is the time which remains until his coming 27 I say to him Lord magnificently and wonderfully and honestly do all these things carry themselves therefore can I be able to understand these Lord quoth I Indeed not any man besides although he be very prudent shall be able to understand these but even now Lord demonstrate to me what I ask ask what thou wilt quoth he 28 Why quoth I is the Son of God in this similitude put in a servile place Hear saith he in a servile condition the Son of God is not put but in great power and authority And I said how say I Lord I understand not because quoth he to those whom he hath delivered to his Son hath his Son set over MESSENGERS to preserve them all but he hath laboured very much and hath endured very much that he should abolish their trespasses 29 For no Vineyard can be digged without labour and grief therefore the sins of his people being blotted out he himself hath shewed unto them the JOURNEYS OF LIFE having given them the LAW which he had got from the Father thou seest therefore him to be the Lord of the people having got from his Father all power 30 But why the Lord should adde in his counsel the son of his inheritance and the good ANGELS Because the Messenger heareth THAT HOLY SPIRIT WHICH WAS INFUSED FIRST OF ALL things IN THE BODY IN WHICH GOD SHOULD DWELL for the INTELLECT hath placed it in the body as it seemed to him 31 Therefore this body into which the holy spirit is brought in hath obeyed that spirit rightly walking in modesty and chastly nor hath at all defiled that spirit Therefore when that body had obeyed at every time the holy spirit rightly and chastly and had laboured with it nor had fainted at any time that wearied body conversed servilely but strongly with the holy spirit approved to God it was received 32 Therefore it s potent course of this sort pleased God because it had not been Maculated in the earth POSSESSING IN IT SELF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN COUNSEL Therefore he called his Son and the good Messengers to wit that also to this body which hath served the holy Spirit without complaint some place of remaining should be given least it should seem to have lost the reward of its servitude 33 For every Body found pure and without spot shall receive a reward IN WHICH TO DWEL IN THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS CONSTITUTE Thou hast also the exposition of this similitude I have perceived quoth I thy will Lord having heard this exposition Hear further saith he 34 Keep this thy body pure and clean that THAT SPIRIT WHICH INHABITETH IN IT may bear testimony to it and may be judged to have been with thee And also see thou least at any time thou be perswaded to destroy this body do abuse it in any lust 35 For if thou shalt defile thy body thou shalt defile also at the same time the HOLY SPIRIT also and if thou shalt maculate thy body thou shalt not live And I said What if through any ignorance that hath been committed before that these words were heard by what means attaineth he unto safety who hath defiled his body 36 To the former things quoth he which they have committed througe ignorance only God can afford a remedy for his is all power But now keep thy self seeing the Lord is omnipotent and merciful he shall grant remedy to thy former trespasses if for the future thou defile not thy BODY and SPIRIT for they are both Comsorts and ANY OF THE TWO IS NOT TAINTED WITHOUT THE OTHER Therefore keep both of them clean and thou shalt LIVE TO GOD. SIMIL. VI. 1 WHile I sat at home and glorified the Lord for all that I had seen and thought of his Commands them to be exceeding good and great and honest and gladsom and which can bring the safety of men within my selfe these things I said Happy shall I be if I shall walk in these Commands and whosoever shall walk in these shall LIVE TO GOD. 2 These things whilest I was speaking with my self I see him whom also before sitting beside me and saying these things to me Why doubtest thou of my Commands which I have in joyned thee they are good thou shalt doubt nothing at all but put on the Faith of the Lord and thou shalt walk in them for I in them will give thee strength 3 These Commands are profitable to them who of their fore-done sins are about to do repentance if for the future they shall walk in them Therefore whosoever do repentance Cast off from you the naughtinesse of this World but put ye on all virtue and equity and ye shall be able to keep these Commands neither hereafter sin ye 4 For if after this ye SIN NOT very much of the former sins shall ye cut off in my Commandments walk ye and ye shall live to God These things by we are spoken to you 5 After he had spoke these things with me He saith to me let us go into the field and I will shew thee the SHEEPHERDS of the sheep Let us go quoth I Lord And we came into a certain field and there he shewed me a youthful sheepherd clothed in an upper scarlet coat of the colour of his cloaths 6 But he fed plentious sheep and these sheep were as it were in pleasures and many delights and they exulted with Joy and leaping did run hither and thither And the sheepherd himself exceedingly took delight of his flock and the countenance of that sheepherd was very chearful running among the sheep 7 The Angel saith to me But seest thou this sheepherd I see him quoth I Lord And he said to me He is the Messenger of inticements sweetnesse and pleasure he therefore corrupts the minds of the servants of God and turns them away from the TRUTH delighting them with lusts and they perish for they forget the Commands of the living God they converse in luxuries in vain delights and they are corrupted by this evil MESSENGER some even until death but others even until falling back 8 I say unto him Lord I understand not what is UNTO DEATH and what unto falling back Hear quoth he whatever sheep thou sawest very joyous and leaping are they who have for ever departed from God and have given up themselves to the desires of this world to them therefore there is not a returning by repentance to life because they have added certain things to their other transgressions and have reviled the NAME of the Lord with hainous words This sort of men are designed to death 9 But what sheep thou sawst not exulting but feeding in one place These are they who have indeed delivered themselves to delights and pleasures but have spoken nothing hainous against the Lord Therefore these have fallen away from the Truth and therefore they have as yet a hope reserved of life in Repentance for defection hath some hope of
Tower Then these Virgins took beesoms and made it all clean and took away the rubbish and sprinkled water which being fulfilled the place was made delectable and the Tower comely 49 After that he saith to me all are made clean If the Lord shall come to consummate this Tower he shall find nothing which he may complain of us for These words when he had said he would be gone but I took hold of his bag and began to entreat him by the Lord that he would unfold all things which he had shewn me 50 He saith to me I have a little business but I will unfold all things unto thee But expect thou me here while I come I say to him Lord what shall I do here alone He answered thou art not alone for all the Virgins are with thee And I said deliver me then Lord to them So he called them and said to them I commend unto you this man untill I come 51 Therefore I remained with these Virgins but they were chearfull and affable to me but chiefly four who excelled the rest in dignity After that these Virgins say unto me that Sheepherd is not to come here to day And I said what then shall I do And they say to me expect him untill the evening if perhaps he will come and will speak with thee but if not thou shalt stay with us till he come 52 I said to them I will wait for him untill the evening but if he shall not come I will go home and return in the morning they answered me to us thou art assigned thou canst not depart from us and I said where shall I stay They say unto me thou shalt sleep with us as a Brother not as a husband for thou art our Brother and hencefore we are prepared to dwell with thee for very dear do we hold thee 53 But I was ashamed to stay with them But she who seemed to be the chief of them imbraced me and began to kiss me and the rest when they had seen me to be imbraced by her also they began to kiss me as a Brother and to lead me about the Tower and to play with me But some of them sung hymns some led dances but I walked with them about that Tower IN SILENCE joyful and did seem to my self to be made more young 54 But after it began to be night suddainly I would go home but they retained me and suffered me not to go away I stayed therefore that night with them besides that same Tower But they spread their linnen coats upon the ground and placed me in the middle nor did they do any thing else but that they prayed But also I with them prayed without intermission and no less then they who when they had seen me so praying they took great delight 55 And there I was with them untill the next day and when we had prayed to the Lord then came that Sheepherd and said unto them have ye done no injury to him And they said to him ask himself I say to him Lord great joy hath taken me that I have stayed with them And he said to me what hast thou supped on And I said I have supped Lord all the night on the WORDS of the Lord have they entertained thee well saith he And I said well Lord. 56 Wilt thou now hear And I said I will Lord and first as I shall ask thee I beseech that so thou demonstrate to me even as thou wilt saith he so I will explain the thing unto thee nor will I conceal any thing from thee 57 First of all Lord quoth I demonstrate this to me This ROCK and GATE what are they Hear saith he T is Rock and Gate is the SON of God Wherefore said I Lord is the Rock old and the Port new Hear saith he thou unwise and understand indeed the Son of God is more antient then every creature so that in Counsel he was present with his Father to frame the Creature But the Gate is therefore new because in the consummation in the last days he appeared that they who are about to attain salvation may through him enter into the Kingdome of God 58 Sawest thou quoth he these stones which through the port were translated placed in the structure of the Tower But these who were not translated through the Gate cast way into their own place And I said I saw them Lord so quoth he none shall enter into the Kingdome of God except he who shall get the Name of the Son of God for if thou wouldest enter into any City and that City be compast with a Wall and have only one Gate what Canst thou otherwise enter that City then by the Gate which it hath 59 And by what way said I Lord can it otherwise be done Therefore quoth he as into that City he cannot be entered but through its gate So neither into the Kingdome of God can otherwise any be entered then by the Name of his Son who is to him most dear 60 And he said to me Sawest thou the troup of them that builded that Tower I saw them quoth I Lord and he said all these are Messengers honourable in dignity Therefore with these as with a Wall is the Lord encompassed but the port is the son of God which alone is the accesse unto God for otherwise shall no man enter into God except through his Son 61 Sawst thou quoth he these six men and in the midest that great and tall man who walked about the Tower and reprobated the stones from the structure I saw them Lord said I that tall one quoth he is the Son of God And these six messengers are eminent in dignity on the right and left hand standing about him Of these excellent messengers saith he none without him shall enter in to God And he said whosoever therefore shall not get his Name he shall not enter into the Kingdom of God 62 And I said What then is this TOWER This saith he is the CHURCH and these VIRGINS who are they Lord and he said to me these quoth he are the HOLY SPIRITS For no otherwise can a man enter into the Kingdome of God unless these shall cloath him with their vesture for why it shall profit thee nothing to get the Name of the Son of God except also thou shalt get their garment from them for these Virgins are the POWERS of the Son of God so in vain shall any one bear his Name except also he shall bear his Powers 63 And he said to me sawest thou these stones which were thrown away for they indeed have born the name but have not put on their garment And I said what is their garmenr Lord Their very names quoth he is their Garment Whosoever therefore quoth he doth bear the Name of the Son of God ought also to carry the names of them for also the Son bears their names 64 Whatsoever stones quoth he thou sawest to have remained in the structure
be joyous for this deed he took joy of his Servant 9 Having therefore adjoyned his Son whom he esteemed his heir and most dear and his friends whom he assembled in the Council he declares these things that he had charged his Servant with to be done what things he had done besides but they forthwith gratulated that Servant that he had acquired so full a testimony of his Lord. 10 After that he saith to them I indeed promised to this Servant his liberty if he should keep my command which I had given and he hath kept it and besides hath added a good work on the vineyard which hath exceedingly pleased me for this work therefore that he hath done I will make him co-heir with my Son because when he had perceived what was good he omitted not but did it 11 This counsel of the Lord both his Son and his Friends approved of to wit that this Servant should be made co-heir with the Son after that not many dayes the Master of the Family having called together his Friends sent of his supper to that Servant many viands 12 Which when he had got he took of them what was sufficient to him but the rest be distributed to his fellow-servants which being got they became joyful and began to wish to him that he should obtein greater favour with the Lord for these things which he had done to them 13 All these when his Lord had heard he took again exceeding great joy and having called again his friends and his Son he declares to them the deed of his Servant of his victuals which he had sent to him Therefore they so much the more assented to the Master of the Family that that servant ought to be made co-heir with his Son 14 I say to him Lord these similitudes I know not nor can understand unlesse thou expound them unto me I will expound all things to thee quoth he whatever I shall speak with thee or shall shew thee keep the commands of the Lord and thou shalt be approved and shalt be wrote in the number of them that keep his commands 15 But besides what the Lord hath commanded if thou shalt adde something of good thou shalt acquire greater dignity to thy self and shalt be more honourable with the Lord then thou wast about to be Therefore if thou shalt keep the commands of the Lord and shalt also adde unto them these STATIONS thou shalt rejoyce especially if according to my injunction thou shalt keep them 16 I say to him whatever thou shalt enjoyn me Lord I will keep for I know thee to be about to be with me I will quoth he be with thee who hast such a purpose But also I will be with all whosoever have the same purpose This FAST saith he the commands of the Lord being kept is exceeding good 17 So therefore thou shalt keep it first of all beware from every wicked and filthy word and from every noxious desire and purifie thy sense from all the vanity of this world if thou shalt keep these things this shall be a just fast 18 Therefore so thou shalt do the things above-written being finished in that day wherein thou shalt fast thou shalt taste nothing at all except bread and water and compute the quantity of food which the rest of the dayes thou wouldst eat the cost of that day which thou wouldst have made thou shalt lay up and shalt give it to the widow and pupil or to the needy and so shalt thou consummate the humility of thy soul that he who shall get of it shall fill his soul and for thee his prayer shall go to the Lord God 19 So therefore if thou shalt accomplish thy fast even as I enjoyn thee thy sacrifice shall be accepted by the Lord and this thy fast shall be written This station so acted is good chearful and accepted by the Lord. These things if thou shal keep with thy Children and thy whole house having kept them thou shalt be happy and whosoever shall keep these things heard they shall be happy and whatsoever they shall ask from the Lord they shall obtein it 20 And I prayed him that to me he would explain this similitude of the ground and the Lord and the vineyard and of the Servant who had propped the vineyard and the herbs which were extracted from the vineyard and of the Son and of the friends which he called into Council for I understood that to be a similitude 21 He saith to me thou art very bold to ask for thou oughtest to ask nothing for if it shall be fit to be demonstrated it shall be demonstrated to thee I say to him Lord what things soever thou shalt shew me and shalt not declare them in vain shall I see them if I shall not understand what they are and if thou shalt propose any similitudes and shalt not expound them in vain shall I hear them 22 He answered me again saying whosoever is a Servant of God and HATH THE LORD IN HIS INWARD PARTS he asketh from him an Intellect and obteineth it and every similitude he unfoldeth and understands the words of the Lord which need inquisition but whoso are sluggish and slow to pray they doubt to ask of the Lord seeing he is a Lord of such profound goodnesse that he affords all things without intermission to the askers from him 23 Thou therefore who art confirmed by his MESSENGER and hast received such a potent prayer seeing thou art not sluggish why now dost thou not ask an Intellect from the Lord and get it I say to him while I may have thee present it is necessary that from thee I ask and require for thou shewest me all things and speakest when thou art present 24 For if without thee I should see these things or hear them then I should ask the Lord that he would shew them to me And he answered I had said to thee a little before thee to be cunning and bold who askest the solutions of similitudes but because thou art so importunate I will resolve thee this similitude which thou desirest that thou mayest make it known to all 25 Hear now quoth he and perceive in thy mind that GROUND signifieth the world which is put for a similitude but the LORD of the ground is demonstrated to be he who created all things and finisht them and gave them power but the SON is the holy Spirit but that SERVANT is the Son of God but the VINEYARD is the people whom he keepeth but the PROPS are the Messengers who are set over by the Lord to gather in his people 26 But the WEEDS which were pluckt out from the Vineyard are the trespasses of the Servants of God but the VICTUALS which he sent of his Supper are the Commandments which by his Son he hath given to his people but these FRIENDS whom he called in Counsel are the holy Angels whom he at first created but the absence of that Master of the family
conversant in iniquities notwithstanding have never departed from God but always have willingly born the NAME of the Lord and willingly in their Hospitalities have intertained the servants of God Therefore having heard this being returned without delay they have done Repentance and have exercised all the righteousnesse of vertue but some of them have died the death and others willingly have suffered adverse things mindful of their deeds 45 After he had finished the explanations of all the rods he saith to me Go and say unto all that they act Repentance and they shall LIVE TO GOD because the Lord moved with his great clemency hath sent me that I should declare Repentance to all also to those who do not deserve because of their deeds to attain Salvation 46 But patient is the Lord and the invitation made by his SON he will keep I say to him I hope Lord it will be that these things being heard all will do Repentance for I believe every one his deeds being acknowledged and the fear of God being accepted to be about to return to Repentance 47 He saith to me whosoever with their whole heart shall do Repentance and shall purifie themselves from ALL the wickednesse which is abovesaid and as yet shall not add unto their trespasses every one of them shall receive from the Lord the remedy of their former sins if they shall nothing doubt of these Commandments and they shall LIVE TO GOD. 48 But they who shall add quoth he unto their trangressions and shall be conversant in the lusts of this World shall damn themselves unto Death But walk thou in these Commands and thou shalt live to God and whosoever shall walk in them and shall rightly exercise them shall LIVE TO GOD But after he had shewed me all these he saith to me the rest after a few dayes I will shew unto thee SIMIL. IX 1 AFter I had written the Mandat's and Similitudes of that Sheepherd THE MESSENGER OF REPENTANCE he came unto me and said unto me I will shew to thee what things soever the SPIRIT hath shown thee which in the figure of the CHURCH spake with thee for the Spirit is the Son of God And because thou wast more infirm in body it was not declared to thee by the Messenger before that thou art strengthened by the Spirit and augmented in forces that thou mayst be able to see the Messenger 2 For then well indeed and magnificiently the building of the Tower was shown to thee by the CHURCH but thou sawest all as if shown by a Virgin But now by a messenger thou art illustrated indeed by the same Spirit but thou must see all these diligently for therefore into thy house am I sent to dwell by that venerable Messenger that seeing thou seest all things potently thou mayst be nought afraid as formerly 3 And he led me up unto the ascent of a Mountain of ARCADIA and we sat down together in the top thereof and he shew'd me a great field about it twelve Mountains of one figure and of another of whom the FIRST was black as soot the second bare without herbs the third full of thorns and thistles the fourth had herbs half withered of whom the upper part was green but that next to the roots withered also some herbs when the SUN had waxed hot became withered 4 The fift Mountain was most rough but it had green herbs the sixt Mountain was full of clefts with some lesser but with some greater but in these clefts there were herbs not very sprightly indeed but they seemed as if flagging but the seventh Mountain had delectable herbs and was all fertile and every kind of Cattels and Fowls of Heaven did take food thereof and how much they did feed of it by so much the more joyous did the herbs grow up 5 The eighth Mountain was filled with Fountains and out of these Fountains was watered the whole kind of the Creature of God The ninth Mountain had no water at all and was all destitute but also it nourished deadly serpents and pernitious to men The tenth Mountain contained high trees and was all shady and under its shade the cattel did ly resting and chewing the cud 6 The eleventh Mountain was replenished with most thick set trees and these trees were seen laden with divers fruits so that whosoever should see would desire to eat of the fruits of them The TWELFTH Mountain was all white and had a most delectable aspect and it self afforded to it self great comliness 7 But in the middle of the field he shewed me a WHITE and Mighty ROCK which had arisen from out the field it self and that Rock was higher then these Mountains and four cornered so that it could sustain the whole World but it seemed to me to be old but it had a new gate which seemed lately hewen out and that gate had a more bright splendor then the Sun so that I admired exceedingly its light 8 But about that gate stood TWELVE VIRGINS of whom four who held the corners of the Port seemed to me to be more worthy but also the rest were worthy but they stood in the four parts of the gate moreover that was also for the grace of these Virgins that they two and two were cloathed with linen coats and decently girded about outwardly in their right arms as if about to lighten some burden so were they prepared for they were exceedingly chearful and prompt 9 These things when I had seen I admired with my self that I should see so great and eminent things and again I admired because of these Virgins that they were so comly and delicate and should stand so constantly and strongly as if about to support the whole Heaven 10 And while I thought these things within me that sheepherd saith to me why dost thou dispute within thy self and art perplexed and dost add solicitude to thy self What ever things thou canst not understand do not attend them as if thou be'st wise but ask the Lord that having received a sense thou mayest understand them 11 What things soever are behind thee thou canst not see but what are before thee thou seest In these therefore which thou canst not see be not perplexed and receive the understanding of these which thou seest leave off to be curious But I will demonstrate to thee all whatsoever I ought to shew thee but now consider the rest 12 And when he had said these things to me I looked up and behold I saw coming six tall and venerable men and all alâ—ke in countenance and calling a certain multitude of men and these that came called by them they also were tall and strong But these six commanded them to build a certain TOWER upon the Gate but then began there a great murmuring to be of those that ran too and fro about the Port of these men who had come to build the Tower 13 But these Virgins who stood about the Gate commanded them to hast the building