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A28523 The fifth book of the authour, in three parts the first, Of the becoming man or incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Sonne of God, that is, concerning the Virgin Mary ... and how the Eternal word is become man : the second part is of Christ's suffering, dying, death, and resurrection ... : the third part is of The tree of Christian faith ... / written through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, by Jacob Behme, the Teutonick philosopher ...; Von der Menschwerdung Jesu Christi. English Böhme, Jakob, 1575-1624.; Sparrow, John, 1615-1665? 1659 (1659) Wing B3405; ESTC R21119 198,807 274

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Evil or wickedness or else he hath a heavy Judgement upon him 69. What is he better then the Devil who also knoweth Gods will but yet doth his own Evil will one is as the other neither Good so long till he becometh a doer of the Word and then he walketh in Gods way and is in the Vineyard in Gods Labour 70. The Hypocritical Babel teacheth now at present that our works merit Nothing Christ hath delivered us from Death and Hell we must onely Believe and so we are righteous 71. Hearken O Babel The servant who knoweth his Lords will and doth it not shall suffer many stripes a knowing without doing is just as a fire which glimmereth but cannot burn for moisture 72. Wilt thou that thy divine Faiths Fire should burn then thou must blow it up and put off from Thee the Devils and the worlds Moysture thou must enter into the Life of Christ 73. Wilt thou be his Childe then thou must enter into his house and manage his work else thou art out of it without and an Hypocrite who beareth the Name of God in vain or unprofitably thou teachest one thing and dost another and testifiest thus that Gods Judgement is right concerning thee 74. Or what pleasure hath God in thy knowing when as thou stil continuest wicked dost thou suppose he will accept thy Hypocrisie 75. That thou Cryest to him Lord give me a strong Faith in the Merits of thy Sonne Christ that he hath satisfied for my sinnes supposest thou that that is enough 76. O Sir no hearken thou must enter into Christs Suffering and dying and be born a second time out of his Death thou must become a Member in and with him thou must constantly Crucifie the Old Adam and alwaies hang upon Christs Cross and must become an obedient Child that alwaies hearkeneth what the father saith and alwaies would fain do that 77. Thou must enter into the Doing Else thou art but a Vizard without Life thou must together with God work good works of Love towards thy Neighbour and continually exercise thy Faith and alwaies be prepared and ready at the voice of the Lord when he Calleth thee out of the old skin to go home into the pure Garment 78. See though thou plainly walkest in this way yet thou wilt have upon thee weakness enough and feel far too much thou wilt still work very farre too much Evil. 79. For we have an Evil Guest lodging within us to comfort ones self onely doth not avail but to fight and strive against it and Continually to slay and vanquish it without this it is ever too strong and will have the Dominion 80. Christ hath indeed in us and for us broken and destroyed Death and made way for us but what doth it help me to comfort my selfe with that and learn to know that and yet continue lying shut up in the dark Anger and Captivated in the Chains of the Devil 81. I must even enter into that very way and Path and walk in that street as a Pilgrim or stranger who wandereth out of Death into Life The Eighth Chapter Of the Pilgrims-VVay out of Death into Life 1. DEar Children let us very heartily speak one with another concerning the Ground and Foundation Our true life wherewith we should see God is as a damped fire in many also as the fire shut up in a Stone we must strike upon it with true earnest sincere entring and turning In to God 2. Look upon Gods care in providing which hath taken for us aforehand He hath regenerated us in Christ out of the Water of Eternal Life and hath left us at last the same in the Covenant of Baptism for a Key that we should therewith unlock and therewith besprinckle our souls Fire that it may become capable of the Divine Fire 3. And hath given us his Body for food and his Blood for drink that we should receive it and enter into his Covenant and feed our souls therewith that they may be quickened and awake up from Death that the divine Fire may kindle them 4. Dear Children It must burn and not continue to lie shut up in Stone or as an Ember or Tinder which would fain glimmer and cannot for the Devils Moysture 5. The Historical Faith is onely an Ember which glimmereth like a little spark it must become Kindled we must give it Matter wherein the sparkle may kindle it selfe 6. The soul must press forth out of the Reason of this world in to the life of Christ into Christs flesh and Bloud and so it conceiveth the Matter to its kindling It must be in Earnest Sincerity 7. For the History reacheth not Christs flesh and Bloud Death must be broke open 8. Although indeed Christ hath broke it open yet the Earnest sincere desire must follow after that would fain doe or act and alwaies labour therein 9. As a Pilgrim or Messenger who hath a long dangerous way to travail he alwaies runneth on towards the End and is unwear●ed though woe and misery befall him yet he hopeth for the End and cometh alwaies nearer where then he Expects in hope his wages and refreshment and joyeth that his sore travail and wandering will have an End 10. Thus must a man that will travail and wander to God behave himselfe in the Way of his Pilgrimage He must continually more and more wander or travail forth out of the Earthly Reason out from the will of the Flesh of the Devil and the World 11. Often woe and misery befall him when he must forsake that which he might well have had and could therewith have swum in Temporal Honour 12. But if he will Travel in the Right Path then he must onely put on the Mantle of Righteousness and put off the Mantle of Covetousness and the Hypocritical Life 13. He must impart his bread to the Hungry and give his clothes for a Covering and not be an Oppressor of the Miserable and onely fill his own Sack full squeese away the sweet from the simple and impose Lawes upon him onely for his pride and pleasure sake 14. He is no Christian that doth such things but he travelleth in the Path of this world as the starres and the Elements with the Devils infection and Lust drive him 15. And though likely he knoweth the Faith of Gods Mercifulness of the satisfaction of Christ yet that will not help him for not all that say Lord Lord shall enter enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but those that do the will of my Father in Heaven 16. And that will is Love thy Neighbour as thy self What thou wilt that men should do to thee that do thou also 17. Say not in thy Heart I sit in this Office and Lordship of Right I have bought purchased or inherited it that which my Subjects doe for me they are obliged to do it 18. See and search whether that hath a right original
things but if they love themselves more then God in them then their Perdition is of themselves Hath not God shed abroad his Love in our Hearts Can any rightly say Lord Lord but by the Holy Spirit And are not the Father the Word and Spirit which bear record in Heaven One And do not the Spirit the Water and the Bloud which bear record on the Earth agree in One Also is not the Kingdom of Heaven within us And doth it not consist in Peace Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost and then must not all needs be in us And we may thereby apprehend and understand it rightly though yet we know it not nor ever read it or though it had not been related in the Holy Scriptures How many Thousand Endless Mysteries are Treasured up in the hidden wisdom of God in Christ and in him in us when we find him and partake of him in him we have them all and from his fulness receive Grace for Grace how narrowly therefore should we search and observe the exact words of the Scripture which so surely as an Index point us to these invaluable things and use that powerful word in our Hearts by which hearing Comes and direction and power of understanding those things not onely which are expressed inwardly or outwardly but even whatsoever is hidden in Christ in whom all fulness dwels and then can any thing be impossible to be apprehended or known by a Soul that hath the very Thing in it self where nothing can be hid from its inward Eyes And since God worketh in us both to wil and to do why refuse we to will and to do by hearkening and yeelding to the Lusts of our own Hearts being Servants in Obedience to the Evil and not of God who is likewise in us with his Grace fulness we thinking nevertheless that we can neither will nor do endeavouring to bring Scripture to prove it to the quenching of the Spirit the manifestation whereof is given to every one to profit withal and this is effected in those that understand not how to satsfie themselves in the meaning of those Scripture Arguments that are alledged for proofs not considering that God worketh in us to be able through him in us so that there is himself his power and ability in our Selves though not Self-ability as of our selves for the Most Holy Man born of the fleshly Seed of Father and Mother of himself as of himself is not able to think a Good Thought but there is none so wicked except he be altogether uncapable to desire Conversion and so is a Devil but doth at some time or other in this life think a Good Thought which testifies the good work of God in his-heart and soul and is the stirring of the Divine Word therein in which is Light but Men love darkness rather then Light though it Ever Eternally shone in the Darkness and is the very light of their life in them and that because their Deeds are Evil and they will not follow to will and do according to it which is the Obedience to the divine Light in them though God hath given even his whole self unto them to Convert them wherein they are able to do all things through Christ that strengtheneth them and yet will not but neglect so great Salvation And these Comfortable words expressed in the holy Scriptures are faithful and the Things certain and undeniably true though the Scriptures had never made mention of them and are all of them to be discerned known and throughly understood in the Things themselves by and in every Soul but our want is that we seek not The Consideration whereof should move us earnestly to labour to understand more and more where and how that word is to be found felt seen and known as this Book doth exceedingly help us that we may infallibly Experimentally and understandingly Testifie unto the Truth of the Holy Scriptures by the through Examination of the Things it speaketh of seeing the Scripture directs to that which is to be understood no way but in the Things themselves as all that is written of is to be known Experimentally whether it be Natural or Divine solely by comparing the writing by and with the Things else all is but a Notional and Imaginary Supposition or Opinion without understanding but by the knowing of Things we should by degrees cease from Contention and rightly certainly and infallibly know God and the Wonders he hath wrought and can and will work in all things especially in the Souls of Holy Men some of whom out of the good hidden treasure of the living word in the Heart have committed to writing those few things conteined in the Scriptures being few in respect of the Infinite Depths of the Deity and so proceeding forward from Grace to Grace from Knowledge to knowledg we may attain to the measure of the fulness of the stature of a Man in Christ and not be alwaies children in understanding but even strong Men in Christ The Apostle Johns words If we say we have no sin we deceive our Selves May they be taken as meant speaking of others and not himself included what then shall we think was become of his Earthly Old Adam of his outward Flesh and Bloud wherein he was Mortal had he not that when he said so that he might justly exclude himself from having any sinne as having laid of this life and body he might have done having the new heavenly Body and not the old Earthly one about him at all in which Mortal flesh and Bloud onely which Christ himself took of the Seed of the Virgin Mary he became Sinne for us and could die else it had not been possible as is largely cleared in this Treatise Though if there be no Consent of the Soul it may truly be said by any one with the Apostle Paul It is no more I that do the Evil which I would not but Sinne that dwelleth in me Yet of this Mortal Corruptible Flesh which dyeth and remains in Corruption in the Grave and will not be changed till the General Resurrection of all the Dead at the last day of that it may be always said as he likewise saies of himself after he was rapt into the Third Heaven and not of others onely I know that in me that is in my Flesh dwelleth no Good thing And that is it in which Evil was present vvith him vvhen he vvould do Good for vvith his Flesh he served the Lavv of Sinne Can any serve God with his Flesh but vvith the Mind he can and doth vvhen he vvilleth the Good Yet vvhy are the Mysteries of the Bible so little understood but because we apprehend not that God and Christ and the Holy Spirit and all Graces as also Sinne are invvardly in Every soul the flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh in every one and so the love and vvrath of God is in all things either hidden or manifested and that all
such an anguish source or quality and figureth the willing-spirit continually according to the Earthly Things into which its willing hath Entered and g●●●ereth thus therewith in the souls Fire and continually climeth up in Pride and state and will needs go forth in the fire over Gods Meekness 13 For it can Frame or Create no other willing for it cannot enter into the liberty of God into the Holy Mystery where it might create or procure another willing it liveth onely and barely in it self 14. It hath Nothing and can also attain Nothing but onely that which in the outward Life it hath comprehended or Conceived in it self 15. And thus it goeth also with a Covetous Person who hath in his willing-spirit and Image the Magick Covetous seeking or longing who willeth alwaies to have much and figureth all that is in his willing-spirit where with he was busied in the Life of the Body 16. But being that hath left him and that his substance is no more Earthly therefore yet he carrieth along the Earthly willing and so plagueth and tormenteth himself therewith or he can attain nothing else 17. And yet it goeth much worse with falshood against which the Miserable have cryed out and cursed him for his Oppression and Extortion 18. For all whatsoever hath been wrought in the Evil wickedness or Malice which he hath caused followeth after him for it hath become wrought in the Mystery of the Anger and so the perished soul falleth thereinto after the Dying of the Body 19. And there it must Bathe in those Abominations so that if it were possible for it to unite it selfe with the willing into Gods love yet it would have those same Abominations and Malice on its Back for they make it Eternally dispair 20. Where then at last the soul departeth away and renounceth God and desireth onely to clime up and to live in those Abominations 21. And this is its Joy that it blasphemeth God and his Saints or Holy ones but yet lifteth up it self in the abominations above God and the Kigdome of Heaven and yet seeth or apprehendeth none of them 22. Thus we give you to Consider what the willing and aime or confidence is viz that it is the Master and Leader which introduceth the Image of Man both into Gods Love and also in Gods anger 23. For in the willing the right true Faith becometh generated wherein the Noble Image of God standeth for in the Faith or believing we become again through Christ generated in God and attain again the Noble Image which Adam had lost and Christ with Gods life hath introduced into the humanity again 24. Thus a false or wicked will destroyeth the Image for the willing-spirit is the Root of the Image for it draweth the Mystery of God into it self 25. And the Spirit of that same Mystery openeth the faire Image and draweth on to it the divine Mystery viz Gods Substantiality understand Christs heavenly Body which became generated out of God in the Dear and fair virgin of his wisdome which filleth Heaven 26. So then if our Minde and Willing become set thereinto and that the willing desireth the same then is the willing Magical and goeth thereinto and if it then hungereth after it then it may eat the Bread of God 27. And now Sprouteth to it the New Body which is the saving amiable blessed Tree of the Christian Faith for every Body or Corpus loveth it self 28. And so then the soul getteth Gods Body which is so sweet saving amiable and blessed how then will it not love the same which yet is given to it for its own in which it liveth and dwelleth and of whose power and virtue it eateth and strengtheneth it self 29. Now None should deceive himself and abide sticking in his falshood and unrighteousness and comfort himself with a Historical Faith whereby he thinketh God is Good and favourable he will forgive me well enough I will gather Treasure and enjoy my full thereof also leave my Children much riches and honour I will yet one day repent well enough It is a meer deceit 30. Thou gatherest and heapest together in falshood and attractest into thee unrighteousness and though it be all done in the best way that may be yet it is but earthly and thou hast demersed thy heart and willing down into an earthly vessel and clothed and infected thy Noble Image therewith 31. Moreover thou inheritest and purchasest onely pride for thy Children so that they onely Set their willing-spirit also thereinto 32. Thou Thinkest to do good to thy self and thou dost to thy self and thy Children the worst thou canst 33. Indeed the outward Life must have sustenance and he doth foolishly who voluntarily giveth his goods to a wicked one 34. But much more foolishly doth HE that with his goods maketh himself to be a wicked one in that he setteth his heart upon them and holdeth temporal transitory pleasure more in honour then the Eternal untransitory goods which have no End 35. But he is blessed that cometh to help the Miserable for they wish all good to him and pray to God that he would bless him in Bodyand Soul 36. And thus their wish and blessing passeth to the Giver into the Mystery and environeth him and followeth after him as a good Work generated in God for he taketh that Treasure along with him and not the Earthly 37. For when the Body Dyeth then the Image passeth into the Mystery that is it becometh manifest in the Mystery of God 38. For in the Time of the Earthly Life the outward Principle was a Cover before it and that falleth away with the dying of the Body and then the divine Mystery appeareth in the Image and therein all good deeds and works which were become generated in the Love in the willing of God 39. All the prayers and wishes of the honest and vertuous Children of God stand in the Mystery and incline themselves towards and appropriate themselves with the Image For the children of the Myserable whom he came to help in their necessity and tribulation have sent their willing in their prayer into Gods Mystery and therewith unite them to their deliverer and comforter 40. And so when that same wel-doer cometh into the Mystery so that the Earthly Life falleth away then all things become Manifest and every one uniteth it self to its own into which the willing hath severed it 41. And all this becometh reserved to the Judgement of God the holy spirit in the Mystery and there every one shall reap what he hath here sown in his field there it shall all spring up grow and blossome in a heavenly new Earth 42. In which Man will draw and put on to his divine Image the Body of the perfect Mystery of God and see before him viz before the bodily or Corporeal Image his righteousness standing and why he is so fair Beautiful and bright 43. He will know the Cause thereof and Eternally
work that which the New man seeth in God 12. Yet Christ saith The Sonne of Man doth Nothing but what he seeth the Father do and that he doth also 13. Now therefore is the Sonne of Man become our House into which we are entered he is become our Body and his Spirit is our spirit 14. Should we then in Christ be blind as to God The Spirit of Christ seeth through and in us what he will and whatsoever he will that we see and know in him and without him we know nothing of God 15. He doth divine Works and seeth what and when he will not when Adam will when Adam would fain shed abroad his Malignant wickedness with high-mindedness to be looked upon 16. O no there he hideth himself he seeth not in us in the light of Joy in God but in the Cross and Tribulation in Christs suffering and dying in Christs persecution and Contempt in great sorrow and Lamentation into these he seeth and letteth the Old Ass Crouch and bear the Cross that is its Office 17. But in the way through the Death of Christ the New-Man seeth into the Angelical world it is to him much easier and clearer to apprehend then the Earthly world it is done Naturally 18. Not with Imagining but with seeing Eyes with those Eyes which shall possess the Angelical World viz with the Eyes of the souls Image 19. With the Spirit which goeth forth out of the souls Fire that Spirit seeth into heaven that beholdeth God and the Eternity and no other and that is also the Noble Image according to the similitude of God 20. Out of or from this seeing hath this Pen written not from other Masters or out of Conjecture whether it be true or No. 21. Though now indeed a Creature is but a peece and not a total entireness so that we see onely in Part yet it is searchable and fundamental 22. But the wisdome of God suffereth not it self to be written for it is infinite or Endless without Number and Comprehension we know onely in Part. 23. And though indeed we know much more yet the Earthly Tongue cannot lift it self up and say it or bring it forth It speaketh onely words of this World and not words of the Inward World for the Minde reteineth them in the hidden Man 24. And therefore one alwaies understandeth otherwise then an other all according as every one is indued with the wisdome and so also he apprehendeth and so he expoundeth it 25. Every one will not understand my writings according to my meaning and sense indeed it may be not one but every one according to his Gifts for his benefit one more then another according as the Spirit hath its property in him 26. For the Spirit of God is often subject to the Spirits of Men if they will that which is good or well and seeth or looketh after what Man willeth that his good worke be not hindred but that every where above all Gods will or willing or desiring be done 27. For the Spirit which becometh generated out of the souls Fire out of Gods Meekness and substance that is also the Holy Spirit It dwelleth in the Divine Property and taketh its seeing out of the divine property 28. What is it now that is strange to or in us that we cannot see God This world and the Devil in Gods Anger it is that we see not with Gods Eyes else there is no hinderance 28. Now if one saith I see nothing divine he should consider that Flesh and Blood together with the subtilty and Craft of the Devil is a hinderance and Cover to him oftentimes in that he willeth in his high-mindedness for his own honour to see God and oftentimes in that he is filled and blinded with the earthly Malignity 30. Let him look into the footsteps of Christ and enter into a new Life and yeeld himselfe to be under the Cross of Christ and desire onely the Entrance of Christ through Christs death descention into Hell and ascention into Heaven to the Father what shall hinder him but that he must needs see the Father and his saviour Christ together with the Holy Spirit 31. Should now the Holy spirit be blind when he dwelleth in Man or write I this for my own Boasting 32. Not so but for a rule of Direction to the Reader that he might forsake his Errour and depart from the way of wickedness and abomination forth into a holy divine substance that he also with the divine Eyes might see the wonders of God that so Gods will may be done 33. To which End this Pen hath written very Much and not for its own honour the pleasure and voluptuousness of this lifes sake as the driver continually reproacheth us that we do and yet it remaineth onely to the Driver in the Anger of God whom we would fain that he may have the Kingdom of heaven if he might be but released from the Devil and the Earthly state and proud Longing Malady which make him blind 34. Thus dear children of God you who seek with much sighing and Tears Let this be in earnest sincerity to you Our seeing and knowing is in God He manifesteth or revealeth to every one in this world as much as he will as he knoweth is profitable and good for him 35. For he that seeth out of or from God he hath Gods work to manage he should and must manage teach speak and do that which he seeth else his seeing will be taken from him for this world is not worthy of Gods Seeing 36. But for the Wonders sake and the revelation of God it becometh given to many to see that the Name of God may be manifested to the world which will also be a witness against all the Doings of the ungodly which pervers the truth into Lyes and despise the Holy Spirit 37. For we are not our own but his whom we serve in his Light 38. We know nothing of God He God himself is our knowing and seeing 39. We are Nothing that he may be all in us we should be blind deaf and dumb and know no Life in us that he may be our Life and seeing and our work may be his 40. Our Tongue should not say if we have done any thing that is good this have we done but this hath the Lord in us done His Name be highly pr●ised 41. But what doth this Evil world now If any say this hath God in me done if it be good then saith the world Thou Fool I thou hast done it God is not in thee thou lyest Thus the Spirit of God must be their Fool and Lyar. 42. What is it then or who speaketh out of the Blasphemous Mouth Even the Devil who is an Enemy of God that he may hide and Cover the work of God that Gods spirit might not become known and that he may continue Prince of the World even till the Judgement 43. Thus When you see
that the World fighteth against you persecuteth you despiseth slandereth you for the sake of the knowledg and Name of God then consider that you have the Black Devil before you then sigh and long that Gods Kingdom may come to us and the Devils sting may be broken or destroyed that the Man through your longing sighing and praying may be released from the Devil And then you Labour rightly in Gods Vineyard you prevent the Devil of his Kingdom and bring forth fruit upon Gods Table 44. For in Love and Meekness we become New Born out of the Anger of God in Love and Meekness we must strive and fight in the Devils Thorny Bath in this world against him 45. For Love is his Poyson it is a fire of Terrour to him wherein he cannot stay if he knew the least spark of Love in himselfe he would cast it away or would burst himself therefore that he might be rid of it 49. Therefore is Love and Meekness our Sword wherewith we can fight for the Noble Garland under Christs Thorney Crown with the Devil and the World 47. For Love is the fire of the second Principle it is Gods Fire The Devil and the World is an Enemy to it 48. The Love hath Gods Eyes and seeth in God and the Anger hath the Eyes of the fierce wrath in the Anger of God that seeth in Hell in the source or Torment and Death 49. The World supposeth meerly that a Man must see God with the Earthly and Starry Eyes it knoweth not that God dwelleth not in the outward but in the Inward 50. And if then it seeth nothing admirable or wonderful in Gods children it saith● O he is a Fool he is an Ideot he is Melancholly thus much it knoweth 51. O hearken Sir I know well what Melancholly is I know also well what is from God I know them both and thee also in thy blindness but such knowledge costeth not Melancholly but a victorious wrestling 52. For it is given to None without wrestling unless he be a limit or Mark chosen of God otherwise he must wrestle for the Garland 53. Indeed many a Man is chosen to it in his Mothers body or womb as John the Baptist and others more apprehended in the Covenant of Gods Promise who are alwaies a Limit or Mark of a Seculum or highest Pitch of an Age who are born with the time of the Great Year and are Chosen to open and disclose the wonders which God entendeth or purposeth 54. But not all out of the Limit or Mark but Many of them out of their Zealous seeking for Christ saith Seek and you shall find knock and so it will be opened unto you also Whosoever cometh to me those I will not reject or cast out Also Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be where I am that is that those who are born out of Christ with the New man be in God his Father Also * Father I will that they see my Glory which I had before the foundation of the World 55. Here lyeth the seeing out of Christs spirit out of Gods Kingdome in the power of the Word of the substance the Deity with the Eyes of God and not with the Eyes of this World and of the outward Flesh 56. Thus thou blind world know wherewith we see when we speak and write of God and let thy false Judging alone see thou with thy Eyes and let Gods Children see with their Eyes see out of or from thy Gifts let another see out of or from his Gifts 57. As every one is Called so let him see and so let him walk or Converse for we Manage not all one and the same Conversation but every one according to his Gift and Calling to serve Gods honour and Wonders 58. The Spirit of God suffereth not it self so to be tied or bound up as outward Reason supposeth with its Decrees Cannons and Councils whereby alwaies one Chain of Antichrist is linked to another that Men will Judge above Gods Spirit and Maintain and hold their Conceipts or opinions to be Gods Covenant as if God were not at home in this world or as if they were Gods upon Earth and moreover what they will Believe they establish with an Oath 59. Is not this a work of Folly to bind up and tie the Holy Spirit with his Gifts of wonder to an Oath he must Believe what they will and yet they know him not also they are not born of him and yet they make Lawes what he shall do 60. I say that all such Covenants and binding is Antichrist and unbelief let it seem or flatter how it will Gods Spirit on the Contrary is unbound he goeth not into such a Covenant or Band but he appeareth freely to the seeking humble lowly Minde according to his Gift as he his * inclined 61. He is also even very subjected to it if it do but Earnestly desire him what then would that Covenant in humane wit and prudence of this world do if it did belong to the honour of God are not all Covenants generated out of self Pomp state and Pride 62. Friendly Conference and Colloquy together is very Good and necessary that one present or impart his Gifts to the other but the Covenants or Institutions are a false or wicked chain against God 63. God hath once made one Covenant with us in Christ that is enough in Eternity he maketh no more He hath once taken Mankind into the Covenant and made a firm Testament with or by Death and Blood there is enough in that we justly rest satisfied in that and cleave to this Covenant 64. Note we ought not dare to dance so Boldly and audaciously lewdly about Christs Cup as is done at present else it will be takeh away as is done to the Turks 65. There is a very great earnest severity at Hand such as hath not been since the beginning of the World Let is be said to you it is become known the Antichrist shall stand Naked 66. But look to it that you become not thereby the worse for the Axe is put to the Tree the Evil Tree shall be hewn down and cast into the Fire the time is near let none stick or hide himselfe in the Lust of the Flesh 67. For it avalleth nothing that any know how he should be New-born and set continueth in the Old skin in the pleasure and voluptuousness of the Old Man in Covetousness high-mindedness unrighteousness in unchastity immodesty and in a dishonest or scandalous wicked life such a one is dead while he liveth and sticketh in the Jaws of Gods Anger their knowledg will accuse and Condemn them at the Judgement 68. If he receiveth the word of knowledge and conceiveth it so that God giveth him to know it that it is the right way to Life then he must presently be a door of the word and go forth from the