regeneration of a new life and will and there it may attaine the sweet blood of Jesus Christ which in Christ did disclose or break open the gate of death and changed the anger of God in our humanity in himselfe into love wherein the poore captive soule drinketh out of Gods fountaine and doth allay and sweeten its fire-breath whence the new Paradisicall budd springeth forth and there the hunger and desire of the soule is made substantiall and essentiall in the blood of Christ after an Heavenly manner 15. Now as the disclosing of death must be done in the person of Christ himselfe in our soule and humanity so that the eternity in Christ wherewith he was come from heaven and was also in heaven John 3. overcame the time Viz. the life and will of the time and did change time with its will into the eternall will of the Deity and all this must be brought to passe in our received humanity So likewise the desire of our soule must receive into it selfe that same eternall will in Christ wherein time and eternity stand in equall agreement and harmony and through the power of the same immerse or cast it selfe into the adoption of free grace in Christ that the same inward Paradisicall ground which dyed in Adam might again spring forth in the will of the obedience of Christ through his heavenly and from us assumed humane blood 16. The atonement and expiation must be made manifest and experimentall in our selves through that atonement which Christ once made indeed the atonement and reconciliation was once fully finished and brought to passe in Christs blood and death but that which was once wrought in Christ must also worke in me it must even Now also through Christs shedding of his blood be brought to passe in me Christ also doth powre forth his heavenly blood into the desire of Faitâ— in my poore soule and tinctureth the anger of God which is therein that the first Adamicall Image of God may againe appeare and become seeing hearing feeling tasting and smelling 17. For that same Image which dyed in Adam from the heavenly Worlds Essence being the true Paradisicall Image dwelleth not in the foure Elements its essence and life standeth not in this world but in Heaven which is manifest in Christ in us Viz. in that one pure holy Element whence the foure Elements sprung forth in the beginning of time and this same inward new spirituall man eateth Christs flesh and blood for he is and liveth in Christ Christ is his stock and he is a branch on the stock 18. For every spirit eateth of that whereof it taketh its Originall the Animall sensuall mortall soule eateth of the spirit of this World of the Stars and Elements of the Kingdome of the World but the true eternall soule which was inspired out of the Eternall Word into man being Divine life eateth also of its Mother Viz. of the holyessentiall Word of God 19. But seeing it was impossible for her after her owne departure and separation from God in her excluded condition property and spirit to eate of the Divine Word and live in the holy Element of love and humility therefore this same Word of life being its true Mother came forth to the abandoned soule into the vaâ—e of misery and into the prison of Hell and infused his heavenly Essence into our humane to be as a body for the soule and therewith did imbrace and cloath our poore soule being captive and did open againe her heavenly mouth afore dead in the anger of God with the tincture of love so that the poore soule can now againe eate heavenly Manna the eating whereof was tryed in Christs person with the humanity which he received from us in the temptation of Christ in the Wildernesse where Adam in Christ did againe eate Manna from Paradise fourty dayes 20. Therefore I say that by a shew and select forme of grace appropriated and imputed from without none commeth to be a true Christian for if he be so his sinnes are not forgiven him by once speaking of a word or appropriating a forme or promise of absolution to himselfe from without as a Lord or Prince in this World doth freely give a Malefactor his life by an externall imputed favour no this availeth nothing before God 21. There is no grace or favour wherby we come to the adoption save onely in the blood and death of Christ him alone God hath fore ordained and appointed to be unto him a throne of grace or propiciation in his owne love which he hath in the Sweet Name Jesu out of Jehovah infused into him He is that onely Sacrifice that God accepteth of to reconcile hiâ—â—nger 22. Now if this Sacrifice or free offering of grace shall doe me good then it must be wrought and brought to passe in me the Father must beget or impresse his Sonne in the desire of my Faith so that the hunger of my Faith may lay hold and comprehend him and if the hunger of my soules Faith doth comprehend him in his promised Word then I put him on in his whole processe of justification in my inward ground and forthwith the mortification and killing of the anger Devill Death and Hell beginneth and goeth forward from the power of Christs death in me 23. For I can do nothing I am dead to my selfe but Christ doth it in me when he ariseth in me then I am dead to my selfe in respect of the true man he is my life and in that I live I live to him not to my selfehood for grace mortifieth my own will and setteth it self up for a Lord in the place of my selfenesse that so I may be an instrument of God who doth therewith what he pleaseth 24. And then I live in two Kingdomes Viz. with my newborne spirit of life or spirituall man in Paradise in the Kingdome of Heaven in the inward spirituall World and with the outward mortall man in the vanity of time in the Kingdome of this World in the dominion of the Starres and Elements in the contrariety and malignant discord of the properties wherein the yoake of sinne yet liveth this Christ taketh upon himselfe in the inward Kingdome of the Divine World and helpeth my soule to beare it 25. For the yoak of this World is Christs burthen which he must beare untill he shall againe deliver up the Kingdome to his Father which he hath given him for he sayd All power in Heaven and Earth is given to me of my Father so also this burthen or charge is layd upon him that he should beare Gods Anger Hell death and all Evill in us as Isaiah saith Hee tooke on him our diseases and carryed our sorrows but we esteemed him stricken smitten of God and afflicted 26. And hence it is that a Christian must be a bearer of the crosse for so soone as Christ is borne in him the assaulting of Hell and the anger of God in the eternall
nature beginneth and then the Hell in man is destroyed and the Serpent is troden under foot whence great unquietnesse persecution and reproach from the Devill and the corrupt World doth arise against the outward sinfull man and even then the outward sinfull man must suffer it selfe to be condemned and judged to damnation by the children of Anger and by Gods severe justice in the anger seeing that another man liveth in him which is not like and conformable to the outward mortall man and so Gods Justice executeth its judgement in the anger upon the house of sinne and also all the Ministers of Gods wrath doe helpe the execution thereof 27. And even then Christ helpeth to beare the yoak and man is Sacrificed in Christs processe contempt and scorne in his suffering and death to the justice of God in the anger and becomes conformable to Christs Image 28. The holy Scripture witnesseth in all places that we are justified from sinnes by Faith in Christ and not by the workes of our merit but by the blood and death of Christ which indeed is so taught by many but rightly understood of few that teach us so 29. We are taught indeed an imputed grace but what faith is and how it is begotten and what it is in its Essence reall Being and Substance and how it layeth hold on the merit of Christ with the grace herein the greatest part are dumbe and blinde and depend on an Historicall Faith James 2. which is onely a bare knowledge or literall conjecture and therewith the man of sinne doth tickle and comfort himselfe and through an imagination and blind perswasion doth flatter and sooth up himselfe and calls himselfe a Christian though he is not yet become either capable or worthy of this so high a title but is onely a titular Nominall Christian externally cloathed with Christs Purpur-Mantle of whom the Prophet speaketh saying They draw neere to mee with their lips but their heart is farre from me And Christ sayd Not all that say Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but they that doe the will of my Father in Heaven 30. Now Christ alone is the will of the Father in whom the acceptation oâ— grace and adoption confisteth and none can doe the love will of the Father save alone that onely throne of grace Christ himselfe as the holy Scripture declareth no man can call God Lord without the holy spirit in him 31. For we know not what and how to pray before God as wee ought but he even the holy spirit in Christ maketh intercession for us with unutterable sighes before God in our selves as it pleaseth God we cannot attaine any thing by our willing and knowing he is too deeply hidden from us for it lyeth not in any mans knowing willing running and searching but in Gods Mercy 32. Now there is no mercy but onely in Christ and if I shall reach that mercy then I must reach Christ in me are my sinnes to be destroyed in me Then must Christ doe it in me with his blood and death with his victory over Hell Am I to beleeve then must the spirit desire and will of Christ beleeve in my desire and will for I cannot beleeve 33. But he receiveth my will being resigned to him and comprehends it in his owne will and bringeth it through his victory into God and there he intercedeth for the will of my soule in his owne will before God and so I am received as a child of grace in his will of love 34. For the Father hath manifested his love in Christ and Christ manifesteth that same love in my will being resigned to him Christ draweth my will into himselfe and cloatheth it with his blood and death and tinctureth it with the highest tincture of the Divine power and so it is changed into an Angelicall Image and getteth a Divine life 35. And forthwith that same life beginneth to hunger after its body which body is the degenerated fiery soule into which the will in Christ is entered so that the new life in Christ doth now also tincture the soule whereby the soule in the spirit and property of this new will obtaineth a right Divine hunger and is made to long after and desire the Divine grace and begins to behold and consider in the spirit of his Divine will in Christ what shee is and how shee in her propertyes inclinations and dispositions is departed from God and lyeth captivate in the wrath of God and then shee acknowledgeth her abominations and also her deformity in the presence of Gods Angels and findeth that she hath nothing wherewith shee is able to protect her selfe for shee sees that shee standeth in the jawes of death and hell encompassed with evill spirits which continually shoot the strong influence of their evill desires into her to destroy and corrupt her 36. And then she diveth into that same new-borne spirit of the will and wholy immerseth her selfe into very humility it selfe and so the spirit of Christ taketh hold of her and bringeth her into the spirit of this new will so that the soule essentially and experimentally feeleth and findeth him whereupon the Divine glymps and beame of joy ariseth in the soule being a new eye in which the dark fiery soule conceiveth the Ens and Essence of the Divine light in her selfe and thereupon hungreth and thirsteth after the grace of God and entreth into an effectuall repentance and sorrow and bewaileth the evill which it hath committed 37. And in this hunger and thirst it receiveth Christs flesh and blood for the spirit of the New will which in the beginning entered into the grace of Christ and which Christ received into himselfe becommeth now substantiall and essentiall by the magnetick impressure hunger and desire of the soule 38. And this essentiality is called Sophia being the essentiall wisedome or the body of Christ and in this the faith in the holy Ghost doth consist Here Christ and the Soule beleeve in one Ground 39. For true Faith doth not consist in thoughts or in meere assenting to the History Viz. That a man impresseth or imagineth in his minde to himselfe that Christ is dead for his sinnes and by an Historicall apprehension or blind perswasion of a particular Election clingeth to his merits and righteousnesse without the innate righteousnesse of Christ and life of God essentially working in him and begetting him to a new creature for Faith is a receiving of the promised grace in Christ it receiveth Christ into it selfe it doth impresse him into its hunger with his heavenly flesh and blood with the grace which God offereth in Christ 40. Christ feedeth the soule with the Essence of Sophia Viz. with his owne flesh and blood according to his saying whosoever eateth not of the flesh of the Sonne of Man he hath no life in him but whosoever eateth the same he abideth in him 41. And herein the Testaments of Christ and also the right Christian Faith
then we doe clearely see and understand in what blindnesse we for a long time have beene in Babel going astray in carnall evill wayes whereby we have forsaken the true Jerusalem and shamefully mispent our Patrimony and lightly esteemed our Angelicall Trophee or Diadem Viz. the faire Image and wallowed in the filth of the Devill and under a shew of Divine obedience have played with the Serpent and walked on in meere erroneous wayes This the Divine light doth at present set before our eyes and exhorts us to returne with the lost Sonne and enter into the true Zyon 5. Not with Historicall supposals opinions or blind perswasions as if we had apprehended and understood the same very well this is not Zyon but Babel which confesseth God with the mouth and maketh devout speeches to him from the lipps but in the heart hangeth unto the Great Babylonicall Whore unto the Dragon of selfe-love pride covetousnesse and pleasure and yet will set forth her selfe as if shee were a Virgin No this is not the Virgin in Zyon it must be seriousnesse 6. We must be borne of God in Zyon and know and also doe his will Gods spirit must beare witnesse to our spirit that we are Gods Children not onely in the mouth with knowledge and conjectures but in the heart in very deed not in an holy seeming way without power in formall wayes of Word-worship and rounds of Lip-labour wherein the captivated conscience placeth the power of godlinesse this the Devill mocks at and cares not for but wee must put on the Helmet of righteousnesse and of love also of chastity and purity if we intend to wage Battell against the Prince of this World he careth not a whit for any outward shew or for the long and loud mouth cryes of blinde Devotion it must bee power that shall overcome him and that power must shine forth in goodnesse and holy fruits of Christianity and so we may sight for the noble Prize or Crowne of life 7. For we have a powerfull Warrior against us he sets upon us in body and soule and soone casts us downe and there is no other way to overcome him but with power in humility which alone is able to quench his poysonfull fire wherewith he fighteth without us and within us against our noble Image 8. Therefore beloved Sir and brother in Christ seeing you doe apply your selfe to the Divine wisedome and labour in the same it is right and requisite that we exhort one another to be vigilant to withstand the Devill and continually set before our eyes the way which we ought to walke and also go on in the same else we effect nothing if we know that the World is blind in Babel and goeth astray then we must be the first that effectually go out of Babel that the World may see that we are in earnest 9. It is not enough that we lay open and Manifest Babel and yet be found doing as Bibel doth for if we doe so we thereby testify that God discovereth his light unto us so that we see but we will doe nothing but the workes of darknesse and that very light which enlightneth our understanding shall witnesse against us that the Lord hath called us and shewn us the way but we would not walke in the same 10. It is well that we lay open Babel but we must take heed in what spirit and minde and in what kinde of knowledge the same is done it is good that we be zealous but the heart must be upright towards God else we runne without being sent and in our course we are not knowne or acknowledged of God but so acting the Devill mocks us and leads us into by paths of Errour 11. Besides the holy Scripture doth declare that our workes and words shall follow us therefore we are seriously to consider in what spirit and knowledge we set upon the high Mysteries for he that will pull downe a thing that is evill must set up a better in the roome otherwise hee is none of Gods Builders also he laboureth not in Christs Vineyard for it is not good to pull downe unlesse a man knowes how to make up the Building againe in a better frame and forme 12. For God onely is the Masterâ—builder of the World we are but servants we must take great heed how we labour if we will receive reward and also that we have learnt his work in his Schoole and not runne without being sent when as we are not yet capable of his service else we shall be found to be unprofitable Servants this I speake in good affection and in all faithfulnesse to instruct and direct one another what we ought to doe that so our labour may be accepted of God 13. For the darke Mysteries are no other way at all to be knowne save onely in the holy Ghost wee cannot make conclusions upon hidden things unlesse we have the same in reall knowledge and experimentally finde in the illumination of God that what we averre is the truth and will of God and that it is also agreeable to his Word and grounded in the light of Nature for without the light of Nature there is no understanding of Divine Mysteries 14. The great Building of God is manifest in the light of Nature and therefore hee whom Gods light doth illuminate may search out and know all things albeit knowledge is not in one and the same way and measure for Gods wonders and works are boundlesse infinite and immense and they are revealed to every one according to his gifts and he to whom the light shineth hath meere joy in Gods workes 15. And also that which is old and past above a thousand yeares agoe is as nigh and as easily to be knowne in the light as that which is done to day for a thousand years before God are scarce so much as a minute or the twinckling of an eye is before us therefore all things are nigh and manifest to his spirit both that which is past and that which is to come 16. And if we see in his light then we must declare his wonders and manifest and praise his glorious Name and not bury our Talent in the Earth for we must deliver it unto our Master with Increase he will require an account of us how we have Traded with it and without knowledge or certaine illumination from God no man must presume to judge or be a Doctor or Master in the great Mystery for it is not committed to or commanded him but he must labour to attaine the true light and then he goeth rightly to worke in the Schoole of God 17. For there be many Masters to be found who presume to judge in the Mystery and yet they are not knowne or sent by God and therefore their Schoole is called Babel the Mother of Whoredome upon Earth they flatter on both sides they play the Hypocrites with God and also serve the Devill they call themselves the Shepheards
honour might and power to climbe up and advance himselfe in the lust of the flesh and moreover that this Antichrist hath for a long time so civilly and demurely deckt and adorned himselfe with Christs Purple Mantle that men have not discerned him but they have honoured and adored him for a Saint the which is reasonably well revealed to me in the Grace of the most high and thereupon I would declare unto you in briefe what a Christian is and also what the Antichrist in man is for your further consideration 3. Christ saith Whosoever forsaketh not houses land money goods wife children brothers and sisters and deny himselfe and follow me he is not my Disciple or servant also you must turne and become like children or be borne a new of water and the spirit else you shall not see the Kingdome of God this is not meant that one should run out of his vocation and calling from his wife and children into a solitary Desart and wildernesse and forsake all but onely he must forsake the Antichrist that is the SELFE in all the meum and tuum the mine and thine 4. Whosoever will attain to Divine contemplation and feeling within himselfe he must mortify the Antichrist in his soule and depart from all ownehood of the will yea from all Creatures and become the poorest creature in the owne-hood selfenesse or selfe interest of his mind so that he hath or owneth nothing any more for a propriety be he in what estate and condition he will 5. And though he be a King yet his mind must forsake all owne-hood and esteem himselfe in his place dignity and Temporaâ—l goods no other then a Servant of God and that he therein ought to serve God and his Bretheren and that he hath and possesseth all that he hath not after the right of nature as if it were his owne to doe according to his owne will and pleasure therein but that it is his fellow-bretherens and members and that God hath set him as a Steward and officer over it and he must thinke that he therein serveth his Lord who will require an account of him 6. He must wholy and fully resigne up in himselfe his owne will which driueth him to such possession of owne-hood or selvish affection or union with the Creature to the suffering and dying in the death of Jesus Christ and humbly beseech God in right earnest repentance and conversion that he would mortify this evill will to selfenesse and temporall lust in the deaâ—h of Jesus Christ and bring the will of his soule into the true adoption or filâ—ation of God that so he might not will and desire any longer to his selfe but that Gods will might be in him his will and desire that he might be dead as to the will of the soule in and to his selfe or owne-hood and that God in Christ might be his life 7. He must wholly immerse his will in deepest humility into Gods mercy and lay hold on such a will and resolution in the Divine promise of grace that he this very houre will depart from all owne-hood of the pleasure of this World and never enter any more therein albeit he thereby should become the foole of all the World he must wholly immerse himselfe into the deepest submissive lowlinesse and unworthinesse before God with repentance and yet in the soule apprehend and hold fast the promise of grace and stand therein as a Souldier before his Enemy when it concerns his body and life 8. When this commeth to passe then his owne will being the Antichrist will be apprehended and mortifyed in the death of Christ and his soule will soone become as a young simple child which hath lost its naturall understanding of selfehood and beginneth to lament before God as a young child before its Mother and trusteth in the Mother to give what she pleaseth to it 9. And this is that which Christ said ye must turne and become as children and forsake all and follow me for Adam departed from Gods will into selfe-will and hath in his owne selfe-desire brought the insinuations of the Seâ—pent and the will and desire of the Devill into himselfe so that he hath brought himselfe and his lifes comfort which afore stood in mutuall harmony ' and Agreement in one onely will which was Gods into a division and disunion where the properties of nature departed from the Equall Agreement and Concordance each property entring into its selfe-hood being an owne or peculiar selfe-desire whenâ—e the lust and Imagination to good and evill did arise in him and heat and cold presently fell on hâ—m and â—e dyed from the holy life in the equall and mutuall concordance wherein he lived in one onely pure Element wherein the four Elements were in him in equall weight or Temperature 10. And of this God warned him saying eat not of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill else you shall dye meaning thereby the death to the Kingdome of Heaven namely the disappearing of the faire Angelicall Image which dyed presently in the false introduced desire of the Serpent and therefore this false will of the Serpent must first dye in Christs death by true Conversion and out of this death Christ ariseth in his spirit againe in us in the heavenly Image which dyed in Adam and the inward man is regenerated and new borne in Christs spirit 11. This new Spirit commeth to Divine vision or contemplation in himselfe it heareth Gods Word and hath Divine understanding and inclination and may behold the Grand Mystery in Divine and naturall Mysteries and albeit the earthly flesh yet cleaveth unto him in its inclination yet the same hurteth or spoyleâ— not the new borne spirit at all in him 12. He is in this new birth as solid fine Gold in a rough drossy stone the drossy soyle of the stone being not able to destroy or spoyle the Gold for his right will is dead to the earthly desire and continually desireth to kill and mortifie the lust of the flesh and doth likewise kill it without intermission for here the Seed of the Woman Viz. the new Man borne in Christ bruiseth the head of the Serpents will in the flesh which will is Antichrist 13. And beloved Sir I give you as a Christian and Brother in all faithfulnesse syncerity and uprightnesse to understand that we in our Supposed Religion wherein men doe nothing but contend confute and revile one another about the Letter and the different Opinions thence contrived are as yet in the midst of Babel and that it was never Worse then now whereas yet men doe boast that they are gone out from Babel and have the true Religion which I leave in its worth to be well considered 14. But for so much as is knowne to me in the Lord my God in my exceeding precious Talent given to me of God I say that men indeed have dipped Christs Mantle with its purple colour
reality commeth from his Revelation and Operation 6. For albeit the World prateth and talketh much of God yet it doth it onely from Custome and receiveth its knowledge from the Hystory of the literall word by the habituall faculties of its naturall reason and yet it is void of true knowledge For none knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the son will reveal him 7. And therefore we have no true knowledge of God unlesse it be given us of the son who liveth in us if we be living branches on the vine 8. For Christ said whosoever is of God he heareth Gods word and to the Reason-learned who were onely skillfull and taught in the letter he said therefore you doe not heare because you are not of God also you are not my sheep you are ravening wolves and hirelings 9. Therefore I say that if we will speake aright of God and understand his will then his words must abide in us in a quicke and living working for Christ said without me you can doe nothing also none can call God Lord without the holy spirit in him for his calling Lord must be borne of God and flow from the holy Ghost 10. Nothing is pleasing to God and also nothing is accepted of God but that which he himselfe doth and worketh in and through the spirit of man therefore saith Christ all the plants which my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out and burnt with fire 11. Therefore my beloved brother you doe well to hold and keep your selfe to the Originall of life and desire power and strength from it you shall be well quickned refreshed and strengthened you are an acceptable guest to God and the members of Christ in this your purpose 12. And if you persevere stedfastly and resist the devill the World and the Earthly flesh and bloâ—d and prepare your selfe to fight like a true Noble Champion for Conquest against all these and overcome in you the Potent and open Enemy selfe-love and come aright into our Generall LOVE then you shall certainly know and sinde by experience that the noble and exceeding worthy Trophee or Crowne of Christs conquest which he obtained in the overthrow of death and Hell shall be set upon you with the Heavenly Kingdome of joy 13. And then all the Children of Christ together with the holy Angels shall exceedingly rejoyce more with you then for 99 righteous ones who have allready obtained it 14. And the fair and noble Sophia shall be given for a spouse unto your soule which now at present standeth at the doore of your soule and doth earnestly entreat and call you with her voâ—ce and knocketh bidding you to come forth and hold out aright in Battle against sin death Devill and hell and with your earnestnesse or fixed resolution to set the greaâ— Petards against the strong Fort of nature and shee will helpe you to blow up and demolish this strong Fort. 15. And then you shall see great wonders and at the hour of Conquest the joyfull nuptialls or marriage of the Lambe shall be celebrated in Heaven in you and then the Shepheards staffe shall be given by Christ into the hand of your soule 16. But be sure remember to keep truly and faithfully unto the end what you have promised unto this chast Sophia it must be in right earnest and not to looke back again into Sodom as Lots Wife who was turned into a pillar of Salt 17. But you must goe out of Sodom with Lot according to Gods command and enter into the footsteps of Christ not at all regarding the scoffings reproaches and opprobrious speeches of the World but love the Brand of Christ more then the friendship honour and goods of the whole World and then you may walke along with us upon the Pilgrims path of Christ 18. But if you doe not relish this but minde and desire rather the pleasure and honour of the World then you are not as yet ready and prepared for the Marriage and to come to your Spouse our loving and deare Sophia 19. Therefore consider well your selfe behold and examine well your whole heart if you finde a longing desire and drawing thereunto as I in part perceive and take notice of then doe not delay or put it off an houre but goe forward and enter with a right earnestnesse or fixed minde into repentance and yeeld up your will wholly and fully to enter instantly thereinto and never to goe out from it againe albeit you should therefore forsake body LIFE Honour and Goods 20. And if you doe thus then you are rightly prepared and the true Pioneer will come unto your soule and doe that in you which you cannot doe without him 21. And although afterwards vaine inclinations and great strife and opposition in the flesh might stick and cleave unto you and your reason call you a Foole yea though Gods anger should cover and cloud you in soule and body yet all this will not hurt you you shall spring forth under such thornes with a new minde and walke with the spirit in Heaven 22. And albeit the earthly body must be conversant with the creatures yet it shall be with it as with a rough stone in which fine Gold groweth 23. Be not at all offended at my tribulation and persecution neither be afraid for it is the marck of Christ Looke but back into the Scripture and see how it went with the children of God how were they continually persecuted and killed by those who should have taught the wayes of God 24. For I am entrusted with a precious Pearle which God doth so cover that the unworthy see it not but are blind therein and are offended at the simplicity of the person that so they may remaine blind to themselves in the wisedome of their owne Reason this they see and yet doe not understand it seeing they scorne and despise the simplicity of Christ 25. But the time is very nigh at hand when they shall give an earnest account for it 26. But that God hath given you to understand what it is and from whence it commeth be thankfull to him for it it is befallen you out of grace for you have humbled your selfe before him and there may yet greater grace happen unto you if you persevere stedfast in humility and earnest Prayer 27. I will willingly impart unto you my Love as a member of Christ with praying and cooperating for it is meer joy in my heart so to doe albeit I must therefore suffer bodily trouble and calamity yet I rejoyce to see what God the Lord hath done by me poore Man hitherto 28. Satan cannot hinder the wayes of God and though it seemes as if he hindered them by his murtherous cryes yet they are thereby the more divulged and made knowne so that the Children of God doe enquire after the true ground 29. But the wicked crew is thereby hardned and hindred but others are thereby called and this you
astray from such high grace and love of God 5. This temptation is the greatest and it is even the combate which Christ maintaineth with his love shed forth into the nature of man against such selfenesse also against Gods anger sin death Devill and hell in which combate the humane Dragon must be devouted by the love of Christ and changed into an angelicall Image 6. And if the love of God in Christ had not its influence in you you should have none of this combate but the Dragon Viz. The false develish will would maintaine his naturall right and possession without any such conflict or disturbance 7. Now therefore this perplexing and distressing temptation is wrought very sensibly in nature by the Dragon who is in travelling anguish with his owne nature when such great love of God commeth into him and would change his naturall right into a divine selfe denying will 8. For here Christ the Serpent-stroyer standeth in man in hell and stormeth or assaulteth the strong prey-fort of the Devill whence ariseth such strife where Christ and Lucifer fight for the soule as God hath given you to see and know experimentally in the first Temptation 9. Thus Christ bâ—uiseth the head of the Serpent and the Serpent stingeth Christ in the heel and the poore soule standeth in the middest in great trembling and sadnesses and can doe nothing but onely stand still in hope it is not able also to lift up its face before God and powre forth its effectuall prayers for the Dragon turneth its face towards the vanity of this World and shewes it the beauty and glory of this World and mocketh it because it will become another creature and represents unto it the Kingdome in which it liveth and its naturall ground 10. And here the soule standeth with Christ in the Wildernesse in the fâ—â—ty dayes â—emptation where the might glory riches and pleasure of this World is tendred unto it alluring it to elevate it selfe and enter into its owne selfeâ— will 11. The Second Temptation of Lucifer and the selfish Dragon of nature is this that when the soule hath tasted the Divine love and hath beene once illuminated then the soule will have that same light for its owne propriety and worke therein in its owne Power and ability as in its owne peculiar possession understand the nature of the soule which being without Gods light is a Dragon as Lucifer that I say will have it for its owne propriety but this Dragon will not resigne up his naturall right he will be a maker and disposer of the Divine power and live therein in great joy in his fiery selfish nature and this cannot be 12. This Dragon Viz. the fiery nature must be changed with its owne will into a Love-â—â—re and forgoe his naturall right but he is unwilling to doe it but he in such a charge or transmutation looketh for an owne selfe power and yet findeth none and therefore he beginneth to doubt of grace because he seeth that in such working he must forsake his naturall desire and will and hence he continually is afrayd and will not dye in the Divine light from his owne naturall Right but alwayes thinketh that the light of Grace which worketh without such sharpnesse and fiery might is a false light 13. Whence it commeth that the outward Reason which however is blind and seeth nothing aright of it selfe continually thinketh O! who knoweth how it is with thee whether it be true or no that God hath illuminated thee that he is in thee I may likely proceed from such a Fansie thou seest not the like in other people and yet they thinke to be saved as well as thou thou makest thy selfe thereby onely the foole of the World and standest in feare and trembling at Gods anger more then those who comfort themselves onely with the promise of grace upon the futuâ—e Revelation 14. Thus it commeth to passe that then the internall ground doth sigh and pant after the inflammation and motion of the light and faine would have it but the nature is able to doe nothing it is as if it were wholly rejected of God which is also true as to the Selfe-will for God hath planted a new will into it it must dye to its owne will and be changed into Gods will 15. And because the will of nature must here dye and resigne up its owne right to the will of God therefore such grievâ—aâ— teâ—pâ—ations are therein for the Devill will not have his Pâ—eâ— Fâ—rt to fall or be demolished for if Christ shall live in Man then the spirit of selfe-lust and imagination must dye and yet it doth not wholly dye in the time of this life by reason of the flesh but it dyeth dayly and yet liveth and therefore there is such contest which no wicked man feeleth but onely those who have put on Christ in whom Christ fighteth with Lucifer â— 16. The Third Temptation is in the strong holds of the Devill namely in the will and minde as also in flesh and blood where the false Centres lye in man as a peculiar selfe-will to the proud temporall life to the lâ—st of the flesh to earthly things also many curses of men which have beene wished upon his body and soule through his temptation all the sins which have grounded and concentred and yet stand in the Astrall spirit as a strong Fort in which Christ now fighteth and will destroy it which strong hold of might pleasure and beauty of this World the humane will doth still esteeme and hold for its propriety and best treasure and will not resigne it up and be obedient to Christ 17. Therefore beloved Sir and Christian Brother I tell you and give you to understand what our loving Lord Jesus Christ hath shewn me in my consideration examine your selfe what your Temptation is our Deare Lord sayd We must forsake all and follow him and so we should be right Christ-like poore 18. Now if you yet stick with your minde in the selfe lust imagination and love of earthly things then therein namely in those Cenâ—â—es which yet worke in you you have such Temptation 19. But if you will follow my child-like counsell I tell you this that when such Temptation doth arise in you you must then imagine nothing else to your selfe save the bitter suffering and dying of our Lord and consider his reproach and scorne his contempt and poverty in this World which he hath undergone and done for us poore men and resigne your desire and whole will thereinto that you would very â—aine be conformable to his Image and with all unfaigned willingnesse follow him in his processe and patiently enduâ—e whatsoever is layd upon you to suffer and that willingly for his sake and desire onely to be conformable or like unto him and for his love sake and will be content to be abject despised in contempt and affliction that you might but mainetaine and keepe this his lâ—ve in
signifyed under the Characters Ra. Ra. Ra. P. in R. P. As is to be seen in the Revelation 13. We dare not at present make this large Interpretation more cleare all will shew it selfe and then men shall see what it was for there is yet clean another time 14. Concerning the language of nature I certifie you that it is so but what I understand in it I cannot teach or give another indeed I can give a signification thereof how it is to be understood but it requireth much roome and there must be a Personall Conference and intercourse in it it is not to be set downe in writing 15. Also concerning the Phylosophicall worke of the Tincture its progresse is not so bluntly and plainely to be described albeit I have it not in the Praxis the Seale of God lyeth before it to conceale the true ground of the same upon paine of eternall punishment unlesse a man knew for certaine that it might not be mis-used there is also no power to attaine unto it unlesse a man first become that himselfe which he seeketh therein no skill or Art availeth unlesse one give the Tincture into the hands of another he cannot prepare it unlesse he be certainely in the new birth 16. There belong two Centrall fires unto it wherein the might of all things consist which may easily be attained if man be rightly fitted Therefore Sir doe not trouble and toyle your selfe in that manner and way which you mention with any Gold or Minerals it is all false the best in Heaven and in the World from above and below must be ingredient to it which is farre off and nigh at hand the place is every where where it may be had but every one is not fit and prepared for it neither doth it cost any money but what is spent upon the time and bodily maintenance else it might be prepared with two Florens and lesse 17. The World must be made Heaven and Heaven the World it is not of Earth Stones or Mettalls and yet it is of the Ground of all Mettals but a spirituall Being which is environed with the four Elements which also changeth the foure Elements into one a doubled Mercury yet not Quick-silver or any other Minerall or Mettall 18. Read the Water-Stone of the Wise men which is in Print therein is much truth and it is moreover cleare the worke is easie and the Art is simple a Boy of Ten yeares might make it but the Wisedome therein is great and the greatest Mystery every one must Seeke it himselfe it behooves us not to breake the Seale of God for a fiery Mountaine lyeth before it at which I my selfe am amazed and must wait whether it be Gods wil How should I teach others expresly thereof I cannot yet make it my selfe albeit I know somewhat and let no man seeke more of me then I have yet cleare enough signified and I commend you together with all the Children of God into the Love of Jesus Christ JACOB BEEM THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH EPISTLE In Answer to a QUESTION WHY The Statua of one that was Deceased Wept or shed Teares 1. TOUCHING the Question it is dark in the understanding and there needs a Joseph to explaine it for it is a Magicall thing and very wonderfull whereupon it is hard to be answered for it proceedeth from the Magia 2. Yet I will open and shew you in very briefe what my Opinion is thereupon not that I would conclude and passe an absolute determinate judgment concerning it and leave you and other illuminate men of God to their opinion and apprehension in it but whether God hath given me to prove it that I leave to your judgement who know the condition of the mentioned Person better then I for all things proceed according to the time measure and limit of that thing 3. A hard rough Murall Stone hath no life that is moveable or active for the Elementall vegetable life standeth mute and still therein and it is shut up with the first Impression yet not in that manner as if it were a Nothing there is not any thing in this World wherein the Elementall as well as the Sydereall Dominion doth not lye but in one thing it is more moveable active and working then in another and we cannot say neither but that the foure Elements together with the Starres have their daily operation in all things 4. But being this is a hard Stone therefore the Miracle is above the wonted and ordinary course of Nature whereupon we can in no wise say that it hath a naturall cause in the Stone as if the operation of the Stone should move and put forth this but it is a Magicall motion from the Spirit whose Image is hewen out and pourtrayed in the Stone 5. For a Stone consisteth in three things and so all Beings consist of these three things but inclosed in a twofold property Viz. in a spirituall and in a corporall and those three wherein all whatsoever is in this World consist are Sulphur Mercury and Salt in two propertyes the one Heavenly the other Earthly as God dwelleth in the Time and the Time in God and yet the Time is not God but out of God as a pourtrayed Image of Eternity 6. So Man likewise is out of the Time and also out of the Eternity and consisteth of three things Viz. of Sulphur Mercury and Salt in two parts the one being out of the time Viz the outward body and the other standeth in the Eternity Viz. the soule seeing then that Man and the Time as well as the Eternity stand in one Dominion in Man thence wee are to consider of the Question 7. For man is a little World out of the great World and hath the property of the whole great World in him for God sayd unto him after the fall thou art Earth and unto Earth thou shalt turne that is Sulphur Mercury and Salt therein stand all things in this World be it Spirituall or Corporall save the soule which standeth in such a property according to the right of the eternall nature as I have sufficiently demonstrated in my Writings 8. Now when man dyeth then the outward light in the outward Sulphur doth extinguish and goe out with its outward fire wherein the life hath burned and then the body falleth to dust and entreth again into that whence it is come but the soule which is brought forth out of the eternall nature and infused into Adam by the spirit of God that can not dye for it is not out of the time but out of the Eternall Generation 9. Now if the soule hath put its desire into any temporall thing and therewith hath imprinted it selfe or strongly set its Imagination thereupon then it hath impressed the property of that thing into its desire and holdeth it magically as if it had it bodily indeed it cannot hold the body understand the elementall but it
holdeth the sydereall body untill the Stars also consume it and it often hapneth that People doe appeare after there death in Houses with there owne body but the body is cold dead and num and the spirit of the soule doth onely put it on by the astrall spirit so long till the body putrifyeth 10. Also many a body is so strongly possessed of the Astrall or starry Spirit through the Desire of the soule that it is a long while a decaying for the desire of the soule doth bring the sydereall spirit thereinto so that the Elements are as it were impressed with an Astrall life especially if the soule hath not yet attained to rest and that in the life of the body it had strongly imagined upon any thing and taken it to heart and in the mean time the body dyed before it had quitted its desire and taken it out of that thing therefore the will doth still continually run in that same Impression and it would fain rightly effect its cause but cannot and thereupon it seeketh the cause or reason of its detainment and would fain rest in the Eternity but the impressed thing hath its effectuall working and driving untill the stars consume it formerly in the Popish Religion there was somewhat handled about it but without sufficient understanding 11. Now you may easily consider how it fell out that the Engraven Grave-stone shed water or wept it is not done from the power or vertue of the stone but from the strength and might of the spirit whose the stone is whose Image it beares also it is not done from the soules owne essence but magically through the astrall Spirit the constellations in the Spirit of the soule have impressed themselves into the sydereall Spirit in the stone all according to the soules desire it hath hereby signified that there was something that lay heavy in its minde when it lived and this sadnesse or sore pensivenesse of Spirit was yet in the sydereall spirit for Christ said where your heart is there is also your Treasure also in the Revelation of Jesus Christ it is written our WORKES shall follow us 12. Deare Sir it behooves me not to Judge further herein consider whether the mentioned Person had not something in her that lay heavy upon her before her end whether any had done her wrong or shee had done wrong to any body or whether the care about her Husband and children so far as shee was a holy Person did not trouble her seeing any of them going on in an evill course that so through the power of the Sydereall spirit through the Stone shee might give such admonition for amendment Noble Sir consider your selfe aright I may likely among all these mentioned things hit one but seeing I never knew the Person also know nothing of her I leave the judgement unto your Favour you know better then I what her condition herein was I write onely of the Possibility how it may bee and passe no further judgement or determination 13. But that this might be laughed at and be accounted ridiculous I passe not for it I am not deceived I understand I blesse God this ground very well for such knowledge I have not learned of or by Man but it hath been given me and I would sufficiently ground it with further and larger exposition if I should write of the Humane Property how Man is in Life and how in Death 14. I send you the Booke of the Forty Questions there you may see further ground which notwithstanding is better grounded into the Centre of all Beings in the Booke of the Threefold Life and yet much more in the Book of the Signature of all things Furthermore I entreat you not to mention this my jndgement and explanation of the Question much among light people for to a Cow there belongeth Fodder and to the intelligent there belongeth understaning the wicked man judgeth wickedly the understanding man proveth all things I speake from a good intent and affection 1. Jan. 1622. J. B. THE FIVE AND TWENTIETH EPISTLE TO CHARLES OF ENDERN 1. NOBLE Right Honourable Sir I wish and desire unto you from the most holy omnipresent God who is the fulnesse of all things and the power of all Beings a happy joyfull new yeare and all prosperous welfare 2. Albeit I being a simple man never in all my life intended to have intercourse and converse with such high Persons with my Gift which God hath bestowed upon me out of his mercy and love or thereby to be knowne and acquainted with them but when the high light was enkindled in me and the fiery instigation fell upon me then my will was onely to write what I saw man an effectuall peculiar manner and knew in the Spirit and I intended to keepe my Writings to my Selfe 3. I saw well enough what would come to passe but that I should esteeme my selfe as to have my Writings knowne never as yet came into my minde for I esteemed my selfe too simple I intended to write downe the Pearle-like Garland onely for my selfe and to imprint it on my heart 4. But seeing that I as a very simple man did not understand or take notice of this and yet I now see plainely that Gods intention was farre otherwise then ever came into my minde thereupon I 〈◊〉 first this consideration That there is no respect of Persons with God but he that dependeth on him is accepted and beloved of him and he driveth his worke in him for he is onely high and is pleased to manifest himselfe in the weak that it may be knowne That the Kingdome and the Power is his alone 5. And also that it lyeth not in humane Searchings and Reason or depends on the Heavens and their powers for they doe not comprehend him but that he is well pleased to reveale himselfe in the low and humble that he may be knowne in all things for the Powers of the Heavens doe also worke themselves forth continually in shapes formes plant◠and colours to manifest and reveale the holy God that he may be knowne in all things 6. Much more high and cleare can the manifestation of God be made in man being he is not onely an Essence or Being out of the created World but his power matter and peculiar Being which he himselfe is standeth and assimulateth with all the three Principles of the Divine Being 7. And there is nothing diminished from the Being of the divine creature in its fall but onely the divine light wherein it should live walke and be in God in perfect love humility meeknesse and holynesse and so eat the Manna or Heavenly bread of the word and divine power and live in perfection like the Angels 8. This light which in the second Principle shineth eternally in God which is the onely cause of joy love humility meeknesse and mercy is withdrawne and hidden from man in his fall in that the first man when he was formed in
and Pastours of Jesus Christ they runne and yet are not sent much lesse doth God owne them and what they doe they doe for their honour and Belleys sake and they would not runne neither if they did not obtaine it in their Course of spirituall whoredome and hypocrisie 18. They have turned the right and exceeding precious Mystery of God to a Mystery of their Whoredome and pleasure and therefore the spirit calleth it Babel a Confusion where men doe practice an hypocriticall Service and worship of God acknowledging him with the tongue but denying him in the power where men doe dissemble and flatter God with the lipps but in the heart they embrace and love the Dragon in the Revelation 19. Such as these we must not be if we would obtaine the Divine Mystery and be capable of the light but wholly approve our way to God and resigne our selves up to him that Gods light may shine in us that he may be our intelligence knowing willing and also doing we must become his Children if we will speake of his Being and walke or labour in the same for he commits not his work unto a Stranger who hath not learnt his Worke or the Mystery of his Wonders in Nature and Grace 20. I have read over your Bookes and therein have found your great diligence with very much labour in that you have gathered together the Texts of the holy Scripture in great abundance I understand likewise that you are in good earnest about it and that you would faine clearely prove and set forth thereby the darke termes and places of the Scripture concerning the last Times also concerning the first Resurrection of the dead and also concerning the thousand yeares Sabbath likewise you would manifest and set forth the ruine of Babel and the new building in Zyon of which the Scripture speaketh in many places 21 First what concerneth Babel how it hath growne up and how it shall againe be destroyed is sufficiently manifest the Destroyer is already on foot and is now about the worke he hath long since made a beginning however the World will not see or take any notice of it 22. Men cry Mordio murder confusion and destruction to there adversaries and yet there is no strange Enemy but it is the Turba onely which hath growne up in the middest of Babel in her wickednesses and unrighteousnesses that hath found the limit and destroyeth onely that which for a long time hath been naught uselesse and selvish the which should at all times have beene rejected for where God should have been honoured and loved and our neighbour also as a man loveth himselfe there men have set up in Gods stead the abominable and bestiall coveteousnesse deceit falsehood and wicked craft under an hypocriticall shew and pretence of holinesse and have minded and loved falshood in the place of God and so have made of the Mystery an abominable vicious Babel full of reproachings revilings and contentions where they have with sweet speeches and enticing words of mans wisedome with feigned glosses and expositions of Scripture blindfolding our eyes and binding our consciences have led us captive in a very deceitfull way to the glory and Magnificence of the great Whore so that she hath fatted her adulterous Brat and domineered over our body and soule goods and estate 23. This Bastard is now at odds with himselfe about the great prey and spoyle and doth it selfe discover its owne wickednesse and great shame so that we may see what good ever was in her for the great wickednesse which shee hath committed doth plague her and no strange thing whereby it may be seene that her whoredome hath been manifold and that the Devill had beset and caught us in manifold Nets and that one whoredome or Mystery of hipocricy and iniquity runnes in opposition to another and are malicious biting devouring destroying and slaying each other in an hostile manner 24. For the great Paine is come upon her and shee shall now bring forth the great iniquity wherewith shee in become fully pregnant and therefore shee cryeth out because of her travell and woe which is fallen upon her and shee speaketh of the child which shee shall bring forth Viz. of Murther Covetousnesse and Tyranny she uncovereth her faire feature and sheweth what shee is in the heart now he that will not know her there is no remedy for him 25. The Revelation saith Goe out from her my people that you may not be partakers of her Plagues for shee hath filled her Cup full with the abominations of her Whoredome in the anger of God the same Shee shall drinke off and bee forced to burst Her selfe thereby 26. And this is that which I say of Babel that shee is a Whore and shall suddenly breake in pieces and be destroyed and no stranger shall doe it the spirit of her owne mouth doth strangle her her owne Turba destroyeth her Shee cryeth for vengeance and murder upon Heresie and yet shee doth it not for Gods sake but for her Adulterous Bratt and Belley-God For otherwise if it were for God shee would enter into his Command and will of Love where Christ saith Love one another for thereby men shall know that you are my Disciples 27. The Kingdome of God doth not consist in Warre and revilings or in an externall shew in delicious dayes herein the Children of God are not to be found but in Love in patience in hope in faith under the Crosse of Jesus Christ thereby groweth the Church of God unto the Sacred Ternary to an heavenly Paradiâ—icall Essence and the new Angelicall man hidden in the old springeth forth in God and this is my certaine knowledge briefly comprized concerning this Article in my Writings you may see further of it 28. Secondly concerning Zyon I speake and declare according to my knowledge even as the spirit sheweth it to me that there shall surely come an ending and removall of the Deceit or Mystery of iniquity wherewith men are blinded and Zyon shall be found onely of the Children of Faith not in generall as if there should be no wicked man 29. For the Oppressour shall be a cause that Zyon is borne when men shall see how Babel is an Whore then many Children shall be found in Zyon and seeke the Lord but the Oppressour shall dog them and cry them downe for Hereticks also persecute and put to death and where one is killed there shall ten yea an hundred rise up in his roome 30. But the Generall Zyon appeareth first in greatest Misery when Babel commeth to ruine then it shall stand desolate and miserable and the Children of Zyon shall then say How hath the Lord forsaken us Come we beseech you let us seek his face let us cease from strife and Warre Have we not alas made our Country desolate Is not all store and Provision wasted and spent Are we not Brethren Wherefore doe wee fight We will now enter into Love and
81. And though I have not obteined many dayes of pleasure thereby yet I must not therefore resist his will I have written onely according to the forme as it was given to me not according to other Masters or Writings 82. And besides my intent was onely for my selfe albeit the spirit shewed me how it should fall out yet my heart willed nothing but committed the same to him to doe therewith what he pleased 83. I have not run with it not being called and made my selfe knowne to any for I can say also with truth that my acquaintance knew least of it but what I have shewne unto any the same was done upon his entreaty and importunate desire 84. And then further I give you to understand seeing that you have my writings in hand to read that you would not looke upon them as comming from a great Master for Art is not to be seene or found therein but great earnestnesse of a zealous minde which thirsteth after God in which thirst it hath received great things as the illuminate mind shall well â—ee and without light no man shall rightly know and apprehend them as the Reader shall surely finde 85. And yet it could not be written more clearely and ready for the understanding although I conceive that the same is cleare and plaine enough in such a depth but yet if there were any thing that should seeme too obscure and difficult I might represent it in a more simple and plaine manner if it were mentioned to me 86. There are yet other Bookes besides this written concerning the wisedome of God of a very deep sence and understanding treating of the great depths of the wonders of God which at present I have not at hand 87. But that I give you not a large answer of my judgement upon your Booke concerning the thousand yeares Sabbath and the foure hundred yeares in Zyon which you suppose to prove with many places of holy Scripture is because I doe not fundamentally and certainely know whether those Texts may be applyed to such a meaning 88. For there be many sayings of Scripture which seeme to intimate onely one Generall Resurrection of the dead and they are cleare especially in the words of Christ in the soure Evangelists which I hold for the most certaine 89. In like manner the Cause stands with Zyon that wickednesse shall continue to the end and though a Zyon shall be yet it will not be wholly Universall Babel shall go to ruin and get another forme yet they shall not all be Children of God that are called Children in Zyon 90. Also I have no knowledge of the thousand yeares Sabbath I know not sufficiently to ground it with Scripture for we finde one place seeming to crosse another men may interpret the Scripture as they are disposed but seeing I have no command from God of it I let it alone and leave every one to answer for his owne opinion This I tell you syncerely out of good affection and am however your faithfull Friend in the love of Christ 91. In your forty second and forty third Page where you write of the Mystery of the Soules departed or separated you bring the opinion of Theophrastus and others into question and suspition as if they had not written aright of the Mystery it were better thaâ— had been left out seeing you have not understood their Opinion â—s you say and just so it seemes you shall finde in my Booke of the Forty Questions about the thirtieth Question concerning the last Judgement and also in other Questions sufficient and large information if the same be read and rightly understood 92. There is no need of any further searching it is there cleare enough what the Mystery is that comprizeth body and soule and also what condition the separated soules are in both with their expectation of the last Judgement and also in the meane time in respect of their habitation source life and difference I had thought that it was so deeply and highly grounded that the minde of man should be satisfied enough therewith and if you neither have nor cannot set forth any thing more fundamentall then it remaines of right in its owne place the thousand yeares Sabbath and the foure hundred years in Zyâ—â— will but finde fault with all and bring it into suspition and though many objections might be made yet they would be of no service or esteeme 93. Moreover the manifestation of the thousand yeares Sabbath is not of much importance or concernement to the World seeing we have not sufficient ground of the same it should of right rest in the Divine Omnipotence for we have enough in the Sabbath of the new birth for that soule that obtaines this Sabbath of Regeneration will after the death of the earthly body have Sabbath enough in Paradise we may very well leave and commend the other unto the Divine Omnipotence and waite on God what he will doe with us when we shall be in him and he in us 94. For I suppose there should be a better Sabbath in God then in this World and if man should dwell upon the earth in Paradise then must God restore that which in his curse entred into the Mystery as is to be seen in the forty Questions 95. But that you suppose that the righteous shall not be brought with their workes before the judgement is contrary to the words of Christ who saith That all things shall bee proved through the Fire 96. I say not that they shall come into the judgement for the judgement is in the wicked understand the judgement of Anger of which the Scripture saith the righteous or as Christ saith He that beleeveth on me commeth not unto judgement hee understands hereby the source or paine of the judgement his words doe hold forth that they shall all come together before the judgement and every one heare his sentence The ungodly depart hence and the righteous come hither c. 97. Also every one shall stand forth with his owne workes in the Mystery and themselves be judged according to their workes now you know very well that our workes in this World have beene wrought in good and evill and shall be proved and separated in the fire of God how shall they then being unseparated follow the Saints in the Resurrection to the Sabbath and they hold Sabbath therein But if they shall follow them then they must be tryed and separated in the Fre and then they shall have no more any need to come before the judgement but if they should keep a Sabbath without their workes then they are not perfect 98. If we would speake of Paradise and apprehend the same then we must have cleare eyes to see into it for the internall Paradificall World and the externall World doe hang one within another we have onely turned our selves out of the internall into the externall and so we worke in two Worlds 99. Death cannot separate our workes the
fire of God must doe it for they remaine in one Mystery till the judgement of God every one at the houre of the Resurrection shall come forth in his owne Mystery and he shall see his workes before him and feele them in him 100. It is not understood that they shall answer for their selves selves with words for the Kingdome of God consists and proceeds in Power and albeit the ungodly shall cry out Woe upon his abominations and Seducers yet every mans worke shall bee Summoned in POWER which shall either rejoyce or torment him 101. Now the old body of this World is the Mystery of this World and the new body is the Mystery of the Divine light World and the soule is the Mystery of God the Father and the Earth with the Elements hath also both Mysteries which shal be moved through the Principle of the Father 102. And then the doores of the Mysteries shall be set open and each shall give and set forth its Figures which it hath swallowed up for the Principle of the soule must stand before the judgement with both the Mysteries 103. Happy are they which shall have the body of Christ in the Mystery of the wrath or fire of Gods anger they shall have the soules fire or the Principle of the Father surrounded with the light World and illustrate with the Majesty they shall feele no paine or hurt and shall passe unsensibly through the fire and there the outward or third Principle shall be proved and all earthlinesse or falshood shall remaine in the fire but the workes shall be renovated in the fire and freed from their earthly source and soyle and then the earthly Mystery remaineth in the fire and is a food of the fire whence the light ariseth and the Righteous looseth nothing 104. For the works of love which were brought forth in the new body doe passe with the spirit of the soule through the fire and remayne in the Divine Image in the source of the light and they of the third Principle that is of this World doe remaine in the fire-source of the Soule 105. But that which hath been wrought and acted in an wholly evill and malicious manner in the third Principle and yet in this World hath not been renewed by earnest Repentance and Reconcilment toward his Brother that falleth unto the centre of Nature that is the root of the darke World 106. But the workes of the ungodly shall not be able to remayne in the fire for the fire swalloweth them downe in it selfe to the darke Centre Viz. the Originall of nature wherein the Devills dwell and thither also goeth there-soules fire being the Fathers principle for this fire of the soule shall have no matter to make it burn aright but it shall be as a quenched darke painfull sourse-fire onely as an anguish that would faine produce fire this is called Gods wrath and not a principle a death or a dying source 107. For the principle of the father wherein the right and true soule consists is a flaming fire which giveth light and in the light is the pretious Image of God for that light doth qualify and sweeten the burning light with the essentialty of Love so that it is a pleasing delight and a cause of nature and of life 108. Therefore I tell you that you should not thinke it strange or misunderstand it when I or any other let it be Theophrastus or who it will write that man shall stand before the Judgment with his body which he had here I perceive very well that you have not as yet understood my Writings in the Book of the Threefold life and also in the Booke of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ which treateth of Christs suffering dying and rising againe and how we must enter into his death and arise out of his death you shall finde it cleare enough explained and enlarged but seeing you have them not yet at hand be pleased to have patience you may very likely get them to read and then you will be freed from your perplexity and deepe searching in this manner 109. For they lay their ground much deeper then your apprehension is in this doe but read them right you shall verily find what the Mystery is what the magicall Bysse and Abysse is also what the Being of all Beings is there needs no consulting with one or another he that understands the great Mystery whence all Beings have proceeded and doe still proceed he doth not encumber himselfe with such large circumferences 110. You have undertaken a very hard labour which doth nothing but perplex eat up and consume your life it is wholly needlesse he that findeth and knoweth the great Mystery he findeth all things therein there need no literall demonstration God Christ and the eternity with all wonders do lye therein the Holy Ghost is the Key to it are you in the new birth as you say then there is no need of such hard seeking with such hard labour seek onely Christ in the Manger in the dark Stable when you finde him then you shall indeed find where he fitteth at the righ hand of God 111. Searching onely doth nothing the Phylosophers Stone is a very dark disesteemed Stone of a Gray colour but therein lyeth the highest Tincture would you search out the Mysterium Magnum then take before you onely the Earth with its Mettals and so you may well finde what the Magicall or Cabalisticall ground is 112. The deep and Mysticall numbers which otherwise no man is able to fathom or finde out lye all in the Mystery but hee that findes it searcheth not after the numbers he taketh Gold for Earth and doth as one that hath a costly Treasure lying in an obscure place the Manger and swadling cloaths of Christ are more acceptable to him then the whole World with its Figures or externall pompe and glory he hides the Numbers themselves for the outward Kingdome must accomplish its wonders 113. Wherefore should the earthly Mystery be unvailed before the time enquire of the Magists who have understood the heavenly and earthly Magia wherefore they have kept the Tincture secret and not revealed it there is no other cause at all but that the World is not worthy of it so likewise it is not worthy of the Numbers of the Mystery 114. Therefore God hath hidden them from us that the earthly Mystery might accomplish and fulfill all its wonders on us and that all the Violls of Gods anger be poured forth on us how can a man undertake to reveale such secret things without the consent of the Mystery indeed he tampereth about the outside of the Mystery but if he comes in he must have the will of the Mystery 115. The outward instigation to manifest and reveale the Mystery proceedeth from the Starres for they would faine be freed from vanity and they drive mightily in the Magicall Children to manifestation therefore we must prove and examine the instigation
to it selfe out of the Incarnation of Christ the Divine disclosed Essence and so it feedeth on Gods Being and taketh it into it selfe and from this spirituall and essentiall eating consuming or digesting it giveth forth a body of light which is both like unto and capable of the Deity thus the poore soule becomes cloathed with a body of light as the fire in the Candle and in this body of light it findeth rest but in the darknesse of this World in its earthly carkasse and cloathing of clay wherein the Curse of God and all evill inclinations and false desires do stick it hath anguish and trouble 26 But now seeing it is so that it hath with Adam put upon it selfe the earthly Image it must therefore beare the same as the fire of the Candle must take its burning light from the darke lumpe of fat if it had with Adam abode in Gods being and had not put on the earthly Image it needed not to have borne the same but now it is bound to beare it 27. For Saint Paul saith To whom you give your selves as Servants in obedience his servants you are be it to sinne unto death or to the obedience of God unto righteousnesse Now seeing the soule hath put on the earthly Image which worketh nothing but fruit to death and hath yeelded and devoted it selfe a servant to Sin it is therefore now become the sinfull servant of death 28. Wherefore is it fallen in love with a strange Master that domineereth over it Had it but remained a childe and had not lusted after the Tree of knowledge of good and evill it needed not then to have beene in subjection to both Governments but being it would be as God in love and anger according to both the Principles of Eternity thereupon it must now beare the Image and undergoe the force and sway of both and so endure the fire-burning the curse and anger of God enkindled in the divided properties of Nature till the day of Separation 29. Therefore it s called a bearing of the Crosse for when the Magicall fire ariseth it maketh a Crosse-like-birth and the one forme of nature doth presse and quite pierce through the other that is the one is contrary to the other as sweet against soure sharp against bitter and the fire against them all 30. And if the soule had let the body of light be onely Lord and Master and had not imagined on the externall Kingdome of this World that is on the spirit of the great World in the Starres and Elements nor lusted after the earthly fruit then the wrath or the working power of darknesse in the Curse of God which is the departure of his love from a Being had been as it were swallowed up in it and would not have beene manifest or apparent there would not have been any sense perceivance or feeling of the same but seeing it is departed from the meeknesse of the light and gone out of the love of God therefore it seeleth now the wrath or burning anger of the eternall Nature 31. And therefore it must worke labour and endeavour to obtaine the light againe whence it is that the life of man standeth in such anguish in painefull seeking in continuall abstinence and repentance it earnestly desireth the Divine Rest and yet is held back by the wrath of Nature 32. The more the life desireth to fly from the wrath or fiercenesse of Nature the more strong and vehement the strife groweth in the life besides that which the Devill by his poysonfull Incantations Magicall imaginations representations and insinuations doth stirre up and bring into his Nest being the Centre of the soule he continually representeth before the soule the Magicall Image of the poysonfull Serpent that the soule might still imagine upon it and kindle or inflame it selfe in the poyson of the same which daily commeth to passe and thus the fire of the soule becommeth an evill poysonfull burning brimstony-fire 33. Yet if the soule departeth from the Serpent-like Image of the Devill and rejecteth the evill earthly Tree whereon the Serpent hath cunningly twin'd himselfe which Tree is Pride Coveteousnesse Envy Anger and Falshood and longeth not after it but maketh it selfe as it were dead in this Figure as if it knew nothing of it and casteth away the very concupiscence and imagination it selfe and desireth onely the love of God submitting it selfe wholly to Gods will and working that he may be onely its willing working and doing then the Divine light beginneth to shine in it and it obtaineth an eye of the right seeing so that it is able to behold its owne naturall forme and feature whereby it steppeth into plaine downright and meek humility 34. It willeth nothing it also desireth nothing but resigneth and casteth it selfe into the bosome of its Mother like a Childe that desireth nothing but its Mother inclining it selfe to her and longing onely after her it doth not much esteeme any Art subtill Reason or much knowledge and though it knoweth much yet it is not puft up or elevated in its owne conceit by its knowledge but leaveth and resigneth the knowing willing and working wholly to its Mothers spirit that it might be both the will and worke in it 35. I speak according to my knowledg that the Devill in the power of Gods anger doth continually shoot against and oppose this pretious sprout of the soule or noble twig of Divine light and love springing forth from the Tree of life Christ within us and doth cast vaine infinuations false desires and earthly imaginations after the root of nature that is after the formes of the fire-life in the first principle to enkindle them in their owne naturall working properties which are selfe-pride covetousnesse envy anger falshood hypocrisie lust c. and would continually by all meanes quite destroy the pretious sprout or noble twig of grace He continually shooteth his evill poysonfull rayes into the soules Magicall fire with evill lusts concupiscence and thoughts and ministreth strange matter or fuell to the soules fire to burne or feed upon so that it might by no meanes attain to a shining light he quencheth suppresseth and hindreth it that his Kingdome might not be knowne 36. But on the other side the noble twig defendeth it selfe and will none of the fierce darke and wrathfull source it ariseth and springeth forth like a plant out of the wild earth yet the Devill stâ—iveth contnually against it 37. Therefore my dearly beloved freind there is such strife and contention in man and hence he seeth the Divine light as in a mirror and sometimes he getteth a perfect glimps thereof for as long as the twig of the soule can defend it selfe against the poyson of the Devill so long it hath the shining light 38. For when the Magicall fire of the soule receiveth the Divine essence that is the divine body Christs flesh then the holy spirit doth apparently arise and glance forth in the
Short Declaration of the Falfe and True LIGHT The Salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ by his entrance and Manifestation in the humanity worke with his Love in Us all 1. MUCH respected Sirs and dearely beloved Brethren in Christ when God doth open to us by his Grace the right understanding that we are able to know and understand aright the Image of God Viz Man what he is in body soule and spirit then we acknowledge that he is the visible and also the invisible spirituall World namely An Extract of all the three Principles of the Divine Being 2. In whom the hidden God through the expression and impression of his various distinct Power and eternall Wisedom hath set forth himselfe in a visible Image through which hee doth Idea forme and shape in the same Being the wonders of the expressed Word in that the Word of his powers maketh it selfe essentiall 3. And so in or by man he hath represented and set forth an Image of his speaking and out spoken Essentiall word in which the Divine Science with the various divisions of the Eternall speaking is couched 4. And hence he hath the understanding and knowledge of all things that he is able to understand the conjunction of Nature and also its disjunction for no spirit hath any higher rule or deeper reach then in its owne Mother whence it taketh its Originall and in that ground it standeth or abide hâ— in its Centre 5. This we see in the Creatures of the Stars and Elements that their understanding and knowledge is no higher then of their Mother in whom they live each leadeth its life after the nature and condition of its Mother wherein it is bounded in the distinct division of the expressed Word and no Creature in the foure Elements whose Originall is not out of the Eternall Science is able to attaine the knowledge of the hidden spirituall World of Power save onely and alone Man who with his soule and understanding spirit is couched in the eternall Spiration or generation of the Divine power and various distinct division of the eternall Word of God 6. Therefore the humane Science receiveth in the Centre of its understanding good and evill and doth Idea and shape it selfe both in good and evill and maketh it selfe Essentiall therein and so with and by the Science doth induce it selfe into will desire and essence 7. That so the Abyssall will out of the eternall word of various distinct division doth bring it selfe in the Creaturall Word Viz. in the Creaturall Science of the Soule into an Ens and Being in manner and forme as the Spiration of God hath brought it selfe through the various division of the Eternall will in the visible world into diverse properties namely into good and evill into love and enmity that in such a contrary the Being might be distinct severall formall sensible and perceivable that each thing might in such a Contrary finde and perceive it selfe 8. For in God all Beings are but one Being Viz. An eternall One or unity the Eternall onely Good which Eternall one without severalty were not manifest to it selfe 9. Therefore the same hath breathed forth it selfe out of its selfe that a plurality and distinct variety might arise which variety or severalty hath induced it selfe into a peculiar WILL and properties the Properties into Desires and the Desires into Beings 10 Insomuch that all things visible both Animals Vegitables and Minerals doe arise from the severalty and comprehensive impressure or formation of the expressed Word out of the Science of the great Mystery every thing from the Experience of the Severalized Word 11. Every thing hath its owne separation in it selfe the Centre of every thing is a Spirit from the Originall of the Word the separation in a thing is a selfe peculiar will of its owne impressure or forming where each spirit bringeth it selfe into Being according to its Essentiall Desire 12. The forme and feature of bodies arise from the Experience of the will where the Centre of Every thing being a particle or spark from the expressed word doth againe expresse or speake it selfe forth and bringeth it selfe into a various distinct Particularity in manner and forme of the Divine Speaking or operation of the Eternall word in its Generation and Manifestation 13. Now if there were no Free will in such Speaking then the Speaking should have a law and would stand Confined and compelled and no desire or free Imagination might arise and then the speaking would be Finite and inchoative which is not 14. But it is a Spiration of the Abysse and a distinct severation of the Eternall Stilnesse or immobility an effusion or distribution of it selfe where the particularity doth againe stand in its owne distinct Severation in a peculiar selfe-will and is againe an Expressing of it selfe whence Nature and the Creaturall life take their Originall and hence in every thing a selfe-will is arisen 15. That every thing doth bring it selfe from its owne experience into forme feature and shape and likewise into life and operation as it standeth in its Centre in the Vniversall experience namely in the Great Mystery in the Mother of all Beings 16. This we see in the Earth which in the beginning of its Materialls is risen out of the Severation of the Divine Spiration in a Spirituall manner where the Severation of the word hath formed it selfe by its owne proper will into an Ens and Being and so by the formation or impression it hath brought it selfe into the Perceivancy of the Essence 17. In which Perceivancy or Sensibility the Magneticall Desire is arisen that the properties of the Severalized distinguishing or separating will have brought themselves through the Desire into bodies according to and from the Nature of the three Principles of the Divine Manifestation 18. From which Originall the Earth hath so many and divers bodies good and evill as Earths salts stones Metals c. and such bodies lye mixt in the Earth for the three Principles are mutually in one another as one Being 19. And they stand only in three differences or distinct degrees of Centres being the divine Manifestation where each Centre doth make and produce out of it selfe its owne Spiration expression Nature and being and yet all doe arise Originally fron the Eternall ONE 20. The First Centre is the breathing sorth or Spiration of the Abysse Viz. Gods Speaking the Comprehensive impressure and the divine perceivance of it selfe where God doth beare and begett himselfe in Trinity and speaks forth himselfe into Powers 21. The Second Centre or Spiration is the Expressed Essence of the Divine Power and it is called Gods Wisdome through this same the Eternall word breaths forth it selfe into knowledge namely into an infinitenesse of plurality and brings the plurality of knowledge into Imagination and the Imagination into desire and the desire into Nature and Strife till it comes to Fire 22 Therein the Strife in the painfull Agony doth dye in the
body is in the Dominion of the Stars and Elements according to the source of this World 7 Thus we are Gods Image and likenesse who himselfe is all Should we not therfore rejoyce Who will separate us from God if the soule be in God where no death or destruction is 8. Therefore my deare faithfull Friend and Brother in Christ I esteeme it great joy unto me that I have found a precious plant of God of you of which my soule smelt and thereby was strengthened when the Oppressour would have torne it out of the Land of the living when it lay under the Oppressours and the Thorny Plantâ— of Antichrist intended to devoure us 9 But as God commeth to helpe the branches which stand in him with his power that they might not perish albeit Devill and Death doe storme against them so they must spring forth againe through death and the wrath or fiercenesse of the anger and Sting of death and though God bestow the most noble and precious hearbe of his Garden upon it yet his will must stand what is sowne in him that must grow in him 10. This we know in that he hath given his heart Viz. the most precious plant in himselfe to become Man for us to a strong sweet savour of regeneration in him that when we were in death we might be able to spring forth with and through him out of death in God his Father and bring forth the fruits of Paradise 11. Being then we know that we are the Plants Fruits or Nurserie of God let us not feare any thing but continually grow in the life of God and bring forth fruit to Gods honour and deeds of Wonder we shall enjoy them eternally 12. And being we know that our pretious life standeth in great danger betweene the Kingdome of Heaven and the Kingdome of Hell lying Captivall to both in this time of life therefore we must walke warily and circumspectly that our Pearl may not be broken we must not let the Savour of wrath into us for to corrupt and spoil us whereby the pretious fruit is hindred in the growth and God should complain of us that he is like a vine-dresser that gleaneth and would faine enjoy the pretious grapes 13. Therefore let us be watchfull to fight against the Prince of wrath that the pretious Grapes and fruites of God may growe in us in which God may have a good smell and tast that we may be a Pleasant sweet savour to him in Christ 14. We shall well enjoy it when we are rid from the vanity of this life and then we shall live and spring up in God and eate of the pure life of God without defect and he will be our food and we his that so there may be a pleasant mutuall Paradisicall growth in one another we in God and God in us in the eternall source of the holy life in Gods Nursery wherein is meere perfection in pure love 15. For which cause we labor so earnestly and suffer the scorne and contempt of the World that while our earthly life springeth in death our heavenly life may spring forth through death that so the earthly life may appeare before the heavenly as a scorne which indeed is not worthy to be called a life comparing it with the heavenly 16. And therefore we suffer patiently in the earthly life and rejoyce in the heavenly in hope that we shall be freed from vanity and then we shall be well refreshed with consolation what we have beene faine here to sow in tribulation and trouble we shall reape in great joy 17. Wherefore my very deare Brother in the life of God in which you stand you are more acceptable to me that you have awaked me out the Sleep that I might goe on to bring forth fruit in the life of God and afterward to rejoyce therein with the Children of God 18. And I give you to understand that after I was againe awakened a very strong Odour was given to me in the life of God and I hâ—pe to bring forth fruit therein and to awaken the sleepy as God hath awakened me out of the sleep wherein I lay 19. And I entreat you for the holy life sake of God in Christ that for the future you would not be faint or weary but animate and quicken up your life in Christ that our spirits may be apprehended and understood which cannot be without the Divine Power 20. For every one speaketh from his Essences in the Wonders of God according as his life is enkindled in God and no man can bring us to an understanding but the onely spirit of God which in the day of Pentecost did in the mouth of the Apostles change the tongues of all Nations into one that the languages of all Nations could understand the tongues â—f the Apostles whereas they spake but from one tongue but the heart and spirit of the Hearers were opened in God that they all understood them every one in his owne language as if the Apostles had spoken in their language 21. Thus it is onely 〈…〉 God that one spirit can apprehend and understand another 〈…〉 feare me that in many places of my Writings I shall be difficult 〈…〉 understood but in God I am very easie and plaine to the Reaâ—â—r if 〈◊〉 soule be grounded in God from which knowledge I onely Wâ—â—e 22. For I have veâ—◠〈◊〉 from the historicall Art of this World and I write nor for the Pride and Honour sake of their Art for I am not begotten of their Art but out of the life of God that I might beare fruit in the Paradisicall Rose-Garden of God 23. And that not for my selfe onely but for my Brethren and Sisters that we might be one holy body in Christ to God our Father who hath loved and chosen us before the foundation of the world was layd 24. Therefore as Christ spared not his life and so also his true Disciples but did freely Preach the Kingdome of God albeit they suffered scorne and death in this World for it and that onely for the sake of the heavenly Kingdome so must we not feare so much the temporall scorne and death for the heavenly lifes sake and so pray that God would deliver us from all evill and give us unity in one minde 25. But I am sorry that I am so difficult to be understood of you in some points of my Writings and I wish that I could impart my soule to you that you might apprehend my meaning 26. For I understand that it concerneth the deepest points on which the maine depends where I have used some Latine words but my meaning resteth in truth not barely in the Latine tongue but much rather in the Language of Nature 27. For it is opened unto me in some measure to sound out the Spirits of the letters from their very Originall and I would very gladly give you the meaning and interpretation of those words which I have
be found in the History but in true affiance and in the right resignation into the life and into the Doctrine of Christ Therein the holy Ghost shall appeare with wonders and powers which Babel at present in her inventions forged hypocrisies doth not beleeve yet however it certainely commeth and is already on foot yet hidden from the World 18. I have sent you by Mr. Fabian the whole worke of the Second Booke but I know not whether you have received it for since that time by reason of my Journey I have not spoken with Mr. Fabian if not then you may demand it of him And so I commit you to the meeke Love in the life of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God Given in haste Goerlits Friday before the Advent 1619. The Name of the LORD is a Strong Tower the Righteous flye unto it and is exalted THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH EPISTLE TO CHARLES of ENDERN 1. NOBLE Right Honourable Sir my humble ready and willing Service with all Cordiall wishes of Gods love and grace to your new creature in the New man in the body of Jesus Christ as also all temporall prosperity and blessing for the earthly body premised 2. I have considered your Noble heart and minde which is enkindled and enflamed not onely towards God but likewise towards his Children in love which hath exceedingly rejoyced me in Christ and I must in a speciall manner consider of the true earnestnesse and zeale which I know and acknowledge for you have endeavoured much about my few Writings of the first part and not regarded the murthering or confounding cryes of the Oppressour but sought after it your selfe to read it and to copy it out with your owne hand 3. Which give mee perswasion that God hath opened a little gate of his wisedome unto you which was fast shut to the Oppressor being he sought for it in Art and Pride therefore it was concealed to him for he was offended at the hand of the Writer and did not minde what is written in the holy Scripture My power is mighty in the weake and how Christ thanked his Father that he had hid it from the prudent and wise and revealed it unto Babes And sayd further Yea further For so it hath pleased thee 4. Also I am verily perswaded and convinced in my spirit that you have not done it out of any Curiosity but as it becommeth the Children of God which seeke the precious Pearle and are desirous of it which if it be found is the most precious Jewell which man loveth farre beyond his earthly life for it is greater then the World and more faire beautifull and excellent then the Sun it rejoyceth Man in tribulation and begets him out of darknesse to the light it giveth him a certaine spirit of hope in God and leadeth him upon the right path and goeth along with him into death and brings him forth to life out of death it quelleth the anguish of Hell and it is very where his light it is Gods friend in his love it affordeth him Reason and Discretion to governe his earthly body it leadeth him from the false and evill way and whosoever doth obtaine and keep it him it Crowneth with its Garland 5. Therefore noble Sir I have no other cause to write unto you but from a desire of unseighned love towards the Children of God that I might but refresh and recreate my selfe with them I doe it not for temporall goods or gifts albeit you have tendred your kind and loving favours to me though a stranger in a curteous and friendly manner but for the hope of Jsrael that I may highly rejoyce with the Children of God in the life to come and my labour which here I undergoe in love towards them shall then be well recompensed when I shall so rejoyce with my Brethren and every ones work shall follow him 6. Therefore I am in right earnest being that a Sparkle of the pretious Pearl is given to me and Christ faithfully warneth us not to put it under the table or to bury it in the Earth and thereupon we ought not so much to feare man that can kill the body onely and then is able to doe no more but we ought to feare him that can destroy body and soule and cast them into Hell 7. And though in my time I shall receive but little thankes from some who love their Belly more then the Kingdome of Heaven yet my Writings have their gifts and stand for their time for they have a very pretious worthy earnest Birth and descent and when I consider my selfe in my poor low unlearned and simple person I doe then wonder more then my very adversary 8. But seeing I know Experimentally in power and light that it is a meer gift of God who also giveth me a driving will thereunto that I must write what I know and see therefore I will obey God rather then man least my Office and Stewardship be taken away from me againe and given unto another which would Eternally grieve me 9. But seeing Sir that you have obtained a longing and delight to read the same and that as I verily hope from the providence and appointment of God therefore I shall not conceale it from you seeing that God the most High hath called you through his wonderfull Counsell to publish the first Worke when I thought the Oppressour had devoured it but even then it sprung forth as a green Twig wholly unknowne to me 10. And though I know nothing of my Selfe what God is about to doe and his Counsell and way also which he will goe is hidden from me and I can say nothing of my selfe also the Oppressour might impute it to me for a Pedentick Pride that I would thus onely arrogantly vaunt with my small gifts which were of grace given to me and thereby set forth the thoughts and imaginations of my heart for my owne vaine glory and boasting 11. Yet I declare in the presence of God and testifie it before his judgement where all things shall appeare and every one shall give an account of his doings that I my selfe know not what is hapned to me or how it goeth with me save onely that I have a driving will 12. Also I know not what I shall write for when I write the Spirit doth Dictate the same to me in great wonderfull knowledge so that I often cannot tell whether I as to my Spirit am in this World or no and thereat I doe exceedingly rejoyce and therein sure and certaine knowledge is imparted to me 13. And the more I seeke the more I finde and alwayes deeper that I many times account my sinfull person too weake and unworthy to set upon such high Mysteries where then the spirit sets up my Banner and sayth Arise thou shalt live therein Eternally and be Crowned therewith Why art thou amazed 14. Therefore Noble Sir I give you to understand in few words the ground and cause
me unworthy man as to mark me with the Conquering signe of his beloved son Jesus Christ 6. At which signe of conquest the Devill is terrifyed that he must even burst for very anger and thereupon hath raised up a great tempest out of his Sea of death against me and hath cast his horrible floods upon me thinking thereby to overwhelme and drowne me 7. But his violent streames have hitherto beene altogether uneffectuall for the conquering Trophy of Jesus Christ hath defended me and smitten his poysonfull darting rayes unto the earth whereby Sathans pharisaicall murthering poyson hath been revualed in many hundred men who since that time have turned themselves to the marke of Christ so that I see with joy that all things must turne to the best to them that love God 8. The report or outcry which came unto you was nothing else but a pharisaicall revilement and scorne by meanes of a scandalous reproachfull lying Pamphlet of one sheet of paper in the Latin tongue wherein Sathan hath plainly set forth and laid open the pharisaicall heart which by Gods permission is so come about that the People might learne to know and flye from the Poyson of this pharisaicall heart 9. And I confidently beleeve that the grossest Devill did dictate that Pamphlet for his clawes are manifestly and plainely therein discovered that it may be clearly seen that he is a lyer and a murtherer and it shall be as a warning unto many that they have a better care unto their soules as this Pamphlet with us is almost by all the learned ascribed unto Satan 10. The cause of this rage and fury was by reason of the printed Booke concerning repentance and the true resignation which Booke hath been very profitable unto many 11. Which shrewdly vexed the pharisaicall spirit that such a ground should be manifested thinking that such a doctrine and life should be looked for and required of him also which is not well relished so long as men â—it in the lust of the flesh and serve the belly-God in carnall pleasure and delight 12. Know yet for a direction that his reproach and lyes doâ— but publish and manifest my Booke insomuch that every one both of the high learned and low degre doe desire to read it and have it in great request 13. Which Booke in a short time hath come through Europe and it is much made of yea in the Prince Electors Court of Saxony where I am invited to a conference with high People the which I have consented unto at the end of Leipfick Faâ—r to performe who knoweth what may be done whither the mouth of the bold slaunderer may not be stopped and the truth made known and manifest 14. I exhort and entreat you therefore to wait with patience in Christian love and joy for the coming and revelation of Jesus Christ and his appearance which shall soon breake forth and destroy the works of the Devill 15. I feare not the Devill if God will use me any longer for his Instrument he will no doubt defend me well enough for the truth needeth no defence her defence is this as Christ speaketh when you are persecuted for my name sake and when they speak all manner of evill of you falsely for my sake rejoyce your reward is in Heaven also he that is just let him be just still and he that is wicked let him be wicked still every one shall reap what he hath sowne 16. Seeing then my conversation is in Heaven and I as to my body and soul run thither where aforehand my spirit dwells in Christ what advantage then is temporall dignity and honour to me I onely suffer persecution in the body and not in the soulet 17 What need I feare the shell which covereth the Spirit when the shell is gone then am I wholy in Heaven with a naked face who will deprive and bereave me of this none why need I then feare the World in an Heavenly cause 18. If the cause and maâ—â—eâ— be evill why suffer I disgrace and reproach and stand in trouble misery and feare why doe I not get rid of it but is it good what need I then despaire seeing I know whom I serve namely Jesus Christ who makes me conformable to his Image 19. Is he dead and risen againe why should not I then be also willing to suffer dye and rise with him yea his Crosse is my daily dying and his Ascension into heaven is daily done in me 20 Yet I wait for the Crowne of conquest which Jesus Christ hath said up and am yeâ— in combate and wrestling as a Champion and I exhort you as my fellow-wrestler to fight a good fight in faith and waite in patience for the Revelation of Jesus Christ and still stand fast 21. For this smoaking fire-brand which now smoaketh shall shortly be consumed in the fire and then the remainder shall rejoyce then it will be manifest what I could have written unto you which for the present is slandered and reviled yet onely by the Ignorant 22. But the wise will observe mark and take notice of it for they observe the time and see the darknesse and also the dawning of the day 23. Beloved Mr Marcus that you and your Father are in good health doth rejoyce and glad me I have received the Box of comfits and returne you thankes for them 24. I would fain write againe to the Apothecary at Wildan in Livonia â—f I had but an opportunity to send that way I pray let me know when you have 25. That which my native Country casteth away other Nations shall take up I send to you and your Father each of you a copy of my Bookes somewhat for good friends for I heard that formerly you had gotten some of them for you all 27. I have none of the other writings at hand I would gladly have sent some of them to you but shortly I hope to come into those parts and then God willing I will bring some along with me and I commend you to the kind and gracious love of Jesus Christ Dated 5. March 1624. J B. THE FOURE AND THIRTIETH EPISTLE TO FREDERICK CRAUSSEN Our Salvation is in the life of Jesus Christ in Us. 1. DEARELY respected Sir all hearty wishes of the Divine Love and all bodily health and prosperity premised God be pleased according to his will to ease and turne away your crasie distemper 2. The state of my body is yet tolerable for which I thanke God but it is wholly besmeared with the Pharisaicall dirt of Aspersion that the Common sort can scarce discern or acknowledge me to be a man 3. So wholly and gtievously is Sathan enraged against meÌ„ and my printed Booke and doth so exceedingly rage and rave in the cheife pharisee as if he would devour me but yet for these three Weekes the great fire hath begun to be somewhat allayed in the he perceiveth â—hat many hundreds doe speake against him whom he
soul as a triumph as he goeth forth from God the Father through the word or mouth of the sonne that is from the Heart of the sacred Ternary out of the Divine essentiality and thus he goeth or proceedeth forth out of the being or essence of the noble lilly-twig which springeth forth and groweth out of the fire of the soul which lilly-twig is the true Image of God for it is the new-born or regenerated spirit of the soul the spirit of Gods will the Triumphing Chariot of the holy spirit in which he rideth into the sacred Ternary into the Angelicall World 39. And with this twig or Image of God renewed in us as is before mentioned we are in Christ without this World in the Angelicall World of which the old Adam hath no understanding or perceivance also it knoweth it not as the rough stone knoweth not the Gold which yet groweth in it The Gate of the true knowledge of the Threefold life 40. Man is the true Similitude or Image of God as the pretious man Moses testifyeth not onely an Earthly Image for the sake whereof God would not have become man and put forth unite and espouse his heart and spirit in deepest love after the fall unto it but he is Originally out of the Being of all Beings out of all the three Worlds Viz. out of the innermost Nature-world which is also the most outward and is called the darke World whence the principle of the fiery Nature taketh its rise as is declared at large in my Booke of the threefold life 41. And secondly he is out of the light or Angelicall World out of the true Being of God and then thirdly he is out of this externall World of the Sunne Stars and Elements an entire Image of God out of the Being of all Beings 42. His first Image stood in Paradise in the Angelicall World but he lusted after the externall World that is after the Astrall and Elementall World which hath swallowed up and covered the precious Image of the internall Heaven and ruleth now in the similitude as in its owne propriety 43. Therefore 't is sayd You must be borne againe or else you cannot see the Kingdome of God And therefore it is that the word or heart of God entred into the humane Essence that wee with our soule might be able in the power of the word or heart of God to beget and bring forth againe out of our soule a new Twig or Image like unto the first 44. Therefore the old Carcasse must rot putrifie and perish for it is unfit for the Kingdome of God it carryeth nothing but its owne Mystery into its first beginning that is its wonders and workes understand in the Essence of the first Principle which is immortall and incorruptible being the Magicall fire of the soule 45. And not this alone but he must bring and unite the End with the Beginning for the externall World is generated out of the internall and created into a comprehensible Being the wonders whereof belong unto the Beginning and they were knowne from Eternity in the wisedome of God that is in the Divine Magia not in the Being or essentiality but in the mirrour of the Virgin-like wisedome of God whence the Eternall nature doth alwayes arise or take its Originall from Eternity 46. And to this end the poore soule standeth in the prison of the Astrall and Elementall Kingdome that it might be a Labourer and reunite the wonders of the externall Nature with the light World and bring them into the beginning and though it must now be bruised and pressed and endure much yet it is the Servant in Gods Vineyard which prepareth the precious Wine that is drunk in the Kingdome of God it is the onely cause of the understanding that the desire worketh in the Mystery and manifesteth and bringeth forth to light the hidden wonders of God as we see plainely how man doth search out and reveale the wonders of Nature 47. Therefore we must not be amazed and strangely perplexed when as many times the noble Image is hid that we cannot receive any refreshment or comfort but we must know that then the poor soule is put into the Vineyard that it should worke and bring the fruit to be set upon Gods Table 48. It hath then a Twig or Branch of the wilde Vine given unto it it must trim and dresse that and plant in into the Divine and Heavenly Mystery it must unite it with the Kingdome of God this is to be understood thus 49. As a plant or grift that is set doth worke so long till it putteth forth its branches and then its fruit so must the twig grift or scion of the soule which standeth overshadowed in a darke valley continually labour that it might come to bring forth fruit which is the noble and precious knowledge of God when the same is growne in it that the Soule knoweth God then it yeeldeth its faire fruits which are good Doctrines Workes and Vertues it leadeth to the Kingdome of God it helpeth to plant and build the Kingdome of God and then it is a right labourer in the Vineyard of Christ 50. And thus that of which I teach write and speake is nothing else but the same which hath beene wrought in me otherwise I could know nothing of it I have not scrap't it together out of histories and so made opinions as the Babilonicall School doth where men Eagerly contend about words and opinions I have by Gods grace obteined eyes of my owne and am able in my selfe to worke in Christs vineyard 51. I speake plainly and freely that whatsoever is patcht together from Conjecture and opinion wherein man himselfe hath â—o Divine knowledge whereupon he makes conclusions that I say is Babel an whoredome for conceit or thinking must not doe it yea not any opinion or conjecturall apprehension but the knowledge of God in the holy Ghost 52. The Children of God have spoken as they were driven by the holy spirit they have planted many and divers Trees but they all stand upon one root which is the internall Heaven none can finde the same unlesse he likewise stand upon the same roote and therefore the externall Heaven cannot finde them out or explain them by art 53. The words of the holy Children of God remain as an hidden Mystery unto the Earthly man and though he thinkes that he understands them yet he hath no more then a darkesome hystoricall glimps of them as we see now adayes how men doe wrangle and contend about Christs doctrine and worship and fight about Gods will how he must be served whereas he is not served or worshipped with any opinion but in the spirit of Christ and in truth men serve God 54. It depends not on what ceremonies and manners we doe use every one laboureth in his worke and gifts from his owne Constellation and property but all are driven and lead from one and the same spirit