome of Heaven standeth as you may reade afterwards about the Creation of Man 42. And so now the Angels and blessed men will remaine in the Birth of the light and the spirits of alteration out of light into the source or torment together with the spirits of the wicked men will remaine in the eternall Darknesse where no recalling is to be found for their spirits cannot goe into the corruptibility or transitorinesse againe they are created out of the Limbus of God out of the harsh Matrix out of which the light of God existeth from Eternity and not like the Beasts out of the Out-birth which went forth out of the Limbus of the conceived purpose of God which is finite or taketh an end and hath been or appeared here onely that it might be an eternall shadow and figure 43. The eternall will is incorruptible or intransitory and unchangeable or unalterable for the heart of God is generated out of it which is the end of the nature and of the willing If the Spirits of the source or torment had put their Imagination and their desiring will forward into the light of meeknesse into the end of Nature they should have continued Angels but seeing they out of pride would faine be above the meeknesse and above the end of Nature and awakened the centre they found nothing more for from Eternity there had been nothing more than the end of Nature and therefore they awakened the Centre of the source or torment in themselves the same they now have and they were thrust out of the Light into the Darknesse 44. If you be borne of God then you may thus understand God Paradise the kingdome of Heaven and Hell and the entrance in and end of the Creatures and the creation of this world but if not then the vaile is as well before your eyes as it was upon Moses Therefore saith Christ Seek and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you No sonne asketh his Father for an egge that he should give him a scorpion Also my Father will give the Holy Ghost to them that aske it 45. Therefore if you doe not understand this writing then doe not as Lucifer did in taking the spirit of pride presently and fall a mocking and deriding and ascribe it to the Devill but seeke the humble lowly heart of God and that will bring a small graine of Mustard-seed from the Tree of Paradise into your soule and if you abide in patience then a great Tree will grow out of that seede as you may well thinke that the like hath come to passe with this Author For he is to be esteemed as a very silly person in comparison of the great learned men But Christ saith My power is strong in the weake Yea Father it hath so pleased thee to hide these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes and sucklings and that the wisdome of this world is foolishnesse in thy sight And although now the children of the world are wiser in their generation than the children of light yet their wisdome is but a corruptible substance essence or thing and this wisdome continueth eternally 46. Therefore seeke for the noble Pearle it is much more precious than this whole world it will never more depart from you and where the Pearle is there will your heart be also you need not here aske any further after Paradise joy and the heavenly delightfulnesse seeke but the Pearle and when you finde that then you finde Paradise and the kingdome of Heaven and you will be so taught as being without it you cannot beleeve 47. It may be you will turmoyle your selfe with hard labour and seek for it in Art supposing to finde it there O no you need not it lieth not therein the Doctor that is without this way knoweth it not But if he also have found this Pearle then he is a person greater for the Publick benefit than I as S t Paul was above the other Apostles yet in one and the same way of gentle meeknesse as becometh the children of God Whatsoever is wanting here that you long after seek further and you will finde the ground according to the desire or longing of your soule CHAP. X. Of the Creation of Man and of his soule also of Gods breathing in The Pleasant Gate 1. I Have perused many Master-pieces of writing hoping to finde the Pearle of the ground of Man but I could finde nothing of that which my soule lusted after I have also found very many contrary opinions and partly I have found some who forbid me to search or seeke but I cannot know with what ground or understanding except it be that the blinde doe grutch at the eyes of them that see With all this my soule is become very disquiet within mee and hath been as full of pain and anguish as a woman at her travaile and yet nothing was found in it till I followed the words of Christ when he said You must be borne anew if you will see the kingdome of God Which at first stopped up my heart and I supposed that such a thing could not be done in this world but that it should first be done at my departure out of this world and then my soule first was in anguish to the birth and would very willingly have tasted the Pearle and gave it selfe up in this way more vehemently to the Birth till at last it obtained a Jewel According to which received Jewel I will write for a memoriall to my selfe and for a light to them that seeke For Christ said None lighteth a Candle and putteth it under a Bushell but setteth it upon a Table that all that are in the house may see by the light thereof And to this end he giveth the Pearle to them that seeke that they should impart it to the poore for their health as he hath very earnestly commanded 2. Indeed Moses writeth That God made Man of the dust of the Earth and that is the opinion of very many and I should also not have known how that were to be understood and I should not have learned it out of Moses nor out of the Glosses which are made upon it and the vaile would have continued still before my eyes yet in great trouble But when I found the Pearle then I looked Moses in the face and found that Moses had written very right and that I had not rightly understood it 3. For after the Fall God said also to Adam and Eve Earth thou art and to Earth thou shalt returne againe and if I had not considered the Limbus out of which the Earth was I should have been so blinde still that Limbus shewed me the Ground of what Adam was before and after the Fall 4. For no such Earth or flesh as wee carry about us can subsist in
will out of the through broken Gate of the Deepe where the wheele of the stirring and breaking-through standeth in the Eternall Minde which reacheth the cleere true and pure Deity of the Heart of God 13. This Image is not the Heart of God but it reacheth into the Heart of God and it receiveth vertue light and joy from the Heart and Light of God for it is in the Eternall will of the Father out of which he the Father continually generateth his Heart and Word from Eternity and his Essences which in the Element of his body viz. in the Element of Ignorance in the Eternall Wonders of God now breathed into him they in respect of the high triumphing Light out of the Heart and Light of God were Paradise his meate and drinke was Paradise out of the Element in his will whereby then he drew the vertue of the Eternall Wonders of God into him and generated the noise voice sound or the Eternall Hymne of the Eternall Wonders of God out of himselfe before the will and all this stood before the chast high noble and blessed virgin the Divine Wisdome in a pleasant sport and was the right Paradise 14. But now what this is my Pen cannot describe I rather long after it to comprehend it more in perfection and to live therein which wee here in the light of Nature in the Gate of the Deepe know and behold but wee cannot raise our threefold minde into it till our rough Garment be put off and then wee shall behold it without molestation 15. But because the foure Elements went forth now further out of the one Element and made with the quintessence of the Starres and with the heart of the Essences viz. the Sunne the third Principle wherein also the great Wonders stood and because there was no creature found that could manifest those wonders but onely that Image and similitude of God viz. Man who had the chast virgin the wisdome of God in him therefore the Spirit of this world pressed so hard upon the Image for the virgin that it might manifest its wonders and did possesse Man from whence he first gat the name Mensch Man as a mixt Person 16. But when the Wisdome of God saw that Man from the Spirit of the world came to lust to mingle himselfe with the foure Elements then came the Commandement and said Thou shalt not eate of the knowledge of good and evill Now the knowledge of good and evill is not manifest in the Paradise and in the kingdome of Heaven but onely in the issue out of the Element in the fiercenesse there onely standeth the knowledge of evill manifest and there onely the Essences are kindleable and so therein Death sticketh of which God said When thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye 17. God intended that the body which he should get from the infection of the foure Elements must dye and it did also presently in his tender virgin minde dye to the Paradise and gat the minde of this world wherein sticketh nothing but patching and piecing as also frailty and at last Death 18. But that the foure Elements with the Sunne and Starres had such power to presse upon Adam and to infect him the cause of it was because he was extracted out of them viz. out of the Element and had in the Originality all the three Kingdomes all three Principles in him and therefore it was that he must be tempted whether he could stand in the Paradise in the Kingdome of Heaven and there both heavenly and also earthly fruit was set before him 19. For the Tree of Temptation was earthly as now adayes all the Trees are all the other were Paradisicall from which Adam could eate Paradisicall vertue in his mouth and had no need of stomack and gutts for they the Trees were like his body and like the Element and the Tree of Temptation was like the foure Elements 20. But that Moses presseth so hard upon it and saith God created Man of a lump of Earth there the vaile is before his face so that the earthly Man cannot looke him in the face indeed he was rightly a lump of earth and earth when he had eaten earthly fruit which God did forbid him but if Adam before the Fall had been of the earth earthly then God would not have forbidden him the earthly fruit as also if he had been created out of the earthly Element wherefore did not the Earthly Element put its cloaths upon him instantly with a rough skin Wherefore did that Earthly Element leave Man naked and bare and when it had plainly possessed him yet it left him naked 21. Moses speaketh onely of the Tables of God which were graven-through with the Ten Commandements so that they could see through them into the Paradise he hung the vaile before his face as is to be seene concerning the people of Israel because Man was become earthly and therefore must put off the earthly againe and then he must with Josua or Jesus enter into the Paradisicall Promised Land and not with Moses stay in the Wildernesse of this world where the vaile of this world hangeth before him before the Paradise 22. Reason must not imagine that God ever made any Beast out of a lump of Earth as a Potter maketh a Pot but he said Let there come forth all sorts of Beasts every one after its kinde that is out of all Essences every one after the property of its Essence and so also it was by the Fiat figured according to the property of its own Essence and in like manner all Trees Hearbs and Grasse all at once together how then should the Image of God be made out of the fragile or corruptible Essences But it must be and was made in the Paradise out of the Eternall Essences 23. The earth is not Eternall and for the sake of the fragility or corruptibility therefore mans body must breake or perish because he hath attracted the corruptibility to him thus also the Paradificall knowledge delight and joy is departed from him and he is fallen into the kindled anger of the kindled foure Elements which according to their fiercenesse qualifie with the eternall anger in the Abysse although the outward Region of the Sunne is mitigated so that it is a pleasant habitation as is seene before our eyes yet if the Sunne should vanish away then thou wouldst well see and feele the anger of God consider it well 24. Thus it is shewed us in the light of Nature that when Adam was thus impregnated or possessed from the Spirit of this world then God built or made a Garden in Eden upon earth in the Paradise and caused to grow up all sorts of Paradisicall fruit pleasant to behold and good to eate and the Tree of the Temptation in the midst of the Garden of Eden which had its Essences from the Spirit of this world and the other
forsake the Antichrist and shall runne through the darknesse to the smell of the blossome for the breaker-through the Gates hath planted the Lilly and he hath given it into the hand of the Noble virgin and this Lilly groweth in the Element wonderfully against the horrible storme of Hell and against the kingdome of this world where then many branches will fall to the ground from whence Antichrist becometh blinde and groweth stark madde and raving in the fogge and mist and stirreth the foure Elements in the wrath or grimme fiercenesse and then it is needfull for the children of God to awake from the sleepe of the fogge this the Spirit intimateth in the light of Nature seriously and earnestly 37. Therefore according to our knowledge wee will set downe an Exposition of the fall of Man which is very perfectly manifested and appeareth in the light of the Day and convinceth us and wee have no need of the fooleries of the Antichrist who with the bloud and death of Christ doth but seeke his own covetousnesse pride and voluptuousnesse and draweth the vaile of Moses before our eyes that wee should not see through the Tables that were graven through through Jesua or Jesus into the promised Land of Paradise that he may onely fit and ride upon his horrible and devouring Beast of covetousnesse and pride which Beast is become so very great and strong that it shaddoweth the circuit of the Earth and ruleth so wonderfully over Mountaines and Valleys with his fiercenesse which Beast yet shall be broken by the Lilly without hands at which the People or Nations shall wonder and say How art thou O terrible and great might and power founded upon so weake and loose a ground 38. Now then if wee consider the miserable fall of Adam and Eve wee need not to runne long after the madde Antichrist to fetch or learne wisdome from him he hath none Let us onely consider our selves and compare the heavenly and earthly Image one with the other and so wee shall see the whole roote and ground thereof wee have no need of a Doctour nor of any strange language about it it standeth written in our body and soule and when we see it it terrifieth us so much that wee tremble at it as Eve and Adam did in their Fall 39. And if wee doe not come to know or have a glimpse of the Treader upon the Serpent in the marke of the partition or limit of seperation in the Gate of the Deepe between the world and the Kingdome of Hell then wee see indeed nothing else but meere misery and Death which might well awaken us from sleepe 40. Doe but behold thy selfe thou blinde Minde and consider thy selfe where is thy Angelicall forme in thee Why art thou so angry sterne fierce froward and malicious Wherefore doest thou elevate thy selfe still in thy wickednesse in pride in might or authority and pomp and boastest thy selfe for a brave and potent Beast What is it that thou doest Wherefore hast thou let the Spirit of this world into thee which seduceth thee as it listeth into high mindednesse into proud stoutnesse into potency and pomp into covetousnesse and lying into falshood and treachery as also into sicknesse and corruption or frailty 41. What is it now that thou hast after thy corrupting when thou dyest Consider thy selfe what is it that thou art then Thou art a Spirit but what kinde of source or property is it that thou hast in thee surely thou hast in thee anger wickednesse pride self-seeking wilfulnesse in raising up thy selfe after temporall pleasure but finding none thou hast a false minde in the Spirit full of lyes and deceit and murtherous arising in thee out of the Essences as thou wert upon Earth towards Men just so it is then with such a Spirit as is gone forth from thee out of the corruptible body of the Elements And where shall that then remaine when this world perisheth Doest thou suppose that it shall then be an Angel hath it an Angelicall quality source or property is its source or quality in love humility and meeknesse is it in the Divine Obedience in the light of Joy 42. O thou blinde Minde with thy might and statelinesse full of wickednesse and devillish fierce wrath wilt thou know where thou art after that thy body perisheth thou art even with all the Devills in the Abysse of Hell if thou doest not turne and by earnest unfained sorrow and repentance for thy abominations enter into the Angelicall footsteps that the Saviour and Treader upon the Serpent of fierce wrath wickednesse lying and deceit may meet thee and embrace thee in his armes and that thou mayest be new-borne in him and be yeelded up into the bosome of the chast virgin and become an Angel or else thou art in the Eternall Death in the Eternall Darknesse and canst in all Eternity not reach the kingdome of God any more 43. Or doest thou suppose that I write of the fall of Man without light and understanding Or that I doe not look and see into the holy Scripture what that saith of it when I say that Man before his fall was Angelicall in his minde and body Then heare and see what Christ saith of it Matth. 13. vers 22. In the refurrection of the Dead they will neither marry nor be given in marriage but they are as the Angels of God and such an Image God created in the beginning according to his similitude 44. For an angry malicious proud self seeking for honour and dignity mendacious or lying theeving robbing murtherous lascivious lecherous minde is not the similitude of God but an humble chast modest pure courteous minde which inclineth it selfe with a longing desire and love to the Heart of God that is the similitude of God in which the fire flaming Spirit in the joy and meeknesse goeth forth out of the will and for its brethren the will of its Spirit which goeth forth from it readily inclineth towards them and as the Proverb saith Imparteth the very heart to them which is done in Spirit wherein the heavenly joy in the Eternall Element springeth up and the Wonders of God are manifested in the virgin by a Hymne of praise to the Eternall Minde of God where the minde playeth upon the Harp of David an Hymne to God where then in the eternall holy Minde there springeth up knowledge and colours in the Eternall Element and in the Spirit wonders with works and powers or vertues 45. And this is the Image of God which God created for his glory and joy and no other and let not the madde Antichrist perswade thee concerning any other Image of God for there is no other thy body and soule convinceth thee of it as also Heaven and Earth the Starres and Elements look upon what thou wilt all things convince thee and if thou doest not turne and enter into that Image to which God
created thee then in the breaking of thy body when thy minde in the Spirit of the soule shall stand naked without a body thou shalt be ashamed before all creatures this wee speake according to its high worth as it is highly knowne in the will of God 46. Thus it is highly necessary for us to know the miserable Fall of our first Parents wherefore it was so with God that his anger is in us and that wee must dye and if wee apprehend not the Treader upon the Serpent must also perish eternally But that wee may set downe a short Summary of the Fall because of our simple cold dull and dark minde for the Readers understanding who it may be doth not yet apprehend our sense and knowledge therefore wee will explaine it briefly and clearly and also readily impart our knowledge and minde to him as indeed according to the Divine Image wee ought to doe 47. Adam stood forty dayes in an Angelicall Image before his sleepe and there was neither day nor night in him also no time though indeed he was not as an Angel a meere Spirit for his body was out of the Element which is no understanding Spirit but is the attraction concretion or congelation in the will of God or the Limbus which standeth before God wherein the chast virgin the Divine Wisdome dwelleth which discovered and created the Image out of the Element by the Fiat 48. And out of this Limbus at the time when the Earth was corporised went forth the foure Elements as out of a fountaine and that which was discovered or manifested by the virgin the wisdome of God in the innumerablenesse were the Starres as a vertue power or procreation out of the Limbus and they are the Quintessence of the foure Elements not severed from the foure Elements but qualifying or mixing vertues one with another and yet extracted from the foure issues with their sharp Essences and they are the seeking longing or hunger of the foure Elements or as I may expresse it by a similitude they are the Man and the Elements are the Woman and the heart of these things is the Element in one onely substance and the Essences in that one Element are the vertues or powers of the Wonders of the Wisdome of God and are called Paradise an exulting Joy 49. And the Spirit of the Eternall Essences which hath understanding and knowledge and also the triall and proving of every thing in which the source or active property or quality which is in Man consisteth that was breathed into him by the wisdome of God through the driving will which goeth forward out of the Eternall Minde out of the opened Gates of the Deepe through the Word together with the moving Spirit of God and he had the Touch of the Centre of the Abysse viz. the Eternall source behinde him as a Band and before him the heart and light of God as a Glance of the joy and kindling of Paradise which springeth up in the Essences with the light of the joy and beneath him he had the foure Elements in the budding out of the Limbus which was in him 50. And as long as he set his Imagination in the Heart of God the Paradise was in him and he in the Paradise and the Band of the Abysse in him in the source was a Paradise of transcendent Joy and the Kingdome of this world held him from beneath also in the Band because it goeth forth from the Element but so long as he set his minde in the Heart of God it the kingdome of the foure Elements could not lay hold on him or master him and it was impotent as to him as this world is impotent as to God 51. And thus the Spirit and soule of Adam stood in the midst in the joyfull Paradise forty dayes as one onely day and all inclined to him one whereof was the kingdome of Hell of the Eternall Originality out of the dark Minde out of which his Worme of the soule in the opened Gate was gone forth and secondly there inclined to him the Deity of the Kingdome of Heaven in the opened Gate in the pleasant Lustre and thirdly the Spirit of the Starres and Elements inclined to him drawing him to their Bands and heartily desiring him 52. And thus Adam stood upright in the Temptation for his angry minde out of the Originality of the first Principle stood in Joy being enlightened from the light of God and the source of the fierce wrath made the rising joy for the light made all meeke and friendly that he might incline himselfe to love and thereby he stood on earth rightly in the Paradise 53. The foure Elements of this world together with the Sunne and Starres they could not qualifie or mix with him he drew no Aire into him but the Spirit of God in the virgin was his breathing and his kindling of the fire in the Spirit 54. But while he thus stood between the kingdome of Hell and the kingdome of this world in the Paradise bound with Bands and yet also wholly free in the might of God he reflected himselfe into or discovered himselfe in the great Deepe of the kingdome of this world in which the great wonders also stand hidden in the Centre as wee see that Man hath by his Eternall Minde discovered it and brought it to Light as is seene before our eyes and in his discovering or reflecting he imagined and fell into lust for the Spirit of the world took hold of him and as a Mother maketh a mark upon a childe in the Mothers womb and he became in the lust impregnated from the Spirit of this world and then was blinde as to God and saw neither God nor the virgin any more in his minde And thus the Kingdome of Heaven continued in the opened Gate of the Omnipotence or Almightinesse in the Paradise in its own Principle to it selfe and the virgin in it hidden in the Centre and was in Adam and yet Adam with his minde was not in God but in the Spirit of this world and he became seeble as to the kingdome of Gods and so fell downe and slept 55. And then God by the Spirit of this world through the Fiat built or formed out of him the Woman of this world by whom he increased his Kingdome The Woman was out of the Matrix which before the infection was a chast virgin which Adam should have brought forth out of himselfe but when the modesty of the wisdome and ability or potency departed from him when he passed into the Spirit of this world he could not then bring forth or generate for in his sleepe the Spirit of this world cloathed him with flesh and bloud and figured formed or shaped him into a Beast as wee now see by very wofull experience and know our selves to be blinde and naked as to the kingdome of God being without any vertue or strength
the Word and the earthly vayle hangeth before it wee must looke under the vayle For Adam was taken out of the earth not out of the foure issuings of the Elements but he was an Extract out of the Element which qualified or mingled with the Earth But when he fell into the foure Elements then he became Earth as also fire aire and water and now what should the Beastiall Man doe with the heavenly Paradisicall fruit he could not eate of it and therefore God doth not cast his heavenly kingdome to beasts and swine but it belongeth to Angels 7. So also it is very cleere and manifest that before the curse there grew such venomous or poysonous Thornes and Thistles and poysonous fruits and if God had not cursed the Earth from the one Element then no Beast should have been so fierce and mischievous or evill for God said Let the Earth be cursed for thy sake From whence now is also arisen the disobedience of the Beasts towards Man and their wildnesse or flying in their face as also that they are so cruell fierce mischievous and evill and that Man must hide himselfe from their fierce rage and fury whereas God in the Creation gave all into his power all Beasts of the field should be in subjection under him which now is cleane contrary for Man is become a Wolfe to them in devouring the Beasts and they are like Lyons against him and there is meere Enmity against one another he can scarce order the tame Beasts much lesse the wilde 8. And wee are to know that there was a great difference in the Beasts before the curse for some viz. the tame ones were very neer a-kinne to the Element with whom Man should have had joy and delight on the contrary some viz. the wilde ones which flie from Man were very neere a-kinne to the foure Elements for the causes of those wonders stuck wholly in the Essences and they were very well knowne and seene in the light of the life in the knowledge of the virgin there is nothing so deepe that Man cannot search into and see it most assuredly if he doe but put away the vayle and look through the Tables graven through with Joshua into the promised Land 9. And God said In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eate thy Bread till thou turne to Earth againe Here now all is cleere and manifest in the light for he had lost the heavenly fruit which grew for him without labour or toyle of his and now he must dig and delve in the earth and sow and plant and so in the foure Elements must get fruit in cares labour toyle and misery for while the Element or the vertue or power out of the Element sprung forth through the Earth there was so long a continuall lasting roote to the fruit but when the Element by the curse withdrew then the congealed Death frailty and transitory fading was in the roote and they must now continually be planted againe Thus the turmoyling life of Man took beginning wherein wee must now bath our selves 10. God could well have created creatures which should have managed the Beasts so that Man might well have stayd in Paradise in the Angelicall forme and besides that there are already in all the foure Elements creatures without a soule God would well have laid the labour or charge of managing the Beasts upon another generation which were also earthly But he saw well that Man would not stand therefore instantly the burthen was laid upon him as Moses also writeth of it 11. But if God would have had Beastiall Men then he would have created them so in the beginning and given them no Commandement neither should they have been tempted as indeed the Beasts have no Law 12. Therefore all Objections which fall into Reason are nothing else but the subtle contradictions or fallacies of the Devill who would very faine maintaine that God did will the Fall of Man There are also Men that dare to say that God did will it and say that he fitted the tongue of the Serpent to seduce Eve whose judgement is very justly upon themselves because they offer to confirme the Devils word with lying and goe about to make God a lyar 13. 'T is very true according to the first Principle viz. the Abysse of Hell he hath willed it but that kingdome is not called God there is yet another Principle and fast inclosure between but in the second Principle where God appeareth he hath not willed it Indeed all is Gods But the first Principle is the Band of Eternity which maketh it selfe from whence God the Father issueth forth from Eternity into the second Principle and therein he generateth his Heart and Sonne from Eternity to Eternity and there the holy Ghost goeth forth from the Father and the Sonne and not in the first Principle and Man is created for the second Principle 14. And therefore also the Heart of the second Principle by himselfe hath new regenerated him Man out of the Band of the first Principle and delivered him from the harsh or wrathfull Band and each Principle shall stand to it selfe in its own Eternity And yet God alone is Lord and alone Almighty but the Eternall Band is Indissoluble or else the Deity also would be dissoluble but now all must be to his honour glory and joy and he is alone the Creator of all things and all must stand naked before him as the Scripture saith Thou shalt see and rejoyce when the wicked are recompenced whereas in the second Principle there is no desire of revenge at all but in the sharpnesse of the breaking through out of the first Principle into the second where the soule straineth through from the torment into the joy there it rejoyceth that the Driver who plagued and vexed it is imprisoned and because now it is securely freed from him even as it is the joy of the Kingdome of Heaven that the Devill in the first Principle is imprisoned so that he cannot molest the Heaven any more and kindle the habitation of the Element 15. Therefore there is also very great Joy in Heaven for this world because there is a Principle generated so that the Devill can make no more use of the fierce wrath which he powred forth and kindled in the time of his Creation but is imprisoned between the two Principles which are both Good 16. Thus you must understand what it is or meaneth when the Scripture speaketh of revenging the ungodly that there is joy in the Saints at it for the fierce wrath or grimnesse and the source or torment of Hell is the Joy of the Heaven for if there were no source or paine there would be no flowing up or springing but if the light cometh to be in the fierce austere soure source then there is meere Joy and in the Darknesse there is a peculiar
then the starry Region hath the Mother viz. the foure Elements no more and therefore it consumeth with the time it selfe in the Essences out of the first Principle and so the Essences of the first Principle continue raw or naked without a body 15. And here standeth the Purgatory thou blinde world if thou canst doe any thing then help thy soule through the strait Gate now here if the Treader upon the Serpent hath not hold of the coard then it must indeed continue in the first Principle Here now is the great Life and also the great Death where the soule must enter into the one or the other and that is its Eternall Countrey for afterwards For the third Principle falleth away and leaveth the soule and it can use that no more in Eternity Of the going-forth of the Soule 16. Seeing then that Man is so very earthly therefore he hath none but earthly knowledge except he be Regenerated in the Gate of the Deepe He alwayes supposeth that the soule at the deceasing of the body goeth onely out at the mouth and he understandeth nothing concerning its Deepe Essences above the Elements When he seeth a blew vapour goe forth out of the mouth of a dying Man which maketh a strong smell all over the chamber then he supposeth that is the soule 17. O no beloved Reason it is not so the soule is not seene nor comprehended in the outward Elements but that is the Brimstone Spirit the Spirit of the third Principle for as when thou puttest out a Candle a filthy smell and stinck cometh from it which was not before when the Candle did burne so here also when the light of the body breaketh then the Brimstone Spirit is smothered from whence that vapour and deadly stinck proceedeth with its working Spirit or infecting poyson 18. Understand or consider it aright it is the source-Spirit or working Spirit out of the Gall which kindleth the Heart whereby the life was stirred which is choaked so soone as the Tincture in the Bloud of the Heart is extinguished The right soule hath no need of such going forth it is much more subtile than the Brimstone Spirit although in the life time it is in one onely substance 19. But when the Spirit of the foure Elements parteth then the right soule which was breathed into Adam standeth in its Principle for it is so subtile that it cannot be comprehended it goeth through flesh and bones also through wood and stone and stirreth none of them 20. It may be comprehended as followeth if it hath promised somewhat in the time of the body and hath not recalled it then that word and the earnest promise comprehendeth it which wee ought to be silent in here or else there is nothing that comprehendeth it but onely its own Principle wherein it standeth whether it be the kingdome of Hell or of Heaven 21. It goeth not out at the mouth like a bodily substance it is raw or naked without a body and instantly passeth at the departure of the foure Elements into the Centre into the Gate of the Deep in the hidden Eternity and that which it is cloathed withall that it comprehendeth and keepeth it if its treasure be voluptuousnesse might or power honour riches malice wrath lying or the falshood of the world then the fierce might of the Essences out of the first Principle comprehendeth these things through the sydereall Spirit and keepeth them and worketh therewith according to the Region of the Starres yet the starry Region cannot bring the Spirit of the soule into its own forme but it practiseth its jugling therewith and so there is no rest in its Worme and its Worme of the soule hangeth to its Treasure as Christ said Where thy treasure is there is thy heart also 22. Therefore it happeneth often that the Spirit of a deceased Man is seene walking also many times it is seene riding in the perfect forme of fire also many times in some other manner of disquietnesse all according as the cloathing of the soule hath been in the time of the body just so hath its source or condition been and such a forme according to its source it hath after the departing of the body in its figure and so rideth in such forme in the source or working of the Starres till that source also be consumed and then it is wholly naked and is never seene more by any Man but the Deep Abysse without end and number is its Eternall dwelling house and its works which it hath here wrought stand in the figure in its Tincture and follow after it 23. Hath it wrought good here then it shall eate that good for all sinnes stand before it in its Tincture if it think inwardly in it selfe of the kingdome of Heaven which yet it neither seeth nor knoweth then it seeth the causes wherefore it is in such a source or misery for it selfe hath made that And there all the teares of the oppressed and afflicted are in its Tincture and they are fiery stinging and burning in a hostile manner fretting and gnawing in themselves and make an Eternall Despaire in the Essences and an hostile will against God the more it thinketh of Abstinence the more the gnawing Worme riseth up in it selfe 24. For there is no light neither of this world nor of God but it s own fiery kindling in it selfe and that is its light which standeth in the horrible flash of the grimnesse which also is an Enmity to it selfe yet the source is very unlike all according to that which the soule hath here burthened it selfe with For such a soule there is no remedy or counsell it cannot come into the Light of God and although S t Peter had left many thousand Keys upon Earth yet none of them could open the Heaven for it for it is seperated from the Band of Jesus Christ and there is between it and the Deity a whole Birth and it is as with the Rich Man Luk. 16. where those that would come from thence to us cannot And this must be understood of the unrepentant soules which thus in hypocrifie or shew-holinesse depart from the body being unregenerated 25. But there is a great difference in soules and therefore the going to Heaven is very unlike some of them are through true repentance and sorrow for their misdeeds through their Faith in the time of their bodies set or ingrafted into the Heart of God and new regenerated through the Birth of Jesus Christ and they instantly with the breaking of their bodies leave all that is Earthly and instantly also lay off the Region of the Starres and they comprehend in their Essences of the first Principle the mercy of God the Father in the kinde Love of Jesus Christ and these also stand in the time of their bodies according to the Essences of the soule which they receive from the Passion and Death of Christ
onely in Agriculture but also in Mettalls and further all Arts according to the seven Spirits of Nature which in the Letter is well to be seene wherein our Schooles or Universities will now be Masters but they are not yet Schollars in the Ground 8. And it is excellently shewen that they had the light of the Tincture in their hands wherein they found their Inventions though it was not wholly knowne for sinnes were not then in such multiplicity upon the Earth and therefore the Mysteries were not so very hard and close hidden to them but all was found out very easily especially by Adam who had the Mysteries in his hands and was but entered out of the Wonders of Paradise into the Wonders of this world who knew not onely the Essences Natures and properties of all the Beasts but also of all Plants and Mettalls he knew also the ground of the seven liberall Arts arising out of the seven formes of Nature yet not so altogether out of the Ground or fundamentally But he was the Tree out of which afterwards all the rootes and branches grew 9. But the Depth in the Centre of the Birth he knew much better than wee in our Schooles or Universities which is shewed by that saying That he gave names to all things to every thing according to its Essence Nature and property as if he had stuck or dwelt in every thing and tryed all Essences whereas he had the knowledge of them only from their sound also from their forme and aspect smell and tast the Metalls he knew in the Glance of the Tincture and in the fire as it may yet well be knowne 10. For Adam was the Heart of every thing in this world created out of the Originality of all things his soule was out of the first Principle throughly illustrated with the second Principle and his body was out of the one Element out of the Barm or Birth out of the Divine vertue which is before God which body was entered into the out-Birth of the one Element viz. into the foure Elements and wholly gone into the Spirit of this world viz. into the third Principle And therefore he had the Tincture of every thing in him by which he reached into all Essences and proved or searched all things in the Heaven Earth fire aire and water and all whatsoever is generated from thence 11. And so one Tincture took hold of the other and the stronger hath proved or tried the weaker and given names to all things according to their Essences and that is the true ground of Adams fall that he went out of the Eternall being into the Out-birth of the corruptible being and hath put on the corruptible Image which God forbad him 12. And here the two strong Kingdomes of the Eternity are to be seene which have been in strife with one another and are alwaies so and the strife continueth to Eternity for it is also from Eternity viz. between the fiercenesse and the meeknesse If the fiercenesse were not there would be no mobility but it overcometh in this world onely according to the Kingdome of Hell and in the Heaven it maketh the ascending Joy and the Meeknesse 13. And it is highly to be found and considered by us in the light of Nature how the fiercenesse or wrath is the Roote of all things and moreover the Originality of the Life therein onely consisteth the Might and the Power and from thence onely proceed the Wonders and without the fiercenesse or wrath there would be no enmity but all would be as it were a nothing as is formerly mentioned 14. And then wee finde also how the Meeknesse is the vertue and the Spirit so that where the meeknesse is not there the fiercenesse in it selfe is nothing but a Darknesse and a Death where no growing can spring up and it cannot generate nor discover its wonders and thus wee finde that the fiercenesse wrath or sourenesse is a cause of the Essences and that the Meeknesse is a cause of the joy and a cause of the rising and budding oâ— growing forth of the Essences and then that the Spirit is generated by the flowing working springing and rising up out of the Essences and that the fiercenesse so becometh the Roote of the Spirit and the Meeknesse is its Life 15. Now there can be no meeknesse without Light for the Light maketh the Meeknesse and there can be no fiercenesse without the light for the light maketh a Longing in the darknesse and yet there is no darknesse there but the longing maketh the darknesse in the will so that the will attracteth to it selfe and impregnateth the longing so that it becometh thick and dark for it is thicker than the will and therefore it shadoweth the will and is the darknesse of the will 16. And if the will be thus in darknesse then it is in anguish for it desireth to be out of the darknesse and that desiring is the flowing or working and the attracting in it selfe where yet nothing is attained but a fierce source in it selfe which by its attraction maketh hardnesse and roughnesse which the will cannot endure and thus it stirreth up the Roote of the fire in the flash as is afore-mentioned whereupon the re-comprehended will goeth forth from the flash into its selfe and breaketh the darknesse and dwelleth in the broken darknesse in the light in a pleasant joy or habitation in it selfe after which joy or habitation the will in the darknesse continually lusteth from whence longing ariseth and thus it is an Eternall Band which can never be loosed and thus the will now laboureth in the broken Gate that it may manifest or discover his wonders out of himselfe as may be seene well enough in the Creation of the world and all Creatures 17. But wee should not here againe wholly set downe the Ground of the Deity so farre as it is meete and knowne by us wee account that needlesse here for you may finde it before the incarnation of a Childe in the Mothers womb or body Wee set downe thus much here to the end that the Region of this world may be understood and thus wee give the Reader exactly to understand and know how the Region of Good and Evill are in one another and how it is an unfadable thing or substance so that one is generated out of the other and that also the one goeth forth out of the other into another substance or being which it was not in the beginning as you may learne to understand this in Man who in his beginning in the will of Man and Woman viz. in the Limbus and in the Matrix is conceived in the Tincture and sowen in an Earthly soyle where then the first Tincture in the will breaketh and his own Tincture springeth forth out of the anxious or aking chamber of Darknesse and of Death out of the anxious source
fiercenesse is changed into joy so also if it trade in the Kingdome of Wrath then that is predominant and the Kingdome of Heaven is as it were dead although indeed in it selfe it doth not vanish yet the soule is not in it 91. Thus also the Temptation was to try which Kingdome in the soule might overcome and therefore the food and drinke was withdrawne from the earthly Body and the Kingdome of Heaven was predominant in him in the holy Ternary and in his Deity and the Kingdome of Wrath and the Kingdome of the Devill was against him And there the new-washed and halfe regenerated soule stood in the midst and was pulled at by both Kingdomes as Adam in Paradise 92. The Deity in Christ in the holy Ternary said Eate of the Word of the Lord and goe forth from the outward Man rest in the Kingdome of Heaven and live in the new Man and then the old Man is dead for the new Mans sake on the contrary the Devill said to the soule Thy earthly Body doth hunger because there is no Bread for it therefore make Bread of stones that thou mayest live and the strong soule in Christ as a Champion stood and said Man liveth not by Bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God And he rejected the earthly Bread and life and put his Imagination into the Word of God and did eate of the Word of the Lord and then the soule in the Kingdome of Heaven was predominant and the earthly Body was as it were dead for the Kingdome of Heavens sake whereas yet it was not dead but it became the servant of the heavenly Body and lost its potent Dominion 93. And now when the Kingdome of Hell had this mighty blow and was thus overcome then the Devill lost his right in the soule yet he said in himselfe thou hast a right in the earthly Body and somewhat was permitted to him and then he took the body with the soule and set them upon the Pinnacle of the Temple and said Cast thy selfe downe for thou art powerfull and canst doe all things and then the People shall see that thou art God and hast overcome this is the right fluttering Spirit wherewith the Devill would faine alwayes flie above the Thrones over the Deity and yet goeth but in himselfe into the Hellish fire and apprehendeth not the Deity 94. And here also was Adam tempted to try whether he would stedfastly put his Imagination into the Heart of God and then he should have continued in Paradise but when he turned away his Minde from the Heart of God into the Spirit of this world and would flie out beyond the humility and would be like God then he went forth beyond the Throne of God in the Spirit of the fiercenesse of the Anger Therefore here the soule of Christ must be accuratly tempted to try whether it would seeing it had retained the heavenly Bread flie out also in Pride in the might of the fire or whether it would in humility look onely upon the Heart of God and give it selfe up to that that it might be carried onely in the will of God and become an Angel in humility and not relie onely upon it selfe to flie in its own might or power 95. And here the Devils Master piece is seene in that he useth the Scripture and saith The Angels will beare thee up whereas here the matter was not about the body but about the soule which he would bring into Pride that it might teare it selfe off from the love of God and relie upon the Angels bearing it up and that it should break it selfe off againe from the new body which can flie well enough with that and leap down in the old Body and relie upon the Angels and so should flie out from God into the Spirit of this world againe 96. But here his valour is seene though he stood with his earthly Body upon the pinnacle of the Temple yet he committed his Earthly Body to God and trusted in him and that he was every where in God and said to the Devill It is written thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Here the Devils Pride in the Kingdome of wrath was rightly overcome and the humility the strength and the might remained to be our Christs and the soule of Christ is entered into the holy Ternary as into the humble Love and espoused it selfe with the humble chast virgin of the Divine Wisdome 97. Now when the Devill had lost twice then he came at last with his last powerfull Temptation as he did also to Adam he would give him the whole world if he would fall downe and worship him The businesse with Adam also was about this world he would draw this world to him and so be like God with it that as God had drawne this world to him to manifest his great Wonders therewith so the soule in Adam thought with it selfe thou art the similitude of God thou wilt doe so too and so thou shalt be like God but thereby he went forth from God into the Spirit of this world Now therefore the second Adam must hold out the standing of the first Adam whereby it was tempted or tried whether the soule would continue in the new holy heavenly Man and live in the Barmhertzigkeit the Mercifulnesse of God or in the Spirit of this world 98. And thus stood the soule as a valiant Champion and said to Satan Get thee hence Satan thou shouldst worship the Lord thy God and serve him onely I have no more to doe with thee there the Devill Hell and the Kingdome of this world was commanded to be gone and the valiant Champion hath gotten the victory and the Devill faine to get him gone and the earthly part was overcome And here now the Noble Champion standeth upon the Moon and receiveth all might in Heaven Hell on Earth into his power and ruleth with his soule in the holy Ternary in this outward body over Death and life and here this world is become Christs owne for he had overcome it he could live in God and needed not the earthly food nor drink 99. And the Reader must know that the Combat with the Temptation was held in body and soule and that this Temptation concerneth us also he hath overcome for us if wee put our whole trust in him then wee have victory in him over sinnes Death Hell and the Devill and also over this world for he held the last victory in his Death when he brake the sword of the Cherubine and destroyed the Hell of the Devill and hath led captivity captive that thereby thou mightst live by the Death of Christ 100. And wee see that all is true as is above-mentioned for when he had overcome in the Temptation and had stood forty dayes then he had wholly overcome till the last victory in Death for so long Adam was in the Temptation in the
captivated all Devils in the Kingdome of this world And all men who with their minde draw neere to this Christ and desire him in right Earnest they are drawne by the Spirit of the Father viz. of the cleare and pure Deity into the humanity of Christ that is into the Pure Element before the Trinity And if they continue stedfast and do not againe depart from God into the Desire of the Devill then the precious Pearle viz. the light of God is sowne in their soule which light attracteth to it selfe the precious body of Jesus Christ with Paradise and the Kingdome of Heaven And thus the right new Man Christus groweth on the soul in the heavenly Virgin of Gods Wisdome in the holy Ternary in the Kingdome of Heaven And thus such a man is according to the new Man in Heaven in the body of Jesus Christ and as to the old earthly Man which hangeth unto the holy Man he is in this world in the house of sin and the Deity acteth the new humanity and the Spirit of this world the old untill he puts him off in death for he is a man in Heaven borne in the mercy of God in the body of Jesus Christ 18. I set you a deep confideration behold how the Angelicall Thrones and Principalities were in the beginning beheld apprehended or aspected by the Wisdome of God which Aspect manifestation or idea the Fiat took to Create And in the Angelicall Throne the infinite multiplicity according to the Eternall Wisdome in the Wonders of God All which was so created in the Fiat of God according to all the Essences of the Eternall Limbus of God So that all Angels in every Throne did give their will unto the Angelicall Throne or Arch Angel as it is sufficiently to be knowne by the fall of Lucifer and also may be discerned in the Regions of the Kingly Governments of this world if the Devill did not so destroy the right union as is very clearely to be seen Thus likewise understand us I prethee thou very precious and noble minde this second surpassing excellent Creation is in the Fiat When God saw and took notice of our miserable Fall he did illustrate or manifest himselfe by the holy Eternall Virgin of his Wisdome in the Eternall Wonders in mercy which alwayes floweth out of his heart and did comprehend with his speculation or manifestation the Throne and did further illustrate himselfe in the Throne into many millions without number and established his Covenant with his Oath therein with his precious Promise of the Womans Seed 19. Thus my very precious minde apprehend it aright This same Throne was made in Time when as the Time of his Covenant was revealed an Angelicall Principality in the mercy of God in the holy Pure Element in the Sacred Ternary that is in the holy Earth wherein the Deity is substantially knowne so that the whole Mercy of God which is unmeasurable and every where in the Sacred Ternary which is likewise so great in the holy Element that comprizeth Heaven and this world became a Man that is a substantiall Similitude of the Spirit of the Trinity in which likenesse the Trinity dwelleth with compleat fulnesse and in this great Angelicall Throne and Principality stood in the beginning and from Eternity the Aspect in the infinite multiplicity proceeding from all the Essences in the Limbus of the Father and became truely illustrate or manifest in the Time of the Promise 20. Thus now even unto this very day all things are yet in the Fiat or creating and the Creation hath no end untill the judgement of God where that which hath growne on the holy Tree shall be separated from the unholy Thistles and Thornes and wee men are these innumerable aspects or idea's in the Fiat of the great Princely Throne and we who are holy shall be created in the body of this Prince in God but we that degenerate or perish shall be cast out as naughty apples unto the swine of the Devill 21. Thus we were foreseen or elected in Christ Jesus before the foundations of the world were laid that we should be his Angels and Servants in his high Princely Throne in the body of his Element in which his Spirit viz. the holy Trinity will dwell 22. This I would clearly demonstrate unto thee in the Kingdome of this world yea in all things thou shalt not be able to name any thing out of which I will not demonstrate it unto thee if God gave us leave but seeing it will here take up too much roome I will write a booke by it selfe of it if the Lord permit 23. Therefore my beloved soule be lively and see what thy noble Bridegroom hath left thee in his Testaments for a Legacy as namely in the Baptisme the water of his Covenant flowing from his holy Originall body whereas we in this world viz. in the externe birth of his body do acknowledge foure things namely fire aire water and earth wherein our earthly body consisteth So likewise in the heavenly body there are foure such things The fire is the enkindling of the divine desire The water is that which the fire desireth whence it becomes meeke and a light The aire is the joyfull spirit which bloweth up the fire and maketh in the water the motion And the earth is the true Essence which is borne in the Three Elements and is rightly called Ternarius Sanctus the Sacred Ternary in which the Tincture is brought forth in the light of the meeknesse and therein also is borne the holy bloud out of the water being an oyle of the water in which the light shineth and the spirit of life consisteth 24. Understand it thus that water is the water of the Eternall Life in the Limbus of God in the Holy Ternary and that is the water which baptizeth the soule when wee keepe the use of his Testament for the soule in his Covenant is dipped and washed in that water and it is rightly the Bath or Laver of Regeneration for by its dipping in the Holy Water it is received and quickned by the holy Water and cometh in the Covenant of Christ into the soule of Christ indeed not fully into his soule but into his body and becometh the Brother of the soule of Christ for Christs soule is a Creature as our soules are and is in the body of the Mercifulnesse in the Trinity being surrounded therewith and hath the same in it for food and strength or refreshment So also our soules in the Covenant if they be faithfull and continue in God they are the brethren of Christs soule 25. For Christ hath taken this Pledge viz. our soule from us Men in Mary at which wee rejoyce in Eternity that the soule of Christ is our Brother and the Body of Christ our Body in the New Man And should I not rejoyce that my soule is in the body of Christ and that the
cannot behold him before wee be Glorified especially the wicked But thus all Generations shall see and know him and the unbeleeving shall weep and wayle that they went so out of their flesh and bloud into another source or condition when they should and might in their own Essences have put on God and yet did put on the Kingdome of the fiercenesse of the Anger of God with the Devils and let the same into the Essences of their soules and caused themselves to perish 8. Therefore wee say that in the soule of Christ in its Essences the cleere Deity viz. the Light of God is comprehended which hath quenched the Anger in the source of the soule and thus that Light clarifieth the soule and though the proceeding vertue the Tincture is alwayes generated out of the soule and the Fiat in the Essences maketh it comprehensible and palpable and that is the Ternarius Sanctus or the Holy Earth that is the holy flesh for God enlighteneth in this body all in all 9. Thus his earthly body is swallowed up in God though indeed he never had such an earthly body as wee have for he was not of the Seede of a Man but wee speake onely of the comprehensibility and visibility of it to our eyes according to which he is our Brother and he shall appeare at the Last Judgement-Day in our fleshly forme in the power of God as Lord over all for all power in Heaven and in this world is subjected under him and he is Judge over all A Prince of Life and Lord over Death 10. And so the Kingdome of Heaven is his own body and the whole Princely Throne of his Principle is Paradise wherein the blessed fruit in the vertue of God springeth up for the Holy Ghost is the vertue and power of the fruit as the Aire in this world is so the Holy Ghost is the Aire and Spirit of the soule in Christ and of all his children for there is no other Aire in Heaven in the body of Christ and God the Father is All in All. Thus wee live and are in Christ all in the Father there is no soule that searcheth out to the depth but wee live all in singlenesse of heart and in great humility and love one towards another and rejoyce one with another as children doe before their Parents and to this end God created us 11. Thus my deare soule seeke Christ and incline thy selfe to him and so thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost who will new regenerate thy soule and enlighten drive and leade thee and he will reveale and manifest Christ to thee Leave off all opinions and humane Inventions for the Kingdome of God is neere thee and thou art kept out from God onely by thy own unbeliefe by thy evill works viz. by thy pride covetousnesse envy anger and falshood for thou clothest thy selfe with them so thou art in the Devils cloaths without God 12. But if thou leavest them off and passest with the desire of thy heart into the Mercy of God then thou goest into Heaven into God the Father and thou walkest in the body of Christ in the pure Element and the Holy Ghost goeth forth out of thy soule and leadeth thee into all truth and the old corrupt Man doth but hang to thee which thou shalt destroy in Death and with thy Love in Christ still overcome and captivate the Anger of the Father in thy soule and thou shalt spring up with thy New Man through Death and appeare in the same at the Last Judgement Day The Gate to Babell 13. When wee consider with our selves the many Sects and Controversies in Religion and from whence they come and take their Originall it is as cleere as the Sunne and it manifesteth it selfe indeed and in truth for there are great Warres and Insurrections stirred up for the cause of Religion or Faith and there ariseth great hatred and envy about it and they persecute one another for opinions sakes because another is not of his opinion he sticks not to say he is of the Devill and this is yet the greatest Misery of all that this is done by the Learned in the high Schooles or Universities of this world 14. And I will shew thee simple Man their venome and poyson for behold every one among the Layety looketh upon them and thinketh Sure it must needs be right if our Priest say it he is a Minister of God he sitteth in Gods stead it is the Holy Ghost that speaketh out of him But Saint Paul saith Trie the Spirits for every ones Teaching is not to be beleeved and Christ saith By their works thou shalt know them for a good Tree bringeth forth good fruit and an evill tree bringeth forth evill fruit also he teacheth us plainly that we should not gainsay the Prophesie that is of God but we should learne to try them by their fruits 15. Wee speake not of perfect Works done by the body which is captivated in the Spirit of this World but wee speake of their Doctrines that wee must trie them whether they be generated of God For if that Spirit teacheth blasphemies slanders and persecutions then it is not from God but it proceedeth from the covetousnesse and haughtinesse of the Devill For Christ teacheth us meeknesse and to walk in brotherly Love wherewith wee may overcome the enemy and take away the Might of the Devill and destroy his Kingdome 16. But when any fall to fireing killing with the sword to undoe people ruine Townes and Countreys there is no Christ but the Anger of the Father and it is the Devill that bloweth the fire For the Kingdome of Christ is not found in such a way but in Power as the Examples of the Apostles of Christ declare who taught no revenge but they suffered persecution and prayed to God who gave them signes and great Wonders so that people flocked to them and so the Church of Christ grew mightily so that it overshadowed the Earth Now who is the Destroyer of this Church Open thy eyes wide and behold it is Day-light and it must come to the Light for God would have it so for the sake of the Lilly It is the Pride of the Learned 17. When the Holy Ghost spake in the Saints with power and Miracles and converted people powerfully then they flocked to them they honoured them greatly they respected them and submitted to them as if they had been Gods Now this was well done to the Saints for the honour was given to God and so humility and love grew among them and there was all loving Reverence as becometh the children of God and as it ought to be 18. But when the Saints comprised their Doctrine in Writings that therby in their absence it might be understood what they taught then the World fell upon it and every one desired to be such a Teacher and thought the Art skill and knowledge stuck in the Letter thither they came running old
wrought in the knowledge and in the understanding and generated a similitude of its substance and the substance which wrought was the Fiat and the Fiat formed the similitude which was generated out of the will and made it visible and the similitude was generated out of the darknesse out of the eternall nothing and yet somewhat was there viz. the originalnesse of the anguish out of which the eternall will generateth it selfe from eternitie 28. Now the similitude also hath received such a will out of the Fiat as the eternall will is and it hath generated the vertue or power and the vertue is the Heaven and the light which is become shining in the vertue is the Sun and that worketh in the vertue so that there is understanding and knowledge or else all in this world would be an immoveable substance and all would lie still and so neither hearb nor grasse would grow 29. Therefore in the Fiat is arisen out of the anguish the similitude of the knowledge and understanding and that is the Constellation and it is the fift forme of the Birth in the Fiat and the Fiat hath severed the formes in the birth so that every essence is severall as hard soft thick thin hot cold bitter tart soure sweet and so forth as we see and the spirit continued in the matrix of Heaven which goeth out from thence viz. the aire and the Spirit receiveth the understanding from the Constellation for it is a member of the other in one onely Mother 30. Now the Matrix viz. the created Heaven in the Fiat together with the starres is the similitude of all that was from eternity though not visible and the Fiat is in the similitude and the Paradise wherein the Angels dwell is hidden in the Matrix and God is shining in the Paradise and yet incomprehensible as the glanse or lustre of the Sunne cannot be comprehended 31. And God is immense immeasurable and the similitude is also immeasurable he is in the similitude and the similitude comprehendeth him not the similitude is his worke and he is the Master workman thereof the Constellation is his instrument and the Matrix with the Elements are the Materia matter or materialls out of which the Master cutteth and fashioneth his work 32. Now the Master alwayes worketh on and on without consideration what he lighteth upon that he maketh for the consideration is in the worke And therefore it is that the whole nature standeth in anguish and longing to be freed from the vanity as also the Scripture witnesseth Because it tasteth the Paradise in it selfe and in the Paradise the perfection and therefore it groaneth and lifteth it selfe up towards the light of God and Paradise and so bringeth forth in its anguish alwayes somewhat that is fairer higher and new as may sufficiently be found and understood in the minde of man and is very visible to a small understanding that in workes alwayes some special thing is brought to light and if you be not blinde you may see this in Men Beasts yea even in hearbs and grasse 33. Thus on the fourth day by the Fiat out of the vertue prepared the similitude of his substance and fitted it to be a Matrix which should generate all whatsoever was a similitude of his substance out of the wisdome which was in him from eternity that so all formes might be brought forth and become visible which were from eternity in the Matrix and the similitude of the unsearchable manifold varieties and vertues are the starres which altogether give or send their vertue into the matrix of the Heaven and the Heaven giveth that same spirit to the Creatures This is the course of all Creatures after the same essence or substance and they are formed after the same spirit which is their vertue spirit and life 34. When God had finished this on the fourth day he saw it and considered it and it was good as Moses writeth Then God desired in his externall will that this Kingdome or Principle of this world should also be creaturely like the perfect Paradisicall Kingdome that there should be living creatures therein and the will set the vertue that is the Word in the Fiat and then the Matrix generated all manner of living creatures on the Fift Day every one after its kinde You must understand by the word Kinde as many various formes as the Matrix is of as you may observe it in the Constellation 35. Now I shall fall into the schoole of the Master in his Pontificallibus hood and grace of his degree who will aske out of what the Beasts fowles fishes and wormes were made for he will have it that all of them were made out of the earth and will prove it out of Moses and he understandeth as much of Moses as of Paradise which he will have to be altogether corporeall Therefore there is a grosse deadnesse in the understanding and though I write plaine enough yet I shall be still dumb to that deadned soule which is voyd of understanding and yet I cannot help it for it is said You must be borne anew if you will see the kingdom of God would you saine know whereout the Beasts are made then lay aside your bonnet of pride that is in your minde and walke along into the Paradisicall Garden of Roses and there you shall finde an hearb if you eate of it your eyes will be opened so that you shall see and know what Moses hath written 36 The Glosses that are put upon Moses from Reason will not shew you Paradise much lesse the Creator The Prophets and Apostles learned more in the Paradisicall Schoole in one houre than the Doctors in their Schooles in thirty years Ones own wisdome availeth nothing God giveth it to him whom he loveth for nothing It cannot be bought for money nor favour as King Solomon will tell you 37 If we will be still so very earthly minded as to think that God made all the beasts of a lump of earth of what then is their Spirit made Seing that earth is not very flesh and the blood is not meere water Besides the earth and the water is not life and though the aire come in it yet it still remaineth such an essence as springeth only in the Fiat and the tincture which riseth up in the fire and from whence the noble life is stirred is hidden 38 Moses writeth Let there come forth all manner of beasts every one according to its kinde Now then the question is Out of what should they come forth Answer Out of the Matrix What is the Matrix out of which they should come forth It is the soure Elements which are together in the earth The Fiat brought forth the beasts or living creatures very indigestedly as they are in the essence not from heaven but out of the Matrix of the earth and the Matrix of the earth is one and the same thing