of God thou who movest in and over Heaven and Earth and art NEER unto ALL things pour forth thy self also I pray thee IN me that I may become new born again in thee and Sprout forth in thee and work good Fruits as a Branch on the Vine JESUS CHRIST to thy Eternall Praise and Glory 79. O thou Gate of the Holinesse of God shine I pray thee in thy Temple in my Spirit so that I may walk in thy Light and alwayes praise thee and serve thee in Righteousness and Holinesse as it is pleasing to thee who art ONE Eternall God Father Sonne and Holy Spirit highly praised in Eternity AMEN Now follow the Prayers upon EVERY DAY in the WEEK at Mornings Noones and Evenings shewing how Man should be in Continuall Exercise and Working 80. CHRIST said to his Disciples Watch and Pray that ye fall not into Temptation Math. 26.41 And Saint Peter saith Your Adversary or Accuser the Devill goetâ—â—â—bâ—ut as a Roaring Lyon and seeketh whom he may devoure 〈◊〉 withstand stedfast in the Faith in Prayer and in Hope that your heart may be defended or preserved against such Darts of the Evill one or Wickedness 1 Pet. 5.8 9. A Prayer on MUNDAY A short Prayer and Sigh penetrating to God when a Man waketh Early before he riseth 81. O Living God who hast made Heaven and Earth my Eyes look upon thee and rejoyce at thy Goodnesse that thou art so gracious and hast held thy hand over me in this dark Night and also defended and kept me by thy holy Angels from all hurt and Mischief 82. To thee thou living Source Quality or Fountain I presse and Blesse my self with the Holy Crosse on which thou didst worry Death and brought Life to us again through the Bloud of our Lord JESUS CHRIST in the Name * Of the Cross of of God the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Spirit Amen A Prayer and Thanksgiving when and as Man riseth I Thank thee O God my heavenly Father through JESUS CHRIST thy Dearly beloved Sonne our Lord and Saviour for all Benefits for thy Gracious protection and defence in that thou hast held thy hand over me and preserved me this Night from the Devils Subtlety and Treachery and from all Evill 84. And Commend now my Body and Soul to thee and all that thou hast given me and hast set me therein to be thy Servant or Minister into thy hand Also all my Senses Thoughts and Desires Rule and Govern me I pray thee this Day and all times with thy holy Spirit and lead me in right Paths 85. Giâ—â—â—e thy Word in my heart and teach me thy Truth that I may speak think or doe nothing but that which is right and Truth 86. Defend me from Lying and all evill Wicked Men which walk and converse in Lying and deceit that I may not follow after them but bring forth thy Truth in my heart and walk in right paths 87. Draw thou and put on to my Heart and Soul the Garment of Salvation and the Cloak of Righteousnesse and Purity and wash my heart with the Bloud of the Lamb JESUS CHRIST 88. Let my Eyes behold thy way that I may walk and converse therein Give me thy holy Angell that he may lead and conduct me and protect me from the Devils Suggestions or Representations and false or evill Net that I may not suffer my self to Lust after unrighteousnesse 89. Give me Chast and Modest Eyes that no evill or false Lust awake in me and protect me from Anger and Cursing that I may not misuse thy Name but so walk as is most pleasing and acceptible to thee through JESUS CHRIST thy dearly beloved Sonne our Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer when we dresse our selves and wash O Eternall God by this Garment I call to mind the Garment of Innocency of our first Parents when they needed no such clothing or Garment as this which Earthly Cloathing or Garment took its beginning through Sinne. 91. O Mercifull God thou hast brought us again the fair bright Paradisicall Garment in thy Sonne JESUS CHRIST put it I pray thee on to my Soul seeing the Earthly Body is not worthy of it Till I shall once rise again out of the * Or Ashes Dust of the Earth and then thou wilt totally cloath me upon with the Cloaths or Garment of thy Power and Glory this I believe and hope according to thy Word And as I now wash me with outward Water so O Dear God wash also I pray thee my Heart and Soul with the Bloud of the Lamb JESUS CHRIST that I may be pure and clean before thee and be acceptable to thee as thy Bride and embrace Me in thy Armes as thy dearly beloved Bride whom thou hast Betrothed and Married to thee in the Faith and in the Love 92. O LORD Jesus Christ put on to me I pray thee the Garment of thy Innocency wherein thou in our Garment hast taken upon thee the scorn of ALL Men. 93. Thou hast O Lord JESUS CHRIST laid off from thee our Earthly Cloathes or Garment in thy Suffering and Dying the Souldiers plucked them off from thee and hast offered thy self naked and Bare to thy Eternall Father and hast thereby obtained for us the pure Garment of Innocency which our Father Adam had on him before his fall †Gen. 2.25 when he knew that he was Naked 94. O Dear Lord JESUS Put it on again I pray thee to my poor Soul Thou art indeed therefore come into our Humanity because thou wilt help us and bestow upon us the Garment of thy Power receive I pray thee my Mind into thy Garment that the same may in that Garment enter before God thy Father and pray unto him 95. O Lord JESUS CHRIST I cannot without the Garment of thy Power and Satisfaction come before God My Prayer can not otherwise â—â—tain â—o reach the City or Place of the Deity unlesse thou â—â—â—â—st my Mind and Desire upon with the Victory of thy resuâ—â—â—ction Wherein alone with my Mind I can come to thy â—â—â—â—â—nly Father 96. Therefore now thus I give thee my Mind and Will totally for thy own propriety Cloath thou it Lord JESU with thy Power even as I at present cloath the Body with Earthly Garments and wash thou away all impurity from my Mind 97. As I now wash my Face with Water so wash thou also my Mind inwardly with the Power of thy Grace so that it may be ready and chearfull to behold thee and have a Loathing against all Falshood or Wickednesse and Impurity of Lying Untruth Pride Covetousnesse Envy and Anger and all whatsoever is against God 98. As I now wash with outward Water so O Dear GOD wash thou my Heart and Soul I pray thee also with the Bloud of the Lamb JESUS CHRIST that I may be pure before thee and be acceptible to thee as thy Bride embrace me in thy Armes as thy Beloved Bride which thou in Faith
World 173. Thou hast set him for a Regent or Governour over thy Works of Wonder and given him no Commandement nor Law but this that he should not bring himself into own Lust and Willing but should only Work and Will in thy Will given to HIM in thy Power and not bring himself into own receptibility to Prove Trie or Experiment Good and Evill that the fierce Wrath of the Fire and the Might or Power of the Darknesse might not awake in him and destroy the Noble Image and change it into the Sharpnesse of the Earth but should only Will and work in thy Will given to him in thy Power 174. But seeing our first Parents through Satans in Speaking of Lies have turned away from thy Willing and brought themselves into own willing and against thy Commandement proved Good and Evill and suffered themselves to Lust after the perceptibility and own receptibility Whereby the Anger and fierce Wrath awaked in them and destroyed the heavenly Image and turned it into an Earthly Image like the Beasts 175. Therefore hast thou O HOLY GOD given us thy Commandement and Law and set before us therein the heavenly divine form of full Obedience signifying what we have been and what we are in the Apostacie become And requirest of us that we in our Will should out of all Powers or Faculties and Senses or Thoughts only cleave to thee and work with thee alone 176. Yea thou requirest of us the Noble †Talent Pledge viz the Soul which thou hast in-breathed out of the inward Power of thy Name and Will and willest that the Soul which is flowed forth from thy Power may alone continue in thy Name and Power and Co-work with thee and it self use no other strange Name Will nor Lust but only and solely of that out of which it is flowed forth 177. That it Totally cleave to its Center and bring its desire only and solely into thy Love and with thy Love with thee rule over all thy Works and it self receive no own rule or dominion without thy Love and Co-working that it be thy Instrument wherewith thou governest all Matters Things or Substances of this World 178. It should introduce its Trust into no other Power nor Might also make Nothing its own peculiar also Image or form it self with Nothing For it is a Ray or Beam of the Almighty and should rule perfectly over all things as God himself and yet not in own self receptibility of its own Will but in and with God and use the body for its Instrument which should be a Manager of thy Creatures Thou hast given all to him for a Sport or Scene and Joy and subjected it under him 179. All this O Great God! thou settest before us in thy Commandements and requirest of us according to thy strong severe Righteousness and Eternall Truth upon pain of Eternall punishment that whosoever keepeth not all thy Commandements and Laws and continueth in thy Ordinance he shall be Cursed and be Seperated from thy Countenance and not see thy Glory Eternally nor come to thy Rest 180. O Great holy God! thou who art a Consuming Fire what shall I poor miserable Man who am full of disobedience of own Will and Lust and have no right Love or inclination towards thee say before thee What shall I answer thee when thou settest me before thy Judgement and tryest my Heart and Soul 181. O Dear God! I can doe nothing I stick in the slime or mire of vanity even unto the inwardness of my Soul thy Anger is burning in me In me live all Evill Beasts with their Lusts 182. O LORD my Lust in Soul and Body hath Imaged it self into * All Evill Beasts or Vices them and I am before thee a Worm and No Man also I cannot with this Imaging come before thy Countenance much lesse to thy holy Name viz to the Center of my Soul out of which it is sprung forth 183. I am ashamed in this Vizard before thy Countenance and have no Righteousness in Me towards thee I am become unfaithfull to thee and have broken my self off from thy Will and brought my self into own self Will. 184. And stand now before thy Countenance as the Lost Prodigall Sonne who is become a keeper of Swine and have lost the fair Garment of thy Power and every moment Eat with the Devils Swine the husks of vanity and am not worthy to be called thy Image and Similitude For I cannot be obedient to thee out of my own self powers or faculties I am in my self without thy Grace only a Source or Quality of thy fierce Wrath and Anger 185. But yet I rejoyce at thy great Mercifulness which thou out of thy Holy Name out of which my Soul is flowed forth hast turned to us again Yea thou hast opened the Gates of thy Eternall Vnity and poâ—red it into my Soul which destroyeth thy Wrath and breaketh the Monster to pieces 186. Yea thou hast with this pouring-in of thy most Inward Holiness and Sweetness impressed and imprinted the Name JESUS in my Soul which hath assumed or received my Soul and Humanity and is become obedient to THEE in my stead and hath fulfilled or satisfied thy Commandements and strong severe Law with perfect Love and Obedience 187. Therefore I come now with Thanksgiving to thee O Holy God and pray thee to make this thy bestowed Love of thy in-shed or poured Grace in me Great that I may now in this New Grace-Love be obedient to thee and fulfill thy Commandements and Law with the Obedience of JESUS CHRIST with his Love My Lord JESUS hath implanted me again into thy Name out of which my Father Adam had rooted me up 188. Therefore I now come in and with him to THEE and Comfort my self that I in him in his in-dwelling and in-ruling Grace and Love am and live in thy Obedience and that I in him can rule over Sinne Death the Devill the World and all Creatures and am become again thy right expresse Image and proper peculiar Portion in him my Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST 189. O DEAR GOD rule thou now through this in-poured Love of thy Grace in MEE and doe with and in me how thou wilt Only mortifie daily my evill Creatures in my Flesh and bind or unite thy self eternally with my Soul and Mind as thou hast done in the Humanity of JESUS CHRIST 190. I will readily leave my Evill Beast in the Flesh to the Earth till thy bringing again and Restitution Only cloath my Soul and Mind and bring the same into thy Obedience that it may seek and honour no other Name but only the Holy Name JESUS which in me fulfilleth thy Commandements AMEN The * Note this is according to Luthers Catechisme the 2. otherwise the 3. Commandement Second Commandement Thou shalt not misuse the Name of the Lord thy God for the Lord will not leave him unpunished that misuseth his Name 191. O Dear GOD This Commandement doth
SEVERAL Treatises OF Jacob Behme Not printed in English before according to the CATALOGUE here following viz. I. A Book of the Great Six Points As also A Small Book of other Six Points II. The 177 Theosophick Questions The First Thirteen Answered III. Of the Earthly and of the Heavenly Mystery IV. The Holy-Week or a Prayer-Book V. Of Divine Vision To which are annexed the EXPOSITION Of the TABLE of the Three Principles Also an EPISTLE Of the Knowledge of God and of All Things And of the True and False Light With a Table of the Revelation of the Divine secret Mystery Englished by JOHN SPARROW LONDON Printed for L. Lloyd at the Castle in Corn-hill 1661. THE PREFACE To the ENGLISH READER SEveral of the Writings of this Author Jacob Behme have been published in his native Tongue the German and were so loved and desired at the first notice of them about the year 1612. by some noble vertuous and learned Persons who procured Transcripts out of the Library at Gerlity where the Primate Gregory Rickter had commanded it to be kept that it should no more come to the Authors hands again that beyond his expectation they wrote to him to know whether he were the Author of them and upon his Answer in return they ceased not to solicite him to further writing according to his high knowledge in the deepest Mysteries which he performed from the year 1619. to 1624. in which year he departed this mortal life For it appears by the History of his life and in the Catalogue printed at the end of his Book in Answer to the forty Questions of the Soul that he wrote to the number of Thirty One several Treaties whereof some have been studyed by persons of Learning some Ministers as well as others in Muscovia Sweden Poland Denmark the Netherlands Germany France Spain Italy even in the City of Rome and â—â—ry many in England with good satisfactioâ— to their thirsty Souls concerning true Religion and the way to salvation and Twenty One of them have been formerly printed in the English tongue To some yet there remaineth still the complaint that they are hard to be understood though those that have diligently perused his Books have attained very satisfactory resoâ—â—tions to their destres in most deep and difficult Divine and Natural Mysteries and they that account them most obscure are such as cast their eyes only superficially here and there upon some part of them but those that have gotten a Tast and relish of his illuminated spirit of Understanding appearing in his writings are very eager after any thing of his that remains yet unpublished for whose satisfaction therefore here in this present Volum are Five more peeces of his besides Three other that were printed formerly but not from so exact Copies as now and besides a Table belonging to the Epistle concerning the true and false Light not printed before They are all of very high worth The This is the Siâ—th Book â—n the Catalogue of his writings FIRST is called An Exposition of the Great Six Points containing the knowledge of the Greatest Mysteries in Eternity and how they may be apprehended in the things of this outward visible world more deeply and yet more particularly then in his other writings Especially how Darkness in the eternal Original doth co-work to the Manifestation of the Eternal Light and Glory in Heaven and yet in Hell is the eternal Torment and consuming Fire of the wrath of God where the Devil and his Angels Rev. 20.10 together with the Beast and false Prophet and all the wicked shall be tormented for ever and ever Also how we may in this life while we live in flesh and blood depâ—rt from the Tree of Darkness into the Tree of Light but after this life how there is no possibility to change our capacity we leave this outward world in And this so convincingly that any that is desirous may know how to enter infallibly into the exercise and participation of the Tree of Eternal Life in which consideration we may see how this whole world is a Looking-Glass of the Two eternal beginningless worlds both the Light and the Dark world in one another as One The Four Elements being Fire Air Water and Earth In Heaven these are substantially Love Humility Patience and Meekness and in Hell they are also substantially Wrath Pride Envy and Covetousness and so all things else that are contained in the Four Elements and dwell or grow therein are also according to the manner of Eternity in the Two Eternal Worlds The other is a Small Book of Six Points also wherein are matters of highest depth and of the greatest Concernment to mankind to be known fundamentally as he hath written of them For First As the outward man is constituted of Blood and Water by which his outward life is fed and preserved so the Soul hath in the outward Blood and Water an Eternal which belongeth to the eternal life and therefore was the Blood and Water which flowed out of the Side of our blessed Lord and Saviour when he was pierced with a Spear as he hung upon the Cross so effectual to the healing of the Breach made in Adams Side in his stâ—ep when it was become not good for Man to be alone and all the frailty of Mortal Man afterwards which will also bring forth his Resurrection at the Last Day Secondly It Treats succinctly and summarily concerning Election and Predestination of Good and of Evil wherein is shewn how by the eternal power of God that is through Christ in us we may in this life come out from evil with our Souls into the eternal Election of Grace and Predestination to life which is the Love and Mercy of God or else by rejecting and forsaking the Drawing of that Power within us cast our selves into the Eternal Predestination of Condemnation and Perdition into the darkness and Death which is the wrath and Anger of God Thirdly It intimates how Sin is Sin by shewing how it is the life in the manifestation of the Power of the dark world contrary to the constitution and creation of the Creature which was created in and for the Light by the exorbitant rising up of Self-Nature the Fire to be predominant over divine Nature the Light in the Self of the Creature Fourthly How Christ will at the Last Day deliver up the Kâ—â—â—dom to the Father when he hath put all dominion under the Foot stool of Christ then shall Christ deliver up his kingdoâ—â— who is now Lord of All to the Father and God shall be All in All outwardly and visibly as he is now but inwardly hiddenly and invisibly to us in this Coâ—ruptible world Fiftly What the eternal Magia or Desire is which maketh frameth and imageth both in the dark world and in the light world according to the Quality of Each for as the Thoughts are framed in the Mind so is every thing figured in its own substance in its own world Therefore our
Image viz the Tree of the Divine Sprout or Vegetation which becometh Generated out of the Soules-Fire and groweth forth through the fierce wrathfull Death into the Liberty viz into the Light-world holdeth in it the Light-world 42. And the Body which in the Beginning was created out of the Mixed Substance which came to be in the Creation out of the Light-Dark-and Fire-world * Or containeth Holdeth in it the outward World viz the Mixed Principle 43. The right Soul is the Spirit of these Three Worlds as Gods Spirit is the Spirit of these Three Worlds in the Dark-world it is fierce wrathfull stern and an Earnest Severe Source or property and is called Gods Anger 44. In the Light-world it is lovely meek and richly Joyous it is the Spirit out of Gods Heart viz the Holy Spirit 45. And in the outward World it is the Spirit of the Aire as also of the Fire and of the Water it letteth it self be used as Man will all to or for the Great Wonders 46. Thus is man as to the Person the Great Mysterie of the Three Worlds into which he entereth in that he worketh fruit and the same is Lord in Him and the same World becometh Manifest in him 47. The other Two continue hidden as the Fire lyeth hidden in the Wood so the Light or the Light world continueth hidden in the fierce wrathfull Dark world as also in the Malignity viz in the Seeking Malady of the Inward World in the Outward 48. But if the Light-world in Man may not be manifested so that it become Lord then the Soul continueth in the breaking or Corruption of outward World meerly in the Dark-world for there it can no more be that the Light-world should be kindled there is no Looking-Glasse more to or for the Light therein that could stand presented to the Soul 49. †NOTE The Heart of God is not manifested therein also Eternally cannot be for the Dark-world must be else the Light would not be manifested but here in this * Or Time World it may be 50. If a Soul as it were be plunged or drowned in the deepest Abysse and sticketh in the fierce Wrath of God yet there standeth presented to it in the outward Light of the Sun the Lights Looking Glasse wherein the divine Power manifesteth it self as also the Looking-Glasse of the becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ which in the inward Dark-world is not known in Eternity 51. Our totall teaching or Doctrine is how man should kindle the Light-world in him When this becometh kindled so that Gods Light Shineth in the Soul-Spirit then the whole Body hath Light as Christ saith * Matth. 6.22 Luke 11.34 If the Eye be Light then is the whole Body Light He understandeth the Souls Eye 52. If the fierce wrath of the Dark-world be kindled then is the Body and Soul dark and hath only a Glimpse or Glance from the Sun 53. If the divine Light be kindled then it burneth in Love and Meeknesse 54. If the fierce wrath of the Dark-world be kindled then it burneth in Stinging Biting Envy and hatred in fierce wrathfull Anger and flyeth out in the outward Looking-Glasse of the Sun 's Light into Pride and State and will alwayes goe above the Source or Quality of Love and there followeth Scorn and despising of the Meekness also of all whatsoever is Lovely 55. †Note Here should Man prove himself and trie what World is Lord in him If he findeth that Anger fierce Wrath Envy Falshood Lying and Deceit is his desire and also Pride State Covetousness and continuall greedinesse of Honour and outward Pleasure and Voluptuousness so that it is only a constant seeking after Wantonnesse and Unchastity then may he very easily make Register Accompt and Inventary and certainly know that he with the Anger fierce Wrath Envy Lying and Deceit burneth in the Dark viz in the Dark-worlds Fire 56. For that very Fire giveth such Essence desire and willing and the other desire viz outward Pleasure and Voluptuousness Pride State seeking of Honour Covetousness and Continuall Wantonness beastiall Desire and Unchastity is the Fruit which groweth out of the Dark-world into the outward World As the Love groweth out of the Death that is where the Will-Spirit giveth it self up into Gods Fire and sinketh as it were down into Death but springeth forth into Gods Kingdome with a friendly desire alwayes to do well 57. So hath the Will of Malice Malignity or Wickednesse given it self up into Perdition viz into the fierce wrathfull Strong or Stern Eternall Death but springeth forth in this perished or corrupt World into the outward Nature with its Twigs or Branches and beareth such Fruit by which every one should learn to know himself 58. He need only to search after his own property to what his Will constantly driveth in that Kingdome he standeth and is not a Man as he holdeth and giveth forth himself to be but a Creature of the Dark-world viz a Covetous Dog a proud stately Bird an unchast Beast a â—â—erce wrathfull Serpent an Envious Toad full of Poyson and venome all these properties flow up in him and are his Wood or Fewell out of which his Fire burneth 59. And now when his outward Wood or Fewell viz the Substance of the four Elements is left in its dying Then the inward poysonous evill source or quality alone continueth 60. And what kind of Figure now should stand in such a property No other then such as hath been the strongest amongst these properties that becometh figured from the Hellish Fiat in its Form viz a poysonous Serpent Dog or the like or some other Beast Into which property soever the Will-Spirit hath given up it self that very property is hereafter the Souls Image and this is as to one part 61. * Note Further Man should prove or trie himself in his desire for every Man hath these Evill Properties in him whether he find a constant desire in him to mortifie this Poyson and Malignity Whether he be Enemy to this or whether he have his joy in this continually to bring this false Poyson into work viz in Pride or State Covetousness Envy and Unchastity in Lying and Deceit 62. Now if he findeth in himself that he hath his Joy therein and would fain continually bring it to Effect Then he is no Man as he accounteth himself to be but the Devill in a strange Form deceiveth him so that he supposeth he is a Man but he beareth not Gods but the Serpents Image and is only in the outward Kingdome a Similitude of a Mans Image so long as he continueth in this Property that this property is Supreme Lord. 63. But when he findeth the strife in himself so that his most inward Will continually yea hourly striveth against these Evill Properties dampeth them and letteth them not come to †Substance so that he would continually doe well but findeth that these Evill properties hinder him that he cannot at
or Beggeth Grace and Pardon of him and often times in heart thinketh much otherwise NO but it is a going forth out of our selves that a Man out of all his powers with all whatsoever he is and whatsoever he possesseth give himself up to God 13. Yea with right true Prayer he giveth himself up to God for a Propriety He cometh with the Lost †Luke 15.12 Prodigall Sonne again to the Father into his first Native Country and Inheritance out of which our first Father Adam hath brought him 14. He hath no Naturall right more to the heavenly Goods he hath with Adams going forth lost them all and with the Devils Whoredome consumed them in Vanity Whereupon now he must in great Humility and Faith in true Hope of the promised Grace in his Sonne Jesus Christ come with the Lost Sonne to God and account himself unworthy of all Heavenly Goods by a Naturall right and fall down before God his Eternall Father and pray to him for the promised Mercy in his Sonne Jesus Christ that he will yet receive him again as a hired Day-man and Labourer into his Vine-yard and will yet again give him heavenly Meat and Drink for his Fainting Hungry and Thirsty Soul that he might no more need with the Devils Swine to Eat the Husks of Vanity Lying and Falshood and so perish in unbelief without heavenly Power and Vertue 15. He must set open the Mouth of his hungry and thirsty Soul in his Prayer wide towards the Grace and Mercy of God with hearty sighing and turning into the Grace and totally and altogether give up himself to the Grace of God And then he will instantly hear in his Soul that God will come to meet him with his Grace and give the Grace which he offereth in Jesus Christ into his Soul So that the poor hungry Soul will powerfully and substantially receive in it self whatsoever it desireth and prayeth for from God viz the Flesh and Bloud of Jesus Christ Which is offered or presented to All hungry repenting Soules out of Grace 16. He will rightly find in himself how the Old Father of the Lost Prodigall Sonne cometh to meet the poor Converted Repenting Soul and with his Love falleth about its Neck of its Essence of the Life and embraceth and kisseth it with his Love and taketh it into his Armes and in power saith to it This is my beloved Sonne This is my beloved Soul * Luke 15.24 31. which I had Lost it was dead and is become living again Now slay the Lamb Jesus Christ It shall sit with me in my Power at my Table and Eat with me at my Supper or Meale prepared for me of the true food of my Sonne Jesus Christ and shall Eternally rejoyce it self with me 17. And there will the Seal Ring viz the dear and pretious Testament of the Covenant of God in the Bloud of Jesus Christ be put on to the Soul and will through the Covenant and Sealing be received again for a Childe of God 18. Therefore I say to the Christian Reader that praying is not only a Mouth-work or Lip-labour as a Man cometh before a Lord and beggeth some temporall thing of him or for the forgivenesse of his Guilt God biddeth us to pray not for outward imputed Grace only but for the filiall child-like operative Grace where the Holy Spirit in the Merits of Christ prayeth and beggeth in our selves whereby it maketh the Grace in us powerfull and in such working also overthroweth the Sinne in us and drowneth it in Christs death destroyeth Hell and bringeth forth the Gates of Eternall Life viz the Satisfaction of Christ or his payment of our Debt in us quite through Gods Anger and taketh away the Devils might in us and putteth Christ on to us so that we in the Spirit and Merit of Christ †Rom. 8.15 cry unto the Father of all Mercy and say ABBA loving Father 19. For we have not received a Servile or * Spirit of Bondage flavish Spirit that we should fear agâ—in but a filiall or †Spirit of Adoption child like Spirit so that with joyfull heart and with all Confidence we may pray to the Father and he will give it unto us Rom. 8.15 Ephes 3.11 Gal. 4.6 20. For the Giving and Receiving sake God biddeth us to pray and beg as Christ saith My Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that pray and ask him for it Also Ask and so ye shall receive seek and so ye shall find knock and so it will be opened unto you Luke 11.9.13 21. Every Prayer which doth not find and receive is Cold and Luke-warme and sticketh in a hinderance of temporall Earthly things That is the Soul doth not clearly draw near to God It will not totally give it self up to God but hangeth still to Earthly Love which holdeth it captive that it cannot reach the City and Place of God 22. If a Man would pray aright then he must turn himself away from all Creatures and with the Will and Mind clearly come before God It must be in such a Purpose and Earnest Resolution as with the Publican in the Temple and as with the forlorn lost Sonne which came thus to God 23. And though Reason in Flesh and Bloud saith clearly No thou wilt not be heard thy Sinnes are too great or it is not time now stay a while doe first this or that thou shalt have time and opportunity to doe that hereafter Or else saith Why doest thou pray when thou canst not come with thy desire to God Thou receivest no power into thee Let not all this deceive thee The Power iâ— in the inward Ground in the desire of the Will and worketh with God Doe but stand still and wait upon the Lord it will at last well penetrate through so that thou wilt feel it in thy heart and thank and praise God 24. Whosoever would pray aright and with his desire attain Gods Power and Spirit must forgive all his Enemies heartily and include them together in his Prayer and pray to God that he will convert them also and be reconciled with them in his Love that a Serpent might not continue in his heart which should hold him back and tear the power of the Prayer from the Soul as Christ saith The Devill teareth the Word from their Hearts that they believe not and so become saved Luke 8.12 Also When thou wilt offer thy Gift upon the Altar and there rememberest that thy Brother hath any thing against thee then goe thy way first and reconcile thy self with thy Brother And then come and offer thy Gift Math. 5.23 24. Also in Our Father Forgive us our Debts or Trespasses as we forgive our Debters that trespasse against us Math. 6.12 That the Evill Enemy with the included Hate may not Sift or Tempt us and hinder us and bring us into Doubt 25. God requireth a clear empty and Naked Soul in Prayer And though indeed it be surrounded
Earnest Praying if we would obtain any thing from God a right true Repentance and in-turned Humility For right Praying is a receiving of that which the Soul desireth concerning which Christ saith From henceforth the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force to themselves Math. 11.12 43. For which cause I will set down a brief Form of a Confession or Preparation how a Man should prepare himselfe when he will bring his short Prayer and Requests before God 44. For he may as well be heard in a short Prayer as with many words if his heart stand right in the presence of God It needeth not long Prayers or many words but only a Beleiving or faithfull repentant Soul which with totall Earnestnesse giveth it self up into the Mercy of God into Gods Compassion For one onely sigh worketh with God if the Will standeth nakedly or purely before God and hath cast away from it the Earthly Garment viz the false or wicked Lust This for an Intimation to the Reader and for a quickening stirring to him 45. For there needeth not to be used just such a Form of Confession but the Holy Spirit will well enough make a Form for him in the heart when the Will in true earnest Sincerity turneth it self to God 46. Only for an Introduction to every one who doth not yet know how a true Prayer should be fitted I will set down this Confession to direct his Soul therewith and I will commit the work of Confession together with the Praying to the Holy Spirit in every Soul which is truly and rightly Earnest He will well enough make for him a Confession and Prayer if any doe but earnestly sincerely and rightly come to the Gate where GOD the LORD in Man Speaketh operatively Then he will find it so A Confession and Right Acting or Working of Repentance before Gods Countenance 47. O Deepest of all Greatest Unsearchable Holy God! Thou who out of meer Grace and Mercy after the terrible apostacy of our first Parents with thy great Love and Mercy in thy Sonne JESUS CHRIST hast manifested thy self in our Humanity and in him hast made an open Gate of Grace again for us poor Men to thy Countenance and abolished Sinne and Death in his Bloud and callest us now to such Grace as a Mercifull God we poor Sinners now should only Convert again and come to thee and thou wilt quicken or refresh us Math. 11.28 48. I poor unworthy sinfull Man come upon the invitation of thy Word and acknowledge to thee that I am not worthy of such Grace which thou offerest us For I Stick in the Slime of Vanity and am Laden with vain Lusts of the Flesh and own-self Will my Sinnes have captivated and obscured me so that I neither tast nor see thy Grace in me also I have no Right Trust or Confidence nor Faith towards thee and have totally given my self up into the vanity of the World and of the Flesh and am compassed about therewith 49. I have defiled my fair bright Garment which thou hast put on to me in the Baptisme with the Lust of the Flesh and lye in the Devils Net captive in thy fierce Wrath. Hell setteth its Jaws wide open against me and my Conscience gnaweth me thy Judgement standeth alwayes before me and the Bands of Death wait upon me 50. I lye in the slime and mire of Sinnes and Vanity so that also I neither know my Sinnes nor can bewail them For they have hidden me from thy Countenance and I have only yet a little sparkle of the living breath in me through thy drawing which desireth thy Grace 51. And I come now before thee with the Lost Sonne and the Publican in the Temple and fly to thy Mercy and pray thee in my weak power through the Bitter Suffering and Dying of my Redeemer JESUS CHRIST whom thou hast Set before thee for a Grace-Throne and offerest us thy Grace through his Satisfaction that thou wouldst receive me yet again for thy Child and Heir in thy Sonne and wouldst awaken for me a right Earnest Repentance also Sorrow and Grief for my former committed Sinnes in my Heart that I may goe out from the wicked way or Conversation and turn my heart totally and altogether to THEE 52. O Great God strengthen I beseech thee my weak Faith in Me rouse my heart I pray thee that it may acknowledge and bewaile my manifold Sinnes Touch thou my poor Soul with thy Power that it may acknowledge it self that it standeth deviated and turned away from thee 53. O thou Breath of the Mercifulnesse of God doe thou draw me to thee through my Redeemer Jesus Christs Death and Resurrection and abolish my Sinnes in his Bloud and Death and make my poor Soul living in his Bloud and wash it clean from its Sinnes that its desire may presse into thee O thou Holy God! and fetch Power out of thy Spring or Fountain of Grace 54. Awake thou I pray thee in me a right hunger and thirst after true Repentance and Sorrow for my former committed Sinnes that I may hate or be at Enmity and angry against them and turn my self to Thee 55. O thou great deep of Mercy I am afar off from thee and cannot reach thee in my weak Power turn thee to me I beseech thee and comprehend my desire into thee and kindle it O Lord that I may tast thy Grace 56. Forgive I pray thee my Trespasses and Sinnes and heal my weaknesse bruise I pray thee my Heart and Soul that I may acknowledge and humble my self before thee Be thou I pray thee my beginning to Conversion and lead me upon the right path that I may walk with thee 57. Give me I pray thee thy holy Spirit in my Soul and Spirit and Sanctifie me in thy Grace As thy beloved Sonne Jesus Christ hath engaged to me saying My Father will give the holy Spirit to them that pray unto him for it Luke 11.13 Also Knock and so it will be opened unto you Math. 7.7 Luke 11.9 58. Now come I poor Sinner upon the Invitation of thy Word and take to me thy Saying in my Soul and Heart and will not leave off from thee unless thou blesse me with JACOB 59. And though indeed my Sinnes are many yet thou art God and the Eternall Truth which cannot Lye where thou hast Spoken in the Prophet Isaiah If we Convert and Repent then we shall be snow-white as wool Isai 1.18 60. Upon thy Saying I trust and give my self totally and altogether up to thee and pray thee receive me into Grace and bring me to thy Children who walk in the way of the Living and let me walk with them and enter into thy Commandement give me a true humble and obedient Heart that may alwayes fear before thy Anger and Sinne no more 61. O thou Well-Spring or Fountain of all Grace what shall I say before thee Or why should I flatter my self and comfort my evill Will
and in Love hast Betrothed and Espoused 99. O God HOLY SPIRIT let me walk and Converse in thy Power and let thy Holy Angels which thou hast appointed to me Lead me through JESUS CHRIST Crucified Our Lord Amen A Prayer when a Man will goe about his Work or Labour and Calling or Employment wherein God hath set Every One. 100. ALmighty Eternall God and Loving Father Creatour of Heaven and of Earth thou hast Created ALL Things to thy Prayse and MAN to thy Expresse Image and set him to be a Lord and Ruler of thy Works and hast put all under his hands 101. I poor unworthy sinfull Man consider with my self the heavy Fall of our first Parents whereby thy Curse came upon this Work and upon the Earth and I consider with my self how our first Parents are fallen out of Paradise into this Curse wherein now all of us must swimme in Weariness Toyle Incumberances Cares and Necessities and make our selves weary sick and faint that we may uphold and sustain our Lives till at length we enter again into Dust and Ashes the Substance out of which we are proceeded Where we are to Expect and wait for thy true and reall Promise that thou wilt awaken and raise us up again out of the Dust in the Last Day and form us into the fair Paradisicall Image again 102. This now I consider with my self when I take in hand the Work Calling and Employment wherein thou hast by or through Nature appointed or ordained me and pray thy Great Mercy which thou after this Heavy Fall and Apostacy hast turned towards us again in the Grace of JESUS CHRIST blesse me I pray thee in my Calling State Condition and Employment and turn away thy Curse and Anger from me through the Love of Jesus Christ that the Evill Spirit may not touch or sift me in my Calling and Condition and bring me into Falshood that I may not at all therein hurt deceive betray or wrong my Neighbour with Words or Deedâ— or desire that which I should not 103. Give me I pray thee O Dear LORD a ready Heart and Minde that I may with a Good Conscience without any false or wicked desire also without Pride Covetousness Envy and Anger perform my work and order my Condition according to thy Will and also rest satisfied with thy Grace with what thou givest me and that with the Works and Labour of my hands in my Office Duty State and Condition wherein thou hast set me I may NOT seek my own only to serve my self and my own turn alone but also my Neighbours benefit also may come to help the Miserable and the Impotent also the Weak Blind Simple and needy which are not gifted or furnished with understanding of thy Works of Wonder to manage them 104. Help I pray thee O Loving GOD that I may rightly know my self that I in my State and Condition and Office or Employment am but thy Servant or Minister and that all whatsoever I possesse cometh from thy hand and that I in this World have nothing my own but am only a Pilgrim and Sojournour upon Earth and thou O God the FATHER together with thy Sonne JESUS CHRIST in the Power of the HOLY SPIRIT dost thy self work drive manage and rule all and that all is thine alone and not mine 105. Give me I pray thee rightly to know that all Men are proceeded from One and in that regard that all are my fellow Members Brethren and Sisters as a Tree in its Branches So that I should Love them ALL. 106. As thou O Loving God hast loved us with One only or singular Love in JESUS CHRIST before the Foundation of the World and yet lovest us with the same Love and hast attoned or reconciled us all in one only Love as to thy Anger So O Loving God awaken and stirre up I pray thee also that same Love in ME and kindle my Soul and Mind therewith that I also may with and in THEE in thy Love love all my fellow Members and readily and willingly serve and minister to them That thy Name in us all may be sanctified and thy Will in us be done so that we all in One Love may Eat and Drink thy Blessings 107. And take from us the Evill and the Heavy Guilt viz thy Curse and Anger that the Devils Envy and Covetousnesse may not Spring or flow up in us and introduce us into Vengeance and Malice 108. That we also may heartily love one another and forgive one another our slips failings and infirmities as thou daily forgivest us in thy Love in JESUS CHRIST 109. O LORD prevent I pray thee the suttle Talons of the Devill that he may not Tempt us and bring our evill Inclinations aloft whereby I may be drawn into false or wicked Lusts 110. Deliver me O Dear God from all such Evil through the Bloud and Death of our Lord JESUS CHRIST and give me a Chearfull-Mind to manage thy wonders 111. Help me so that I may Work Will or Act nothing without thy Power bring my Life through thy Wonder-Works and Creature into the Eternall Heavenly working in into the Spirituall hidden Secret World and let me here in thy Works of Wonder increase in Power and Knowledge that also my in ward Ground may grow and increase in thy Wonder-Works in thy Power to the Manifestation or Revelation of the New Jerusalem in us where thou O True GOD wilt work will and be all in all in us 112. Therefore give me I pray thee constantly and continually to know this that I may have it for a token of remembrance to think upon in my Mind and not sinne nor break off my Mind from thee and generate a false or wicked Image which lusteth only after State Pride Covetousness and self-Honour and be Damned with the Evill Spirits but let me be One Spirit and Will with thee and Co-work with thee in the power of my Saviour JESUS CHRIST and of the HOLY SPIRIT Amen A Prayer on Munday at Noon or Midday or whensoever such an attentive Thought stirreth to consider ones State and Condition 113. O God Eternall FATHER I thank thee and praise thee that thou hast appointed and ordained me in this State and Condition that thou hast given me Good Things and meanes for Sustenance and set me among honest vertuous People whom I should serve and Minister to and benefit with my Gifts and hast indued me with Reason and Vnderstanding and Created me a rationall Man so that I know thee and that I am not a Dull Dead foolish ignorant Man who knoweth nothing of thee and thanketh not thee for such benefits But hast Created me from or out of the Light of the World that I may with and in thy Light work or act and live and shewest me all thy Wonders in thy Light 114. I thank thee for this that thou hast created me to thy Expresse Image and set thy Wonders under my hand that I may know them and may
enjoy my self in the Works of thy Creation 115. And I beseech thee O Eternall God to give me Understanding and Wisdome that I may not abuse or misuse this thy Creation or Creature but only and solely use it for my necessity for the Good of my Neighbour my self and mine 116. Give me I pray thee to be thankfull in all thy Gifts and Benefits that my Reason may not say This is Mine I have purchased it I will possesse it alone I am thereby Noble Glorious and Brave and because of this Honour and Repute accrues unto me all which proceedeth from the Devill and the Heavy Fall of Adam 117. O Dear Lord CHRIST help I pray thee that I may alwayes consider thy Humility Lowlinesse and temporall Poverty and not permit my Mind to lift up it self above the simple poor and needy that my Soul may not break off it self from them that they in their misery may not sigh over me or against me and hinder me in my way to thee 118. But help me that I may Lay my Heart with the simple in the Dust and alwayes acknowledge that I am nothing more then they and that my State and all that belongs to me are thine and that I am a Minister or Servant concerning or as to them 119. O Great HOLY GOD I pray thee set open my inwardnesse to me that I may rightly know what I am Unshut I pray thee in me what became inclosed and shut up in Adam Let me I pray thee see in the Inwardnesse of the Mind and find thy bright Morning-Starre in the Holy Name JESUS which presenteth and offereth it self to us poor Men out of Grace and will dwell in us and powerfully work in us 120. Break thou O LORD the hard door Posts of my receptibility of my own willing that his will may shine forth through me and my Mind may find the Beames of his Love-Fire 121. Kindle thou I pray thee my fiery Life of the Soulish Ground with the Beames of thy Light so that I may endure before thee and stand in thy Sight and so I pray thee poure in thy Love and Meeknesse into my Fire-life that thy Fire-Glance doe not Consume and destroy me in regard of my yet remaining impurity 122. O thou Great Holy God to thee I draw neer now with my Mind viz with thy poured forth Power and Vertue which thou hast formed into an Image of thy Likeness according to thy Working and I give my self to thee again to be thy own 123. Work thou in my Mind as in thy Reflexion or Representation thy â—race how thou wilt and keep my Mind with thy Power as thy Instrument so that IT may neither will nor act without thee Lead thou my Inclination with thy Might and Strength so that I may in and with thee rule over Sinne Death the Devill Hell and the World 124. Seeing thou in the Beginning in my Father Adam hast made me a Ruler over all Creatures and after the terrible Fall hast in JESUS CHRIST brought me thereinto again So that I in JESUS CHRIST should with and in him and He with and through me rule over all his Enemies till they all be laid for a foot-stool under his and my feet therefore I give up to thee my LORD JESUS my whole Mind and Soul and all whatsoever I am Rule thou in me over all my Enemies which are within me and without me 125. Lay thou them for a foot-stool under thy feet and lead my Mind being the Expresse Image of God in Gods Power so that IT may as an Instrument of the Holy Spirit co-will and perform with God the Good Work that thy High Name * Germanice GOTT GOD may become again manifested therein and that my Mind may again come to the Communion of thy Holy Angels whereto thou hast ordained it in the beginning 126. O Great GOD my Mind is indeed a Beame of thy Omnipotency Glory and Skilfulnesse a †Or Play-fellow Companion of the Divine Wisdome and Glory a Hand-maid or Ministresse of the Majesty of the Unity of God a Knoweresse of thy Manifestation or Revelation and a Figure of the Great Name of GOD who hath made the World and all things 127. In its Essence e're it became a Creature stood the formings of thy Willing which Formings thou O Great God hast brought into a Creaturely Creation and set the Noble Mind for a Ruleresse or Governess over it where thou with thy Holy Name in thy Power wouldest thy Self rule through the Mind 128. O GOD the Mind hath in Adam turned it self away from thee and is entered into own receptibility of its own Will and hath made it self Dark Drie Stinging Enimicitious or Hatefull Hungry and Envious and is become a hellish Source Quality or Torment and Abomination before thee like all evill Spirits 129. Which thou O Groat God with thy holiest Name of All JESUS hast turned to thee and new generated to thee again Therefore I give it up to thee willingly into thy sweet presented or offered Grace And therewith forsake my own Will and Nature-Right and give it to thee for thy own LORD JESUS that I may no more Be IT self but that thou mayest be IT according to thy and thy Eternall Fathers good Will and Pleasure that God may be All in All One True Reall Tri-une Substance Father Sonne and Holy Spirit in the Heaven and upon Earth Working and Ruling All in All. AMEN A Prayer on Munday at Noon or Midday to Consider the Quality and Property of the Day and to swing or cast ones self into the right-Noon or Midday of the Inward Moone 's heavenly Substance Concerning the climbing up or Ascending of the Mind 130. O GOD thou Infinite or Endlesse Every where Glancing or Super-Illustrious Eternall every where spread abroad Shining Bright LIGHT thou hast given the Light to the Outward World from the breathing of thy Might through the Beames of thy Light and rulest with the Sun and Moon in all thy Works in this Worlds Substance 131. Thou generatest all and every temporary Life through these Lights All whatsoever hath Breath worketh and Liveth in these Lights and praiseth thee in thy Power ALL Starres take Light and shining from thy shed-forth Light Thou adornest the Earth with fair Hearbs and Blossomes or Flowers through these Lights And Cheerest therein all whatsoever liveth or Groweth 132. And therein shewest to US Men thy Glory So that we know thy Power which is inwardly hidden and see thereby how thou hast made thy Eternall Word and working visible that we should thereby consider thy inward Spirituall Kingdome wherein thou dwellest in secret hiddenly and fillest all thy Creation and thy self workest and doest ALL in ALL. 133. The Heaven together with the Earth recount thy Honour Power and Great Might The Elements are a Reflexion Representation or Object of thy Wisdome where thy Spirit with a Representation or Object Sporteth or Acteth a Scene before thee and all things
for ITS Food And where then remaineth my Lust and Pleasure of Earthly things which I exercise here in the World If all will become a reproach to me why doe I lift up my self in Temporall LUST seeing it cannot release me from the Reproach Wherefore doth my Soul vex it self and is in anguish and panteth after ITS Enemy which leadeth it to the Dark night 157. O GOD teach me I pray thee to apprehend this that I may turn my Heart from the Toylsomeness of the Works of this World to THEE and not hold Death to be my Life so that I may Live in Continuall Repentance and that my Mind may throw or demerse it self to or into THEE and may work with Thee so that also my right Flesh created in Adam may be Sanctified and out of the Dust may be brought to the MIND again 158. Release me I pray thee from the Grosse Husk of the Earthly Flesh whereinto the Devill hath brought his Poyson which is of no profit in thy Kingdome John 6. and generate in me again the heavenly Spirituall Body wherein is the Immortality and wherein no evill or false or wicked LUST may exist any more and let me in CHRIST JESU Rest in thee till the Glorious Coming again and Revelation or Manifestation of thy Glory AMEN A Prayer when Man in the Evening ceaseth from his Work and would goe to Sleep 159. O GOD thou Father of ALL GOOD I thank thee through JESUS CHRIST thy Dear Sonne our LORD and Saviour For all thy Benefits that thou hast graciously protected me this day from all evill and hurt and now I commend to thee my Work into thy disposing and fly with my Mind to thee and give my self up wholly and altogether into thy Holy working 160. Work thou I pray thee now this Night and alwaies with thy Grace-power in me and break in me the vain desire of false or evill working wherein thy Curse and fierce Wrath in my Flesh desireth to co-work as also the Devils introduced Lust which stirreth up my whole Mind to Lust of vanity Destroy THESE O Dear God! with thy Power and kindle up in me the Fire of thy pure Love and overthrow the false wicked LUST of Impurity and Vncleanness 161. Withstand thou all evill Influences of the Constellations or Astrum and the Kindled Elements and let me rest in thy Power that my Mind may NOT be introduced into false or wicked Desires and Inclinations 162. O GREAT Holy God into thy Grace and Mercifulness I plunge my self wholly and altogether I pray thee let thy Good Angel be with me that he may keep off the fierie Streames or Darts of wickednesse that I may rest securely in thy Power through JESUS CHRIST our LORD Amen A Prayer when we undresse and lie down to Rest 163. O MERCIFULL GOD I pray thee doe thou in me draw or pull off the false or wicked Garment of the Serpent which my Father Adam and my Mother Eve have drawn on to me through their false Lust Wherein my poor Soul is cloathed with thy Anger and standeth in shame before thy holy Angels 164. I pray thee strip thou my Mind and Soul Naked that my Mind may become undressed from such a Garment and may stand clearly before thy Countenance but I pray thee yet cloath thou it with thy Power and with the Garment of the humanity of JESUS CHRIST that it may converse again with the Holy Angels before THEE 165. O Dear Lord JESUS CHRIST I give up my Soul and Mind altogether barely and Nakedly to Thee draw thou off from me the impure Garment Wherein I stand in Great Shame before Gods Holiness But I pray thee cloath thou me with thy Victory and set me before thy Father again as a New born Child which thou hast washed in thy Bloud and whose evill Will THOU hast put to death in thy Death and in thy Resurrection hast new regenerated 166. And kindle in this New Birth thy Light that I may walk in the Light and be and Continue a Branch in thee AMEN A Thanksgiving of the Repentant Soul for the bitter Passion and Dying of JESUS CHRIST 167. O Most deep LOVE of God in CHRIST JESU I give thee Praise and Thanks that thou hast delivered me out of the Fire Source or Quality of Torment or painfulness and hast given thy self with thy Love and Grace into my Fire-Source or Quality and changeâ— me into a Love-fire and divine Light 168. Thou hast put thy Power and Might into my Essence in Body and Soul and given thy self to me for my own Yea thou hast purchased my self with thy Grace through the Treasure of thy most pretious Bloud for thy own for which I thank thee in Eternity 169. And I pray thee thou Eternall shed-forth LOVE In the Most Holy Name JESUS bring me I pray thee when I shall have dyed away here from the Temporall Death again into My first Native Country in which my Father Adam in his Innocency dwelt even in to PARADISE and bury my Body and Soul in the divine Rest 170. In the mean while Grant that I may daily enter into Repentance and into the going out from my Earthly Will and also continue so stedfastly the whole time of my Life THEREIN and that I may bear much Good fruit in THAT Condition Till thou introducest me into the Rest in my right Native Country in the true Land of Promise wherein the Milk and Honey of the divine Power floweth AMEN Here End the Authours Meditations and Prayers for Munday Ten Commandements for TUESDAY A Prayer Concerning Gods Righteousness also his strong or Severe Commandement and Law what God requires of us and how the same may become fulfilled Deduced from and Through the Ten Commandements And Creed or Faith and set forth Confession and Prayer-wise An Earnest Looking-Glasse well to be Considered The First Commandement God said upon Mount Sinai to Israel I am the Lord thy God c. thou shalt have no other Gods besides me Exod. 1.2 Deut. 5.6 7. Also Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God from thy whole Heart from thy whole Soul and from thy whole Mind Deut. 6.5 Math. 22.37 The Confession 171. O Great HOLY GOD thou hast Made Man out of the Limus or Extract of the Earth wherein Paradise sprung forth viz thy Holy Power a Glorious powerfull and fair bright Body without distemper and without fragility a Likeness or Equality of the Elements 172. And hast in-breathed into him out of thy Power the Inward Psychicall or Soulish and outward Elementary Life from the power of thy inward divine Working and Knowledge or Skill viz the Great Name of * Germanice GOTTES GOD and hast given him a Will of his own that he may be an Image according to thy Wonder-deed Might and Glory and rule over all thy Creatures of this World also thou hast given him the outward Life of all Operation or Working with the Inward Soulish Life through which thou rulest the
rightly intimate to me and informe me how thou didst pour in thy Holy Name into my Soul and Mind yea it is sprouted forth out of thy Name and thou hast given me authority and power with thy Name to rule over all things That it should flow forth out of my Mouth through thy power and Vertue and rule All Yea I should with my Mouth and Speaking-forth or Expression re-Image and form holy Figures and Images again 192. Even as thou Eternall God hast Imaged and formed All through thy breathing or Speaking forth So thou hast also given thy WORD with thy holy Name into my Soul and Mind that I as a Form and Image of thy Will should also so speak forth viz thy Wonder-deeds 193. That which thou O Great God hast Corporeally and Creaturely Imaged through thy Word I should Image that in thy praise and form it in thy Wisdome and Image or frame no strange Image in my Mouth against thy Creation and Ordinance But continue in thy working and rule over all things with thy Word in my Mouth and Heart as the Scripture testifieth The Word is neer thee viz in thy Mouth and in thy Heart Deut. 30.14 Rom. 10.8 Also the Kingdome of God is inwardly within you Luke 17.22 194. This thy Holy Word wherewith thou hast made Heaven and Earth hast thou given into our Mouth that thou mightest through our Mouth Create or Image thy Praise 195. But after Man had Introduced himself into own-self Lust and had turned his Will away from Thee then he began with his Mouth to Image in thy Word Earthly and Hellish Figures in thy Wrath viz Cursing Swearing Lying Formes false wicked evill serpentine formes to form Wolves Beares Lyons Dogs Cats Adders and Serpents and all manner of poysonous venomous Beasts and to Image or form the Name of God thereinto under the appearance of divine forming and Truth also into false wicked Sorcery Witchcraft and deceit and therewith to cast up or produce and honour strange Images for Gods and introduce and Image thy Name into Images of Idoll Gods 196. All this thou settest before us in this Commandement and requirest of us thy strong or severe righteousness to Image thy Name in Holiness to thy Praise and in thy Praise in Clearness Sincerity and Truth and without thy Will and Co-working to make no form of Our words but willest that we should Co-speak Will and Image with thee upon pain of Eternall Punishment as thy Command clearly soundeth forth Cursed be He that Keepeth not all the Words of this Law Deut. 27.26 197. O Great God! What shall I now here say before thee How innumerable many times doe we bring thy Word and Power in Our Mouths into false or wicked Imaging when we swâ—ar by thy Name and Curse and bring false or wicked Lust thereinto and make a Fair Flattering Hypocriticall Image upon our Lips and sell it to one another for Truth perswading one another to believe it to be so and yet there is inwardly nothing but a Serpent full of Lies and Poyson and so we Image thy Word under a right appearance into a Serpent and Devils Image Also we Curse by it and so generate a living Figure of the Devill and of Hell 198. Also we use thy Holy Name to scornfull reproach and Image our false or wicked Beasts therein all whatsoever we love in the World be it as false or wicked as it will thereinto we Image thy Name and Power with our Mouth Also in swearing wherein we bring thy Might and Power on to the Tongue also into Sorcery or Witchcraft Plagues or Torment and Sicknesses or Diseases Yea we Image it into Hellish Figures with our Mouth Yea Men further bring thy Manifested or Revealed Word and Will for the sake of their Belly and temporall Pleasure and Pride into a strange Image which themselves know NOT Only that the Truth may Continue obscure and that in this strange Image they themselves may be honoured for Gods they make Laws and Commandements for their own Honour Pleasure and Voluptuousness and bind them with the Oath of his Name and yet none keepeth the same in his Heart 199. O God! How much poysonous Anger and Malice of self-revenge doe we bring into thy Name When we reproach and tread upon or oppresse one another in our Proud Stately Mind with thy Name and bring it into Tyrannicall Power and Authority and doe no other with thy Name but as the Apostate Lucifer doth 200. All this thou settest before us in thy Commandement For thou sayest We should not misuse thy Name and this is called misusing when we introduce it into false Expression or speaking forth and * Forming or Figuring Imaging 201. O Great God! What shall I poor miserable sinfull Man say here before thee Thou requirest thy Name from and IN ME in Holiness in thy praise Where shall I bestow all these Devils Images which we poor Men Image in our †This Body of the Outward Flesh and Bloud Sinne-house before thy Countenance They are indeed meer abominations before thee for the sake of which thy Law Curseth me and sentenceth me to Eternall Death 202. O Holy God! I have nothing wherewith I may come before thee but only thy Great †Barmhertzigkeit Mercifulness that thy Holy Word according to thy Most inward Love is become Man and is come to help us viz thy first given Word which hath formed it self in Our Life that it may renew us again and kill all these Devils Images and release and deliver the poor Soul and Mind from such Images of the Serpent 203. For which I thank thee in Eternity and pray thee thou Eternall Shed-abroad Love in the Most Holy Name JESUS Come I beseech thee to help me and bring thy Word that became Man into my Soul and Mind and continue in Me that I may continue in thee 204. Awaken I pray thee in me thy Fire of thy Great Love kindle it O Lord that my Soul and Mind may SEE these Evill Beasts and kill them in thy Power through right and true Repentance That I may Constantly bring and use thy Holy Name JESUS in Me to thy Praise and Thanksgiving and no more generate in thy Word Evill Beasts which belong to thy Judgement 205. O thou living BREATH of God! I give my self wholly and altogether to be thy own work thou in me what thou wilt AMEN The * The 3. according to Luthers Catechisme otherwise the 4. Commandement Third Commandement Consider or Remember the Sabbath Day to Sanctifie it For in Six Dayes the Lord Made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is and Rested the Seventh Day 206. O DEAR GOD This Commandement Intimateth to me my inward right divine Rest in thy Love and Power that my Will should rest in thee from its own receptibility of its own willing and thou Eternall God wouldest with thy Power work in my Will 207. Thou art the right