he hath made him Lord over all the Creatures of this world and hath endued him with b Or sense Minde Reason and Vnderstanding above all the rest of the Creatures especially with Speech or Language so that he can distinguish every thing that soundeth stirreth moveth or groweth and judge of every things vertue effect and Originall and that all is put under his hand so that he can bend them use and mannage them according to his will as pleaseth him 2. Moreover God hath given him higher and greater knowledge than this in that he can penetrate into the Heart of every thing and discerne what Essence vertue and property it hath both in the Creatures in Earth Stones Trees Hearbs in all moveable and immoveable things also in the Starres and Elements so that he knoweth what substance and vertue they have and that in their vertue all naturall sensibility c Growing vegetation d Propagation or encrease multiplication and life doth consist 3. Above all this God hath given him the understanding and perception to know God his Creatour What and whence Man is how he is and where he is and out of what he proceeded or was created and how he is the Image e Or Being substance f Inheritance or possession propriety and childe of the Eternall uncreated and infinite God and how he is created out of the substance of God in which God hath his own substance and propriety in whom he liveth and governeth with his Spirit by which God manageth his own work and loveth him dearely as his own Heart and substance for whose sake he created this world with all the Creatures that are therein which for the most part without the Reason and Government of Man could not live in such a g Or Qualification or manner of Life Condition as they doe 4. Tbe Divine Wisdome it selfe standeth in such a high Consideration and hath neither number nor end and therein is the Love of God towards Man knowne in that Man knoweth what his Creator is and what he would have him doe and leave undone and it is the most profitable thing for Man in this world that he can search for and seek after for heerein he learneth to know himselfe what matter and substance he is of also from whence his understanding cogitation perceptibility and sensibility is stirred and how he is created out of the h Essence or Being Substance of God and as a Mother bringeth forth a Childe out of her own substance and nourisheth it therewith and leaveth all her Goods to it for its own and maketh it the possessour of them so doth God also with Man his Childe he hath created him and preserved him and made him heire to all his Eternall Goods In and by this Consideration the Divine knowledge buddeth and groweth in Man and the Love towards God as of a Childe to its Parents so that Man loveth God his Father for that he knoweth that he is his Father in whom he liveth is and hath his being who nourisheth him preserveth him and provideth for him for thus saith Christ our Brother who is begotten of the Father to be a Saviour and sent into this world This is the Eternall Life that they know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ 5. Now seeing wee our selves know that wee are created out of Gods own substance and made his Image substance and peculiar Inheritance it is therefore equall that wee should live in obedience to him and follow him seeing he leadeth us as a Father doth his Children And wee have also his Promise that if wee follow him wee shall obtaine the light of the Eternall Life without such a Consideration as this wee are altogether blinde and have no knowledge of God but we run on as dumb Beasts and wee look upon our selves and upon Gods Creation as Heifers look upon a i Which being strange they start backe at it and are afraid to goe into their own Lodging new Doore made to their Stalls and set our selves against God and his will and so live in opposition and enmity to the perdition of body and soule and of Gods Noble Creatures wee fall into this terrible and abominable Darknesse because wee will not learne to know our selves what wee are of what k Or matter substance what wee shall be whether wee are Eternall or whether wee are wholy transitory as the body is or whether also wee must give an account of our l Substance matters and doings seeing wee are made Lords of all Creatures and of the whole Creation and have all this in our power to manage 6. Even as wee see know and finde undeniably that God will require an account of all our Doings how wee have kept house with his m Or Creation works and that when wee fall from him and his Commandements he will punish us terribly of which wee have fearefull Examples from the beginning of the world and among the Jewes Heathens and Christians especially the Example of the Flood and in Sodome and Gomorrha also in Pharaoh and the Children of Israel in the Wildernesse and ever since till this very Time Therefore it is indeed most necessary that wee learne wisdome and learne to know our selves how great vice and wickednesse we carry about us how horrible Wolves are amongst us which strive against God and his will 7. For there is none that can excuse himselfe and plead ignorance because the will of God is put into and written in our Minds so that wee very well know what wee should doe and all the Creatures beare witnesse against us Moreover wee have Gods Law and Commandements so that there is no excuse but onely our drowsie lazie negligence and carelesnesse and so wee are found to be sloathfull unprofitable servants in the Lords Vineyard 8. Lastly it is in the highest measure most needfull for us to learne to know our selves because the Devill dwelleth with us in this world who is both Gods Enemy and ours and daily misleadeth us and entrappeth us as he hath done from the beginning that wee might fall away from our God and Father that so he might enlarge his Kingdome and bereave us of our Eternall Salvation as it is written He goeth about as a roaring Lyon and seeketh whom he may devour 9. Seeing therefore wee are in such horrible danger in this world that wee are environed with enemies on every side and have a very unsafe Pilgrimage or Journey to walke and above all wee carry our worst Enemy within us which wee our selves hide and desire not to learne to know it though n Viz. our evill corrupt nature will which is inclined to all evill it be the most horrible Guest of all which casteth us headlong into the Anger of God yea it selfe is the very Anger of God which throweth us into the Eternall Fire of Wrath into the Eternall unquenchable torment therefore
any thing would presse or pierce into he Essences for the Spirit would be whole and swelled But it standing thus in the Gate of the z Disrupt broken darknesse in the crack and in the sound therefore every vertue of all things presse in into that Gate and try themselves by one another and what the Essences of the Spirit doe love that it desireth and draweth the same into the Tincture and then hands and mouth fall to it and stuffe it into the stomack into the * Or Atrium outward Court of the foure Elements from whence the earthly Essences of the Starres and Elements doe feede 71. And the Tast also is a trying and attracting of the Tincture in the Essences of the Spirit And so the feeling also if the Spirit of Man with its Essences did not stand in the sound there would be no feeling for when the soure Essences draw to them then they awaken the bitter prickle or sting in the fire flash which stirreth it selfe either by griping thrusting or striking and thereupon in all driving the bitter prickle in the fire-flash is awakened and therein standeth the moving and all in the Tincture CHAP. XVI Of the Noble Minde of the Understanding Senses and Thoughts Of the threefold Spirit and Will and of the Tincture of the Inclination and what is inbred in a childe in the Mothers body or womb Of the Image of God and of the Beastiall Image and of the Image of Abysse of Hell and similitude of the Devill to be searched for and found out in * Or in very one any one Man The Noble Gate of the Noble Virgin And also the Gate of the Woman of this world highly to be considered 1. IF wee consider our selves in the noble knowledge which is openned to us in the love of God in the noble virgin of the wisdome of God not for our merit honesty vertue or worthinesse but meerly of his own will and original eternall purpose even in those things which appeare to us in his love then wee must needs acknowledge our selves to be unworthy of such a Revelation and being wee are sinners wee are deficient in the Glory that wee should have before him 2. But being it is his Eternall will and purpose to doe us good and to open his Secrets to us according to his counsell therefore wee ought not to withstand nor to bury the bestowed Talent in the earth for we must give account of it in the appearing of his coming Therefore wee will thus labour in our Vineyard and commend the fruit to him and will set down in writing a Memoriall for our selves and leave it to him For wee can search or conceive no further than onely what wee apprehend in the light of Nature where our Gate standeth a Or our comprehensibility open not according to the measure of our purpose when and how wee will but according to his gift when and how he will wee are not able to comprehend the least sparkle of him unlesse the Gates of the Deepe be opened to us in our Minde where then the zealous earnest and highly desirous kindled Spirit b Or goeth is as a fire to which the earthly body ought to be subject and will grudge no paines to serve the desirous fiery minde And although it hath nothing to expect for iâ— labour but scorne and contempt from the world yet it must be obedient to its Lord for its Lord is mighty and it selfe is feeble and its Lord leadeth driveth and preserveth it and yet in its ignorance or want of understanding it knoweth nothing of what it doth but it liveth like all the Beasts and yet its will is not to live thus but it must follow the worthy minde which searcheth after the wisdome of God and the minde must follow the light of Nature for God manifesteth or revealeth himselfe in that light or else wee should know nothing of him 3. And now when wee consider our minde in the light of the Nature and what that is which maketh us zealous or earnest which burneth there in as a light and is desirous thirsty or covetous like fire which desireth to receive from that place where it hath not sowen and would reape in that Countrey where the body is not at home or dwelleth not then the precious virgin of the Wisdome of God meeteth us in the middlemost seate in the Centre of the light of life and saith the light is mine and the power or vertue and glory is mine also the Gate of knowledge is mine I live in the light of Nature and without mee you can neither see know nor understand any thing of my vertue or power I am thy Bridegroom in the light and thy desire or longing after my vertue or power is my attracting in my selfe I sit in my Throne but thou knowest mee not I am in thee and thy body is not in me I distinguish or separate and thou seest it not I am the light of the senses and the roote of the senses is not in mee but neere mee I am the Bridegroom of the roote but shee hath put on a rough coate I will not lay my selfe in her armes till shee putteth that off and then I will rest eternally in her armes and adorne the roote with my vertue and power and give her my beautiful forme and will espouse my selfe to her with my Pearle 4. There are three things which the minde hath in it and doe rule it yet the minde in it selfe is the desirous will and those three things are three Kingdomes or Principles one is eternall and the second is eternall but the third is corruptible the one hath no beginning the second is without beginning eternally generated and the third hath a beginning and end and corrupteth againe or perisheth 5. And as the eternall minde is in the great unsearchable Depth and from Eternity is the Indissoluble Band and the Spirit in the c Or perpetuall working properly source which continually generateth it selfe and never decayeth and that therein in the Centre of the deepe is the reconceived will to the light and the will is the desiring and the desiring attracteth to it and that which is attracted maketh the darknesse in the will so that in the first will the second will generateth it selfe againe that it might fly out of the darknesse and that second will is the minde which discovereth it selfe in the darknesse and the discovery or glance breaketh or dispelleth the darknesse so that it standeth in the sound and in the crack where then the flash sharpeneth it selfe and so standeth eternally in the broken darknesse so that the darknesse thus standeth in the sound of the Starres and in the breaking of the darknesse the reconceived will is free and dwelleth without the darknesse in it selfe and the flash which there is the seperation and the sharpnesse and the noise or sound is the dwelling of the will or of the continually conceived minde and
hast eaten of the Tree whereof I told thee that thou shouldst not eate cursed be the ground for thy sake with care thou shalt maintaine thy life thereon all thy life long Thornes and Thistles shall it bring forth to thee and thou shall eate the hearb of the field till thou become Earth againe from wheâ—â—e thou wert taken for thou art now Earth and to Earth you shall returne againe 4. Here now stand the great secrets which wee cannot see with g Or with the eyes of reason our earthly eyes wholly naked and plaine and there is no vayle before it onely wee are blinde to the kingdome of God for God cursed the Earth and said it should now beare Thornes and Thistles and Man h Or must should eate the fruit of the accursed Earth This indeed is a new thing He allowed them not in Paradise to eate of the earthly hearbs but of the pleasant fruit And if he had eaten of the hearbs of the fields yet that which he had eaten was heavenly and when the Lord cursed the Earth then all became earthly and the holy Element was withdrawne and the fruit did grow in the issuing of the foure Elements in the kindling of the fiercenesse out of which Thornes and Thistles grew 5. Wee must conceive that there i Before the Curse was then a very pleasant habitation upon the Earth for all the fruits did grow spring and bud out of the hidden Element through the fiercenesse of the foure Elements and although the foure Elements had also their fruits yet Man should not but the Beasts of the field should have eaten thereof but now when the Lord cursed the Earth then the Element withdrew from the roote of the Fruit for Gods cursing is nothing else but his flying from a thing and thus Gods holinesse is flien from the roote of the fruit and so the roote of the fruits remaineth in the foure Elements in the out-birth and Adam and Eve were also fallen k Into the four Elements thereinto and thus now like came to like his body also was become earthly and must turne to Earth againe 6. But that God did say Thou shalt turne to Earth from whence thou wert taken that is also very true but the understanding is hidden in 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 l Or enjoy it 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 clâ—ane 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 m The wonderfull reason why one beast was better than another 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 n Or Divine Wisdome virgin there is nothing so deepe that Man cannot search into and see it most o Infallibly assuredly if he doe but put away the vayle and look through the Tables p Or transparent Law graven through with q Or Jesus Joshua into the promised Land 9. And God said In the sweat of thy r Or Browes 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 Å¿ Or frozen congealed Death frailty and transitory fading was in the roote and they must now continually be t Or transplanted planted againe Thus the turmoyling life of Man took beginning wherein wee must now u Or swelter our selves 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 x Or of the foure Elements 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 y Had desired 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 z Or Commandement laid upon them 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
prickle or the first bitternesse after the Light is kindled and that the first Birth standeth in perfection generateth againe out of its own quality an ſ Twig or branch essence wherein there is a Centre where also a new fountaine or source springeth up in a new fire or life having the condition and property of all the qualities and yet the bitternesse in this new sprout is chiefest among all the qualities so that there is a bitter bitternesse a bitter tartnesse a bitter water-spirit a bitter sound a bitter fire a bitter love yet all perfectly in the t Or exulting great Joy rising up of Great Joy 16. And the fire generateth now also a fire according to the property of every quality in the tart spirit it is tart in the bitter bitter in the love it is a very hearty yearning kindling of the love a totall fervent or burning kindling and causeth very vehement desires in the sound it is a very shrill tanging u Or life fire wherein all things are very clearly and properly distinguished and where the sound in all qualities telleth or expresseth as it were with the lips or tongue whatsoever is in all the fountain spirits what joy vertue or power essence substance or property they have and in the water it is a very drying fire 17. The propagation of the Love is most especially to be observed for it is the loveliest pleasantest and sweetest fountain of all when the love generateth again a whole birth with all the fountains of the original essences out of it self so that the love in all the x Or well-spring springing veins in that new birth be predominant and chiefe so that a center ariseth therein then the first essence viz. the Tartnesse is wholly desirous or longing wholly sweet wholly light and giveth it self forth to be food to all the qualities with a hearty affection towards them all as a loving mother hath towards her children and here the Bitternesse may be rightly called Joy for it is the rising or moving thereof what joy there is here there is no other similitude of it than when a man is suddenly and unexpectedly delivered out of the pain and torment of hell and put into the light of the Divine Joy 18. So also the sound where the Love is predominant it bringeth most joyfull tidings or newes into all the forms of the Birth as also the fire in the love that kindleth the love rightly in all the Fountain-spirits as is mentioned above and the Love kindleth Love in its essence When the Love is predominant in Love it is the sweetest meekest humblest lovingest fountain of all that springeth in all the fountains and it confirmeth and fixeth the heavenly birth so that it is a holy divine Essence or Substance 19. You must also mark the form of the Water-spirit when that generateth its like so that it is predominant in its regeneration or second birth and that a center be awakened in it which it self in its own essence doth not awaken but the other fountain-spirits do it therein it the Water-spirit is still and quiet as a meek mother and suffereth the other to sow their seed into it and to awaken the center in it so that the fire riseth up from whence the life y Or beginneth to stirre is moved In this form the fire is not a hot burning scorching fire but cool milde soft and sweet and the bitternesse is no bitternesse but cool milde budding and flowing forth from whence the forming or figuring and beauteous shape in the heavenly glory proceedeth and is a most beautifull substance for the sound also in this birth floweth forth most pleasantly and harmoniously all as it were palpably or feelingly or in a similitude as a word that cometh to be an essence or a comprehensible substance For in this regeneration that is brought to passe in the water-spirit that is in the true mother of the regeneration of all the fountain-spirits all is as it were comprehensible or substantiall although no comprehensibility must be understood here but spirit CHAP. IV. Of the * Or right true eternall Nature that is of the numberlesse and endlesse †Begetting or propagation generating of the Birth of the eternal Essence which is the Essence of all Essences out of which were generated born and at length created this World with the Starres and Elements and all whatsoever moveth stirreth or liveth therein The open Gate of the great Depth 1. HEre I must encounter with the proud and seeming wise conceited who doth but grope in the dark and knoweth or understandeth nothing of the Spirit of God and must comfort both him and also the desirous longing Reader who loveth God and must shew them a little doore to the Heavenly Essence and shew them in what manner they should understand these writings before I come to the chapter it self 2. I know very well and my spirit and minde sheweth me as much that many will be offended at the simplicity and meannesse of the Authour for offering to write of such high things and many will think with themselves he hath no authority to do it and that he doth very sinfully in it and runneth clean contrary to God and his will in presuming being but a man to goe about to speak and say what God is 3. For it is lamentable that since the fall of Adam we should be so continually cheated and befooled by the Devill to think that we are not the children of God nor of his a Substance or off-springs essence He continually putteth the monstrous shape or form into our thoughts as he did into our mother Eve which she gazed too much upon and by her representing it in her imagination she became a childe of this world wholly naked and vain and void of understanding And so he doth to us also continually still he would bring us into another Image as he did Eve that we might be ashamed to appeare in the presence of the Light and power of God as Adam and Eve were when they hid themselves behinde the trees that is behinde the monstrous shape or form when the Lord appeared in the centre of the birth of their lives and said Where art thou Adam And he said I am naked and am afraid which was nothing else but that his beliefe or faith and knowledge of the holy God was put out for he beheld the monstrous shape which he had made to himselfe by his imagination and lust by the Devils instigation representation and false perswading to eat of the third Principle wherein b Destruction or perdition corruption was 4. And now when he saw and knew by that which God had told him that he should die and perish if he did eat of the knowledge of good and evill it made him continually imagine that he was now no more the child of God and that he was not created out of Gods own essence or substance out of
yet is Paradisicall and it cannot comprehend it but it maketh a p Or sowing of seed 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 q The fashioner or the Fiat Carver maketh an Image according to his r Or desire pleasure Å¿ As of a Lion a Lion of a sheep a sheep 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 t Or the Matrix 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 may wrap up your soule that is the Pearle which no Moath can eat nor Thiefe can steale away therefore seek after it and then you will finde the noble Treasure 2 Our wit skill and understanding is so very hard a Cold frozen or shut up knit up that we have no more any knowledge of Paradise at all and except we be again born anew by water and the holy Ghost the veile of Moses lyeth continually before our eyes when we read his writings and we suppose that was Paradise whereof Moses sayd GOD placed b Adam him in the Garden of Eden which hee had planted that he might till it 3 O beloved Man that is not Paradise neither doth Moses say so but that was the Garden in Eden where they were tempted the exposition whereof you may finde about the fall of Adam The Paradise is the Divine joy and that was in their minde when they were standing in the love of God But when disobedience entred they were driven out and saw that they were naked for at that instant the spirit of the world caught them in which there was meere anguish necessity turmoyle and misery and in the end corruptibility and death Therefore it was of c Needfull necessity that the eternall World did become flesh and bring them into the Paradisicall rest again whereof you shall finde the exposition in its due place about the fall of Adam 4 Paradise hath another Principle for it is the Divine and Angelicall joy yet not without the d Extra locum place of this world Indeed it is without the vertue and source or active property of it neither can the spirit of this world comprehend it much lesse a creature for it standeth not in the anguishing e Operation birth and although it thus taketh its originall yet it consisteth in exact perfection meere love joy and mirth wherein there is no feare neither misery nor death no Devill can touch it nor no beast can f Or attain it reach it 5 But when we will speak of the source or fountain and joy of Paradise and of its highest substance what it is we have no similitude of it in this world we stand in need of Angelicall tongues and knowledge to expresse it and though we had them yet we could not expresse it with this tongue it is well understood in the minde when the soule rideth in the Chariot of the Bride but we cannot expresse it with the tongue yet we will not cast away the g That little which wee can expresse of it A. B. C. but tattle or stammer with the children till another mouth be given us to speak withall 6 When God had created the Beasts he brought them to Adam that he should give them their names every one according to their essence and kinde as they the beasts were qualified or according to the quality and condition they were of Now Adam was in the Garden of Eden in Hebron and also in Paradise at once yet no beast can come into Paradise for it is the Divine h Or habitation or refreshment joy wherein there is no unclean thing also no death or corruptible or transitory life i Therefore the garden of Eden is not Paradise much lesse is there the knowledge of Good and Evill yet Moses writeth of it that in the Garden of Eden there was the tree of temptation which bare the knowledge of Good and evill which indeed was no other Tree than like the Trees we now eate of in the k Or In the transitory body corruptibility neither was it any other Garden than such as wee now have wherein earthly fruit Good and Evill grow as is before our eyes 7. But the Paradise is somewhat else and yet no other place but another Principle where God and the Angels dwell and where there is perfection where there is meere love joy and knowledge where no misery is which Paradise neither death nor the Devils doe touch neither doe they know it and yet it hath no wall of earth or stones about it but there is a great Gulfe or cliffe between Paradise and this world so that they who will passe from hence thither cannot and they who would come from thence to us cannot neither and the Hell and the kingdome of darknesse is between them and none can come therein but by a new Birth which Christ spake of to Nicodemus The soules of the Saints holy and regenerate must enter into it by the death of Darknesse whom the Arch-Shepherd with the Angels bringeth thereinto upon his l Note the Bride-Chariot is the true Resignation into the bosome of the Father Bride-chariot of which you shall finde an exposition in its proper place in order 8. But seeing
the inexpressible words of the heart of God and rejoyceth at the Eternall and also at the created Images which are not in essence or substance but in figure 15. There the soule eateth of all the words of God for the same are the food of its life and it singeth the Paradificall a Halelujahs songs of Praise concerning the pleasant fruit in Paradise which groweth in the divine vertue or power of the divine Limbus which is the food of the b The heavenly and Eternall paradisicall body body for the body eateth of the Limbus out of which it is and the soule eateth of God and of his word out of which it is 16. Can this be no joy and rejoycing and should not that be a pleasant thing with the many thousand sorts of Angels to eate heavenly bread and to rejoyce in their communion and fellowship What can be possibly named which can be more pleasant Where there is no feare no anger no death where every voyce and speech is Salvation power strength and might be to our God and this voyce going forth into the Eternity Thus with this sound the divine vertue of Paradise goeth forth and it is a meere growing in the divine Centre of the fruits in Paradise And there is the place where St Paul heard words inutterable that no man can expresse Such a man was Adam before his Fall and that you may not doubt that this is very sure and most truly thus look upon the Circumstances 17. When God had created Adam thus he was then in Paradise in the joyfulnesse and this clarified or c Illustrious or shining brightened Man was wholly beautifull and full of all manner of knowledge and there God brought all the Beasts to him as to the Great Lord in this world that he should look upon them and give to every one their Name according to their Essence and vertue as the Spirit of every one was figured in them And Adam knew all what every Creature was and he gave every one their Name according to the quality or working property of their Spirit As God can see into the heart of all things so could Adam also doe in which his perfection may very well be observed 18. And Adam and all men should have gone wholly naked as he then went his clothing was the clarity or brightnesse in the vertue or power no heat nor cold touched him he saw day and night cleerly with open eyes in him there was no sleepe and in his minde there was no night for the divine vertue and power was in his eyes and he was altogether perfect he had the d The seede Limbus and also the * The womb Matrix in himselfe he was no male or Man nor female or Woman as wee in the Resurrection shall be neither though indeed the knowledge of the marks of distinction will remaine in the figure but the Limbus and the Matrix not severed as now they are 19. Now Man was to dwell upon the Earth as long as it was to stand and manage rule and order the beasts and have his delight and recreation therein but he ought not to have eaten any earthly fruit wherein the corruptibility or transitorinesse did stick it is true he should have eaten but onely with the mouth and not into the body for he had no entrailes stomack or guts nor any such hard dark flesh it was all perfect for there grew Paradificall fruit for him which afterwards e Or disappeared went away * Because that he when he went out of Paradise and then God cursed the Earth and the heavenly Limbus was withdrawne from him together with that fruit and he lost Paradise God and the kingdome of heaven for before sinne when Paradise was upon the Earth the Earth was not bad or evill as now it is 20. If Adam had continued in innocency then he should in all fruits have eaten Paradificall fruit and his food should have been heavenly and his drink should have been out of the mother of the heavenly water of the source or fountaine of the Eternall life The f Or the materiall water Out-birth touched him not the element of aire he had no need of in this manner as now t is true he drew breath from the aire but he took his breath from the incorruptibility for he did not g Or was united mingle with the spirit of this world but his Spirit ruled powerfully over the spirit of this world over the Starres and over the Sunne and Moone and over the Elements 21. This must be Adams condition and thus he was a true and right Image and similitude of God he had no such hard bones in his flesh as wee now have but they were strength and such a kinde of vertue also his bloud was not out of the tincture of the h Or watery Mother aquastrish Matrix but it was out of the heavenly Matrix In briefe it was altogether heavenly as wee shall appeare and be at the day of the Resurrection For the purpose of God standeth the first image must returne and come againe and continue in Paradise and seeing it could be done in no other forme way or manner nor that which was lost be restored againe therefore God would rather spend his own heart his eternall will is unchangeable that must stand 22. And when God had created Man then he planted a Garden in Eden towards the East and placed him therein and caused to spring up and grow all manner of fruit delightfull to behold and all sorts of Trees good to eate of and the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden and the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evill and when God had placed Man in the Garden he commanded him and said You shall eate of every Tree in the Garden but of the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evill thou shalt not eate for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the Death Here the vaile lieth upon Moses and they must be sharp or piercing Eyes that can behold the face of Moses God hath not without cause let Moses write this so very mystically hiddenly and obscurely 23. For what needed God to care so much for the biting of an Apple as to destroy so faire a creature for it Doth he not forgive many greater sinnes And he so exceedingly loved Man that he spared not his onely Sonne but let him become Man and gave him unto Death and could he not forgive a small sinne seeing he was omniscient or knew all things therefore why did he let the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evill grow 24. Reason judgeth thus that if God would not have had it so Adam should not have eaten of it or else he should not have forbidden that Tree onely sure he made it for a stumbling stock to him Thus the Reason of one sort or party judgeth The Reason of the other party will mend the matter which is
to every Quality as hard soure bitter cold fierce soft and so forth m In the springing essentiall powers in the Essences till to the end of Nature out of the source of the fire a similitude whereof you have in the Starres how different they are 2. Now the Thrones and Princely Angels are every one of them a great fountaine as you may perceive the Sunne is in respect of the Starres as also in the blossoming Earth The great fountaine veine or Well-spring in the source was in the time of the Fiat in the dark minde the Prince or Throne-Angel There out of each fountaine came forth againe a Centre in many thousand thousands for the Spirit in the Fiat manifested it selfe in the nature of the Darknesse after the manner of the Eternall Wisdome Thus the manifold various properties that were in the whole nature went forth out of one onely Fountaine according to the ability of the eternall wisdome of God or as I may best render it to be understood by a similitude as if one Princely Angel had generated out of himselfe at one time many Angels whereas yet the Prince doth not generate them but the Essences and the qualities goe forth with the Centre in every Essence from the Princely Angels and the Spirit created them n By. with the Fiat and they continue standing essentially Therefore every o Or Company Host which proceeded out of one and the same fountaine gat a will in the same fountaine which was their Prince as you see how the Starres give all their will into the vertue or power of the Sun of this much must not be said to my p The learned in Reason Master in Arts he holdeth it impossible to know such things and yet in God all things are possible and to him a thousand yeares are as one day 3. Now of these Princely Angels One is fallen for he stood in the fourth forme of the Matrix of the Genetrix in the dark minde in that place in the minde where the flash of fire taketh its originall with his whole host that was proceeded from him Thus the fiery kinde condition or property moved him to goe above the end of Nature viz. above the heart of God that kinde stood so q Or fiercely hard kindled in him 4. For as God said to the Matrix of the Earth Let there come forth all kinds of Beasts and the Fiat created Beasts out of all the Essences and first divided the Matrix and after that the essences and qualities and then he created them out of the divided Matrix male and female But because the creatures were materiall therefore every kinde species or generation must thus propagate it selfe from every Essence but with the Angels not so but their propagation was sudden and swift as Gods thoughts are so were they 5. But this is the Ground every quality or quall or source would be creaturely and the fiery property elevated it selfe too mightily into which Lucifer had brought r Or set his delight or pleasure in it his will and so it went with Adam as to the Tempting Tree as it is written And God suffered all sorts of Trees to spring up in the Garden of Eden and in the midst of the Garden the Tree of Life and of the knowledge of Good and Evill 6. Moses saith God suffered to spring up out of the Earth all sorts of Trees pleasant to look upon and good for food But here is the vaile in Moses and yet in the Word it is bright cleere and manifest that the fruits were pleasant to behold and good to eate wherein there was no death wrath or Å¿ Corruption corruptibility but it was Paradisicall fruit of which Adam could live in clarity or brightnesse in the will of God and in his love in perfection in Eternity onely the Death stuck in the Tree of knowledge of good aod evill that onely was able to bring man into another Image 7. Now wee must needs cleerely conceive or think that the Paradisicall fruit which was Good was not so very earthly for as Moses himselfe saith they were of two sorts the one good to eate and pleasant to behold and the other had the death and corruptibility in it in the Paradisicall fruit there was no death nor corruptibility for if there had been any death or corruptibility therein then Adam had eaten death in all the fruits but seeing there was no death therein therefore the fruit could not be so altogether earthly though indeed it sprung out of the earth yet the divine vertue of the second Principle was imprinted therein and yet they were truly in the third Principle growne or sprung out of the earth which God cursed as to the earthly food that no Paradisicall fruit did grow any more out of the earth 8. Besides if Adam had eaten earthly fruit he must then have eaten it into his body and have had gut or entrailes and how could such a stinck and dung as wee now carry in the body have been in Paradise in the holinesse of God Moreover he should by eating earthly food have eaten of the fruit of the Starres and Elements which would presently have infected or qualified in him as was done in the fall also so his feare over all the beasts would have ceased For the essences of the Beasts would presently have been like the humane essences in vertue and power and t Or the stronger would have domineered over the weaker one would have domineered more strongly over the other 9. Therefore it was cleane otherwise with Adam he was a heavenly Paradisicall Man he should have eaten of the heavenly Paradisicall fruit and in the vertue or power of that fruit he should have ruled over all Beasts or living creatures also over the Starres and Elements no cold nor heat should have touched him or else God would not have created him so naked but like all Beasts with a rough or hairy skin or hide 10. But the Question is Wherefore grew the earthly Tree of the knowledge of good and evill for if that had not been Adam had not eaten of it or wherefore must Adam be Tempted Hearken Aske your minde about it wherefore it so suddenly generateth and conceiveth in it selfe a thought of anger and then of love Doest thou say it cometh from the hearing and seeing of a thing Yes that is true this God also knew very well and therefore he must be tempted For the Centre of the minde is free and it generateth the will from hearing and seeing out of which the imagination and lust doth arise 11. Seeing Adam was created an image and whole similitude of God and had all three Principles in him like God himselfe therefore also his minde and imagination should meerly have looked into the heart of God and should have set his lust and desire or will thereon and as he was a Lord over all and that his minde was a threefold Spirit in three
Gate of affliction and of misery 31. Thus the noble life in the Tincture standeth in great danger and hath hourely to expect the corruption or destruction breaking or dissolution for as soone as the bloud wherein the Spirit liveth floweth out or passeth away the Essence breaketh or dissolveth and the Tincture flieth away like a glance or shadow and then the source or springing up of the fire is out and the body becometh stiffe 32. But alas the life hath many greater and more powerfull enemies especially the foure Elements and the Constellations or starres as soone as any one Element becometh too strong the Tincture flieth from it and then the life hath its end If it be overwhelmed with water it groweth cold and the fire goeth out then the flash flieth away like a glance or shadow if it be overwhelmed with earth viz. with impure matter then the flash groweth darke and flieth away if it be overwhelmed with aire that it be stopt then the Tincture is stifled and the springing Essences and the flash breaketh into a glance and goeth into its Ether But if it be overwhelmed with fire or heate the flash is enflamed and burneth up the Tincture from whence the bloud becometh darke and swearthy or black and the flash goeth out in the meeknesse 33. O how many Enemies hath the life among the Constellations or Starres which qualifie or mingle their influence with the Tincture and Elements when the Planets and the Starres have their conjunctions and where they cast their poysonous rags into the Tincture there ariseth in the life of the meeke Tincture stinging tearing and torturing For the sweet or pleasant Tincture being a sweet and pleasing refreshment cannot endure any impure thing And therefore when such poysonous rags are darted into it then it resisteth and continually cleanseth it selfe but as soone as it is overwhelmed that it be darkned then the flash goeth out the life breaketh and the body falleth away and becometh a Cadaver Carkasse or dead corps for the spirit is the life 34. This I have here shewen very briefly and summarily and not according to all the Circumstances that it might thereby be somewhat understood by the way what the life is in its due place all shall be expounded at large for herein is very much contained and there might be great Volumes written of it but I have set downe onely this that the overcoming and the sleepe might be apprehended The Gate or Exposition of the heavenly Tincture how it was in Adam before the Fall and how it shall be in us after this Life 35. Great and mighty are these Secrets and he that seeketh and findeth them hath surpassing joy therein for they are the true heavenly bread for the soule If we consider and receive the knowledge of the heavenly Tincture then there riseth up the knowledge of the divine kingdome of joy so that wee wish to be loosed from the vanity and to live in this Birth which yet cannot be but wee must finish our dayes-work 36. Reason saith Alas If Adam had not lusted he had not fallen asleepe If I had been as he I would have stood firme and have continued in Paradise Yes beloved Reason you have hit the matter well in thinking so well of thy selfe I will shew thee thy strength and the Gate and doe but thou consider how firme thou shouldst stand if thou didst stand as Adam did before the Tempting Tree 37. Behold I give you a true similitude Suppose that thou wert a young man or young maid or virgin as Adam was both of them in one onely person how doest thou thinke thou shouldst stand Suppose thus set a young man of good complexion beautifull and vertuous and also a faire chaste modest virgin or young maid curiously featured and put them together and let them not onely come to speake together and converse lovingly one with another but so that they may also embrace one another and command them not to fall in love t gether not so much as in the least thought also not to have any inclination to it much lesse any infection in the will and let these two be thus together forty dayes and forty nights and converse with one another in meere ioy and command them further that they keepe their will and minde stedfast and never m Or purpose in thought conceive one thought to desire one another and not to infect themselves with any essence or property at all but that their will and inclination be most stedfast and firme to the command and that the young man shall will and purpose never to copulate with this nor no other maid or virgin and in like manner the maid or virgin be enjoyned to the same Now thou Reason full of misery defects and infirmities how doe you thinke you should possibly stand here would you not promise faire with Adam but you would not be able to performe it 38. Thus my beloved Reason I have set a Glosse before you and thus it was with Adam God had created his worke wisely and good and extracted the one out of the other The first ground was himselfe out of which he created the world and out of the world he created Man to whom he gave his Spirit and intimated to him that without wavering or any other desire he should live in him most perfectly 39. But now man had also the spirit of this world for he was come out of this world and lived in the world And Adam understand the Spirit which was breathed into him from God was the chaste virgin and the Spirit which he had inherited out of Nature from the world was the young man These were now both together and rested in one arme 40. Now the chaste virgin ought to be bent into the heart of God and to have no imagination to lust after the beauty of the comely young man but yet the young man was kindled with love towards the virgin and he desired to copulate with her for he said thou art my dearest Spouse or bride my Paradise and garland of Roses let me into thy Paradise I will be impregnated in thee that I may get thy essence and enjoy thy pleasant love how willingly would I taste of the friendly sweetnesse of thy vertue or power If I might but receive thy glorious light how full of joy should I be 41. And the chaste virgin said Thou art indeed my bridegroome and my Companion but thou hast not my Ornament my Pearle is more n Costly precious than thou my vertue oâ— power is incorruptible or unfadable and my minde is over constant or stedfast thou hast an unconstant minde and thy vertue is corruptible or brittle dwell in my o As in the outward Court of the Temple Court and I will entertaine thee friendly and doe thee much good I will adore thee with my Ornaments and I will put my Garment on thee but I will not give thee my Pearle for thou art
bringing forth of the pleasant fruit of the Lilly in infinitum or infinitely where then the Essences of the Lilly springing up in wonders in many thousand thousands without number of which you have a similitude in the springing or blossoming earth 89. Beloved Minde behold consider this this now is God and his heavenly Kingdome even the eternall Element and Paradise and it standeth thus in the eternall originall from eternity to eternity Now what joy delight and pleasantnesse is therein I have no Pen that can describe it neither can I expresse it for the earthly tongue is too much insufficient to doe it all that men can say of it is like drosse compared with Gold and much more inferiour yea although the virgin n Discovereth it in the minde bâ—ingeth it into the minde yet all is too dark and too cold in the whole man so that he cannot expresse so much as one spark or glimps thereof sufficiently wee will deferre it till wee come into the bosome of the virgin wee have here onely given a short hint of it that the Author of this Book may be understood for wee are but a very little drop out of the fountaine of the wisdome of God and wee speake as a little sparkle or glimps but high enough for our earthly understanding and o Or in respect for our weake knowledge here upon earth for in this life we have no need of any higher knowledge of the eternall substance being or essence if wee doe but barely and nakedly speake of what hath been from eternity it is enough CHAP. XV. Of the a Or understanding knowledge of the Eternity in the corruptibility of the Essence of all Essences 1. NOw if wee consider of the Eternall will of God and of the b Beeing of all beeings or substance of all substances Essence of all Essences then wee finde in the Originalnesse but one onely beeing substance or Essence as is mentioned above out of this onely Essence is generated from Eternity the other beeing substance or Essence viz. the divine Essence and wee finde that both the beeings substances or Essences stand in Divine Omnipotence but not in one c Or working property source neither doe they mix together nor can either of them both be destroyed dissolved corrupted or broken 2. But yet they have two sorts of inclinations or desires each in it selfe for its own Yet because the divine beeing or Essence from Eternity is generated out of it selfe therefore it is inclined to helpe the weake and is rightly called Barmhertzigkeit Mercifulnesse 3. And now seeing the virgin of the eternall wisdome hath d Or Shone discovered her selfe in the Eternall Originall and in the eternall minde in the sharpe Essence of the breaking of the darknesse in the fire-flash hath found the depth of the e Eben-Bildes very Image of God and that the similitude of God is there in the Eternall Originall therefore shee hath longed after the similitude and that longing makes the attracting in the will and the will stood f Or presented before right against the similitude and the Fiat in the attracting of the willing created the will in the similitude out of which came the Angels altogether But now the Eternall Essences were in the similitude and the wisdome discovered or manifested her selfe in the Essences in many thousand thousands that the eternall wonders might be revealed or made manifest and thereupon there went forth according to every essence as out of a fountaine many thousand thousands 4. And from thence came the Names of the Thrones and Principalities as according to the Essences of the first and great g Or fountain source which in the discovering of the Eternall wisdome of God goeth forth againe into many thousand thousands yet there is a certaine number of them and in the Centre of God none or no number but infinitenesse and thus out of the fountaine of every Essence are gone forth first the h Or Throne-Angels Thrones and in the Throne many thousand thousands 5. These the Fiat created to a similitude and Image of God and overshaddowed the same in the Fiat with the overflowing vertue of God and the will of God i Or presented it selfe before set it selfe right against the Image and similitude and they now which received the will they became Angels for they set their imagination in the will in the heart of God and they did eate of the Verbum Domini of the Word of the Lord but they that set their Imagination in the darke minde as Lucifer did that he might flie out above the Deity and meeknesse in the might of the fire in the flash in the sharpe might of God and be Lord alone they became Devils and they have that name from their being thrust or driven out of the light for they were in the light when the Fiat created them for the Fiat which created them stood in the light 6. Thus the Devill is the fault and guilty of his own fall for he suffered himselfe to be moved by the Matrix of the k Or Grimnesse sternnesse fiercenesse sourenesse or wrath whereas he yet had his own will to take hold of Light or Darknesse And Lucifer was a Throne that is a l A fountaine with a great many veines or as a stock with many branches source or fountaine of a great essence from whence went forth all his servants or Ministers and they did like him and so they were thrust back into the darknesse for the light of God goeth not into the grimnesse wrath or fiercenesse 7. And there the Fiat which created the fierce wrathfull or grim Devils in hope that they would of Devills become Angels who set their imagination therein that thereby they might domineere over God and the Kingdome of Heaven was infected in the figuring of the similitudes and so instantly kindled the Element in the similitude viz. in the out-Birth or procreation in the speculating or beholding so that the Essence hath generated to the highest Essences from whence goe forth the foure Elements of this world of the third Principle and the sharp Fiat of God which stood in the Out-Birth or procreation hath created the out-Birth out of which the earth and stones are proceeded 8. For when the Fiat kindled the Element in the Out-birth then the kindled Materia or matter became palpable or comprehensible this was not now fit for Paradise but it was ex-created or made externall yet that the Element with its out-Birth might no more generate thus therefore God created the Heaven out of the m The one pure Element Element and caused or suffered out of the Element which is the heavenly Limbus the third Principle to spring up where the Spirit of God againe discovered or revealed it selfe in the virgin viz. in the Eternall Wisdome and found out in the out-Birth n the corruptible substance the similitude againe and the discovering stood in
assisteth the soule and if it getteth no victory in him then thy hypocrisie shall not help it Thou takest money and sayest Masse for every one whether they be in Heaven or in Hell thou doest not inquire after that and besides thou art altogether uncertain of it but onely thou mayst be sure that thou appearest before God to be a perpetuall lyar 57. But that they have hitherto ascribed such acute knowledge to the soule after the departure of the body that thing is very various according as the soule is variously armed If it here in this body entred into the new Birth and if it selfe were entred with its Noble Champion Jesus Christ through the Gates of the Deepe to God so that it hath received the Crowne of the high wisdome from the Noble Virgin then indeed it hath great wisdome and knowledge even above the Heavens for it is in the bosom of the virgin through whom the Eternall Wonders of God are opened this soule hath also great joy and clarity brightnesse or lustre above the Heavens of the Elements for the Glance of the Holy Trinity shineth from it and clarifieth brightneth or glorifieth it 58. But that they should ascribe great knowledge to a soule which scarce at the end with great danger is loosed from the Band of the Devill and which in this world did not so much as once care for the wisdome of God but looked after its pleasure onely and which hath not in this world been once crowned with the Holy Ghost that is not so doth not Christ himselfe say The children of this world are wiser in their Generation than the chi dren of Light 59. If the soule be freed from the Bands of the Devill then it liveth in meeknesse and in great humility in the stillnesse of the o Eternall Element or mercy of God Element without the springing up of any works it doth no Miracles or sheweth no works of wonder but humbleth it selfe before God Yet it is possible for the highly-worthy Champion-like soules to doe Wonders for they have great knowledge and power or vertue though they all appeare in humble Love before the Countenance of God and there is no grudging among them The true Doore of the Entrance into Heaven or into Hell 60. Reason alwayes seeketh for Paradise out of which it is gone forth and it sayth Where is the place whither the soules goe to rest in Whither flieth it when it departeth from the body Doth it goe farre or doth it stay here 61. Although wee may be hard to be understood in our high knowledge because a soule that desireth to p Or understand it see it must enter into the New Birth or else it standeth behinde the vayle of Moses and asketh continually Where is the place therefore wee will set it downe for the sake of the Lilly-Rose wheâ—e then the Holy Ghost will open many Doores in the Wonders which men now hold for Impossible q To be opened and in the world none is r Or at home therein but they are Å¿ Or at Babell in Babell 62. Therefore now if wee will speake of our Native Countrey out of which wee are wandred with Adam and will tell of the Resting-place of the soules wee need not to t Or to thinke of some farre distant place cast our mindes a farre off for farre off and neere is all one and the same thing with God the place of the Holy Trinity is u Or Every where all over Heaven and Hell is every where all over in this world and the Man Christ dwelleth all over for he hath laid off the corruptibility and hath swallowed up Death as also that which is fragile or temporall and he liveth in God his body is the substance of the Element which out of the word of the Mercifulnesse is from Eternity generated out of the Gates of the Deep it is the x Or refreshment Habitation where the sharpnesse of God breaketh open the Darknesse where the Eternall vertue or power appeareth in wonders and it is the Tincture of the Deity which is before God out of which the heavenly vertues are generated its Name is wonderfull the Earthly Tongue cannot expresse 63. And Adams body was also created out of it and the whole world was made through the Element out of its issuing forth Now therefore this Gate is every where all over that which is most inward is also the most outward but the middlemost is the Kingdome of God the outward world hangeth to the outermost and yet is not the outermost but the ground of Hell is the outermost and none of them all comprehendeth the other and yet they are in one another and the one is not seene in the other but the y Or property is felt source which is broke forth 64. Wee finde indeede the vertue of the Kingdome of Heaven in all things and also wee finde the vertue or effect of the Kingdome of Hell in all things and yet the thing is not hurt or disturbed by either of them but what is not generated out z Or the one Eternall of one of them alone 65. The soule of Man is generated out of the Gates of the breaking through out of the outward into the inward and is gone forth out of the inward in a The Spirit of this world the out-Birth of the inward into the outward and that soule must enter againe into the inward if it remaine in the outward it is in Hell in the deep great widenesse vacuum or space without end where the source or the rising tormenting quality generateth it selfe according to the inward and in it selfe goeth forth into the outward 66. The source in the breaking forth out of the outward into the inward is the sharpnesse and the Allmightinesse of the Kingdome of the Heavens over the outward the outward is the Eternall Band and the inward is the Eternall vertue and light and cannot perish and thus God is all in all and yet there is nothing that comprehendeth or detaineth him and he is included in nothing 67. Therefore the soule when it departeth from the body needeth not to goe farre for at that place where the body dyeth there is Heaven and Hell and the Man Christ dwelleth every where God and the Devill is there yet each of them in his own Kingdome The Paradise is also there and the soule needeth onely to enter through the deep Doore in the Centre Is the soule Holy then it standeth in the Gate of Heaven and the earthly body hath but kept it out of Heaven and now when the body cometh to be broken then the soule is already in the Heaven it needeth no going out or in Christ hath it in his armes for where the foure Elements breake there the roote of them remaineth which is the holy Element and therein the body of Christ standeth and also the Paradise which standeth in the springing source of Joy and that Element
members and must aime in the feare of God at the getting of children or else the wantonnesse or lust in it selfe without that true love of the state of wedlock is f Or every way continually a Beastiall lust infection and sinne and if you in the state of wedlock seek nothing but the lust and lechery then in such a condition thou art not a jot better than a Beast and doe but consider it rightly that without this thou standest already in a Beastiall Birth or Generation contrary to the first Creation like all Beasts For the holy Man in Adam was not fore-appointed to have propagated so but in great modest Love out of himselfe 56. Therefore O Man looke to it have a care how you use the beastiall lust it is in it selfe an abomination before God whither it be in the state of wedlock or out of it But the right love and fidelitie or faithfulnesse in the feare of God covereth it before the countenance of God and through the Sonne of the Virgin it is Regenerated to be a pure undefiled creature againe in the Faith if thy confidence be in God 57. But for the Whores and Rogues who run a whoring without marrying in lustfull lechery wee have no other Language for them g Then that which is mentioned a little before neither can wee finde any otherwise in the Light of Nature than that it is an abomination or loathing in the anger of God and if earnest Repentance with Mary Magdalen be not there performed in the Regeneration then wee finde nothing else but the anger of God and Hell-fire to be their wages Amen Of the innocent and righteous Abel The Gate of the Christian Church 58. Seeing then that Adam and Eve had yeelded themselves to the Spirit of this world and did live in two Kingdomes viz. in the holy Element before God and also in the Out-Birth viz. the foure Elements which reacheth that which is most outward viz. the Kingdome of the soure fierce grimnesse so there were also two sorts of children generated out of them viz. one a Mocker or scorner and another a plaine honest Man as is sufficiently to be seene by Isaack and Ishmael the sonnes of Abraham also by Jacob and Esau 59. And although the Church in Babell will prattle much here about the Election from the purpose of God and yet hath as little knowledge thereof as the Babylonish Tower whose top should reach to Heaven had of God As if it were not possible that a childe could goe out of the Anger into the Love of God whereas the Love in the breaking of the Anger doth h Or imperfection fully appeare or shine forth and t is for want of repentance that Man suffereth himselfe to be held by the Devill 60. And the hardening is not so wholly in the Birth that the soule from the Mothers womb should be quite dead to God or that God did not desire it The anger is in the flowing working or boyling of the Father and the Father is God indeed and generateth his deare Heart and Love in the breaking of the Gate in the Habitation out of himselfe should he then be at oddes with himselfe because his anger is under the roote of his Love Should he be at Enmity against himselfe his Anger is his Strength and Omnipotence or Allmightinesse and Consuming fire and his heart in the Love is his i Or hum lity meeknesse and so now that which approacheth and entereth into his Anger is captivated in the Anger 61. But it is possible to goe out from the Anger as his deare heart is generated out of the Anger which cooleth pacifieth or stilleth the Anger and is rightly called the Paradise or the Kingdome of Heaven And his Anger is not knowne in the Heaven and so there also his Election goeth alwayes over the children of Love which belong to the Kingdome of Heaven and St Paul speaketh no otherwise of his Election but meaneth it of them that draw neere to him and enter into his Covenant and give up themselves ro him and these the Father draweth with the Holy Ghost through the Death of Christ into the pure Element that is before the Father Isa 44.2 Feare not thou O my servant Jacob and thou k Honest sincere obedient faithfull one upright one whom I have chosen 62. But that God out of his purpose should harden the will of any and make it darke that is not true the Spirit of God is withdrawen from the wicked who onely wrestle for the might or power of the fire for he himselfe goeth out from God and desireth not to enjoy God God withdraweth himselfe from none Man hath a free will he may lay hold on what he will but he is held by two by Heaven and by Hell to which he yeeldeth he is in that 63. Cain was not rejected in the Mothers womb or body though it be plaine that God doth not love such a false or evill seede yet it standeth free it may presse into the Love or into the Anger and l Or both will receive it the one as well as the other wiâ—l receive it as Paul also saith To whom you yeeld your selves servants in obedience his servants you are whom you obey whether it be iâ— the obedience of God to righteousnesse or of sinne unto Death 64. Now God have no malicious soule to be in the Love but in the Anger and he is the m Or knower of the hearts Searcher of the Hearts and knoweth well what is in Man and what he will doe even whâ—le Man is in the seede and will not cast the Pearle before swine and yet the false or evill seede is not come out of his will and purpose else he must also have willed the Devill to be a Devill 65. And know you not that the band of the Eternity standeth free and maketh it selfe but that which inclineth to him is also n Or borne of God generated in God And yet the Love presseth not into the Anger o As the light is generated out of the burning of the fire and is free from the fire but the Love is generated out of the Anger and is wholly free and therefore the Heart of God in the Love is p As the light is another thing than the fire another Person than the Father and the q As the Aire goeth forth from the fire and the light issue or going forth from them is the Holy Ghost who goeth not back againe into the Anger 66. Then wherefore doth not the soule of Man goe also therewith out of the Anger into the Love and so it should be generated to be another creature in the Love Saint Paul saith Whom he hath foreseene those he hath sanctified that they may be like his Image the foreseeing is in his Election he alwayes electeth or chooseth his Sheepe Those who come to him he assureth them the Eternall Life But that he hardeneth those
learne with great earnestnesse to know the true way of Entrance into the Eternall Joy that wee may not with the Devils Dogges howle Eternally in the anguishing Inne 4. And now if wee look round about us every where upon Heaven and Earth the Starres and Elements yet wee can see and know no way or passage where wee may goe to our Rest wee see no other than the way of the entrance in of our Life and then of the end of our Life where our body goeth into the Earth and all our Labour also our Arts and Glory is inherited by another who also vexeth himselfe therewith for a while and then followeth after us and that continueth so from the beginning of the world to its end 5. Wee can in our misery never b Understand or comprehend know where our Spirit doth abide when the body breaketh and cometh to be a Carkasse except wee be againe new-borne out of this world that so wee may dwell in this world as to our body and as to our minde in another eternall perfect new life wherein our spirit and minde putteth on a new Man wherein he must and shall live Eternally and then wee first know what wee are and where our home is 6. Seeing then wee clearly see and understand that wee have our beginning altogether Earthly and are sowen in a field as Graine is sowne in the Earth where our life springeth up groweth and at length flourisheth as Corne or graine doth out of the Earth where wee can know in us nothing but an earthly life yet wee see very well that the c Or Starres Constellations and Elements qualifie or work in us and nourish drive governe and guide us also fill us and bring us up and so preserve our life a while and then breake it againe and turne it to dust and ashes like all Beasts Trees Plants and all things that grow but wee see not how it is with us afterwards whether all be ended with it or whether wee goe with our Spirit and Conversation into another life and therefore it is most necessary to learne and to seeke the right way 7. Now that is testified to us by the Writings of those who have been regenerated out of this d Or transitorinesse Earthlinesse and at length are entred into a holy and uncorruptible life who have written and taught of an Eternall joyfull Life and also of an Eternall perishihg and anguishing Life and have taught us how wee should follow after them and how wee should step into a new Birth where wee should be regenerated out of this Earthlinesse into a new Creature and that wee should doe nothing else about it but follow them and then wee should finde e Or really in deed and in truth what they had spoken written and taught yea even in this life wee should see our true Native Countrey in the new Regeneration and f Uunderstand or apprehend know it in the new-borne Man in great Joy whereas then our whole minde would incline to it and in our new knowledge in the new Man true Faith would grow and the hearty desire of the unfeigned love towards the hidden God for which noble knowledge sake many times g Holy people they have yeelded their earthly body and life to the unregenerated gainsayer according to his Devilish malicious revengefulnesse into Death and have taken it with great Joy and have chosen for themselves the Eternall uncorruptible Life 8. Seeing then there is the greatest and highest Love in the new Birth not onely towards God or ones selfe but also towards Men our brothers and sisters and seeing those that were unregenerated have had their desires and love so carried towards Men that they have very earnestly taught men with meeknesse and reproving and that their love to them in their Teaching hath been so great that they have even willingly yeelded their life up to Death and left their earthly goods and all they had in assured hope in their strong and firme knowledge to receive all againe in great honour and glory 9. And therefore wee also have longed to seeke after that Pearle of which wee write at present and though now the unregenerated in the Kingdome of this world will give no credit to us as it hath happened to our forefathers from the children of this world wee cannot help that but it shall stand for a witnesse against them which shall be a woe to them Eternally that they have so foolishly ventured and lost so great an Eternall Glory and holinesse for a little pleasure of the eye and lust of the flesh 10. And wee know in our deep knowledge that h The holy forefathers they have rightly taught and written that there is one onely God which is threefold in Personall Distinction as is before-mentioned And wee also know that he is the Creatour of all things that he hath generated all out of his own i Essence or Beeing substance both light darknesse as also the Thrones and k Or Regiments Dominions of all things Especially wee know as the holy Scripture witnesseth throughout tnat he hath created Man to his own Image and similitude that he should Eternally be and live in the Kingdome of Heaven in him 11. And then wee know also that this world wherein wee now are and live was generated out of the Eternall Originall in time through the pure Element in the Fiat and so created and so l The world of foure Elements it is not the substance of the holy pure Element but an issue or out-birth out of the Eternall Limbus of God wherein the Eternall Element consisteth which is before the cleere Deity wherin consisteth Paradise the Kingdome of Heaven yet the Limbus together with the pure Element is not the pure Deity which is alone holy in it selfe and hath the vertue of the Eternall Light shining in it but hath no Essences in the light of the Clarity in it for the Essences are generated from the vertue m Or of according to the Light as a Desire and the desire attracteth to it from whence the Essences proceede as also the Eternall Darknesse in the source as is before-mentioned 12. Seeing then God is all in all and hath created Man to his Image and similitude to live with him Eternally in his Love Light Joy and Glory therefore wee cannot say that he was meerly created out of the corruptibility of this world for therein is no Eternall perfect Life but Death and perplexity anguish and necessity but as God dwelleth in himselfe and goeth through all his works incomprehensibly to them and is hindred by nothing so was the similitude before him out of the pure Element it was indeed created in this world yet the Kingdome of this world should not comprehend that Image but the similitude Man should mightily and in perfect power or vertue Rule through the Essences with the Essences out of the pure Element of the
Father is unmeasurable so also is the Life of Christ so for the pure Element in the source of God the Father in his Barmhertzigkeit Mercifulnesse Mercy is the Body of Christ and as our Earthly Body standeth in the foure Elements so the new Man standeth in a pure Element out of which this world with the foure Elements is generated and the source of the pure Element is the source of the Heaven and of Paradise and so also it is the source of our Body in the New Regeneration 11. Now that Element is in the whole Principle of God every where in all places and so is unmeasurable and infiniâ—e and therein is the Body of Christ and his quality and in that is the Trinity of the Deity so that the Father dwelleth in the Sonne viz. in the Body of Jesus Christ and the Sonne in the Father as one onely God and thus the Holy Ghost goeth forth from the Father in the Sonne and is given to us to regenerate us to a new life in God in the life of Jesus Christ and the Earthly Man in his Image and source or quality and property hangeth but to us in this Life time which is well understood if wee be borne of God with our Minde 12. For as God the Father in his own substance comprehendeth all the Three Principles and is himselfe the substance of all substances wherein both joy and sorrow is comprehended and yet goeth forth in it selfe out of the source of the Anguish and maketh the Kingdome of Joy to himselfe unconceivable to the sorrow and incomprehensible to the source of his Anger in the Anguish and Generateth to himselfe his Heart in the Love wherein the Name of God taketh originall So also the Minde hath in it all the Three Principles and therein the soule is comprized viz. in the Band of Life The soule which must enter againe into its selfe and create a will in the Life of Jesus Christ and endeavour after it desiring it with a strong will and purpose and not stay meerly in the History or in the knowledge of it and being able to speake of it and suppose the words and discourse make a sufficient Christian when the Minde is still in meere doubt in Babell no that is not the Regeneration but it must be an Earnest Resolution the Minde must in it selfe goe forth into the humility towards God and enter into the will of God in Righteousnesse Truth and Love 13. And though indeed the Minde is not able to doe this in its own abilitie because it is captivated with the Spirit of this world yet it hath the Purpose in its power and God is presented with and in the Purpose and receiveth it in his Love and soweth therein the seede of Love in his vertue or power out of which the New Man in the Life of Jesus Christ groweth Therefore all lyeth in the true Earnest Purpose which is called True Repentance for the Receiving of the Word of God in the obedience of Love groweth not in the Earthly Life but in the New-borne in the Life of Jesus Christ 14. Therefore the Kingdome of Heaven is a bestowed Bounty of Grace for all those that earnestly desire it not that it is enough to say to ones selfe I have indeed a will to yeeld my selfe earnestly to God but I have need to have this world for a while and afterwards I will enter into the obedience of God and that continueth from one time to another and from one day to another and in the meane while the Or the childe of perdition evill Man groweth if you deferre it to the end and then desire and think to be a Heavenly fruit or Birth when all the Time of your life you have growne in the anger of God in the Abysse of Hell no that is deceit thou deceivest thy selfe 15. The Priests in Babell have after that no Key to open the Kingdome of Heaven for thee thou must enter in thy selfe and be new-borne or else there is no remedy for thee in this world nor in Heaven thou standest heere in this life time in the Ground and art a Plant but when Death cometh and cutteth downe the stock then thou art no more in the growing but art a fruit and then if thou art not foode for God thou doest not belong to his Table and then God will not dwell in thee 16. For wee know that the Deity onely is the vertue to the New Birth which vertue if thou longest for it and desirest it with earnestnesse soweth it selfe in thy minde and in thy soule out of which the New Man in the Life of Christ groweth so that in this world the Earthly Man doth but hang to it Thus the New Man is in God in the Life of Jesus Christ and the Old Man is in this world of which Saint Paul writeth cleerly in his Or Epistle Letter to the Romans that if wee thus live in the New Birth wee live to God but as to the old Adam wee are in this world where then the source of the Eternall Band in the soule is also changed and the soule entreth in it selfe into the Life of Christ into the Holy and Pure Element which in some places of my Second Booke I call the Ternarius Sanctus 17. Not according to the understanding of the Latine Tongue but according to the understanding of the Divine Nature by which words is excellently expressed the Life of Jesus Christ in God the Father as also the Characters or Letters themselves and the Spirit in the syllables doe signifie wherein the Birth unigeniture or Eternall working of the Deity is excellently understood though indeed it is hidden to the Historicall Man of the Or universities Schoole of this world yet it is wholly comprehensible to those that are enlightened from God who then also understand the source or working property of the Spirit in the Letter which is not at this time fit to be set downe here and yet it shall be brought to the understanding 18. And there is nothing more profitable for Man for his beginning to the New Birth than true earnest sincere Repentance with great earnest Purpose and Resolution for he must presse into the Kingdome of Heaven into the Life of Christ where then his Regeneratour is ready deepe in his Minde in the Light of Life and with desiring and earnestness helpeth to wrestle and so soweth himselfe as a Graine of Mustard seede into the soule of Man as a Roote to a New Creature And if the earnestnesse in the soule of a Man be great then the earnestnesse in his Regeneratour is also great 19. And it is not possible to describe the New Birth in Christ fully for he that cometh into it can finde it onely in himselfe by experience there groweth another Bud in his Minde another Man with other knowledge he is taught of God and he seeth that all the labour in the History without the Spirit of God is but a confused
Image of God is Verse 13 Chapter 21. The Image of Heaven Earth and Hell in one Person Verse 21 Innes Chapter 22. How there are two Eternall Innes Verse 3 John Josua Israel Chapter 23. Why John was born before Christ Verse 28 Chapter 20. Josua was a Type of Jesus Verse 27 Chapter 20. Wherefore Israel stayed 40 yeares in the Wildernesse Verse 22 23. Judge Judgement Chapter 27. When the Judge of Quick and Dead cometh Verse 11 Chapter 17. The Devill doth not wholly know his Judgement Verse 100 Chapter 27. A description of the Last Judgement from Verse 1 to the 20 Chapter 27. Why a Judgement is appointed Verse 4 Chapter 27. Judgement ought not to be slightly pronounced Verse 29 Key Chapter 4. Where the Key to Wisdome lyeth Verse 30 Chapter 9. The Key to the knowledge of the Paradise Verse 25 26 Chapter 18. The Keys which open the Rich Chest of Gold Verse 99 King Chapter 15. What strife about thes King of Life in a Childe Verse 41 Kingdome Kingdomes Chapter 16. Gods Kingdome goeth not backwards Verse 27 Chapter 20. Two Kingdoms wrestle in Man Verse 31 Chapter 20. The Kingdome of Christ is not desired by many Verse 31 Chapter 20. How the Kingdome of God may have the Victory Verse 48 Chapter 20. The Kingdom of wrath in Adam Eve was very great after the Fall Verse 69 Chapter 21. Three Kingdomes in Man and he is the field or Ground Verse 22. to the 25 Chapter 25. Wherein the Kingdome of Heaven consisteth Verse 65 Chapter 26. VVhat the Kingdome of Heaven is Verse 10 Keeper Chapter 20. Who is the Keeper of the Tree of Life Verse 41 Chapter 20. How the sword of that Keeper is made blunt Knowledge Verse 42 Chapter 3. It was once not Good for us to have the Knowledge of the fiercenesse but now it is highly necessary Verse 2 Lad. Chapter 18. Antichrists Throne will be destroyed by a Lad. Verse 56 Chapter 18. In Hebron there is a roote to Cure Lazarus Verse 57 Learned Learning Chapter 3. Why the Learned forbid us to pry into God Verse 6 7 Chapter 9. How Learning is to be attained Verse 46 Chapter 26. The Pride of the Learned was the destroyer of the first pure Church Verse 16. to the 34 Life Lives Chapter 14. Where the Life is generated in Man Verse 1 Chapter 19. VVhat the Great Life is Verse 15 Chapter 22. There are two Eternall Lives Verse 7 Light Chapter 8. Of the Light of the First Day Verse 6 Chapter 14. Of the Light which Men see by in Paradise Verse 2 Chapter 14. Between Light and Darknesse there is a Gâ—eat Gulfe Verse 76 Chapter 15. How the Light of Life is kindled in the Incarnation of a childe Verse 49 Chapter 16. Light striveth against Darkness Verse 10 Chapter 16. Of the Light of the 3 Principles Verse 12 Chapter 22. The Light hath no Centre Verse 35 Limbus Chapter 22. What the Divine Limbus is Verse 21 Lilly Chapter 10. The Lilly shall grow in the Devils supposed Kingdome Verse 33 Chapter 11. Of the Lilly which shall shortly grow and bring us the true knowledge in the Trinity Verse 28 Chapter 13. The Branch of the Lilly which the Virgin holdeth in her hand Verse 61 Chapter 14. The smell of the Lilly will spoyle the Cornerd Cap. Verse 39 Chapter 15. The Lilly cometh after the Great Shower Verse 26 Chapter 15. All is open in the Time of the Lilly and then the Tincture is the Light of the world Verse 54 Chapter 17. Wherefore wee have need of the Lilly Verse 36 Chapter 17. How the Beast will be destroyed by the Lilly Verse 37 Chapter 17. In the Time of the Lilly much shall be revealed Verse 100 Chapter 19. In the Lilly-Rose the Doores of the Mysteries shall flie open Verse 61 Chapter 20. The description of the Lilly-time Verse 15 Chapter 20. The Branch of the Lilly shall be planted in the Garden of Roses the sick Adam shall eate of it Verse 38 Chapter 25. A secret concerning the Time of the Lilly Verse 50 Chapter 25. The Jewes Turkes and other Nations have no time to expect but the Time of the Lilly the signe whereof is the signe of Elias Verse 95 Chapter 27. Where the Lilly may be found where not Verse 32 Love Chapter 20. In the Breaking of the Anger the Love appeareth Verse 59 Chapter 20. Love is generated out of the Anger Verse 65 Lucifer Chapter 4. Why Lucifer is so called Verse 67. Chapter 5. Whence Lucifer being spewed out proceeded Verse 7 Chapter 5. Which was the Kingdome of Lucifer before his Fall Verse 17 Chapter 5. How Lucifer was thrust out of Heaven Verse 25. to the 30 Chapter 6. How Lucifers Kingdome was shut up Verse 6 Chapter 8. Of the Fall of Lucifer Verse 3 Chapter 10. Whence the Fall of Lucifer and his Angels proceeded Verse 48 Chapter 10. Lucifer his Legions the father thrust out for the childes sake Verse 49 Chapter 10. Why Gods Love came not to help Lucifer Verse 50 Chapter 11. The Ground of Lucifers and Adams Fall Verse 5 Chapter 14. Lucifer was throwne downe for his pride Verse 9 Chapter 15. Where Lucifer stood before his fall Verse 10 Chapter 25. VVhich was Lucifers Throne and whither he fell Verse 103 Lust Chapter 20. Lust is the first beginning to act Verse 76 Chapter 20. Lust and the Minde are two distinct Things Verse 76 Magistrates Chapter 20. Strife between Magistrates and Subjects Verse 33 to the 35 Chapter 20. Subjects or Inferiours cry against their Magistrates or superiours Verse 38 Man Chapter 3. How Man became naked bare Verse 3 Chapter 4. How the New Man is one with the Father and Sonne Verse 9 Chapter 7. Man is a whole spark but not God himselfe Verse 2 Chapter 10. God Created but one Man onely Verse 12 Chapter 11. Why God created but one onely Man Verse 23 Chapter 13. What the Duty of a Man is towards his wife Verse 20 Chapter 13. How Man is in the Mothers womb Verse 54. to the 60 Chapter 14. Mans Glory above the Beasts Verse 5 6 Chapter 14. What Mans Ability is Verse 7 Chapter 14. How far Man Beast are alike Verse 56 Chapter 14 Why Man is so highly graduated Verse 57 Chapter 15. VVherefore and of what Man was Created Verse 12. to the 14 Chapter 15. How Man lost Paradise Verse 19 Chapter 15. How Man may live in Paradise heere in this life Verse 20 Chapter 15. How Man wilfully lets in the Devill Verse 22 Chapter 15. Why Man must be out of that which is Eternall Verse 63 Chapter 16. The prevention of Mans being a living Devill Verse 26 Chapter 16. H w Man is differenced from the Beasts Verse 28. to the 31 Chapter 16. Whence Man speaketh that which is good Verse 32 Chapter 16. Three Men in Man striving against one another Verse 33 34 Chapter 16. How Man was formed an Angel Verse 35 Chapter 16.