AN APOLOGY Concerning Perfection Being A Fundamental Answer and Reply upon Esaiah Stiefel His Exposition of Four Texts of the Holy Scripture Written In the Year 1622. finished the 6. April. By Jacob Behme Also called Teutonicus Philosophus. Englished by JOHN SPARROW. LONDON: Printed by M. S. for Giler Calvert, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Black-Spread-Eagle at the West end of St. Paul's. 1661. THE PREFACE. 1. COurteous Reader who lovest Truth: There hath lately come to my hands a Treatise, sent from Good friends, concerning some Points of Conclusion, which one hath explained and as to his sense sufficiently expounded at large. 2. Thereupon I have been entreated by them, also to give My apprehension or understanding, and explanation upon those very Points. 3. Seeing, therefore I observe, that, in that very Explanation, there are some Erroneous Opinions that run contrary to the Holy Scriptures and true Understanding: which are of concernment to the Reader, and may almost stagger him; therefore I would take the labour, and express it in a more rectified understanding. 4. Not to disturb or judge any man; but that the understanding thereof might be made more clear, for the sake of the Reader, who with earnestness, seeketh the PEARL of Divine Knowledge, that it might introduce their hungry Minds into better security and Rest; and so might have occasion, to seek with the greater earnestness the Pearl of Divine knowledge; and to refresh themselves therewith, till we can attain the PERFECT enjoyment thereof in the other Life, * 2 Cor. 5. 1. After this Tabernacle. 5. Therefore will I set before me, those Points of Couclusion, together with the meaning of him, that hath explained them, and briefly and summarily peruse the understanding of the Points, as also the understanding of the expositor? and show the true Ground, and bring it into a round currant express understanding at large: and leave it to the Reader of the Divine knowledge to consider of. The Points to be explained are these Four Texts of Scripture. I. The First is Genesis the 1. Chapter, Verse 27. God Created Man according to his Image. II. The Second is 1 Timothy 3. 16. The Divine Mystery is apparently Great; God is Manifested or Revealed in the Flesh. III. The Third is Isaiah 54. 5. He who hath made thee is thy Husband; his name is called the Lord of Hosts, and the Redeemer, the Holy One in Israel, who is called the God of the whole World. IV. The Fourth is 1 Corinthians 11. 12. As the Woman is from the Man, so also the Man cometh by the Woman, but all things from God. J. B. UPon these alleged Texts, the expositor giveth his meaning in the following words and expressions to the sender of the Texts, thus. E. S. I. BEloved and Elect in CHRIST JESUS, the Tri-une living God, Governor and Lord of Heaven and Earth, born of the Tri-une highly praised God, and most holy Substance of the total Perfect Triunity, from Eternity; and begotten to his Image in the Love of his Divine voice to his most holy delight and most holy Joy and Pleasure, from and in Eternity. 2. Upon your last and lately sent Questions, as they are written in order one after another, I shall and have, according to your desire, answered them, with God the Tri-une wisdom in Christ, yes, with that very wisdom Christ himself, the Eternal most Holy Omniscience; This which followeth: to the holy Tri-une praise of God, to the alone salvation of the Souls of all you that are holy and faithful, in, and out of the Tri-une Heart and Mouth, with the Eternal Powerful and Living Word, in, with, and out of all holy Members of Christ the highly praised God: and shall or will in the Testimony of the Letter, bring them forth to the day light. The First Text. 3. And as is first mentioned: and set down in the Text of the 1. of Genesis, verse 27. and expressed in Scripture: * Gen. 1. 27. God Created Man according to his Image, first of all in Adam. 4. This Text hath been urged by you particularly, in regard of the outward appearance of the German Text, Gott schuff den Menschen Jhm Zum belde, [and therefore because of your unskilfulness therein, you ought not so very much to be blamed] yet you have alleged it slightly and contrary to the Divine Sense. 5. Because the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin Text mentions it thus; God Created Man in his Image: From which it clearly and Manifestly appears; that the Tri-une God, in Christ, his first begotten or born Son and most holy express Image of his invisible Deity before all Creatures, hath created not only Man, but also all Heavenly and Earthly Creatures, yes all whatsoever was made, John 1. In him, and he hath made and brought them forth in Christ to his holy praise and Glory. 6. Therefore your Exposition, as you set it, first in Adam, cannot here be applied and alleged; as also your Scripture brought to prove it, even To the Image of God Created he him, a second time in Christ, cannot avail or be allowed, because all this came to pass before the fall of Adam. 7. Whereas at that time there is no mention of the Regeneration in and through Christ, and according to the Testimony of Scripture, is not recorded for the Created Man to know, from and with God. 8. The Hebrew Greek and Latin Text also mentioneth, that the Tri-une God, In * Col. 1. 15, 16, 17. Christ, his first begotten or born Express Image before all Creatures, in whom and † Joh. 1. 3. through whom, he made all that is made, hath Created Man according to his Image, that is, according to Christ his Divine Express Image. 9 And as Christ was generated or born out of, and with, God, in the Love of the Mother and divine voice from Eternity, to his express Image of his total perfect Substance from the greatest to the least and from the least to the greatest from Eternity. 10. So he did in the Creation, make man visible in Christ, to and according to the Image of Christ, and created him to his praise and Glory, that he should through the obedience of Christ steadfastly be and appear like him in Innocency. 11. This according to your meaning or sense of the Scripture, is not done and Manifested a second time in Christ, but a second time in the Creation of Man. I. B. NOw followeth My Answer upon this forementioned Explanation, and furthermore My Explanation. 1. MEn find in no place of the Holy Scirpture, that Man is proceeded forth, in Totally PERFECT Power, authority Omnipotence, & Omniscience and that he had the same for his creaturely proper own. 2. For, that may not be said even of the Person of CHRIST, as he conversed in this world visibly amongst us, according to the Humanity received from US, but only according to his Eternal Deity. 3. For his Soul and Humanity, hath also called and prayed to and in God, and on the Mount of Olives said, when he would go into his suffering; * Math. 26. 39 Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass from me; and he prayed to God so, † Luk. 22. 44. that he sweat a bloody sweat. 4. Also, when he would do Wonders or Miracles and Signs, than he prayed his Father to hear him, as may be seen by his raising Lazarus from Death: Moreover it is written, also, that * Isa. 42. 8. Chap. 48. 11. God will give his honour to no other. Also, † Deut. 32. 12. Isa. 43. 11. I only am the LORD, and GOD: Also, God is one only God, and none Else. 5. Therefore his Title and Introduction, to the Person for whom he sets forth the Explanation, is instantly very Erroneous: and he will answer in the Perfect power of the Omniscience, in, and out of, the Holy Trinity, and esteemeth himself like God in every thing or substance, and sets himself up, as if he were God himself. 6. He will in Christ with his total humane substance, outwardly and inwardly, in all Saints, be and know, that, which no Creature can know or do, or be; but the Spirit of God only; which IN Every Man bloweth up the knowledge, and imparteth, to every one, his own measure according to his gifts as be will: not as the Creature willeth. 7. But * E. S. this man saith, He will answer, out of Christ out of his Eternal Wisdom, out of the Heart and Mouth of God, out of the holy Trinity. 8. And though he had a divine command for it [which a Man may very well doubt of] and come to us in an Angelical Embassy; yet he could NOT speak to us out of the Manifested or revealed sound or voice of the Holy Trinity out of Christ's self-subsisting Person, but out of his Creature in divine Power, through the Creaturely and humane Property, in that kind as all men from the beginning of the world to this time have spoken. 9 And though Men may with truth say: that God's Spirit speaketh through the Humane sound; yet men should give the honour to God; and not ascribe it to himself: For, it is written, God will not give his honour to another; he hath given it to his Son JESUS CHRIST, to whom alone he hath given the holy Spirit in the Eternal Word without Measure, and to no other. † Joh. 3. 34. 10. Whence Christ saith, Matth: 28. * Mat. 28. 18. All power in Heaven and on Earth, is given to me of my Father; which no other Man, while he liveth in this world, dare say concerning his creaturely Humanity, that he hath all power in Heaven and on Earth, but only this JESUS, whose out-going hath proceeded from Eternity. 11. Also this JESUS CHRIST said, when he would depart from us: † Luke 21. 8. If any shall come and say, he is Christ; that we should not believe it, and prophesied to us that * Math: 24. 23, 24. Mark 13. 21, 22. Many false Christ's and Prophets would arise after him, of whom we should beware. 12. Therefore it is very suspicious to us, that this man will of himself, speak out of the Heart and Mouth of the Holy Trinity; for the Creature should humble himself before God; and by no means say, that he is God himself, but a created work and Image of his Likeness, with whom God may do what he will. 13. Further, He speaketh of the Original and Creation of Man so wonderfully, that he cannot show it in the Holy Scripture, nor in the Light of Nature; and there belongeth clean another Explanation to it. 14. Yes he speaketh also of Christ so strangely, that in brief it appeareth to be no sufficient intelligible Explanation: he saith, CHRIST is from Eternity the express Image of God in the Divine Mother of his Love, generated or born out of the voice of the holy Trinity: and so maketh a difference between the first born before all Creatures and the Holy Trinity, and yet will have him also dwelling in the Holy Trinity. 15. So he makes very wonderfully FOUR Persons as it should seem, in the Deity; as if the holy Trinity had from Eternity generated in itself some other Similitude and Image: in which birth or geniture he also will have the Humane Original from Eternity; and so wonderfully blendeth one thing with another, that a Man can not understand what, God, is, and what, Creature, is. 16. He saith: God hath Created all Heavenly and Earthly Creatures in that first begotten or born Son of God, and begotten the Son out of the Greatest Substance even to the least, from Eternity out of God; he understandeth thereby, out of the Holy Trinity. 17. And maketh all things one in another, as a whirling Wheel, so that a Man cannot understand, out of what, the Creaturely Original is, seeing he concludeth all without distinction in Christ; and so setteth the Name of CHRIST as proceeding from Eternity. 18. And saith, that God hath brought forth all things in Christ: and then he must also have brought forth, all Evil venomous poisonous Worms and Beasts in Christ, as also Darkness and the hellish quality source or Torment, and all whatsoever liveth in such a property. 19 John saith in the first Chapter: * Joh. 1. 1, 2, 3. At the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word: the same was in the beginning with God, through that he hath made all things that were made, and without it was nothing made that was made: John saith; God was the Word, * Joh. 1. 4. and in him was the Life of Men. 20. He saith NOT At the Beginning was CHRIST, but the Word: that very Word became Man in the Virgin Mary; that, was Christ, which quenched the Anger of his Eternal Father in the humane property through the Christ and the Crusher or bruiser of the Serpent: and destroyed the Devil's Den of Robbery in the humane property. 21. When the † Luk. 1. 26, 27. Angel Gabriel came to Mary, and brought her the Message; * Luk. 1. 31, 32. Mich. 4. 7. That she should be impregnate and bear a Son, whose Name she should call JESUS, † Col. 1. 17. whose out-going is from Eternity; to whom God the Father will give the Throne of his Father David. 22. He saith NOT there, whose Name you shall call JESUS CHRIST; but only JESUS, whose beginning and Exit is from Eternity: but the Name CHRIST existed in the JESUS, when he possessed the Throne of his Father David, and broke the Head of the Serpent; and shed his Heavenly Blood into the Father's Anger; and quenched the same in the humane property with divine Love. 23. There he obtained the Name CHRIST, as a * Or Anoynter or Salver. Healer of the Soar, or the Anointed of God, a breaker through Death, a victorious Prince over Hell, Death, and the Devil. 24. No Creature is Created or made in the CHRIST; but he in the Regeneratour of the humane property, he bringeth the humane Life out of Death, and generateth, that, in CHRIST through the Name JESUS in the divine Power, anew, and to be the Child of God. 25. For CHRIST is the Mother of the Regeneration, and not the Creator of All things, in which all things lie enclosed. 26. The CHRIST is become Man, but the JESUS in the CHRIST is the Creator of all things. 27. The CHRIST saith, † Math. 28. 18. To ME is given all power both in Heaven and on Earth; he saith not, from Eternity: God the Father hath given the power to CHRIST through the JESUS: for he to whom a thing is given, hath not had it from Eternity, nor made it himself: but he that hath himself made a thing, to him, it can not be given. 28. Hath CHRIST made all things in himself, understand in the CHRIST, and out of himself; then nothing can be given to him, but he hath had it from Eternity, and there is no giving. 29. But he saith; all power was given to him of his Father; Now if the power be given of the Father to this Son, viz: to this CHRIST, then must a Man think, that the power that is given, originateth in the Fathers Will. 30. For, that which is given, was not from eternity, like or equal with, the Gift in the Giver: Indeed the Dear Name JESUS had it from Eternity, for he had an Eternal Original in the Eternal Ever speaking Word. 31. He is the Name of the * Heb. 1. 8. Luk. 1. 32, 33. First-Born of the Father, from Eternity, whose out-going and beginning is from Eternity, as the Angel said to Mary; which Name, in the Word which Created all things and generated all things, in Mary in the Humane and Divine Essence and Substance, became Flesh; both a Heavenly and Humane Flesh, which dwelleth both * Joh. 3. 13. in Heaven and on Earth at once, Joh. 3. 32. Which, in the holy Trinity was from Eternity the Second Person of the Divine Substance, and Eternally generated of his Father; also in Eternity, also still in CHRIST, becometh ever and eternally generated of his Father. 33. Not that CHRIST becometh continually generated, that is once become generated in Man; but the Eternal Word, in CHRIST becometh from Eternity in Eternity ever generated from the Father. 34. For CHRIST said to Philip, † Joh 14: 10. Dost thou not believe, that the Father is in Me, and that I am in the Father; for the Words which I speak are not Mine, but the Fathers that dwelleth in Me. 35. They were not Christ's Words but the Fathers, viz: the Father's Sound and Eternal Voice, which had manifested itself in the Humanity: Therefore said the Humanity; the Words are Not Mine, but the Father's Words wherein and wherewith he hath assumed the Humanity. 36. The Humanity is Eternally under the Deity in the assumed humanity, in THAT the Word became Flesh; the Name Christus or CHRIST originateth, as a Saviour, of the Flesh and of the Soul, and not out of the humane fleshly property, but out of the Name JESUS, in the Word of the Father of all things or Substances. 37. Now, if I will speak of the Holy Trinity, than I say not, That the Divine Love is an Exgenerated Substance and a Mother of God, or a Woman or Wife of God, as this * E. S. Author Conceiteth, as if the first begotten, which he calleth CHRIST, were generated out of the Mother of his Voice and Love. 38. The Eternal Word or the first begotten out of the Father from Eternity, is itself the generating of the Love, for from him and the Father goeth forth the Holy Spirit. 39 The Eternal Wisdom is the Out-generated or out-spoken Substance, as a Lookingglass and Ornament of the Holy Trinity, in which the Power, Colours, and virtues, of the Deity become Manifest, and in which the Spirit of God hath seen ALL things from Eternity. 40. Both according to the Father's Property, in which he calleth himself, an † Exod. 20. 5. Deut. 4. 24. Angry Zealous or Jealous God, and a Consuming Fire: in which Property is generated the Darkness and source or quality of pain or Torment, as also Nature, and all Spirits, and all whatsoever liveth in the Sulphur and Mercury, both according to the Eternal Spirits, and according to the Temporary Spirits. 41. And then according to his Love, and the Property of the Eternal Light, according to which Property the Name GOTT God; viz: the GUTE or Good, Originateth from Eternity, in which the Name JESUS, Originateth from the Eternal Light, viz: from the Creator of the Humility or of the wellwilling in itself: as the Meekness of the Light Originateth in the Fire, and bringeth along with it, another Will of another quality than the Fire, according to which God Calleth himself a Merciful and Good Munificent God. 42. Thus the Name JESUS is the first Eternal Original to God's mercifulness: Therefore saith Saint Paul; * Eph. 1. 3, 4. We were foreseen or Elected in CHRIST JESUS, before the Foundation of the World was laid: For in the Father's Anger was the Fall known, and in the Name JESUS in his Love, was CHRIST, as a Redeemer from the Anger, known. 43. For, † Act. 15. 18. To God are all his works known, from Eternity, the Good and the Evil: The Evil is become known in his Anger, the Good in his Love. 44. That same Eternal God in Trinity, hath Created all things with and through the Eternal Word, which is his Mouth and the Sound of his Voice, out of himself out of BOTH Properties, out of the Anger, as out of the Eternal Nature, and then out of the Love, as a Healer or Saviour of Nature, into Substance. 45. Understand; God in the Trinity, is a Spirit and no Substance: But in the Word of his Sound, he hath in his Desire introduced it into Substance: His desire is the Fiat, which originateth in verbo Domini, in the Word of the Lord; viz: an Eternal Desire. 46. God, in himself, is the Eternal Longing Delight of the Liberty, free from all things or Substances; but with his Desire out of the Longing Delight as out of the Eternal Fires-Property, he hath Created all Spirits, viz: the Angels and Souls of Men: In which Fires-Property, the Centre of the Light in all Angels, with the Fire of the Anger stood in Equal Balance Harmony or Temper. 47. For, when God once moved himself to the Creation, than he moved himself, according to ALL whatsoever himself was in all things, especially according to the Eternal Wisdom; in which the Form of the Creation was seen from Eternity, in the Fire and Lights Glance in the Spirit of God, according to Love and Anger, according to Darkness and Light. 48. The Creation is nothing else but an out-breathing or out-speaking of his Substance: Whatsoever GOD, is, in the Nature of the Fire, and then also in the Eternal Liberty of all sources or qualities: that hath the Free Longing delight introduced into a Desire, and impressed into a Moving Substance. 49. The Desire, viz: the Fiat of all things or Substances, Originateth; in that, the Unchangeable God; viz: the Abyss, hath once Moved itself in the Eternal Longing Delight, where then Time began. 50. All Angels and Creatures which are Created to Eternal Life, are all of them * Grasped or contracted. comprised in the Out-breathing of the Father through the Word; in the Desire as in the Moving in the Fiat, and in a Model of the Eternal Longing Delight, as the Eternal Spirit in the Wisdom hath comprehended it in its wonders, become Created into an Image of the Longing Delight: and there remained in all things the possibility to Good and Evil, according to the whole Divine Property, both as to Light and Darkness. 51. And yet we are not so to think; that a Spirit or Angel, is itself the Out-breathing of the Eternal Birth or Geniture, of the Holy Trinity in the Divine Voice: But it is the out-spoken Word, as a Model and Image of the speaking Word, a fitted Instrument of the Spirit of God; through which the Spirit of God, as by his fitted Instrument playeth or melodiseth and soundeth. 52. So far as the Instrument remaineth standing in its fitted Order, as with the Desire of the Fiat; which standeth in all Angels, as the Angels proper own: wherewith the Will of the Angel, may lift up itself into the Good, viz: into God's Love, or into the Anger; and introduce itself into the Figure and Tangle thereof: then is the sound of the Word out of the Father's Love and Anger out-breathed and become introduced into an Image in verbo Fiat, in the Word Fiat. 53. As is to be seen, how some Prince-Angels, give up themselves with the Desire into the Love; and some as Lucifer into the Anger, viz: into the Desire of the Fiat, and Created or Extracted a Will in the Desire of the Anger, in the Fires Might, to Live and to Rule according to the Father's Anger Property; and thus to domineer over all Principalities of Angels, over the Love, in the fierce wrathful Fires Might, whence followed upon him his thrusting out by the Word Fiat, into the Darkness of God's Anger. 54. Thus we can not say of the Creation of all things or Substances, that the Eternal Substance of the Ternary or number Three, hath thus formed it self into an Image of an Angel, but in the Eternal Desire, which hath Originated itself in the Longing delight of the Deity; through the Moving of the Father of all things or Substances, as an ETERNAL Nature, and a Revelation or Manifestation of the Eternal hidden Nature. 55. In that Eternal beginninglesse Nature, viz: in the All-being All-substantiall working of the Great Mystery, have the Angels and Souls of Men received their Original, in the Eternal Out-spoken Word, in the Eternal Wisdom of God, according to Love and Anger. 56. For, if they had Originated only in the holy voice of God, viz: in the One only Love, than they could not have attracted or framed in themselves, any Will to the Anger; or if the Love-Will of God in the Angels were fallen, than it would have this understanding, that God in the Creature had fallen, and become a Devil, which were abominable to be spoken. 57 No Creaturely Spirit can subsist in the Creature without the Fire-world; for even the Love of God would not be, if his Anger or the Fire-world were not in him: The Anger or the Fire of God is a cause of the Light, and of the power, strength and Omnipotency. 58. But in the Love, the Fire dyeth, and transmuteth itself into the Kingdom of Joy; for at the End Death originateth; which is as a dying in the Fire; out of which dying, the Light as another source or quality originateth; viz: a Desire of Love, which is called God's mercifulness, or the Divine Kingdom of Joy; the Life of Holiness without source or pain, goeth from the dying in the Fire, forth, as a Glance of the Majesty, a Glance of the Liberty. 59 This dying, Lucifer contemned, he would Live and Domineer in the Fires Regiment in the Self-hood, so he became also, driven forth out of the Fire, back into the Root of the Fire, viz: into the darkness. 60. Every Angel and Soul, which will live in God's Light and Power, must DIE to the Self-hood of the Fires Dominion in the Desire, and wholly immerse or cast himself with his own Propriety into God's Will, viz: into the Divine Sound, and die to the own self Will in the Fire, but bud or sprout forth in the Light of Love, in the Resignation, into God's Sound or Word, as a fruit of the Love of God, that God's will-spirit may rule and guide his Life. 61. And that the holy Tincture of the Fire and Light, may be the Glance of the shining of his Life; out of which again, Divine Will and Desire Originateth; that the same Life may be able to live in the Power and virtue of the Wisdom of God, to behold itself therein, and frame or attract a Divine Will therein. 62. Which Wisdom is the Angel's Food, out of which they generate to their Creator Eternal Praise; that God's Joy play or-Melody, in the Angelical Voice may be an Instrument, of the Spirit of God, all directed into the Harmony of the Divine Kingdom of Joy. 63. For every Prince-Angell beareth the Name of the Great God, every one according to his property as a peculiar Instrument directed into the Praise of God in the Divine Sound. 64. In like manner, we are not so to think of the Creation of Heaven and of the Earth, that the Heaven and the World with its Substance or Matters are Created out of God's holy Voice or Word, but, IN the Voice, and through the Word. 65. Not out of the Sound of the Divine property, but in the word Fiat, viz: in the Impression of the Eternal Mystery, of the Eternal Fire-and-Lights Desire, and entered into a Substance, according to the fires and Darknesses Property, as also according to the Lights Desire, viz: according to the Free Longing delights Property: as a Revelation or Manifestation of Evil and Good, of Joy and also of pain and Torment. 66. All which is undeniably before our Eyes, and the whole Creation convinceth us thereof, whereby men know that in ALL things there is Good and Evil, for which things sake the Last judgement of God is appointed, viz: a Day of Separation, wherein all shall again enter into its beginning. 67. This visible World is a Similitude of the Eternal Mystery, out of which, Joy and Sorrow, Light and Darkness, originateth, through which Eternal Mystery, the Spirit of the Ternary in the Trinity, manifesteth or revealeth itself; and introduceth itself into Three Principles. 68 Viz: First, into the Dark, Cold, and Fire, World, viz: into an Abyss of the Mystery. And then Secondly, into the divine Light World of the Kingdom of Joy. And Thirdly, with or by a † Similitude of the Dark Fire and Light World, which are Eternal. Similitude of the Dark Fire and Light World, viz: with or by this outward visible and Elementary World. 69. In which, it generateth the Image of the Eternal World, * The Spirit of the Ternary. in Evil and Good, as, is to be seen in all living Creatures of this world, as also in the Stars, Elements, Herbs and Trees; how all is contrary one o the other; and yet the Birth or Geniture of all Life, standeth in such a Contrary. 70. Every Life standeth in Evil and Good, viz: in Poison and Oil, out of which the Life in the Fire burneth or shineth; which ALL, is a similitude of the Eternal Birth or Geniture of the Mystery of all Substances or of every thing: also Men see the similitude of the Holy Trinity in every Life, viz: the Fire, Light, and proceeding Air, from the Fire and Light. 71. And Man, viz: the Image of God, should not be such a Calf, as not to know and learn to understand his Father's house; nor should he indeed forbid THAT, as this † E. S. Author doth in his Explanation; to whom, that God would give a better apprehension, is my hearty wish and desire. 72. Concerning Man's Original, Moses telleth us, God said; † Gen. 1. 26. Let us make Man, an Image of us, which may rule over all that is upon the Earth, etc. And saith further; * Gen: 1. 27. God Created man in his Image, yes to the Image of God, Created he him. 73. This now is very rightly spoken, but the Explainer is here a Wrester or Perverter, and understandeth it not, Whereas yet he accounteth he hath spoken out of the voice of the Holy Trinity, and giveth forth his matters for totally Divine, without blemish: but to this time yet he hath not heard the divine voice nor apprehended it in the Sound, but only the voice of the out-spoken Word in Evil and Good, in his own Reason and Self-hood. Saint Paul saith; * Ephes. 1. 3, 4. Man was foreseen or elected in Christ, before the Foundation of the world was laid; In this lieth the Kernel; before the times of this world, the Model of Man was known in the Eternal wisdom, as an out-breathing of the Word, from the Fire and Light, as a Form in the Divine wisdom: but stood in No Creature or Image, but after a Magick-kind, as an Image appeareth to One in a Dream; which is without Substance. 75. Thus is the Appearance in the Universal out-breathed out-spoken-substance, in the Spirit of God, which hath known all things according to every one's property; viz: according to the Anger of the Fires property in the Darkness, and in the Light in the Love. 76. For, the Flash of the Creation, out of the Great-Mystery, was seen in the wisdom in Evil and Good, according to the property of BOTH Desires, as an Eternal Contrary. 77. The Anger, viz: the Dark-world, hath in its desire seen the Image or similitude of God, and so also hath the Love in its free longing delights desire: Not that the property of the Love plungeth itself into the Anger, and beholdeth † The Image. it in the Anger, but each property IN itself. 78. Therein hath the Spirit of God, which eternally goeth forth out of the Father's Fire and Light, known the Fall in the Anger of God: so that when this Image of the Figure of God, should become created into a living substance, it would be also drawn by the fierce wrath, and lose its Glory. 79. Here, in this Place, hath the CHRISTUS or Christ, in the Name JESUS, as a will to the CHRISTUS, set itself towards the Similitude of God, and given the Will thereinto, out of the JESUS, into the Created humanity to be a Christus or SAVIOUR. 80. And in this Will, was created the Similitude of God, MAN, in the Time, viz: on the Sixt day of the Creation, into an Image, out of a Mass or Extract of all the Creation of this world's Substance, as also out of the heavenly world's substance; 81. Out of the out-breathed or out-spoken Substance of the Eternal Word, and become formed in verbo Fiat, in the word Fiat, according to the Similitude of the Eternal Mystery, and the Eternal birth or Geniture of the Holy Trinity, into an Image. 82. Into which, God the Father, through the Word or Divine Sound with his Spirit, hath introduced, the Spirit of Life out of all the Three Principles, viz: out of the Fire-Light-and outward-World. 83. Viz: First, The Fire-Spirit of the First Principle, out of the Eternity, out of the Father's Property, which is the true Soul. 84. And Secondly, the Lights Source or Quality and Spirit, out of the voice of the Love, which is the Noble Image of the Deity, each standing in its own Principle, and governing its world. 85. Thirdly, The Spirit-Aire in like manner † Cen: 2. 7. inbreathed from without into his Nostrils. 86. So that Man is a living Spirit of all the Three Principles according to the Similitude of God, as God himself is all in all: but with the true Deity, viz: with the Good, is known or comprehended by nothing, but by his Similitude, viz: whatsoever is generated out of the GOOD, and standeth therein. 87. Now understand me aright; As God in his Light in the Holy Light world, shineth through ALL, and tinctureth all, and bringeth it from the Fiery Property, into the power of the Joyfulness, and with the same power also presseth through the outward world through all things, and giveth all things power and life. 88 And yet the Substance IN which God worketh is not called God, though it hath a working, from the out-breathed Mystery in itself, in which the Vegetative or growing Life standeth, viz: a Sulphury and Mercurial * Sued. seething, which in the Salt of the power becometh Corporeal, viz: an own self Fiat, or Generating, like an Impression, according to the Property of the Eternal Spiritual Mystery, as a Manifestation or Revelation thereof. 89. Thus also was the Similitude of God Man, in his innate station, and thus from God Created out of the Substance of all Substances into an Image according to the Substance of all Substances; and that even in his, understand, in Man's Image, which was known from Eternity in the wisdom, viz: in the Glimpse of the out-breathed shining of the Divine Revelation or Manifestation; in that kind and manner as the Spirit of God hath seen all things in his wisdom from Eternity. 90. This Image was not a Substance, but a will to a Substance, which with its root and original stood in the Name JESUS, viz: in the Humility of God, where it introduced itself out of the Fire into the Light, viz: into the Good. 91. And in this Place, although it is no place, where the Meek Love-Will goeth forth out of the Property of the Father's Fire into the Light and Joyfulness or kingdom of Joy, and compriseth and includeth in itself, an own self Centre of the Will and desire, Originateth from Eternity, the Name of the SON of God, viz: the † Col. 1. 15, 17. first born of the Father from Eternity before all Creatures, and here is called the Father's Heart and Love; and out of this Love, goeth the Holy Spirit forth from the Father and the Son: and is the Father's Love-Flame. 92. Understand us thus, In that very Will which is out-breathed or out-spoken out of the Holy Name JEHOVA or JESUS out of the Speaking Eternal Word of the Father, into the wisdom of God, as a Glance of the knowledge or Representation of the Spirit, like a Lookingglass; was man created into an Image out of the heavenly and earthly Elementary Substance; out of the out-breathed substance of Eternity, and out of the Substance of Time, standing one in another; as the Eternity standeth in the Time, and neither is the other; and yet not divided asunder, but only as through a Principle. 93. The Substance of Eternity is the pure Element, in which the vegetative or growing Life is a Paradise, and the substance of Time are the four Elements; in which the Constellations make a seething and Life, viz: an Earthly * NOTE. Mortal Paradise. 94. For, the earthly seething hath its Original in the Mystery, where the Fires and Lights Property, divideth itself into two Principles, each in itself; and therefore it is Evil and Good, out breathed out of God's Love and Anger. 95. And that out-breathed Property, God moved in the beginning of Time, and introduced it into a Desire, which hath thus generated Earth and Stones in the Desire of the Impression, according to the property of the Dark, Fire, and Light, World; and Sulphur Mercury and Sal, were the properties of that desire: and in that regard, those very Properties are the Life of all Elementary Substances or Things. 96. And understand us aright; In these Properties we have the Oil in all Things, that is the Similitude of the heavenly Lights Property from the Good: Out of this Substance, hath the Outward Body out of the Third Principle been comprehended in the word Fiat; and in the Second Principle in the Angelical World, hath the Pure Element been comprehended in the paradisical Sulphur Mercury and Sal of the Power. 97. That was now the Body which God Created in his Image and Likeness, understand in the Humane Image, which God hath seen from Eternity in his out-breathed Glimpse of the Wisdom in the Lookingglass. 98. In which Lookingglass he impressed the Substance, out of the two Principles in the word Fiat, and Created it into an Image, and introduced or in-breathed, the out-breathed Sound or Voice of his Word, out of all the Three Principles to be a Soul and Spirit, to be a Life, understanding, and Regiment or Dominion, out of the Sound of his Mouth, viz: a Fire, Light, and Air, Spirit; both out of the Eternity and Time; that was the Image of God. Of his Regiment or Dominion. 99 AS the Light is the Regiment or Dominion in all or every Life, and that very Light of Life burneth and shineth out of the Oil of the Sulphur Mercury and Sal of the power; as no understanding Person can deny: so in the Inward Man, which was Created out of the Second Principle, viz: out of the pure Element; burned the pure paradisical Sulphur and Mercury, and in that pure Fire-burning or Life, totally without blemish, shone Gods true Light. 100 For, the Name JESUS, had incorporated itself together in the Image of the Eternity, as a future CHRIST, which would become a Saviour to Man, and out of the dying of the Anger, generate him anew again in the pure Sulphur of the divine and paradisical Power. 101. Understand this aright: The pure Element in the Holy Sulphur pressed through and through the Outward Man, and took the Four Elements into its power; Heat and Cold were in the Flesh not manifest: they were indeed, in the Sulphur Mercury and Sal of the Body; But while God's Light shone therein they were in equal accord, so that neither of them might be manifested above the other. 102. For, All the desires in the Mercury, viz: in the Cold and Hot Fire-wheel, stood in the Light and were wholly enlightened through and through, and their desire was a Paradise of Joyfulness or the Kingdom of Joy: No enmity of Nature was manifest in them. 103. Just as God the Father is called a fierce wrathful zealous or Jealous God and a Consuming Fire, and indeed he is so in these properties: But in his Light in the Love-desire, viz: in his * Col. 1. 15. 17. first begotten from Eternity, which is his Beloved Heart, none of them do become manifested or revealed. 104. According to this Heart he calleth himself GOD, for he is in this the GOOD: and according to the Fire, he calleth himself Anger: and according to the Desire to the Fire-Life, as to the Revelation or Manifestation of the Generating, where the free Longing delight introduceth itself out of the Nothing into Something, viz: into an Impression of the Desire, he maketh the Nature, and the dark World, out of which Properties, Sulphur Mercury and Sal exist. 105. As in our Book of the Signature of things, concerning the Original and Marking, of the signification, of all things or Substances, is expressed largely highly and intelligibly: To which for the Readers better understanding he is referred, and here I will let it pass in brief. Concerning the Fall of Man. 106. THe Will-spirit of the Soul out of the Fires Property, hath listed up itself into the Earthly desire, where Evil and Good were in the Centre of the hiddenness under the paradisical source or quality, one among another, but in equal accord, and introduced itself, into a desire of Evil and Good, to manifest the same in itself. 107. Moreover the Devil gave it cause to do so, who introduced his desire or Imagination into the evil part, viz: into the fierce wrathful fiery Mercury in its property, wherein the Poison and Anger-Life standeth; whence the poyson-Life began to hunger after the Similitude of its property. 108. Then came the Commandment of God, and said to the Soul, † Gen. 2. 17. eat not of the Tree of Vegetation of the knowledge of Good and Evil, else thou diest, to the holy divine Life, in the pure Sulphur and Element of the Substance; and the day that thou wilt eat thereof, thou wilt die the Death. 109. For, in the poisonous Mercury, according to the property of the Father's Anger, was the dying Life, which before was not manifested or revealed, but through the Devil's Imagination became stirred, and introduced into the Desire of the Similitude. 110. Thus know, that we have truly and highly apprehended that the Tree of Temptation, is grown up through this power of the hunger after the apprehension of Evil and Good, to know it: but yet a man can NOT say, that it was ANOTHER Tree or Vegetable than the rest: only the Earthly Source or quality in Evil and Good, was manifested or revealed in it. 111. In the other Trees and Vegetables, the holy paradisical Mercury pressed through all, and the Properties were in equal accord, and the evil of Heat and Cold was not manifested; but in this Tree, the properties of Heat and Cold in the poisonous earthly Mercury, were manifested. 112. Which the hunger of the Soul caused: For the Soul was a Sparkle out of the great Omnipotency of God; whence Christ said to us; * Math. 21. 21. If it would be born, or generated of God again in the Faith; than it might say to the Mountain, lift thyself up, and cast thyself into the Sea, and it would be done. 113. How then would it not, when it stood in the strong Might of God, be able to bring forth the Properties in the Tree. 114. To which, the Devil in the Serpent's Property laid itself, and persuaded Eve, that † Gen. 3. 5, 6. she should be Wish if she did eat of Evil and Good. 115. Which hereafter shall be explained, in the Question, * 1 Cor. 11. 12. Text. 4. Point. 2. Vers. 50. to 72. how The Woman cometh from the Man, and the Man from the Woman. 116. And by the Fall, we are to understand nothing else, but that the Earthly property, which before stood as it were swallowed up in the Paradise, manifested itself in the Souls Desire, whence Heat Cold and the poison Life of all Contrariety and Opposition, took or got the Dominion in the Body: and the fair or bright heavenly and paradisical Image disappeared. 117. For, the Soul, as a Fire-Life, generated out of the Father's Property, went out from the Element of Paradise into the Four Elements, and there the paradisical Sulphur in the holy Element, lost its Life, and the Substance disappeared. 118. And that was a dying of Paradise: the Soul died to God's Light, and went into its self-hood into its own propriety. It would be a self-Lord, to know Good and Evil, and Live in both; it died to God, and awakened upon the Earthly World, and lived to the Will of the Devil, viz: to the stern Anger of God, in mere Anxiety Lamentation Misery Toil and necessity; as we poor Children of Eve now see and Feel in us. 119. But here I am to inform the Reader, concerning the perfect Creation of Man, and what the error and insufficient understanding, in the expositor of the Points of Conclusion, is, in this place, as was above mentioned. 120. I say, the same as he saith in this; That, MAN in his Image, viz: in God's Image, was Created wholly perfect, to Eternal Life in Paradise: I say also to the Image of God; it is true as to BOTH: For in the Eternal Image, which was only a shining or Looking-glass of the Image in the Name, and in the Eternal Birth or Geniture of JESUS or JEHOVA, was, the Image of the Three Principles, Created, and Created to the Image or Similitude, according to the Three Worlds, as an Image of God's Substance of all Substances; out of, and in, ALL things or Substances. 121. But as God Ruleth, over and in All, and no THING is God, for in his gloriousness he is as a Nothing, and yet is the Life in all; so should this Image stand in the Resigned Life of God, as an Instrument of God, in which the Spirit of God doth what HE will. 122. He Created him not a Lord, but a Servant, a Lute or Instrument of Music; I cannot say, that Man was Created out of the Divine Voice, and out of the Centre of the Heart of God, as this † E. S. Author very wrongfully puts himself into the Holy Trinity. 123. No, No; an Instrument is not the Master, the Master cannot make an Instrument wholly like himself: God cannot make another God wholly like himself: Out of his Eternal Mystery indeed he can make to himself, an Image * Or in Imitation of his Similitude. according to his Likeness, for a Sport of Joy; as a Master of Music doth an Instrument, which yet, maketh such a Melody as the Master will: but such another Master as himself is, he maketh not, but only of or out of himself. 124. Therefore, seeing God is a Spirit and no Substance, also not Nature; therefore Man is not God, but his Life is sounded forth out of God's Life; yet understand, out of the THREE Principles. 125. Not that the Life is God himself, else, if it should fall, and become a Devil as Lucifer did, then had God become a Devil. 126. The humane Life, is the out-spoken Word, in which the speaking Word inhabiteth, either in Evil or Good, as the Out-spoken Word draweth a Property out of God's Harmony or Concord into itself; * 2 Sam. 22. 26. 27. Psal: 17. 25, 26. As a people are, such a God they have also in them; and yet it is but the ONE only; but he manifesteth himself in ALL and every Life, according to the Life's Desire in good or evil. 127. First: Therefore the strife or Controversy between me and that Author, is this; That he casts or Confounds all one in another, and giveth forth no right or Direct Understanding, and sets himself so finely as a Creature in the holy Trinity, in the first Born or begotten before all Creatures: Therefore he concludeth the Creation in the CHRIST, But he erreth, he should conclude it in JESUS or JEHOVAH, in the Eternal Word of the Father, as Saint John doth in the First Chapter. 128. He should make for me, no Woman of the Genetrix of God, wherein Christ is borne or generated from Eternity; but he should say, out of or according to the Scripture; that the Father generateth the Word; and that the Word is the Voice of God and the Second Person in the Deity; and that the Holy Spirit goeth forth from the Father, and the Son. 129. It is not Supposition or an Opinion that will do it, and to set himself up therein as a Fair Bride, which yet sticketh full of Sins and evil affections; but to humble ones self before God and be submissive to him; and not say; Here is the Lord, viz: the Voice of the holy Trinity, out of God's Heart, sounding; No, that we will not grant to this Author: He should continue in the Harmony, and hear what kind of Note the Lord, in the Tang of the Harmony, bringeth forth in the Creature; as the Lord Soundeth. 130. And though it had been at the Best, that likely, the glimpse of the Holy Spirit, had permitted itself in his Harmony of his Tone, to be heard; yet he should say: Lord * Luke 17. 10. I am an unprofitable Servant: Thou dost what thou wilt. 131. Not say, I will, and shall, speak to you, out of God's Heart, out of the Voice of the Holy Trinity, that, hath no Angel or Prophet done; but they have all of them only said; that the LORD had laid his Word in them, to make known to them the Word of the Lord: For the Prophet saith only, Thus saith the LORD; he accounteth himself only an Instrument, to whom is commanded what he shall speak. 132. He saith not, I am the Woman, the Bride of the Voice of God, I will speak in and out of God's Heart; My Sound is God's Voice, but he beareth God's Sound, in his own humane Voice, and the Spirit of God soundeth only in the humane Voice when and how he will; which Man should not assume to himself as his proper own; but stand before him in fear and trembling; and lend his humane Voice for an Instrument. Not say, I have aforehand apprehended what the Spirit of God will speak, unless he have an express Command by word of Mouth. 133. The Name JESUS which in the Humanity is also become CHRIST, that standeth within in the Holy Trinity; It standeth in its own Principle in the Birth or Geniture of the Holy Trinity, and not in the Power or Authority of the Creature. 134. Yet Christ saith, † Joh: 5. 31, 37. If I Witness concerning myself, my Witness is nothing; but it is my Father in me that witnesseth concerning me * Joh: 16. 27, 28. that I am come forth from God: I am proceeded forth from God and come into the World; again I leave the World and go to the Father. 135. He saith not; I, that is, in my humane self-hood; am the Voice of God: I speak as God, in and with God, but he said † Joh: 14 10. The Words which I speak are the Fathers who dwelleth in Me, that is in the humane self-hood; I do as the Father Commandeth Me. 136. Men should always distinguish the Humanity and the Deity, and the humane Will from God's Will: for, No man can attain God's Mind or Sense, Thoughts, and Will, in Self-hood; Man seeth after or behind the Spirit of God; even Moses * Exod: 33. 20. could not see God's Face or Countenance, he must see after, or † Exod: 33. 23. Behind him, after he is passed by, that is his back parts. Behind him; When he did see him, he saw but the Lords Track or footsteps; How then will this Man, speak in, with and through God; and though the Lord do speak through him, yet he knoweth it not till he see and know his Footsteps. 137. It is therefore a vain enterprise or rashness, which, beside is not sufficiently grounded, It is only intricate Confusion; he will not be Nature, and yet in Man there can be no divine knowledge without Nature. 138. Nature is God's Revelation or Manifestation; the humane Spirit is, or is from, the Eternal Nature, understand the Soul; and the outward Spirit is, or is from, the Outward Nature; and yet they are not two Spirits, but they stand in one another in Three Degrees, after the kind of the Three Principles. 139. And yet all Three are only the out-spoken or expressed Word of God; the speaking remaineth Eternally dwelling in itself; this expressed or Out-spoken Word, may give itself up into Love and Anger; BOTH are therein, it CAN alter or Change itself in the source or quality: * Note Note: but the speaking Word, which dwelleth in itself IN the Out-spoken or expressed; CAN NOT alter itself; for it standeth in the Eternal Birth or Geniture: it is generated, and is become continually generated from Eternity in Eternity. 140. Man hath it not IN self-hood, but IN the free Resignation God becometh generated in him: Man hath Original, God hath none; God is as to Man, as a Nothing, Man is the Nothings somewhat, therefore now the somewhat can not comprehend the Nothing. 141. Therefore beware dear Brethren, make not God's Dear Redeemed Children to Err, and to become their own self-Idol-Gods, it is an abomination in the presence of God. 142. We are indeed his beloved Children, but begotten out of the Somewhat, we are not the Nothing without or besides all source or quality and Nature; let every one feel in his Bosom, and consider what he is, and not think that he is wholly like God, or GOD himself. 143. We are indeed the Manifestation of God: viz: the Instrument of his Harmony: We are his Pipe through which he Pipeth; Now there are Three sorts of Pipers in us, which Pipe in the Pipe; viz: The Three sorts of Properties, of the Spirit of Life, out of all the Three Principles. 144. When now, will the Pipe know, when Gods Love-Will, will Pipe, or when his Anger-Will, will Pipe? Must it not as a Pipe give the Mercury to Good and Evil? It findeth it indeed when Gods Love-Will Pipeth; but beforehand it knoweth it not. 145. Thus this † E. S. Author should not say; He can Pipe out of the Sound of the Holy Trinity, for we understand his Sound that the Tangle soundeth out of his Self-hood, not out of God's Love Voice; while himself will be the Piper, we hear his Tone only as a humane Tone; CHRIST will not receive the honour in the self-hood, therefore, much less doth it become us. 146. Secondly: That the * E. S. Author saith; God hath created all Heavenly and Earthly Creatures IN Christ; this hath no Ground; it is very erroneous and ill applied; therefore it shall be here better explained and given forth for the better understanding of the Reader: that he may know, how to speak distinctly concerning Christ, and concerning the Eternal Word of God. 147. It is not set down for a reproach to the Author, but for a Direction to the Reader of his writings, that he may not be Lead astray in his writings: Moreover only out of a true Christian Love desire towards all that Love God; also not thereby to lift up myself, and to fly aloft over this Author; but to give forth that understanding that God hath given me out of Grace, written for Good Friends upon their frequent desires and importunity. 148. Thirdly, That the Author mentioneth, that he will Speak and Act through and out of the Omnisciency; that a very child may well understand what he meaneth thereby; and that he is not Omniscient, else he had known that I would better explain it: He hath no more in his knowledge than a Creature hath; but if he hath that which he boasteth of; then let him tell what shall be done to Morrow and next day; and what shall be done at all times to the End of the World. 149. It is written in the Evangelists * Matth: 24. 36. Mark 13, 32. that the Son of Man according to his assumed humanity, † NOTE how the Son knoweth not the end of the World. knoweth not the END of the World, and that this knowledge is only in God, how then will this Man be Omniscient? 150. And though he should say, he will know it in Christ; yet I say, no: he must see after or behind the Spirit of Christ which is Omniscient, what and when THAT will know in him. 151. * This Author E. S. He is not a Knower of every thing: therefore he is not sufficiently grounded, but is as a mixed confusion; he sets himself wrongfully in the seat of God, for he liveth yet in Evil and Good, and is Mortal, which time will show forth. 152. Fourthly, But that he also saith, he will answer out of all the holy Members [of Christ's Body]: they are almost all against him in their Gifts; how then will he speak out of their Spirit? It is a vile confusion; he hath not all men's Gifts, but only his own. 153. I am also a Member of Christ; but do not see that he answereth out of me: In deed he hath borrowed from me, but he answers not out of my Mind thoughts or apprehension; I would he would let his borrowing alone, and did not make Confusion in my Gifts, that he might there by boast himself; It would become him better. 154. Fifthly, Though indeed he saith; † E. S. He will do this for the salvation sake of all the Faithful Believers; yet it is not enough perceptible to me, that he seeketh such a thing only, seeing he sets himself in Christ's Seat, and somewhat else may lie behind [the green Leaf]. 155. Seeing * E. S. he saith; God hath brought forth to Light all things, whether they be Heavenly or Earthly, in Christ; and clotheth himself wholly, in Christ's Might and Omniscience; therefore it is very considerable to me; especially seeing he ascribes immortality to himself, that I should therefore follow and observe Christ's Words, viz: If any should come and say he is Christ, we should not believe it, till he demonstrate it in Power. 156. Sixthly, Also, if he be the Omnisciency of the Holy Trinity, he needs no Literal Testimony or demonstration, he may show his Omniscience, in Divine power, as Christ did; and then I may better comply with him therein. 157. Seaventhly; But that † E. S. he saith; God was not manifested or revealed, in the First Adam; He First manifested himself in CHRIST with the Deity in the Humane property: and so casts away wholly, the first Created Man in his Nature; and bringeth a total new and other Man forth out of Christ, which is not at all the First, which is wholly wrong and erroneous, and he should demonstrate it by the * NOTE. Holy Scripture, or else we will not grant it to this New Bride. 158. For although the first Man fell wholly into Sin as to Body and Soul; yet we should Consider what Sin Is; viz: this is Sin, that he departed or went out from the Order or Ordinance, wherein God Created him. 159. He went out of the Free Resignation, in which the Name JESUS in the Divine Light was Manifested in him, and manifested in the Flesh, the Anger of God: so that it began to qualify or operate, and took in wholly the Life in the Flesh of the three Principles; For, the Souls Will went forth from the Resignation, from the JEHOVA or JESUS, and so the Substance also disappeared, wherein JEHOVA was. 160. Thus the Outward Earthly body became accursed, that is, the through-pressing power JEHOVA, which before made Paradise in the Flesh, that departed from the Flesh into itself; and so came the Death and dying into the Flesh. 161. For, the Eternal Life, stood in JEHOVA, viz: in the Name JESUS, wherein man was foreseen before the time of the world, that it would manifest itself again in the Humane Soul, and make the disappeared Image of the Divine Substantiality, living again, and receive that into itself, and would be the CHRIST, therein, Else it must follow, that the sinful Soul, were become wholly rejected or cast away. 162. If the Original of the Regenerate Man were wholly strange, what would become of Job's word, where he saith, * Job 19 26, 27. I shall see God in this my Flesh: and my Eyes, and not a stranger, shall see HIM. 163. No strange Man it is, that shall arise from the Dead, but only that which God Created, in Adam, in his Image, in which God himself took mercy and compassion on him again, and for that purpose moved the Name JESUS in the humane property, which assumed the Woman's Seed on him, and therein quenched the Anger of God in the Soul, in the Father's Property, with Heavenly Blood, and became † Heb: 2. 14. a Pestilence to the Devils Poison in the Soulish Property, and a sting of Death to Death, so that Death must die in his Death. 164. For JESUS, with the CHRIST, brought the Life out of Death and Anger; it is written, * 1 Cor. 11. 30. He is made unto us Righteousness and Redemption; understand, the CHRIST, but he which hath been from Eternity, in Eternal full or Equal Omnipotency, and the Creation of all things, he cannot be made to be Righteousness, for he is himself the Creator, but this CHRIST, is out of JESUS, or JEHOVA, whose out-going is from Eternity, become in our Flesh, made to be Righteousness and Redemption from the Anger of God. 165. Now, that which is made, beginneth itself in the Making; indeed out of the Eternal; for the Soul hath introduced itself into Time, viz: into self-hood, but CHRIST, who out of the Eternity out of the JESUS, became born in the Humane Property, he brought it again into himself into the Eternity out of the Time, viz: forth out of the corrupt or perished Source or Quality of the Mercury. 166. CHRIST was not in the Person from Eternity, but in the Power in the Name JESUS, he was from Eternity in the same coequal Substance with God; and † E. S. this strange Bride shall not persuade us that God was not manifested in Adam: Indeed not in CHRIST but in JESUS, whose Exit was from Eternity. 167. The Soul went forth out of JESUS, into own self-will, but God took mercy and compassion on it, and promised yet once to move himself in Man, with the Name JESUS: and in Man to generate the CHRIST out of Gods and Man's Substance. 168. NOT out of Sinful Flesh from the Outward world, but out of the Divine Flesh, which in Adam, when he entered into the outward Earthly, disappeared and died; so that the outward only hung to him. 169. For, in the Outward Flesh, was the Death; in THAT should Christ break death in Pieces, and New Generate in him, the Whole Man, as God Created him: not introduce a strange one, but to † Isa. 42. 3. Matth. 12. 20. heal the broken Reed. 170. As a Grain of Seed is sown into the Earth, out of which a fair Stalk groweth; with many fruits, where the Essence of the Grain, giveth forth that Stalk, and the † NOTE What Dyeth in Man. Shell or Husk only dyeth; so also in Man the husk of Sin only dyeth; the humane Essence in the Name JESUS in the CHRIST, which became manifested in Man, becometh that very CHRIST, not the King or the Stock, but a little Twig or Branch out of that very Stock. 171. Therefore this Man cannot persuade us, except he demonstrate it to us, that CHRIST the Express Image of God, out of the Stock of the Love his Mother, was generated from Eternity, and was an Express Image of God. 172. But in this he was the Express Image of God from Eternity, viz: in the Figure of Man, in which Figure, God Created Man with beginning and Creature, there the Image of the similitude, became known in God; and even in the Name JESUS; which in this Lookingglass of the Express Image in the power of JESUS would become a CHRIST. 173. The Life of Christ, began itself with the second Moving, when God moved himself according to his Heart, in the Humane Property; in the Eternal seen similitude of God, in the JESUS, and got the Name of CHRIST: as a Saviour or healer of the Sore: and not from Eternity. 174. For, the similitude of God, which was Seen in God's wisdom from Eternity, and known in the JEHOVA, wherein God created Man, that was before the Times of the world, without Life and Substance, and was only a Lookingglass of the Image, wherein God saw himself, how he might be in an Image. 175. But when JEHOVA moved himself in this Image and Similitude, than God manifested his Life in this Lookingglass in humane Property, than was CHRIST conceived and generated or born: for, according to the Humanity he is called CHRIST, not according to the Deity before all Creatures. 176. According to the Deity, he is called the Eternal Word of the Father: for it is written, * John 1. 14. The Word became Flesh; Not, Christ became Flesh; Christ is that simple Servant of which God saith in Esaiah, Who is so simple as my servant: He became the Servant of God, by whom God broke death in Pieces, and destroyed Hell. 177. This Christ is ascended up to Heaven; † Matth: 26. 64. Mark 14. 62. Acts 7. 55. and sitteth at the right hand of God, as a Prince of God, and beareth the Eternal Name of God, which is there called JESUS or JEHOVA. 178. He is the * Heb: 2. 17. High Priest that offereth the Sacrifice of Righteousness, which availeth before God; but he that offereth, offereth to him, whom he would atone or Reconcile; but if he himself be the Creator, he cannot also be the Atonement or Reconciliation, but he is † 1. Tim: 2. 5. The Mediator between God and Man, for God hath set him up to be a Throne of Grace; but he that is set up, is not the Throne itself, but he bringeth his Gift, viz: the Prize or Spoil which he had gotten in the Battle of God's Anger, to the Throne. 179. There say I, Man was not at first Created in Christ, as this * E. S. Author will have it, but the second time he is become generated in Christ; The Name Christ was IN the Name JESUS, in which Man was Created, whose out-going was from Eternity. 180. They are indeed one, but the Author bringeth forth strange matters under it; a Man cannot admit, that he should fold up all Creatures in the Name of CHRIST, and will have the Redemption of ALL Creatures in the Name of Christ. 181. It looks very strangely and yet a Man may well see what he meaneth thereby: viz: that HE would be the very ONE only Christ that men are to Hear, as the Word of God whereas yet, when he is at best, he is scarce a little Twigg or Branch on that Tree; not the Mother itself, which hath generated and will generate; I put not my trust in him; but in the First Christ, who in JESUS became a CHRIST, whose Twig or Branch I desire to be. 182. CHRIST was hidden in JESUS, and all powers of the wisdom lay in the hidden Christ, which no Angel's Tongue can express, that revealed itself first of all, when JEHOVA that is JESUS moved in the humanity, there was CHRIST first Manifested, In the first Adam was JEHOVA Manifested, and in the second Adam, CHRIST, viz: † Col. 2. 15. The Treasure of the Wisdom of God. 183. The first Adam was created Perfect in JEHOVA, and to Eternal Life, viz: in the Eternal Natural; but being the Eternal Natural would not stand, than JEHOVA manifested Christ in the Natural Life, that Christ might generate and bring again the Natural into Perfection, thus Christ hath with his Birth or Geniture, opened the Treasures of wisdom that were in JEHOVA. 184. Yet CHRIST was hidden in the Treasure of wisdom; but the wisdom was in JEHOVA in the first Adam manifest; but not after that manner as the Life breaketh the Anger in pieces; for it was not necessary, if Adam had remained standing; but when he fell, it was necessary that this Form should become Manifest. 185. Even this Form is called CHRIST, and dwelleth in the JEHOVA, for out of the JEHOVA it is become Manifested. Therefore being JEHOVA was manifest in Adam, therefore was God manifested in him: else it would follow that JEHOVA had Created Adam to Sin, that he might manifest the Treasures of wisdom in him, which is Not so; for, God so far as he is called God, can NOT Will Evil. 186. But if Adam in his Creation be wholly manifested in Christ; as this * E. S. Author sets it down: then with his entering into the humanity, nothing New was performed: the Crusher or Bruiser of the Serpent was first manifested in the Body or Womb of Mary: Adam needed him not before the Fall, but after the Fall he needed that. 187. This Crusher or Bruiser of the serpent, was CHRIST and no other, he was generated out of JEHOVA, that is, out of JESUS, out from Eternity but in the Humanity: after the Fall from Eternity, he was in God's Word, viz: in God's voice, and in no Image manifested, as this * Author writeth; but after the Fall he became manifested in the Flesh, than he was called CHRIST, as viz: a breaker through of death. 188. For from Eternity was no Death, but only a Fire-dying, in which, out of the dying, the holy Life originateth: but with Sin it entered into the world into the Flesh; with the Curse Death began in the world: with Christ, the Eternal Life came again; for he broke death in pieces, and therefore he is called Christ; and not in the Creation. 189. In Christ, there is Nothing Created, but in his power in the speaking Word, all is Created, in which his Name is called JEHOVA. 190. In Christ man is New born or Regenerated, but not Created into the Image: therefore this † E. S. Author erreth where he speaketh of the Mother Love of God. 191. JEHOVA is the Generator of the Love, and JESUS is JEHOVA who generateth the Love; and CHRIST is become generated out of the Love; in the Humanity: for he was no CHRIST from Eternity, but only the Love in JEHOVA in JESUS. 192. Sin caused JEHOVA, that he gave us the CHRIST out of the Love: for in the Eternity will be no CHRIST, but * NOTE JEHOVA, all in all, the whole Humane Tree in JEHOVA. 193. Not that the Person of Christ will Cease to be; only the Killing or Mortifying of Sin, in which JEHOVA is called CHRIST, is then Ceased: The Creature remaineth; but CHRIST is then the Eternal Highpriest in ALL, and the Creature of CHRIST, a King of Men. 194. NOw may the Reader Ask, what is the strife or controversy in this place? It is THIS. The † E. S. Author saith. 12. CHRIST was the Image of God, and was generated out of the Woman or Wife of God, viz: out of the Divine Voice and Mother of the Love from Eternity, to Gods express Image. And that God hath visibly made and Created, Adam, and all Heavenly and Earthly Creatures in this Christ. 13. That God hath been manifested only in Christ, and not in Adam, that Adam was Created and Manifested IN Christ; And that in Christ was only manifested the Treasure of wisdom; and accordingly he hath not at all manifested himself to Adam in the first Creation; That Adam had no divine knowledge, but should have been obedient IN Christ; which he was not, but let the Serpent betray or deceive him, and so he followed the Devil, and perished in Sin with Soul and Body. 14. That then Christ after this Fall manifested himself in him, and became a Man, and new generated the Humanity, in ALL whatsoever it was inwardly and outwardly; and made it Wholly to be Christ and God, so that this Man Christ, was in all things or substances, like God the Holy Trinity, in power and substance. 15. And that all Men who believe on this Christ, do become all like this one only CHRIST: That they instantly die away as to Nature, and they become in Soul and Body this one only CHRIST, who is indeed God and Man in ONE only Person. 16. And like the Holy Trinity, in Will, knowledge, power or virtue, and substance, and in all Divine Properties; Eternal, Unchangeable, Immortal; Perfect, without any ONE Sinful thought: as we are to be, and must be, Eternally. 17. And in that regard; that, he in Christ is wholly Perfect and immortal; and is changed from Death to the Eternal Life in Christ, in and to all that, whatsoever Man inwardly and Outwardly is and doth, as to Conversation words and works. And thereby * NOTE Denyeth the Mortality, and the Resurrection of the Dead; being he saith, that he hath wholly put on the Eternal PERFECT Life, Inwardly and Outwardly; and that he is no more what he was after Man's Fall: it is only altogether CHRIST in him. 19 Therefore he holdeth himself to be wholly like God the Eternal One only substance in all things, in knowledge will and deed, etc. 195. This is the whole Sum of his Doctrine in all † E. S. HIS Writings. 196. Here followeth * J. B. my Answer very briefly upon this. 197. Man was not from Eternity; only he was a Shadow of an Image, after the manner as God hath known all things from Eternity in his Wisdom; he was in the wisdom without Image, not particularly in One place alone, but every where all over known by the Spirit of God in the wisdom. 198. Man's Life also was not a Form, but a Mystery of the Generating of the Holy Trinity; viz: in the out-breathed Longing delight or Lust; which from Eternity in Eternity, impresseth itself in the desire to the Eternal Nature: which Form is the Eternal Fiat in the out-speaking or out-breathing of the Free-Lust or Longing delight, viz: of the Nothing. 199. The Nothing is GOD, who introduceth himself with the Free-Lust or Longing delight, of the Nothing, into Desire; for in the † NOTE What the Nothing is. NOTHING is an Eternal will to Manifestation or Revelation; which no Creature Angel or Man can sathom or search out, That very will manifesteth itself with the Eternal Lust or Longing-delight, through the Desire in Trinity. 200. The Will in the Free-Lust or Longing, is called God, for it is free from the Desire; In the Desire the Will generateth, viz: in the Impression of the Desire; Three Properties, viz: Darkness, Fire, Light; in which generating the Eternal Voice existeth, which the Will of the Free-Lust or Longing carrieth along with it. 201. This Voice is God's Word, viz: the † Col. 1. 15. 17. First Born, without and before all Creatures; through which Voice, the Will in the Impression, generateth the Darkness and Anguish, as also perceptibility and feeling, viz: the eternal Nature: which standeth in a spiritual Sulphur Mercury and Sal, viz: a Similitude and Out breathed Substance of the voice of the Eternal Will of the Abyss, viz: of God. 202. The Voice in the Eternal Will which is a Spirit, is, resonant, or such a thing as will Sound, viz: a possibility of a Sound, but in itself it is still quiet or silent; and the properties of the Impression, viz: of Nature; are the Voice of the Wills Instrument, through which, God's Voice manifesteth itself. 203. For the Properties have also the Properties of the Voice as a Lute or other Musical Instrument, hath the Tangle in itself, yet there must be a Motion or else it ringeth not. 204. Thus, the eternal Will-spirit, to the Voice of the Eternal Sound, is the Lute Player, or Manifester of the Tangle, in Nature; viz: in the Seven Properties of the Generating of the Eternal Nature; as in the Book of the Threefold Life, also in the Book of the Signature, and other Books of Mine * I. B. is written very expressly at Large. 205. Now, out of this Voice of the Eternal Nature, which the Spirit of God with the Eternal Sound or Word of the Eternal Will, moveth, and maketh to be generating or Sounding, are all eternal Spirits, as Angels and Souls of Men Originated, viz: out of the Centre of the Eternal Nature, out of which the Dark-Fire-and Light-World take their Original from Eternity, out of which, Joy and Sorrow, Pain and Source or Torment, originate, each in ITS property in the Generating of the SEVEN properties of all Substances or Things. 206. And in this Place, where the Eternal Sound or Divine Voice through the freewill of the Abyss becometh always continually generated: originateth the highly Dear Name JEHOVA, as an A. O. V. being the Character of the Holy Trinity, which with the right form standeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 JEHOVAH. 207. The A is the Eternal beginning or Manifestation of the Nothing, viz: of the Abyss, and maketh in itself an , That is, Beginning and Spirit, and with the Lust or Longing Closeth in itself the O, that is the Centre of the Deity, and standeth between A and V; and V is the Spirits Character, which in the Out-going from the A and O is an S viz: a 🜂 Fire of the Light-Flame, and standeth with its right Character and Word, thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is ESCH, by which the Hebrews, with such a Word, as there standeth, understand, viz: the understanding Spirit, which generateth itself, and eternally goeth forth out of the A and O, and hath in itself, the Fire and Light. 208. Viz: The Property of the free-Lust or Longing without source or Torment, and the property of Nature, in all the Seven Forms of the generating, viz: a Fire and Light-Flame, which in all things, whether it be in Darkness, viz: in the Cold of the Impression, or in the Sulphur to the Fire, or in the Fire, in every thing of any property, CAN be, as it will. 209. In this place; the eternal Voice, where the Fire in the desire of the Impression, and the Light in the Free-Lust or Longing, viz: in the Will to Manifestation, eternally generateth itself through the Fire; the Dear Name JESUS originateth itself, and is, the humility, or Love, viz: the Lights Desire or Property, in the Divine Voice in the eternal Sound, viz: an eternal Lust-Longing, or Power of the Deity. 210. In this Birth or geniture, now there is no other originating of any other Spirit at ALL, neither can there any other similitude or Image more at All be generated out of this holiness or Voice of God: For God said to Moses, * Exod. 20. 4. Thou shalt make to thyself no Similitude of a God, for nothing can be like him: He hath also Created or generated no Image in himself, that could be like, comparable, or Consormable, to this JEHOVA in Trinity. 211. For, he is ONE only Spirit, and is in all things or Substances, HOW he will; He is the potentiality of ALL things. 212. He hath generated no express Image from Eternity, in the Mother of the Love, as this † E. S. Author Conceiteth, but in his Voice, viz: in the Eternal Word, were all things, which the Word through the Impression or generating of the eternal Nature and properties hath Manifested, and through the Impression which is the Fiat, hath Created them, and in the Desire of the Fiat, introduced them into Substance. 213. There was no CHRIST here, in which the Sound or Voice of God, hath manifested all things; but his out-breathing of the Will in the Voice, was the eternal Wisdom, viz: the Glance of his Glory, which God out of his Voice, eternally generated, in which the Spirit of God hath seen all things from Eternity, and through the Impression of the Desire in verbo Fiat, in the word Fiat, Created. 214. Not in the Holy Trinity in JEHOVA, but with the Will of JEHOVA, viz: with the Voice of the Word in the Impression of Nature, which in the Eternity is only a Spirit: but with the Moving of God, in the beginning of the Creation of this World, is in the Spirit become a Substance, viz: an own self Principle. 215. Man is not become Created and Manifested in CHRIST, without the Divine Manifestation in him, CHRIST was yet in JEHOVA viz: hidden in JESUS in the out-speaking Word, as a Power of the Deity. 216. JEHOVA, that is, God, hath moved himself, in the JESUS, viz; in the Lust or Longing of the eternal Desire, viz: with God's Heart, and generated and Manifested CHRIST in the Humanity, as a Treasure of Divine Power and Wisdom. 217. For Mary said to the Angel Gabriel, to the Prince of God's Wonders, when he brought her the Message, that she should be impregnate or conceive with Child: * Luk. 1. 34, 35. How should that come to pass, for I have known no Man? The Angel said, the Holy Spirit will come upon thee; and the Power of the Most High, will overshadow thee, † Luk: 1. 31, 32, 33. thou shalt be impregnate with Child and generate or bear a Son, whose Name thou shalt call JESUS, he will be great, and be called the Son of the Most High, whose out-going hath been from Eternity. 218. This was the Original of CHRIST, in the eternal Word, in the Power of the Most High of all, which hath moved itself, and out of and in the JESUS, viz: in the desire of the Divine Love, generated the CHRIST, viz: the Champion in the Battle between God's Love and Anger: Not so, as that the power of CHRIST was not from eternity in the Word: It was indeed, but not manifested in such a property, as a Breaker of Death in pieces. 219. God generated to himself, the breaker of Death in pieces out of the Fountain of HIS Self hood: For in the Creation there was no Death, so there was also no breaker of Death in pieces, * Rom. 5. 12. With Sin came Death into the World, and through the Breaker in pieces of Death, it came out of the World again. 220. In Adam was JEHOVA; the great All being All-substantiall God, manifested, but not in the Form of the breaker of Death, but in the Power of his Spirit according to Love and Anger, according to the property of the Fiat, viz: through the glimpse of the Tincture of the Fire and Light; as an express Image of God. 221. Adam, was not God himself, he was not Created in the Trinity in JEHOVA, as a Self-subsisting God; as this * E. S. without writeth, he was made an express Image of God in CHRIST, visible and Manifest but without Divine Knowledge: and that God first Manifested the Treasure of this Wisdom in Adam: when Christ became Man? 222. No! God, Created Adam to the Eternal Life in Paradise, with paradisical source or quality and Perfection; he forbade him to eat of the source or quality Evil and Good; he Created a Perfect express Image, in the Lookingglass of the Eternal seen Image without Substance; The Power JEHOVA, viz: Gods, the Father's Love, throughly enlightened him, as the Sun through-enlighteneth the whole World. 223. The Divine Sun shone through and through Adam in his heavenly substantiality, viz: in the pure Element: and outwardly the Outward Sun enlightened him, neither Heat nor Cold, touched him, for he stood in equal Harmony or accord in them: the Pure Element held the Four Elements swallowed up and Captive in itself, as the Day the Night; and this Man shall not persuade me, that God was not manifested in Adam, he is indeed manifested in all things, but according to every things Property. 224. In the Property, as Adam was Created, God was manifested in him, but when he Manifested the Centre of the Anger in him, than God put enmity against the Evil and manifested the Serpent Crusher or Bruiser in Man, which before, without Sin, was hidden in God's Power, and was in the Divine Unity in the Love of God, in JESUS: Thus this Crusher or Bruiser of the Serpent became set as a Mark or Limit to Man, into which he should turn in his Desire. 225. Not that Man should become the JESUS, or a God, but that we should carry our Faith into him, and in our Desire receive into us the CHRIST, who hath broken Death in pieces, that he may make our Soul and the faded Image in Adam, living the Divine Life, in himself. 226. For, in JESUS, the Eternal Sun shineth forth through the CHRIST: JESUS is JEHOVA, that is God; and Christ is the Mediator between God's Love and Anger. 227. To CHRIST is all Power given from JEHOVA, or JESUS: JESUS hath given the divine power to CHRIST, not that CHRIST should bear the Power or Authority to or for himself, but GOD who is a Spirit, he useth the Christ for an Instrument, whereby he takes away the Power and Authority, from the Anger: JESUS is the Power or virtue of CHRIST, which giveth the CHRIST the power or authority: For * Joh. 8. 28. in own self authority, CHRIST did Nothing upon Earth; for he said at the Cross when the Jews Hung him upon it; † Luk. 23. 34. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. 228. And when he raised Lazarus up, he said, * Joh. 11. 41, 42. Father hear me; yet I know that thou hearest me always. And David said in Spirit: † Psal. 16. 8, 9 He hath set the Lord before him, therefore shall Irest secure; there he meaneth CHRIST, that he had set before him the JESUS or JEHOVA, wherein CHRIST resteth. 229. Now Christ is a Regeneratour or Restorer of that which is Lost; he is not come for the sake of the Earthly Man; that he should keep THAT in its Dominion, but that he might regenerate, that, in Adam, which when he awakened to sin, disappeared and died; concerning which God saith, * Gen: 2. 17. That Day thou wilt eat of the Tree of Good and Evil, thou shalt die the Death; he died to the Divine World, and awakened to the Outward-World, viz: to the Sinne-House, full of Misery and Ever dying source or quality. 230. He would not generate the Sinne-Life, anew; for he died away in his Body of OUR Sinnes-Life (which in the Regiment or Dominion of the Four Elements, was existed with the Sin in Adam) and brought our true Life of the pure Element aloft again; his death was our Life; The Four Elements held us Captive in the Anger, but he brought our Life of the Four Elements through Death forth in the Element again, and made for us in the humane Life, a path or Way, to heaven again. 231. Now we must follow after him, and also die away from the Life of the Four Elements aforehand; yet first of all receive Christ in us, who introduceth us through the Death of our Dying, into his Way or Path, through Death into the pure Element. 232. This outward Visible Body, cannot inherit the Element of God, unless he break that in pieces aforehand; but if we have put on CHRIST in the Faith's Desire; he introduceth our Life's Essence into himself into his Mystery, viz: into his Rest in the Grave. 233. Concerning which David saith, † Psal. 16. 8, 9 He should rest secure; for the Lord was set before him in Christ, in whose Protection he rested in Christ, viz: in the Limit or Mark of the Covenant, in the Lookingglass of Christ, which God set before him, in the Covenant of the Circumcision, and in the Sacrifices, as if Christ were therein; for he had Promised Christ therein, till the fullfilling in the Flesh, came. 234. Therefore shall not this * E. S. Author persuade us, That the Earthly Man in Sin without the breaking of the outward Life, doth wholly put on Christ, inwardly and outwardly; and that the sinful outward Nature, when Man entereth into Repentance, doth wholly die, and Christ alone awake or arise, and become generated inwardly and outwardly in Man. 235. No! Christ is come to heal the Soar which Adam made, when he instantly died to the Kingdom of Heaven, in the Sinne-Bit, viz: to awaken or raise up, the inward Man which disappeared in Adam, and new generate it in him in his power; and introduce, the poor Soul again into a Divine Will, and give it the Noble Jewel of the Holy Spirit again. 236. And continually Crush or bruise the head of the Anger and falsehood of the Old Serpent, dwelling with its Will in the outward Flesh also continually slay the earthly Will, till the earthly Adam die, altogether consume, and enter into its Mystery in which God Created it, to the Judgement of God, there shall that give its Mystery to the *. outward Image again, viz: the Third Principle, and the whole Man, as God Created him in Adam, shall stand forth in CHRIST'S Property and power again: and live again in JEHOVA's Light and Power. 237. For, when Christ hath finished all, * NOTE when Christ will deliver up the Kingdom. Then shall he deliver up the Kingdom in the Regeneration, to his Father again, † 1 Cor. 15. 24. and God shall be ALL in ALL; as he was before the Times of the World. 238. The * E. S. Author erreth in this, that he conceiteth, That the Man who turneth himself to CHRIST wholly puts on Christ inwardly and outwardly; and becometh wholly CHRIST; and that the Nature of the Properties dyeth away: There is no ground for this: Christ's Flesh became conceived in the Power of the Holy Spirit in mary's Essence; but our evil Flesh, we receive from Adam's sinful Male or Masculine Seed, in the Power or virtue of the two Tinctures of the Man and of the Woman. 239. Christ saith; † Joh. 3. 6. That which is born of Flesh, is flesh; but that which is born of the Spirit, that is spirit; * 1 Cor. 15. 50. Flesh and Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven; † Joh. 6. 63. The Spirit is the Life, the Flesh profiteth nothing, it shall putrify or rot and enter into its first Substance. 240. The Spiritual Man, according to the Kingdom of God, which died in Adam, but in the Repentant Sinner is regenerated in Christ, that dwelleth in Heaven, as St. Paul saith, * Phil. 3. 20. Our conversation is in Heaven, from whence we expect the Saviour CHRIST, † Joh. 11. 25. Ch. 14. 6. who is the Life. 241. His Mystery, wherein the earthly Flesh of Sin dwelleth, that passeth into the beginning, and expecteth the Saviour JESUS CHRIST, to the Resurrection and Restoration into Life. This is my apprehension, and knowledge. 242. I say rot, that a Man in this Flesh is Perfect, and doth put on Christ outwardly; but the Mystery, viz: the Quintessence putteth on Christ to the Resurrection of the Dead: and the Soul in the heavenly substantiality according to Christ's true heavenly Corporeity, awakeneth or ariseth as to ITS Substance which it had, but died in Adam. 243. Christ giveth US his * NOTE to whom Christ gives his Body & Blood. Body to Eat, and his Blood to drink, but NOT to the Man of Sin, but to the Man in CHRIST new Born to Life, viz: that from the Divine World's Substance, to the paradisical Man, which hath a Heavenly Mouth to partake with. 244. For, Christ dwelleth in Heaven, and feedeth us with his Body and Blood in the Heaven; this Heaven is IN Man, and not in the Four Elements as to their Operation; but in the pure Element, Christ feedeth the Body of his Similitude, viz: the Soul and the heavenly Part in the New born Man. 245. Adam eateth of the four Elements, and is fed with evil and good; Adam the outward Flesh Man, sinneth; the inward Man willeth not the Sin: Therefore saith Paul, * Rom. 7. from 17. to 24. Now if I sin, it is not I that do it, but it is the sinful Desire which dwelleth in the flesh: Now therefore with my Mind I serve God, and with the flesh, the Law of sin; for I do that which I would not; but if I now do it, it is not I that do it, but sin in the flesh. 246. Therefore, let the Christian Reader that loveth Truth, be warned, according to my very good bounden Duty and Love-Will, not to esteem himself Perfect, and to set himself in the Omnipotent Power or virtue of God; in the Omniscience, and to say, He is without sin and cannot sin. 247. O, alas, the Poor Captive Soul in sinful flesh, can daily Sin; for * Prov: 24. 16. The Righteous falleth seven times a Day; Also, † Psal. 143. 2. Before thee no Living Man is Righteous, if thou wilt impute sin; * 1 Joh. 1. 8. and he that saith he hath no sin, is a Liar, saith Saint John. 248. † E. S. This Author, erreth in almost all the highest Articles of Faith, I therefore admonish you all, wisely to consider; Pray to God for understanding, and continue in true Resignation and Humility before God; and continually pray to God according to the Doctrine of Christ: * Luk. 11. 4. Forgive us our Sins. 249. † E. S. This Man will be without Guilt or fault: he saith, he is dead in Christ to the Guiltiness; and if it were at the best with him, yet there lieth the Guilt still in Adam's sinful flesh; which according to Christ's Doctrine, shall not, may not, can not, inherit the Kingdom of Heaven: * NOTE: NOT the Husk of Sin, but the Mystery, shall remain for Ever. THus is the true understanding upon the Text, 1 Timothy. 3. 16. sufficiently explained already; also the Expositors erroneous Meaning Discovered: but yet I will set down his own words here following for the Reader to Ponder. The Second Text. 1 Tim. 3. 16. The Mystery of Godliness is apparently great; God is manifested in the Flesh first in Adam. The * E. S. Explainers Exposition. 1. WHich Text as also the whole Epistle and ALL Writings of the Holy Apostles and Prophets, when they illustrate and speak of the apparent Revelation and great Mystery of God, can or may no way with Truth be understood, applied, or signified, Concerning the First created Adam. 2. Seeing God, in and with this holy Name, the whole holy Trinity, the whole Divine fullness, from the least to the greatest, with his holy, Divine, Saving, apparent Revealed, Great Mystery, was not at all manifested in Adam before the Fall; or appeared in him; much less with his Divine fullness, hath wrought livingly powerfully and actively, IN him, or dwelled or been implanted: but Once and only in Christ the first born of God before all creatures. 3. Which revealed great Mystery, with the whole Divine fullness, afterwards in its appointed Time, in the assuming of our humane Body, and Soul, Flesh and Blood, in the Flesh of Christ became known and Manifested; whence * This second Text, 1 Tim. 3. 16. this Text, according to your Scripture signification, in Eternity cannot be severed; or the † The first Text, Gen. 1. 17. first, secluded from the Created Adam, but the second viz: the Justification in the Spirit, following according to your Meaning, is to be understood only in Christ: but * The two former Texts. both belong only and alone to the Regeneration of Christ, and of ALL his holy Members in the flesh. 4. As indeed according to your visible Explanation, in the Letter, not only the flesh of the Created Adam, but the whole Person Body and Soul, the Totall Soul-Man which is created in the Natural Life; hath sinned, and through the Fall come into Eternal Perdition. 5. Whence the Justification and Regeneration through God, the Lord; who is the Spirit in Christ, yea Christ the highly praised God himself, is appropriated to all the faithful and Elect new Creatures, and Imaged or Represented and United in the Faith. 6. Through which highly praised Triune God CHRIST JESUS, the Express Image of the total holy perfect Divine Triunity, all Elect, rightly, Believing, in with and through himself, are GLORIFIED in his Express Image, and brought from one Glory to another; as by him the Lord, and Triune God himself, who is the Lord the Spirit. 7. As, really, the Justification cannot be applied and explained concerning God and Christ, without the Regeneration and union of Body and Soul, of the whole humane visible and palpable Person, who is the Eternal Righteousness itself; but concerning the converted and redeemed whole humane Person in ONE Body, concerning Body and Soul, and not concerning the Flesh alone, which without Soul and the inbreathed breath of God, is nothing but Dust and Ashes, according to the Testimony of Scripture in Many places and Texts. Thus far Esaiah Stiefel. * J. B. My Answer upon this. 1. LEt the Christian Reader but look this Author Rightly into his heart: and consider what he seeks under this description: where he saith, God hath created ALL things in Christ, as also created and made Man visible in him: but wholly without divine manifestation and knowledge; so that God with his Mystery in the least was not manifested in Adam: whereas yet the Spirit of God did breath into him the living Breath: whence Man became a living Soul. 2. Also how this Author speaks quite against himself; for he acknowledgeth in many places; That God did breath into Man a powerful living Spirit-Life, out of the Divine understanding and Mouth; in which Man was the Image of God. 3. Now if the Spirit of God did breath into him his Breath, viz: the living understanding Soul, how then was not God manifested in Man? But he must do it for another cause, that thereby he might give forth or profess himself wholly & altogether to be God: for he sets it down thus, That God Created and made Adam visible in Christ and not further manifested himself in Adam, but only in Christ; and so Created Adam only to and for the Natural Life, and he understandeth properly under it, only that he should or must Fall: For if he had no Divine knowledge and if God had never been manifested in him, than the Devil might easily have got the Game of him. 4. This * E. S. Author understandeth it thus; that God might have cause to bring forth the hidden Treasure of the Divine wisdom the Second Time in Christ, and manifest himself in Christ in the Humane Property; and new Regenerate Man totally in the Treasure of his Divine wisdom, so that Man is wholly Christ; out of which he frameth to himself such a thought, that HE himself is Christ. 5. And this must help him to it, and be the ground and Corner stone thereof; That God did Create and make Man visible the First Time in Christ; and is now the Second Time wholly new generated in Christ. 6. From this now it followeth, seeing Christ manifested himself the Second time in the Flesh, and manifested the Soul and Body of Man in him, with the WHOLE fullness of the Deity: that MAN is TOTALLY God and Christ: and so † E. S. HE cannot fail of his purpose. 7. For, if, in CHRIST, he be come to be visible, as to this world in Adam, and that Christ as God, the second time manifest himself wholly in him, with the fullness of the Deity inwardly and outwardly in the total humane Property, so that God and Man is totally one, than it cannot fail him, but that; Man must be God. 8, Now understand this Authors confusedness or intricacy; First he saith, God Created and made Man manifest in his Image, that is, in Christ's Eternal Image: which is the Authors Cornerstone, but altogether erroneous and not right: CHRIST in JEHOVA in JESUS from Eternity, was no Image of the Deity, and even NO Christ: The first begotten or born of the Father before all Creatures from Eternity, is God's Heart, Voice, Word or Manifestation of the Divine Mouth; the Scripture understandeth no other Image. 9 The Man Adam, became not created and manifested in Christ's Image, but in his own Image, which God had seen from Eternity in his wisdom in the out-spoken word: he can show us no other. 10. God created Man in his Image, and to the Image of God; it stands not written, of Christ, but of God: to the Image, he became created to substance: and IN the Image he became created in his own Image from Eternity known by the Spirit of God. 11. Not † He was Created into an Image, not into a God. to A God, but * Gen: 1. 26. Chap: 5. 1. James 3. 9 to a Similitude of God: as Moses saith, God Created Man according to his Similitude; Also Let us make Man a Similitude according to us, that the Spirit of God may behold itself in a Similitude; and might Melodise with himself. 12. And therefore he breathed into him, the Breath, out of his Sound of all his Substance, out of all the THREE Principles, viz: a Tangle and Voice of his Instrument, viz: a Harmony of God, upon which the Spirit of God would melodise, and take pleasure in the Tangle of the out-spoken Mercury or Word in the Humane Sound, and with this Instrument Govern all whatsoever is and liveth in the world, and so manifest himself in this humane Sound in Man's voice; and ride upon the wings of Man's Spirit; as David saith † Psal: 104. 3. The Lord rideth upon the wings of the Wind. 13. In this respect his Cornerstone upon which he buildeth is erroneous, and not rightly understood. If Adam had continued in God's Harmony, there had needed no Christ in Man, for the Power of the Serpent Crusher or Bruiser, to be the Christ, was hidden in the Word of God's voice, and manifested in no Image. 14. God also took not his Love to himself for a wife, in that he would generate an Image to himself; He himself generateth the Love; the Love, is JESUS or JEHOVA: viz: the Second Principle or the Second Person in the Deity. 15. When the fair Harmony in Adam became poisoned by the Devil, so that the Souls Will-Spirit, which should have been wholly resigned into God's Love-voyce; went forth out of GOD'S Harmony and Tangle into the Harmony of the DEVIL and all Evil or Malice, than the true Divine Lute-player departed from him: For Adam's Spirit went out from him. 16. Now if Adam had been created and brought forth wholly in Christ's Image and had been standing in the Harmony of Christ; then were the Image of Eternity which God, (as this * E. S. Author conceiteth) Generated in his Love-Mother from Eternity in him, destroyed; and had suffered itself to be overpowered by the Devil, and then were the Devil stronger than God, seeing he had destroyed Christ's Image. 17, O, how were it possible that any thing should perish that were brought forth only and solely, out of the Image and will of the Love of God: then must GOD perish. 18. And though he would say, the Body overloaded or overswayed the Soul, yet the Soul was breathed into Man out of the Mouth of God out of the Holy Spirit: also it were much, that God would Introduce an Earthly Man into the Image of the holiness of God, viz: into CHRIST, who was generated in the voice of the Mother, of the Love, from Eternity out of God, (as he saith,) So he would indeed have had Divine holy Substance, which the Debill had not been able to Sift. 19 I believe we shall here leave the Author to his Conceit: and must Say; That God hath Created Man IN his own Image known of God, without Substance into a Substance and Image, according to God's out-spoken and Created Substance: as Moses saith; * Gen: 1. 26. To be Lord over all Creatures upon the Earth: we shall not dare to set him into the Seat of the Deity. 20. The Omniscience of MAN, was never at all; nor in Eternity ever will be; for indeed no Throne Angel is Omniscient: but all is indeed under God and a work of his Hands. 21. When God manifested himself in and with the Serpent Crusher or Bruiser, he said, john 3. † John 3. 13. None goeth to Heaven but the Son of Man who is come from Heaven, and who is in Heaven. It is an empty or void Point, which the Author mentioneth, that Christ hath manifested himself in a total pure Virgin immaculate or without blemish, and Sinne. 22. He said he was come from HEAVEN, and NOT out of his Image which perished: as this Author conceiteth, and yet became Man, in mary's right humane Essence. 23. Of which this Author as is to be observed, in his Omniscience and Deity, knoweth nothing at all: O that he would learn beforehand the Theosophick A. B. C. in the School of the Holy Spirit, ere he give himself forth, or professeth himself to be holy and Omniscient, and were a while under God's Harmony; ere he would himself be Gods Lutenist. There is for certain a Luciferian Pride, under it. 24. Observe, loving Brother; he cometh in Christ's Name, and wholly in his person; try him: Christ is gone to Heaven, this is but a confused Man; MARY was the daughter of Joachim and Anna according to Flesh Soul and Spirit, * Rome 3. 9 Gal: 3. 22. shut up under the Law of Sin, and under the Fall of Adam and Eve. 25. But in HER was the Limit or Mark of the Covenant, which God had promised in Paradise; understand in the faded Image of the heavenly substantiality; in which Adam died to the Kingdom of Heaven: that can receive NO Sin, for the Heaven of God is subjected under no Sinne. 26. When Lucifer perished in his Creature, the Heaven spewed him out from itself; The true Soul of Adam, was the Life in the Heavenly Substantiality; but when the Souls Will, entered into the Earthly Substance, viz: into Evil and Good, into Heat and Cold, viz; into the Centre of Nature, after sutlety and cunning than faded his heavenly substance wherein Gods Light shone; and God's Light remained standing in its self in its Principle. 27. This Gods Love-Will Lamented, that its similitude perished, and promised Adam the Crusher or Bruiser of the Serpent out of the Seed of the Woman: which had with the Limit or Mark of the Covenant, here stuck or set itself in MARY. 28. Not in the sinful Flesh of Mary, but in the faded Image, which JESUS, by his entrance, would move, and move himself in the Limit or Mark of the Covenant, and open the CHRIST, viz: a New Life out of himself, and out of this Limit or Mark of the Covenant, of Promise, in the faded Seed of Mary. 29. So that the faded Substance in the power of the moving of JESUS, in that this JESUS with his moving, moved the divine wisdom and hidden power in it, and gave this hidden Seed for a Life; might become manifest, and in Christ living again: who was God and MAN in ONE Person; to whom the outward Kingdom of our Flesh in the seed of MARY hung. 30. WHEREIN † NOTE In what CHRIST took upon him our Sins. he took upon him our Sins and Infirmities, upon his Shoulders: and querched them with the blood of the now present Newborn heavenly Substantiality, with the true Woman's Seed, and drowned the fierce wrath which became manifested in the centre of Nature in the Soulish Property together with the disobedient Will, and introduced it again into Gods Will. 31. And in this, that God moved himself in the Seed of Mary, in the shut up hiddenness of the Humanity, and manifested himself with his Love, and conceived CHRIST in the Faded or disappeared Seed, viz: the Eternal Life in the still death, * NOTE why Mary is the blessed of all Women. Therefore is Mary become the blessed of all women. 32. For, that happened to None, that God had moved himself in their right Seed, that died and disappeared in Adam; For here came the first Image; again, which Adam was, in the Creation; and God now gave to this Image, which could not stand but died, in Adam, this Serpent Crusher or Bruiser, out of JESUS or JEHOVA, for an assistant, that should Help the Soul to overpower the Anger of God, and the Devil. 33. JESUS hath with this CHRIST, which he manifested out of his moving in the Seed of Mary, and gave Life to the Seed; not received the outward sinful Seed of Mary into the Deity; so that God is become manifested in the outward Seed of Mary. 34. This proves itself in Christ's Person, that he on Earth, in form or Shape, condition and Outward Conversation and Flesh; was like US; for the outward Flesh was mortal: wherein he also slew death: He took only the Inward Seed, viz: the disappeared, which died in Adam, wherein Gods Light shined. 35. And in the JESUS, viz: in God's Love and wisdom; he manifested the divine power and strength; wherewith he would overcome the Anger of the Father, and transmute or change IT into the divine Kingdom of Joy. 36. But the Soulish and outward Fleshly Seed of Mary, Wherein Sin was, hung to the inward disappeared Seed, These mix not themselves, also they are not sundered: but as God dwelleth in the world, and yet the World is not God; a Principle severeth them; and as God with his Anger, dwelleth in the Creature, and yet also in the hiddenness, * Note, How in Eternity the Love is among the Anger. with the Love among the Anger; and yet, the Anger receiveth not the Love. 37. For, I can say, that God dwelleth with the Love in the Devil, but the Devil cannot receive it, the Love is his Enemy, as the water is the Fires Enemy, and yet the Fire dwelleth in the Original in the water; so God dwelleth in all things, but the thing is not capable of his Love, so also the Earthly Seed of Mary, wherein Sin was, was not capable of the Deity; but it hung as another Principle, to the Inward Seed in which God manifested himself. 38. The Inner Man which now became Christ, THAT took our Sin upon itself, and hung the Body, upon which he had Laid Man's Sin, on the Cross, as a Curse of God: For there hung the first Adam which God cursed for the sake of Sin; on the Cross with the curse of Sin, and died to Sin on the Cross; and in his dying he shed the Blood of the holy man in Christ, into the Mystery of the Soul, and of the Outward Man wherein Death was. 39 For, the holy Blood was conceived in the Holy Spirit, and was immortal, it was conceived IN the water of the Eternal Life, in the Tincture of God's Light in his sweet Love: and had resolved itself into, and appropriated itself with, the Blood of the disappeared Image. 40. Now when this Blood fell together, into Death, than Death † Quaked or was Terrified. Trembled before this holy Eternal Life; the Anger trembled, before the Love, and fell in its Poison, and Fierce wrath which held us captive, into its dying, according to the kind of the fierce wrath. 41. And yet there is no dying, or ceasing, to be understood; but it went in the terror of the Love, up in the divine Kingdom of joy; as a Light becometh shining, out of an anxious hot Source or Quality, where all anxiety taketh an End. 42. The Fierce wrath, which before was evil and angry, that was now the cause of the great Fiery Love and Kingdom of joy; for nothing must pass Away in Man; he must remain as God created him in Adam; but he must again be transmuted into that very Image, into that very resigned will; and be obedient to God. 43. For the Scripture saith; The Son of God Christ * Phil: 2. 8. became obedient to the Father, even to the Death on the Tree of the Cross, so wholly must also our humane will be broken in Christ's death, and the Anger in HIS Blood be Transmuted into the Love. 44. And that is it which David saith; † Psal: 16. 10. Act: 2. 27. Thou wilt not let thy Holy ONE see Corruption, or Consumption; Now when he shed his holy Blood, in the true Image of God in Christ; then became the Poison of the Anger in Adam's Flesh Soul and Spirit, sanctified, and transmuted into Love, and the Devil's Den of Robbery, wholly destroyed. 45. There enmity ceased, and God became IMMANUEL Man with God, and God with Man, for here Adam's Flesh became Tinctured, & prepared for the Resurrection: for Death broke, in the Eternal Newborn Life of CHRIST out of JESUS. 46. And here, the * Job 28. 17. Psal. 9 13. Gate of Death, viz: the Eternal Darkness in Man's Body and Soul, became broken open; and the † Gen: 3. 24. Cherubin, with the Sword, which, did cut off the humane Life, from the Light of Nature, was taken away: and the fountain began to flow out of Zion, viz: out of Christ's Spring in the whole Man, so that man could now henceforth drink of the Water of the Holy Element, and Eat ex verbo Domini of the Word of the Lord. 47. Thus now we are to consider our Imitation of, or following after him; we cannot say, that we can do, what God in JESUS did through CHRIST; in breaking the way for us; No WE can NOT shed heavenly Blood; and transmute the Anger of God into Love; else if that were any way possible, than we must also as a Curse be Nailed to the CROSS; and though that should be, yet our inward Man is not exalted into the degree of Christ, to be wholly like him, 48, For JESUS, viz: the † Col: 2 9 total fullness of the Deity, dwelleth in CHRIST without Measure; and in him viz: in his Mother MARY, was the Limit or Mark of the Covenant which God blessed in Paradise; into THAT God looked, and through it, God's Imagination entered in through the Jewish Sacrifices. 49. God broke death in pieces only through him, but we must introduce our Imagination and desire into him, that our Tinder of the faded Image in him, may begin to glimmer or Glow in the Spirit and power of Christ, which apprehendeth the true hunger of the right Faith, wherewith, Man through the glowing or glimmering Tinder: which if it be sincere and earnest, at length becometh a shining Light of God in JESUS: can break the Power of Sin in the Flesh; and keep it in subjection, as a Churlish unruly evil Dog, which can NOT altogether be freed from ITS Malignity or Malice, till it break wholly and altogether. 50. That the Shell into which the Devil hath introduced his Imagination and had his Den of Robbery therein, be altogether dissipated that there be no more life therein; and then so soon as the outward Man dyeth, that the Soul be freed of the Evil Beast, THAN it hath the open Gate, in its beloved Image, in which Christ hath opened himself with the Divine Love-Fire. 51. And then is the Union already there, the Bride cheereth her Bridegroom, viz: the Noble Virgin in the Love of Christ, being awakened again, which taketh the Soul, viz: its loving Bridegroom and Man or Husband, into her Arms of the Divine desire; and what is there done I have no Pen to write it with, It is more than humane or Natural to write that. 52. What Gods Love and sweetness is, which the converted Man, if he enter into his Father again, and acknowledge himself a Swineherd, and bewail his by past Sins, and seeketh the Father's Grace and Favour, experienceth, when Christ his Bridegroom sets upon him the Virginlike Garland or Crown, where the Pearl of the divine reception of Grace at first becometh sown. 53. What Joy the Virgin hath when it obtaineth Life again, and receiveth its Bridegroom Christ, how very amiably and blessedly it presents itself towards the soul; and comprehendeth the soul, viz: its Man or Husband in its Love: at which indeed Soul and Body tremble in Joy. 54. Which those only know, who have been Guests in this Place; and this * E. S. Author who in the Letter will be PERFECT, and newborn, only and merely with a literal skill and knowledge, it is likely hath yet never experienced, and scarce tasted the Supper of Christ. 55. Seeing he is but a Litteral Saint and a Contend, and moreover a highminded despiser of the children of Christ in their unlike Gifts, and his holiness is confined merely within the Letter, and doth but talk Historically, and hath not yet attained the Spirit of Christ to the Revelation or Manifestation thereof. 56. As his reproaches, and disgraceful writings, many whereof he hath sent abroad, sufficiently prove, that no true Love-Spirit is generated in him, and that it is not Christ inwardly and outwardly, but Adoms Pride and State, together with a conceit or supposition, which persuadeth Itself, that it is Christ, and seduceth, the innocent Hearts. 57 Therefore I would have the Reader Christianly warned and in Love, not to account himself Holy Perfect and immortal, for though likely it is so, that the Prodigal lost Son, cometh to the Father, and that his Father receiveth him again with Joy, and putteth on him a new Garment, and putteth the Seal-Ring in Christ's Death, on to the hand of his Soul. 58. Yet is the Garment only put on to the Virgin, that it should, as a Noble Ministress or Maid of Honour to its Bridegroom the Soul, draw the Soul thereinto, that it may give its Love thereinto, and continually break the head of the old Serpent, viz: the Evil Will. 59 For, the Woman's Seed should break the Serpent's head, that is, the Noble Virgin in Christ's Life and power, awaken and rise again, & be New born to Life; that should change the Souls, viz: the Fire-Spirits Evil Will, with its Love, and turn the Anger of the Fire and Poison into a Love hunger, and withstand or oppose, the hunger desire of the Flesh, in false or evil Lust; Till the Flesh falleth away or deceaseth. 60. * Note what dyeth and what riseth again. And then the Mystery of the Flesh, viz: the Sulphur Mercurius and Sal, falleth into the Eternal Mystery; out of which it was created in the Beginning, viz: into the Word Fiat: the Four Elements die and consume, and the Quintessentia or Fifth Essence passeth into the Mystery of God: into the Fiat, to the Holy Resurrection of the Flesh; according to the tenure of our Christian-Faith, which is true, 61. So that then, the whole Image shall again be in one; and as at the beginning, as God created it to his Image, and no otherwise, neither more nor less: God's purpose must stand, he created Man to be in the PARADISE, into which he shall go again and eternally remain therein. 62. But the Wicked, whom the Anger devoureth, they are Eternally bereft of their Noble Virginlike Image, which died in Adam; and get instead thereof, on to the Soul, an Image of the fierce wrathful dark world's Substance; according to their here temporal hunger which they had, in their malicious wicked pleasure and voluptuousness. 63. As also Lucifer hath lost his fair bright Angels Image, and now appeareth in the Figure or Shape of an abominable Worm and Beast; for he hath given himself up into the Centre, he can figure or shape to himself † Or any Image as he will. an Image HOW he will. 64. For he thirsted after that also, that he might be a self Lord of his own and Maker of his form or shape: Adam also did almost aim * That he might do so. at that, but in the outward Principle the might or power is NOT, though the Serpent persuaded Eve, that she should be wise and know all things, but it came not to pass. The Third Text. Now followeth the Text. Esaiah 54. 5. He who hath made thee is thy Man or Husband, the Lord of Hosts is his Name, and thy Redeemer the Holy One in Israel, who is called, the God of All the World. Hereupon followeth the * E. S. Explainers Exposition to the Sender of these Texts. 1. THis Text you mention therefore, that you may receive the explanation thereof; how it is and what kind of thing is the union of Christ, the Man or Husband, and highly praised Triune God, whose Name is called the LORD of Hosts, and the Redeemer of the Wife or Woman, and the Holy One in Israel, who is called the God of all the world; and also what kind of thing is his Wife or Woman, and united whole humane Person of all the Called Elected truly faithful Christians, both of Masculine and Feminine Sex. 2. Thereupon, with Christ the Triune highly praised God; and Eternal Endless, unchangeable, most holy Wisdom and Truth; this is sent you in writing, for a visible or evident manifestation or Revelation, and palpable confirmation to the truly faithful desirous hearts, with Christ the Triune highly praised God, to be perfectly united, and to remain in all Eternity inseparably united, to the highest praise of the Triune highly praised God: this is in and with Christ, for a holy consideration, here set down, and portrayed before your Eyes. 3. And First, as to what belongs and concerns the Man or Husband CHRIST, the Triune highly praised LORD of Hosts, and Redeemer of all Mankind, but especially of the Faithful, and the Holy Ones in Israel, that is, of all the truly Faithful; even their Lord, and the God of all the World: And therein to speak of, I. First; His Birth and Original. II. Secondly; His Substance, what he is according to his first Birth before all Creatures. III. Thirdly; What the Action and operation of his first Birth was, yet, before the Fall of Man. IU. Fourthly; What he became after the Fall of Man, and IS henceforth now and to Eternal Times, and remaineth so unchangeably. 4. Hereupon now followeth this holy † Divine or Deicall. Divine or Deicall instruction. First; As concerning, the Holy Birth, original and out-going from Eternity in Eternity, of this I. holy Man or Husband, he is from Eternity generated or Born, out of the Triune Eternal highest Good, the Eternal God and Father, through this Triune highest Eternal Good, the Triune highly praised God himself, with through and out of his most holy self-subsisting substance. 5. And begotten, to the most holy express Image Glance and shining most holy Substantial Glory of the Totall Divine fullness, of the Totally most holy Triune Divine Substance, before all Created and uncreated things. 6. Secondly; As concerning this holy Man's or Husband's substance, what he is according to his first Birth before all Creatures; it shall be signified and mentioned: that according to the information to the first Question, he is totally like the Triune Generator and Father of the whole Triune perfect substance, out of which he hath Generated from Eternity this his Tri-une Son of his whole perfect Substance, and remaineth in with and through the same in Eternal unseparable Triunity wholly perfect. 7. Chiefly and Principally as to what the most holy and most Glorious, in the most holy Triune total Divine, in Eternity inseparable fullness of the Deity, is, and remaineth from Eternity, in Eternity therein unchangeably and unaltered; to the highest praise and Eternal honour thereof. 8. There is and shall be from Eternity in Eternity, Three found to be therein; whence also, the whole Divine fullness, is called a Triune Divine Substance, yes, the Totall holy Triune GOD himself. 9 I. One of them is called the Paternal Substance, the Father, the Generator, the Power of the Triune Totally perfect Divine or Deicall substance. 10. II. One other is called the filial substance, the Son, the Birth, the Word, Speech, the in-and-out-speaking Substance of the Paternal Substance, of the Father the Generator of the Power of the Triune Total Perfect Deity. 11. III. One, the Third, is called the Spiritual Living Substance, the Spirit, the Life, the Exit in and out of the Paternal Filial Substance, Power, Word, or powerful word of the Triune Total fullness of the Father and of the Son, or in the Father and the Son, the total holy Spirit and Eternal Life in Power and Word, Father and Son of the whole Triune Deity. 12. And this most holy Triune Deity, Power Word and Life, Father Son and Holy Spirit, are and remain from Eternity in Eternity, undividably ONE, before, in, and after the Birth, one only GOD, and one only LORD, over all, through all and in all, that set their faith and trust in Divine working and dominion therein. 13. And this Triune God, Power, Word, and Life, Father Son and Spirit, in Eternal UNITY, hath generated to himself the Medium of his most holy Substance from Eternity the Word, to his Son and Glance of his total divine fullness, and begotten him to his most holy Triune Deity's highest praise and honour. 14. And presented it to the most holy Glorious Throne, Glance and Express Image of his Total holy Divine Triune Fullness, and invincible confirmation, in the Love of the Divine Fullness, which the Triune highly praised God, hath trusted with him, and his Paternal Substance, in and with the Word and Spirit, in Eternal Eternity, for a Wife and Mother, of his own Triune Substance of his Son, and Word, from Eternity in Eternity in and with himself. 15. And united to the Eternal Genetrix, and betrothed or promised, to in and with, this most holy Triune Divine Substance, to an unity, this, from Eternity most holy Birth of God, CHRIST JESUS, The Triune highly praised God, is all that, himself, which to the Total Deity to its highest praise and honour, is ascribed and appropriated from Eternity; also remaineth peculiarly so in itself, to its Eternal stability. 16. Viz: the Eternal Substantial, Eternal steadfast unalterable Love, Righteousness, Wisdom, Truth, mercifulness, Humility, Patience, Long-suffering, Holiness, Purity, Innocency, and in brief all virtues of the Deity, which through the Power, Word, and Spirit, the most holy Triune God, from Eternity in Eternity, may or can be expressed. 17. Yes, all whatsoever may be called good and profitable, and serviceable in Heaven and Earth, and be apprehended with or by the Triune God; that, is this most holy birth of God, self-subsistingly, Substantially, from Eternity, in all Eternity. 18. Now Thirdly; what this most holy Triune Divine Births acting and working was, before the Fall, of Man; the Holy Scripture witnesseth thereof, in many places here and there, that through this most holy Triune Birth of God, CHRIST JESUS, not only all Creatures, Heaven and Earth and all that liveth and moveth therein, was made and is proceeded: But that this most holy Triune Birth of God is also in itself, Co-Creatour, Generator, Bringer forth, Worker, yes himself in the Creating was the Will and operative substantial self-subsisting Deed, yes, all in all, so that he was not only the Creator, Eternal Father, and Generator of all Creatures whatsoever they may be called, but also of Angels and Men. 19 Now Fourthly; what this Holy Eternal Birth and Son of God, the whole Fullness of the Deity, came to be after the Fall of Man, and is henceforth now and to Eternal Times and remaineth to be unchangeably; the Testimony of the Holy Scripture mentioneth in several places very much. 20. That this Eternal Divine Triune Birth and Son of the Triune Deity, to the Comfort of whole Mankind, to the Redemption and Renovation of the same, after their horrible Fall, losing of all their Glory received and inbreathed from God; in his holy breath and renewing regenerating and changing out of the Dead, damnable Substance of Satan, into the Holy unfadable immaculate untransitory Inheritance of the Eternal God, and most holy Glorious Eternally enduring Life and Substance of Eternal Happiness or Salvation. 21. Not only of fallen Man, through the Anger and just Curse of God for Sin's sake thrown into Eternal Pain and Torment; but also of all Heavenly and Earthly Creatures, which are set and ordained by the Lord for the service of the Created Man in his Innocency; in which respect they also after the Fall of Man for the same Man's sake, by the Anger and Curse of God were come and brought into an unsteadfast, troublesome, miserable, pitiful, state, and changeable, sorrowful, perishable, transitory, Substance or thing. 22. For the Comfort and Salvation of all these, and the restoring of the loss of all the Glory and Holiness, this Son of God Eternally Born out of God, out of mere Grace and Mercy, in the Love of the Divine Voice, wherewith this Triune God, loved the whole world with all its Generations or births, not only hath foretold and promised to Man and the aforesaid heavenly and Earthly Creatures, first for a Redeemer through this Triune Deity. 23. But also hath livingly, substantially operatively and actively, in the Regeneration and assuming of the Humane Flesh and Blood in the Body or womb of the Virgin MARY, God and Man in one person, visibly palpably and substantially here upon Earth Regenerated and presented. 24. As then this Triune highly praised Son of God and Man, in one holy Visible and palpable Person, hath rescued and redeemed not only whole Mankind, all truly faithful, Men wholly perfect, through this his holy Incarnation or becoming Man, innocent suffering and dying, Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven, from all sins and the total Satanical Diabolical and Mortal Substance. 25. But also all Called Elected truly Faithful, who from their hearts trust and believe in this Redeemer, as or according to their Redemption from all sin unrighteousness, Death Devil and Hell, and the treacherous World, † 1 Joh. 2. 16. the Lust of the Eyes, and of the flesh; and with their whole Person, yes, with every true Believer, especially among Men and Women Kind, wholly Espoused with himself his total most Holy Perfect divine substance, in the Unity of the Humane Body and Soul. 26. Hath united and betrothed himself, and bound himself to an unseperable UNION in Eternity, in the Love, so that this whole truly faithful Mankind, in General, and every Man and Woman kind in Particular, in special he himself, calleth his own Divine Substance, and full or entire Love, which before in unbelief, was not his of Substance, and his Love. 27. So that now this Elect truly faithful holy Church together, and also every person in particular, in with and through this most holy espousal and uniting with Christ the Triune highly praised God, are NOT two several Persons, two Substances and two Loves. 28. But through with and in the most holy Union, ONE good holy Divine unblameable Eternal steadfast Substance, one Divine, one Christian, one wise true and real One, and with all Divine perfect Virtues and Names, ONE holy Church of GOD together; and every person in the same, one Christ, one Man of God, one holy unblameable wise Just One. 29. To the highest Praise of the Triune highly Praised God CHRIST JESUS, who in them, over them, through them, and to all in a Personal Manner, with his most holy Name and seed, is the Will, accomplishment, senses thoughts works and Life, speech and all in all substantially visibly palpably, inwardly and outwardly, and to Eternal Times remaineth undivided and unalterably, and hath and keepeth the Dominion. 30. Not only in Heaven at the right hand of God, but also in the Union with all the faithful together, and in and to every true faithful person of Man and Woman kind, is called, and in Eternity remaineth here upon Earth one God, one Christ, who Ruleth from one End of the Heaven and from one End of the Earth to the other. 31. And in such eternal steadfastness remaineth one eternal Lord, in all, over all, through all, and to all, substantially, and in Eternity is for ever esteemed so, and in and with himself, is honoured praised & Magnified, one Man-God, one God-Man, or one Humane Good God, one Divine Good Man, one Christ, one Body, one Soul. Hitherto the Explainer. HEreupon followeth * Jacob Behme's Answer: my Answer and Explanation: highly to be considered by the Reader. 1. FIrst as concerning the Text Isaiah 54. 5. Which this Author explaineth, he hath much more confused it, and brought it altogether out of a right and orderly understanding into a confused unintelligible matter thing or Substance; and hath altogether confounded the Eternal birth of the holy Trinity wholly with the Creature. 2. His intent is to search out the Birth or Geniture and Original of all things or Substances: he hath demersed himself into the Birth or Geniture of the Deity, and highly elevated himself, and set himself up to be totally like God, and made himself a God: and yet understandeth as little of it, as the Cow doth of the Bell which it carrieth about her Neck, only it heareth it sound and Ring. 3. Secondly: He involves all Heavenly and Earthly Creatures in the perdition of Man, and will have them all regenerated and Redeemed again in Christ, and maketh a Lamentable forced desolation of the right understanding by confounding one thing with another. 4. Thirdly: He totally and altogether confoundeth the Distinction between God and the Creature, and forceth them together into one contrary to all Reason and Truth; and setteth the earthly Man, if he but believe, totally with his mortal Substance, in the Deity, and giveth him full power or authority, in Heaven and Earth, quite contrary to the Ground of the holy Scripture, and also contrary to visible or apparent things, or Substances. 5. He will, be, rule, overpower, know and understand all in all, yes God himself, and yet he understandeth not the Ground of a Fly in its Essence and Substance, much less the Divine and uncreaturely: and maketh a confused Wheel like a Drunkenness. 6. And if such flattering hypocrisy should once become totally believed, then were the greatest Antichrist of all born or generated: which setteth itself in the Seat or Throne of God, and very audaciously giveth forth himself for GOD, and presenteth his own great holiness without blemish in immortality. 7. Quite contrary to the visible or apparent ground of all Truth, and totally hideth the Man of Sin in the Anger of God; and maketh of him-a-dear Son of God in his outward Flesh, and thus bringeth us so totally out of the true understanding; that we should not understand, how and in what manner Christ becometh generated or born IN us; what the Heavenly and Earthly Man is. 8. He will persuade us, we are both inwardly and outwardly, totally perfect holy and without all Blemish and Sin; we should but believe, and then the natural outward sinful Man dyeth, and becometh wholly and altogether changed into Christ's Person; so that, Man, here in this Time upon Earth is as he saith wholly and altogether Christ; who in Heaven sitteth at the right hand of God; and is on Earth a total perfect God-Man inwardly and outwardly without defect. 9 And there is nothing more wanting, but that the poor Sinner, who would fain repent and believe, fall down before THIS great holy God, which he himself will BE, and worship him, that he may receive him to Grace, into this HIS Holiness. 10. For HE will needs be the Christ in ALICE, in Divine Omnipotence and Substance, and distinguisheth not at all, what God, Christ, and Man, is, what the Creature, Humanity and God are; in him Flesh and Spirit is all one, moreover Mortality and Immortality. 11. Yet I would very fain see him, to know whether he be otherwise then other Men: I have not all my Life long, heard any tell of any such wonderful Man in the World, not in any History read of such a Wonder: And if that be true which he saith, than he must according to the Tenure of the Scripture, shine seven times brighter than the SUN, and other Men and Living Creatures would be struck blind before him, because of his Great Holiness and Clarity or Brightness. 12. But if he should say Men can not see that in him; as indeed he doth, neither hath any Man on Earth seen it in him or in any other Man especially being Heat and Cold, as also Pain and Sickness take hold of him, and that he continually clotheth himself with the Clothing of Beasts, he sleepeth and waketh, useth Earthly Food and Drink in the Curse of God; and which is much more, liveth in repreaching and cursing of honest people that love God. 13. In that regard, we yet very strongly doubt of his perfect holiness, and do not hold his confusedness, for God's Voice, out of God's Holy Substance; especially since we see, that he yet understandeth nothing of the Divine and Natural Birth or Geniture, and eternal Revelation or Manifestation of all things or Substances, how one originateth out of another; and yet thus elevateth himself, without Divine knowledge, out of a mere literal Conceit, which yet he perverteth, and styeth aloft without Wings, before they are feathered. 14. But seeing it is a subtle extravagant Error, wherewith, likely, honest hearts fearing God in Innocency might be seduced, without sufficient searching into this extravagancy; therefore I would have the Reader who loveth the Truth informed of this almost quite hidden Error, and will a little unfold the same; that men may see the high insuperably superlative sense, as he supposeth, and therewithal a little to open the true ground; which hath better Testimony, and also agreeth with that which is visible or apparent. 15. Not at all to contend with this confused Wheel and to defame him; but for the sake of Christ's Children, whom Christ hath Redeemed with his Blood; to try whether many, will not become better discerning, and would learn to distinguish such an Error, and get a more assured certainty. 16. At the Beginning, he maketh a great Speech or Sermon, signifying, how He will Answer out of Christ the Triune God out of God's Mouth and Heart out of all Saints, men should harken to it and look upon it as God's infallible Word. 17. This now, is sufficiently explained above, that it is groundless, and that to speak in such a manner is ineffectual, also it doth not become any Angel or Man so to speak. 18. But concerning the Text, Isa. 54. 5. The Explanation thereof is very sufficiently made before, yet for the Readers sake I will set down somewhat more. 19 The Prophet saith, * Isa. 54. 5. He who hath made Thee is thy Man or Husband; The Lord of Hosts is his Name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One in Israel; who is called the God of all things. 20. The Prophet speaketh here in his own understanding, not of a Man or Husband, but by way of Similitude; in like manner as the Seed to Man lieth in the Man or Husband, from which Man becometh manifested: So all, yes all whatsoever is manifested, lay in the Eternal Man or Husband, viz: in the Generatour of all things or Substances. 21. But especially of man's Life; which he hath breathed into the Created Image, according to the Similitude of his Substantiality; and out of all his out-breathed Substance; as John saith; † Joh. 1. 4. The Life of Man was in HIM. 22. And yet in this we are not so to think, as if the inbreathed Life or Substance of Man, were only and solely the Spirit of God, in Divine Holiness and Omnipotency; No: else if that were perished [as it came to pass] then God were perished: but each Life of each Creature becometh given to the Creature out of the Original of its Substance. 23. So the Substance of Man is given forth out of the Three Principles, viz: out of the Eternity and out of the Time; viz: out of the Substance and Source or Quality of Darkness, which containeth in it, Nature, viz: Sulphur, Mercurius and Sal. 24. As to the First Part and Principle, Spiritual, as a Regiment or Dominion and Source or Quality, out of which, Substance cometh to be: and as to the Second Part, according to the outward World, corporeal; in the first Principle fiery; and in the Third Principle out of the dark impression Earthly and Four Elementary, and sydereall from the Sun and Stars: And from the Second Principle, from the Light and Power of that out-breathed or generated Substance, Heavenly Holy and Oily, viz: from the pure Element and divine indwelling, also paradisical in Power and Highness. 25. In this created Images Substance, out of Three Principles, viz: out of the out-spoken Substance of all things or Substances; hath the eternal Spirit of God, extracted the Original of this whole Substance, which is a Spirit, out of all the Three Principles, out of and through the Substance, and made it a Ruler and Life of the Substance, viz: a Living Soul. 26. That is: A Fire-spirit, out of the First Principle with the Root of the first Impression to the manifestation of the Deity, and in standing in the Darkness; and in the Centre of the first Fire of the eternal Nature, with the first Life in generating in the seven properties, out of which ALL Substances are existed. 27. THAT is the true Fire-Soul, out of the Father's property; wherein God calleth himself a Strong Zealous or Jealous God and a Consuming Fire; but is not known or manifested in the Light of God; but is only the CAUSE of the Kingdom of Joy. 28. And in the dark Root, viz: in the first Impression, viz: in the true Centre of the Creature, is the Original of Sin, viz: of the Evil, if that property in the Creature becometh manifested: then is that Life a life in the fierce wrath and Anger of God, and an Enmity of the Love and Meekness. 29. And Secondly, the Spirit of God hath inbreathed into him, the Original of the Substance of the Second Principle, viz: the Life out of which the heavenly Substance in the desire of Love, becometh generated; out of and through that very Substance, in which Life, the Soul is the true Image and Similitude of God, and an Angel in the Kingdom of God. 30. Which Life Adam squandered away, and lived only in the dark fiery and Earthly part, which Life, God hath manifested out of JESUS, viz: out of the greatest depth, of humility in CHRIST, out of himself again, in Man. 31. Thirdly, God's Spirit hath inbreathed into him, the Air, viz: the Soul of the outward earthly Substance, out of and through the earthly Flesh; as viz: a Life of the Flesh of the Earthliness: which Life should be subjected to the holy, and stand hidden in him as a help and Instrument in equal agreement of Heat and Cold; and neither of them be in the Dominion, but the holy Life of the Second Principle in the Son, should Rule: The Sulphur and Mercurius should Rule in a holy power, viz: in a Quintessence in the pure Element, than the Paradise had continued manifest. 32. Understand us aright thus; the Man or Husband, who hath spoken or expressed this fore-mentioned Substance out, of himself, hath Created Man, out of this his generated corporeal Substance: The Prophet meaneth THAT, where he saith; He who hath made thee is thy Man or Husband. 33. For in him, lieth ALL, viz: as a Seed in the Man or Husband; out of his Exhalation or out-breathing a Seed became manifested: First the Three Principles, and out of the Three Principles the Creature. 34. The Second Clause of the Verse. The LORD of Hosts is his Name. This, the Prophet of God understandeth concerning the Eternal Substance of God without besides or beyond all Nature and Creature; and without besides or beyond the Principles; as the eternal Will of the Free Longing Lust or Delight, manifesteth itself, in the Abyss. 35. Which at this place or in this Birth or Generating is NOT said to be THREE fold; but ONE only GOD, who riseth up in himself, and goeth forth out of himself in a Spiritual Manner, and manifesteth himself through the Centre of his Fire with the Light and the Power of the Love desire in the Transmutation of the Fire into the Light. 36. Which Birth or Geniture, and manifestation manifesteth out of the Fire, the Divine Sound Power and Understanding, after the Manner of the Five Senses, as a peculiar Life; a Life of Love; and this Life is called the Second Person of the Deity, viz: the Second Principle of the Divine Substance; 37. Wherein the Abyss viz: the eternal Nothing in the stillness of the Will, manifesteth itself through the Fire in the Light, and maketh the Fire to be the Kingdom of Joy; and this Birth or Geniture, is called, the * Col. 1. 15. First Born of the Father of all Genetrixes, through which the Father hath generated and Created all things to the Light: Whatsoever is out of or from the Inward Spiritual Eternal, and then out of or from the outward Nature, entered into Spirit and Substance: and here is God rightly understood in TRINITY. 38. Viz: The Father in the First Original from Eternity, in the Fiery and dark Substance; and yet is no Substance, but spirit, out of which Substance, the Impression of Nature, viz: an inward eternal Spiritual Sulphur Mercurius and Sal, of all Power, originateth, also the original of all Creaturely Life, which is generated out of the Eternity, viz: Angels and Souls, and the Spirits of the Third Principle, in the out-birth of the Inward, viz: all earthly Creatures. 39 And in the Second Principle, wherein the Light Power and understanding with the Love-Will, becometh generated out of the Eternal Father, HE is rightly called God: For, the Father is in the Light, viz: in the Son, in his Eternal first Birth or Geniture Manifested in the Love. 40. And here, he is called Merciful; and in that the Free Will of the Anger, entereth through the Transmutation of the Pain into Love and Joy: he is called JEHOVAH; and with that Longing Delight of the Relish or taste of the penetrating through, he is called JESUS; as the Spirit in the Language of Nature giveth us sufficiently to know; and the Tincture of the Fire and Lights Glance, giveth in the Properties the Colour, viz: a Manifesteresse of the Power. 41. Thirdly, the Exit of the Power, viz: the true Life, viz: the Eye of God in the Father of the Fire, and in the Father of the Light, in the First Born, is the out-going Sound, viz: a Flame of the fiery Love-desire, a Formour of the Eternal Will; a Blower up of the Fire, and constant kindler of the Light of the Love, viz: of its own Substance out-going from the Father of the Fire and Light, as a Constant Exhalation or out-breathing; wherein the Father generateth forth the Son out of himself: Thus the Spirit, viz: the POWER of the Sound or Word in the out-breathing goeth forth: and that is now the God JEHOVA in the Trinity. 42. Fourthly; That which is out-breathed; which the Father in the Son, through the Sound of the Word or Voice, breatheth forth out of the Spirit; is the Eternal Wisdom and Omnisciency; for therein becometh Manifest whatsoever God is in his Deep. 43. The Wisdom is God's Manifestation, and the Holy Spirits Corporeity, the Body of the Holy Trinity; and this whole Name; in one Eternal Substance, manifesteth itself through the Wisdom, and is called the LORD of Hosts; or Lord ZEBAOTH. 44. We have no other Language to Express this with; only the Spirit of God in Man, in its own Principle, which searcheth the depths of the Deity, that understandeth it in itself, but we stammer childishly thereof; so far as the outward Tongue or Language is able to lift up itself, and commit this here to every Soul in its Apprehension: for here is no Beginning nor End; neither place nor Limit, but the Manifestation of the Abyss in a Bysse or Ground. 45. But as concerning the words, or that clause of the verse which the Prophet annexes, And thy Redeemer the Holy one in Israel, who is called the God of all the would. 46. With these words the Prophet looketh distinctly forward upon CHRIST, and divideth these words from the First, saying and thy Redeemer, and therewith looked upon the humane Misery, viz. upon the Second MAN, who should new regenerate us in himself, and Redeem us from the Anger of God: 1 John: 5: That the same should then be called the God of all the World. 47. The Prophet sets it down first: He who hath made thee is thy Man or Husband, and afterward he sets it down thus, and thy Redeemer the holy One in Israel. 48. The First Man, viz: the Creator, he calleth Lord of Hosts or Zeboath; and the Second he calleth the Redeemer and holy One in Israel, who is called the God of all the World; Understand, out of the Zebaoth, cometh the Name to the Redeemer, THAT he is called the God of all the World, and this Name ariseth in the JESUS, with the Moving of JEHOVA. 49. Viz: CHRIST became manifested out of JESUS, in the Limit of the Covenant, as a God and Judge of all the World; * Joh. 5. 22. To whom the Father hath given the Judgement of the World. 50. Therefore the † E. S. expositor shall not persuade me to set the Second Man, viz: the Redeemer in Israel, in the Creation; For the Prophet saith: He who hath made thee is thy Man or Husband, the Lord of Hosts or Zebaoth is his Name, and thy Redeemer and the holy One in Israel, whom the Lord of Hosts or Zebaoth manifested to Man for Redemption: and gave to him for Regeneration; he is called the God of all the World. 51. For, therefore hath God manifested him, that he should separate the Evil and the Good, as a GOD of all things or Substances of this World; for all Prophets have prophesied concerning THIS God CHRIST; that he should be manifested and generated in the Flesh, out of the Eternal Original of the Word of the Divine holy Voice. 52. And therefore * E. S. this Author shall not persuade me to set him as Creator of all things or Substances; For when the World was created, then was he hidden in the Word of the Divine Power; the World is become created through the Word, out of which Christ is generated or Born: Joh. 3. 53. For John saith, † Joh. 1. 2. in the Beginning was the WORD; he doth not say: CHRIST; but all things were made by it, and without it was nothing made that was made: and though indeed all which is spoken of the Word may also be spoken of Christ; yet men should distinguish, that men might know what God and the person of Christ are, and the Office of each of them. 54. * E. S. This Author Cooketh or Minceth all together, that Men cannot understand, what the Office and Substance of each of them is, and how the Original of the Word and of the Person of Christ, should be distinguished, and what God and Creature is. 55. He wrongfully concludeth the CREATION in Christ; he should conclude the END of the World in Christ, and not the BEGINNING; though indeed Christ was from the Word in Eternity; yet he was not called CHRIST but JEHOVAH or JESUS. 56. And for Man's and this World's sake JESUS hath manifested the CHRIST out of himself; and that in the Time and not from Eternity, as a high Priest and King of Men; who is a Prince of God. 57 We ought not to speak otherwise of him, for he hath in this World spoken no otherwise of himself; and ascribed all Power to his Father: For he said indeed; † Jo. 16. 27, 28. he was come forth from God, and come into the World; and that was indeed done in Time, and not from Eternity. 58. Though indeed he was in the Eternal Divine Birth or Geniture; yet he hath only in Time, manifested himself out of God in the World, and not in the Creation of all things or Substances. 59 * Note Note. Thus also CHRIST is NOT the Saviour and Redeemer of the Angels; for they need none, and the Devils have NONE; much less hath Christ redeemed all heavenly and earthly Creatures, as this † E. S. Author conceiteth: For the heavenly need no Redemption, and the earthly are NOT created in the Eternal Life; for indeed the earthly Creatures are NOW just as EVIL as before the Suffering and Death of Christ: and so is the earth also yet or still in the Curse. 60. In that regard this Omniscient Word, is very Erroneous in this place: And although indeed, there is mention made in the holy Scriptures, concerning the Redemption of the Creatures: That all Creatures groan together with us, to be delivered from vanity, and that CHRIST shall Redeem them. 61. But it hath NOT this understanding, to mean Oxen Calves Wolves Bares, and other Beasts and Living Creatures, BUT the Creation, wherein the Vanity of the Curse of God, which holdeth Captive in itself the Fair Paradise, viz: the GOOD part of the pure Element in this World's Substance: THAT shall the Judge CHRIST in the Harvest Separate, and give the Chaff to all Devils and Wicked Men to possess. 62. The Creatures are not yet redeemed, they yet groan all this while to enter into the Mystery out of which they are gone forth; it is but an erroneous Conceit which runneth contrary to any visible or apparent ground, like a mad senseless or raging Drunkenness. 63. Also the Crusher or Bruiser of the Serpent, as * E. S. this Author sets it down, in Paradise after the Fall, was not promised to the BEASTS and earthly Creatures, he can not show that, though he so much appeal to the SCRIPTURE. 64. It is false, and standeth not in the Scripture with such a meaning; and men should not think while he speaketh falsely, that he speaketh only and solely out or from God; he that believeth him will be deceived. 65. The Author Esaiah Stiefel sets these words down concerning the Regeneration of Christ, viz: With † Viz: The Christ. which this Triune God loved the WHOLE World with all its Births or Genitures; and not only promised it to Man and the abovesaid heavenly and earthly Creatures, first for a Redeemer, through this Triune Deity; but also Regenerated and presented IT livingly, substantially, operatively, and actively, in the precious Birth and assumption of humane Flesh, and Blood, in the Womb of the Virgin MARY, God & Man, in one Person, visibly, palpably and Substantially, here upon Earth. 66. But Jacob Behme inserts, that Christ hath Regenerated NO earthly Creatures but MAN. 67. And while this Author Esaiah Stiefel, with or by these words includeth ALL Creatures be they what they will in Heaven and Earth, in the Becoming Man or Incarnation of CHRIST, and in his Redemption, and saith clearly it is so, palpably and substantially now here upon Earth, a Man may thereby well know what Spirits Child this Author Esaiah Stiefel is. 68 Viz: That he is stark drunk with or from the Stars; and likely, also, from that evil Enemy the Devil, which I offer the Reader to ponder of, and do pray God, that he will give this Author Esaiah Stiefel, a better Mind and Thoughts, to leave off such an Error that Christ's Children be not deluded. 69. * E. S. He saith also; God hath in CHRIST, even † Note. while we are here upon Earth, if we do but believe, redeemed and delivered us from ALL Sin and Lust of the Flesh, yes from the Devil Death and ALICE unrighteousness: And I understand it so too, but according to, or as to * Note. that Will which entereth into Christ; but he who liveth in self-hood in the flesh, he is NOT yet free from Sin, he Sinneth Daily, in himself, till death cut off Sin and the source or quality of sin from the † Note. Faith and good Will. 70. At this place, he should distinguish, the Earthly, Evil, and the Heavenly, good Will, and Spirit, asunder; which he compriseth all together in Christ's Redemption; that he might be able to say, HE hath no sin, and that he is GOD in CHRIST; but the Earthly Hide or Husk is not Christ, but belongeth to the Earth and to Death, till it dyeth, and giveth up, the Sin Life, or Life of Sinne. 71. But that * E. S. he saith the truly Faithful, is ONE Substance with Christ; That I say also; but according to the † Note. Inward Man and Soul; the house of sin, is so long severed from Christ, whiles it sinneth; but when it dyeth to sin, than it standeth in the Rest, to or for the Resurrection and Restoration. 72. But, for what virtues, he ascribeth to the Faithful man, those all, only and solely the * Inward Man hath; the outward doth nothing that is good freely and willingly, unless the Inward Compel him to it; that is proved in the Author himself he should clearly distinguish that, else no credit will be given to him against all Reason Sense and Experience. 73. I am persuaded that there are more that be Christians than he; yet they must all acknowledge themselves to be sinners; For it is written; All the Saints will call on thee for the forgiveness of sins; therefore these men ought to consider with themselves. 74. But that * E. S. he saith, Christ in the Faithful is ALL, the Will and the Performance or Deed, Mind or senses and Thoughts, working, speaking, living, and all in all, substantially, visibly, palpably, inwardly, and outwardly; This is agreeable to no Truth: If Man doth any thing that is good from an inward driving, that indeed is from God; but he doth also, much Evil, from the Lusts of the Flesh, and the Devil's instigation; and that, Christ doth not, but the outward sinful Man, whether it be by Words Deed or Thoughts. 75. † E. S. He telleth me much, of such truly Faithful as cannot sin at all: I believe not that such a ONE liveth in the World, he is himself a great sinner and a scornful proud surly Man, I believe he is altogether Drunk in Sin, so that he knoweth not himself. 76. I know also well, that CHRIST in Man, if he once dwelleth in him, SINNETH not; but the FLESHLY Man sinneth daily; he cannot rule from one Sea to another; Christ can do it well, but Man cannot, he is only an Instrument; this high painting for Man ought not to be the Tenth part so much: Man is as to the Outward, but a STINKING Sack of Worms, full of filth and Evil Lusts, one as well as another. The Fourth Text. Now followeth the Text. 1 Corinthians. 11. 12. As the Woman is from the Man, so also the Man cometh by the Woman, but all from God. Now followeth the Answer of the * E. S. Explainer upon this Text in Four Points. I. IN this is especially required. First, what the Divine good Wife or Woman is, which cometh from Christ her only Lord Husband or Man and God; and taketh her Original according to a Divine humane Manner. II. Secondly; How and in what Manner, and kind She proceedeth from her God and Husband or Man. III. Thirdly; How also the Husband or Man, God, Christ, is proceeded and Manifested through the divine Humane Wife or Woman. IU. And Fourthly; How also this Feminine Man or Masculine Wife or Woman; One in Eternity, cometh out of the Divine Humane Eternity Unity, and hath its Eternal beginning in God without End: and without ceasing keepeth it in Eternity with and in God in Eternal Unity. The First Point Of the Fourth Text. I. 1. NOw concerning the divine Good wife or woman, which cometh from Christ her only Lord Husband or Man and God, and hath her original out of him, according to a Divine humane Manner: that is a faithful Body and Soul; or the faithful Souls Body, in indivisible unceaseable Unity. 2. Not begotten out of the perished Substance of the fallen Adam and naked fleshly Lust; and perdition of the whole Substance of the fallen Man; and proceeded to the Light; and become visible; but through Christ, the Triune divine Substance; generated from Eternity. 3. It is a total New, through Faith prepared Divine good Man, in Body and Soul; yes out of Christ, the express Image of the Totall holy Divine Triune good Substance; yes, proceedded forth through himself, and in the world, become manifested, to the Faith and in the Faith, visibly, apparently, corporeally, and palpably; A True, Good, Divine, Holy, Faithful, Visible and Comprehensible, to all the truly Faithful. 4. But to the unfaithful, wicked, perished, in Sin persevering Adamical, world; an Invisible, Incomprehensible, Man, participating of all good holy divine Properties, in and with Christ, the Triune highly praised God, the Husband or Man, in Eternal undivisible Unity, operatively and substantially, and according to his own kind and property, a visible, holy, truly faithful, divine, good, MAN. Here followeth * J. B. my answer upon this first Point, together with an Explanation of the right understanding. 1. JAcob Behme saith; we would fain see a clear demonstration, in the outward visible operative comprehensible substance; since it hath not yet proved itself in any Man since Adam's Fall; and yet this Man speaketh of a visible palpable operative substance, which is totally divine Perfect and without blemish of Sin, which worketh mere holy unblameable works in Gods Love-will. 2. But seeing the Holy Scripture, speaketh in No place of such a thing; that such a one hath been after the Fall; who hath been born totally Holy without blemish: but without difference; all are concluded under Sin, as it is written, † Rom. 3. 23. They are all Sinners, and want the Glory, which they should have with God. 3. And yet * E. S. this man giveth himself forth, That he is so totally and altogether God in Christ, and the Glorious Antitype of this New Bride of Christ; and yet likewise no Man can say, that hath been present with him; that he is any otherwise then all other sinful Men are. 4. And therefore from his giving forth, we are not at all assured, but desire that he would powerfully and effectually show it in himself, that Men might with truth see; that God hath done some special thing in him; that it is so as he saith; but seeing we yet all of us, find ourselves in no such Perfection, and cannot say so of our fleshly Birth or Geniture; for we should be found as Liars before God; if we did come before him and say; we were come holy and totally righteous from our Mother's womb: and if he should prove us and find us faulty, than he would not suffer it to avail us. 5. In Our Father; CHRIST teacheth us, we should pray to God and say; † Matth. 6. 13. Lead us not into Temptation, for if he should tempt us, we should not be found pure: and it might well be as Isaiah saith; * Isa. 1. 6. From the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot, there is no soundness in thee; but mere wounds botches and putrified sores, which cannot be healed. 6. Also Christ had in vain taught his Disciples to pray Forgive us our Trespasses, IF they had had none; Also men find from the beginning of the world in the Old and New Testament, how very often honest people have begotten evil children; thus without doubt the possibility hath yet been with none, that they have begotten Children merely out of CHRIST; like this Author: I would fain see his Wife & Children; whether they have another skin on, since they are so Holy. 7. I have been told, how partly they are finely uncircumcised; but if their Holiness were hidden from us; then that were good counsel and advice; that Men should keep them by themselves, that they might not mix with the sinful children of Adam: but get children among themselves only; and raise up a NEW World. 8. Then men might justly call that People ZION and a marriage State, and say: Here is the Lord: but since it showeth not itself yet in the work in power and Life, therefore we are not yet sufficiently assured of this Bride; for, a good discourse or Romance, without Life, doth not assure us. 9 But, that he saith, Men can NOT see the Holy People that is very wonderfully spoken; For was not Christ himself AFTER his Resurrection in the Flesh, SEEN? Shall we then believe without the power of the proof? seeing it is without the Ground of the Scripture; therefore it will be very hard to persuade us. 10. Who will assure us this, when Saint Paul saith; † Gal. 1. 18. If an Angel from Heaven should command bring another Gospel than he brought, let him be accursed: and he nevertheless in his Epistle, hath * Gal. 3●. 22. concluded all under Sin; and hath spoken of a twofold Man; that * Rom. 7. 17. Rome 7. 25. If he sinneth yet he doth it Not, but the Sin in the Flesh doth it; Also, with the Flesh, he serveth the Law of Sin, and with the will out of Christ, he serveth God. 11. And Saint Peter saith; † 2 Pet. 1. 13, 14. It is signified unto me that I must lay off this Earthly Tabernacle; Therefore we cannot be assured of this total holy Perfection upon Earth Outwardly and Inwardly in the total humane Substance without feeling Experience. 12. And though * E. S. this Man speaketh plainly SO of himself; yet we believe him not, unless he assureth us of it in Power: for it might probably be only an Imagination; and not in Deed or in Substance; and then we were very silly people, that we should without ground and assurance, so proudly present ourselves before God; as if we had NO Guiltiness; I suppose it would be fine humility before God, for a stinking loathsome Sinner, to present himself before God, and say; I am Holy, and am GOD himself, in Divine Omnipotency; I cannot Err nor Sinne. 13. Dear Brethren, look to it, it is not far from this, nor is much wanting, that a new Antichrist is generated or Born: Germany hath certainly with its security caused it; in that men live so securely or carelessly under Christ's Purple-Mantle, and tickle ourselves with Christ's sufferings, and do but only fatten or 〈◊〉 the Man of Sin under it; and this is a certain Image of humane security and negligence, in that we boast we are good Christians. 14. And say: we are Christ's Children and moreover Holy, and will be distinguished from other People: therefore God showeth us in this Image, that we stand with the Mouth trimmed and adorned before him; but the Spirit is a false or wicked Man: As this † E. S. Author saith; We should call ourselves Holy, and deny the Earthly Name, and firmly believe we are NO Sinners but God in Christ, born Totally Holy. 15. And when this seeming Holy World, existeth, then is the knowledge or acknowledgement of Sin totally Dead; and although God should blame us; yet would the flattering Hypocrite, Murmur against God and say; he did him wrong, and then is the enmity against God generated, and Sin totally * Or Blinded, from, us. blind. 16. No Man would know more of Sin, and though likely we were totally sinful before God; yet then is the time of which Christ said; † NOTE Dost thou suppose that when the Son of Man shall COME, that he shall find FAITH on the Earth: there would be NO Faith, in Power, but only mere Faith of a History, so that we will not believe, if any should charge us as guilty of Sin; thus there would be a fine secure negligent or careless ZION - like, Life. 17. Whatsoever we did then, it were all Good; there would be accounted no Sin in the world, none would be said to have sinned, Christ must do all; and though many were very thieves; yet no * NOTE MAGISTRACY or Government would be useful, for CHRIST ruleth all in all. 18. Where there is no Sin, there is also no punishment; then also men would need no Superior to Judge, for every one judgeth himself; and whatsoever he doth, that doth God through him; which indeed would run contrary to the angelical Government, and against the Government of the Inward and Outward Nature. 19 I admonish all Readers of † E. S. His writings, very sincerely from a true heart, as a brother, for our eternal salvations sake, diligently and well to ponder and consider; what is hidden under this giving forth the bring Holy: and how the Devil thinketh to take us with a New 〈◊〉; seeing he perceiveth that his smoak-hole shall be manifested. 20. Therefore will he now drive us wholly forth from the acknowledgement of Sinner that we should be wholly secure or negligent, and understand no Sin more, and supposeth that we in our present evil life which we have, shall finely learn to cover ourselves With Christ's Purple Mantle, and introduce us totally into security and carelessness, and so keep us from the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of Sins and entrap or take US all. 21. But dear Brethren observe, and convert or turn away from security, and acknowledge yourselves to be the lost, and returning Son to the Father, and say continually, you have shamefully spent your inheritance; and that the Father hath received you again for his Son, he hath done it of Grace and Favour. 22. Be not proud again, say not to the Father divide the inheritance between us; continue only in humility, under the servitude of a Son, as CHRIST hath set before us in his Similitudes or Parables; if God will effect any thing New with us, he will well manifest it with power; we suppose words without demonstration, are too little, in so high a matter, whereon salvation and blessedness depends. 23. But therewith I set before the Reader, the true ground what Adam and Christ are in ONE Person; and which Man is without Sin, therefore Mark this which followeth. 24. The Kingly Prophet of God, David, * 1 Sam. 13. 14. Was a man after Gods own Heart, as the Scripture testifieth of him, in whom was the Spirit of God; and he prophesied of Christ; but he said † Psal. 51. 5. In Sin was I born, in Sin did my Mother conceive me: which also manifested itself in him, so that he had near the Spiritual Man, also a sinful Man IN him, which was a Murtherour and an adulterer: as the like may be seen in the Patriarchs. 25. But who will now say of David, that he was not holy? Seeing he was a Man after God's Heart; who also will say, that his Murder and Adultery was without Sin? The Man that in David was a Prophet, THAT was no Sinner: but that which was a Murderer was a Sinner; and yet it was but one only MAN, in one Person; but in two Properties, viz: one Heavenly and one Earthly. 26. The Spirit of God speaketh of things to COME, and of CHRIST; concerning the Heavenly Property: and the fleshly desire, into which the Devil introduced his desire, speaketh out of the Earthly Property, out of the Earthly cursed Life, viz: out of the Murder and Unchastity. 27. * Note. In ALL men lieth the Heavenly Image; which disappeared in Adam; but it liveth in one, and in another it is Vnlively: That Heavenly Image, viz: the second Principle, is that out of which CHRIST was conceived and born out of JESUS. 28. For, † Note. God is in all places, but not Manifest in all things, but if he manifesteth himself in the disappeared Substance, then is Christ born, who dwelleth in his Principle; and the Earthly Man of the Earthly part in the Curse of God; dwelleth in its own Principle, in itself. 29. The Spirit of Christ dwelleth in the inward Substance of the disappeared Image, from the Divine world's Substance, that died in Adam; and the Elementary Spirit dwelleth in the Four-Elementary Flesh. 30. The Spirit of Christ hath Spiritual Flesh, for it taketh the Spiritual Flesh which died in Adam, on again for a Body; and Maketh it living, THAT, is in its Flesh, holy; but the outward Spirit of the four Elements in the Earthly Flesh, is longing after falsehood and wickedness, and bringeth its Lust against the Inward Man, for the Devil sifteth it. 31. And that is it which the Scripture saith: * Gal. 5. 17. The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit; understand against the inward Divine Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh; And God said to the Serpent, in the Outward Flesh of Adam; I will put Enmity between the Seed of the Woman and of the Serpent. 32. The Inward Spiritual Flesh is Heavenly, the Devil cannot possess that; for if the Soul forsake that and go out from it, then is THAT vanished or disappeared and as a Nothing; In the wicked it is as a Nothing. 32. But when the wicked turneth himself to God, and turneth the Will of the Soul to God; then is Christ out of the disappeared Seed born a Man; and is set before the Devil in the outward Flesh, for a Crusher or Bruiser of the Serpent, which hindereth and breaketh the Will of the evil Flesh, so that Sin is NOT committed. 34. * NOTE And THAN there is a constant Enmity; Christ Governeth in his Heavenly Flesh, through the outward; and striketh the Outward Lust to the Ground; then cometh the Anger of God in the Centre of the Soul, and will also have its fierce wrathful Government: and the Devil with the false or wicked Lust; crowds himself thereinto. 35. And the Elementary Spirit hungers constantly after its Mother the Elements, and then the Devil bringeth the Lust aloft, and wheeleth the desire about; then the Hand and the Mouth Fall on; and doth the work of the false or Evil desire. 36. Then standeth Christ in his tender humanity in the inward Holy Body, and reproveth the outward Man, presseth upon him, and taketh his power from him, and setteth him before the Eyes in the Mind, that it is abomination and Sin; and driveth him again to the unloading of that, which the desire of the Flesh hath loaden upon him, viz: to abstinence and Repentance. 37. Which is nothing else, but a going again out of the Abomination, and then the wrought Abomination, remaineth to the Anger of God and to the Devil for food, that is ITS refreshing; but the Mystery of Man, becometh Free again in itself. 38. But as the Fowler, † Lauret. watcheth the Fowls, so the Devil watcheth upon the Soul, so soon as it gazeth a little upon him, than he bringeth his Imagination into it, and stirreth the desire of the Flesh; and then beginneth the Devil's Dance again; with whom Christ must fight without ceasing. 39 But if he be not yet born and manifested in Man in the Heavenly Substantiality, so that the fair Image standeth yet disappearing and without Life: As in Truth, with MOST it is so, then know this; That IMMANUEL, viz: the Spirit, which in Paradise promised itself to Adam & Eve, and went to meet them in their Light of Life; and called them, saying * Gen. 3. 9 Where art thou Adam, in the Light of Life of the Soul, and did set itself towards them with great desire; and now continually calleth the soul saying it should incline and turn itself too GOD. 40. Then will JESUS, manifest himself in the faded or disappeared Image, and Generate CHRIST, viz: a New Life, in the heavenly Substantiality; and that is the true drawing of the Father, whereof Christ speaketh; saying; † John. 6. 44. None cometh to me except the Father draw him; the Father draweth the Soul; that it should enter into God's Love and Mercy. 41. And if it entereth in, then is JESUS CHRIST, a true Man, in the faded disappeared Substance, and possesseth the Gates of the Deep; and, of those, saith Christ; * John. 10. 28, 29. My Lambs shall none pluck out of my hands; for if HE be born, then may the Devil, rage and rave, and throw the BODY as it were to the ground, yet then the Saviour standeth in the Battle, and draweth the whole Man continually again out of the misery, and raiseth him up before him, that man runneth continually again to Repentance of his abominations heaped on him from the Devil, and unloadeth himself of them again. 42. But concerning the Conception of Children, That a right true Regenerate Christian Man, should beget his Children totally Holy without Guilt, as † E. S. this Author conceiteth; that is Babel and a great Error, which the Serpent introduceth, under which it will cover itself, that a Man might not know the Kitling, it would fain be called Holy, Men have a long time called it the Black slick Evil Devil; and now it would once fain be called also Christ, and a God: but the Most high hath discovered it, so that we see, and know, it: and would have you Christianly warned. 43. Every Tree and Vegetable bringeth forth fruit out of itself; as the Plant is; but know this; That the spirit of Nature, presseth so hard together into the power, out of which the branch groweth, that the branch oftentimes becometh, evil, withered, yea altogether a dry, rotten, Branch. 44. THUS it is with Man; that which is sown, that groweth; but God's Anger, through the Devil's Imagination, especially when he observeth, that the outward Constellation of the Stars in the Elements is evil; presseth itself often in, therewith; so that honest Parents beget evil Children, and on the contrary also many times evil Parents beget honest Children, as experience maketh it apparent before our Eyes. 45. And to that End; CHRIST hath commanded us the * Pedobaptisme. Infant Baptism, to baptise the Child in the Name of the Holy Trinity: then he will thus in this his Covenant be powerful; and with his power kindle again the poor captive Tinder, and take the Serpent's Poison, away, out of the Light of Life; so that the divine drawing standeth open. 46. Then the introduced Poison remaineth IN the outward Flesh, which will afterwards be broken in CHRIST, and the Gates out and in stand open to Man: and then it is, as it is written, † Rom. 6. 16. To whom you give yourselves, as Servants in Obedience, his servants ye are; whether of Sin to Death, or of the Obedience of God; to Righteousness. 47. The Soul hath freewill to go OUT and IN, but it * Note. can NOT generate itself in Christ; it must only go out of its own Evil Will, and enter into God's Mercy; Then CHRIST'S Spirit: which in JESUS, stood presented to the Soul in the Light of Life: taketh it in his Arms of the desire; and Sprouteth in its desire in the faded disappeared Substantiality, forth, from the pure Element of Heaven; as a New Life out of Death, and that is CHRIST, Man and God. 48. Readers let me persuade you, iry it, go with it into the Holy Scripture, try it inwardly and outwardly, and learn the Truth out of Christ's Spirit, than you will put no belief in † E. S. him: but we have seen it in Ternario Sancto, in the holy Ternary: and know what we write. 49. But I am a Child, whose understanding hangeth at the Breasts of my Mother, and have no authority, and NO understanding, unless what my Mother giveth me; I lie in imbecility as a dying Man, but the most high raiseth me up in his Breath; so that I go according to his Wind. 50. But I warn you Christianly, that you would understand the zeal, to the welfare of your own Souls; I have wages enough, If I attain your Breath, and may Sprout up IN you, and may give you my Life; what should I give you more? take the present and lay it well to Heart. 51. Not in opinion only; but introduce it into the Breath of God, and try it in Body and Soul; and take the clearness thereof, let affections go, they are not the Pearl; but set for the shame, of a sinner: that the Evil and Malice might cease and not pride itself in FLESH; take only the pure Oil for healing, the rest taketh not hold of the Souls Wounds, but only the wounds in the outward Man; I pray the Reader not to interpret this otherwise, then as it hath its true Ground. 52. Now as to what the * E. S. Author, saith concerning the Good Divine Wife or Woman, which doth not exist from Adam's sinful Flesh and evil Lust, which conceiveth and generateth the Holy Man, which is CHRIST, God and Man; THAT I also believe; it is true: But his understanding is erroneous, in that he understandeth it to be out of the outward Man, and will have a total transmutation of the outward into the inward, in this world. 53. The Good Wife or Woman is the Heavenly Image, viz: the second Principle, which died in Adam, in that very faded or disappeared Substance, the Father of all Things or Substances, striketh up the sparkle of his divine power: and if it be so that the Soul also in the drawing of the Father hungreth after it; the sparkle beginneth to glimmer. 54. And † Mat. 13. 31, 32. Mark. 4. 30, 31, 32. is first small as a grain of Mustardseed, as Christ saith, and if the Soul persevereth, and introduceth ITS Will and hunger continually into THAT Glimmering Tinder; then he bloweth the Holy Fire up in its desire; so that it glimmereth very much, whence the soul getteth great hunger. 55. Now if it be so, that the Soul casteth away its self-hood, and desireth totally to cast away the falsehood or wickedness of the Devil, and in earnest strife with earnest Prayer and giving up itself, enter into the Love-Fire; then the Love-fire apprehendeth the Souls Desire, and one Fire becometh kindled in the other: for the Soul is the Father's Fire, and the sown Love-Fire is the Sonnes-Fire. 56. And now cometh the lost Son, viz: the soul, again into the Father's Love, and the * Luke. 15. 7. Great Joy in Heaven beginneth, so that the Angels rejoice more than at Ninety Nine righteous, that need no Repentance. 57 And at this Place; in this conjunction; the Noble Virgin, viz: the Good Wife or Woman, taketh its Bridegroom the Soul again into the Triumph of the Divine Kingdom of Joy, and giveth its Bridegroom the Garland of Pearls. 58. Not totally for its own propriety of its substance; No, there are Two Principles; God remaineth God, in himself; but the Divine Light bringeth the Virgins-Spirit out of the Love-fire, into the Souls-Fire; and kindleth the Souls-Fire also; so that the Virgins-Light, shineth IN its Bridegroom, viz: the SOULS Light. 59 And here is Christ in the Wives or Woman's seed become Man; viz: in the second Principle; out of God's Light-and-Love-world; and what is here done, and what kind of Joy, is at this Espousal and Wedding, we have no words to write; but I wish the Lover of Christ may experiment it: For the outward Natural Man believeth US not; unless himself hath been at this wedding; which is kept both in Heaven and on Earth; sufficiently to be understood by those that are OURS. 60. But know this, As Fire blazeth through Iron, whence the Iron is a mere Fire-Source or of a fiery Quality; and yet remaineth in itself, in its Substance Iron as well at one time as at another: and is never Fire in its own self-property, and yet is Fire; But the Fires Might, standeth not in the Iron, but it giveth only its Nature to it, as an Instrument or a Body; wherein the Fire blazeth. 61. * NOTE Thus understand us also, as to GOD and the CREATURE. The Fire, when it blazeth in the Iron; signifieth the Soul, when it is kindled in God's Light; and the Light and the Shining of the Fire, signifieth the Holy Fire, and the Virgin; the Power of the Light is the Pearly-Garland, whereof I write in my writings: THAT, the Virgin giveth not, to the Fire-Soul, viz: to the Original of the Fire, to be ITS own. 62. But it sets the same upon it, and presseth the same into its heart, but it cannot comprehend it, as its proper own; as the Fire cannot comprehend the Light; and yet the Light shineth out of the Fire; the Fire hath another Source or Quality then the Light; the Fire is Father and the Light is Son, and yet they make two Principles one IN another. 63. Thus know; That the Creature is not God, it remaineth Eternally under God; but God blazeth through it, with his desire of the Love-Fire, viz: with his Light and shining, and that very Light, the Soul, viz: the Man, retaineth, so long for its own, as the Will remaineth in Gods Light. 64. But if it enter again in its own propriety, viz: in the Centre of its original in its own Might out of the Resignation, into selfhood; then the Virgin taketh away this Pearly-Garland, from the Soul; for the Soul, viz: its Bridegroom, is run away from its Spouse Christ, viz: from its Love-fire, and become perjured. 65. Then goeth the Soul in the outward Flesh, into the Devil's Net in the dark restraint, and seeketh its own Place; and rest, but findeth nothing; but the Bestial Pleasure of the Flesh; with which it Pampereth itself. 66. But the Noble Virgin calleth it continually, to return again; if it come again, than it is well and readily received: but the first wedding is not kept again: there is indeed a glorious welcome, but not like the first Espousal; we speak as we know. 67. But if the Bridegroom viz: the Soul, cometh not again, then Christ taketh its Garland, which he gave the Virgin for a Life, again from it, than it remaineth in ITS Nothing without Source or Quality, as disappeared or faded: and Eternally not perceptible nor visible to the Soul. 68 And the Soul remaineth in its † Gremen. anxiety, if the Soare be in it at the End of the outward Body; in that regard it standeth in Eternal shame and scorn, that it hath lost ITS Kingly Crown; and is driven out from the Kingdom of God, as an Evil doer, or as a perjured Person from its most beloved Bride and Virgin. 69. Further also know this, that God's Light suffereth NOT itself to be sown forth abroad into the Flesh; the Mother or Tinder to the Light is indeed sown, but standing within, IN its Principle; the † NOTE outward world, is not God, nor will it in Eternity be called God; but only a Substance wherein God manifesteth himself; viz: a † Similitude of the Holy Divine Heavenly Substance, in which God worketh. 70. When a Woman is impregnate from a Man, and generateth a Child, THAT, although likely it cometh from holy Parents, is not Wholly CHRIST, from within and without; as this * E. S. Author conceiteth without ground of Truth out of his obscurity. 71. CHRIST, viz: the WORD, is indeed, a glimmering Mother or Tinder; according to the Property of the true Image, which is propagated in all Men as a possibility, but NOT in the outward Flesh in this world's Substance; but in the second Principle; and the Soulish Property is in the first Principle; each dwelling in itself. 72. Therefore hath Christ instituted the Baptism, and Espoused himself with the Mother or Tinder to Souls, with this Covenant, that though the Mother or Tinder did not come to a burning Light, and that the Child should die, even in its Mother's Body or Womb; yet nevertheless, the Soul would be in Christ's Arms, in which he would kindle HIS Light. 73. And though holy Parents beget Children, if I did look upon them, I would not say, here standeth or goeth in this Child, Christ; it is wholly Christ: HE is indeed IN the Child, but in his own Principle, and in the Child's Property, as a Glimmering Mother or Tinder; on the Band of Christ; but the Soul of the Child is also on the Band of the Father's anger, in the property, wherein Adam's Soul hath broken itself off from God. 74. The Properties of the Soul stand not in Equal Concordance, as God created the First Soul, they stand in the Elevation, in the Multiplicity of the Wills, and not in One Will; in the Multiplicity of the Wills is the Turba; for one Will is the Enmity of the other: and they cannot be broken, for their original is out of the Eternity from the Centre of Nature. 75. Unless Gods Light kindle itself in them, than they become in the Light transmated into One Will; and then the Enmity and contrary will in the Centre of the Life of the soul, ceaseth: also than the outward-Life in the Child, is together, inthe Flesh of perdition, and is subject to Death. 76. For as the Properties in the Souls Life, are in strife and Contrariety, so also are the Properties of the outward Life; for in Adam all went forth out of the equal concordance, and now one kindleth the other: and the strife between heat and cold also Evil and Good, continueth so long as the OUTWARD Life continueth. 77. Therefore, it is a wrong Exposition of the † E. S. Author; where he saith; Holy Faithful Parents generate altogether CHRIST: yes, that Christ himself is the work of Humane Propagation; which a Cow would almost laugh at, to see its like in the outward Man, so that he doth more foolishly than a Beast: Christ dwelleth in Heaven in his own Principle; and the outward Man upon Earth in his own Principle. 78. The holy good wise or woman, whereof he speaketh much without sufficient understanding, generateth not the outward bestial Man of the Four Elements, but the Inward of the pure Element; God driveth not on the work of humane propagation, HE hath given it to MAN into his own: will in Christ God drove it on, but without humane Concurrence, out of his own Predestinate purpose. 79 Now if this * E. S. Author, can generate children without, Man, than we will believe him, that God hath begotten a Christ-Child out of him, or out of his Wife, if without Man, she is impregnate from God's word. 80. But he will fail in that, Adam hath squandered this power; as we have expressed, concerning it at large, in the Book of the Three Principles, also in the Book of the Threefold Life, as also in the first Part of the Incarnation of Christ. 81. The † NOTE Conjunction of the Seeds is clearly in strife, and contrary Will, and in the strife and contrary Will, is the Life in the Child manifest; and not in the Slime, but in the Anguish in the choked Blood: The beginning of Life in a Child, is a DYING of the Masculine and Feminine Tincture, of the Seed, and out of this dying goeth a new own Life, up. 82. As the Light shineth from the Candle; so we are to conceive in like manner, that the Man and Wife only sow the BODY of the Life's Candle; out of which, the Life in the dying, viz: in the anguish-Fire, in the choking of the first Blood, wherein the Child * Or is incarnate. becometh Man, is generated: not as a dying of Consumption, but in the anguish of the dying Source or Quality, the First Principle, viz: the true Fire-Soul in its Principle, becometh manifest. 83. It is not, conceiting will do it, but understanding the Centre of Nature, how a Life originateth; not only to say; Christ, and God, doth a thing; but to know, WHAT, God, Christ, and Man, is, each in Itself. 84. Man must understand the Principles, and not with Historical conceit, with Literal knowledge; and confound one thing in another; such a Master as this † E. S. Author will needs be; viz: a God, that is Omniscient, he should beforehand know very well, and not so sottishly, with such loud cry, come and draw up, without Ground and understanding. 85. Men know also well, that the Holy Woman or Wife viz: the Virginity, is from God; but it hath not the might of Generating; It is in Adam, with the Wife Eve, squandered; it cannot generate more; unless the Generatour viz: CHRIST were beforehand generated in it; and than it generateth the Soul, its Bridegroom, otherwise, in the WILL; that is, it transmuteth it into ITS Love, and setteth Christ's Garland or Crown of victory, upon it. NOw followeth The Second Point of the Fourth Text, The * E. S. Explainers own Words. 1. BUt how and in what measure, manner, and kind, She, from her God and Man CHRIST JESUS, goeth, cometh, is Created or Made, and prepared: hence now the Triune God and Lord signifieth in the Testimony of Holy Scripture, for the better and clearer knowledge of the holy Marriage-state; and wonderful divine Union of Man and Wife, in one Flesh, for a Type and Lookingglass, giveth therein, through the Divine knowledge and wisdom, to acknowledge and consider. 2. How and in what measure, manner and kind, the holy woman or wife, and faithful humane visible Flesh and Blood, under the Masculine and Feminine Sex, from CHRIST, the Triune highly praised God, her Man or Husband, proceeded, was made and prepared. 3. And as true Christian honest faithful married people; whom God joineth together, (for here I speak not of those married people, who highly esteem outward bravery, riches, honourable families, and outward Name, whom the Lust of the Flesh and of the Eye, in this world, bringeth together, and causeth to marry) yes, truly faithful Christian Married people; who many times, never saw one another with their eyes. 4. As, all truly faithful Christian People, will, to the highest praise of God in their hearts, with God the Triune Eternal Truth and Seal, give Testimony, with me, that oftentimes, very wonderfully and strangely, their whole person, altogether unknowing, are brought together and joined by the Triune God JESUS CHRIST. 5. In that, the LORD giveth and incorporateth in the Masculine heart, his holy Love, towards the Feminine Image, which before; as it often cometh to pass, he never saw, much less, found any desire after such a One at any time, which in her presenteth the holy divine Love and voice, with all manner of friendly, richly amiable, words and works towards the feminine Image accordingly. 6. And by * 1 Pet. 1. 15. all manner of outward Modesty and chaste Service or Ministry, and Conversation, without ceasing, in care day and night, is diligent in, and doth not give over, till through the divine good power and working, it presseth into the midst and Centre of the feminine heart: and with its powerful burning operation, it Imageth to itself the Masculine person; and bindeth with itself the very divine Good Holy Chaste Love. 7. In both which Christian hearts, this Triune divine fire-burning Love, in the holy Divine working reception and growing doth not cease, till it bring both these Masculine and Feminine Persons into one. 8. So that they through this powerful working in the Love, are one Heart, one Soul, one Body, one Flesh and Blood; as indeed in the Love of the Divine voice, each calleth or nameth the other his own heart Soul and undivided own propriety. 9 And then in this chaste Divine richly amiable working through the divine power, in holy, and not unchaste fleshly mixture and union, in right holy love and purity in the divine powerful blessing, the divine Word, and holy discourse incorporated in the Faith, bring forth fruit of the pure chaste love, through and out of them, and generate Children. 10. Which the LORD by † 1 Cor. 7. 14. Paul, 1 Corinthians 7. in regard of the faithful married people, and honest Christians, (through and in whom, he with his most holy in the Love, is powerfully and actively) calleth holy generating and holy Children. 11. Which holy wedlock Divine Love, in and among honest Christian Children, is an Eternal never ceasing band of Divine Unity, which never more in and to them, is rent quenched or caused to cease. 12. Just in such a manner it is with CHRIST the Triune highly praised God, the Triune holy Man or Husband; which in and with his divine voice of his holy fully perfect Love, according to the Testimony of St. John 3. * John 3. 16. hath so loved the world, whole Mankind, yes when they were yet Enemies, and presented his Love to all Men, under the Masculine and Feminine Sex. 23. Whereby and wherein, the Children of Men, (which through the Fall of Adam and Eve, were Enemies of God the Eternal Good, and of all Divine Matters) he himself would new prepare them in their hearts, with his own divine Voice and holy Love, with his own power and substantial working, and bring them again, out of the Kingdom and Dominion of the reproachful, in and to the Domineering of Death the Devil Sin, and the outward Naked fleshly World, and Lust of the Eye, and new Create and Regenerate them, in and with, this his holy Divine Love. 14. As indeed through this Triune in-working Divine holy Love CHRIST JESUS, in the Elect; the stony Adamicall sinful cold unchaste malicious heart, with all evil Lusts and Enimicitious Desires, against God, the Triune Eternal Good, is wholly done away; and through this holy Divine working in the Love, is prepared anew. 15. Which appeareth totally richly amiable and a perfect Love-heart of God; which burneth towards the Triune highest Good, in and with full Love, in the full Love itself; and through the most high Triune God Christ Jesus himself's own in-working Power, in the Love towards her Man or Husband of the high Divine Majesty CHRIST JESUS, becometh so fiery and burning. 16. So that also the Divine new Love-heart, appeareth so great & surpassing in the Love, that it presseth into all, inward and outward Members of the Body, in full Power, and changeth all the Members; and to the Triune highest praise of God Christ Jesus, her Man or Husband; totally reneweth them. 17. So that in and to these men new prepared in the Love through CHRIST; nothing but all good holy divine things in Love, in words, life, works and deeds, are traced and manifest, and visibly known and seen by faithful Eyes. 18. In and to which holy total new Divine Person prepared in the Love, the Word of the LORD becometh richly and Gloriously filled; Hos: 2. * Hos. 2. 23. Rom. 9 25. 1 Pet. 2. 10. I will call them my beloved People which were not my Beloved. 19 As now through this holy Divine working in the Love of the Triune highly praised God CHRIST JESUS, the express Image and self-subsisting Substance of the Triune Deity itself; hath prepared, new made, and set, here upon earth, from the beginning of the World, to himself, truly Faithful Holy Patriarchs, Prophets, and all the faithful of the old Testament, out of or from all generations: as also all Evangelists Apostles Prophets and honest Christians under Masculine and Feminine Sex of the New Testament; in such a Manner, as is mentioned before, to his holy Service or Ministry Praise & Glory of his holy Name, yes, to his own Love, IN the Love. Now followeth † J. B. my answer upon this Second Point, together with an Explanation thereof. 1. THAT which this * E. S. Author sets down concerning Christian Married People, that it IS so; aught well to be wished, that it WERE so; but it is not so, perfectly, in any; there is a Good Spring wanting to them, for this Great holiness is squandered away in Adam. 2. Indeed Christ saith; † Mat. 18. 20. Wheresoever two or Three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst amongst them; Christ is indeed with Holy Married people that fear God, if they begin all their Matters in his Name; he governeth and blesseth them, if in earnest sincerity they abide with him, that, I speak not against at all, also all their works in the true married state, are acceptable to him; for Christ is come, that he may destroy the works of the Devil. 3. But the * E. S. Author must not here in the work of humane propagation, put or ascribe so great Perfect holiness; and though indeed it may be called holy, yet it must be better distinguished, what, therein is holy, and what unholy: else would all men's Burning brutish and bestial Lust of the Flesh, be accounted for Holiness. 4. As when they vehemently with the Imagination and Desire, towards Man and Wife, tickle themselves, as if there stuck therein great perfect holiness, and that it were done only and solely out of Gods driving on, in Christ's Power and instigation. 5. And here the † E. S. Author, distinguisheth NOT what is Divine and what is natural; he jumbles the whole work in one, and calleth ALL Divine, as if the work of such conjunction, and inclination of the Desire in one towards the other, were all done in the Driving of the Spirit of Christ. 6. As he draweth also totally to this purpose, the coming together of two Married People; which as to honest virtuous Children, who pray to God in earnest sincerity for it beforehand; and put their Will into his; it is so indeed, that often two persons come together through Gods sending. 7. Which I also praise, when it is SO done; whereby also more blessing and Salvation or happiness may be, then in THOSE, whom the Lust of the Eye merely bringeth together; and nature coupleth: And I would not in this oppose the Author, but willingly receive and allow it for right; IF the Thorn and Poison did not stick in it and under it, concerning the total Holy perfection; wherewith he supposeth he begetteth children void of Original inherited sin. 8. For this ONE Articles sake I will unfold this Point, that Men may but see, what is divine and what is Natural, what is Holy, and what Bestial, and that the flattering hypocrisy and seeming holiness, under which Men will cover the Original inherited Sin might be known. 9 And that honest married people should not be secure or careless, but know, that they also are Sinners; and learn to be afraid of God's Anger, and be humble before God, and diligently learn with great circumspection to Pray one with another, that the Devil may not sift the native impurity, and throw them into the bestial property. 10. Which indeed co-hangeth to this marriage work, for the holy work is performed with a Bestial work, and this originateth in respect of the Fall of Adam and Eve; and that married people might learn to distinguish the holy in the Love, from the bestial, and learn in this work to remain Modest chaste and Temperate, before God and Man. 11. And not as a burning Lustful Bull, to which brutish work this * E. S. Author openeth a wide Door, while he calleth it totally holy, and so at last in his holy giving forth; All shame would be extinguished. 12. Whereas yet the understanding, and also Nature testifieth, that an Abomination hangeth to it, which is not quite holy before God: in respect that also Nature itself together with the Soul, is ashamed of it: which ought well to be considered; and how the poor Soul, which appeareth by the Eyes, is ashamed before its Bridegroom CHRIST: that it now after the Fall, must propagate itself after such a Bestial Manner, like other Beasts. 13. For this cause I will unfold it, that married people may learn to know themselves, and that this Author might not make them So totally blind, and they live in abomination before God, as Beasts without any knowledge thereof; unless for this; I would not particularly oppose him in this Article: for holy people should get also holy children, which yet miserably often faileth, as is apparent to our Eyes. 14. We know what Moses saith: That † Gen: 1. 26. God said: Let us make Man, an Image that is like us; He saith not TWO Images, but ONE Image that is like us. 15. God is according to the Fire and Light but ONE substance, viz: according to the Fires and Lights Tincture in the Eternal Nature he is also but ONE substance; And that he is, and is called Father and Son, yet he is therein also but ONE substance. 16. But manifested in TWO Principles; viz: with the stern Fire-world according to the Father's Property, and according to the Light and Love-world in the Son's Property; And yet is, but ONE only substance undivided, but ONE God; as Fire and Light is ONE. 17. Thus he hath also created his Image Man, according to his similitude, out of his out-spoken substance; out of ALL into ONE substance into one only Image: and also inbreathed the Spirit of all the THREE Principles into ONE only Spirit. 18. All the Three worlds; viz: The Eternal dark cold fiery, viz: the Eternal Nature; as also the Eternal Light fiery, together with the substance thereof, viz: the pure Element, and therein the Paradise; for also the outward Four Elementary and syderial world with its substance, were in this created Image, but One in like or Equal Concord or agreement. 19 Man was and is the Inward and outward world, the Inward World is the Heaven wherein God dwelleth, thus was Man upon Earth in Heaven: the Inward and outward was ONE; the Inward manifested itself in the outward, viz: God in the Time: the Outward is the Time, that was in Man swallowed up in the Eternity; but it was manifested in itself, not totally for the Dominion, but for the wonder of the Dominion of the Divine World. 20. The Outward World knew itself not in the Time, but it wrought in itself as an Instrument of the Master: The outward Sulphur and Mercury of the Body, were manifested in the power of the inward Spiritual Sulphur and Mercury; The Tinctures of both were manifested in one another as One, the Spirit wrought through the Time, and that was a Paradise where neither heat nor cold might be manifested. 21. The Life of Both worlds, viz: the Heavenly Holy, in the Pure Element; and also the outward in the Four Elements, were but One only Life; and that was a Similitude according to God; viz: an Express Image. 22. For God dwelleth in the Time, and the Time is not manifested in him, but before him, as a similitude, it is IN him in the dominion all one: The Time is servant and his work, it liveth in itself, but God is the Life of Time, But in comprehensible to Time: the Time ruleth not in God, but it is in him as an Instrument; wherewith he ruleth and maketh or worketh. 23. But now understand us concerning the Soul, The Soul is not out of the Temporary or Time-Nature; the Time-Nature is but its dwellinghouse, even as an Instrument with which it maketh or worketh: * The Soul. It hath in itself the Centre to the Fire and Light world, and out of the Centre, it became inbreathed into Adam by the Holy Spirit, in the Moving of the Father out of the Three Principles. 24. And this is its Fall and Sin, that it hath through its mighty desire, manifested the Properties of the Dark World in the Centre of the Eternal Nature; which was done through Imagination; in that it introduced its Lust into the Instrument of Time, viz: into the Outward world. 25. And would try how it relished, when the Equality of agreement went forth or away one from another, so that Evil and good were Manifested, each in itself: it lusted to eat of the relish of both, and thereby be omniscient, and subtle; as Lucifer in like manner so perished; who lusted after the dark Centre in the Fire-birth, and awakened that in his desire, that so the like concordance or equal agreement, in him, might be Manifested in an awakening of all Properties: whence Lust and falsehood or wickedness existed to him. 26. For if the Life's forms, viz: the Forms of the Eternal Nature, were manifest every One in itself, than there is a great Enmity, for every one will rule, every One hath its own will, and if this were not, then there would be neither perceptibility, nor finding, but an Eternal stillness. 27. But now the Life's forms should not be manifested in the qualifying or operating each pressing forth; but instanding in equal agreement, like a Tuned Lute: and the Spirit which was brought forth out of this equal agreement, by God's Spirit, was also in equal agreement, viz: the Spirit of the Soul; as the Air out of the Fire; that should enter into the Sound of God, and strengthen itself in the power of the Light, and with that very power strike the Citron of the Life's forms. 28. But that it did not, but it entered into own will, and reached after the Centre of the Life's forms, and awakened the same; it would it SELF be GOD, and made itself a dark Devil; according to the first impression in the Fiat of its Property; out of which in this world, are evil poisonous worms and beasts come to be; according to the outward Impression: and that is the real Fall of the Devil, as also of Adam. 29. But that we may render it better intelligible concerning Adam, as also concerning his Wise: Adam was a total entire Image of God, when God had created him, than he was Man and Wife, and yet neither of them; but a modest Virgin in the Similitude of God. 30. He had the Fires Matrix, and also the Lights Matrix, out of which, through the Element, water becometh generated through the dying in the Fire; He had the Fires and Lights Desire in him; viz: the Mother of the Love and of the Anger, according to the Principles. 31. The Life stood in a Conjunction of continual inward joyful desire of one in another, the Fire loved the Light, viz: its meekning and beneficence; and the Light loved the Fire, viz: its Life and Father; as God the Father loveth his Son and the Son the Father in such a Manner or Property. 32. And in such Love-Desire, viz: according to Fire and Light, in which desire also, the dark impression with its hunger hath intermixed itself; God hath generated Substance; The impression in the Desire is his Fiat, which he leadeth with the voice of his Fire and Light; viz: his making or working. 33. Thus also in his Image, Man, was the Fire - Mitrix, and the Lights desire in great richly Joyful Eternal Conjunction, or as I may somewhat explain it, when TWO desires meet together; as a great richly amiable relish; and the Impression, viz: the Fiat, maketh this Conjunction hard or loud sounding, as the Tone of a word; wherein the clear founding richly joyful Life standeth, in the Feeling Tasting Smelling Seeing and Hearing, as an amiable manifestation of the Eternal stillness. 34. And as this is to be known concerning the Spirit-Life; so also in the Flesh-Life; for what the Spirit in the Three Principles is in itself: In Word and Power: that the Flesh in itself is in the Substance thereof. 35. The Flesh hath the Tincture of the Fire and Light in itself, to such a Glorious Conjunction and relish; and the Fiat, viz: the Impression is also the Middle or Means of the desire in the Flesh; and maketh the relish substantial, whence vegetation or growing existeth. 36. Yet now Adam was but ONE, and standing in such great Glory, as a total Similitude according to God; in Operation Life and generating; as God had generated all things out of his UNITY. 37. And in the FLAT, which was in all things, he had created to himself his Image according to the Property; that is nothing else, but in the impression of the Fiat in that Conjunction, he manifested that very Lust or Longing delight with the Impression; Now if Adam's Soul in its self hood, had entered with its Spirit, into the word of the Holy power of God, and had not awakened the self hood in the Fiat, and had strengthened itself in God's holy power in the desire, viz: in the Impression. 38. THAN had the Impression, viz: the Fiat, again formed a Similitude in Spirit and Substance in itself; THAN might Adam have generated magically after a divine manner; as God generated the Creature, and set it forth VISIBLY. 39 For, the Matrix of the possibility was in him; but when the Souls will, viz: the out-going Spirit, broke itself off from God's power, and went into the Fiat into its Centre, into own Lust, to taste evil and good and went out of the Resignation into self-hood: then went also the Conjunction in the flesh into such a desire; and hungered after the Mother out of which it was created; and the hunger was just in such a Property, as it was in the Spirit. 40. And with this hunger of the Spirit and of the Flesh, was the vanity in the Centre, manifested through the FIAT: For the Fiat impressed the desire, so that the vanity in the substance of the Flesh came and was manifested: then all was done concerning the fair Image: for the vanity loved it self: it would not enter into God's Love, viz: into the Holy power; also it could not; for God receiveth NOT that for a Child. 41. Now when this was done, God saw the Fall, as indeed he had known it before, and in that regard, he saw, and foresaw, Man, in the Centre of his Heart in the Love Desire; determining to move himself in the Centre of his Love in the Humane Image: and to set the CHRIST in JESUS, or out of JESUS, viz: the greatest humility out of God; in this * For a Mediator. Middle between God and the Creature. 42. Then said God in himself, as Moses saith: † Gen: 2. 18. It is not good that this man should be alone; for he had clearly lost the divine Might to generate Magically out of himself through ONE, We will make a fellow Companion or Help to be about him. 43. He Adam could now not generate Magically; for he was clearly passed into the Lust of self-hood; had he kept GOD for a Help; then he had been able; but seeing he could not: therefore said God: It is not good; in the beginning it was good indeed, but in the Lust it was not good. 44. For, in God alone standeth the ability; out of which, Adam was gone with the lust into self-hood; for the Father's Anger, turned itself together in the Fiat aloft and would be Creaturely, whence the Lust after Evil and good existed, viz: after darkness Fire and Light, and the substance of all these. 45. And now when the Verbum Fiat, the Word Fiat stood in Adam in the desire, and impressed the Property in the Lust, into a substance of its Similitude, than appeared the Magical Image, viz: the Similitude according to Adam in the Spirit, but the ability of the Creature was gone, for it stood in the self hood, than sunk the self-hood down in unability. 46. Now then said Moses: * Gen: 2. 21. And God suffered a deep sleep to fall upon him, seeing he was gone from God into the self-hood, therefore God let him fall into unability, viz: into sleep; he let it be done, that he fell into unability; for in the self-hood he was in the Fires-might even become a Devil, and so was not able; but he slept: and this Sleep is CHRIST'S Rest in the Grave. 47. Dear Brethren observe it well, it is become highly known, not in Conjecture and Conceit, but in Terrario sancto in the Holy Ternary, according to God's Counsel and Will. 48. † NOTE The world's change. The Sleep signifieth Death, viz: a destruction of this outward Dominion: for as the outward World in its self-hood and Dominion, cannot stand Eternally, but must go again into the beginning, into the Eternal divine Dominion; and totally break to pieces in its self-hood, and be purged and tried through God's Fire. 49. So must also the Outward Mystery of Man in the * NOTE Man's change with the world's change. self-hood, break to pieces, and enter again into the Magic Image into God's Willing Working and Living. 50. † Note Text. I. verse 115. and following to verse 72. And understand us here right: The Woman, viz: venus's Matrix from the Light Aire and Water out of Adam's Essence, became in Adam's Sleep, viz: in the unability impressed in the Fiat, as a Mother to the Propagation; wherein the Fire, in the Property of the Love-Desire, viz: in the Centre of the Transmutation of the Fire into Light, became comprehended in the Fiat. 51. But the awakened vanity in the desire of the Fiat in the own self-hood of the Souls will, was clearly stirring and manifested in the Lust: the Magic Birth was lost: therefore God through the Fiat, * Gen; 2. 21. took a Rib in Adam's side, according to the Impression of the power of Adam's Soul and Spirit, in the Sulphur Mercury and Sal: and manifested that in venus's Matrix. 52. Understand: from Adam was taken his fair Rose garden of the great Lust Desire or Pleasure, of the Kingdom of Joy; viz: the Lights Tincture according to the Property of the Love-desire; And according to the bodily substance, the Property of the Spiritual Water; which in the Love-desire, becometh generated through the Fire, and is the Fires or Souls-Spirits greatest refreshment, in which the Fire-spirit had impregnated itself in Substance, and generated its Similitude; viz: in the Love-desire. 53. This Venus Mother, became figured into a Wife or Woman, and in Adam remained the Fires Mother, which continually, introduceth its hunger into the Venus' Mother, in like manner also the Venus Mother into the Fires Mother, viz: into its Father and Man or Husband, which giveth it Essence and Life. 54. In which Conjunction, the PERFECTION of the Kingdom of Joy standeth, and the fulfilling of the desire, which should damp and hold Captive the Lust of Vanity, out of the Centre of the Impression according to the dark world's property; and only refresh itself in the Love, viz: in the Kingdom of Joy. 55. This Love-sport or Scene of both the Tinctures of Fire and Light, were divided in Adam in his Sleep; for God parted them in the Fiat, and here Adam lost his chaste Love-sport: and his Virginity, which CHRIST brought to him again; and in the place of his Rib for a Wife, where he became broken must Longinus'es' Spear enter; and the Regenerate Virginlike blood, must Tincture this Breach; and heal and make it whole again; and quench the wrath which was in the Breach. 56. Thus we understand what the Woman or Wife is, viz: A half Adam; Adam hath in the † Or Predominancy. Superior might: the first Principle; and Eve the second. In Adam's part the vanity became first manifest, viz: in the Centre to the Fire. 57 Which Fires-desire entered into the Venus' desire, and in the Lust became manifested in the Substance; in which the propagation was; therefore God in Paradise promised to enter again into the Seed of the Woman, and with the new generated Love-desire, to break the Head of the Serpent's desire which was existed out of the Centre to the Fire-Life. 58. That is, to overcome IT with the great Love, to go itself into the abomination, viz: into the Woman's Seed, which the abomination in venus's Matrix hath poisoned, and introduced into false or wicked Lust; and to break that very will, which against God's holiness and purity went into own self, and turn it again into the Love-desire. 59 And here when Adam was divided, and the Divine might or power, slept, he together with his Wife, with his Pleasure-Garden, was ordained into the outward Life; for the divine understanding was in him, faded. 60. For, he was gone forth from the Divine Love-Fire, with his desire, into the self-hood after the vanity, viz: after the Manifestation of Nature, after Art and much knowing, THAT, he got also; but he lost thereby the knowledge of the DIVINE Kingdom of Joy. 61. He was yet indeed in Paradise with his Eve, when the Spirit of the outward World awakened to him; but in the Lust of the vanity together with his Eve, to which the Devil afterwards gave him more cause, at the Tree of Temptation, as is * See before Text. I. verse: 115. above mentioned. 62. Adam Slept in the Divine world, and awaked to the outward world, and with the Earthly Eating of the Tree of Temptation which was Evil and good; the vanity in the Substance of the Flesh fully awaked; for there began the Properties of the abomination in the Centre of Nature; to qualify or opperate, as a seething. 63. Now was Heat and Cold, moreover, bitter, sweet, and sour, and all whatsoever is manifested in the Dominion of the Stars and the Elements; manifested also in him: The Sulphur and Mercury became manifest and stirring in vanity of the Poyson-Life: of which now, the Souls Spirit in Adam and Eve, was ashamed when they saw, that they in their self-hood, stood in such misery; and that Heat and Cold pressed upon them. 64. And when God called them, again with the voice of Grace, Adam said, * Gen: 3. 10. to the 14. I am naked, and am afraid, But God said, who hath told thee that thou art naked: hast thou not eaten of the Tree which I forbade thee; and he said; the Woman gave me, and I did eat: and the Woman said, the Serpent beguiled me. 65. Here now lieth the whole forementioned matter or Substance, how it came to pass; for the Lust stood in Adam, and was in the Love-Desire in the Fiat become introduced into Substance; in which, Adam, had the Birth standing, that was divided from him; and now began that very abomination of false or wicked Desire in the Woman, to lust; and raised fully the whole work up, to Sin and abomination against God's holiness. 66. And this is the very abomination before God; that the Life's Forms are gone out from the equal agreement every one into the Manifestation of Itself: whence in the Life, contention, viz: rising up of Pride, as also Covetousness, Envy, Anger, and false or wicked suttlety; existeth. 67. So that every Form knoweth itself in the self-hood, and is Manifest to itself, whence Man, viz: the Flesh in this opposite Strife; is introduced into Sickness, woe pain and corruption. 68 For in the equal agreement NO Corruption can be, for all Wills of the Life's Forms are but One only Substance, they go in one equal harmony, every property is the good relish and love-desire to the other, but in the inequality or disagreement there is mere Enmity; not at all willing in its property, to hear see smell taste and feel. 69. In these Five Senses standeth the Enmity of the Life, wherein there is nothing but mere strife, in respect of the inequality or disagreement and disharmony, which the sound viz: the Voice of God receiveth not or suffereth not to come into itself: unless the multiplicity of the Wills let their right or propriety go; and sink down again totally in resignation, into God's Mercy. 70. As Christ saith; Unless ye convert and become as Children which know of no falsehood or wickedness: ye shall not not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven: Also ye must be born anew: That is, this Will of falsehood and vanity must totally break, and a new spring forth, which willeth the falsehood or wickedness no more: else there is no blessedness or Salvation. 71. And therefore must the Flesh totally Die and corrupt; wherein the abomination and the vanity lieth in the Substance, and go again to the Limit where it originally existed in Adam, to a new Revelation or Manifestation. 72. Now we are to weigh, the Propagation of Man; the humane body is become earthly; for, the vanity, out of which the earth became generated, is awakened in it; and hath swallowed up the holy heavenly Substance into itself. 73. For, the true Love-Spirit, departed in the Curse of the Earth from Man, when the vanity awakened, than God * Gen: 3. 17. to the 20. Cursed the Earth; then all was done concerning the fair Paradise of Man; his heavenly Image of the divine Substantiality faded: and was no more known. 74. Which in a Similitude is understood to be no otherwise, then as when look upon LEAD which before had been GOLD, and had through MERCURY, turned itself into LEAD, wherein the poisonous Mercury is manifested; which before in GOLD stood in great brightness and Perfection. 75. And as now in the Lead there is yet a possibility to be Gold; but it was not manifested in the Mercury; the Mercury could not turn itself again into Gold; unless the Artist came and broke to pieces the Lead Totally: and turned it into the first matter, out of which it was Created; then might out of that matter fair Gold come to be, as it was at first. 76. Or else, if the power of Sol, did move itself in this Mercury of the Lead, which yet is a Saturn, but yet hath the Impression, viz: the first Ground to Gold in itself; and generate in its power Gold again in the Lead, so that I see Lead and Gold in ONE Substance; and yet it is not manifested: but the Lead holdeth the Gold as it were half Swallowed up and covered. 77. Thus we are to understand in like manner concerning Adam and Eve; their fair Golden Body in divine power and Substance, became a Dark obscure Lead; spoken by way of Similitude; The Golden Mercury awaked in the vanity of the poison, then faded and vanished the Gold, viz: the holy Body in the Abomination: and now it was totally Earthly, and must to Earth again. 78. But the voice of God which called them again, espoused itself again with the promise of the Serpent Crusher or Bruiser, in venus's Matrix, viz: in the Second Principle, in the part of the Heavenly Substantiality, in which before, the Word of the Divine sound had been manifested: But when the Souls desire went out from it, it faded and vanished in itself. 79. Thus in this espousal in the Lead, there was Gold and Lead one in another, but the Gold was not manifested, till God's Mercury, in the word of Promise; manifested itself in the Lead, viz: in the Flesh; then became the Lead in Christ's humanity again changed into Gold: and the process was held, as the Transmutation of Metals is performed, which becometh changed into Gold: as in our Book of the Signature or Seal of things is very largely and expressly written of. 80. And we are hereby to understand; that the Limit of the Covenant, viz: the promised new Golden Life, is become propagated in venus's Tincture, as a Possibility of the Divine Regeneration, which God, through the Centre of his Heart, through that very moving Manifested in Christ. 81. And manifested the CHRIST, viz: the Anointed, out of JESUS, and out of his deepest humility and Love, and changed the poisonous Mercury in dark Lead, into bright Gold. 82. Whereby we are clearly to understand: that in all men the VANITY, viz: the awakened Life's forms in their self-hood and strife, are again become propagated; and will still continually be propagated, till in the breaking or Corruption of the Earthly Body; for so long as Man findeth Heat and Cold or sickness and opposite will in his Spirit and Body, * NOTE so long the Abomination is in FULL Life. 83. Concerning the Saints of God, which as Prophets in the Spirit of JESUS, have prophesied of the CHRIST to Come; they have all spoken out of the Limit of the Covenant, out of the promised Word, which would move itself again in the Flesh; none of them was totally new born again in the Flesh. 84. For the Word stood in the inward faded Image, and opened itself with the voice, through the outward Mercury, and showed the outward Man, what would yet happen and be done to him, when the word of Promise should he manifested in the Mercury of the Flesh; and therein break to pieces the abomination, and death of the Strife in the Life's forms. 85. But after CHRIST out of JESUS, became manifested in the Flesh, than that very Flesh became anointed; and therefore he was called the Anointed of the LORD: and if we introduce our Souls desire, into this Manifested Word in the Flesh of Christ, then will also that very promised word, which is together propagated in ALL men in the Limit of the Covenant, be manifested in our Souls-desire in the faded Image of the Divine Substantiality: and in venus's Matrix, viz: in the Second Principle, wherein God is, viz: in his right Heaven which is in MAN, cometh to Life. 86. That is, the faded Image, getteth the Divine sound in the Souls desire; Christ becometh Man in the faded Image, and crusheth or bruiseth Death, viz: the Abomination of the vanity in the outward Leaden Flesh, viz: the poisonous Mercury in the Life's forms, the Head of the false or wicked will, and bringeth forth the Souls will in itself into GOD. 87. Now understand us further; concerning the Propagation between Man and Wife both in the Holy Children and in the wicked: How and in what manner it is with the Conjunction of the Masculine and Feminine desire; and How in NO Man holy children without Sin CAN be begotten; as this † E. S. Author paints it forth to us without sufficient understanding. 88 The Conjunction of the Desire towards Wife or Woman and Husband or Man cometh from both the Mothers, viz: from the dividing of Adam; from both the Tinctures of Fire and Light: which are in themselves not much nobler, and purer than the Flesh, or the Mercury in the Sulphur of the Flesh: they are done with, and have not the true Life in them, but they are the fiery desire to the true Life. 89. But if they come together into ONE, into Substance; then they awaken the true Life in the Mercury; their vehement desire is after Life; they would again be that which they were in the Image of God; when Adam was Husband and Wife or Man and Woman, out of which existeth now the vehement Imagination in the Sulphur and Mercury in the Flesh. 90. The Fires Tincture longeth in the Flesh thus vehemently after the Lights Tincture, and the Lights after the Fires, The Man or Limbus or Lincus Terrae et Coeli, the extract of Earth and of Heaven; longeth after venus's Matrix, viz: after the Joyous Conjunction of the Love-Life, viz: of the Love-relish; which relish in Adam was one in another, wherein he loved himself, and the Perfection consisted therein. 91. For the Flesh knoweth not what it doth; it is indeed a substance of that desire; for in the desire of the Tinctures the Seed is Generated, wherein again the Tincture lieth, and so vehemently driveth on, that it also might come to Life; for all Life or every Substance and thing presseth after its Centre out of which it is generated. 92. Now it is to be known what is there sown; The Tinctures which Imagine so vehemently, are in the Seed of Man and Woman, and the Seed becometh in the Impression of the Fiat, viz: in the hunger of the desire; Material; and originateth out of the power of the Flesh and of the Spirit; both of the Man and of the Woman. 93. In the Man, the Spirit is fiery, that soweth the Fiery Tincture, in the Woman the Spirit is watery according to the Light; that soweth the Spirits Tincture, in the Inward Kingdom, the Image of the faded Substantiality; and in the outward, the Airs property out of the abomination of the Earthliness. 94. Her seed is in the outward totally Cagastrish; [or drossy] but if She be Holy, than it is in the Inward according to the saded Image; Iliastrish; that is, half paradisical; for it beareth the Rose-Garden wherein God became Man; it beareth according to the second Principle, the house of PARADISE; but in the Outward Principle, it beareth the Child, of the existed abomination out of Adam's Lust; and in the Third Principle, viz: in the Earthliness, it beareth the Dying, viz: the Death and Earthliness. 95. The Man beareth in his Seed in the first Principle, the Fire-world, viz: the Father's Property, out of which the Father manifesteth his Son, viz: his Love, viz: venus's Matrix: that is, the second Principles Property in him, but in his Seed not manifested, but only as a Glimmering Tinder or Mother; so far as he is holy; and in the Third Principle; he beareth in the Sulphur and Mercury in his Seed; the awakened Anger of God: in which the abomination against God existed, and became Manifested in venus's Matrix, viz: in the Woman's Property: 96. These Properties, become with the Seeds of Man and Woman in the Conjunction brought into ONE, there the TWO Tinctures receive one another in great Joyfulness, as it is found by experience, when the Seed goeth forth, How the Tincture lifteth up itself in Joy; whence man's Life is moved, as a Joyful aspect; enough understood by those that are OURS. 97. And the Two Tinctures espouse themselves thus instantly in the Sulphur of the Seed into One; and awaken the Mercury viz; the Workmaster of the Life, so that he laboureth in the Seed, and awakeneth the Life's forms in the Sulphur. 98. And if the Mercury be not potent enough, than it draweth the Mother's Menstruum to itself; and bringeth it into the Seed of the Conjunction, than it maketh the Seed in Menstruo to be FLESH; in which yet there is a material poison, and the great abomination against the holiness and purity; as is sufficiently understood by all Lovers of Mysteries, what kind of poison lieth in the Menstruum; which desttoyeth and poisoneth any tender plant of the Earth: as is undeniable. 99 Now in this Menstruum and poison is the Seed come to be Flesh; and both the Tinctures are therein, and have their nourishment from their Substance; and the true Life in Soul and Spirit existeth out of THAT. 100 Where now, in this is the total holiness without blemish according to this * E. S. Author? Let him show it me here; and then I will esteem him for the Bride of Christ; as he will needs be so in his outward Flesh. 101. The Scripture saith; † 1 Cor. 15. 43. Man is sown in dishonour, but riseth up in power: Here is understood the second Principle, in which the Word of Life, standeth together in that Espousal, but not in the Evil sinful Flesh, which is full of kindled affections and false or wicked desires. 102. But if the Seed be of wicked Parents, then is the Mother Tinder in the second Principle not stirring; but if the Parents be Holy, then is the Seed manifested in the Threefold Life, viz: in the Threefold Essence; but if not, then is the Divine Mother or Tinder, not Manifested according to the Love-power, but only according to the Anger; and according to the outward world. 103. And though it be so, that honest married people beget children, and join themselves together with Love-desire, yet it hath NOT this meaning or understanding, That the Imagination or Desire of Man and Wife is holy; and that Christ's Spirit driveth on the Imagination; as this * E. S. Author supposeth: Indeed the Noble Soul is ashamed of it. 104. The Imagination ariseth out of the Tinctures, which kindle the Mercury with their Lust, and the Mercury kindleth the Spirit of the Life, and now existeth the Lust and Will in the Heart, viz: a vehement desire; the tenderer the Complexion is, the Nobler also is the Tincture, in its sweet desire. 105. But if also it be shot with a † Eph: 6. 16. fiery Dart in venus's desire, then is the Life kindled, so that it is as it were more than half Mad with Love - Thoughts; and yet knoweth not what is happened to it. 106. Must all this now be holy? then would the Secret WHOREDOMS where oftentimes one vehemently and fierily loveth another's Wife, and in like manner one Woman another's husband, and so is shot with this Dart; be also Holy: also when two young persons look upon one another, whence instantly Venus shooteth with her fiery Dart; then must that also be Holy; whereas indeed the Dart often goeth forth in false or wicked Lust. 107. And though it be at the best; yet it is a thing that is in all Beasts, it is Natural; Men find some Beasts that are even ashamed of it; wherein it appeareth that Nature itself is ashamed of it: and when men will give it the best and rightest name, than it is called an abomination before God's holiness: being a thing existed out of Sin, through Adams-Fall: which indeed is borne with all under divine patience, seeing it cannot be otherwise; of which we could take many Examples in the Holy Scripture. 108. Look upon the people Israel; when God would give them the Law at Mount Sinai, and manifest or reveal himself with his voice; then he commanded the Young People which were loaden with such burning Lust; to * NOTE Exod: 19 15. Levit: 15. 16. to the 19 abstain from their WIVES; and that pointed not only at the Marriage work, but also at the * Imagination. 109. When † 1 Sam: 21. 4, 5. David came to Nob to the Priest Abimelech; and there was no Bread but the Holy Bread; the Priest said to David; if the young Men had abstained from Women, then would he give to them; and David said; the Women were left these Three days. 110. Herein Men have a very clear example; that even the People of David ought not to eat of the holy Bread, if they had touched Women, than were they unclean, and David had shut up the Women therefore from the Young Men; that they should not be Made unclean with the Women through burning and Lust; for they were in the wars, that they should not be an abomination before God; and so God suffer them to fall, in Battle. 111. And Saint Paul saith: 1 Corinth: 7. 5. concerning Married persons; That they should not depart one from another unless it be with both their consent, that they may apply themselves unto Prayer. Saint Paul; meaneth that Men should FORBEAR the Marriage work, when they will Repent, viz: enter into true sorrow, with Prayer before God: It is just such an Example as that of Moses, and David. 112. Therefore, a Man cannot say, that the Spirit of Christ promoteth it and driveth it on, and intoduceth itself into the burning or ardent Imagination: Christ therefore became a Man, without the help or Coworking or concurrence of any Man or Husband; that he might bring us forth out of this abomination before God, through his holy Incarnation or Becoming Man: he became such a Virginlike Child with both the Tinctures one in another with own self-Love, that he might bring our Rent, in himself, into ONE. 113. And this is the abomination in the Marriage work, that the Seed is unclean, in the Conjunction of both the Tinctures, when they are brought together into One, it is the Property of the Eternal joyfulness, viz: of the highest desiring and fulfilling; if that might be done without abomination, THAN it were holy. 114. But the Sulphur of the Seed is an abomination before the Holiness: The Elevation of the Natural Life's Forms, where the Forms of Nature lift up themselves in self-hood, they lie in the Seeds, and are kindled in God's Anger, viz: in the abomination of the dark world through the Devil's Imagination. 115. Therefore this impure Sulphur, out of which the Tinctures in the Fire Life, viz: in the Fiery Tincture become generated, is an abomination before God's holiness, and therefore must also this Sulphur with the abomination totally corrupt or break in pieces, and go again into the beginning of the Creation. 116. And though it be so; that the Word of the LORD Verbum Domini, intermixeth itself together in the Holy People, that is done according to the inward Man, where the Divine Sparkle is propagated in the Image of God in the Heavenly Substantiality. 117. For, the Word of the Deity in the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in Heaven, and the right true Image created from the Divine world's Substance, which in Adam died and faded, is the Heaven's Substance, into which NO abomination CAN Enter: for the Holy Spirit receiveth not that. 118. The Spirit of Christ possesseth and manifesteth itself in HIS Tents, and not in the bestial Conjunction of the Abominations of Sin; It is not in the power of the Imagination of the Flesh; but in the pure Love-desire of Chastity and Faithfulness, where TWO join their Minds together in the Marriage Band, and give up their Love and faithfulness one to another to be their own, and desire to be ONE Heart and Will. 119. There the Spirit of Christ, is the Love-band, and here now is rightly that thing, * Gen: 1. 28. Chap: 9 1. Increase or Multiply, and be fruitful: God said to Adam and Eve, they should multiply themselves in their Marriage Band. 120. He saith not; HE would do it with the promised Crusher or Bruiser of the Serpent, but he gave them the power of the Natural Man; but the Holy Spiritual Birth or Geniture he promoteth in his own Principle, and not in the perished corrupt Flesh, not in the Imagination of Lust, which is more Bestial than truly Humane. 121. Indeed he bringeth holy children together but by the means of his Officer Nature, how he will have it; but the marriage work according to the outward Man, is not Holy; but according to the inward it is holy in the children of the Saints; and Not in Bestial Vessels. 122. But that † E. S. this Author sets it down; That through this Conjunction of Man and Wife, in their Lust-desire; the Evil Properties and Lust of the Flesh are separated asunder; and totally sanctified in the Spirit of Christ; the Love-Spirit of Christ mixeth itself in their Imagination; and driveth on all Abominations, and worketh in the Imagination this Lust of the Man and Woman, and sanctifieth the Imagination and the Seed, sin dyeth, and a total holy child becometh conceived, viz: a Christ little - Child or Infant, that is without blemish and Sin, moreover God and Man outwardly and inwardly. 123. And this he speaketh as one that understandeth nothing of the Mystery of CHRIST; and takes upon him freely, as a Saint of his own making, a self elected one without power; who knoweth not his bestial abomination and Filth. 124. He will make Christ to be OUTWARDLY; and yet Christ himself saith; * John 18. 36. His Kingdom was not of this World; after his appointed work was accomplished, he went to Heaven; and in the Heaven which is IN us, he dwelleth with us, and worketh in that very Heaven in us, and not at all in the bestial Man, in the fleshly birth, in which Death is. 125. It is a mere fiction, whereby young people which are very eager and fiery in venus's desire, are made altogether wanton and Luxurious, when it is so finely portrayed before them, that their desire and Lust is Christ's driving, and that it is the Spirit of Christ, which would mix itself and beget Children. 126. When he conversed upon the Earth, HE never desired to mix himself but only in the Spirit in the Soul, and in the Image of God; will he then now mix himself in the bestial outward Work? we have NO testimony for that. 127. In David was also the Spirit of God, should therefore the Spirit of God have mixed itself in his outward whoredom, and have driven on the work of the outward Imagination towards * 2 Sam: 11. Bathsheba, the Wife of Vriah, whom he murdered; then, God would have had, the whoredom, to have been. 128. No! God punished David for that very fact: therefore men should not say: the Spirit of Christ mixeth itself in the Centre of the Imagination of fleshly Lust, and sanctifieth the outward Seed; it is altogether false. 129. He sanctifieth his Tabernacles, which he possesseth; he indeed openeth and shutteth in the work of the Life, so that the Mercury, viz: the Work master cannot many times bring his work to Life, and also many times bringeth it to Life according to Gods will; as in many times to be seen among the Saints of Old, especially in the Line of Christ; but men should distinguish the outward from the Inward. 130. The Marriage work in itself, if it Be done * Col. 3. 5. Ordinately, is not sinful, for it is driven on by God's Officer, Nature, and borne withal under divine patience. 131. God sets before him the Becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ his Son, as among the Jews, the Sacrifices, which God set before him in the Covenant, through the future Humanity, and reconciled himself in the Covenant; that the Anger might not burn in the humane Abomination. 132. Thus also in the outward Marriage work; God sets before him, the true Image, which lieth shut up in our Seed, in Christ his Son; and entereth in the working power into the Substance of that Image of the Heavenly Substantiality, as a Glimmering Mother or Tinder of divine Property; and herein lieth the holiness of the holy married people's Children. 133. But in the outward Flesh, as also in the Soul, the Abomination of Sin cleaveth to them, and so NO child is born into the world without Sin: The will to the outward work of the mixing together, men should distinguish from the Will of the Divine Holiness, and from the will of own self Lust. 134. Nature willeth the Burning eager Lust, viz: the Mixture; and God's holiness willeth the Conjunction of the pure Tinctures: in which Conjunction the Divine Centre; viz: a holy fire-sparkle together incorporateth itself, in the Substance of the heaven's Image in the word of Power, and doth not together incarnate itself in the Outward Flesh. 135. This † E. S. Author saith, When Christ is born or Generated, than the Earthly Man must depart: But in this Time; Christ is in the Heaven of Man, and the Earthly Man, upon Earth in his Self hood in the Four Elements. 136. * E. S. This Author Cryeth out upon the Confusion of others ways, and despiseth other Men gifted from God, in their Gifts; and yet his whole work is nothing else but a mere confusion of one thing in another; the outward World with God, the Creature with the Holy Trinity; so that no rational Man at all can see by him the distinction between God and the Creature. 137. There, never came to my knowledge, any writings wherein all things are so wholly spoiled confused and darkened or obscured under long circumlocutions and Glosses, as in these: that he may under such confusion, but present and give forth himself for a GOD. 138. That is the whole contents of his meaning, that it is no more he that willeth, doth, speaketh, thinketh, or purposeth any thing, but that God in Christ is it ALL, in him, the will, the deed, the speaking, understanding, thinking, begetting of Children, eating, drinking, sleeping, waking: but then must he also be even the Coughing in him; and whatsoever else he doth in any secret place. 139. Which is very easily understood by reading in him, because he will distinguish Nothing, but will be All in all, God in Christ; which is fit should be signified concerning him, that other people might learn to beware of such seeming flourishing Lustre; and learn to know themselves inwardly and outwardly, what the Creature, Man, God, and Christ are, and not so Groundlessly call the cursed world, God. 140. I write not this to the reproach of the * E. S. Author; but for the Reader to consider, that he may know, that he is a Sinner, and what his Holiness in him is, for a total faithful instruction, from my Gifts, which in the Grace of the Divine Love, have been imparted, to me. NOw followeth The Third Point of the Fourth Text. The * E. S. Authors Own Explanation. 1. THus now hereupon followeth Thirdly; How and after what manner and kind, also, the Man-God CHRIST, cometh and is manifested through the Divine-humane Wife, or Woman. 2. And how, through Christ the first born before all Creatures, the most holy express Image, yes the Self-subsisting Substance of the total most holy Divine Fullness; the Triune highly praised living powerful word of God, God himself; through whom and for whom, all things not only were Created, but after the Fall, through his holy becoming Man or Incarnation, and precious innocent passion, dying, Resurrection, ascension into Heaven, and perfect merit, were perfectly redeemed or delivered. 3. As heretofore is mentioned, he hath united the total faithful Mankind, in the Love of his divine voice, to him, to his holy Names highest praise and honour, for his proper own body and Wife or Woman [which he not in an outward Manner prepares to himself, creates and makes new; but in the inward Centre and middle of the Heart] from the beginning of the World Suddenly after the Fall; betrothed in Grace Love and Mercy, yes, in the Faith, and tied it and prepared it for his Eternal Rest. 4. In like manner also, this most Holy Man CHRIST JESUS, * John 1. 29. 30. Rev. 13. 8. the Innocent Lamb of God, yes, the Triune highly praised Son of God, God himself, [which according to the Testimony of the Holy Scripture was slain from the beginning of the world] in all faithful and Saints, with his holy living powerful richly spiritual word, divine substance, working willing and perfecting, according to the measure of his appearing gifts, hath appeared from the beginning of the world. 5. And himself hath manifested the true Woman's Seed, in the Woman or Wife of his Love, prepared for himself; Against which this self own holy Woman's Seed; He the highly praised Triune God himself, according to the Testimony of the Scripture hath permitted and set the Enmity. 6. So that the Satanical Serpent's Seed, the unfaithful wicked corrupt world, through Satan and his naked outward fleshly sinful wicked Diabolical matters, also evil heart and † John 2. 16. Lust of the Eye, is governed and driven on; this his own Self-seed, in, and together with his own Love and Wife is persecuted derided scorned despised scandalised worryed and put to death: As the Testimony of the Holy Scripture truly and clearly in & to all the Saints, witnesseth and manifesteth. 7. But this Holy Divine Woman's Seed, in and to the Saints, hath after many kinds and ways appeared, as in Adam and Eve after the Fall, and after that, through Christ the Triune highly praised God himself, the promise of the perfect Woman's Seed of the Messiah, was spoken and pronounced to them, the strong Hope, Faith and Confidence, in this Woman's Seed, was openly caused to sound forth from them; As indeed Eve in this assured Faith, mentioned the LORD Messiah * Gen: 4 1. saying her first born son Cain, was the Man of the LORD. 8. In † Gen: 4. 4. Abel, this holy Woman's Seed, and Lamb of God, manifested itself, in which Faith, he also sacrificed to the Lord, and caused his holy praise and Thanksgiving, to ascend to God the highest Good: and thereupon he was slain by the Serpent's seed Cain. 9 In * Gen: 5. 21. to the 25. Enoch, the holy Woman's seed, manifested itself so powerfully, that through and with God, in the holy Faith the Mother together with the Holy Birth, went Bodily into Heaven. 10. In † Gen: 6. 9 Noah, this holy Woman's seed, and living substantial word of God, manifested itself so powerfully, with Teaching Preaching, Prophesying, Reproving and admonishing to Repent, Instructing, Comforting, and Divine Confirmation, in and to the building of the Ark, pointing at the Future Deluge; which holy woman's seed, also his Faithful Parents; with living voice at his Birth testified and said; this will Comfort us in our Misery. 11. This holy Woman's seed in * Gen: 12. 3. Chap: 18. 2. Abraham, was witnessed by the high divine Majesty, from Heaven itself, the most holy Triunity, which in the outward form of the Persons of Three Men One LORD, caused himself to be manifestly heard saying, In this, thy seed, shall all people be blessed; understand, those which believe in him, and suffer him to rule them. 12. This holy Woman's seed was witnessed also by the Triune God Christ Jesus himself, in † Gen: 24. 60. etc. Isaac: In Rebecca, was manifested in her womb before the Birth, both this Holy Woman's, and also the Serpent's seed, in which the unbelief and Serpent's seed Esau, out of the Saw or Swine of Unbelief. 13. Which persecuted the Holy Faith's seed, of the holy Woman in Rebecca; * Gen: 25. 6. Jacob; and beat and struck him: who afterwards after the birth did himself terribly and damnably persevere; and † Gen: 27. 41. purposed to slay the beloved Jacob. 14. How mightily holily and gloriously this holy Woman's seed, manifested itself in the beloved Jacob, concerning which, the Lord Zebaoth himself, giveth glorious holy Testimony; in so much as he so highly entitled him, that he called him * Gen: 32. 28. Israel; a Prince and Ruler with God. 15. This should the faithful Children and Woman's seed, of the highly praised Triune God, united with and in this God, further consider of; and especially, through this holy good divine living working substantial Seed of God CHRIST JESUS, apprehend, to themselves the living word of God, from the least grain of Mustardseed, and least minutest measure and piece, even the total appearing fullness of the Deity in and to themselves; according to the Testimony of the Holy Scripture. 16. To which holy new-birth original and beginning in the Faithful Hearts; no worldly Wit Art skill, learning in the Scriptures and getting it without Book, Philosophical, Logical, Natural, puffed up Art, can any thing at all in the least attain or perform, according to the Testimony of the Scripture. 17. † 1 Cor: 1. 20. Where are the Scripture-Learned or Scribes? where are the Worldly wise Men? where are the Judges? where are the Counsellors? Hath not God turned the wisdom of the world into Foolishness? as it appeareth clearly and manifestly, in all the worldly wise, in Scripture-Learned Art and Experience; though likely many years from their childhood, to their highest age, they have in their state and condition taken great pains for worldly Art. 18. Yet they must at last be ashamed before this Triune seed of God CHRIST JESUS, the living substantial word of God, from the least particle to the highest Perfection in all Saints; and let go their ART and lament over it saying: that it hath not at all profited them to salvation, but been totally hurtful. 19 As many of them also before their decease have forgotten this acquired Art and worldly natural wisdom which they have learned, and have become so foolish and childish, and indeed in all Stations and conditions; that they alas, could not any more preserve and recollect in their memory, OUR FATHER, which they learned from their childhood according to the Letter. 20. As than they will apprehend this necessary information according to the Glorious appearing of this holy woman's seed, according to the measure in all Saints, in Joseph, Moses, Joshuah, Rebeccah, Samuel, David, Solomon and all holy honest faithful people and Prophets of the Old and New Testament, in works words and deeds; to the total perfection, inwardly and outwardly visible Birth of the Son of God, born out of the perfect pure Virgin and Genetrix of God, MARY: even every Elect, to the highest praise of God will partake with GOD himself, and delight himself therein, and will know how to praise the most high Eternally for it, with himself. Jacob Behme's Answer To this Explanation of this Third Point of the Fourth Text. 1. THis * E. S. Author, mentioneth concerning the Triune God and Man CHRIST, and concerning the Divine Woman or Wife, and signifieth; that not only all things were created, through and for that Triune Man CHRIST; but also after the Fall, were, by his holy Becoming Man or Incarnation, and precious Inward Passion and Dying, Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven and perfect merit, perfectly Delivered. 2. All which, needeth far another explanation: for if I say, CHRIST is the Triune God; then I speak of no Man or Creature; for the Holy Trinity is no Man nor Woman, much less a Creature. 3. Only he hath manifested himself, through and IN the Humanity, and made himself visible in a humane Image; but the visible palpable Substance of the Flesh, is not the Triune Deity: but the Spirit in the power of the Flesh, the divine Spirit in the Spiritual, the uncreaturely IN the creaturely is GOD. 4. CHRIST, so far as he is called the Triune God, according to the Eternal Word, in the Name JEHOVA or JESUS, so far as concerns the unmeasurable God, is no Man or Creature; but the Fullness of all things, dwelling in himself. 5. But according to the Name CHRIST, the Deity is visible; and this * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. CHRIST, viz: The Anointed of God, penetrateth, only, or presseth upon, the humanity, NOT upon ALL Creatures; he uniteth himself to NO Creature but Man; he hath also with his Incarnation, Suffering Dying and Resurrection, delivered NO creature but MAN. 6. With the Name CHRIST he is become manifest only in the Humanity, not in the Earthly or Heavenly Creatures, † NOTE The Heavenly Creatures need NO CHRIST, and the Hellish Creatures have NO CHRIST. The Earthly and Heavenly Creatures, need NO Christ, and the Hellish have NONE. 7. This Christ it is, through whom God, who dwelleth in him, and hath manifested himself, with the Christ, who will judge all things, and separate the Good from the Evil: HE is not manifested in the Creatures, that he would deliver them to Eternity; and dwell Creaturely in them, as he dwelleth in MAN: all Creatures of this world except Man, go again into that out of which they proceeded in the beginning. 8. When I will speak of the Man CHRIST, what kind of Threesold God and Man he is; then I distinguish the humane Creature, which he hath received of us Men, and difference it from the Triune Deity; the manifested Substance, from the power and Omnipotence. 9 Not that he is divided, but that the Spirit of God is higher than the Substance, which he generateth in his Desire, in his exhaled Sound: for according to Our Substance CHRIST calleth himself, the Son of Man: and saith; the * NOTE Father is greater than HE. 10. According to the humanity, he hath a given power; and according to the Deity he is the Giver himself. The Man is our Humanity; and the Christ is the Anointed of God; which God hath manifested out of the Name JEHOVA or JESUS out of the Deep of the wisdom, out of the Centre of God, out of the Great Love, and given it to the humane Creature for a Light and Eternal Seed. 11. Not that this amiable blessed sweet Love of Christ is the Man, but the holy SUN - shine in the Great Love-flame, in the Man; for, when I see a holy Christian Man going or standing, I do not say there goeth or standeth Christ; but I say there goeth or standeth a Christian Man; in whom, the Sun CHRIST, shineth. 12. The Person of Adam is not the Christ; but the Person of the power of God, which dwelleth in the Man Adam according to the Heavenly Part; That is Christ. 13. As the Sun shineth in the whole outward world, and impowereth all and maketh it fruitful; and the world is not the Sun: so also the CHRIST shineth as a revealed or Manifested Sun, out of JEHOVA or JESUS, in the Creaturely humanity of Christ. 14. The Name Christ, is the revealed or manifested Sun out of the Eternal Name JEHOVA, or JESUS: JEHOVA is the Eternal Divine SUN, in which this great Love-Sun, CHRIST; as a Heart in the Centre of the Holy Trinity, hath been hidden to all Creatures, and yet is through the second moving of the Deity, as a holy sweet Love-Sun, become manifested. 15. I must not say, that, in the Person CHRIST, viz: in the Man, according to his humanity, according to that part which he hath on him from us Men from our Body and Soul, that is, on to the Deity, on to the Divine Substantiality, or Heavenly Corporeity, taken on to him; That the Creature is ceased and taken up, or that the Creature Soul and Body from us Men is unmeasurable. 16. No: for such a One is not our Eternal High Priest, which I could never more see in the Form of Man; for, the Men, when he went to Heaven said: * Acts 1. 11. Ye shall SEE this JESUS, come again, as he is Ascended. 17. Only the Deity in him, and the Christ, understand, the divine property, together with the Heavenly divine substantiality, wherewith, he saith, John 3. 13. He was come from Heaven. THIS is uncreaturely, and yet IN every Man, as an own Sun, yet only in one point, which shineth forth out of the fountain of this Sun, indeed from no place or space, but the place of this holy revelation or Manifestation, is in ALL Men the Centre of the Original. 18. This SUN is in all Men, but this Sun is not revealed or manifested in all Men, but only in the Desire to the † That is, to be like Christ, humble & meek. Point, which is CHRIST; which point is JESUS out of JEHOVA. 19 But concerning the Holy woman or wife, which this Author mentioneth, which is holy and PERFECT, wherein the Man CHRIST becometh generated, needeth also a far other Explanation. 20. And though he sets down the Holy Christianity to be the woman or wife; which I blame not: yet a Man must not speak that concerning the outward Earthly Man, for the Earthly Man is not Christ's Spouse or Wife, but the inward Spiritual which faded or disappeared in Adam, the Heavenly, which Christ, as viz: the Holy SUN, vivifieth. 21. But * E. S. this Authors writing is altogether Contradictory and runs counter against itself; for here in this Point, he writeth of this Spouse or Woman and Body, thus; which he NOT outwardly prepareth, createth and maketh new, but in the Inward Centre and middle of the Heart, from the beginning of the world instantly after the Fall, in Grace Love and Mercy, yes in the Faith, espouseth betrotheth and uniteth to himself, and prepareth it for his Eternal Rest. In like manner also this holy Man CHRIST JESUS, the Innocent Lamb of God, yes, the Triune highly praised Son of God, God himself; which was slain from the beginning of the world IN all Faithful and Saints, according to the Testimony of the Scripture. 22. Before † E. S. this Author hath set down in another place; that if CHRIST became manifest or revealed in Man, than Nature falleth Totally away; Now he sets it down; that CHRIST, in the Inward Centre and middle of the Heart, hath from the beginning of the world, espoused and united himself with the Saints in the Faith; which indeed were true, if he did not speak it concerning the Man CHRIST, but concerning the Promised CHRIST in the Covenant, which first in Time fulfilled the Covenant. 23. For, Not CHRIST the Man, who in the Time in the Limit of the Covenant manifested or revealed himself; was slain in the Holy Patriarchs; but the Children of Faith in whom the Covenant became manifested. 24. CHRIST * Heb: 7. 27. Cha: 9 26. 28. Chap: 10. 10. 1 Pet: 3. 18. hath once given and offered up his holy Life in the sweet Love, to his Father, into his Anger, which was manifested in the Humane Property: and with the Love broken the Anger to pieces. He hath not died in ALL the Saints from Adam to this time, and suffered himself to be slain and put to death: Only the Children of the Faith of the Covenant have suffered themselves to be put to death according to the MAN of SIN, that the word of Life in the Covenant in them, might put on the new promised Life, which would manifest itself in the Covenant with the future Sun of the New Life in the Spirit of the Covenant. 25. So that when Christ would manifest himself in the Covenant in the Flesh, he also in that Covenant, which had manifested itself in them, would be manifested in them with the divine Substantiality, viz: with Christ's heavenly Flesh. 26. For even after the Resurrection of Christ, when he had assumed the Humanity, and slain death; it was not CHRIST, that died any more in his Members, in the Christians, or was slain, but Adam, in Christ's Death, that Christ's Spirit in the Soul and the holy Man, might Live: When Christ becometh born then should the Man of Sin continually die, till at last when the Outward body departeth, it WHOLLY ceaseth. 27. But if Christ the Lamb of God, were become slain in the Old Patriarchs, than the reconciliation was performed IN them, and then it cometh not solely and only from the Son of MARY. 28. Abel, was NOT the Lamb of God which was slain for Sin: Christ died not in Abel, but in the BODY which he received from MARY. 29. Abel and all the Martyrs died as to their own Bodies; for the sake of the Covenant, which opened itself in them, they were slain, and died as to their sinful Adamicall Body, and not as to the Holy Body, which was shut up in the Covenant, which, Christ, when he would manifest himself in the Covenant, would manifest it to be an Eternal Life and holy Flesh; in which he would dwell and be the power and Life thereof. 30. When the Holy Scripture saith, * Rev: 13. 8. CHRIST was slain in the Saints, than it understandeth, than Members of the Body of CHRIST, according to Christ's humanity, which HE, the Christ, assumed: It understandeth not the Triune God, that should suffer itself to be slain from the beginning of the world; for doubtless God cannot die: That which dyeth is only the Body of Christ's Members, according to the humane Creature, and not according to the Spirit of Christ. 31. The Spirit of Christ hath therefore manifested itself in the Humanity, and slain Death in his assumed Body; that the Gates of Life in us should be opened; for if I be murdered for the sake of Christ's Name, and the Testimony thereof; then doth not Christ die in me, but † Note. Adam dyeth in Christ's death; and Christ in my dying becometh first rightly manifested. 32. My dying is Christ's Resurrection in ME; for I die away to the sinful self-hood or nothingness, and live to the Resignation in the Spirit of Christ. 33. Therefore this is a void and groundless thing, that * E. S. this Author writeth: that the Man Christ, the Innocent Lamb of God, God himself, which; from the beginning of the world, according to the Testimony of the Scripture, was slain in all the Saints and faithful, etc. 34. The Triune God is not from the beginning of the world slain in his Saints; the Scripture saith not so, but the Faithful Men were slain for Christ's sake; and NOT the Triune Christ IN them. 35. Man in his self-hood and I-hood; is not Christ himself, but Christ dwelleth in him, he is the shining Lustre of his holy Life, as himself saith, John 8. 12. I am the Light of the World; This he speaketh, according to the Name CHRIST out of JESUS, and not according to our Humanity, which Died on the Cross; concerning which Isaiah calleth him, a simple Servant; in that he saith, who is so simple as my servant? 36. This Servant of God, is not the Holy Trinity, but the revelation or Manifestation, and habitation, of the holy Trinity; the servant is become slain as a Lamb; and not the holy Trinity; Men should always make a difference between God and the Humanity; else if God were dead in his Trinity, than were Death stronger than God, who must thus, have given himself up, to Death. 37. Christ is indeed God and Man in ONE Person, but the Deity, viz: the Divine Property, is not the Person, the Man; but the † Mensch. Homo, or humanity, is the Man and the Lamb of God, which was slain; and is called Christ, from the Anointing; so that God hath anointed this humanity of CHRIST; with his Spirit * John 3. 34. without measure: for the JESUS is the Anointing, viz: the Deep Love in the Deity. 38. Therefore now the Lamb of God according to the humanity, viz: IN the Members thereof, wherein the promised Covenant was, out of which Covenant the Anointing would manifest or reveal itself: was slain; not Christ the Anointed of God, which in the Covenant was hidden in them. 39 Abel was not anointed with Christ, but indeed with the promised word in the Covenant, in which the Christ manifested himself, and when Christ manifested himself in the Covenant in the Humane property, THAN Abel put on Christ in the Flesh: before Christ's humanity Abel had put on the Covenant in the promised Word; and † NOTE How Abel arose when Christ arose from the Dead. WHEN Christ arose from the Dead, then Abel also arose in Christ's anointing in Christ's humanity out of Christ's Death, and lived in the Anointing of Christ. 40. The Man Christ is the First that arose from the Dead in the Anointing, and is also the First who in the Anointing died to the Humane I-hood: He is only and alone the Lamb of God, in whom God broke his wrath to pieces: Abel and all Martyrs are his Members, upon whom the breaking death in pieces pressed or penetrated out of this Lamb Christ. 41. Abel received an imputed Righteousness, not a self wrought one of his own. Abel before the humanity of Christ was not the Lamb of God; but he was a Member in the Lamb of God: Christ hath in all things the pre-eminence; and none of them hath been able to call himself a Christian, much less the Lamb of God; that is, hath been Slain for or instead of Christ. 42. They have all of them only been put to death in the spirit of Faith upon Christ's future coming, they have put on Christ in the Covenant of Promise in the Spirit of Faith; Not as a Lamb or Man, but in Power, not in the Flesh but in the Spirit, so that Christ is the First who in the Flesh should be called * Note. The Lamb of God. 43. † E. S. This Author mentioneth in this Manner, But also this holy divine Substantial woman's seed, hath in and to the Saints appeared and been manifest in many kinds and ways, as in Adam and Eve after the Fall: If this be so, that the divine substantial woman's Seed was manifest in Adam and Eve, than they have put on Christ, viz: the true woman's Seed in Substance. 44. And then they need not expect further about any other woman's seed; why did Eve then say when she bore Cain: * Gen: 4. 1. I have the Man the LORD? if she had before the substantial woman's seed manifested in her, why did she then hope for another? 45. And God said also to Abraham: † Gen: 22. 18. Chap: 26. 4. Chap: 28. 14. In thy seed shall all Nations be blessed; this was spoken concerning the future woman's seed, which would manifest himself in Abraham's seed Substantially with divine Heavenly Substantiality. 46. If it were spoken as to the present, than God had not commanded him the Circumcasion, and after that the Sacrifice; The Substantial woman's seed was not in the Sacrifice, but the word of Promise in the Covenant. 47. The substantial seed, of which God said, therein all Nations should become blessed, that lay shut up in Abraham, unless the opening of the Name JESUS, should open it; the Promise to Abraham, went on as to the Limit. 48. That very substantiality, wherein God would become Man, was saded or disappeared in Adam, when he died to the Kingdom of Heaven and Paradise: This saded or disappeared Seed, become in its Principle, co-propagated. 49. And in this Seed stood the limit of the Covenant, out of which the Spirit of God in the Saints manifested itself; and not through the faded or disappeared substance, but with Christ's becoming Man or Incarnation, the Substantial revelation or Manifestation proceeded, where God dwelleth within in the substance, viz: as a Life of the Substance. 50. Also this * E. S. Author writeth further: And after that, through Christ the Triune highly praised God himself, the promise of the Perfect woman's seed of the Messiah, was pronounced and promised to them; The strong Hope Faith and Confidence, in this woman's Seed, caused itself openly to sound forth from them. 51. Now if Christ dwelled substantially in Adam and Eve, what need he then promise another substance to them? I verily think Christ would not be manifested or revealed in Adam: much less hath Christ promised Adam to become Man in his seed: but God promised the Christ to Adam, viz: to awaken the Anointed of God in his seed, viz: in the woman's seed, and not in the Man's seed, As in the Fourth Point shall be expressed at large. 52. Christ stood in Adam and Eve, in the Limit of the Covenant in the Name JESUS, in JEHOVAH, in divine hiddenness or secrecy, in the seed of Adam and Eve, without humane substance, and unmovably in the promised seed, till the End of the Limit, there he moved himself in the woman's seed. 53. This High hitherto much repeated Speech concerning the Triune Woman's Seed, before Christ's Humanity, is much more a Confusion than an Explanation: the CHRIST in the woman's seed was manifested in No Saint before Christ's Birth; but only in the Spirit of the Deity, in a Prophetic manner, and not in a Humane Manner. 54. By the woman's Seed, is always understood, the * NOTE The Paradise is the woman's Seed. Paradise, which faded or disappeared in Adam, viz: the Heavenly corporeity from the pure Element; and NOT the FOUR Elements, this was manifest neither in Adam nor Abel, till the Saviour CHRIST became manifest in this Seed. 55. This Author so wonderfully blends one in another, that it hath no sufficient understanding: one while he speaks of Faith, that the Saints have had the woman's seed manifested in the Faith, then suddenly he speaks of the substance, whereas in the Substance there was no manifestation or revelation in THEM, but only in the Faith, was the divine and humane Conjunction IN the Spirit, and NOT in the Woman's Seed. 56. Men should not set down the Triune God Christ to be in the Humane substance, before Christ's becoming Man or Incarnation: for after the Word became Flesh, than he was called CHRIST, and no theretofore, in the Covenant, where he was only in the Promise. 57 And though indeed he was in the Deep of the Deity from Eternity; yet he was not then called the Woman's Seed, for the woman's Seed was not sooner called Christ, then till the word of God manifested itself in the Woman's Seed, and sanctified the Wo-womans' Seed, and generated it to a Divine Life or Substance. 58. The woman's Seed attained the Anointing in the Motion of the Name JESUS in MARY, and not in Adam, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. 59 The Saints of Old knew not Christ in their Seed, that he moved and manifested himself in their Seed, but in their Spirits and Souls, not in the Fleshly Seed, but in the Faith's desire, viz: as a Divine Conjunction. 60. What this * E. S. Author speaketh further, concerning the Serpent's Seed; that it hath manifested itself in the Saints near to the holy Woman's Seed, as he peremptorily sets it down, that Esau was generated out of the Saw, or Swine, viz: out of the Serpent's Seed; that is with the Author a plain ignorance and confusion. 61. Esau was generated of NO Saw, or Swine, for his Mother was NO Saw or Swine; He was begotten out of Isaac's and his Wife's Seed; as well as his brother Jacob, but the kindled Anger of God, which Adam awakened, had laid hold on Esau. 62. For, the Love and Anger were both manifested in Man, viz: Evil and Good, and they were always in the wrestling, till at last CHRIST came, and overcame the Anger, with the sweet Love of God, out of JESUS, and changed it into Divine Joy. 63. Esau was a Type or Shadow, of the Earthly Sinful Adam, and Jacob was a Type of Christ; Christ would bless and reconcile the Esau through jacob's Seed: for † Math: 9 13. he was come to call the poor sinners, viz: the perished or corrupt Adam and Esau to repentance, and Not the Righteous Jacob in the Line of Christ. 64. Esau was not begotten out of the Serpent's Seed, else must the Devil have dwelled in Isaac and Rebecca in their Seed out of which they begat Esau: which were abominable to be spoken. 65. This * E. S. Author setteth Open a Hellish door, in the Holy Patriarchs, which yet he will have to be Perfect: His writing is much more a blasphemy and reproaching of God, than a Christian Explanation. 66. That this Jacob and Esau have striven in their Mother's womb, signifieth, the Paradise as to one part and as to the other Part, the Earthly world, viz: God's Love and Anger, which were both stirring in the Humane Essence, and in strife about Man: as I have expressed it at large in another place. 67. This † E. S. Author should not make of Esau a Saw or Swine; nor of Cain, so totally a Serpent's Seed, It should be shown in the Holy Scripture, or else none will give credit to him: for the Judgement belongeth to God and not to Man. 68 He cannot show that Cain and Esau were generated Devils totally out of the Serpent's seed: for God said to Cain, * Gen: 4. 7. Rule over Sin, Suffer it not to have the Dominion: Thus there was a possibility in Cain, that he could rule over Sin, else God had not commanded him to do so; but whatsoever is totally the Serpents and the Devils, therein is, NO Possibility. 69. Esau had even such a Soul, as Jacob had, both begotten from their Parents, and this only was the difference, that in the one the Divine Love, and in the other, the awakened anger, was manifested, which, yet, Christ, with his Blood, would drown, in all those who would introduce their Souls desires, into him. 70. But that this * E. S. Author, rejecteth all worldly Wit and Art, and saith, they serve nothing to the kingdom of God: but that they are much more hurtful: needeth also another Explanation. 71. ART indeed giveth no divine power or wisdom, and helps nothing to the kingdom of God; but it belongs to the outward Man of God's WONDERS, that he should behold God's wonders and great hidden wisdom, and † Psal: 145. 10. Ps: 148. 149, 150. praise God, in all his works. 72. If the outward Man learneth NO Art, than he is most NEAR to a * Note, what Man is without Art Outwardly. BEAST; which knoweth not; what the substance of all Substances is. 73. Indeed the Divine wisdom standeth NOT in Art and Reason, but it showeth Art the way, what it should do and how it should Seek: ART is really the Tool or Instrument of God wherewith the divine wisdom worketh or laboureth: why should I then despise it? Through ART; † Gen; 1. 26. All Creatures are ruled by Man, and in Art is the Outward Body Covered and defended from Heat and Cold. 74. But that this * E. S. Author also mentioneth; that by Repentant Men, ALL Art is cast behind and forgotten, and that many in their Old age, become so childish they do at length forget, OUR FATHER, which they had learned: that is very cunningly and Slyly intended by him. 75. For before he had said, He was so perfect, that he need not any More to PRAY, OUR FATHER, etc. likely he would fain that none should learn to PRAY, and besides should learn NO Art, and then he need forget nothing. 76. If none should learn any Art, then could we no more manage our Estate and Employment upon Earth, and if none should learn to PRAY, than all Men would continue in Self-hood, and then Sin is TOTALLY Covered, and is no more known or acknowledged; and then Folly standeth in the place or stead of ART, and Man in his Reason is like ALL the Beasts. 77. The deeper a Man is * Or Taught of God. LEARNED concerning GOD, the deeper he seeketh and SEETH into God's deeds of Wonder in ART; for all profitable ARTS are revealed or manifested out of God's Wisdom, NOT that they are THAT, by WHICH Man cometh to God, but for the Government of the outward Life, and for the Glorious Manifestation of the Divine Wisdom and Omnipotence. 78. With the supposed Woman's Seed, wherein he conceiteth himself to be totally divine and holy, he will not make all ARTS to Cease; for the Woman's Seed is Humane; but when CHRIST, viz: God's Love, assumeth it, and manifesteth himself therein, then is that Woman's Seed, the Humanity of Christ: viz: the true Image of GOD. 79. This † E. S. Author calleth the Woman's Seed, the good holy divine living working Seed of God, CHRIST JESUS, the Living Word of God, and yet understandeth not what Gods Seed or the Woman's Seed is, what the Life and power is: when I speak only and alone of the Woman's Seed, than I say not, God's seed CHRIST JESUS: The Name JESUS is divine, but the Name CHRIST is God and Man. 80. When JESUS manifested himself in the Woman's Seed and assumed THAT, than the Person was called CHRIST; yet now the Name JESUS is the holy divine Life, viz: the Divine Seed out of the word of the Deity: the Woman's Seed is his assumed Substance. 81. And therefore HE is called the Woman's Seed, because he is from the woman, viz: from the heavenly Virginity which faded or disappeared in Adam; and as to another part from the outward world's substance; in which the Name JESUS, viz: God's seed, * John 3. 9 destroyed or broke in pieces, Death and God's Anger. 82. The woman's Seed, is a total humane Seed from Soul and Body, but it must be rightly understood, as to THAT Seed, wherein Adam might have generated Magically, if his Longing or Lust, had not plunged itself into vanity, Evil and Good, and awakened the Abomination, as is before mentioned and here following in the Fourth Point. 83. Now if I will in this place, speak so highly, of the divine Woman's Seed, than I must distinguish Gods and the Woman's Seed: and must rightly show; How God's Seed, viz: the Name JESUS, out of the word of the divine Sound or Life hath united itself with the woman's Seed: and given up itself into ONE Person, which is called CHRIST. 84. The Name JESUS, is the anointing of the Woman's Seed, and in the anointing he is called CHRIST the Son of God: the Seed of the Woman hath a given power, and the Seed of the Woman is under or beneath God, as the Body is beneath the Soul: but the Name JESUS is the Giver. 85. This * E. S. Author mixeth ALL, TOGETHER, and that for TWO Causes, one is, because himself doth not rightly understand it, the other, because he may advance all humane things, and give forth himself only for CHRIST; viz: for the Divine power and Omniscience, and therefore he rejecteth all ART and PRAYER itself; and calleth it a Forgotten thing, as if it were without † Or a Powerless thing. power or powerlesse; and did not attain that which is Eternal. 86. He will needs persuade us, that the Woman's Seed CHRIST, God and Man, is according to BOTH Natures totally ONE, and that will HE * E. S. Himself be: But the humane Nature continueth indeed Eternally beneath the Deity; though it is not divided for all that, yet the Substance is not AS the Spirit. 87. God, with or by creating Man hath not created to himself a GOD, which is of his own Substance, but an Image of a Similitude according to himself, viz: a Manifestation of his unsearchable divine Substance, in which he manifesteth himself; to his own Joy of himself, and Deeds of WONDER. 88 And hath given to Man again, to seek and to reveal or manifest the wonders of God in THIS world's substance, to his, viz: mans own Joy delight and longing pleasure, that God might be praised, known, and acknowledged, in ALL works, and Substances, or THINGS. HEre followeth The Author Esaiah Stiefel's Fourth Point of the Fourth Text. 1. HItherto hath been Mentioned, How Christ the Triune highly praised God, and Man, the holy Seed the living substantial powerful word of God, hath appeared, according to Measure from the beginning of the world, in all the Saints, his wife or woman, and been manifested in the Eyes and Hearts of the Faithful. 2. Hereupon now it is rightly acknowledged by all the Called Elect truly faithful Christians, that this most holy woman's Seed, the Eternal Birth of God, before all Creatures the Triune highly praised Son, and living totally substantial powerful word of God, and most holy Seed of the total fullness of the Triune Deity. 3. In the holy body and woman or wife of God, the pure chaste undefiled Virgin MARY, humane Nature, yet through and in the FAITH, of the New-and re-generated, holy pure flesh and blood in unity, hath taken to himself the pure humane Body and Soul, to the undivided Eternal union, and united it. 4. And hath been generated and Manifested, in and out of the faithful Love and Wife or Spouse or Woman of God, the Holy Virgin Mary, a little infant and visible holy Creature, the Son of God and Man in ONE Person. 5. And as the greatest and least, yes, the total fullness of the Divine Substance in the kingdom of Heaven, from the least to the greatest, here upon Earth, in the Flesh of the least of all and most despised and unworthy, generated, in the Holy divine Unity, such a Man and little child; which is equally in the Most high highness of all, the great Triune GOD and LORD. 6. This Perfect holy Seed and Word of God, in one holy pure undefiled Person, God and Man, in the union of the woman, Body, and Soul, through the Faith out of God, and this his holy Seed, regenerated, viz: the right Bridegroom, which hath united and taken to himself the Bride of all faithful, good divine holy Flesh and Blood in his holy humane Person. 7. Concerning which the faithful witness, John the Baptist, and Forerunner of Christ, mentioneth this; * John 3. 29. He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom. 8. In this perfect total divine, total humane holy substance, in one Person, hath this Triune God and Man CHRIST JESUS, delivered his wife or woman of his Body, yes faithful Body and Soul to and in a Masculine and Feminine Person, who from the beginning to the end of the World, have put their FAITH and trust in him, in this his holy becoming Man or Incarnation; from all Sin, Death Devil Hell world, and ALL worldly Lust of the Flesh and of the Eye, temporal and Eternal Damnation, through his holy Passion dying and blood shedding. 9 And through his Innocent Death, hath rescued, from the Guilty Death and sinful will, and out of the shameful Kingdom of the abominable Satan Thief Liar and Murtherour, and set us in his own kingdom of Glory, with himself, to the Eternal Endless Joy and holy peace, out of the Eternal Satanical sadness, misery, anguish, necessity, disquietness, hatred, envy and enmity of the mischievous Devils, yes set us in the Eternal rest and blessedness or Salvation. 10. Now as this Perfect Triune Seed and word of God, the total † Col: 2. 5. fullness of the Deity, in visible union of the Humane yet faithful Nature, a little Infant hath been and appeared, which according to the testimony of the Scripture like other faithful Children, grew to visible palpable, greatness, and was received to wisdom, * Luke 2. 52. Age and Grace or favour with God and faithful Men. 11. Which also the most holy high divine Triune Majesty, exalted in and to himself, from hours' days and years, in his visible Holy Person: Gloriously, and also at last here upon Earth visibly, through his holy innocent Suffering and Dying, Joyful Resurrection and Ascension, † Heb: 2. 10. Chap: 5. 9 made PERFECT: and himself presented for a perfect Man or Husband of his total Bride, all the faithful Holy Flesh and Blood, of his total Church or Congregation, in holy undivided Eternal Unity. 12. And as he was from the beginning of the world, in all Saints, his Woman or Wife, and faithful Flesh and Blood, viz: a child, and Son of God, of the Faithful Flesh and Blood of his woman's Seed, always by the Serpent's seed, the unfaithful wicked world, slain persecuted despised scorned and put to Death: in which regard also the Death of all Saints was before the Lord, very highly, dearly and preciously Esteemed. 13. So he hath also in his divine fullness, and perfect Seed and word of God, the pure faithful women and Virgin's Son, God and Man in one Person, the right Seed Son and Word of God, of the perfect faithful Flesh and Blood, the total persecution enmity hatred and envy, of the abominable Satanical Serpent's Seed, of the woeful Devil, (substantially united in all unfaithful unrepentant children of the world) hath * Math: 8. 17. taken upon him, for the sake of the redemption of all the faithful of his body and holy woman. 14. And through his innocent suffering and dying; hath paid the penalty and debt of all the Sins of the world on his most holy body and woman: reconciled it with the Deity in himself; overthrown all Enmity between God and Man; and in and according to this his most holy total or UNIVERSAL Redemption, through his guiltless Cross, with and in divine union through God, and out of the infancy to a perfect Man presented himself to his total holy Church or Congregation. 15. In, and with, which, he now according to his most holy prediction, Hosea 2. † Hosea 2. 19 I will Espouse myself with thee in Eternity; I will betrothe myself with thee in Grace and Mercy; Yes, in the Faith I will unite and bind myself with thee: with this his holy, unreprovable undefiled Church and perfect Bride and most holy Sulamith: * Cant: 6. 13. Canticles: Reconcileth and espouseth in Eternity. 16. In which he now according to his own most holy revelation of himself here upon Earth: Esaiah 9 † Esaiah 9 6. The Eternal Father, in an undivided Person, God and Man, ONE Eternal Generatour, TRIUNE God and Lord, yes ALL in ALL, his beloved total perfect Bride, his holy body and woman, wherein he Eternally generateth his holy Seed, his holy Word, Will, Work and Performance, substantially livingly and powerfully. 17. And to his Eternal praise, laud and honour, in this his holy Church, holy Jerusalem and perfect City, of the perfect appearing divine Peace, which is kept in Heaven, but now on Earth, in this ending ceasing Last time of the world; manifesteth himself in the Eternal Unity of his body and woman, the undefiled, untransitory unfadable Inheritance. 18. And the receiving his holy kingdom and Dominion according to the Testimony of the Holy Scripture. Dan: 7. * Daniel 7. 27. Luke 1. 33. under the whole Heaven, in his Saints, his united woman, and Eternally ruling it, to be openly proclaimed. 19 The Bride the Woman, of all faithful Flesh and Blood, according to the Testimony of the Scripture. Revelations 22. hath called; Come LORD JESUS: the Bridegroom and Man Christ appeareth, and saith in the unity of his Wife or Woman, † Exod. 33. 14. Psal. 132. 13, 14. Esaiah 14. 3, 7. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Rev. 21. 3. Here I am, Here I am, Here will I dwell, this is my Rest Eternally. 20. Here thou wilt with the beloved woman of all faithful Flesh and Blood, in divine unity of thy Man, with this Scripture Explanation, for further holy consideration, in and with thy united Bridegroom, according to thy desire, for Love and divine will, acknowledge and receive this. 21. In which, the Triune highly praised Son and Word of God, the fullness of the Deity, generated from Eternity, the most holy seed of the Woman from the beginning of the World, after the Fall of Adam and Eve, as also the regenerated new faithful flesh and blood, the woman in that which is in Part, and perfect holy substance is discovered to thee and manifested: to the Eternal and in Eternal unchangeable Union. 22. NOT Tinctured, according to the Cabalistical, Theophrasticall, Rosocrucian kind; and transmuted out of the unfaithful Substance into the Faithful. 23. But according to the Testimony of the Scripture, a New Birth, not out of the old sinful Substance, but in the Centre and inward Heart, in the Love of the divine voice, a new beginning, a New Heart, a New Flesh and Blood, a New faithful Person as to Body and Soul, a Faith, not born out of the unbeleef but out of God. 24. A Body, a Woman, a Man, an unity of the Woman, a Seed, a faithful visible good Substance of God, A Christ, a Lord, a God, a Spirit Substantially, opperatively, livingly, powerfully and actively, the self-subsisting Eternal ONE only blessedness or salvation, an * 1 Pet: 1. 4. undefiled, unfadable, untransitory, inheritance, reserved in Heaven. 25. But now in this Last Time revealed or manifested to all, over all, through all, and in all faithful, with himself the Triune Eternal God, an Eternal REST, and holy City and habitation of the highest of all and lowest of All, in Heaven and upon Earth; which is and is called in All Eternal Eternity, according to the Testimony of Scripture, of Ezekiel the last Chapter: A Wedding City. Here is the LORD, Psal. 48. 1, 2. Very greatly and highly to be praised is The Mountain ZION; the fair Branch, with which the whole Land is Comforted. Yours always willingly. A. V. E. Esaiah Stiefell. HEre followeth My Answer upon this Fourth Point of the Fourth Text. 1. T Fourth Point, I would even leave unexplained, if it were produced by the Author in a right understanding: but he jumbleth all together, and sticketh his erroneous meaning therein, and maketh much more a Confusion of it, than a right explanation: But seeing I have explained the contents of it above almost in every particular, I will therefore only expound the chief matters, and extract the Erroneous Opinions out of his Confusion, for the sake of the Reader. 2. Concerning the becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ, concerning which the * E. S. Author here mentioneth, That the Seed of the Holy Trinity in the Totall divine Substance, is become Man or Incarnate in the Totall Holy Perfect, totally united with the Deity, virgin MARY, and hath taken HER Flesh and Soul upon him, and so made MARY the Genetrix of God, viz: the holy word of God, as he writeth: and that MARY was before new born in the Faith, e ere she was impregnate or with Child with the Saviour. 3. This needs yet a sharper explanation and exposition; and it had stood this Master in hand, that will needs be Perfect and Omniscient, to have unsolded this Mystery, and not to have confused it so, that a man cannot know what he understandeth thereby; but only that a Man may see his secret in sown Grain or Seed, spring up therein. 4. He will not herewith satisfy the seeking Mind, which enquireth after the Ground; and lead him into the Centre of Nature, he must put on other Stieffeln, or Boötes, if he will ride with Christ's Spirit over Death and Hell; and say, how God's Anger is quenched, Death broken to pieces, and the Devil's Kingdom IN Man destroyed. 5. His explanation is much more erroneous, and an obscuring the understanding of the seeking Mind, than an Expounding. He hunteth some high Points concerning the manner of the becoming Man, or Incarnation of Christ; and produceth none. 6. He mentioneth that MARY was totally sanctified and Perfect before CHRIST was conceived: Now if the Faith could have attained and have discovered the Perfection, and Totally have new Generated Man, that he had been united with and in God in Body and Soul, in Totall perfect holiness: then Christ had come in vain. 7. And his suffering and Death had not been profitable to us, if the FAITH, could have broken the Anger of God, also Death and Hell, and have appeased the Angry Father, and have quite taken away the abomination in the vanity of the Flesh. 8. Also if CHRIST, viz: the Word of God; had totally inwardly and outwardly taken to himself a holy and perfect Body and Soul upon Earth, wherein had he broken Death? And in WHAT Body had he taken on himself, the SINS of All Men? And in what Body then hath he died to Sin? WHAT Body became a Curse on the Cross? 9 If it had been only the holy Perfect Body: then would God's holiness have made itself a Curse, and our Restitution had been only a Sacrifice, which might well have been done in the Faith, or through the Judaical Sacrifice; O it must needs be an Evil God, who will not suffer himself to be appeased, unless he revenge himself upon his Perfect holy Substance. 10. Else, why should he lay all SIN upon one holy perfect Man? and cause his fierce wrath to be shown upon him? and so Revenge himself? such an understanding this giveth, if we say, Mary was in the Faith, in flesh and blood, in body and soul, totally perfect; and totally united with the Holy Divine Substance. 11. But seeing the Omniscient * E. S. Author, here spoils his breath: therefore we will here in part, a little blow up our sparkle, and unfold the Mystery better. 12. King David said: In Sin was I born, and in Sin did my Mother conceive me; and this David it is, out of whom MARY was born, viz: out of the Seed of David; of the Seed of Joachim her father, and Anna her Mother. 13. Now if MARY had attained in the Faith, the highest Perfection, why not also David, and the Patriarchs? in whom was the Holy Ghost as well as in MARY. 14. And though this † E. S. Author indeed determines, that they were totally Holy and Perfect, yet their Sin and Mortality, moreover their Infirm life, in Sickness, Care, perplexity and necessity, will not permit that, in which they all lived in the Curse and abomination, in the vanity of the Earthly Flesh: which abomination, in their dying, was first broken and ceased as to them. 15. In the Abomination of the vanity, there is not by far, any total perfection, but Sin and Death; as David witnesseth of himself, as also all the Patriarchs. 16. But concerning MARY and CHRIST this is the true, understanding: MARY was the Limit of the Covenant of God in Paradise, instituted after the Fall; That Covenant stood in the true Image, which faded or disappeared in Adam, when he manifested or revealed the vanity in his outward Flesh. 17. Concerning which God said: * Gen: 2. 17. The day that thou shalt eat of the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil, viz: of the vanity, thou shalt die the Death; which also instantly came to pass; he died to the divine world, and awakened to the Earthly world in the vanity, 18. For, the Soul, viz: the true Life of the heavenly substantiality, entered with its Desire, into the Abomination; then the Divine Light departed from the Image of the heavenly Substantiality; and now it stood in Death as a Nothing: and this true Image it is which God from Eternity hath beheld with his holy Spirit in the wisdom, but without Substance, which he created into Substance, that is, brought Substance into this Image, from the Three Principles. 19 But when the Spirit of the Three Principles, viz: the true Soul, went from its Eternal Image of the purity into the † Dan: 9 27. Matth: 24. 15. Mark 13. 14. Rev. 21. 27. Abomination of vanity, viz: into the Earthly Substance; and awakened the same in the Forms of Nature, and manifested it in the Flesh; then the fair Image disappeared, and stood again in the hiddenness, at its Eternal Limit, without knowledge and perception of the Earthly Adam in Abomination. 20. But seeing God's purpose was, that this fair Similitude of God, should stand Eternally before him in Substance, as a beloved Scene of his Joy, and a Similitude of the Eternal Substance, and Spirit; therefore he promised to move himself yet once, and with his highest Love and Humility: viz: in the Centre of the sweet Love, in the word of his Sound, to manifest the Image in Substance again. 21. Now in MARY lay the disappeared Substance in the Covenant, this was the dry Rod of Aaron, which grew again in One Night, and bare Almonds, as is to be read in Moses. 22. Now when the Angel came to MARY, and brought her the Message, that she should be impregnate with Child and generate or bear the Saviour of the World, though indeed she wondered how it should come to pass, yet she said, * Luke 1. 38. Behold I am the Maidservant of the Lord, let it be done as thou hast said; that is, she gave up her will and desire into God's will, he should do what he would. 23. And in this Point, hath the Centre of the voice of God, according to the deepest Love of the hiddenness of God, in the Image of the disappeared substance, with the Introduction of the divine heavenly substance of the Paradise and Element, and all whatsoever the Deity in the Holiness containeth; manifested itself in the Natural seed of MARY. 24. Understand in the seed of MARY, of her spirit and Flesh, wherein lay the souls and body's Essence, viz; in venus's Matrix in the woman's seed, as it was promised in Paradise, also to Abraham, and to David. 25. Now understand us aright, what the clear Deity, hath received to itself; not Ave-maries sinful Seed, in which, death became broken on the Cross; indeed it had received it to itself but in another Principle. 26. The pure Holy Deity, was always from Eternity in Eternity, surrounded with the substance of the Heaven in the inward, viz. with the Holy substance: that very holy substance, hath the voice of the holy Deity, with the Moving of the Word; introduced into mary disappeared Substance, understand into the Seed of Mary; and united itself with mary's substance, in the Covenant of God. 27. For, John the 3. he saith; * Joh: 3 13. None goeth to Heaven but the son of Man who is come from Heaven; also, I am gone forth and Come out from God into this world: Now the clear Deity needs no coming for it is in all places before hand, it needeth only to Manifest itself to or in the ●●ace: and all whatsoever cometh, that is substance; but God in his Trinity is a spirit without substance, as to what he is solely in the Deity. 28. Therefore, when God would move and Manifest himself in his Covenant, in mary's heavenly disappeared substance, than came he with the substance, and manifested himself, in the united substance; he united his coming substance with the Humane substance, understand, with the heavenly humane substance. 29. For when God Created his Image Adam, wherein he dwell and manifest or reveal himself, than could his holiness be manifested in NO other substance, THAN in the Heavenly holy in the pure Element and Paradise. 30. This he received again in mary Seed, into his holy living substance, and in that substance was Christ in the Faith of Mary, become conceived by the Holy spirit, for the Faith which demerseth itself into God's will, that demerseth also the seed in the Covenant, into the holy Living substance. 31. Here again was the living holy conjunction with or between the Substance of Mary and of God, and in this united substance * Numb. 17. 8. Sprouted the Rod of Aaron forth, that was the deepest Love of God in the Centre of the Holy Trinity, whose Name is called JESUS. 32. Now observe further, in this Seed of Mary, which disappeared in itself, and was not manifested to the Soul, lay in in the soulish property, but according to the feminine property in venus's Matrix, according to the first Principle, according to the Father's property, Manifested, viz: a living Essence in the seed of Mary. 33. Which Essence otherwise in the Masculine Conjunction with the Springing up of the life, in the Exit of the Fourth Month, affordeth a living Creaturely Soul: This soulish seed hath also received to its self, the Divine Word, but in its own, in the soulish seeds, Principle. 34. For, the soulish seed hath always the First Principle, according to the Father's property according to the Fire-world; and the Second Principle hath the Son's property according to the Light-world. 35. Yet now, the Father is another Person than the Son; And so it is here also to be known, or acknowledged; the soulish property, hath its original from Adam, out of the Eternal Nature, out of the First Principle; it hath the Centre to the inward and outward Nature, and it is itself, that, in itself, in its life's Forms, for a Fire and Light. 36. This soulish property, hath, the Name JESUS received to itself, after a Creaturely kind and manner, as an Eternal Espousal: but NOT so to understand that the holy power JESUS, and the souls Natural substance, and ONE in the Essence. 37. As little as fire and light are one, though indeed they stand in One Birth, yet they have a twofold source or quality; Thus truly in JESUS, the source or quality is totally Holy and God himself; but in the soul's property, lay the Worm of the Kindled Anger of God; which God, with this his holy Love out of JESUS, would quench and put to death. 38. And in this soulish property, was the Abomination existed, whereinto the Devil's Imagination had woven itself: This soulish property, was tempted in the wilderness, to try whether it would totally give itself up into JESUS, viz. into God's love, and eat of God's Holiness. 39 And in this Abomination of the soul, (in which the life's forms were Elevated, and gone forth out of the equal agreement, every Form into its proper owne, out of which the Enmity and opposite will existed,) hath CHRIST shed his holy Blood of the Image of the holy heavenly substantiality, and introduced it thereinto with the sweet love JESUS: whence the fierce wrath in 〈◊〉 life's Forms, of the soul, in the Angry Father's property, became drowned. 40. For when the altogether sweet Love, in the Holy Blood, gave itself up into the fierce wrathful anger of the soul; then the fierce wrath trembled or shook before this great Holiness, Sweetness and Love, so that its own right brake in the Trembling Crack, to pieces, and became transmuted into the Kingdom of Joy. 41. So that the Anger became transmuted into another Will, and all properties of the self-hood, of the Eternal Nature in the self-hood, became all ONE in this sweet Love for the Love fulfilled or satisfied them all. 42. And then the abomination and the Enmity against God's holiness Ceased: for the abomination had died in the Crack or terror of Death, which rose up into the Joyfulness: and now the souls Will was called; LORD GOD, Thee will we praise. 43. Now understand us Further: With the receiving of the soulish property, JESUS also hath received or assumed, the outward humane Fleshly substance, in the seed of Mary, viz. the outward Humanity, the Third Principle, 44. But not into the Image, or into the seed of the holiness, in JESUS, but after the Manner, as God is in the World, and yet the World is not God, but they hang in ONE substance one to another, and yet they sever themselves in themselves in TWO Principles. 45. The soul hangeth to the outward World, to the Flesh, the nearest, for the Soul hath 〈◊〉 THREE Principles if it be Holy: if not, than it hath only TOO manifest to it, and the Holy is hidden to it. 46. And in the outward fleshly seed, lay the Death, and the abomination before God's holiness, THAT became as a Curse banged to the Cross, and the death of Sin in this abomination became drowned with the holy Blood: and the Outward Mystery of the outward Body and Life Redeemed from the abomination and Curse, and totally Sanctified, and changed into God's unblemished Image. 47. In this outward Flesh, lay the Evil child, which Adam generated, when he died as to God; here the evil child became taken in again into God's Love; for Isaiah saith; † Isai. 53. 4. Math. 8. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 24. He took ALL Our sins UPON himself, not into himself, not into the JESUS or CHRIST, wh● was manifested in the holy Image, but UPON himself in the perished or corrupt Adam. 48. The accursed Adam, HUNG to the Cross, as a Curse, and THAT, Jesus Christ REDEEMED with his Innocent suffering and with the shedding of his Blood: Adam's Body died on the Cross, and CHRIST borne out of JESUS, in the Woman's sanctified seed, Tinctured it, and † 1 Pet: 1. 21. sprinkled it with his precious Love - blood. 49. At which the Curse in the EARTH trembled or quaked, because this Judgement came upon it: And the SUN, did hide or withdraw its shining at or for this Judgement of this Holiness, at or before this NEW shining Sun, * Math: 27, 45. 46. From the Sixt Hour to the Ninth, which is and signifieth Adam's sleep, when he slept in the Sixt Hour, and in the † Three Hours. Three Days. Ninth Hour, that is on the THIRD Day of the outward World, awakened or arose with his now prepared WIFE or woman. 50. Now in the † Or Bounds. Note what the Limit of the Covenant is. Ninth Hour the outward SUN with its shining Sprung forth or arose again; and in the Death of Christ, the paradisical SUN, [arose or sprung forth] which Adam in Christ's Resurrection discovered or beheld again. 51. Now observe us Further concerning mary BLESSING, For the Angel said to her, Thou blessed among all Women, the LORD is with thee. 52. In this Mary, stood the highly blessed limit of the Covenant of God, through which all the Holy Patriarchs, and Prophets have spoken: viz. through God's voice, which causeth itself to be heard through the * Aim Scope, Mark. Limit of this Covenant. 53. For the Covenant was inherited all along from one to another, and in Marry it stood at the ●●●MIT, that is, at the End of the Manifestation or Revelation; wherein JESUS would Manifest himself with the CHRIST, viz. with the anointed of God. 54. And Now the Hour of the Revelation or Manifestation came, wherein God would manifest himself, in this his holy Covenant. And God sent the Angelical Message to HER, and she gave up her will into God's will; so that the highly precious Name JESUS, manifested itself in her seed of the disappeared Image, and then also the word of Power, awakened her own disappeared Image of the second Principle, in HER Body and Life. 55. For the seed of the disappeared Image, which became thus propagated without life; that qualified or operated with the substance, whence it was generated; and THIS was her high Blessing before or above ALL Women, from Eve to that time in that she attained in the Inward Man the holy Life IN the disappeared Image. 56. For JESUS pressed or penetrated out of his own received or assumed substance, into the Mother of the seed; but in HER outward Flesh, as also in the Soul, was the Sin and Death; which must also with Christ's holy bloodshedding, be overthrown. 57 For CHRIST alone was the Serpent bruiser or Crusher, even IN his Natural Mother MARY: He is with the Soul the first borne from the Dead, to God's Glory: His soul was the first, as a Door to the Re-opening; and through THIS Door we must all Enter in. 58. MARY in her outward Body was Mortal: as also CHRIST according to the outward Humanity; Christ Lived in the outward Man in the Dominion of the Four Elements, in the source or quality of Heat and Cold, as WE do. 59 But the ABOMINATION which Adam inherited to us, that he received NOT to himself from Man's or the Masculine Seed, but in the Woman's or the Feminine Seed, as a BURDEN upon him which he must † Isai: 53. 6. Math. 8: 17. Bear. 60. This was his outward received or assumed humanity a Vessel for it, NOT that a Man may any way say, that CHRIST hath wrought any sin and abomination with his outward Body, NO, that COULD NOT be. 61. For he took on himself, the First Principle of the foulish property in venus's Matrix in the woman's seed, understand, in the Property of Eve; for Eve was the child that Adam should have generated Magically; but seeing he awakened the abomination in the Centre of the Genetrix, therefore that could not be done. 62. Eve was adam's beloved and fair well relishing sweet-savoured Rose Garden and Paradise, when she was yet in Adam's Essence, and Now that very fair Rose-Garden became Manifest again in the humanity of CHRIST. 63. THUS * NOTE Math. 8. 17. he took the Abomination of SIN, upon this Image in the Flesh; as if he were Adam; and yet was NOT: but in the Woman's or Feminine Seed he was THAT, and Not in the Man's or Masculine Seed. 64. He took the MAN'S Sin on to the highly blessed Limit, in the WOMAN'S outward Seed, and broke in pieces the Man and the Woman, and brought again the virginity, viz: TWO Tinctures into ONE unseparable Eternal Conjunction in the Love, no more in the Desire after SUBSTANCE, as it was in Adam, but only in the Desire after POWER. 65. The TWO Tinctures generate NO more Substance, viz: a Propagation; but holy power, and relish or Savour, and Gods 66. And this is the information concerning Mary and Christ's Humanity plainly unsolded; and not so covered as this * E. S. Author hath done, that a Man cannot understand; how it is come into Substance. 67. But that this † E. S. Author presseth so vehemently upon the New Regeneration of the Old Patriarchs, and will have THEM New Born in Christ and totally Perfect; by that I see very well what he meaneth by it and under it; even that HE also may be esteemed totally Holy and totally PERFECT. 68 For, if the Old Patriarchs have put on Christ, when as yet he was not * A Man. Man, how much more, HE, seeing Christ is now become Man; which I would heartily fain allow him if it were but True; and if it were not so, that it might yet be so. 69. Why doth he not set the Apostles of Christ, and THEIR Successors Imitators or followers, in the humanity of Christ; as he set the Old Patriarchs before Christ's Birth? Even this is it, that he might bring in this Schism or Sectarisme, that God hath created ALL Creatures in CHRIST his express Image, and Redeemed them ALL. 70. Which revealed express Image, he will have to be only in those that are HIS Followers; that Men might not thrust him, with THIS outward Tabernacle; out of Christ's Image. 71. For if he be created in Christ's Image in Adam, and God now do reveal the same in Christ's humanity again, and that he be proceeded out of that very Image, and standeth therein; then he can not Fail; he is CHRIST inwardly and outwardly. 72. If it were certainly true, and that the Old Patriarchs had not also the Image of Sin on them, that he could show they had been totally Holy, then in the Old Patriarchs there had been NO Transmutation of their Bodies; also NOT in the Apostles, according to the outward Flesh. 73. Christ's Apostles and their Successors Imitators or followers, have put on Christ in their Angelical Image in the holy Flesh: but their Outward Body was sinful, and an ABOMINATION; viz: in the Turba The outward Abomination in the Flesh, MUST Die; and enter into Christ's Death, that Christ, who is arisen from the Dead, may raise up their outward Body, into himself. 74. The Outward Life generated from MARY, is RESERVED to the * NOTE What is reserved to the Resurrection of the Dead. Resurrection of the Dead, when the Man in the VIRGINITY shall arise. 75. But if this † E. S. Author be Perfect, then is he neither Man nor Woman, How then doth he beget children of his Wife? The Old Patriarchs have put on the Covenant of Christ; and CHRIST the Man, became put on in the Word of Promise, pointing at the future fulfilling. 76. God reconciled himself in the Covenant, and therefore they sacrificed, that God's Imagination, which entered into the promised Covenant, might receive their Imagination in the sacrifice, into the Covenant of Promise, through the Limit wherein God became Man: they were in the Covenant elected to be children, in which Covenant God became Man, and fulfiled the Covenant with the Humanity, which was done in the Seed of MARY and not in the Bondage or Servility. 77. The Old Patriarchs, did not put on Christ in the Flesh, but the Covenant to the Filiation and to the Resurrection of the Dead; but now WE put on Christ's Humanity, for the Covenant is fulfilled with the Humanity. 78. But the Kingdom of this world doth NOT put on Christ, for he said; * NOTE the Resurrection of the outward Body of this world. My Kingdom is not of this world; The Kingdom of this world in the Flesh; putteth on CHRIST'S Death and dying, it should die in Christ's death, and put on HIS Resurrection out of the GRAVE; That the Man which dyeth according to Flesh, in the Limit which God hath set or appointed, viz: at the Last DAY; should ARISE out of Christ's Death. 79. He hath given us his Death and Burial for a REST, where the OUTWARD Body resteth from the working of vanity, as in a meek soft Sleep. 80. But what this † E. S. Author sets down concerning the opposition of the total fleshly Man; that the Earthly Man which he calleth the Serpent's Seed, despiseth, contemneth, derideth and persecuteth Christ in his Members and continually crucifieth and putteth them to death, together with Christ; that is so, and cannot otherwise be. 81. For when Christ is become born, than the Man of Sin in his self-hood MUST die: the Faithful Man, becometh, himself, an Enemy of his own Sins in the Flesh: the Faithful Man according to the Heavenly Substance, is indeed yea undeniably the Bride of CHRIST, in whom Christ dwelleth, that I contradict not. 82. But that this * E. S. Author sets it down, that Christ was born a poor despised Infant in the highest Lowliness out of MARY; and yet was equal in the Height of the Triune God and LORD? there he should better explain it, and show; wherein he is the Triune God and LORD. 83. Not according to the Creature, viz: according to our Flesh and Soul, which is Eternally under or beneath God, but according to his Divine, and according to the Heavenly Substantiality and Corporeity; wherewith he came from Heaven, and took our Substance upon him. 84. The divine Substance is unmeasurable, BOTH according to Spirit, and Corporeal Substance; but our humane Substance is measurable: to our humane Substance, the Power or Authority is given, but to the divine, nothing CAN be given. 85. God will judge the humanity, through the voice of the humanity of Christ, so that the humanity of Christ according to our humanity, is the Instrument to do it with; Not that our humanity in Christ's Person and Creature, hath the power or authority out of itself. 86. It is a given power or authority from the Father; As Christ himself saith; * Math: 28. 18. ALL Power or Authority in Heaven and upon Earth, is given me of my Father, Matth: 28. Not to the self-hood of the Creature, that the Creature, is as Omnipotent and self powerful, as GOD; but that the CREATURE, is the Instrument whereby the Spirit of God will † Note what shall judge and separate at the Last Day. Judge and separate ALL things. 87. The Spirit of the Holy Trinity, IN the Creature is the will, and the Creature is the Instrument of performance, as through a clear visible open Image and Substance; seeing God hath manifested himself through the Creature, therefore through the Creature also he produceth a Manifested or revealed authority or power and Dominion. 18. As an Artist fitteth an Instrument of Music, and himself strikes or plays upon it, that it may sound and give melody to him, SUCH as he would said HEAR: Thus also in like manner the Creature is God's Instrument upon which God striketh or playeth, and hath introduced his own sound out of the divine voice, into this Creaturely Lute, which soundeth and Melodizeth to him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will. 89. This Lute doth not play upon itself; for CHRIST saith also: † John 5. 19 All whatsoever the Son seeth the Father do, that the Son doth also: * John ●●. ●●. And the word which I speak to you, is not mine, but the Fathers who dwelleth in me; Also, † John 10. 30. I and the Father are One, * John 14. 28 but the Father is greater than I 90. The Father is the Eternal Beginning, and the Son is the Eternal Begun, viz: the Manifestation of that Spirit which is called Father, and the Holy Spirit is that, which the Father through the Son Manifesteth, with the Eternal outspoken wisdom, out of the sound, which the Father with the Son Generateth. 91. The Son is the Father's sound or word; and the Creature is the clear or Loud manifested word, through which the Father in the Eternal Generating of his holy word, soundeth or speaketh: 〈◊〉 hear the Creature, viz: the voice of the Person CHRIST; then I hear what the Father, in his holy sound in the exit of his Holy Spirit manifesteth and expresseth in and with the Creature. 92. Here it is not called, beloved Woman or Wife, with or as to the Creature; but God's Image, God's Manifestation; Gods manifest Dominion; Gods own Doing or self-acting; viz: the invisible and incomprehensible, acting through a visible comprehensible image and Substance of his own propriety. 93. For without God there is Nothing; HE alone is ALL; but all whatsoever is perceptible or comprehensible, that is only an Image of the Invisible Divine Substance, wherewith the Invisible hath Manifested or revealed itself. 94. Therefore the Creature should NOT say of itself, that itself is any thing; but introduce its ability into THAT out of which it is originated, that it may be the Omniscient God's work and play or Melody in his Love; that it may do what he will; and SO God be * 1 Cor. 15. 28. ALL in ALL. 95. And if God will do any thing through his Creature, and manifest his will; then speaketh not the Creature from or of itself, but saith, † NOTE the Prophets. Thus saith the LORD, thus hath the Lord spoken, this is the Command of the Lord: and not esteem itself at all to be the speaking Word or divine Sound: also not say with this outward Body; that the outward Body is espoused with God's Holiness, as this * E. S. Author sets it down. 96. The inward Man is indeed, together with or in God's Harmony, through which God soundeth and Singeth, and is a Wedding-Place or City, of God: but all whatsoever is Creaturely is tinder or beneath that which hath made the Creature: The Creature is God's Artifice or workmanship, which he hath made through his wisdom: for it is the Nature, it standeth in the Principle, viz: in a Beginning, but God standeth in NONE: † Heb. 7. 3. God is without all Beginning, his desire maketh Beginning. 97. But what this * E. S. Author saith concerning the woman of Faithful Flesh and Blood, is not spoken plain enough to be understood; For Flesh and Blood believeth not, but the Spirit; Flesh and Blood is a House of the Spirit. 98. And what he also setteth down concerning the Man CHRIST who is in the Marriage with the Woman; cannot at all be spoken of the outward Flesh and Blood of this [Life] time: for Christ is himself the Woman and the Man, God and Man. 99 Of the Inward Man, it may WELL be spoken, that is in the Marriage with Christ, but the Outward is in the Marriage with the Outward World, and with the vanity and Sin, as also with Death and Corruptibility, weakness sickness and Misery, THAT is called Eve, and not the Marriage City of God, in God's holiness, as this Author saith it is. 100 But a waste Tabernacle wherein the Spirit is perished, understand the Outward Spirit, which dwelleth in Flesh and Blood, not that we would or should, DESPISE, the Spirit, viz: the Soul of the Great world which giveth Life to all Creatures; but in the Curse of the vanity, viz: in SIN, lieth the Evil Child, which Adam awakened and manifested. 101. But what kind of * ●●illen. Whimsies this † E. S. Author hath, that He will not allow the Divine Tincturing and Transmutation to consist with the New Birth, and contemneth and rejecteth ALL that: it cannot be enough discerned why he giveth forth so altogether Blind and absurd Matters. 102. He telleth us of a total New strange Creature, which is generated in CHRIST: if that were so, than we could not at all say, that Christ had taken on himself our Flesh and Blood, Much less the Soul: then also he might not at all be called * Gen: 3. 15. The Woman's Seed, How should we then be partakers of him? 103. Hath not Christ taken on him my Creature? how then hath he in my Flesh, slain Death, and quenched the Anger of God? but if he hath taken on him, my Creature: what kind of strange New Creature should enter into me. 104. I know of no strange one: It were directly contrary to the Article, † Note the Resurrection is a Transmutation. of the Resurrection of the Dead: I must not speak of another Man, of another Creature, but of a TRANSMUTATION of the Course stone into Gold; the unholy into pure holiness. 105. If that must be done; then must the right Artist in ME Come; viz: the Holy Spirit, with the divine Tincture, which is Christ's Blood, wherewith he broke in pieces the vanity of our Humanity, and brought our right Life, forth through Death. 106. I must be Tinctured or else I cannot be Transmuted; If Christ do not Tincture me with his Blood; then my HOLY Paradise-LIFE remaineth faded or disappeared in Death; but if he doth Tincture ME, than the Holy Spirit in me becometh stirring, who CAN, in Christ's Flesh and Blood, Transmute ME, according to the Inward Paradise-Man. 107. God had not to do about a strange Creature, in that he became Man, but about that which in Adam he created in Paradise; Job saith * Joh. 〈…〉 In this MY Flesh shall I see GOD, and my Eyes shall see him and NOT another's. 108. My Own Essence of the INWARD Man, is in this [Life] time tinctured and Transmuted, and my OUTWARD Mortal Man, is Tinctured with Christ's Death: to DIE, and the MYSTERY of the outward Man, viz: the Fift Essence or QUINTESSENCE, (understand the Outward Spirit WITHOUT the Abomination, wherein the Four Elements stand in Equal agreement in One Will and Substance) is Tinctured for the Last release, and Resurrection of the Dead; which † What will be done in the Last 〈◊〉. transmutation will be effected at the Last DAY. 109. This Man Imageth or frameth a Fantasy in himself and Thinketh, he is no more what he was, his Nature is totally gone from him, he is totally a New Creature inwardly and outwardly, and that is totally false and groundless. 110. His earthly Man is not Christ's Bride, in God's holiness, but he is Christ's Bride in Christ's Death, so far as he is capable or partaker of that. 111. But while he will needs be Perfect and cursorily pass over Christ's Death, and be already risen again in Christ's Death, he truly in the Self-hood goeth back with Christ's Death into the 〈◊〉. 112. I wish him from my Heart, that his Body visibly were capable or partaker of Christ's Death: for * Gal. 2. 20. in that I live in my self-hood, I do not rejoice, but I rejoice in this, that I in my self-hood stand in CHRIST'S Death, and continually DIE. 113. And I wish, that I yet might totally die to self-hood, that my self-hood might be totally resigned up into God, and I be only an Instrument or Tool of God, and knew nothing more of my Self-hood. 114. But that this † E. S. Author mentioneth, that he is altogether dead to self-hood, and is the Glorious Type of Christ's Bride, which God would manifest upon Earth in this Last Time, totally inwardly and outwardly, holy & PERFECT without vanity, blemish or Sin, we would readily allow him to be so if he would sufficiently assure us of it. 115. But upon his supposititions, insufficient, groundless, literal demonstration, whereas yet he doth not understand, How the Scripture speaketh, we shall not be able to believe him, unless we see the Paradise upon him, and see that he is dead from the outward world, and do use it no more. 116. For no conceit availeth, but Feeling by Experience and so 〈◊〉: all the while he liveth in the vanity, and perplexeth himself in the vanity and is affected with strife, we believe him NOT: neither can we believe him in regard of Christ's word which warneth us, that we should * Matth. 24. 4, 5. beware of those that give forth themselves to be CHRIST. 117. And if one did go about in doing Miracles, and did live still in the vanity in Evil and Good, yet than we must say, that he is a Mortal Man, even though he were inwardly holy and Newborn in CHRIST. 118. The Golden Mountain which † E. S. he promiseth in this Tabernacle, the old Adam might or would readily allow and put on, if it were possible, and that God would do so, with us. 119. Also we would very heartily esteem him for the Type and the first born of the Adamicall Bodies, if it were he, that could manifest or perform so great a promise upon OUR Mortal Bodies, or if he could but manifest it on HIS own. 120. But that he saith, we can not see it on him; we should believe it, none can assure us of it; I cannot believe him, unless he assure me of it; that I may conceive it is true, else I take it to be an Imagination. 121. What the Spirit of GOD signifieth concerning the Last Zion; hath another A. B. C. we understand it NOT to be with clarified † NOTE Transfigured, or Glorified Bodies, wherein the vanity shall be totally Dead; but concerning the Fall of Babel and that the end belongeth to the Beginning: NOT the Two Tinctures turned into One, according to the OUTWARD Man; but we understand Eve in the REPENTANCE, and in the simplicity, for the evil Lust or Longing which SHE had. 122. * E. S. His marriage State or City, which he supposeth to be, is only an Eve, his ZION is a Vale of Misery, in Care, Toil, Labour and Necessity; † Gen: 8. 2●. For, Winter and Summer, Day and Night, Seed time and Harvest, shall not cease, as was said to Noah, till the Great and Terrible DAY of the Lord shall COME. 123. Also thus the Mountain of God, viz: ZION, is in the whole world, where there be honest virtuous people that fear and Love God: HE himself is IN the Honest Men; the marriage City of GOD, must be in MAN; as also the Temple of CHRIST, where the HOLY SPIRIT teacheth. 124. We need no conceit, nor running up and down, the City of God's Habitation IS every where, where honest Men are together, as Christ saith, * Math: 18. 20. Where TWO or THREE are met together in My Name, there am I in the midst amongst them. 125. But seeing * E. S. he speaketh of a visible holy Seed and woman of Christ, and will have that to be totally without blemish, We desire to see a sign or token thereof, let him Set that before us, that we may acknowledge it, and see it on him, and THAN we will believe him. 126. And let him leave others whom God hath gifted † 1 Cor: 13. 9 in Part, undisgraced; else we will say of him, that he hath neither Part nor Perfection, but only a bare Imagination, and Vain spiritual pride, which is instigated by the driving of Satan; who fain would erect such a flattering seeming Holiness. 127. Seeing he perceiveth that * 2 Thess: 2. 3. the Man of Sin shall be revealed or manifested, therefore he will set such a Glistering Chapel near it, That Sin might no more be known or acknowledged, and that he might still, under such a Glistering Cloak have his hypocrisy and Church, totally Blind in Sinne. 128. For that is the Devil's manner, when he seeth that Sin in Man becometh manifested or discovered, than he casteth over Sin, 〈◊〉 a fine Glistering Trimmed or adorned Cloak; and giveth it into 〈◊〉 persuasion; that he is Holy Perfect and Righteous. 129. Thus he layeth the Man of Sin, in a Fine soft Bed, and covereth him with Christ's Purple Mantle, to try whether he might under such a cover sift and betray him: Thus will he also do at this Time, for he observeth that the Man of Sin shall be manifested, and that Babel shall be discovered. 130. Therefore he cometh very finely and Lovely Covered with a shining Luster or appearance, and would cover the Adamicall evil child totally, that it should no more be called sinful, it shall deny its sinful Name in the vanity, and call itself totally Christ, and holy; and saith, it is a Lie, if the Earthly bestial Man calleth itself, after its own self Bestial Property. 131. O beloved Brethren and fellow Members of Christ, all that read this, be faithfully warned and admonished, cover NOT the Man of Sin with Christ's Purple Mantle, and lay him not at all in his Bed of Best; but uncover him continually before GOD, and cast him daily and hourly into the GRAVE, into Christ's Death, CRUCIFY him without ceasing, all the while ye live in this vanity of this Flesh. 132. † NOTE Concerning the Resurrection. Let him have no REST, hold him for your Enemy, who hath devoured your Noble Pearly Jewel, viz: the PARADISE; press generate or pierce him with Christ's Death, that you may attain your Pearl again out of Christ's Death, in his Resurrection out of this Tabernacle, where it lieth shut up in Death: acknowledge yourselves only for poor SINNERS before GOD, and go continually with the Prodigal lost, and yet returning: Son to the Father, and pray to him for Grace. 133. Our whole life should be a continual RESISTANCE, 〈…〉 even a continual SINNING: and though indeed the 〈…〉 Branch new generated or Born, IN Christ's Spirit, 〈…〉; yet the Earthly Man IN Soul and Body, sinneth; and which continually, to break or destroy the Noble † Rose-Bud again; and altogether obscure it. 134. The more, Divine OIL is introduced into the 〈◊〉 Rose-Bud, out of the Wounds and Death of CHRIST; the fresher and fairer it groweth, and the fairer it Blossomed. 135. Here is the Field, where the fruit groweth, let man be persuaded to such sluggishness, and to lie on such a soft Bed; as to think, he IS fairly grown and quite or full BLOSSOMED; O, No, no by no means. 135. But continually without ceasing draw divine 〈…〉 self, in the Greatest Humility from and out of God's Love, 〈…〉 Honey, out of the fair Blossoms or Flowers; for as soon as 〈…〉 cure or careless, and thinketh he is HOLY Honey, than the 〈◊〉 bringeth to him Poison in the vanity, which the ownself 〈…〉 own self Lust or Longing, sucketh into itself. 137. The Man that would fain grow and bear fruit in God's Kingdom, can not do better, then to suck all his power and virtue, which he will use for the growing or Springing of his Life, through CHRIST'S Blood and Death, and continually cast his vanity to the Ground, before the Truth and Clarity of God, and continually be, as if he were a DYING, where he mightily presseth on to the Death of SIN. 138. * No City or place of REST, belongeth to Sin and vanity; for so soon as Sin Resteth, THAN groweth the desire to vain Lust or pleasure: But while the Death and destroyer or Breaker in pieces is UPON it, than it dyeth, without ceasing, away, from vain Lust or Pleasure, and the fair Rose-bud groweth out of this dying, which becometh carried in GOD'S Hand to a Joy and rejoicing of the DEITY. 139. Dear Brethren, I have made this explanation out of a 〈◊〉 mind; not at all with intent, to scorn or disgrace the † Author; for I know his miserable confusedness, more than he doth himself, and wish him from my Heart, that he will yet be humble, and know himself, that he yet standeth in the Field or Soil, where the fruit groweth; and not boast himself before the time of fruit. 140. For most certainly and truly, there will be A ZION, as I then; myself Hope; that the Man of Sin will be manifested or revealed, and seek himself, in GOD'S MERCY: then must follow a constant continual Repenting Life, wherein Man knoweth and acknowledgeth himself to be in the 〈◊〉, and continually presseth from vanity out from vain Lust and pleasing into God's Mercy. 141. The poor sinful Man, must only with the poor Lazarus Lay himself at God's feet under his Table, and at his Door, and desire the Crumbs from God's Table, and continually clothe himself in the Ganaanitish Woman, with Heart and total Mind. 142. NO Flattery or Hypocrisy attaineth the Pearly Jewel, for it lieth buried in NO place, but in the Death of the Earthly MAN; THAT, must be gone, and then it is manifested: the Adamicall Death must be changed into Christ's Death, if any would find the Pearl of Christ. 143. CHRIST prayed to his Father, so that, he sweat a Bloody Sweat, when he would brake or destroy Death in the Flesh. Now if we will be and his Children, and be generated or born out of HIS Death, than 〈◊〉 we also die with him in his Death, and continually introduce our 〈…〉 great desire into HIS Bloody Sweat, and drown the awakened vain Lust and Pleasure, IN his Bloody Sweat. 144. It must be sincere and earnest, and not comforting and flattering Hypocrisy, NOT to say to the Old Adam, Thou art Christ's Flesh: No, NO, only Say, † In me lieth Sin and vanity, O God have Mercy upon Me in CHRIST thy dear Son, and break and destroy my SIN and VANITY in thy Death; and bring me in HIS victory and Resurrection forth out of Death. 145. Make thou Sin and Death, Nothing, and grow THOU in CHRIST forth out of ME; bring my Soul forth out of the Jaws of Death and vanity, in CHRIST, that I may 〈◊〉 to THEE and NOT to myself. 146. Man in self-hood should ascribe no Divine Substance, or Thing to himself, but in all things give the honour to God, and account himself in the Divine Life to be nothing and untoward; and that all whatsoever is introduced into him from the Divine power, he should offer it up to God again and say: 147. * Rev. 4. 11. LORD! Thou hast Might to receive strength, power and wisdom, thine is the honour; I will be nothing before thee: be thou dear GOD in ME, what thou 〈…〉 be praised in thy power which thou 〈…〉 to me. 148. Also, a Man in this world, should * 〈…〉 NOT desire to KNOW HIS Holiness, but continually 〈…〉 of his Tree CHRIST, and commit and leave it to the 〈…〉 of Twig or Branch THAT will generate out 〈…〉. 149. And not at all present himself and say, Behold 〈…〉 death the Tree of Christ: I am a Branch and grown 〈…〉 Bride of the Lamb in all the world, but to 〈…〉 under Christ's Death, and leave himself to the 〈…〉 to be led to Pasture among the Lambs. 150. Not lay about him as a Goat, and 〈…〉 Doar, and not let any Sheep More enter in, 〈…〉 hath done, in that he hath very obstinately in a Treatise 〈…〉 Door of Grace against US, which truly is not the manner 〈…〉 Christ hath opened it for us: No Lamb desireth to shut it 〈…〉 us. 151. This I mention to the Loving Reader faithfully and 〈…〉 him very brotherly, as my fellow Member, yes in the 〈…〉 great humility, before God, and his Children, to persevere, and go on, and not boast of the VICTORY in the Flesh, all the while the Man of Sin still liveth. 152. And * John 〈…〉 whosoever saith he hath NO Sin, he is a Liar, saith John. But then when the earthly Man, dyeth away totally, Sin hath an End; and then we will Sing the Song of the Driver, who held us captive, and also the Song of the Bride, ZION; in the Marriage City Jerusalem. 153. And that the † 〈…〉 Author saith, Sin hath clearly: Ceased on the Type of the Bride of Christ, to the praise of God: this I would have to be understood concerning the true Christianity, in the Children of Christ, concerning the Inward New Man in the Spirit of Christ. 154. And this deceit should not be concealed from him by no means, that he willeth to cover the Man of Sin; moreover we would for that cause discover the Evil Child, that he should be known or 〈…〉 of the world: Yes we would FIX the Man of 〈◊〉 on to the Cross of CHRIST; that the poor Sinner might see him. 155. And not so boldly play with Christ's Purple Mantle under the Cover; which belongeth to the poor Converted Sinner, which 〈…〉 continual Repentance, and especially to the Sinner that is captivated and hard held by the Devil, against whom the Devil would shut the Door of GRACE. 156. Such a one should enwrap himself therein; and the strong who is strong in Faith and knowledge, should cast about him the Mantle of Christ his Chief Shepherd, and as a Lamb in 〈◊〉; go among the Flock; and the Mantle which Christ continually casteth upon him, he should cast upon his brethren and fellow Members. 157. And HELP to fight and wrestle IN them, with praying 〈…〉 and Life, that Gods will be done in US, and his Kingdom 〈…〉 to US, and we bear fruit, as ONE Only Tree, in 〈…〉 or Sprigs and Branches and show our Blossoms or 〈◊〉 before God and his Angels, and that we also may enjoy the Fruit ETERNALLY. AMEN. Finished the Sixt of April Anno 1622. Now ended this Translation out of the German Language in Manuscript into English, this Saturday the 31. of December, 1659.