Church as a fift Wheele is to a Wagon 76. Thou Sophister how wilt thou impart the Mysterium Magnum which thou hast not The Congregation or Church hath it and the Repentant sinner that cometh to thee hath it and thou art a Sophister and art fitter to be in a stall of Oxen then in the Church How can the Devill Absolve a sorrowfull Sinner And thou onely servest thy c Belly-God Idoll the Belly 77 O thou blinde world how art thou blinded thou supposest thou oughtest not to dare to meddle with the d The Great Mystery the office of the Ministery Mysterium Magnum and that thou art not capable of it and that the e Those that call themselves Divines and Ministers Priest onely is capable of it but if thou art in Christ thou hast All free unto thee thou hast his Covenant together with the Baptisme and Sacrament and the Body and bloud of Christ therein but the Covenant belongeth to the Beleevers and not to the Sophisters Christs disciples and againe their disciples and successours have baptized and the Beleeving Church or Congregation have broken bread in Houses and where they could and have fed upon the body and bloud of Christ the Temple of God was every where wheresoever Christians were met together 78. Wee doe not mention this for the Pulling downe of Churches in which Christs office is Exercised but wee shew you the Hypocrites who binde you wholly to them that you may goe out from them and goe to the Congregation of Christ into the Temple of Christ and that you may not rest satisfied meerly with the Church of Stone walls for they are onely a heape of stones which is a dead thing but Christs Temple is Living 79. Yee are all consented about the Church and goe diligently thither but none will enter into the Temple of Christ But pray goe into the Temple of Christ and then of dead you will become Living there is no other Remedy neither in Heaven nor in this world it must be so or else you remaine in Darknesse 80. Not that wee judge so rigorously for the will of God standeth open for All Men by what name soever they are called A Heathen may be saved if he turne to the Living God and with true reliance yeeld himselfe up to the will of God for then he cometh into the will of God though he knoweth not what the Kingdome of Christ is and in the will of God there is the Heart of God and Christ hath the Heart of God in him for such a one doth truly Beleeve yea one that is Dumb and Deafe is saved that never heard of God at all if he incline his Imagination unto obedience into the will and righteousnesse of God 81. Who will judge such a one Wilt thou Sophister doe it thou who makest Articles of Faith out of opinions what need opinions Opinions are not the Spirit of Christ which is a quickening Spirit but Christs Spirit testifieth to our Spirits that wee are the children of God it is in us what need wee then seeke so long after Opinions wee say that in all sorts of opinions there is Heresie as also Antichrist But if you have the words of Christ cleave to them sincerely not onely to the Letter but to the Living Word which is God and Man that is the Scripture which you should reade and preach out of Christs Spirit and not out of conjecture but if you cannot apprehend that why then doe you teach so much and contrive Opinions doe you suppose God to be a lyar as you are that he should hold your invented Opinions to be his Word whereas you are but dead to God he that hath an Opinion whether a thing be or no he is in doubt Now doubting is not Beleeving but is a dangerous way to goe 82. But now the troubled soule which is thus tossed too and fro from one conceit and opinion to another when it perceiveth every one to cry out Heere is Christ heere is Christ follow mee the other party are Heretiques and speake from a false Spirit the soule then asketh to what party shall I turne and apply my selfe whither shall I goe that I may heare the right Gospel preached Where shall I finde Christ they all curse and judge one another and yet I heare them all speake from the Bible and confirme their doctrine from thence and teach the way of God What shall I doe for I finde them to be so spitefull and bitter one against another and they ride up and downe in the Hearts of Princes and stirre up warres and persecutions for the cause of Faith and Religion and f Or Excommunicate one another deliver one another up to the Devill and say one of another that the Devill speakes out of this and that Man Hee is a Heretick flie away from him The Gate of Immanuel 83. Behold deare soule How faithfully Christ warneth us concerning these times concerning which we have been hitherto blinde For these false selfe-erected Priests will cry out and say Christ is in the Wildernesse another of them will say he is not in the Wildernesse he is in the Chamber or he is in the field and another againe will say No he is here or there or he is in the Supper or in the Baptisme and another will say he is not in them they are onely signes and symboles But Christ saith Beleeve them not and goe not forth for us the Lightening shineth from the East to the West so also shall the coming of the Sonne of Man be for where the Carcasse is thither the Eagles gather together 84. Christ saith I am the way the truth and the Life none cometh to the Father but by mee I am the doore to the sheepfold and am a Good Shepheard but all that came before mee in their owne Name of themselves are Theeves and Murtherers and seeke onely to robbe and steale for they seeke their own honour but I seeke not my own honour but my Father honoureth mee and they dishonour mee I am the Light of the world whosoever followeth mee shall have the Light of the Eternall Life my Father will give the Holy Ghost to them that pray unto him for it when he shall come he shall leade you into all truth for he shall receive of mine and make it knowne unto you take no care for your life for my Father careth for you for where your heart is there is your treasure also Therefore let your heart and minde be in the will of God and then your treasure is there also 85. Which is as much as to say Run not after the selfe-erected Teachers who teach from the Historie without the Spirit of God if they can speake a little in a strange Language then they will be Teachers and teach out of Art and vaine-glory to exercise their Eloquence wherein one flattering Hypocrite helpeth forward the other especially where much money and honour may be gotten in the
to feede the sheepe of Christ thou shouldst feede them in a greene meadow in the fat pasture of Jesus Christ and tell them the Truth but thou feedest them upon the Devills Rocks and the Mountaines of the Abysse in his lustfull Grasse 103. If you be the Minister of Christ then serve him in Spirit and Truth reprove sinnes without any respect of Persons spare not lift up your voyce like a Trumpet reprove all wickednesse of all persons both superiour and inferiour teach the way of Christ rightly praise or sooth none for his money and honour sake for Christ praised none of the Potentates for gaine sake neither did he reprove any of them out of Envy of their Greatnesse and honour for he commendeth Order and saith Give to Caesar the things which are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods but he reproveth the hypocrites the Pharisees in that they made long prayers and stood in the o Or Gaâ—es streetes making devout shew and would be seene of People and sought onely after Praise and such a one is the Antichrist also and therefore the Spirit in the Revelation of Christ saith Goe out from her my People that you be not made partakers of her sinnes for he that alloweth of sinne is one spirit with the sinne he that for favour p Or consenteth to confirmeth the lye of a Lyar he is guilty of that lye and of the wickednesse thereof 104. God the Father hath Regenerated us in Christ out of the Truth therefore wee should not be the servants of lyes for when wee enter into Lyes wee goe out from Christ and are with the Devill who is the Father of Lyes and so is the Antichrist also and all that depend on him and serve him it were better to be far absent and to have Christ q The life of Christ imprinted in us formed in the Heart then to heare Lyes in the Antichristian Office of the Ministry 105. I know thou Evill Beast wilt cry out upon mee for an envious Person as if I did grutch what good people give thee no that is not my ground or meaning for Christ saith Whosoever ministreth the Gospel should live of the Gospel you must not mussle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne it must feede they cleave not all to the Antichrist wee have onely set forth the wicked Antichrist who rideth in the Hearts of Men wee despise none for their good Conscience Onely the Antichrist shall stand Naked for a Witnesse to All People Hee rideth over the face of the Earth in all Countries and Nations Note wheresoever Pride Covetousnesse Envy and Wrath are predominant in falshood deceit selfe-seeking and an hypocriticall shew of holinesse there is the Greatest Antichrist of all 106. People now suppose they have rooted him out and are now in strife and contention about him every one will slay him O thou blinde simplicity thou slayest him not doe but goe out from him and enter into the Temple of Christ and let Antichrists houses stand empty and then he will fall of himselfe and at length be ashamed of his owne abominations and whoredome onely doe not r Or Pray to worship him doe not bowe thy knee before him but r Or Pray to worship God 107. Doe but open your Eyes the whole world is full of God the whole matter of Conversion is about the outward Life in the Inward God dwelleth in himselfe and the outward Life is also Gods but the Abysse is in it viz. the Centre of Nature in which the severe sterne life is which is the cause of this Warning 108. There are Three Principles Three Kingdomes two are Eternall and one hath a beginning and is transitory Each of them is desirous of Man for Man is an Image of All Three and the Beeing of all Beeings is a longing seeking and desiring which existeth out of the Eternall Will and the will is the Eternity 109. In God there is no Dominion but in the Three Principles in their Creatures There is in God no more but one onely Spirit which cometh to succour his whole Beeing in the Water and in the Fire out of which every thing existeth Hee is no destroyer but preserver of a Thing and if any thing perisheth the fault lyeth in the Å¿ Government Dominion of Nature but that which is out of the Eternall cannot perish but onely changeth into another property for which cause wee give you warning and all the Teaching and seeking in this world is onely that you may be warned of the severe source or property of the Fire there is indeed a Life in it and no Creature can subsist without it have that life but wee that are Men are not Created for that life and therefore God would have every Creature in that property wherein he created it that his Eternall Will may stand stedfast and not be broken 110. Every thing hath Free Will and therein its inclination to its property the whole Beeing of this world and of the Angelicall world also of the Hellish world is meerly a wonder in the presence of God Hee hath set light and darknesse before every one thou maist embrace which thou wilt thou wilt not thereby move God in his Beeing his Spirit goeth forth from Him and meeteth all those that seeke him it is Gods seeking in which God desireth the Humanity for t The Humanitie it is his Image which he hath created according to his whole Beeing wherein he will see and know himselfe yea he dwelleth in Man why then are wee so long a seeking let us but seeke to know our selves and when wee finde our selves wee finde all wee need runne no whither to seeke God for wee can thereby doe him no service if wee our selves did but seeke and love one another then wee love God what wee our selves doe to one another that wee doe to God whosoever seeketh and findeth his brother and sister hath sought and found God In him wee are all one Body of many Members every one having its owne Office Government and work and that is the wonder of God 111. Before the time of this world wee were knowne in his Wisdome and he created us into a Beeing that there might be a sport in him Chi dren are our Schoolmasters in all our witt and cunning wee are but fooles to them when they are borne their first lesson is to learne to play with themselves and when they grow bigger they play one with another thus hath God from Eternity in his wisdome in our hidden childhood played with us but when he created us in knowledge and skill wee should then have played one with another but the Devill grutched us that and made us fall out at our sport and therefore it is that wee are still at variance in contention but wee have nothing to contend about but our sport when that is at an end wee lie downe to rest and goe to our own Place
is the strife and overcoming where the Light overcometh and holdeth the Darknesse captive The Fourth forme is in the midst of the seaven formes and may turne it selfe to the Three in the Anger or to the Three in the Love of God and is severally drawne and desired by each of the Three 42. Also the Wrath and Zeale of the Eternall Nature of God desired to be creaturely and to shew forth its wonders and therefore o The Spirits or fallen Angells they were held in the fountaine of their own p Or Originall Nature and they have kindled the Matrix of the fiercenesse of the Anger and Envy so that now it is their Eternall Habitation 43. The Tincture in their Conceived Will is become false because they would domineere out of their Pride over the humility of the Heart of God and therefore they were cast out of the uppermost Centre into the nethermost viz. into Death where is nothing but meere Darknesse and they cannot reach the Light of God 44. For to the Light of God there belongeth a q Humble comprehension Comprehension of Humility wherein the desire of Love is Generated which apprehendeth the Heart of God And this Lucifer hath not but meere anger envy and high-mindednesse and a continuall desire to flie up above the Heart of God and to domineere in the sterne Might and therefore he is thrust out from the Divine Principle into the Centre of Darknesse and that is his Eternall Kingdome 45. And here is cleerely shewne to the r Theologues called Divines Theologists who undertake to preach of the Will of God that their devices about wayes to God are meere Fables when they make Lawes and set down things as the meanes whereby the Light of God may be attained For it onely consisteth in this and it lyeth in our Å¿ Purpose or fixed resolution Imagination that wee frame our will into Humility wherein the Love is generated which penetrateth to the Heart of God as into that which is its own where the humane soule is then borne in God so that it embraceth the will of God to doe that which is the will of God 46. For All mens doings without the will of God are nothing else but t Or Foolery humane Tradition or Invention Graven Images of naturall skill which remaine in the Anguish of the Centre and it is a seeking where nothing is to be found like one that maketh a costly piece of work which himselfe taketh pleasure in 47. So also such works stand before God as a figure which yet remaine in the figure Eternally but to the true Regeneration to the attaining of the Heart of God there belongeth onely an earnest will and submission where Reason le ts goe all that it hath invented and contrived and dependeth meerly on the Word of the Lord viz. on the Heart of God and so the Spirit is conceived and borne in the Love of God 48. And wee have already cleerly shewen you that every thing is generated out of the Will and every thing hath its propagation againe in the Will for the Will is the Master Artificer of every work for it hath its first Originall to Nature from God the Father and passeth through Nature to his Heart which is the end of Nature which dwelleth there in the still Eternall Liberty without Nature and is in Nature as a peculiar Principle of its own in it selfe 49. Thus the Originall of Nature hath the second Principle out of which proceed those things or substances that may be altered but the Principle of the Heart of God doth not alter or change 50. Therefore I say still and it is the very truth that whatsoever is built invented and taught concerning the Way to God if it proceed not out of the Humility of Love and goeth on to the comprehending or purpose of the Will to the Heart of God is only an u Or Graven Image trifle or foppery Invented work in the Wonders of God whereby the Wonders of God which stand in the hidden seales are brought to light and the builders or contrivers are but labourers in the Wonders of God in the great building to the Glory of God which building shall appeare in the Wonders at the change of Time when all things shall enter into the x Receptacle or devourer Ether 51. Yet we doe not judge nor condemne the desirous seeker who seeketh in blindnesse and knoweth not what he doth seeing he laboureth in the building of the Great Wonders of God with a blinde Zeale For he shall finde his reward in the end in as much as he hath had a will to presse in to God and yet sticketh in the building 52. And when the building shall appeare before God at the end of Time then the Artificer or Workmaster shall also appeare before God But doe wee alone say this Doth not the Scripture in the Revelation of Jesus Christ say That our works shall follow us where every one shall reape what he hath sowne 53. Therefore leave off your calumnies and blasphemies and your fine contrived wayes to God and forsake the covetousnesse and high-mindednesse of the Devill and enter into the way of Love which consisteth in Humility towards the Heart of God in Christ Jesus who hath opened againe the hidden seales wherewith wee in Adam were sealed in the Eternall Death and then you are in Christ borne in God and attaine the Divine Will 54. Wee give you further to understand according to our apprehension and knowledge in the Wonders of God because every thing that liveth and moveth is created for the honour the manifestation of Gods works of Wonder that there are many Spirits in shape and y Or shadowy figure which have not their originall out of the Eternall Wellspring but out of the z Or inceptive Will aliter Anxious Will beginning will such as are in the Water the Aire the Earth and the Fire especially under the Firmament those Ascendents of which there are multitudes in great Hoasts and have also their Government yet they are mutable but their shadow remaineth and there are severall pure Spirits which doe not propagate out of themselves but are generated at severall Times by the working of Nature by the Tincture of Heaven understand the superiour Spirits 55. But the Terrestriall have their Centre from the Inferiour Globe and the watery out of the Matrix of the Water and they have severall Heavens for their Government yet they all a Perish or vanish passe away at their Time and stand to the manifestation of the Wonders of God 56. And wee give you to understand that before the Time of the Angelicall world from Eternity there hath been such a Government where the knowledge and understanding was onely in God But by the Angelicall world is also come into the Creatures The Gate b Into the holy Ternary or Trinity in Ternarium Sanctum 57. NOw having shewen this concerning the
then come to see 93. Thou Antichrist shalt not devoure him with thy Dragons Mouth as may be seene in the Revelation He possesseth his Kingdome to the End but when thou shalt be gone downe into the Pit and that Christ himselfe shall feed his Lambs then he will come to be of the fold of the Lambs when thy murthering sword is broken thou shalt not be broken with Speares or l Pikes weapons of warre thou hypocrite but thy lyes shall stifle thee 94. Hee that goeth about to slay Antichrist is Antichrists Beast upon which he rideth he will be but the more potent in Contention for the Hearts of people turne away from the truth and goe out from God into Contention and there every one looketh after the Wonders of the Contention and run after the Eloquent Sermons and so come out from Christ into Opinions and seeke wayes in the Darknesse wherein there is no Light thus the Devill Ruleth in the Antichrist and leadeth the children astray into by-wayes of Humane Inventions so that they see no more in the Light of Christ 95. Thus it happened also to the Mighty Countreys over which the Alcoran ruleth where they departed from Christ and fell into Opinions and then there grew to them a Tree out of Nature in their heart and they fell upon one opinion and so lived in that Wilde Tree 96. But the Antichristian Kingdome liveth in many Trees they run from one to another and know not which is the best for they are gone forth from the Paradise of Christ they boast of the Doctrine of Christ and deny the power thereof and thereby they testifie that Christ is not in them nay they desire not to have him in them they thrust him with his body and bloud with his Humanity out of the Congregation they will have a signe from him whereby they may in their Pride possesse his place and so keepe up their rich fat Bellies Christ in this outward Life upon the Earth was poore and had not whereon to lay his head But they in Christs place will be rich and fat they say He is in Heaven wee will therefore erect a stately glorious pompous Kingdome to his honour that wee may enjoy good Times and honour in his Office Wee are the highest in this world for wee are Gods m Embassadours or Vicegerents Stewards wee manage the Office of Christ and have the Mysterium Magnum How dare any speake against us wee will quickly make them hold their peace 97. O beloved children of Christ open your Eyes and see doe not run so after the Devill doe you not see pray learne to see doe you not see how all is done for Money if one give them store of Money they praise him for a gracious Christian who is beneficiall and bountifull to the Church If one die though all his Life long he was an unjust false Usurer whore-monger Thiefe and Murtherer and they know it very well if he or his bestow much upon the Church Colledges or Learned Men O how is hee applauded for a blessed and gloriour Man What great n And Monuments Epitaphs and Poemes Sermons doe they make for him that other unrighteous men may heare and consider and follow their example to doe the like But stay doth the Kingdome of Christ consist in such giving of Money and in the Mouth of the Priest No it shall not prosper heere the Wine-presse yeeldeth much bloud as that Revelation of John speaketh 98. And thus the Innocent are seduced or the poore souls heerby fall into despaire for he that giveth not them much or hath it not to give is no honest Man with them Hee is not beneficiall towards the Ministry if but the least moate be found amisse in his life oh how they divulge it and make a great matter of it how is he troden underfoote how ever at length they devoutly send a good wish after him and say God forgive him Open your Eyes yee children of Christ this is the Antichrist goe not a whoring after him Many such haue been sinners and have turned from their sinnes and have entred into Christ and their soule is in Christ an Angell of God and therefore how dare you proud Antichrist according to your owne pleasure despise one that is the Angel of God O thou blinde Man doest thou not see this Art thou the Shepheard and Minister of Christ and Steward of God hast thou the Mysterium Magnum about thee Is thy office the office of Christ as thou boastest why then art thou a Lyar in applauding the wicked for Money hath Christ and his Apostles done so 99. Hearken thou opposer of Christ looke into the Acts of the Apostles Where one sold his Possessions and laid a part of the Price of the Money at the Apostles feete And Peter asked him saying Have you sold the field for so much and he sayd yea and had a false doubtfull and deceitfull Minde then said Peter thou hast lyed unto the Holy Ghost behold the feet of them that stand at the doore shall carry you away out of the Congregation of Truth what thinke you now of your selfe beeing this hath happened to the Hearers of Peter what would have been done to Peter himselfe if he should have thus lyed for greedinesse of Money and so blasphemed the Holy Ghost But thou art he that doth so thou applaudest the unrighteous that thou maist but get money but thou regardest not his soule neither dost thou regard how thou broachest forth thy lyes in the Congregation how many times doe some stand and bewaile the wickednesse and deceit of those thou praisest wherewith he unjustly oppressed and wronged the needy and also bewaile thy flattering hypocrisie and lyes 100. Hearken Is not the Name of Christ blasphemed thereby and the Congregation of Christ scandalized when they say The Priest telleth lyes in the Pulpit for Money if it were a sinne he would not doe it and so in like manner when any lye and deceive people to get money goods and honour if they can but cover it with a fine pretence what matter is it for they think if it were so great a sinne the Priest would not doe it they thinke they will once repent of it and the Priest hath Grace enough in store for them 101. Behold thou false and wicked Antichrist thus thou lyest to the Holy Ghost in Christs office who tryeth the Heart and thou lyest to the Congregation of Christ and dost scandalize it therewith It were a great deale better they had never heard thy lyes and then their hearts would not have been so filled with lyes 102. How canst thou say that thou executest the office of Christ seeing thou art a lyar and mocker of Christ thou art not borne of Christ but of lyes and when thou speakest lyes thou speakest from thy Beast on which thou ridest in the Revelation thou speakest of thy owne from the Spirit which is in thee and yet wilt take upon thee
childe to God he is the Father of the Lost sonne you have vainly riotted and spent your beauty and righteousnesse with the Devill and with the Antichristian Whore you are amongst the swine at Babell and having lost your Goods you eate graines and husks with the swine you are naked and torne and are not worthy to be called his sonne Consider and Imagine this in your selfe for it is true and so come with true conversion out of the filth and mire of the swine to our Antient Loving Father and pray for his Grace and Favour that he would but make thee as one of his hired servants in his Court acknowledge to him thy evill deeds and that thou art not worthy to be called his sonne Behold deare soule Observe it it is the very pretious Truth 20. When you thus enter into your selfe and search out your abominations and the husks of the Devill and of the world which you have so long devoured and Consider of God and his Mercy then turne not againe into the Hogsty and say not I am ashamed to come before my good old Father I dare not come into his sight for great shame and abomination for I was a glorious sonne and now am a naked Swineheard but consider that your Father taketh more care about you who are his lost Prodigall sonne then you doe about his favour and love which you have willfully trifled away 21. Frame but a loving humble submissive obedient will and purpose and come come away from the Swine leave the husks to the world let the Swine devoure them and feed themselves fatt but enter you into your selfe and knock at your evill Heart break in through the Doores and Gates and though all swine cry and Devills should howle for their m Or Herdsman Keeper yet come you to your Father with any humble demeanour and words you need not trouble your selfe about the adorning of them with accurate Eloquence for though you have no more words then the Poore Publican it is no matter it lyeth not in them but in an Earnest constant purpose without ceasing and though Hell should breake in pieces and body and soule part asunder yet stand still and goe not forth againe out of the Doores of the Father 22. For as soone as you will open the Doore in your soule and will goe out of the Mire towards the Antient Father that he doth but perceive that it is you his sonne and that you are returned to him then he saith This is my sonne which was Lost for whom my heart was troubled and is entred into the Humanity into this world and hath sought him and now I have found him 23. And there he sendeth the Holy Ghost to meete him and falleth kindly about his Neck and receiveth him with Joy and for a token of his love he putteth the Seale and the Ring of the Holy Trinity in the suffering and death of Christ on to the Hand of the soule and there he bringeth the blessed Virgin of his Wisdome the New Angelicall Garment viz. the flesh of Christ and putteth it on to the soule and all the servants of God viz. the Holy Angells in the House of the Father must rejoyce and be merry with the lost sonne and there the Antient Father slayeth the fatted Calfe and feedeth his sonne at his Table of the Heavenly Substantiality with the power and with the flesh of his Obedient Sonne Christ and giveth him to drink of the Water of Eternall Life in the bloud of Christ in the first Mother out of which the soule hath been created and there is Joy in Heaven among the Ninty-Nine Angells or holy soules which are with God that a deare brother is come into their Society 24. And although the own Invented works of Holinesse viz. the Elder sonne who hath alwayes been busie at home in the Antichristian house murmur and grumble at it and boasteth of his Obedience labour and toyle which he had taken in Hypocrisie the Father regardeth not that the New sonne pleaseth him better then he that had continued in the House he thought that he alone was heire that the Kingdome of Heaven belonged to him he had merited it and hath not gone out of the house to him belongeth the Keys of the Treasure the other is but a Swineheard All this doth not divert the Father but he is merry with his servants the Angells and holy soules and letteth him that was Angry who would not rejoyce with his brother goe downe into the wrathfull Pit of the Devill and he is merry with his children But seeing the Hypocrite is Angry and despiseth the Supper of the Father therefore he doth not tast of the Heavenly Joy 25. Hearken you Roman Pope and you Roman n Or Caesar Emperour why are you angry with us poore lost sonnes in Germany who goe in to our first true Father Would he not faine have us are you not our brother wherefore then doe you grumble Are you Pope in the House then have a care that you be the Fathers obedient sonne and rejoyce with the lost sonne when he goeth out from Antichrist to the Father If you will not doe so you must Eternally be angry and shall have no Joy with us once Lost but now againe living children to Eternity 26. O you Antichristian Wolfe why are you Angry when the Father receiveth a Swineheard for a deare childe and Giveth him the Seale-Ring the Mysterium Magnum doe you think you doe right in it though indeed you are borne of an Academie or from an Vniversity and the Swineheards are borne in the field among the swine as you account them yet in them the greatest Wonders are awakened or manifested above your Hypocriticall Reason looke to it Rule well in the house of your Academie wee heard a Watch-man say o That the Contentions Janglings and Disputations may cease leave off The City Babell is fallen see that you be not taken in Babell for it burneth in the Fire the Turba Magna will spew it out there is no other Remedy or Counsell but for all to goe together with the Swineheard to the Father and pray to him for Grace else you will be faine to try by wofull Experience what this Pen hath written and out of what Spirit it did flow and was revealed 27. When Christ drave the Devill out of the Lunatick that was possessed his Disciples said to him Master why could not wee drive him out Then said Christ This kinde doth not goe out but by Fasting and Prayer 28. Deare children brethren and sisters be advised for the kinde Love of the God the Father in his heart which for our sakes is become Man hath lifted up himselfe in the p Or Highest Age. Crowne of the Spirit of this World and calleth us It grieveth his Mercy that wee are fallen home to the Wrath in the Turba Magna he now sendeth you many Messengers and calleth you in their voyce and he will send more unto
the knowing whereof will be exceeding usefull to the furtherance of the salvation of every soule which when I had read I was very much satisfied in my owne soule and doe desire that others may be made partakers of them so farre as lyeth in me I have therefore taken in hand to put this Treatise into English which I chose to doe rather out of the Originall then out of any Translations because they many times come short of the Authors owne meaning and because I found many errours in some of them and he is so deep in his writings that we have need to desire that our soules may be put into such a condition as his was in else they cannot be fully understood but the same God that satisfied his desires will satisfie ours if we cast our selves upon him in our soules and let him doe with us what he pleaseth Concerning the Author he was from his youth much addicted to the hearing of Sermons and hearing that speech of our Saviours Luke 11. ver 13. Your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that aske it and by the differences and controversies in Religion which he knew not how to satisfie himselfe in he was so stirred up and moved to aske seeke and knock that he might know the truth upon which hy the Divine drawing and will he was in Spirit wrapt into the holy Sabbath in which he remained seven whole dayes in highest joy by his owne confession after he came to himfelse he layd aside the folly of youth and was driven dy Divine zeale earnestly to reprehend impudent scandalous and blasphemous speeches and did forbeare in all his actions the least appearance of evill and continued to get his living by the labour of his hands till the beginning of the sixt Seculum which was the yeare 160. When he was a socond time possessed with a divine Light and by the sight of a sudden object was brought to the inward ground or Center of the hidden nature yet somewhat doubting he went out into an open field and there beheld the miraculous workes of the Creatour in the signatures figures or shapes of all created things very clearely and manifestly layde open whereupon he was taken with exceeding joy yet held his peace in silence praysing God But ten yeares after in the yeare 1610. through the overshadowing of the holy Spirit he was a third time touched by God and renewed and became so inlightned that least so great grace bestowed upon him should slip out of his memory and he resist his God he wrote privately for himselfe without the help of any Bookes but the Holy Scriptures many Bookes the Titles whereof follow at the end of this worke Which bookes contaiâ—e such high and deep grounded Mysteries of the Deity as have not been reveal'd since the Apostles times On the 18. Novemb. Stilo novo betimes in the morning he cal'd one of his sons and asked if he also heard that excellent musick he said no then he had that the dore should be opened that that musick might be the better heard Afterwards he asked what a clock it was being answer'd that it had struck two he said it is not yet my time my time is three houres hence in the meane time he was heard to speake these words O thou strong God of hosts deliver me according to thy will O thou crucified Lord Jesus have mercy upon me and receive me into thy Kingdome When it was neare about six of the clock he tooke his leave of his wife and sonnes and blessed them and said now I goe hence into Paradise then spake to his sonne to turne him and sighing deeply he mildly and quietly departed this world If it were not for the great fruit that I conceive may grow to every one that studieth it I should be sorry that I am the Instrument to make such things knowne in my Native Language and much more unwilling it should be published to the view of so many various minds as are now sprung up But my hope is goodnesse will get the upper hand and that the fruits of the Spirit will prevaile to the subduing of the Lusts of the flesh now I readily submit to the censure of those who have that good desire and of those who are not proudly and perversly wedded to their owne conceits when they have considered this Authors meaning whether this will not be as beneficiall to us as it hath been to other Nations Indeed my mind is lead to think that our troubled doubting Soules may receive much comfort leading to that inward Peace which â—asseth all understanding that all the disturbing Sects and Heresies arising from the Darknesse and malice of men and Devills will be made to vanish and cease by that understanding which may be kindled in them from it they that rule will perceive how to effect all their good purposes to the joy and happinesse of them that are subjected to their government and Subjects will soone learne to obey in every thing as the Primitive Martyrs did though they should live under such Governours as they did so God shall be glorified by all mens love to one another and peace will flourish over all the Earth It may be some will think it so hard to attaine the understanding of this Author when they read the answer to the first Question which is far more difficult then any of the other because it containes the summe of them all in brief that they will forbeare to take so much paines as they suppose is requisite but if it should prove a little harder then other writings the profit will countervaile the Labour with a hundredfold advantage yet let every one read it themselves or heare it read with their owne eares that others misreport hinder them not from so great a benefit and they shall no doubt attaine it for I am convinced by my owne experience that every one may receive according to their vast or narrow capacity who have according to mine owne measure been satisfied though I be One of the unworthiest of the Children of Men J. S. THE AUTHORS PREFACE TO BALTHASAR WALTER 1. DEarely beloved friend it is impossible for Reason to answer these your Questions for they containe the chiefest and greatest Mysteries which are alone knowne to God 2. Hence saith a Dan. 2.27 And such an answer Ioseph gave to the King of Egypt Daniel to King Nebuchadnezzar That which the King asketh desireth of the Learned Chaldeans Astrologians and Wise men is not in their power The God of Heaven onely can reveale secret things it is not in my Reason to answer the King but yet that the King may perceive the thoughts of his heart God hath revealed it not that my Reason is greater then any mans living 3. So likewise I say to you you shall be answered not that my reason is greater then any mans living but onely that you may perceive the thoughts the earnest seeeking and desire of
shall finde the whole ground of Heaven and of this world The seven and thirtieth Question What is the Spirit of Christ which was * Or obedient willing and which he commended into his Fathers hands 1. THis is that great and excellent l Treasure Gem or Pearle Jewell and we exceedingly rejoyce that we know it so that wee are able to know our selves what we are and it is more worth to us then all the world for it is that Pearle of which Christ said that one sold all that he had and bought that Pearle 2. For it is more profitable to man then the whole world it is more precious then the Sun for the m Or the Philosophers stone Noble stone of the wise men lyeth therein it hath the heavenly and Earthly n Great Mysterie Mysterium Magnum and therein nothing in this world to be compared to it but o Or trusting in God and enduring whatsoever he layeth upon us sincere simplicity which is quiet and bringeth forth or stirreth up no Turba and that hath the Jewell hidden in it 3. As Gold lyeth couched in the stone and is safe if a p Or spoyler Robber commerh not with the Earthly Turba and destroyeth it and yet he himselfe getteth nothing by it so selfe Reason is a Robber in the q That is in the Cabinet where the Pearle lyeth Mysterie 4. Therefore we may say upon good ground that a simple r Lay-man or Ideot plain man who simply without multiplicity of science dependeth on God hath the Mysterium Magnum better and surer yea lesse decayed then a high learned Å¿ Or Father Doctor who soareth aloft in Reason and t Or disputeth and wrangleth about it spoyleth the Jewell and u Or respect of persons setteth it in Babell this saying will not be well relished yet that is nothing to us wee must speake the Truth without x partiality 5. Now when wee speake of Christs Spirit Reason thinketh it is the soule or else the Spirit of the outward Life which consisteth in the vertue and operation of the Starres and Elements but it is not so It is somewhat else wherein the Image of God consisteth the outward Spirit belongeth not to the Deity but to the Wonders 6. Wee have spoken somewhat of it already but because this Question doth put us in minde of it againe mentioning that when he dyed he commended it to his Father therefore we must a little say how that was done 7. You sufficiently perceive in what manner the soule is the x Centrum Naturae Center of Nature the Originall of Life and mobility viz. Gods Fire which should be continually converted into the Eternall will of God wherein it is originally borne from the Magicall Desire and is a great Secret come out of the Eternall Nothing wherein all things are contained even the Deity with all the three Principles and every y Thing Essence or substance Being that can be named 8. And you perceive that the Light and Spirit of the Aire proceed from the fire and also that the fire doth againe draw the Spirit of the Aire into it selfe and so alwayes bloweth it selfe up and so with the Light Aire and z Or property source of the Fire it is its owne Life 9. And further wee have said somewhat of the Noble Tincture which ariseth in the Light in which the meeknesse of the Light consisteth and it commeth forth from the Anguish which is as a mortifying and springeth forth afresh through the mortifying Anguish as a life having another a Or Source property where the property of the fire is a kinde of Tincture like the driving forth of a Spirit and yet it is desiring and thereby it attracteth the vertue of the Light into it selfe and maketh it an Essence viz. water 10. And therein are two Formes One according to the source of Fire which is red and therein the vertue viz. Sulphur And the other which is like a thin meeknesse yet having Essentiality is water which the desiring Tincture contracteth together into one and changeth it into Bloud 11. Now the Originall in the Bloud viz. Fire which is a warmth that is a Tincture is a Life and in the vertue of the Tincture the thin water of the Life proceedeth one b The outward vertue proceeding forth from c The inward another and the vertue doth alwayes reassume that which goeth forth and that which is gone forth is free from the Fire and also from the vertue for it is gone forth and yet it arose from the vertue 12. And this is the true Spirit which is borne out of the soule wherein the Image of God and the Divine virgin of Gods wisdome consisteth for all understanding and knowledge lyeth in this Spirit it hath the senses and the noble life which uniteth it selfe with God this Spirit is so subtile that it can and may enter into God 13. If this Spirit resigneth it selfe up to God and casteth away the ostentation and d Reason suâ—tlety or wâ— cunning of the fire of its owne soule then it attaineth the Image of God the Divine body for it putteth its will into God and dwelleth in God with Power thus it is cloathed with the Divine Essentiality and is without this world in the Life of God 14. But seeing this Spirit ariseth first out of the Center of Nature that is out of the Life of Fire although it is not the life of the Fire but the Spirit of it and the Life of the Fire standeth originally in the Abysse în the source of Gods Anger therefore Christ did not commend this Spirit of his to the fires owns life but into the hands of his Father 15. His hands are the Love-Desire wherewith he embraceth our Spirit when we enter into him and commend our selves to him 16. For when his body was to dye on the Crosse and his soule was to passe through Hell through the Anger of God there the Devills waited and thought with themselves we will surely keep the soule in our Turba in the Fire and then Christ commended the Spirit into the Love of God 17. And so the soule of Christ with the Spirit came into Gods hand being encompassed with the Fire of Anger and Death and Death would have held it there but Death was destroyed and confounded 18. For Death smothered the outward Spirit viz. the outward Life and then thought now surely the soule must remaine in the Turba but there was one stronger in the soule viz. the word of God which tooke death captive and destroyed the Anger and quenched the wrath with the Love in the Spirit of Christ 19. It was a poyson to Hell for the Love of God to come into it and smother it in the soule also a Plague Death and Destruction to Death Death must now suffer an Eternall Life to grow in it 20. Thus the Spirit of Christ tooke the Divell captive and