Principle more he must continue Eternally in that source or quality which he hath kindled heere For wee know that Adam with his going out of Paradise into this world brought us into Death And Hell in the Anger of God groweth from Death and so our soule is capable of going into the Kingdome of Hell and standeth in the Anger of God where the Jawes of Hell then stand wide open against us continually to devoure us and wee have made a Covenant with Death and wholly yeelded our selves up to it in the sting of the Anger in the first Principle 8. Wee not onely know this but wee know also that God hath regenerated us in the life of his Sonne Jesus Christ to a living Creature to live in him And as he is entered into Death and againe through Death into Eternall Life so must wee enter into the Death of Christ and in the life of Jesus Christ goe forth out of Death and live in God his Father and then our life and also our flesh is no more earthly but holy in the power of God and wee live rightly in Ternario Sancto in the Holy Trinity of the Deity For then wee beare the holy flesh which is out of the holy Element in the presence of God which our loving Brother and Saviour or Immanuel hath brought into our flesh and he hath brought us in and with himselfe out of Death into God his Father and then the Holy Trinity of the Deity is substantially or really working in us 9. And as the Eternall Word in the Father is become true Man and hath the Eternall Light shining in him and hath humbled and abased himselfe in the Humanity and hath put upon the Image which wee heere beare in this Life the Image which is out of the pure unspotted Element in the presence of God which wee lâ—st in Adam which standeth in the Mercy of God as is cleerly mentioned in our second Booke with all the Circumstances of it so must wee also put on to us that Image which is out of the pure Element out of the body of Jesus Christ and live in that bodily substance and in that source condition and vertue wherein he diveth 10. Wee doe not heere meane his Creature that wee must enter into that but wee understand his source for the depth and breadth of his life in his source is unmeasurable and as God his Father is unmeasurable so also is the Life of Christ so for the pure Element in the source of God the Father in his Mercy is the Body of Christ and as our Earthly Body standeth in the foure Elements so the new Man standeth in a pure Element out of which this world with the foure Elements is generated and the source of the pure Element is the source of the Heaven and of Paradise and so also it is the source of our Body in the New Regeneration 11. Now that Element is in the whole Principle of God every where in all places and so is unmeasurable and infinite and therein is the Body of Christ and his quality and in that is the Trinity of the Deity so that the Father dwelleth in the Sonne viz. in the Body of Jesus Christ and the Sonne in the Father as one onely God and thus the Holy Ghost goeth forth from the Father in the Sonne and is given to us to regenerate us to a new life in God in the life of Jesus Christ and the Earthly Man in his Image and source or quality and property hangeth but to us in this Life time which is well understood if wee be borne of God with our Minde 12. For as God the Father in his own substance comprehendeth all the Three Principles and is himselfe the substance of all substances wherein both joy and sorrow is comprehended and yet goeth forth in it selfe out of the source of the Anguish and maketh the Kingdome of Joy to himselfe unconceivable to the sorrow and incomprehensible to the source of his Anger in the Anguish and Generateth to himselfe his Heart in the Love wherein the Name of God taketh originall So also the Minde hath in it all the Three Principles and therein the soule is comprized viz. in the Band of Life which must enter againe into its selfe and create a will in the Life of Jesus Christ and endeavour after it desiring it with a strong will and purpose and not stay meerly in the History or in the knowledge of it and being able to speake of it and suppose the words and discourse make a sufficient Christian when the Minde is still in meere doubt in Babell no that is not the Regeneration but it must be an Earnest Resolution the Minde must in it selfe goe forth into the humility towards God and enter into the will of God in Righteousnesse Truth and Love 13. And though indeed the Minde is not able to doe this in its own abilitie because it is captivated with the Spirit of this world yet it hath the Purpose in its power and God is presented with and in the Purpose and receiveth it in his Love and soweth therein the seede of Love in his vertue or power out of which the New Man in the Life of Jesus Christ groweth Therefore all lyeth in the true Earnest Purpose which is called True Repentance for the Receiving of the Word of God in the obedience of Love groweth not in the Earthly Life but in the New borne in the Life of Jesus Christ 14. Therefore the Kingdome of Heaven is a bestowed Bounty of Grace for all those that earnestly desire it not that it is enough to say to ones selfe I have indeed a will to yeeld my selfe earnestly to God but I have need to have this world for a while and afterwards I will enter into the obedience of God and that continueth from one time to another and from one day to another and in the meane while the evill Man groweth if you deferre it to the end and then desire and think to be a Heavenly fruit or Birth when all the Time of your life you have growne in the anger of God in the Abysse of Hell no that is deceit thou deceivest thy selfe 15. The Priests in Babell have after that no Key to open the Kingdome of Heaven for thee thou must enter in thy selfe and be new-borne or else there is no remedy for thee in this world nor in Heaven thou standest heere in this life time in the Ground and art a Plant but when Death cometh and cutteth downe the stock then thou art no more in the growing but art a fruit and then if thou art not foode for God thou doest not belong to his Table and then God will not dwell in thee 16. For wee know that the Deity onely is the vertue to the New Birth which vertue if thou longest for it and desirest it with earnestnesse soweth it selfe in thy minde and in thy soule out of which the New Man in
witnesse I can bring heaven and earth also the Sunne Starres and Elements for a witnesse and that not in bare words and promises onely but it shall be set before you very convincingly and very powerfully in their vertue and essence and you have no vertue or power or faculty in your body that shall not convince you and witnesse against you doe but not suffer the lying Spirit the old Serpent to darken your minde who is the inventor of a thousand tricks 32. When he seeth that he cannot catch or overcome Man by making him doubtfull of the mercy of God then he maketh him carelesse so that he accounteth all as nothing he maketh his minde very drowsie so that he esteemeth very lightly of himselfe as if all were not worth the looking after let things be as they will he will not break his heart or trouble his head with it Let the Pope looke after it they must answer for it Thus the minde carelesly passeth it over like a whirlwinde or streame of water concerning which Christ said The Devill stealeth the Word out of their hearts that they doe not apprehend it nor beleeve it that they might be saved so that it taketh no roote 33. Or else if the Pearle should grow and the Lilly bud forth he should be revealed and then every one would flie from him and he should stand in great shame This Trade he hath driven ever since the beginning of the world and though he resist never so vehemently yet a Lilly shall grow in his supposed Kingdome whose smell reacheth into the Paradise of God in spite of all his raging and tyranny this the Spirit of God doth witnesse 34. Behold thou childe of Man if thou wilt easily draw neere to this knowledge take but thy minde before thee and consider it and therein thou wilt finde all You know that out of it proceedeth joy and sorrow laughter and weeping hope and doubting wrath and love lust to a thing and hate of the thing you finde therein wrath and malice also love meeknesse and well-doing 35. Now the Question is May not the minde stand in one onely will viz. in meere love like God himselfe Here sticks the mark the ground and the knowledge behold if the will were in one onely Essence then the minde would also have but one quality that could give the will to be so and it should be an immovable thing which should alwayes lie still and should doe no more but that one thing alwaies in it there would be no joy no knowledge also no art or skill of any thing at all and there would be no wisdome in it also if the quality were not in infinitum it would be altogether a Nothing and there would be no minde nor will to any thing at all 36. Therefore it cannot be said that the totall God in all the three Principles is in one onely will and essence there is a distinction or difference to be observed though indeed the first and the third Principle be not called God neither are they God and yet are his essence or substance out of which from eternity the light and heart of God is alwaies generated and it is one essence or being as body and soule in Man are 37. Therefore now if the Eternall minde were not out of which the Eternall will goeth forth then there would be no God But now therefore there is an Eternall minde which generateth the Eternall will and the Eternall will generateth the Eternall heart of God and the heart generateth the light and the light the vertue and the vertue the Spirit and this is the Almighty God which is one unchangeable will For if the minde did no more generate the will then the will would also not generate the heart and all would be a nothing But seeing now that the minde thus generateth the will and the will the heart and the heart the light and the light the vertue and the vertue the Spirit therefore now the Spirit againe generateth the minde for it hath the vertue and the vertue is the heart and it is an indissoluble Band. The Depth 38. BEhold now the minde is in the Darknesse and it conceiveth its will to the light to generate it or else there would be no will nor yet any s Birth this minde standeth in anguish and in a longing or is in labour and this longing is the will and the will conceiveth the vertue and the vertue fulfilleth satisfieth or impregnateth the minde thus the kingdome of God consisteth in the vertue or in power which is God the Father and the light maketh the vertue longing to be the will that is God the Sonne for in the vertue the light is continually generated from Eternity and in the light out of the vertue goeth the Holy Ghost forth which generateth againe in the dark minde the will of the Eternall Essence 39. Now behold deare soule that is the Deity and that comprehendeth in it the second or the middlemost Principle Therefore God is onely Good the love the light the vertue or power Now consider if the minde did not stand in the darknesse there would no such eternall wisdome and skill be for the anguish in the will to generate standeth therein and the anguish is the quality and the quality is the multiplicity or variety and maketh the minde and the minde againe maketh the multiplicity or plurality 40. Now deare soule see all over round about you in your selfe and in all things what finde you therein you finde nothing else but the anguish and in the anguish the quality and in the quality the minde and in the minde the will to grow and generate and in the will the vertue or power and in the vertue the light and in the light its forth-driving Spirit which maketh againe a will to generate a twig bud or branch out of the Tree like it selfe and this I call in my Booke the Centrum the Centre where the generated will becometh an Essence or substance and generateth now againe such another Essence for thus is the Mother of the Genetrix 41. Now the anguish hath the first Principle in possession seeing it standeth in the Darknesse it is another essence than the essence in the light is where there is nothing else but meere love and meeknesse where no source or torment is discovered and the quality which is generated in the Centre of the Light is now no quality but the eternall skill and wisdome of whatsoever was in the anguish before the Light brake forth this wisdome and skill now alwaies cometh to helpe the conceived will in the anguish and maketh in it selfe againe the Centre to the Birth that so the sprout may generate it selfe in the quality viz. the vertue and out of the vertue the fire and out of the fire the Spirit and the Spirit maketh in the fire the vertue againe that thus there may be an Indissoluble Band and
search into the beginning and kindling of life wee finde strongly with cleere evidences all manner of faculties or members so that when the cleere light of the soule kindleth then the Fiat standeth in very great joy and in the twinckling of an eye doth in the Matrix sever the pure from the impure of which the Tincture of the soule in the light is the worker which there reneweth it but the Fiat createth it 15. And now when the soure harsh Matrix is made so very humble thin and sweet by the light the sterne or strong horrour which was so very poysonous before the light kindled flieth upward for it is terrified at the meeknesse of the Matrix and it is a terrour of great joy yet it retaineth its strong or sterne right or property and cannot be changed neither can it get farre from thence for it is withheld by the Fiat but it raiseth it selfe suddenly aloft and the terrour maketh it a filme from the soure or harsh Fiat which holdeth the terrour fast and that is now the Gall of the heart 16. But when the Matrix from which the terrour was gone forth was thus loosed from the terrour of the anxiety and became so very sweet like sweet-water then the spirit of the great world figured or imprinted it selfe instantly in the Matrix and filleth the foure Elements also within it and thinketh with it selfe now I have the sweet virgin and the Fiat createth it and severeth the Elements which also are in strife and each of them would have the virgin and are in a wrestling till they one overcome another and that the fire being the mightiest and the most strong stay above and the water sink down and the earth being a hard grosse thing must stay below But the fire will have a Region of its own 17. For it saith I am the Spirit and the life I will dwell in the virgin and the soure harsh Fiat attracteth all to it and maketh it a Mesch Massa concretion and moreover it maketh it flesh and the fire keepeth the uppermost Region viz. the heart for the foure Elements sever themselves by their strife and every one of them maketh it selfe a severall Region and the Fiat maketh all to be flesh onely the Aire would have no flesh for it said I dwell in no house and the Fiat said I have created thee thou art mine and closed it in with an inclosure that is the bladder 18. Now the other Regions set themselves in order first the sterne flash that is the Gall and beneath the flash the fire whose Region is the heart and beneath the fire the water whose Region is the Liver and beneath the water the earth whose Region is in the Lungs 19. And so every Element qualifieth or acteth in its own source or manner of operation and one could doe nothing without the other neither could one have any mobility without the other for one generateth the other and they goe all foure out of one Originall and it is in its Birth but one onely thing or substance as I have mentioned before at large about the Creation concerning the birth of the foure Elements 20. The soure strong or bitter Gall viz. the terrible poysonous flash of fire kindleth the warmth in the heart or the fire and is it selfe the cause from whence all else take their Originall 21. Here we finde againe in our consideration the lamentable and horrible fall in the Incarnation because when the light of life riseth up and when the Fiat in the Tincture of the spirit of the soule reneweth the Matrix then the Fiat thrusteth the death of the stifling choaking checking or stopping and perishing in the sternnesse viz. the impurity of the stifled or checked bloud from it selfe out of its Essences and casteth it away and will not endure it in the body but as a superfluity the Fiat it selfe driveth it out and of its cough glutinous sourenesse maketh an enclosure round about it viz. a filme or gut that it may touch neither the flash nor the spirit and leaveth the nethermost port open for it and banisheth it eternally because that impurity doth not belong to this Kingdome as it happened also to the earth when the Fiat thrust it out of the Matrix in the middest in the Centre upon a heape as a lump being it was unfit for heaven so also here 22. And we finde greater mysteries yet in evidence of the horrible fall for after that the foure Elements had thus set themselves every one in a severall Region then they made themselves Lords over the spirit of the soule which was generated out of the Essences and they have taken it into their power and qualifie with it The fire viz. the mightiest of them hath taken it into its Region or jurisdiction in the Heart and there it must keepe and the blossom and light thereof goeth out of the heart and moveth upon the heart as the kindled light of a Candle where the Candle resembleth the fleshly heart with the Essences out of which the light shineth And the fire hath set it selfe over the Essences and continually reacheth after the light and it supposeth that it hath the virgin viz. the Divine vertue or power 23. And there the holy Tincture is generated out of the Essences which regardeth not the fire but setteth the Essences viz. the soule in its pleasant joy Then come the other three Elements out of their Regions and fill themselves also by force therein each of them would taste of the virgin receive her and qualifie or mingle with her viz. the water that filleth it selfe by force also therein and it tasteth the sweet Tincture of the soule and the fire saith I would willingly keepe the water for I can quench my thirst therewith and refresh my selfe therein And the Aire saith I am indeed the spirit I will blow up thy heate and fire that the water doe not choake thee And the fire saith to the Aire I will keepe thee for thou upholdest my quality for mee that I also goe not out And then cometh the Element of Earth and saith What will you three doe alone you will starve and consume one another for you depend all three on one another and devour your selves and when you shall have consumed the water then you extinguish for the aire cannot move unlesse it have some water for the water is the mother of the aire which generateth the aire Moreover the fire becometh much too fierce violent and eagar if the water be consumed and consumeth the body and then our Region is out and none of us can subsist 24. Then thus say the three Elements the fire the aire and the water to the Earth Thou art indeed too dark too rough and too cold and thou art rejected by the Fiat wee cannot take thee in thou destroyest our dwelling and makest it dark
created thee then in the breaking of thy body when thy minde in the Spirit of the soule shall stand naked without a body thou shalt be ashamed before all creatures this wee speake according to its high worth as it is highly knowne in the will of God 46. Thus it is highly necessary for us to know the miserable Fall of our first Parents wherefore it was so with God that his anger is in us and that wee must dye and if wee apprehend not the Treader upon the Serpent must also perish eternally But that wee may set downe a short Summary of the Fall because of our simple cold dull and dark minde for the Readers understanding who it may be doth not yet apprehend our sense and knowledge therefore wee will explaine it briefly and clearly and also readily impart our knowledge and minde to him as indeed according to the Divine Image wee ought to doe 47. Adam stood forty dayes in an Angelicall Image before his sleepe and there was neither day nor night in him also no time though indeed he was not as an Angel a meere Spirit for his body was out of the Element which is no understanding Spirit but is the attraction concretion or congelation in the will of God or the Limbus which standeth before God wherein the chast virgin the Divine Wisdome dwelleth which discovered and created the Image out of the Element by the Fiat 48. And out of this Limbus at the time when the Earth was corporised went forth the foure Elements as out of a fountaine and that which was discovered or manifested by the virgin the wisdome of God in the innumerablenesse were the Starres as a vertue power or procreation out of the Limbus and they are the Quintessence of the foure Elements not severed from the foure Elements but qualifying or mixing vertues one with another and yet extracted from the foure issues with their sharp Essences and they are the seeking longing or hunger of the foure Elements or as I may expresse it by a similitude they are the Man and the Elements are the Woman and the heart of these things is the Element in one onely substance and the Essences in that one Element are the vertues or powers of the Wonders of the Wisdome of God and are called Paradise an exulting Joy 49. And the Spirit of the Eternall Essences which hath understanding and knowledge and also the triall and proving of every thing in which the source or active property or quality which is in Man consisteth that was breathed into him by the wisdome of God through the driving will which goeth forward out of the Eternall Minde out of the opened Gates of the Deepe through the Word together with the moving Spirit of God and he had the Touch of the Centre of the Abysse viz. the Eternall source behinde him as a Band and before him the heart and light of God as a Glance of the joy and kindling of Paradise which springeth up in the Essences with the light of the joy and beneath him he had the foure Elements in the budding out of the Limbus which was in him 50. And as long as he set his Imagination in the Heart of God the Paradise was in him and he in the Paradise and the Band of the Abysse in him in the source was a Paradise of transcendent Joy and the Kingdome of this world held him from beneath also in the Band because it goeth forth from the Element but so long as he set his minde in the Heart of God it the kingdome of the foure Elements could not lay hold on him or master him and it was impotent as to him as this world is impotent as to God 51. And thus the Spirit and soule of Adam stood in the midst in the joyfull Paradise forty dayes as one onely day and all inclined to him one whereof was the kingdome of Hell of the Eternall Originality out of the dark Minde out of which his Worme of the soule in the opened Gate was gone forth and secondly there inclined to him the Deity of the Kingdome of Heaven in the opened Gate in the pleasant Lustre and thirdly the Spirit of the Starres and Elements inclined to him drawing him to their Bands and heartily desiring him 52. And thus Adam stood upright in the Temptation for his angry minde out of the Originality of the first Principle stood in Joy being enlightened from the light of God and the source of the fierce wrath made the rising joy for the light made all meeke and friendly that he might incline himselfe to love and thereby he stood on earth rightly in the Paradise 53. The foure Elements of this world together with the Sunne and Starres they could not qualifie or mix with him he drew no Aire into him but the Spirit of God in the virgin was his breathing and his kindling of the fire in the Spirit 54. But while he thus stood between the kingdome of Hell and the kingdome of this world in the Paradise bound with Bands and yet also wholly free in the might of God he reflected himselfe into or discovered himselfe in the great Deepe of the kingdome of this world in which the great wonders also stand hidden in the Centre as wee see that Man hath by his Eternall Minde discovered it and brought it to Light as is seene before our eyes and in his discovering or reflecting he imagined and fell into lust for the Spirit of the world took hold of him and as a Mother maketh a mark upon a childe in the Mothers womb and he became in the lust impregnated from the Spirit of this world and then was blinde as to God and saw neither God nor the virgin any more in his minde And thus the Kingdome of Heaven continued in the opened Gate of the Omnipotence or Almightinesse in the Paradise in its own Principle to it selfe and the virgin in it hidden in the Centre and was in Adam and yet Adam with his minde was not in God but in the Spirit of this world and he became seeble as to the kingdome of Gods and so fell downe and slept 55. And then God by the Spirit of this world through the Fiat built or formed out of him the Woman of this world by whom he increased his Kingdome The Woman was out of the Matrix which before the infection was a chast virgin which Adam should have brought forth out of himselfe but when the modesty of the wisdome and ability or potency departed from him when he passed into the Spirit of this world he could not then bring forth or generate for in his sleepe the Spirit of this world cloathed him with flesh and bloud and figured formed or shaped him into a Beast as wee now see by very wofull experience and know our selves to be blinde and naked as to the kingdome of God being without any vertue or strength
which had made them pittied them and it did look whether there were any remedy or counsell that might help poor Man and redeeme or deliver him from the Bands of the Eternall fiercenesse or wrath and from the mortall body of this world but there was nothing found neither in Heaven nor in this world that could make them free there was no Principality or Throne-Angel which had the ability to doe it all was lost they were in the Eternall Judgement of the Temporall and Eternall Death For the first Principle had captivated them in the Spirit of the soule and qualified or mingled with the soule the Kingdome of Heaven in the Light was shut up and there was a firme enclosure of a whole Principle between and it could not reach the kingdome of Heaven againe except that it were borne of God againe otherwise there was no counsell nor help nor refuge in any thing at all 96. Then the Devill mocked the Image and Hell opened its jawes wide and had the bridle in their Essences and continually drew them therewith towards the hellish fire of the fierce wrath and then there was trembling and horrour in the minde and they could not reach the love of God Heaven was their Enemy no Angel came neere them but the horrible Devills they shewed themselves and hooped crying Ho ho wee have gotten the Game wee are Princes over Men wee will torment them soundly because they would have possessed our Throne wee should have been their footstoole and now wee are their Judges what care wee for God he dwelleth not in our kingdome wherefore hath he thrust us out wee will be sure to wreake our spleene upon his Image The most pleasant and most lovely Gate or Exposition of the promise of the Treader upon the Serpent highly to be considered 97. Now when no counsell or remedy was found and that Man was sunk downe into Hell to the great Triumph of the Devills then said God to the Serpent the Devill Because thou hast done thus be thou cursed and the seede of the Woman shall tread upon or break thy Head and thou shalt bruise or wound his Heele at which the Abysse of Hell did quake and tremble but the Devill understood not wholly what that should be onely he saw that the word imagined or represented it selfe in Adam and in Eve in the Centre of Life and that it opposed the fiercenesse of the kingdome of Hell of which he stood in feare and his jollity was lessened for he did nor relish that 98. Moses writeth here as if the Serpent had beguiled Eve because God cursed it and said That it should eate Earth and creepe upon its belly but Moses here putteth the vayle before our eyes that he cannot be looked in the Face for all Prophecies stand in dark words that the Devill may not know nor apprehend them and learne the Times and that he may not strow his false seede before the wonders of God appeare as may be seene in all the Prophets who prophesied of the Treader upon the Serpent 99. Wee know that the Devill slipt into the Serpent and spake out of the Serpent for God did not meane by it that the Treader upon the Serpent should tread upon the head of the beastiall Serpent but that he should destroy the Devill and the Abysse of Hell But that was the Punishment of the Beastiall Serpent that it should remaine a poysonous Worme without feete and eate Earth and have communion with the Devill for so all Evill Spirits in Hell appeare in their own forme according to their source or quality as Serpents Dragons horrible Wormes and evill Beasts 100. This now the Devill did not understand because God spake of the Serpent and cursed it to be a horrible Worme and he supposed that it did not concerne him neither doth he yet know his own judgement he knoweth onely what he learneth from Men that doe declare things in the Spirit of God yet the Spirit of God doth not wholly intimate his Judgement to him but all in the Depth afarre off so that he cannot wholly understand it For to the enlightened Men all Prophesies even concerning the wickednesse of Men are thus given and they dare not set them downe clearer that the Devill may not wholly learne the Counsell of God and strow his Sugar upon it though in this place there are very excellent things that ought not to be revealed to the world for they remaine till the Judgement of God that the Devill may bring no new sects into it and lead men into doubt and therefore they shall be passed over till the time of the Lilly 101. So now when wee consider the great love and mercifulnesse in that he hath turned to Man wee finde cause enough to write and teach these things for it concerneth our eternall Salvation and Redemption out of the Jawes of Hell therefore I will set downe the ground of the promised Messiah that the following writings may be the better understood especially Moses in his Booke of the Law where there is need of it now he that will see nothing God help he must needs be blinde for the time of the visitation of the hardned Jewes Turks and Heathens cometh now Whosoever will see let them see the Lamps for the Bridegroome are shortly to be kindled he cometh whosoever desireth to be a Guest let him prepare him a Wedding-Garment 102. Now saith Reason how could Adam and Eve know what God meant by the Treader upon the Serpent Indeed they did not wholly altogether know onely they saw that the Devill must depart from them and not shew himselfe outwardly any more but the minde in the Centre of the breaking through of the life into the Element into the presence of the chast and modest virgin the wisdome of God that understood it well for he lodged a precious and worthy Guest for the Word which God the Father spake concerning the Treader upon the Serpent went out of the Heart and out of the Mouth of God and that was the sparke of Love proceeding out of the Heart of God which was from Eternity in the Heart of God wherein God the Father had knowne and elected Mankinde before the foundations of the World were laid that they should live therein and that the same spark or promise should stand in the rising up of the life and Adam also in his Creation stood therein 103. And this is it which Saint Paul said That Man is elected in Christ before the foundation of the world and not those dregges of despaire that are now taught about the Election of Grace they are not the right understanding I will shew thee Pauls meaning about his Election of Grace in its due place when I shall write of the beastiall wolvish and doggish mindes of Men that will not give way that the Treader upon the Serpent may enter into them so that the heavenly Father in his Sonne Jesus
hath graciously bestowed a Rose upon us of which wee will write in such words as wee behold in that Wonder and wee cannot write otherwayes but our Pen is broken and the Rose taken from us and then wee are as wee were before the time of our knowledge whereas yet the Rose standeth in the Centre of Paradise in the hand of the virgin which shee reacheth forth to us in the same place where shee came to us in the Gate of the Deepe and proffered us her love when wee lay on the Mountaine towards the North in the strife and storme before Babell which virgin our Earthly Man hath never seene nor knowne 59. Therefore wee write out of a Schoole wherein the earthly body with its senses never studied nor never learned the A B C for in the Rose of the virgin wee learned that A B C which we supposed wee could have learned from the thoughts of the Minde but that could not be they were too rough and too dark they could not comprehend it and therefore the earthly body must not learne in this Schoole and its tongue cannot raise it selfe up to it for the minde of this Schoole stood hidden in the Gate of the Deepe in the Centre therefore wee ought not to boast of this Schoole at all for it is not the proper one of the senses or thoughts and minde of the earthly Man and if wee goe forth from the Centre of the noble virgin then wee know as little from this Schoole as others just as it was with Adam when he went out of the Paradise of God into the sleepe of being overcome then at his awaking in this world he knew no more of Paradise and he knew his loving virgin no more 60. Therefore wee have no ability might nor understanding in our earthly Will to teach of the Wonders of God wee understand nothing thereof according to our in-bred nature and none ought to require any thing from our owne will for wee have nothing in it 61. But the Spirit intimateth that if you shall goe out from Babell into the meeknesse of Jesus Christ then the Spirit in Hebron will give you Teachers with great power at whose Power the Elements will tremble and the Gates of the Deep flie open and thou shalt goe out from Lazarus his sicknesses and sores through the word and wonders of these men for the time is neere the Bridegroom cometh to fetch home his Bride 62. And now if wee consider in our own Reason and in the consideration of our high knowledge look upon what the world at Babell hath introduced in this high Article of Prayer whereof wee are about to treate in that Antichrist hath set himselfe therein and shewed his great Power therein then our Reason might well keepe us back because of the great sting and danger that might befall us from the fierce wrath of Antichrist But seeing it appeareth to us without our knowledge therefore wee will rather obey the voice of God than the earthly feare in hope to be recompenced And though it should happen that Antichrist should destroy our earthly body which yet standeth in the permission of God which wee must not withstand yet wee will more highly esteeme that which is to come than that which is transitory which things to come if wee attaine them are our true Native Countrey out of which wee in Adam are gone forth and the Spirit inviteth all mens attention before this Glasse 63. Hitherto the honour of Invocation or worship hath been done and afforded to the virgin Mary and other Saints or holy People that have been here in this life whereas yet in the ground of the light of Nature this Command or Law was not knowne at all and it is most highly necessary to be knowne that the ground thereof hath been taken in the confused Babell when men were weary of the poore Christ who in this world had not whereon to lay his Head then they did as Israel with Moses who made themselves a Calfe to be their God and said Behold Israel these are thy Gods which brought thee out of the land of Egypt and they made a calvish worship of God for their voluptuous life and looked no more after Moses but they said Wee know not what is become of this man Moses and they said to Aaron Make thou us Gods which may goe before us and he made them the Calfe but when Moses came and saw it then he was wrath and took the Tables of God and brake them and threw them away and said Hearken yee that belong unto the Lord Gird every Man his sword to his side and slay his brother the worshippers of the Calfe 64. In such a forme or condition also is the confused Babell in the kingdome of Christ upon Earth in the blind earnestnesse of mans own reason where men seek Christ in the kingdome of this world whereby they could not finde him as Israel could not finde Moses while he was on the Mount And thereupon they have made other Gods to goe before them and have instituted and set up their Divine-service or worship of God with the richest and costliest Ornaments and holy shew and they continually say in their minde Wee know not what is become of this Jesus for he is gone from us wee will erect a Divine-service for him in our Countrey and wee will make merry at it and that shall be done according to our own will and pleasure that wee may be rich and fat with it and refresh our selves fully with this Jesus 65. Are wee not Lords in his Kingdome And being in his Ministry service or worship wee are the most holy and best who may compare himselfe with us He is ascended into Heaven and he hath given us his Dominion on Earth The Keyes of Peter he must be Deputy Viceroy Vicar or Keeper of the City and those he hath left us to open the Kingdome of Heaven and of Hell who will take them away from us we can get into Heaven well enough though wee be evill it matters not wee have the Keys that can open it wee are Priests in Power or Ministers having Authority wee will set those in that make much of us fatten us and give much to our Kingdome and then the Christian Church will be in great honour glory and esteeme when they so highly honour her Ministers or servants that will well please our Lord and Master where is there such a Kingdome as we have should not that Kingdome he crowned with the gloriousest Crowne of this world and should not all bend and croutch before it 66. Yes indeed say they wee our selves confesse that wee are evill wicked Men but this Order maketh us holy our Office is holy wee are the true Ministers of Christ in his service and although wee be evill meere naturall wicked carnall Men yet our Office remaineth holy and the highest dignity is due to us for
wholly according to the outward except they see that he despiseth God and blasphemeth the Holy Ghost in such a one there is no Divine Image And it is hard with him yet his Judgement is not in the time of this body the Gate of the Mercifulnesse standeth open towards him while he is in this Tabernacle 73. But after this life he shall attaine it no more except he hath hold of the Mercifulnesse of God by a Threed for God will not quench the smoaking flax as Isaiah saith though indeed he must bathe swimme or swelter in his sinnes till the Anger through the Death of Christ be overcome on which Threed he must hang and the Putrefaction is his Purgatory in his sinnes and no strange or distinct Heterogene Purgatory of which Antichrist feigneth and prateth but his own selfe Purgatory in his sinnes 74. And it is all vaine and idle which is said concerning Purgatory as the Wolfe of the Whores Beast seigneth or conceiteth for it is well knowne that after the outward life there is an Eternall life and that all sinnes are remitted here but as long as thou art between the Doore and the Hindges and hangest by a small haire thou art yet not wholly in the Eternall Life but if thou be once in the Eternall Life then thou art perfect or fully there whether it be in the Heaven or in the Hell out of that there is no Redemption for it is the Eternall Life 75. But while wee are thus speaking of the upright Abel we cannot say that the Kingdome of Heaven was not assisting in him and that he meerly out of his own might and power made himselfe such an upright honest Man for it was in the wrestling and overcame the Anger for Man is weake and ignorant and can doe little by his own Power or ability yet he hath the Imagination and the choosing or the free yeelding to a thing where then the Maker is ready before hand which maketh him to be according as his lust or desire is as is to be seene by Adam for when he longed and lusted in the Spirit of this world there instantly the Maker was present and made of an Angelicall Image a Man 76. The Lust or longing Desire is the introducing into a thing and out of the Lust cometh the forme or Image of the Lust viz. a Body and the source or active quality of sinnes sticketh therein and you may easier hinder the Lust than breake the Body which is very hard therefore it is good to turne away the eyes and then the Tincture goeth not into the Essences by which the Spirit is impregnated for the lust indeed is not the minde wholly but they are sisters for when the lust impregnateth the minde then it is already a halfe substance and there must necessarily follow a breaking or there cometh to be a whole substance and an Essence of a thing 77. Now Abel is the first Christian Church in Patience which God established that the Cainish Church should be converted by Abel he hath not therefore so rejected the Cainish Church that he would have no member out of it Understand it thus the true Christian Church standeth like a sheepe among Wolves though indeed wee are Men and not Wolves but in Minde and in Figure It teacheth the wicked and if he be converted then it hath gained him and he is figured into an Image of God and thereby Joy is caused among the Angels of God that the Kingdome of Heaven hath the victory 78. Or doest thou suppose that the word in Daniel is nothing Chap. 10. concerning the Angel Gabriel who said that the Prince in Persia withstood him one and twenty dayes and that our Prince Michael came to helpe him Thereby it may be seene how the Princes and Throne-Angells strive against the Kingdome of the fierce wrath and assist Men the cause whereof is this The Devill awakeneth the Anger against Men and the Angels of God viz. the Throne-Princes keepe it back because God yet willeth not Evill 79. Wee are especially to observe in Cain and Abel what their purpose was Cain was a Plowman or Tiller of the Ground and Abel was a Shepheard or keeper of sheepe Abel relyed upon the blessing of God towards his flock to maintaine himselfe by the blessing of God Cain relyed upon his own labour to maintaine himselfe by his own skill and industry Eve tooke part with Cain and Adam with Abel for Eve counted him to be the Prince on Earth to whom the Kingdome did belong and supposed that he as a Champion would chase and hunt away the Devill although shee knew him not 80. But if Men search very Deepe this that followeth they will finde is the very Ground Eve was the Childe in the Matrix of Adam which Adam if he had not been overcome should have generated out of himselfe in great modesty purity and holinesse but because Adams Matrix was impregnated from the Spirit of this world therefore God must frame a fleshly woman out of it which afterwards in her first fruit became lustfull and infected from the Devill as well as the Limbus in Adam 81. And therefore they also generated such a towardly childe as looked onely after covetousnesse as Eve also did who would be like God and surely Adam had some minde that way or else he should not have entred into the spirit of this world 82. And such also now was their Sonne Cain he supposed that he was Lord on Earth and therefore he grutched that his Brother should have any thing especially when he saw that he was accepted before God that vexed him and he thought that Abel should come to be Lord on Earth in his sacrifice he regarded not the feare of God though he as an appearing holy Man or hypocrite sacrificed also but he regarded onely the Region 83. And here the Antichristian Kingdome tooke its beginning where Men give God good words and their heart is possessed with covetousnesse and seek after nothing but power and authority to domineere over the needy and miserable who trust and relie upon God Therefore Antichrist hath his God in his Chist and in the strength of his power and behinde his cloake there hangeth a Fox He prayeth yet he desireth nothing else but the Kingdome of this world his heart doth not leave off to persecute and to hunt poore Abel But Abel prayeth to the Lord and his heart inclineth it selfe to the Love of God in the true Image for he desireth the Kingdome of Heaven and the Blessing of God here for his maintenance 84. Now the Devill cannot endure that a holy Church should grow up in his Dominions he will murther Abel still as he did then because Cain feared not God therefore the Devill gat an accesse to him and stirred up the inbred wrath in Cain against Abel that he slew him Here surely all
Might r Or Might Å¿ At my disposing t Or force u Or mingle x Recreation or delight y Angelicall Tongues z The Sonne of God a Standeth b Or purpose c Next to d Or fountain e Mouldeth or Imageth f Or have continued in true Resignation g Or Woman h Or descent i This world k Or soule l Or the light of the wisdome m Or Wisdome of God n The converted soule o Or gnawing p Divine wisdome q Or Wife r Subject to corruption and mingled with it s Schleppen begirt surrounded With fragility or with the earthly Tabernacle u The divine brightnesse x Regeneration y Or into the bosome of the Fiat z Or a propagated generation a Expositions and Marginall notes b Damascenus e Or in the earthly thoughts d In the divided transitorinesse e The Eternall wisdome of the Father f Or is the foundation of g Aire or receptacle h Broken i In the heavenly and not in the earthly part thereof k The malice or fierce rage l Mankinde m Adam n To heale o Note The Author lived not so lang to performe his purpose upon the Book of Exodus p Klee Trifolium q Spiritum r Or habitation Å¿ The Spirit t Or Sunshine u Amica Dei Friendesse or shee-friend of God x Laughter or out-cry y The Tincture z Or Beliese a Aire or receptacle b Shee-friend c Aspect of the Planets d Or starry Spirit e Or to be understood f That is upon true resignation g Schwebet h On Gods side i Or Crudest mos indigest or raw k Or indissoluble Band. l The soule m Active property n Into true resignation o Pleasant or delightfull p Is like q The virgin r Stock of a tree Which is grifted upon Å¿ Soure astringent or attractive t Or In. u Received x Suddenly y Of distinction of sex z Macrocosme a Or poyson b Exorcismes Conjuration Adjuration c Manly d Womanly e Graine or Corne. f Or attained it g Sticketh to God and goodnesse h Or Its fill i In the active stirring of the wrath k Imageth or representeth himselfe l That the soule listeneth and yeeldeth to the Devill m Will. n Or are impregnated or with childe o Or Owne Principle p The bloud q Stretcheth forth r Representeth s Hurlyburly or flying up t Choaking or stopping u Jurists x Can goe to Law y Judge r pricking a The raging of the prickle b The bitter sting or prickle c Or discovereth d Or Receptacle e Openeth it selfe outwards f Source or property g Infect h Delight i The soule k Or entrailes l Done or perfotmed m Simple or silly and voyd of understanding and unable n High knowledge o Storme p That may not be found q Or there the life in the Holy Ghost buddeth forth in the place of the foure Elements r Man Å¿ Active essentiall vertues or faculties t Thinke or imagine u Meditate consider or thinke of x Than the beasts doe y Because our Essences have a higher beginning than the beasts z Beeings or substances a Or soureness b Captive c By their longing after or imprinting the heart of God in their thoughts d The light of the Sunne or a Mans facultie beholding of that light ceaseth e In true resignation f The vertue or power of God g Saviour or Conquerour h Or be generated i Or seperated k Or receptacle l Organs or Instruments m Or Workmaster n Above upon about or neere the heart o That which was brought in p Kingdome or Dominion q Or substance r Or Dominion s Or generating t Corpus u Excrement x Condemneth y At the Creation z In the Incarnation a Testimonie b Or Dominion c The Spirit must there be kept in obedience d Refreshment or habitation e Dominion or rule f Its fruits g In the stomack and Gutts h The vertue of their fruit i Or substance k Or mayest escape mee l Marks or tokens m Out-let n The stinke o Vinding and bloubing like foulds p The spirit of the earth * Astrall spirit q Rule government or predominancy r Note the Essences of the soule are the Worme or Spirit that never dyeth s The Sunne t The Elements u The fruits of the Earth x Or vertues y The Sunne z The worldly wise or the Children of the Sunne a Corruption a Corruption b The spirit of the great world c The spirit of the great world d See more of this strife in cap. 12. from 39 to the 47 verse e Adams inward tree of Temptation f Or at length g In the originall and well-spring of the soule h The great learned Men in the univerties not taught by the Holy Ghost i Crowned k They that are not blinde shall see it l That one pure holy eternall Element m Rising up n Grimnesse n Grimnesse n Grimnesse n Grimnesse o The Element n Grimnesse p Pleasant q Coagulated r Viz. In the foure Elements Å¿ The dissolution t Or come about u Figures or Parables x Note y Wert incarnate in thy mothers womb z Kingdome or Dominion a Or body b Or generated of God c Or Midnight d Over the transitory house of flesh e Note I desire not to write the exposition of this yet f In. g Or Senses inward senses h To be incarnate i Kingdome or Dominion k In. l Beeing of all beeings or substance of all substances m In resignation n In selfe o Attracting p Attracting q Which is comprehensible q Which is comprehensible r Gotten out Å¿ Essentia Proceeding vertue t Property or activity u Flowing or working t Property or activity x Then the eternall property of Hell y Grim-sternnesse z A flint and a steele a Or conceiveth b Or bright c Appropriateth or inclineth d Sparkleth e Infinitely f Or for or before it selfe g Centre or Principle h Well-doing i The appearing or flash k Habitation l Habitation l Habitation m Or sparkleth into n Infinitely o As the Sunne doth in the water p Note q Or his r Enter into resignation Å¿ Or these infinite sparks t Or bitterness of the frost u Or unite themselves x In true resignation y Or recalling z Clift doore or Gulfe a In resignation b Or fountain b Or fountain c Re-purposed d In resignation e Or Well-doing f Generate f Generate g Opening or unshutting h Or further i Uniteth k Hovereth l Or Gods fruit m Fruits n Discovereth it in the minde o Or in respect a Or Understanding b Beeing of all beeings or substance of all substances c Or working property d Or Shone e Eben-Bildes f Or presented before g Or fountain h Or Throne-Angels i Or presented it selfe before k Or Grimnesse l A