Of Christ's Testaments: Baptism and the Supper

Of CHRISTS TESTAMENTS, Viz: Baptiſme and the Supper.

Written in two Bookes.

The 1. Of holy Baptiſme, how it is to be underſtood in the Ground thereof, and why a Chriſtian ſhould be Baptiſed.

The 2. Of the holy Supper of the Lord Chriſt, what it is, with the Benefit and Effects of it, and how the ſame may be worthily Participated of.

And how theſe are to be underſtood, both according to the Old and New Teſtament.

Set forth from the True Theoſophicall Ground, through the three Principles of the Divine Revelation, and preſented to the Children of God for the Information of their underſtandings.

Written in the yeare of Chriſt 1624.

by JACOB BEHM of Old Seidenberg alias Teutonicus Philoſophus.

And Engliſhed by JOHN SPARROVV, Barriſter of the Inner Temple London.

LONDON; Printed by M. Simmons, and are to be ſold neare the ſigne of the Golden Lyon in Alderſgate-ſtreete, o[•] [•]y H. Blunden at the Caſtle in Cornhill neere the Exchange. 1652.

Jeſus ſaid to his Diſciples, Matth. 28.19. Mark. 16.16.

Goe forth into all the World, and Teach all People, and Baptiſe them in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghoſt.

Whoſoever beleeveth and is Baptiſed ſhall be ſaved, but whoſoever beleeveth not ſhall be condemned.

The Engliſhers Preface.

THeſe two little Books intituled together by the Authour the Booke of the Two Teſtaments, the one of Baptiſme, the other of the Supper, doe the moſt deeply and plainly handle thoſe two Grand Myſteries of any Booke extant ſince the Apoſtles Times, and doe cleerly ſatisfie the doubts and put an end to the different Opinions concerning each of them, and ſo make all friends together; thoſe that are called Anabaptiſts, and thoſe that are called Paedobaptiſts; thoſe that baptiſe perſons of age upon confeſſion of their Faith, and thoſe that baptiſe Infants with Witneſſes to ſtand for them: alſo this Treatiſe intimateth ſo much that it may be diſeerned who is a fit adminiſtratour of Baptiſme to thoſe new converted, or to the Infant children of converted Parents; It reconcileth the difference of Opinion about Tranſubſtantiation, Conſubſtantiation, and the Participation of meere Bread and Wine: and ſheweth how to underſtand truly the right Participation of the true fleſh and bloud of Chriſt under Bread and Wine, and being there is reall participation to be had of the fleſh and bloud of Chriſt without Bread and Wine, why the Bread and Wine was ſo Inſtituted to be celebrated and communicated: and ſo alſo ſeeing the Baptiſme of the Holy Ghoſt hath been many times without Water, why the Baptiſme of Water is neceſſary to be uſed, even to thoſe that had before received the Holy Ghoſt as well as the Apoſtles.

All which, being underſtood, it will likewiſe appeare what the Ground of the Preaching of the Word of God is, as it is an Ordinance of God, and how wee ſhall truly perceive what is the Eſſence of all Ordinances as they are ſo called, (which in the ſignification of the word is no more but a thing ordained or appointed) and ſo it will be eaſie to finde how far ſhort men are of rightly Eſteeming the true Ordinances, and how forward they are in taking that for ſuch which is not indeed the Ordinance of God.

The Preaching of the Word, the Adminiſtration of Baptiſme, and the Participation of the Supper, are Ordinances of God. The Communion of Saints or holy people (two or three met in Chriſts Name) are a true Church or Congregation of God according to his holy Ordinance. The Magiſtrate, Ruler, or King, and all that are in authority, are the Ordinance of God, for the puniſhment of Evill doers, and for the encouragement of them that doe well. Gods Miniſters, Presbyters or Elders, Oldmen or Fathers in the Experimentall knowledge of Chriſt; his Biſhops or Overſeers, Shepheards or Paſtours, or feeders of his flock; his Doctours or Teachers, Inſtructors in the wayes of Godlines; or Prophets appointed to tell People of their ſinnes: alſo Evangeliſts or Meſſengers of the Glad tydings of ſalvation; Diſciples or Schollers in the ſchoole of Chriſt, ſuch as are taught of God; and Apoſtles, or ſuch as are ſent of God and Chriſt by the Holy Ghoſt; theſe muſt needs be ordained and appointed by God: and ſo Forgiveneſs of ſinnes or Abſolution; Excommunication, or caſting out from the Congregation of Chriſt, and delivering to Satan. Healing of the ſick by the Elders fervent prayer of Faith. The Laying on of the hands of the Presbytery or Elderſhip, whereby the Gift of the Holy Ghoſt was beſtowed. Alſo Marrying in the Lord. Are all of them the Ordinances of God; Every Duty of Man towards God, or of one towards another, mentioned either in the Old or New Teſtament, are cleerly the Ordinances of God.

But how any thing is a true Ordinance of God, and wherein it doth conſiſt, is hardly knowne and little conſidered as it ſhould be, that it might be certainly underſtood, and there is much Exerciſe of our Minds before wee can goe about to examine it rightly; wee muſt know God before wee can know his Ordinances, which are of his own appointment, and if we know not who he is, how can we know that we love him, and that it is not ſomewhat elſe which we love inſtead of him? for it is ſaid by the Apoſtle John, He that ſaith he loveth God and hateth his brother, is a lyar and the truth is not in him, for if a man loveth not his brother whom he hath ſeene, how can he love God whom he hath not ſeene, and ^[1] he that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. Further the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, that^[2] God is love and he that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in God and he in him: and how can any know this Excellent thing Love, in which who ſo dwelleth is^[3] paſſed from death to life, if he knoweth not he hath it in him, and then how can he either know God or love him? This Love muſt be in us if we be the Diſciples of Chriſt; nay there is not any thing mentioned in the whole Bible concerning Heaven and Redemption, but we muſt have it in us while we are in this life, or elſe we are not Partakers of it; yea God hath ſhed abroad his love into our hearts, which is that word of Truth and life which is able to ſave our ſoules, and doth perfectly ſave them that^[4] receive it (that is, beleeve): and it is both ſhed abroad and received by very many ſoules, that neither know what that word is, nor how they have received it: for example; when any Man is troubled at his doing of Evill, and is ſorry for it, and wiſheth from his heart he had not done it, endeavoureth to have a better watch over himſelfe, reſolveth never to doe the ſame againe, deſiring ſtrength to be able to reſiſt his doing of Evill any more, being carefull leaſt evill ſuggeſtions in his minde ſhould allure him, and entice him to any evill againe, and conſtantly walketh thus circumſpectly in his whole life to the end of his dayes. This Man hath the Love of God ſhed abroad in his heart, and hath received it, elſe it could not bring forth ſuch fruits of the Spirit: and he that is ſo led by the Spirit is the childe of God: though it may be ſuch a one doth not know, if you aske him, what Gods Love is, though he dwelleth in it; and the cauſe why there is ſo ſmall progreſſe in the knowledge of Chriſtianity, and the true Ordinances of God, is, becauſe men think to learne thoſe things by roate, and not by Heart: ſome are ſo far enemies to themſelves, which is deeply to be lamented, that if they read that the Scripture ſaith a thing, they care not what it m[•]aneth, or how to underſtand it aright, by ſeeking and finding the thing out which is ſpoken of, that they may be ſure of the meaning of what they reade, in that in eſtimable booke of God: Indeed the Holy Scriptures have perfectly declared all the Myſteries of God, and his Ordinances, and they have been rendred out of the Originall Languages of Hebrew and Greeke, into the Mother Tongues almoſt of all Nations, ſufficiently to leave them without excuſe, that be not obedient in their lives and Converſations, ſo far as they may know, ſo that it will be far more eaſie for the Heathen to excuſe themſelves at the Laſt day, then for thoſe that have read or heard the Scriptures, and live not accordingly; though the Heathen alſo ſhall be left without excuſe, as the Scripture ſaith; God hath left them without excuſe, in that he doth good, and giveth them raine from Heaven, and fruitfull ſeaſons, filling their hearts with food and Gladneſſe.

Furthermore, The Scriptures have had many laborious Expoſitions of the words and rendrings both of the Originall and tranſlated Copies, by large Writings, Commentaries, and Gloſſes, but the things which are undeniably meant by thoſe words, are not ſo well underſtood as they might be, if wee would be more frequent and diligent in the practiſe of that which bringeth all wiſdome and underſtanding, which is, inward Experience, Examination of Experimenting of Spirituall things: according to that of the Apoſtle; Try or Examine all things, but hold that which is Good: In outward things wee are eaſily perſwaded to try before wee truſt, but concerning inward things, wee are for the moſt part ready to take them upon truſt, and never try or Examine whether thoſe things are ſo or no; as the Noble Bereans, who were commended for ſearching or Examining the Scriptures, to ſee whether thoſe things were ſo or no; not whether thoſe words were written, but whether the things mentioned were ſuch, for they had experience of the things in Scripture before hand: But there is a feare in ſome, that if wee ſhould be ſo inquiſitive, and prying into Myſteries, wee ſhould run into the Extream of beeing too wiſe, which cannot be, except, in our own conceit; for our Saviour ſayth; Be ye wiſe as Serpents, but Innocent as Doves; and indeed true wiſdome is required to be able to diſpence the Ordinances of God, and not reading and conceiving only, but Living the life of Chriſt, whereby wee ſhall come to the true knowledge of Chriſt within us, and though he were in our Parents before us, and in their ſeed, and ſo from our beginning to be, and continually ever ſince, in us, knocking and calling at the inward doore of our hearts inviſibly & without a forme, & as the ſeed of God in the Embrio, before our knowing & receiving of him, yet after we have opened to him, and heard his call by yeelding our hearts in obedience therunto, he will get a form in us, & be born in us, and wee ſhall be regenerated in him, and ſo wee ſhall often feele him, and ſee him; but after that againe wee muſt attaine the ſtature of a Man in Chriſt, and be his diſciples and ſchollers, and be taught by the Holy Ghoſt proceeding from him in us, before we can know and underſtand ſuch Myſteries as his Ordinances are: But if wee did ſeeke, wee ſhould finde God and Chriſt in our Hearts; for though they be in us wee finde them not, becauſe wee examine not what, and who they are, and we are diſcouraged in our ſeeking, partly becauſe many have ſought as wee have accounted it aright, and have not found, but the truth is, they have not ſought in the right place; they looke to finde God any where but in their hearts, and yet he that cannot finde him there, ſhall never be able to finde him at all, but there whoſoever ſeeks ſhall find him who is the fountain, from whence all things flow forth; the Scriptures did flow from him, and whatſoever could poſſibly have been written, is hidden in him: the Prophets and Apoſtles wrote and ſpake what they underſtood, but God was in their hearts and mindes, and filled them with the underſtanding of the Holy Spirit: Our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt had not the Spirit by meaſure; for in him dwelt the fullneſſe of the Deity bodily; and he grew in underſtanding till he had the unction above his fellowes, from which underſtanding in him, proceeded thoſe ſayings, whereupon the people confeſſed, that he taught as one having power, and not as the Scribes and Phariſees, who though they were learned in the Scriptures, yet Chriſt ſayd to them; Yee erre, not knowing the Scriptures; that is, the meaning of the things expreſſed in them, nor the Power of God; and he that underſtandeth not the thing in his minde which he would utter, cannot rightly ſpeak nor write of it: the Scriptures are ſuch writings of men full of Divine wiſdome and underſtanding, but few other Bookes are written by thoſe that ſo much as thought that the Apoſtles had ſuch through knowledge of what they wrote in divine Myſteries: ſome there are that ſeeme to thinke that the writers of the Scriptures had it by ſuch a kinde and manner of revelation, as if a man or Angel ſhould relate and dictate words to them, and they themſelves have no underſtanding of it, more, then their reaſon can apprehend, upon the bare hearing of the words, and that is all the skill ſome of this age account poſſible to be attained, in the Myſteries of God: but we are directed by the Apoſtle James, who well underſtood what he ſaid by Experience, that if wee want underſtanding wee ſhould aske it of God: and though God be in every one, and every one liveth, moveth, and hath his being in him, yet without the Spirit of God moveth and teacheth us in our underſtandings, wee know him not: where the fruits of the Spirit are, in that Mans heart the Spirit of God hath moved and taught him in his underſtanding: but from that ſmall meaſure of underſtanding, he is not able preſently to apprehend the Myſteries of that Spirit, and of thoſe fruits, that is, whence they ſpring, how they are begotten and brought forth, how they grow, &c. nor can they be knowne but by the ſame Spirit whoſe fruits they are; he that hath not the fruits of this Spirit, which is holineſſe, peace, righteouſneſſe, joy in the Holy Ghoſt, enjoyeth not the kingdome of God, nor till wee have ſought and found peace and holineſſe, wee ſhall not ſee God: and except wee be borne againe of water and the Holy Spirit, we cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven, though it be^[5] within us. Now, can any teach what it is to be born again? and what this Water and holy Spirit is? but he that hath them, and hath been borne againe by them; I would men were diligent to deſire ſuch ſpirituall things, and then God, who dwelleth in their hearts, would feele and heare their deſires, and breath forth his holy Spirit in them, and ſatisfie their deſires with his Gifts and Graces, and then he would fill their minds and underſtandings alſo, with the knowledge of all his Myſteries, and ſo they would learne in the ſchoole of Chriſt by Divine Experience, the true Ordinances of God; and then we ſhould be better able to edifie one another in our moſt holy Faith, and wee ſhould by degrees, improving that meaſure of knowledge we have; at length attaine the higheſt knowledge of the higheſt Apoſtle. Wee want but the ſincere practiſe of what we know, for by that meanes wee ſhould not Quench, but ſtirre up the Gifts and Graces of Gods Holy Spirit that are within us, till it multiply and flow forth with all its Gifts, which wee ſuppoſe are not attainable, becauſe men have not endeavoured that they might attaine them. And that is the Reaſon, wee have the Ordinances, not in Power, but in much weakneſſe, wanting thoſe Gifts which would enable Men, to diſpence the Ordinances of God: It is a Great Gift to have our Calling and Election ſure, in that ſenſe, which the Apoſtle Paul meant it, according to the higheſt underſtanding of that Myſterie, which the Apoſtle himſelfe knew, muſt needs be attainable by labour and Endeavour; and upon the knowledge of this Myſterie, doth many other Myſteries depend, it is that, for which the Ordinances were Inſtituted, as helps and meanes to bring us to the aſſured certainty of our ſalvation: wee content our ſelves, with an Imaginary ſuperficiall perſwaſion, without knowing aſſurance; for if wee did endeavour, labour, ſearch, ſeeke and try, wee ſhould ſoone perceive, how it might be made infallibly ſure; and then wee ſhould as aſſuredly, underſtand the high Excellency of Every Ordinance of God.

All the Arts and Trades in the world are Myſteries, and are not truly knowne, but by thoſe that have had Experience in them; then how can there be a skilfull Diſpencer of the Myſteries of God, his Ordinances; but by Experience in them; we are able to learne them all by Experience, but without that, wee know nothing of them, more then the very beaſt: The Devills, that far ſurpaſſe Mortall Men in knowledge, yet cannot know the Myſteries of God, becauſe they cannot experiment them, but thoſe of Darkneſſe they worke, and therefore know them: and wee are placed in this world, to work the works of God, that wee may know, what that Good and acceptable will of God is, and therefore wee ſhould Work out our ſalvation, with feare and trembling: by obedience in well-doing; and that will bring us, to feele and know the good Spirit of God, which will teach us the way and courſe, how to finde every thing, if wee ſearch and enquire in that Spirit; threfore let us endeavour after that which is Holy, and wee ſhall feelè what the God of Holineſſe is; and then we ſhall cleerly underſtand the Scriptures, and the writings of all other Men, wee ſhall be able to diſcover what is true and what is falſe, in all the words and writings of any Man, underſtandingly and demonſtratively, to the convincing of all hearers, both in Divine and Naturall things.

From theſe Inſtances that have been mentioned, it may be perceived, that all the Ordinances of God, have proceeded from the Holy Ghoſt, neither can any thing be the Ordinance of God, where the Holy Ghoſt is not, in ſome meaſure or other, no man is the Miniſter of the Word of God, any further, then he is taught by the Spirit of God, and ſpeaketh what he underſtandeth, by the ſame Spirit. None were fit to be made Deacons or Elders, but one full of the Holy Ghoſt, then ſurely none are able to make Deacons or Elders, but by the Power of the Holy Ghoſt that is in them, and ſo of all other Ordinances: and according to the meaſure of the Holy Spirit in us, ſuch is the validity and Efficacy of the Ordinances to us: the Outward performance, of the things directed in the Scripture, by men of ſincere hearts, is ſufficient, and they are warnings to us to forſake our Evill wayes, in the Obſervance of which courſe, wee may aſſuredly finde true Chriſtianity, and conſequently ſalvation: but this is in the loweſt degree: and it were to be wiſhed, that none were ſo preſumptuous, as to arrogate to themſelves, that they are ſuch, as performe the true Ordinances of God, unleſſe they have the ſame holy Spirit of God, filling their hearts, as they had, of whom it is recorded in the holy Scriptures, that they did performe them aright: when wee are ſcarce truly Children of God, let us have a care that wee ſuffer not others to account us above what wee are, but rather informe them ſincerely that wee are not ſuch as they take us to be; and not take upon us to be called Gods Faithfull Servants, Miniſters of God, Preachers of the Word, Elders, Teachers, Paſtours, Overſeers, Meſſengers, and Embaſſadours of Chriſt, or Apoſtles, ſuch as are ſent from God; neither ſhould any mention thoſe Texts of Scripture which ſpeake of the true Officers of Chriſt, as if the ſame were meant and applyable to thamſelves, and ſo urge them in Sermons, that thoſe hearers that have not ability to diſcerne the truth in things that differ, are made confident to maintaine ſtiffely, that thoſe Scriptures mean them they call Miniſters, as well as it did the Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, and other faithfull Teachers in thoſe dayes; and doe alledge thoſe Scriptures in their behalfe, and call them Divines, whereas none of the Apoſtles were ſo named in all the Scripture but John the Divine, the beloved Diſciple, and moſt ſublime in viſion and Revelation: when as if wee truly examine our ſelves according to the Scriptures, wee ſhall finde wee ought rather to be eſteemed Enemies of God and of his Sonne Jeſus Chriſt our Lord: But let us preſſe forward in the wayes of Godlineſſe, that wee may be at length ſtrong Men in Chriſt, and enjoy his Ordinances in the Power, as it was and is, in the ſpirits and ſoules of all the faithfull holy ones, who have true underſtanding and knowledge in the Divine Myſteries by Experience, ſuch were the Prophets, and Apoſtles, and faithfull in all ages.

No curious workman, can make his ſervant expert in his work, except the ſervant doe try and exerciſe himſelfe, and by practiſe attain the skill and readineſſe in his trade by Experience, that he may be able not onely to direct how to worke by heareſay, but to ſhew his skill, by his own doing the ſame thing himſelfe: The Apoſtles could doe the ſame thing which they taught others, or elſe they could not have rightly taught as they did.

Now hee that conſidereth this Booke, will finde, that the Authour knew and writt Experimentally, and that if wee follow his doctrine and Experience, wee may attaine, not onely the underſtanding of his Writings, but be able to ſpeak and write, all that he underſtood, and ſo diſcloſe thoſe things plainly and fully, which he had not time nor leave to write otherwiſe then obſcurely of; Which when wee have arrived to, wee ſhall leave that ſeeking after the moſt deſirable worldly things, which paſſe away in a Moment; and preſſe after the high Price of the Calling of Jeſus Chriſt: now if by my means, any ſhall be ſtirred up, to ſtrive, and ſo undoubtedly attaine, the bleſſed Crowne of Eternall Life, it will be alſo my Crowne of rejoycing in the world to come, though heere I muſt acknowledge my ſelfe one of the unworthieſt of the children of Men.

JOHN SPARROVV.

A LETTER TO^[6] Carol von Endern.

Our ſalvation is in the Life of Jeſus Chriſt in us.

NOble Sir, beloved in Chriſt, with the Hearty Deſire of the Divine Light in the working power of the Holy Ens in our Immanuel, I ſend over to you the little Booke of Chriſts Teſtaments, with the Preface to it. It ſhould have been written but ſingly in the three firſt ſheets, for I would have written it all over againe, and had begun with the firſt Chapter: And I am purpoſed to bring to the Preſſe this little Booke in a more child-like manner, for the better underſtanding of the ſimple. But becauſe of the high ſenſe, I let the^[7] one be written againſt the other: ſeeing you and others Exerciſed Lovers underſtand this ſenſe well: and ſo the ſublime underſtandings may have that which is high, and the ſimple that which is lowly in the ſenſe: yet there is one and the ſame underſtanding in them both, though in the lower ſenſe more ſimple words might be made uſe of; and ſo I commit you to the continuall ſaving Love of Jeſus Chriſt. Dated at Gerlitz 7• May, the yeare of Chriſt. 1624.

JACOB BEHM.

The Summary Contents of the Chapters in this firſt Booke, concerning the Holy Baptiſme.

CHAP. I.
• How Reaſon uſeth to behold it ſelfe in a Creaturely Image-like manner, when it conſidereth of Chriſt and his Teſtaments, and whence the ſtrife about Chriſts Teſtaments ariſeth, and how that ſtrife is an empty unprofitable thing.
CHAP. II.
• Of the Covenant of God after the Fall; what the Fall of Man is, and how God hath bound himſelfe in Covenant with him againe. What the Circumciſion in the old Teſtament is, and what the Baptiſme in the New.
CHAP. III.
• A Briefe and fundamentall information, how Man is Baptiſed by the Holy Ghoſt, with Chriſts ſufferings, Death, and Reſurrection, in body and ſoule.
CHAP. IV.
• Of the outward Water-Baptiſme by the hand of Man; who is worthy ſo to^[8] Baptiſe, and what baptiſed Infant receiveth that Teſtament worthily; and how it goeth with the unworthy Hand, as alſo with the unworthy Baptiſed Infant.

The Preface to the Reader. SHEWING How the Teſtaments of Chriſt muſt be fundamentally underſtood, rightly participated, and worthily fed upon.

A Looking Glaſſe for Teacher and Hearer.

1. CHriſtian loving Reader, this little Booke of the Teſtaments of Chriſt, in this preſent time, when Men ſtrive onely about Opinions, ought well to be conſidered. Men are wholly and altogether departed from the right underſtanding, ſeeing they will maintaine Chriſts Teſtaments with Diſputing and the Sword.

2. There needs no Diſputing about it, onely an earneſt ſincere penitent Man, who hath the Faith, underſtandeth this Teſtamentary^[9] Inſtitution and participation in the Power of Chriſt, but it is fooliſhneſſe to the Naturall Man, and cannot be apprehended, 1 Cor. 2.14.

3. There belongeth quite another Earneſt Sincerity to the true underſtanding, which is not apprehended by humane Reaſon, and is rightly underſtood by no Man, unleſſe the Spirit of Chriſt open it to him in his Heart.

4. There lyeth a faſt Seale before it, which no Reaſon nor Art can breake up, but onely that ſlaine Lamb of the Houſe of Iſrael, who hath the Key of David, Revel. 3.7. Chap. 3.5.

5. Chriſts Teſtaments are to Reaſon without the Divine Light, a cloſed Booke, but to the true children of Chriſt, they are an Opened Booke. Chriſts Teſtaments are a Seale of the firme and Eternall Covenant of God, wherewith God hath received Man to Grace againe after the horrible Defection, and ſealed him with the flowing forth of his Love, by his bloud and Death, that wee^[10] ſhould beleeve his Word and Promiſe, which he hath revealed to us in the Holy Scripture concerning his Sonne, with the Redemption from ſinne, and heertofore declared by the Prophets.

6. Which Word in the flowing forth of his Love, is come into our humanity, and hath aſſumed a Humane Soule, alſo fleſh and bloud, and hath eſtabliſhed this Eternall Covenant with his Bloud and Death: And ſo now he giveth this Teſtament to his Faithfull ones for a^[11] Pledge, and ſo maketh them Branches on the Vine of his Fleſh and Bloud, ſo that they are imbodied to himſelfe therewith, and made his right children, in whom HEE himſelfe will dwell with his fleſh and bloud, with this Teſtamentary^[12] Pledge: ſo that thereby they may Pray to the Father with joyfull affiance in true childlike Humility, in the Name of his Sonne JESUS CHRIST, and ſo he will give them this Grace, John 16.23.

7. This Teſtament he offereth to us after a twofold Manner: Firſt, through his Word Preached, whereby he Stirreth and Openeth the Hearts of the Hearers, that they enter into true Repentance for their Sinnes, and ſo procure themſelves this Pledge of his Teſtaments.

8. Secondly, Through the True ^[13] ſubſtantiall participation of his Fleſh and Bloud, by the Mouth of Faith with Bread and Wine, whereby he ſealeth the Faith with his Bloud and Death, and thereby Openeth the Lifes underſtanding of the Inward Divine Hearing, ſo that the poore fallen Man, (which was dead to the Divine Hearing through ſinne) attaineth againe the Divine Hearing in his underſtanding, and ſo is converted againe, and ſo entereth into his firſt Inheritance, which he had in Paradiſe, and giveth up his will to God, who reneweth his Heart, ^[14] Thoughts, and Minde, through his Inſpeaking or Inſpiration, and continueth and dwelleth in him with his Pledge of this Teſtament, and powerfully worketh in him in his Faith, and generateth him to be a new Creature, which with its Spirit walketh in Heaven, and is a right Image of God, whereby the earthly fleſhly will is daily killed, and the Newborne will dayly goeth to Heaven, Joh. 6.56. Phil. 3.20.

9. Which Heaven in the Inward Ground of his Life, is revealed in the Spirit of Chriſt in him, where the good Angelicall^[15] thoughts climbe up upon the right Jacobs Ladder (Gen. 28.12.) and Chriſt his Lord ſitteth above on the top of it at the Right hand of God, and dayly preſenteth them with his humane and heavenly fleſh and bloud before the wrath of God, and the ſevere Judgement, and is with him in all his need: Alſo incloſeth his Prayers in himſelfe, and thereby preſenteth them before Death, Hell, the Devill, and the Anger of God.

10. This Publication, both of his Word Taught, as it is written in the Bible, and is^[16] received in the ſacramentall participation, where he profferreth his Word in his fleſh and bloud, a Chriſtian Man ſhould receive, and finde himſelfe in this^[17] Cuſtome, and unite and tie himſelfe as a Member with the Congregation of Chriſt; for in Chriſt wee are all but one, as a Tree^[18] and its Branches, Gal. 3.28.

11. It is not ſo to be underſtood, that this Covenant and Teſtament is given onely by an outward hearing of the Word Preached, and Participation of Bread and Wine at the^[19] Teſtament, as the preſent World ſo Erreth in Many Hearts: No, it muſt be a right ſincere Earneſt with true working Repentance, ſo that God with the Key of his Love unlocketh and Openeth the Hearing and the right Mouth, which ſhall receive this Teſtament, ſo that the poore ſoule have a right hunger and thirſt after it, and bring its deſire, through Chriſts ſufferings, Dying, Death, and Reſurrection to it.

12. Otherwiſe there is no true Mouth for ſuch participation. It muſt be a right Earneſt ſincere purpoſe, that muſt put off the Defiled Garment, and be willing to paſſe into a New Life. It muſt be doing, doing, or it availeth nothing.

13. This Pledge belongeth onely to Chriſts Children, which ſo heare and keepe the Word in their Hearts, that it bring forth fruit. There muſt be Great earneſtneſſe both in the Teacher and Hearer; for if any will handle and impart the Covenant of Chriſt, he muſt himſelfe be capable of the Covenant and Teſtament. If the Sheepe muſt heare the voyce of Chriſt out of the Mouth of any and follow him, then alſo the Spirit and power of Chriſt muſt be in that Mans voyce: Elſe he is but a Hireling, and the Sheepe heare not Chriſts voyce from his Mouth, but onely the word of Man, Joh. 10.

14. So alſo in like manner, the Hearers Eare ſhould be directed to God in true Repentance, that he alſo may heare the voyce of Chriſt: not onely with outward Eares, but with the Eares of Divine power, that the Teachers and Hearers power may ſtrike together, that the Spirit of Chriſt may worke^[20] together with them, and the Heart may finde the Teachers Power, that Good fruit may Grow from it.

15. A Teacher ſhould not teach for the ſake of wages onely, but ſhould know and well conſider, that he ſtandeth there in Chriſts ſtead, and that Chriſt will Teach through him, if he be a right ^[21] Shepheard.

16. So alſo the Hearers ſhould incline their Eare to that, and Conſider that they ſhould there heare Chriſts voyce, and receive it with great Earneſtneſſe: and not thinke it is enough to Goe into the Church, and there ſit an houre, to play the Hypocrite, and heare a Sermon; and remaine afterwards as before: No, ſuch going to Church and hearing, is no Service of God; It bettereth them not, if in the Sermon or Preaching they have not heard Chriſt teach in their hearts: Going to Church maketh none vertuous, unleſſe he heareth in the Church Gods Word workingly in his ſoule.

17. So alſo is it with the Sacraments, wee ſhould not thinke it is enough to Confeſſe and goe away, as if ſuch a Cuſtome did take away ſinnes without true Repentance, and that he may ſin a new afterwards; No, it is not ſo, whoſoever is waſhed and afterwards defileth himſelfe with the ſame Mire, he is then as he was before.

18. Chriſt muſt Abſolve thee in thy ſoule with his ſufferings and Death, and Inſpeake or Inſpire his ſatisfaction into thee in thy ſoule, elſe it availeth not. The Prieſts Mouth is onely an Outward Inſtrument, and coworketh in his Spirit: but if he be a hireling, he cannot cowork, but yet the Covenant of God in Chriſt Jeſus worketh in the Repentant Heart, and abſolveth it.

19. Loving Brethren, both teacher and hearer, who handle the Covenant of Chriſt, have a care what you doe, there is great earneſtneſſe required, that you be not Guilty of the Death of Chriſt: Conſider diligently the Great ſevere Earneſtneſſe of God, how HE hath inſtituted this Covenant with ſo Great hard Paine and Anguiſh through ſo great reproach and ſufferings; It muſt needs be from a very great cauſe, that this Teſtament was Ordained with ſuch ſevere Earneſtneſſe.

20. God requireth of Man againe Earneſtneſſe, to the receiving this Teſtament: Not with cold luke warme Hearts, onely to cover over ſinne with the ſufferings of Chriſt, and Comfort ones ſelfe with it in Impenitency.

21. It is not a forgiveneſſe from without, which is imputed to Man from without: No, but through Chriſts Bloud and Death: when the poore ſoule penetrateth into that, then the ſufferings, Dying and Reſurrection, together with the ſatisfaction, in this Teſtamentary Covenant is put on to it in the Bloud of Chriſt. This killeth Sinne, Death, and Hell, and leadeth the poore ſoule to the Father, in Chriſt.

22. It is not enough for a Man to know that Chriſt dyed for ſinne, and aſſenteth to it, and holdeth it for true, and receiveth the ſatiſfaction as a work done: No, no, there is no ſuch receiving: but the whole Man muſt give it ſelfe thereinto, and muſt will to dye in Chriſts Death to the Evill Naturall own will, as alſo to wicked Luſts: and then Chriſt putteth on him his victory and ſatisfaction, and the true heavenly Spirit ſpringeth forth through Chriſts Death in his Reſurrection, as a faire flower out of the wilde Earth, and there is a true Chriſtian borne, who is a branch on the vine Chriſt, John 15.

23. Now there belongeth no great art or skill to this, but onely a childlike ſimplicity and Humility: the Plowman is as neere it as the Doctor: they muſt all in the ſimplicity of Chriſt enter into humility, and come with the loſt ſonne, and the Publicane in the Temple; there is no other way to it.

24. There needs no Great Speculation about it, with what trimmed words or behaviour man cometh thereto, but wee muſt come onely with the Children, which yeeld to the Father under his Rodde, and pray for Grace.

25. He who hath learned much, and knoweth how to fit himſelfe for it, is no more acceptable to God, then he that knoweth nothing, but yet with his whole Heart and ſoule in ſorrow for ſinnes turneth to him, and hath Faith in the Grace, and a true Earneſt Purpoſe and Reſolution to be a New Creature.

26. This Ground, is onely therefore brought forth ſo deeply, that every one that ſtrive about it, might ſee the true Inward Ground, and ceaſe from ſtrife, and yeeld himſelfe into the ſimplicity and Love of Jeſus Chriſt. Whereby then ſuddenly the power of Sathan will be diminiſhed, and People and Nations will ſee that the Chriſtians are the children of God, If they thus walke in Love; which I wiſh from my Heart; for which Cauſe this little Booke is written.

Note.

Heere the Reader that loveth God is to know;

FIrſt, that theſe two little Books were copied faithfully and diligently out of the Authours own bleſſed Manuſcript, as he wrote them Anno 1623.

And ſecondly, that he afterwards in the yeare 1624. upon the deſires of ſome good friends & lovers of the Truth, was purpoſed (as may be ſeene in the foregoing Letter to Carol von Endern) for the better underſtanding of the ſimple, to bring them both into a more child-like forme, but it is done onely to part of the third Chapter of this firſt Booke, and no further. Thus writeth the Publiſher of the High dutch Copie.

But more particularly, let the Reader take notice that the Authour had gone on to the 17th verſe of the 3d Chapter, as may appeare in the Printing of the double Pages in this Book, and ſo it was Printed in the High Dutch, and in the ſame manner here in the Engliſh; only with a different magnitude of Letter, thoſe words which are the ſame on both ſides, are as neere as can well be obſerved in a letter of the ſame bignes with the whole Book, but on the firſt ſide that which is not on the other ſide alſo, is with a ſmaller letter, and it was the firſt Booke that was written and finiſhed by the Authour, and on the ſecond ſide, that which was not in the other, is with a larger letter, & was that other Copie which he entended to finiſh quite through the whole Booke, and this is done to diſtinguiſh in ſome meaſure the alteration of the Expreſſion in the two ſeverall Copies, for the better underſtanding of the Myſtery, and if it be diligently Obſerved, it will very much help to the underſtanding of this, and all his other Writings, becauſe where the Expreſſion is obſcure in the one, it is cleerer in the other; And beſides; by the varying the Expreſſion, all may diſcerne what latitude the Authours words may admit of, in their meaning in all his Bookes.

Further, it is certain that we may be lead by the ſeverall Expreſſions to the true knowledge of ſome part of the Myſtery, and this great benefit accrues from thence, that it will enable us to ſpeak & write infallibly, that which hath never been ſpoken or written concerning that Myſtery, be it in Divine or Naturall things.

But by the way, this is not to be attained by outward Hearing or Reading onely, but by Experience; Teachers or Hearers that want Experience are indeed Ordinary Teachers and Hearers, but not true ones, for ſuch are Extraordinary in the account of our times: ſuch hearers are all they that underſtand the Word feelingly, and bring forth fruit, in their lives and Converſations, and have the Power of Godlineſſe, theſe can teach truly from what they know, though in a weake meaſure; but thoſe that are called Ordinary Teachers, that have onely a forme of Godlines, and deny the Power therof, cannot teach at all, nor deſerve ſo much as the Name of an Ordinary Teacher, ſuch a one is not ſo much as a true hearer. Our Saviour teacheth us, that whoſoever will do the will of our Father which is in Heaven, ^[22] they ſhall know of his words whether they be of God: and if he ſubmit his doctrine to be Examined by every one by this Rule, why ſhould not every word of all others be examined by the ſame Rule; let us thus do, and we ſhall Ordinarily attain that which is indeed Extraordinary, even the true knowledge of ſpirituall things, the things of God, which are impoſſible to be perceived by the Naturall man. And accordingly I deſire thee to Judge of the Authour of this Booke, and no otherwiſe. Farewell.

The Firſt Chapter Of Reaſons viewing of it ſelfe, how it uſeth to run in a Creaturely Forme, when it conſidereth of Chriſt and his Teſtaments.

1. ALL Strife and Miſ-underſtanding concerning Chriſts Perſon and his Teſtaments which he left behinde him, ariſeth from the defected Creaturely Reaſon, which will be a Miſtris of All things or Beeings, and looketh onely in the Multiplicity of Beeings, and in the variety and difference of Beeings, and doth but looſe it ſelfe in ſuch viewing, and breaketh it ſelfe off from its Centre, or Originall, and diſperſeth the^[23] Thoughts in the Multiplicity of Beeings, that they cannot ſee what their ground is out of which they are ſprung, and ſo in their Confuſion and running out, breake themſelves off from their Cha[•]s. viz: from the Eternall WORD of God, and from the Eternall Divine ſpeaking. In which ſpoken Word, all Beeings, together with underſtanding, Reaſon and Thoughts conſiſt, and take their Ground and beginning from it.

2. For if the Abyſſall, not Naturall, uncreaturall GOD, viz: the Eternall ONE, ſpeake his WORD no more, and that ſpeaking ſhould Ceaſe, there would be no underſtanding Reaſon or Thoughts more, alſo no Nature nor Creature, and all Beeings would be an Eternall nothing: for every Life ariſeth from the Exhalation of the Eternall ONE, viz: from the Abyſſe: and there could be no Formability in the Eternall One, according to which, or out of which ſomething might be made.

3. For if there were a formability to a figure, then there muſt alſo have been a cauſe from whence the forme were ariſen, and God were not one onely God, who were without Ground, Time, and Place; for all that hath a beginning hath a Ground; but that which hath no beginning, is without Ground and Forme.

4. Every beginning goeth out of the Eternall ONE through the Exhalation of the Eternall ONE, whereby the Eternall ONE bringeth it ſelfe into ſelfe-viewing perceptibility and findingneſſe, to the Moving and forming of it ſelfe. Every viſible and Inviſible Beeing, Spirituall and Corporeall, have taken their Originall in the Exhalation of the Eternall ONE, and ſtand with their Ground therein, for the beginning of every Beeing is nothing elſe but an Imagination of the Abyſſe, that the ſame bring it ſelfe by its own longing into an Imagination, and Modelleth and Imageth it ſelfe, and apprehendeth the Imagelikeneſſe, and^[24] breatheth it forth from the Eternall One to a viewing of it ſelfe.

5. Which^[25] breathing is the Eternall Word of the Abyſſall Deity; as a ſpeaking forth of the Abyſſe into a Ground, of the Unſubſtantiall into a Subſtantiall: In which the whole Creation, with the ſpeaking forth, as in the ſeperability of the ſpeaking, hath taken its beginning, and doth yet evermore ſo take it. And every life doth conſiſt in that ſeperability of the ſpeaking, where the immodeled Imagination in the Exhalation parteth it ſelfe into ſeperability. In which Parting the ſenſibilility of the onely life is underſtood, where the One vieweth it ſelfe in the Multiplicity.

6. Alſo heerein is to be underſtood the Ground of the Properties, in that the Parting of the Onely Longing bringeth it ſelfe into Deſiringneſſe, and^[26] incloſeth and maketh it ſelfe Eſſentiall or Subſtantiall: in which^[27] Incloſibility the ſeaven formes of Nature take th[••] beginning, as is ſufficiently declared in our other Writings.

7. Therefore ſay I, the cauſe that Men diſpute and ſtrive about God, about his Word, Eſſence, or Beeing, and Will, is, that the underſtanding hath broken it ſelfe off from its Centre or Ground: which Breaking off, is nothing elſe, but that the Properties (which are gone forth out of the Eternall out-ſpeaking of the Word, into a Creaturely Life) have brought themſelves into ſelfe-luſt, to the out-ſpeaking of themſelves, and in their own ſelfe-conceived Luſt, have broken themſelves off from the Eternall-Longing^[28] towards the Word of the Eternall ſpeaking, and brought themſelves into an own ſenſibility of Nature, and confuſed themſelves in the formes of Nature. Where all the thoughts or ſenſes will dwell and run without the Onely God in ſelfe Speculation and Reaſon: and can in no wiſe come to their Centre or Ground, except they ſinck downe into themſelves in the Speculation, and goe againe into the Ground out of which they are Exiſted, and fall againe into the Eternall ſpeaking Word, and give their owne wills into the Eternall ſpeaking Word, that the ſame owne will of the Creaturely Life may be out-ſpoken with, and in the Eternall Speaking Word in the Seperability of the Word.

8. In which re-out-ſpeaking the New Regeneration of the Humane Life and Will is underſtood. For the Humane Life was in the Beginning of Man, in the Word of GOD, and by the Inbreathing of the Word into the Humane Body was manifeſted, and came into Senſibility, Perceptibility and Willing. Where then the willing hath broken it ſelfe off from the Word, wherein the Life was, without Creature, and hath brought it ſelfe into a ſelfe-Seperability and viſibility of its perceptibility of the five ſenſes. In which Senſibility it now at preſent runneth, and ſeeketh the Seate of God therein, but findeth onely a meaſurableneſſe, and Naturall and Creaturely formedneſſe: wherein now it ſtriveth about its owne Centre. For the own will hath brought it ſelfe into an own Centre, and broken it ſelfe off from the whole, and as to the totall is become as it were dead.

9. Therefore ſaith Chriſt, Ʋnleſſe ye be converted and become as Children, and be new-borne through water and the Spirit, ye cannot ſee the Kingdome of God, Matth. 1[•].4. Joh. 3.5.7. The owne will ſhould goe againe into its nothing, and then it ſtandeth againe in the firſt Birth, and will be againe outſpoken from the Eternall Word in a Divine Will. For whatſoever it is (whoſe living and willing willeth or runneth without the Eternall ſpeaking Word) that ſame is without the Eternity, and liveth meerely in the Time.

10 But ſeeing the ſoule hath its Originall out of the Eternall Word as a Power thereof, therefore it cannot Reſt in the Beeing or Eſſence of Time, but ſeeketh its own Mother, who Generated it, and brought it into a Creaturely Forme, but its going forth, maketh that it cannot finde its Mother.

11. Therefore all Strife about the Divine Myſteries is an unprofitable thing, and is done from without, without God, in ſelfe-perceptibility, where the Senſibility vieweth it ſelfe in Nature in a Creaturely Forme. There is no comprehenſion or true underſtanding or knowledge of God, except the Image▪like Reaſon forſake it ſelfe, and ſinke downe with its owne will into its Centre againe, out of which it is gone forth: viz: into the Eternall Speaking Word of God: that it receive that ſpeaking or breathing of God into it ſelfe againe, and through the Divine Science or skill, ſpeake in a^[29] Separable and ſenſible Forme: that it be a dwelling and Temple of God, wherein Gods will worketh, Governeth, and willeth. Elſe there is no true knowledge or skill concerning God and his Beeing or Eſſence.

12. For no Spirit knoweth God or his word and will, unleſſe Gods word and will be manifeſted and Stirring in it. Naturall Reaſon without the Light of God ſeeth onely the Naturall Imagelikeneſſe, and goeth on in its own ſpeculation, and frameth in it ſelfe the Divine Beeing or Eſſence, as if that were juſt ſuch a thing. From whence is come the Strife amongſt the Learned in Reaſon, ſo that Men ſtrive and diſpute about God, and about his Beeing or Eſſence and Will, where each of them holdeth his Imagination for Divine, and will have his own Image which he hath framed in the Imagination of his Reaſon, to be honoured for God: whereas yet it is onely a Naturall Image of Reaſon: and thus Men ſtrive all the world over about theſe Images of Reaſon.

13. But a true Man, who ſtandeth rightly in the Image of God, hath no Strife in Religion: For he liveth in his firſt Mother, who hath formed him with Soule, Spirit, and Body, and his whole Subſtance, into an Image: he co-willeth and acteth with her: he is reſigned into her, and yeeldeth his will to her, and ſhe feedeth and nouriſheth him: Every property of the true reſigned Man is nouriſhed with its like. As firſt; the Body out of the Limus of the Earth, is nouriſhed from the Earth: Secondly, the Body of the^[30] Senſes and Reaſon which is a ſpirituall Body, is nouriſhed from its Aſtrum or Conſtellation and Starres, out of which it hath its Originall. Thirdly: But the Soule is nouriſhed in its Principle from the Word and Beeing or Eſſence of God: for it is out of Gods Word brought and come into a Body.

14. Now if it bring not it ſelfe in its own Imagibility and willing into ſelfhood, but bringeth its will againe into the Divine Speaking, then it gets its nouriſhment from the Eſſentiall Word of God, viz: from the Eſſentiall Wiſdome of God: this is its Nutriment, from whence it alſo reacheth and attaineth divine skill: For every Spirit ſeeth no otherwiſe, nor deeper, then onely into its Eſſentiall Imagibility; viz: into that Eſſence wherein it worketh, ſo that the ſame hath made it Imagelike through the Imagination: therewith it formeth itſelfe, and in ſuch Eſſence vieweth it ſelfe, and ſo high alſo is its knowledge.

15. Therefore ſaith Chriſt: Except you turne againe with your Will and Imagibility, and become as a Childe, which hath no Imagibility in its Imagination, you ſhall not ſee God. Alſo ye muſt be new-borne againe, or elſe ye ſhall not ïnherit the Kingdome of God: That which is borne of fleſh: viz: of fleſhly Imagelikeneſſe, that is fleſh and cannot inherite the Kingdome of God: but that which is formed and generated ſpiritually and through the Spirituall Imagination, that is Spirit, Joh. 3.6. For to be ſpiritually minded is Life and Peace: and to be Fleſhly Minded, is Death, and enmity to God, ſayth St. Paul, Rom. 8.6, 7.

16. Into what the Spirit of the Will bringeth it ſelfe with its Imagination ſo that it impreſſeth and comprehendeth it, therein alſo it Imageth it ſelfe into Beeing or Eſſence: For no Spirit can bring any thing to paſſe without Beeing or Eſſence; If the Eternall One were not Eſſentiall, all would be nothing: and if that ONE had not a Will, there would be no Deſire, nor Power, nor Word, nor Eſſence.

17. Indeed we acknowledge that the Will of the Abyſſe hath brought it ſelfe into a Longing and Imagination, of it ſelfe; whence Nature and Creature have their Originall; Whence alſo the Naturall Life hath its Originall; which now alſo out of the Partibleneſſe of the Exhaled will, hath its owne Will and Imagination, to forme and Image it ſelfe according to its longing and deſire: As we ſee ſuch changing in Nature, how Nature Imageth it ſelfe into ſo many kindes and Properties: and how thoſe Imaged Properties, doe every one deſire their like againe.

18. Seeing then we underſtand in Man, that he eſpecially above all other Creatures deſireth and longeth after three Properties. As firſt he longeth according to his^[31] apprehenſive underſtanding, after the Hidden God: and though indeed he ſeeth him not with bodily eyes, yet he deſireth him: Secondly, he longeth after his Aſtrum or Conſtellation, out of which the Minde and Rationall Life is proceeded, therefore the Rationall Life longeth again after its Mother. Thirdly, he longeth after the Starres or Powers of the Earth, and the other Elements, and deſireth them for his Nouriſhment: and therefore we know alſo by this hunger of his, that he muſt have his Originall out of theſe Three: For there is alſo ſuch a threefold Spirit out of ſuch an Originall to be underſtood in him: And then alſo ſuch a Threefold Eſſence or Subſtance, wherein his Spirit worketh; where every Operation longeth after it[•] firſt Mother, and receiveth its Nutriment from her.

19. But ſeeing the Soule, viz: the Inward Ground of Man, in Adam the firſt Man, hath with its longing and deſire out of its firſt Mother (out of its firſt Originall) viz▪ out of the Divine Word and Will, turned out into the Operation of the Conſtellation and Elements, and formed it ſelfe in that Operation, and plowed it ſelfe into a ſtrange Imagination: whereby the Divine food, viz: the Eſſentiall Wiſdome of God is withdrawen: from which, with its longing deſire, it hath broken off it ſelfe; thereupon it is wholly blinde as to God, and the firſt Divine Eſſence, (wherein God Created it,) is departed.

20. When the ſoule brought its Imagination from that [Divine Eſſence or Subſtance] out of and into the Earthly and Aſtrall property, then alſo its Body, wherein the Threefold Spirit worketh, became wholly Earthly Groſſe and Beaſtiall; for into whatſoever the Imagination of the Spirit bringeth it ſelfe, ſuch a Body alſo is, through the Impreſſion of the Spirituall deſire. As we ſee in Man, that he hath gotten a Groſſe Earthly Body, wherein the Principles now ſtand in Meere Strife, Contrariety, and Enmity: from which, Paine,^[32] Corruptibility and Death exiſt: which yet God did forbid him in Paradiſe, while he yet ſtood therein, That he ſhould not Eate of the Knowledge of Evill and Good, with the Imagination, elſe he ſhould fall into ſuch Neceſſity, Miſery, and Death, and die to the Kingdome of Heaven, as it is alſo come to paſſe, Gen. 2.17.

21. When the Soule brought it ſelfe into the Earthly Imagination, it brought it ſelfe into the Earthly Image, and loſt the Heavenly Image: whereas it ſhould Image it ſelfe into the Eſſentiall Wiſdome, viz: into the Holy Heavenly Eſſentiall Word, and take its Nouriſhment thereſtom: then it Imaged itſelfe in the outward Aſtrum or Conſtellation, and in the Serpents and Devills deſire: whereby in its Noble Image it became a Viſard and Monſter in the ſight of God, and loſt its Angelicall forme which it had, as alſo Paradiſe, and the Kingdome of Heaven; and now with its Ground ſtood in the Impreſſion of Darkneſſe in the Anger of God, and muſt have ever ſtood in ſuch Viſardly Image, If the Great Love of God had not come to helpe it againe, and that the Divine Word, viz: its firſt Mother (its firſt Originall) had not againe Inſpired or Spoken the Grace into it; ſo that the ſame Word would with its moſt Inward Secreſie and Love, give it ſelfe againe into the Ground of the Soule with a New well-ſpring and fountaine, and bring the ſoule a New Nouriſhment into its Life, whereby its naturall fiery and painfull property becometh changed into the Image of God againe.

22. Which great Divine Love would be a Death to the^[33] Contrary will, as alſo to the Serpents and Devills Poyſon, and ſlay the Monſtrous Image and falſe Imagination, and bring the firſt Image againe into a New Life, which New Life in this introduced Love ſhould againe cate of the eſſentiall Wiſdome of God, and with its deſire Image it ſelfe therein, that the true Divine Science may be manifeſted therein againe, and might worke in a Creaturely Life, and ſo bring it ſelfe^[34] together into a Creaturely Imagibility.

23. To which End alſo God Created Angells and Men, becauſe he would Image his Eternall Knowledge with the Eſſentiall Wiſdome in^[35] Formes, in and with which the Eternall Spirit playeth, and hath thereby erected a Harmony of Divine fullneſſe of joy, to the endleſſe Solace of ſuch Images, viz: of the Angells and Men, and thoſe who have their riſe out of Gods Word and Power.

24. And even therefore it is that the Eternall Word of the Divine Exhalation, with the Manifeſtation of ſo Great Love and Grace, (which inſpired or ſpake it ſelfe in againe in Paradiſe after the Fall) is become Man, and hath introduced its Eſſentiall Love, viz: the Eſſentiall Wiſdome of God, againe into Our Heavenly Ens and Subſtance that was faded as to God: and hath made our Subſtance that was faded as to God, living in him, with the Introduction of his living Divine Eſſence: and with this Introduced Eſſentiall Love, which gave it ſelfe in with the Eſſence of our ſoules, as alſo into our Fleſh and Bloud, hath with its will and deſire broken the Monſtrous will of the ſoule, viz: the ſelfe-ſixed Image-like falſe deſire, as alſo the Devills Imagination, which he had introduced into Man; and hath with his Love brought the falſe properties into the Temperature againe; and is become Death to Death, which held us captive, ſo that it muſt die to its Wrath and^[36] Corruptibility in this Introduced Love, and ſuffer the Humane Life, in this Love to ſpring forth through IT, to a new Will and Eternall Life.

25. This new introduced Love and Grace, hath given it ſelfe together into the Breaking of the Humane Life, viz: into the Dying of Man, in the Perſon of Chriſt, and brought the Humane received Owne-will, with it ſelfe, into Death and broken it: and hath ſuffered the Humane Image, (which the Owne-will, through its Imagination and Deſire of ſelfe-hood hath made thus Groſſe and vile, and brought it from the firſt Angelicall Image into ſuch a Monſter) to hang upon the Croſſe, and there to be put to ſcorne: and ſo hath borne the Eternall ſcorne which Man muſt have borne, as a^[37] ſpectacle upon the Croſſe. And there openly made it appeare before all Angells and Spirits, how this great Grace of Love would deſtroy the Devills introduced Deſire, and Death alſo: and with this new Introduced Love ſpring forth through death, and bring forth the humane Life through Death, and change the Wrath of the Anger of God into Love, and make Darkneſſe Light, and through this new in[••]oduced Love, convert and tranſmute the Groſſe (Earthly) Humane Image into a Heavenly Image againe.

26 As the impurity of Gold is changed in the fire or much more, as a Man may by the Tincture turne Copper, Lead, or Groſſe Iron into Gold: ſo alſo is the Humané Spirit, together with the Body in their Three Principles, changed into the Divine power and property, and through Death brought into an Eternall Life, which conſiſts in Power and Glory in the Will of God.

27. Where now wee underſtand, that the humane Soule in this tranſmuted new Birth, and introduced Love, doth againe Eate of the Eſſentiall Wiſdome of God, and with its will Imageth [or frameth] it ſelfe in the Divine Science; and therein hath Divine skill and knowledge: And ſo by ſuch Reſurrection through the Death, (where the Man Chriſt in the Divine Power is ariſen through Death, and hath made Death Life) is become a Lord over Sinne, Death, the Devill, and Hell, and hath borne all of them in its Reſurrection, as a^[38] ſpectacle on the humane Soule and Body, as a Victor over them.

28. And here may be rightly mentioned what Chriſt ſaith, Joh. 17. Father the Men were thine, but thou haſt given them unto Mee, and I now give them this victory, viz: the New Life introduced into Death, that Death in them alſo may be Deſtroyed, that they in my Power may goe through Death, and in my [•]ower be alſo thus tranſmuted, and through my Reſurrection come againe to thee: and as I am ariſen from Dead, and have brought their (by Me aſſumed) Humanity, to thee; ſo that I as true God and Man in One Perſon, am One with thee, and have poſſeſſed the Throne of Glory: So Father I will alſo, that thoſe which thou haſt given Mee, be where I am and ſee my Glory.

29. Now ſeeing Chriſt hath ſaid, Joh. 6. Hee is the Bread that is come downe from Meaven, that giveth life to the World, and that wee ſhould eate his fleſh and drink his bloud: and that whoſoever eateth and drinketh the ſame, he would remaine in them, and they ſhould remaine in Him; and whoſoever eateth not nor drinketh not the ſame, they have no life in them: Alſo Joh. 4. Hee would give us the water of Eternall Life, and whoſoever ſhould drink thereof, ſhould thirſt no more, but it would flow in him to a ſountaine of Eternall Life, and ſtreames of living water ſhould flow from him.

30. Therefore here-following I will ſet downe a ſhort fundamentall Expoſition, what his Teſtaments, which he left behinde him, of Baptiſme and the Laſt Supper, are, what Baptiſeth and is Baptiſed, how it is done, and to what profit and Effect it is done; alſo how the participation of his body and bloud in his Teſtaments is effected; with what Mouth, and what food it is; alſo who partaketh thereof worthily, and how it is with the unworthy.

The Firſt Chapter How Reaſon uſeth to view it ſelfe in a Creaturely^[39] Imagelikeneſſe, when it conſidereth of Chriſt and his Teſtaments.

Whence the Strife about Chriſts Teſtaments ariſeth; and how the ſame is an Empty unprofitable thing.

ALL Strife and Miſ-underſtanding concerning Chriſts Perſon, Office and Beeing or ſubſtance, as alſo concerning his Teſtaments which he left behinde him, wherein he worketh^[40] Preſentially, ariſeth from the defected Creaturely Reaſon, which runneth on onely in an Imagelike Opinion, and reacheth not the Ground of this Myſtery, and yet will be a Miſtris of all things or beeings, will Judge all things, and doth but looſe it ſelfe in ſuch Image-likeneſſe, and breaketh it ſelfe off from its Centre, and diſperſeth the^[41] thoughts, and runneth on in the Multiplicity, whereby its Ground is confuſed, the Minde diſquieted, and knoweth not it ſelfe.

No Life can ſtand in Certainty, except it continue in its Centre, out of which it is ſprung.

Seeing then the Soule is ſprung from Gods Word and Will, and yet is entered into its own Luſt and deſire to will of it ſelfe: in ſuch ſearching of ſelfe-willing, it cannot reach its firſt Ground from whence it is ſprung: and threupon it runneth without its Ground in meere uncertainty till it returne to its Originall againe.

Every Beginning goeth out of the Eternall ONE, viz: out of the Tri-unity of GOD, through the Exhalation, or ſpeaking of the unity of GOD. As a fountain floweth from its Originall. Through which flowing forth, the unity bringeth it ſelfe into ſelfe-viewing findingneſſe and perceptibility, to the Forming and Imaging of it ſelfe. Every viſible and Inviſible Beeing, both Spirituall and Corporeall, have taken their Originall in the Exhalation of the Divine Power, and are a^[42] Reflection of the ſeperable will of God, and ſtand with their Ground therein. For the Beginning of every Beeing is nothing elſe, but an Imagination of the out-flown will of God, which hath brought it ſelfe into Seperability, formedneſſe, and Imagelikeneſſe; wherein lyeth the whole Creation: And every life doth conſiſt in its re-exhalation and^[43] Reflection in the ſame manner.

Seeing then that the Humane Life is an out-flowing and Reflection of the Divine Power, underſtanding, and skill, therefore the ſame ought to continue in its originall, or elſe it looſeth the divine knowledge, Power and skill, and with ſelfe-ſpeculation bringeth it ſelfe into Centres of its owne, and Strange Imaging, wherewith its Originall becometh darkned and ſtrange.

As is to be knowne by Erroneous Reaſon, which ever teacheth concerning GOD, and yet hath no true underſtanding: alſo it never cometh to reſt whiles it runneth on in Strange Imaging.

Therefore ſay I, that this is the onely cauſe that Men Diſpute and Strive about God, his Word, Eſſence or Beeing and Will; that the underſtanding of Man hath broken it ſelfe off from its Originall, and now runneth on in meere ſelf-will, thoughts, and Images in its own Luſt to ſelf-iſhneſſe, and Imagineth to it ſelfe another Ground to the Divine Willing, wherein yet there is no true knowledge, nor can be, ſo long till the Life returneth into its Originall, viz. into the Divine outflowing and will.

And if this be done, then Gods will ſpeaketh forth the Divine Power and Wonders againe through the humane willing. In which Divine Speaking the life may know and comprehend Gods will, and^[44] frame it ſelfe therein. Then there is true divine knowledge and underſtanding in Mans skill, when his skill is continually renewed with divine Power, and when divine skill preſſeth forth through the life, in that kinde and manner as in the Beginning it did flow forth from the divine Power and skill.

As Chriſt hath taught us, when he ſayth; Ʋnleſſe ye be converted and become as a childe, ye ſhall not come into the kingdom of God. That is, that the life turne it ſelfe againe into God out of whom it is proceeded, and forſake all its owne Imaging and Luſt, and ſo it cometh to the Divine Viſion againe.

All Strife about the Divine Will and Beeing or Eſſence, whereby men deſpiſe one another, cometh from ſelfe Imagelikeneſſe, that one Man comprehendeth the Image of another, viz: his thoughts, and yet cannot rightly apprehend them. Where One Man ſets himſelfe in the Thought and Minde of another, and bringeth that which is his owne thereinto, and compelleth that which is anothers into his Meaning, and forcibly ſets himſelfe aloft in the Thoughts and Minde of another, and holdeth them for his proper owne, and will make a ſhew therewith, and therewith domineere in and over the Thoughts and Minde of others: Men muſt worſhip and reverence his Thoughts and Minde, and hold them to be the Word of God, or^[45] the ſpeaking of God.

Thus Man deludeth himſelfe, and Robbeth God of his honour, taketh his Covenant in his Mouth, and yet hateth the Nurture of the Spirit of God, which therefore reproveth him in his Conſcience, that he is but an Apoſtate Lucifer, and will compell others into his Image, that they ſhall hold it for the Word of God.

But a true Man, Inclineth himſelfe, to his Originall, and forſaketh all Images, and deſireth no ſelfe Imagebility of his underſtanding, except what God will frame and ſpeake with and through him: and deſpiſeth none, but only diſtinguiſheth the true from the falſe, the Good from the evill, and teacheth the Truth with Divine Powerfull out-flowing and will.

All Diſputation concerning Gods Beeing or Eſſence and Will, is performed in the Images of the Senſes or thoughts without God: For if any liveth in God, and willeth with God, what needeth he diſpute about GOD, who or what GOD is?

But that he diſputeth about it, is a ſigne, that he hath never felt it at all in his Minde or Senſes, and it is not Given to him that God is in him, and willeth what he will. It is a certaine ſigne that he will exalt his owne Meaning and Image above others, and that he deſireth the Dominion.

Men ſhould friendly conferre together, and offer one another their Gifts and Knowledge in Love, and try things one with another, and hold that which is Beſt, 1 Theſ. 5.21. And friendly inſtruct one another, and not ſo ſtand in their own opinion, as if they could not Erre: Seeing we have a Mighty Enemy againſt us, who ſuddenly bringeth ſtrange Images into Mans thoughts, and maketh Men Inſult: whence Sects and Sciſsmes exiſt.

It lyeth in no Mans Perſon, that Men ſhould ſuppoſe, that the Divine Underſtanding muſt come onely from ſuch and ſuch: For the Scripture ſaith; Try all things, and hold that which is Good, 1 Theſ. 5.21.

The Touchſtone to this Knowledge, is, Firſt, the Corner-Stone Chriſt: that Men ſhould ſee, whether a thing enter out of Love into Love: or whether alone purely the Love of God be ſought and deſired: whether it be done out of Humility or Pride: Secondly, whether it be according to the Holy Scripture of the Bible: Thirdly, is it according to the Humane Heart and Soule, wherein the Booke of the Life of God is incorporated, and may very well be read by the Children of God: where then the true Minde hath its Touch-ſtone in it ſelfe, and can diſtinguiſh all things: If it be ſo that the Holy Ghoſt dwell in the Ground of the Minde, that Man hath Touchſtone enough, That will leade him into all Truth.

Chriſts Teſtaments are a ſecret Myſtery, and are proffered to the Minds and Thoughts that are departed from, and come againe to God, where the Life bringeth it ſelfe to God againe, and ſo will the Thoughts that returne to God be firſt fed with Divine Power and Underſtanding: the ſame afterwards kindle the Life, that it hungreth after God: to which afterwards is given Chriſts Fleſh and Bloud for a^[46] Pledge and Seale, and the Divine Eſſence or Subſtance will be imprinted therein: whence the Life is brought againe into its Originall: viz: into Gods Power and Word.

A falſe Thought or Minde of Man is nouriſhed againe by its Likeneſſe, viz: from its owne Conjecture, or from highneſſe of Minde, or from the Subtilty of the Serpent: and theſe it deſireth to Exalt, and put into an Image: and that Image is a Branch on the Tree of Satan.

Now that Man which is fed from the Divine Power and Spirit in his Minde and Thoughts, he is Divinely Minded, and bringeth forth Good things out of his Good Heart.

But that Man who is fed in his Thoughts from the Power and Will of the Fleſh, he is fleſhly Minded onely.

When Reaſon conſidereth of Chriſts Teſtaments, and thinketh and conſidereth how yet Chriſt can be preſent in his Teſtaments, then it thinketh, it is done after an^[47] Image-like Manner.

And when it knoweth that it is not done in an^[48] Image-like Manner, then it falleth quite from that, and thinketh HEE is preſent onely in Remembrance: As when his Word is preached, then he worketh thus onely in the ſame powerfully: and ſo it thinketh alſo concerning his Teſtaments, that Chriſt worketh onely Spiritually in the Faith: and that the Teſtaments are onely Signes or Symboles, whereby wee ſhould inſtruct our ſelves what he hath done for us, and therewith onely declare his Death, and the ſhedding of his Bloud, and ſhould keepe it in lively Remembrance, to our Comfort.

Thus Reaſon underſtandeth nothing at all of the Kingdome of Chriſt, much leſſe of his Perſon, or of his Office: and in that reſpect Men diſpute and ſtrive about it, and will needs attaine it with the Searching of Reaſon: all this attaineth not the true underſtanding: For Chriſts Teſtaments are Heavenly, and Reaſon is Earthly & worldly: It ſeeketh Chriſt in the Time [or that which is Temporary] and if it finde him not therein according to their Power, then it ſuppoſeth, HEE is preſent only to the^[49] Thoughts, which caſt themſelves up to him in Heaven: But this will not renew the Life, and bring it into God againe: It will not make the New-Birth.

All Strife cometh from hence, that Men doe not underſtand that Heaven wherein Chriſt ſitteth at the Right hand of God, that he is in this world, and that the world ſtandeth in Heaven, and Heaven in the World, and are in one another, as Day and Night.

The Inward Ground of the Word, out of which the Foure Elements are ſprung, is the Heaven, viz. a Spirituall World: In that Inward Power Chriſt Ruleth, true God and Man, through the Outward World: For where Chriſt ſayth; Matth. 28.18.20. All Power is given to Mee in Heaven and on Earth: Alſo; I am with you alwayes till the End of the World: Alſo; Hee ſhall rule over all his Enemies, till all his Enemies are laid under him as a footſtoole, 1 Cor. 15.25. Pſal. 110.1. This is to be underſtood of his inward Kingdome, where, in the inward Power he ruleth over the outward Earthly, and alſo the Helliſh.

For the outward World is ſprung out of the inward Spirituall World; viz: out of Light and Darkneſſe; which fabrick, before the Office of Chriſt ſtood in the Eternall Creators Office; who from Eternity hath wrought [or effected] light and darkneſſe, viz: the Spirituall World: which fabrick is flown forth and become viſible, and brought by God into a Creation, wherein Light and Darkneſſe, viz: Good and Evill, rule one with another: where is underſtood Hell and Paine in the flowing forth of the Eternall Darkneſſe, and the Light of Nature, in the flowing forth of the Light; and in that where Evill and Good ruleth alike, is underſtood the Kingdome of Nature, with hot and cold, and all other properties.

This Dominion hath God given to the Office of Chriſt, that he being both true God and Man, ſhould rule over all the Propriety, and ſelfe-willing of this Kingdome, where Evill and Good rule one in another. As the Sun in the viſible World ruleth over Evill and Good, and with its light and power, and all whatſoever it ſelfe is, is preſent every where, and penetrates into Every Beeing, and yet in its Image-like for me doth not pluck away to it ſelfe with its Efflux, but wholly giveth it ſelfe into Every Beeing, and yet ever remaineth whole, and nothing of its Beeing goeth away therewith: Thus alſo it is to be underſtood concerning Chriſts Perſon and Office; which ruleth in the Inward Spirituall World viſibly, and in the Outward World Inviſibly, and throughly penetrateth the Faithfull Mans Soule, Spirit, and Heart. And as fire gloweth through the Iron, and as the Sun worketh through and through an Hearb, ſo that the Hearb becometh Solar, [or filled with the vertue of the Sunne, and as it were ſo converted by the Sunne that it becometh wholly of the Nature of the Sunne]: ſo Chriſt ruleth in the Reſigned Will, in ſoule and body over all Evill Inclinations, over Satans introduced Luſt, and Generateth the Man to be a new heavenly Creature, and wholly floweth with it ſelfe into him, both as to Divine and humane power, ſo that the Faithfull Man becometh a right branch on his Vine, in which, God and Man (as to that ſame inward New Birth) dwelleth.

Now herein conſiſt the Teſtaments of Chriſt, that Hee offereth himſelfe to the^[50] Faith, that Hee will give it this Fleſh and Bloud, and all Grace, and Spiritually dwell in Man, as the Sun dwelleth in the Plant, and maketh the fruit Ripe and^[51] Tender.

So in like manner is the poore fallen Earthly Man, which periſhed in Soule and Body, againe renewed, and wrought out to be a heavenly fruit; where in the End, onely the Groſsneſſe of the fleſh falleth from him, and the Spirit together with the Soule remaineth in Chriſt: and alſo heere in this Life according to this indwelling power, dwelleth in Heaven; concerning which St. Paul ſaith; Our Converſation is in Heaven, Phil. 3.20. But the Body is in the World; and of the Worlds Eſſence: And now as the Heaven penetrateth the World, and giveth it Vertue and Power: ſo alſo Chriſt throughly penetrateth the outward Man with his inward ruling power, and reſiſteth the vaine Luſt of the Earthly Nature.

Therefore ſay I; none underſtand any thing of God, except God worke it in his Minde and^[52] Thoughts; for all Naturall knowledge is outward in the World, and ariſeth from its Aſtrum, and runneth on in ſurmiſings, doubting whether a thing be ſo or no: But the Spirit of Chriſt aſſureth in the Soule and Spirit of his Faithfull, and witneſſeth in them that they are Gods Children, Rom. 8.16.

Now how this preſent Eſſentiall participation is effected, and what the Covenant of Grace between God and Man is, both of the Old and New Teſtament: What Baptiſme and the Supper of Chriſt are, ſhall be declared in the following Chapters.

The Second Chapter. Of the Inſtitution of Baptiſme, what it is, who it is that Baptiſeth, and what is Baptiſed; And how the^[53] Water-Baptiſme is to be underſtood.

1. WHen any will kindle a Fire, they muſt have ſome ſubſtance that will take fire: it muſt be a ſubſtance, wherein there is an Oyle and Water, or it burneth not. For if they caſt a Stone, or the like into the Fire, it will not ſo burne as to come to a^[54] ſhining Light: ſo alſo it is to be underſtood concerning the Soule; When it brake its deſire off from Gods Eſſence of Love and Meekneſſe: which divine Meekneſſe in it was as a Spirituall Oyle and fountaine of Water, wherein it^[55] allayed its fiery ſource, and therein its fire had a ſhining and Light: then its owne Seperator: viz: the Naturall Fiat, ^[56] compreſſed it ſelfe, ſo that by ſuch^[57] compreſſion its properties became as a hard Stone, or as a hungry ſource of Fire, wherein there is indeed great heate, and yet cannot come to any kindling [of Light] as a hard Stone which lyeth in the Fire, and yet^[58] is not properly the ſame with Fire, becauſe of the hard ^[59] conpreſſion of the Stone.

2. And yet a Man may underſtand that there is not onely a Hots fire in the periſhed Soule, as a hot burning Fire-ſource, but alſo a Cold Fire-ſource, wherein Hot and Cold ſtand in Eternall Strife and^[60] Contrary Will: as the Cauſe of the true fire, viz: a darke fire-ſource of Anguiſh, wherein there is alwayes a deſire of kindling, and yet no kindling may be effected, becauſe of the ſtrong^[61] Compreſſion: And that the Subſtance of the Oyly and Watery Meekneſſe is game, and is ſhe: up in ſuch a hard indiſſoluble Death.

3. And this is now that which God ſaid to Adam: The Day when thou ſhalt Eate of the Tree (or fruit) of the Knowledge of Good and Evill, thou ſhalt die the Death.

4. Thus the poore Soule is poyſoned through falſe Imagination, and through its owne^[62] compreſſion of its deſire, is come to be ſuch a hungry fire-ſource; which is onely a ſhutting in of the true Life, and a Ground of Darkneſſe, a ſource of Enmity and Contrariety, wherein there is no more any true Ens, wherein the Life might bring it ſelfe into Light.

5. As a hard Stone is ſhut up, ſo the Soule was ſhut up, and was out of the good Love-Life a Poyſon-Life, after that manner as out of Angells there became Devills: which now alſo are of ſuch a horrible poyſonous ſtincking fire ſource in their Eſſence, and cannot attaine the kindling of the Light: The cauſe is this, that they are become Enemies of the Divine Love, that the Love is to them a Death of their Evill Will and Eſſence, which would ſlay their falſe Life in the twinckling of an Eye, if they did but come therein.

6. This^[63] compreſſed Subſtance of the Soule, periſhed as to God, and blinde as to God, the Great Love of God out of m[••]re Grace came againe to help, as ſoone as the Soule together with the Body was thus fallen, and ſpake in or breathed in it ſelfe againe into the Centre of the Soule, viz: into the Compreſſed ſhut up and vaniſhed Heavenly Ens of the Soule, viz: into the ſource of Meekneſſe which it had, which was no more Moveable.

7. Into this [Soule] the Moveable power ſpake in it ſelfe againe to be a New Centre and Covenant, that God would in the fullneſſe of Time in this inſpoken voyce of Grace, and in Mans vaniſhed heavenly Ens introduce and Manifeſt his living Ens, viz: the Eſſentiall Word of his Power and Wiſdome, with the Moſt high Love, viz: the Name JESUS out of JEHOVA, and therewith make the vaniſhed Eſſence or Subſtance of the Heavenly part living and growing againe: whereof the Soule ſhould Eate, and thereby its anxious fire-ſource would be tranſmuted and changed into a Love fire.

8. This inſpoken Grace-word of the Serpent-Deſtroyer, that is it now, which the Soules of the Holy Children of God before the Incarnation of Chriſt, have kindled, that they beleeved God and his promiſe, of the fullfilling that was to come: And in this Faith have they ſacrificed.

9. For their Sacrifices, eſpecially of the firſt Fathers after Adam, were onely, that they repreſented an Image or Figure, how the Soule ſhould be ſacrificed in the fire of GODS Wrath, and how through this inſpoken-Grace-Ground and Covenant, the Soule ſhould be tranſmuted in the fire of^[64] Gods Wrath, and changed into a Love. fire, and how it ſhould enter into the Death and Dying of its ſelf-will with the falſe Imagination, and ſhould burne away the falſe will in the fire of Wrath, and in the power of this inſpoken Grace of the Love and Meekneſſe of God, goe forth through the fire into a cleare light, and ſo become a New-borne childe, that is no more Dark but Light: and how the Introduced poyſon of the Serpent muſt ſever it ſelfe therefrom, as the ſmoake ſevereth it ſelfe from the Fire and Light, ſo that then the Fire and Light becometh a clearer Glance, and no more ſhut up, as in the Wood it lyeth ſhut up in the Eſſence.

10. This Image, Type, or Figure, they ſet before them with their Sacrifice, and introduced their Imagination thereinto, with the inſpoken Grace of the ſeede of the Woman, and Serpent-Deſtroyer, that ſo their Imagination might Forme, Mould or Image it ſelfe in the Figure of Chriſt, that ſo the ſpirit of their Will might ſtand in a^[65] Modelling, wherein it might worke in the Grace.

11. For without Subſtance no working can be: therefore they Imagined or typified to themſelves the Regeneration, with the Sacrifices by fire, and formed or Imaged in them the Serpent-Deſtroyer, in the fire, how HEE would change Gods fire of Wrath in the ſoules-fire into a Light- and Love-fire, and how the Enmity would ſever it ſelfe from the Soule: and how the Soule ſhould through Chriſts Death, (where the Love of God gave up it ſelfe into this fire) be changed into an Angell.

12. By this Immodeled Image or Type they pierced with their deſire and earneſt Prayer, to God: and Gods Word of Grace alſo thus had modelled and inſpoken it ſelfe in Men: and Now there was a Conjunction between God and Man: for the Humane deſire went with this Image into God, and Gods Love-deſire went into this Image of the Serpent-Deſtroyer; and ſo the deſire of Man brought this Image of the Imagination into the Sacrifice: and ſo the Sacrifice was kindled with the Holy fire.

And it was not a Common fire that they had.^[66] If thou Babell couldeſt underſtand this, it were well for thee, and thou wert delivered from the Fables wherein thou runneſt on thy Courſe.

13. This Holy fire conſumed their Sacrifice through Gods-Imagination and kindling: to ſignifie: how the^[67] Beaſtiall Image of Man ſhould be preſerved in the fire of God, and the groſsneſſe of the Element be conſumed: and out of the fires Conſuming ſhould goe forth the right true created pure bright Spirituall Image in Adam, which through this Great Love ſhall be preſerved and brought through into Clarity by the Fire: In which New Image, the Love it ſelfe would be the fire of life, that it might no more Imagine and Imprint falſhood.

14.^[68] With ſuch an Imagination and Beleefe or Faith, the firſt Men before Chriſts time, (before he manifeſted himſelfe in this incorporated Grace-Covenant, and became Man) were apprehended and taken into the Living Word of God, viz: into that Grace, wherein their Soule came into Divine Reſt: untill at the fullfilling, that Chriſt fullfilled this proceſſe, and aroſe from Death: and then Hee alſo with his Life and Subſtance in them, viz: in their Inward Ground of the Heavenly part which vaniſhed in Adam; aroſe; and they have put on Chriſt, as to the Soule and ſpirituall Subſtance: and ſo now waite for their Body, out of the Limus of the Earth, viz: the Third Principle; viz: the Outſpoken formed Subſtantiall outward Word; with its Spirit of the Reſurrection at the Laſt Day: As alſo it is thus to be underſtood concerning Chriſtians, which here have put on Chriſt.

15.^[69] This Ground of the Holy Fire, began with Adam and Abel: When Abel and Cain Sacrificed, God looked graciouſly on Abels Sacrifice: for the Image or Type of Chriſt ſtood with his Imagination of Faith therein: therefore God kindled his Sacrifice with the Holy Fire, and it was acceptable before him: for it was a Conjunction with the Divine Deſire: But Cains he looked not graciouſly on, for he had not ſuch Faith or Beleeſe, but ſtood in the periſhed Natures owne Luſt and Deſire, and had Imprinted or Imaged to himſelfe the Kingdome of this World: and therefore the Holy Fire would not kindle in his Image or Type.

16. For Cain ſtood in the Image of the periſhed Adam, as a right figure of Adam after the Fall: and Abell ſtood in the figure of the New Regeneration, viz: in Chriſts figure [ſignifying] how Chriſt would with his Sacrifice goe into Death: and ſo the Image of the periſhed Adam ſtood neere Cain [ſignifying] how Chriſt was come to ſeeke loſt Man, and to Generate him a New with his Sacrifice.

17. But as the vanity of Men gat the upperhand, and their Nature became ſtill more Evill and ſhamefull, then was quenched this underſtanding of the Holy Fire among them, till the Flood came upon them, and deſtroyed them: which was a Type of the Baptiſme [ſignifying] how the water of Eternall Life, viz: Gods Subſtantiall Meekneſſe, would drowne and quench that falſe Fire, viz: the falſe life of the Soule, and how the Soule would grow up out of the Holy Water in the Meekneſſe of God to a New Life of Light.

18. But when God renewed his Covenant with Abraham, which was Eſtabliſhed in Paradiſe, then HEE gave him the figure of Chriſt againe^[70] in the Circumciſion [ſignifying] how Chriſt with his heavealy Bloud would cut off Sinne and vanity from our uncleane Birth: And therefore the Maſculine Perſons muſt be Circumciſed in that ſame Member, whereby the Humane propagation is Effected.

19. Further he ſets before him the Figure of Chriſt by his Sonne Iſaac, in calling him to ſacrifice and ſlay his Sonne on the Wood, how it would goe with the humane Redemption; how Chriſt would be a Sacrifice in our received humanity: and he awakened againe the Holy fire which devoured his ſacrifice: to ſignifie how Gods Love-fire would ſwallow up into it ſelfe Gods Wrath fire in Man, and turne it into Divine Love, and thereupon gave him the promiſe, that the ſeede of his Covenant, which would through this Holy Fire, through the Tranſmutation, through the dying of vanity, grow forth in the Love-fire, would be ſo great and ſo many as the ſtarres in the firmament: Thus would Gods children through the Sacrifice and Death of Chriſt, through this changing grow forth out of the Holy Fire.

20. This ſtood in the Old Teſtmen[•]t in the figure, and the^[71] attonement was done in the Sacrifice through the Holy Fire, which fire was an Image of the Wrath of God, which would devoure in it ſelfe the ſinnes together with the Soule: for the Fathers property in the Wrath was turned into this^[72] fire-ſmoak, and the Sonnes property in the Love and Meekneſſe brought it ſelfe^[73] in the Wrath for they ſacrificed the fleſh of Beaſts, but yet they brought their Imagination and Prayer into the Grace of God, and Imaged or Imprinted themſelves in the Covenant of the Grace of Love.

21. And with this Imaging or Imprinting they entered into the Sacrifice, as into the fire of Gods Wrath, and Divine Love, wherein the attonement was done: and ſo the Wrath-fire of their introduced deſire tooke the Earthly vanity, and conſumed it through the beaſtiall property of the Sacrifice: to ſignifie, that Man outwardly hath aſſumed to himſelfe beaſtiall Properties, and awakened them in him through falſe Luſt.

22. Seeing then alſo ſuch beaſtiall Properties hung to the Mande of Man, viz: the Animale ſoule from the Conſtellation, ſo that their Prayer and Will were not pure before God, therefore Gods Wrath-fire confumed this Beaſtiall vanity of Man in the Sacrifice through Beaſtiall Properties, and their Immodeled Image or Type of the Grace went with their prayer into the holy Fire: and there was the ſouliſh-deſire received in: that ſame Holy ſire, now pierced with the received humane deſire through the Fathers Wrath-fire in the Sacrifice.

23. And thus the Children of Iſrael in the Sacrifice and fire were^[74] releaſed from their ſinnes and vanity, in a ſpirituall manner, upon the future fullfilling, till Chriſt would Come and aſſume our humanity, and give up himſelfe to God his Father (as a Sacrifice,) into his Wrath-fire, and with the manifeſted Loveſource in the Name JESVS turne the Wrath into Love: where then the Wrath ſwallowed up the humane owne Will, and Gods Love-will, through Chriſts Love, grew forth through Death and through the Wrath, and the humanity went through Death into the Eternall Life.

24. In this manner was Iſrael in the Type of Chriſt, through the Covenant of God, through the ſacrifice and fire, after a ſpirituall manner ranſomed from ſinnes: for Iſraels Faith went through the Sacrifice into the Covenant of God, viz. into the Grace-Attonement of the Womans ſeede: and Gods Imagination went alſo into his Covenant made with Adam and Abraham: and there was a Conjunction: and the true attonement in the Covenant was done through the holy fire: which holy fire afterwards in Chriſt manifeſted it ſelfe in the humanity, and tooke away the Strength from the Poyſon of the wrath of God, and turned it into Love, and brake open the ſtrong Impreſſion of Death in the ſoule; fire, and brought the Divine Love and Meekneſſe thereinto.

25. But when the time drew neere that GOD would manifeſt his Love-fire through his Covenant in the Humanity, that the ſame fire ſhould be kindled, in the Humane Life, then God re[••]wed the Type, and with St John began the Water Baptiſme, and brought his Covenant out of the Circumciſion into the Baptiſme.

26. But ſaith Reaſon; What is or ſignifieth Water-Baptiſme? What doth God thereby? alſo what doth it Effect?

Anſwer: As is mentioned above: The Soule had ſo hard^[75] compreſſed it ſelfe in its properties in the wrath-full Anger of God, that thereby it ſtood in Eternall Death: In it was no divine Love-Ens more manifeſt or moveable, wherein it might be able to kindle the Holy fire of the Love of God: and therefore God ſent the Baptiſme before this holy kindling, and ſet it in the firſt Covenant: For when the Word and the power of the Holy fire, became Man, and manifeſted it ſelfe in Chriſt; then the Holy Word in the Holy fire through the aſſumed Humanity, ſpake in it ſelfe into its fellow-Members according to the Humanity.

27. Now if this Inſpeaking ſhould take Effect in Man, and become Subſtantiall; then muſt the Divine^[76] Infuſion goe before: for as the Word in the Covenant manifeſted it ſelfe in the humanity, then the meeke Love and Grace in the Covenant did flow forth: with this flowing forth of the Divine Love was the Covenant ſet^[77] and placed in the Water-Baptiſme: for ſeeing Man was Earthly and Elementary, there muſt alſo be an Elementary Medium or Meanes for that purpoſe, wherein the flowing forth of the Divine Love in the Covenant might take hold, that a humane Naturall Subſtance might be in the middle, whereinto the Divine and alſo the Humane Imagination might enter, and Infuſe it ſelfe in the humanity for a new Ens or kindler, wherein the Holy Fire might kindle it ſelfe in the dry ſoules-fire.

28. As was done under Circumciſion, in the Sacrifices, there the Beaſtiall fat was a Medium, wherein by ſuch kindling, the humane deſire through the Covenant went to meete God, and Gods-Imagination went into the Covenant: Thus ſtood the Holy Fire in the Covenant, oppoſire to the Wrath in the Introduction of the humane deſire in the Sacrifice: Gods Imagination in his Love-fire went into the Covenant, and the Humane Imagination went alſo through the Sacrifice in the Fire into the Covenant: for in the fire was Gods Wrath met oppoſite, where through the humane Imagination muſt goe into the Covenant, and ſo conſume the ſinne and uncleanneſſe in the Humane deſire, which pierced to God: Thus ſtood in the Covenant the lov[•]r fire met oppoſite to the humane deſire: and the ſame tooke the humane deſire in the Wrath-fire to it, according to its purity.

29. As may be ſeene by Moſes on Mount Sinai, where firſt the Fathers Property in the Covenant out of the Wrath-fire opened it ſelfe, and required Mans Righteouſneſſe, that the ſame ſhould walke before God in full obedience and purity, and in purity draw neere unto him through the Sacrifice in the fire: And if not, then he would devoure them in the Curſe through this Wrath-fire: which was an Image, Type or ſhadow: [ſignifying] how the humane vanity ſhould and muſt be purged through Gods wrath-fire: But in the ſame wrath-fire ſtood the love-fire met oppoſite in the Covenant in the Sacrifice, as an Image of Chriſt, and quenched the Wrath-fire, ſo that the ſoules-deſire with its prayer and Will, could pierce through this wrath-fire into God.

30. This Love-fire, that ſtood oppoſite to the Wrath in the Sacrifice, which alſo the Wrath-fire kindled, ſo that it devoured the Sacrifice, that is it, which in the limit of the Covenant, in the ſeede of the Woman awakened it ſelfe with heavenly Subſtantiality, viz: with the Eſſentiall Wiſdome, and gave it ſelfe up into our Subſtance, vaniſhed as to God, yet heavenly.

31. Our ſubſtance vaniſhed and ſhut up in Death, was ſignified by the drie Rod of Aaron, which Subſtance grew in this awakening and introducing of the Heavenly Living Love:^[78] Eſſence, where Gods Subſtance became Man, in whom the Holy fire could Burne: For, the Divine Ens, which vaniſhed in Adam, which grew againe with ſuch kindling, was the food of this Love-fire, as a Spirituall Holy Oyle, wherein the Love-fire could kindle and burne: and that ſame Love-burning was the New Life of the Regeneration.

32. But ſeeing in^[79] OTHER Men there ſhould not be Effected ſuch a ſupernaturall kindling through the ſpeciall Moving of God: [but] that other Men ſhould all be kindled through this holy fire out of Chriſt; therefore went the Covenant through the Water-Baptiſme with the out flowne Grace firſt into the Heavenly Ens of Man, viz: into the vaniſhed Subſtance, wherein the Incorporated Paradiſicall-Covenant of the Serpent-Deſtroyer ſteed, and pierced into the ſame Covenant.

33. Yet ſeeing the Humane Eſſence, which was become Earthly, ſhould goe together with ſuch piercing in, therefore there muſt alſo be ſuch a Medium for it; wherein the Humane Eſſence can take hold: for in Gods Holineſſe it cannot take hold; for the will was rent off from that; therefore there muſt now be a ſimilitude, wherein the Imagination of the Humane Nature may take hold.

34. For Chriſt alſo had this ſimilitude, viz: the Elements, received from us Men; that the Divine Imagination might take hold in the Water: that ſo the Divine and humane Imagination together, might awaken and kindle the Incorporated Paradiſicall-Covenant, in that manner as a Glimmering (Mother▪) fire or tinder-fire cometh into the wood and Glimmereth.

35. After ſuch a manner, through the Baptiſme was introduced a Divine Mother-fire of the Holy fire, (a holy and Divine Glimmering fire) which deſtroyed and brake ſinne and Death to pieces in the Inwardneſſe of Man, viz: in the vaniſhed heavenly Ens: from which the dry withered Tree of the Inward Ground might receive a life againe, viz: a Spirituall Oyle: In which new Spirituall Oyle of the Power of the Divine Light, the Love-fire, viz: the New-Life ſhould burne.

36. This is now the Water-Baptiſme, to which the Holy Ghoſt in the Inward Ground is the hand, which with the flowing forth of the Divine Love out of Chriſts ſuffering, Death, and Reſurrection baptiſeth with his Victory: That is; Hee Infuſeth Chriſts Humanity, Suffering, Death, and Reſurrection, into the Inward Ground, and kindleth the Incorporated Paradiſicall Covenant with this fire, that the dry Rod of Aaron buddeth forth.

37. For with this Infuſion of the Holy Ghoſt, Chriſt is beſtowed upon Man: he is hereby incorporated to Chriſt, and the Heavenly Ens, which in Mary aſſumed our humane Ens, with the whole proceſſe of Chriſt, is put on him, and imprinted in his even heavenly vaniſhed Ens, to a New Life which hath overcome Death.

38. As a Tincture, tinctureth wholly and throughly penetrateth the Mettle, or as fire gloweth quite through the Iron: ſo heere it is to be underſtood concerning thoſe who are capable of ſuch Infuſion, as ſhall further be taught.

The Second Chapter. Of Gods Covenant after the Fall, what the Fall of Man is, and how God hath bound and united himſelfe with him againe. What the Circumciſion in the old Teſtament and the Baptiſme in the New are.

WHen any will kindle a Fire, they muſt have ſome Subſtance that will take Fire: it muſt be a Subſtance, wherein there is an Oyle and Brimſtone, or it burneth not. For if they caſt a Stone, or the like into the Fire, it will not ſo burn as to come to a ſhining light: ſo alſo it is to be underſtood concerning the poore Soule; When it brake its deſire off from Gods Eſſence of Love and Meekneſſe: which Eſſence in the beginning was in it, as a Spirituall Oyle and Water, and it was as a Spirituall Brimſtone, wherein the Light of God did burne: then it brought it ſelfe into owne Deſire: whereby it was ſhut up as a hard Stone, and loſt all its Love and Meekneſſe; and was as a burning Brim-ſtone-ſpirit, which could not be remedied, unleſſe the Oyle of Divine Meekneſſe and Love did flow into it againe.

To this flowing into the Humane property, there muſt be a Subject, as a Medium, or Meanes, or^[80] Antitype, whereby it may be done: whereinto alſo the Humane Faith Entered, and received the virtue or power through a Medium or Meane.

This Medium in the Old Teſtament is the Circumciſion, together with the Sacrifices; and in the New Teſtament it is the Holy Baptiſme, and Supper of Chriſt, together with the Word taught, whereby the Divine Love and Meekneſſe, as the right^[81] Anointing Oyle of divine power is againe flowen into the^[82] Faith: and ſo the ſhut Mouth of the ſoule is received into and comprehended in the Covenant of God, and opened againe by the ſweet Grace, ſo that it can againe Eate of the heavenly Manna.

What ſignifieth now this Anointing?

Anſwer: Nothing elſe, but that as Man is Tinctured againe in Soule and Body, and ſo throughly penetrated and healed that he is capable of the Divine Power againe, viz: of the Divine fire of Love: ſo muſt his Brimſtone Spirit of the Wrathfull fiery Soule, periſhed as to God, be remedied againe by the Covenant of God by ſuch an Anointing Oyle: As with the Baptiſme there is powred into it, the Water of the Eternall Life of Divine Meekneſſe: and in the Supper is powred into it, the fire-burning Love in the Life of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Reaſon ſayth. Cannot God forgive Man his ſinne without a Medium?

Anſwer: The Matter was not about forgiveneſſe: The Soule wanted not onely forgiveneſſe, but a New-Birth. It had brought it ſelfe into owne-will, and quite broken it ſelfe off from Gods will, whence the Eternall Darkneſſe exiſted in it: For the ſource of its Life, viz: its own Seperator (underſtand the Cauſe of its Creaturely Moving and Life) had lift up it ſelfe, and the properties of Life were quite gone forth from their Temperature, and had brought themſelves into a ſtrange burning fire, viz: into an anguiſhing heat and cold, into Eternall hunger and thirſt, into Horror and Deſpaire: Where, in the Life of the Body and of the Soule, all properties were againſt one another, and Man ſtood in an Eternall dying ſource: Hee was become quite Blinde and Dead as to God: and the more he moved himſelfe in his owne ability to apprehend God, the greater was his anxious ſource: For the poore Soule was by Luſt gone into Earthlineſſe: wherein Satan and the Spirit of Errour had captivated it, and made it wholly Monſtrous: And now the More it ſought Reſt therein, the greater was its Paine.

And this now is that which God ſaid to Adam: The Day when thou ſhalt Eate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evill, thou ſhalt die the Death, Gen. 2.17.

Thus the poore Soule is poyſoned through falſe Imagination, and through its owne^[83] compreſſion of its deſire, is come to be ſuch a hungry fire-ſource, which is onely a ſhutting in of the true Life, and a Ground of Darkneſſe, a ſource of Enmity and Contrariety, wherein there is no more any true Divine Ens, wherein the Life might bring it ſelfe into Light.

As a hard Stone is ſhut up, ſo alſo the Soule was ſhut up, and out of its Good Life there became an Evill Life: as out of Angells there became Devills, which now alſo are of ſuch a Horrible poyſonous ſtincking fire-ſource in their Eſſence, and cannot attaine the kindling of the Light, and are an Enemy of all Love and Truth.

This Compreſſed blinde Soule-ſubſtance, and periſhed as to God, the Great Love of God, came againe to helpe inſtantly after that Fall, and ſpake it ſelfe in againe into the Centre of the Life, as a new Covenant, viz: into the ſource of Meekneſſe which it had, which Love-ſource in it was no more Moveable.

And did ſet into the Humane periſhed heavenly Ens, his new Grace-Covenant, viz: the Deſtroyer of the Serpent; that God would in the fullneſſe of Time in this inſpoken voyce of Grace introduce thereinto, and manifeſt therein his living Ens, viz: the Living Word of his Power and Wiſdome, with the moſt high Love, viz: the Name JESUS, and therewith make the vaniſhed Eſſence or Subſtance living and growing againe: from whence the Soule ſhould againe Eate of the heavenly Subſtance, whereby its anxious fire-ſource would againe be changed into a Love fire: Of which the dry Rod of Aaron, [mentioned] by Moſes, which grew againe and bare Almonds, was a^[84] figure.

This inſpoken Grace-word of the Serpent-Deſtroyer, is it now, which the Soules of the holy Children of God before the Incarnation of Chriſt, have kindled, that they beleeved God and his Promiſe of the fulfilling that was to Come: and in this Faith have they ſacrificed.

For their Sacrifices, eſpecially of the firſt Fathers after Adam, were only, that they repreſented an Image or Figure, how the Soule ſhould be ſacrificed in the fire of Gods Wrath, and how the Soule ſhould through this inſpoken Ground of Grace and Covenant, in the fire of Gods wrath be changed into a Love-fire: how it ſhould Enter into Death and a Dying to its ſelf-will of falſe Deſire: how the falſe will ſhould be burned off from it, and in the power of this inſpoken Grace of the Love and Meekneſſe of God, ſpring up or goe forth through the fire into a cleere light, and ſo become a new borne childe, which is no more dark but light: alſo did live no more in its owne will, but in Gods will: and how the introduced Serpents-Poyſon in this tranſmutation doth ſever it ſelfe there from, in that manner as the ſmoake ſevereth it ſelfe from fire and Light, whereas then the fire and Light becometh a cleerer Glance, and is no more ſhut up, as it lyeth in the Eſſence of the Wood ſhut up: Even as the (Holy) Divine fire of the Soule was through ſinne thus alſo ſhut up, which none could unſhut and kindle, but only the Love of God in this incorporated Grace-Covenant.

This Image, Type, or Figure, they ſet before them with the Sacrifices [looking] upon the future fulfilling, and introduced their Faith, with the inſpoken Grace of the Womans-ſeede and Serpent-Deſtroyer, that ſo their Faith might thus Forme or Mould it ſelfe in the Figure of Chriſt, that the Spirit of their will, might ſtand in the figure and Image of Chriſt, that their Faith might Work in that incorporated Grace.

For without Subſtance no working can be: therefore they Imagined or typified to themſelves the Regeneration with the Sacrifices by fire, and formed or Imaged in them the Serpent-Deſtroyer in the fire; [typifying] how HEE would change Gods Wrath-fire in the Soule into a Light and Love-fire; and how the Enmity would ſever it ſelfe from the Soule; and how the Soule ſhould through Chriſts Death, (in which the Love of God would Give up it ſelfe into this Wrath-fire) be changed into an Angell.

By this Immodeled Image or Type, with their deſire and Earneſt prayer they preſſed through the Sacrifice to God; and Gods Word with the Grace had thus alſo with the Covenant Modeled it ſelfe in Men: and now there was a Conjunction between God and Man, for the Humane deſire went with this Image through the Sacrifice in the Holy fire into God, and Gods Love-deſire went into this Image of the Serpent-Deſtroyer: For God kindled the Sacrifice with the Holy Fire.

And it was not a Common fire that they had in their Sacrifices, though they uſed wood and Sacrifices thereto: yet their fire was not from a ſtone and a ſteele, but from the higheſt Tincture of the Paradiſicall ground, from whence the fire of Life is ſprung: If Man could underſtand it, and did not ſo runne on in blindneſſe, it were well for him, and he were delivered from Babell and Fables.

This holy Fire conſumed their Sacrifices through Gods Imagination and kindling: and there the humane introduced Will, which hangeth to Earthlineſſe is clenſed and in the holy Fire purged, and ranſomed from ſinne, upon the future fullfilling. For the ground out of which this Holy Fire came, Manifeſted it ſelfe afterwards in Mans Life, in the Perſon of Chriſt.

Thus ſtood the figure in their Sacrifices [to ſhew] how the earthly Image of Man ſhould be preſerved in the fire of God, and how the groſſeneſſe of the Elements ſhould be conſumed, and out of the Conſuming of the fire ſhould goe forth the right true created pure bright ſpirituall Image in Adam, which in the fire of Gods Wrath through this holy fire of the Great Love ſhould be brought into Clarity: In which New Image, the Great fiery Love would it ſelfe be the fire of Life, that it might no more Imagine falſhood.

With this Faith the firſt Men before Chriſts time, (before Chriſt manifeſted himſelfe in this incorporated Grace Covenant, and became Man) were apprehended and taken into the Living Word of God, viz: into the Grace, wherein their Soule came into Divine Reſt: Note: till Chriſt fullfilled this Type, and aroſe from Death; and then hee alſo with his life and Subſtance in them, viz: on their Inward Ground of the Heavenly part, which vaniſhed in Adam; aroſe, and was manifeſted, and they put on Chriſt in Soule and Spirit: and ſo now wait for their Body out of the Limus of the Earth, viz: the Third Principle of the viſible worlds property, viz: the formed Outſpoken ſubſtantiall word of the Reſurrection at the Laſt Day: As alſo it is thus to be underſtood concerning Chriſtians.

This Ground of the Holy Fire began with Adam, with Abell and Caine; when Abell and Caine ſacrificed, God looked graciouſly on Abells ſacrifice, and kindled it with holy Fire, and the ſweet ſmell went up before the LORD: for the Image or Type of Chriſt in his Faith ſtood therein, therefore God kindled his Sacrifice with the Holy Fire, and it was acceptable before God: for it was a Conjunction with the Divine deſire; But Cains he looked not graciouſly on; for he had not ſuch Faith or beleefe, but ſtood in the periſhed Adamicall Nature of own Luſt and deſire, and had imprinted or Imaged to himſelfe the Kingdome of this world: and therefore the Holy Fire would not kindle in his Sacrifice.

Cain ſtood in the Figure of the periſhed Adam after the Fall, and Abell ſtood in the figure of the New Regeneration: [ſignifying] how Chriſt would with his Sacrifice goe into Death, and die for Man: and ſo the Image of Caine ſtood neere [ſignifying] how Chriſt was come to ſeeke the poore falne Man, and with his Sacrifice generate him a New.

But as the vanity of Men gat the upperhand, and their Nature became ſtill more Evill and ſhamefull, then was quenched this underſtanding of the Holy Fire among them, till the Flood came upon them and overthrew them: which was a Type of the Baptiſme [ſignifying] how the water of Eternall Life, viz: Gods Subſtantiall Meekneſſe would drowne and quench that falſe fiery life of the Soule, and how the Soule would grow up out of the Holy Water in the Meekneſſe of God to a New Life of Light.

Now when the time came that God renewed his Covenant with Abraham, which Hee had eſtabliſhed in Paradiſe: HEE gave him the figure of Chriſt againe^[85] in the Circumciſion and the Holy Fire; as is to be ſeene by the Sacrifices of Abraham, Gen. 15. how the Fire came forth between the Parts, and how at the ſame time in a viſion terrour and great anguiſh fell upon him, all which ſignifie the Death of Chriſt, and the tranſmutation of Soules.

The Circumciſion of the Member of the Humane propagation was a figure [ſignifying] How the fleſhly Man of Maſculine and Feminine ſeede, ſhould be cut off from the Image Created in Adam, through the Death of Chriſt, with the Anger of God: and through the bloud-ſhed of Chriſt be againe brought into the Eternall Virginity: therefore muſt the Maſculine Perſons be Circumciſed on that ſame Member: to ſignifie the uncleane Birth after a Beaſtiall Manner, which is a^[86] vanity in the preſence of God: therefore God ſet his Grace-Govenant in the figure of Chriſt on this Member, and ſo ſet Chriſt before him, whom hee had ſet up for a throne of Grace, that they might walke before him, and that his anger might not eate them up, Gen. 17.

And he ſets the figure of Chriſt forth with his proceſſe neere upon Iſaac [ſignifying] how the Redemption of Mankinde ſhould be Effected. How Gods Love-fire ſhould ſwallow up into it ſelfe Gods Wrath-fire in Man: and turne it into Love: and thereupon gave him the Promiſe, that this promiſed incorporated Seede, which would through the Tranſmutation in the Fire, through the Dying of Vanity, grow forth in the Love-fire, would be ſo great as the Starres in Heaven.

But when the time drew neere, that GOD would manifeſt his Love-fire through his Covenant in the Humanity, that the ſame fire ſhould be kindled in the Humane Life, then he brought his Covenant [typified] with Circumciſion, into Water-Baptiſme, and with St John began the Water-Baptiſme.

But ſaith Reaſon; What is or ſignifieth the Water-Baptiſme? What doth God worke thereby?

Anſwer: As is mentioned above: The Soule had ſo much enraged it ſelfe with wrath, in its properties, that thereby it ſtood in Eternall Death: In it was Gods Love-Eſſence no more manifeſt, wherein it might be able to kindle the Holy Fire of God, viz: the Holy Life: therefore God ſent the Holy Baptiſme before, and ſet it in the Covenant. For when the Word, viz: the power of the holy Fire, became Man, and revealed it ſelfe in Chriſt, then Chriſt with the holy Fire through the aſſumed humanity inſpake himſelfe into his fellow Members, according to the Humanity.

Now if this Inſpeaking ſhould take Effect, and become Subſtantiall, then muſt the Divine^[87] Infuſion goe before: for as ſoone as the word manifeſted it ſelfe in the Humanity, then the Meeke Love and Grace in the Covenant did flow forth: with this flowing forth of the Divine Love in the Covenant was the Covenant ſet in the Water-Baptiſme: Seeing Man was of an Elementary Earthly kinde, there muſt alſo be an Elementary Medium or Meanes for that purpoſe, wherein the flowing forth of the Divine Love in the Covenant might take hold; that a humane Naturall Subſtance might be in the Middle, whereinto the Divine and humane Imagination might Enter, and^[88] Infuſe it ſelfe in the humanity for an Ens or kindler, wherein the Holy fire might kindle it ſelfe in the dry ſoules fire.

As was done by the Circumciſion and in the Sacrifice, where the Beaſtiall fat was a Medium, wherein the humane deſire in ſuch kindling with the Covenant went to meete God: and Gods Imagination went thus to meete the Covenant in Man. Thus ſtood the Holy Fire oppoſite to the Wrath, and Conſumed the uncleanneſſe in the Humane Will, that it might pierce to God.

By Moſes on Mount Sinai, wee ſee this Image alſo, where firſt the Fathers Property in the Fire manifeſted it ſelfe, and required Mans full obedience, to live before God in Holineſſe, and draw neere to him in purity through the Sacrifice: If not then would he devoure them in the Curſe through this fire: Which alſo was an Image, Type, or Shadow; [ſignifying] how the humane vanity ſhould and muſt be purged through Gods Wrath-fire: But Iſrael could not through the fire come to ſalvation and the Love of God, and through Moſes goe into the Promiſed Land, but through Joſhua and Chriſt.

Therefore God brought his Heavenly Subſtance with his Covenant into the Water-Baptiſme, that there might be a tolerable Medium, whereby he might introduce his Love-Eſſence into our vaniſhed alſo heavenly Subſtance, wherein the Holy fire might kindle it ſelfe againe.

Even therefore, becauſe the humane Eſſence was become Earthly; that Man might beare or endure it: for there muſt be ſuch a Medium, wherein the humane Eſſence can take hold: for in Gods Holineſſe without a Medium it cannot take hold: the will was rent off from it.

Therefore God became Man, that he might [cauſe to] flow in us his Deity with the humanity, that we might comprehend or take hold of him: alſo that the Divine Imagination might introduce and awaken it ſelfe in Man, and coworke with the humane [Imagination]: and therefore he aſſumed the humanity, that he might work in us with the Deity through the Humanity.

Thus with the Water-Baptiſme, was a Glimmering Mother-holy-fire, imprinted in Gods Love for a Subject or Object of Divine Imagination and working, whereby Death according to the Inwardneſſe of Man would be broken to Pieces, and a new life ſpring forth: As fire in wood beginneth to Glimmer, ſo was this Infuſion or Baptiſing, an^[89] Anointing of the Holy Spirit, for a new Lifes Oyle, wherein the Divine Light might kindle it ſelfe.

This is now, the Ground of the Water-Baptiſme, to which the Holy Ghoſt in the inward Ground is the hand, which with the flowing forth of the Divine Love out of Chriſts ſuffering, death, and reſurrection, baptiſeth with his victory: That is; Hee Infuſeth Chriſts humanity, ſuffering, Death, and reſurrection into Man, and kindleth the incorporated Paradiſicall Covenant with this fire, that the dry Rod of Aaron cometh to Bud forth againe.

For with this Infuſion of the Holy Ghoſt, Chriſt is beſtowed upon Man: he is hereby incorporated to Chriſt, and the heavenly Ens, which in Mary aſſumed our humane Ens, with the whole proceſſe of Chriſt, is put on and imprinted in him to a new Life.

As a Tincture, tinctureth the Mettle, or as fire gloweth through the Iron: ſo here alſo it is to be underſtood concerning thoſe that are capable of this Infuſion, as it followeth further.

The Third Chapter. A Briefer and more fundamentall Inſtruction, how Man is Baptiſed by the Holy Ghoſt, with Chriſts Suffering, Death, and Reſurrection in Body and Soule.

1. WHen God would introduce his Covenant with the Circumciſion into the Water-Baptiſme, then the Word of the Inſpoken Grace, wherein the Holy Fire of God was, Firſt, before hand became a Man, and aſſumed firſt beforehand the Womans ſeede, as our ſoule and humanity, that he might baptiſe us with the Living Covenant, which was become a Man.

2. For the Body of Man, to which the Baptiſme was neceſſary, was out of the Elements: and now if it ſhould be Baptiſed, the Covenant muſt firſt beforehand give it ſelfe into an Elementary Medium, as in the Humanity of Chriſt, and Sanctifie that Medium, that Man might through this Medium be baptiſed.

3. For it was not to be done onely for the Heavenly Subſtance of Man, which vaniſhed in Adam: in which the Covenant in Paradiſe incorporated it ſelfe, that it alone ſhould be baptiſed; No; but alſo for the Soule, and for the Body out of the Limus of the Earth.

4. The whole Man needed the Baptiſme: All the Three Principles of all the Three worlds in Man muſt be baptiſed: viz: The firſt Principle is the Eternall Nature, viz: the true Soules Life, that came out of the Word of the Inſpeaking, into the Body; The Second Principle is the true Eternall Spirit; viz: the Holy Power of the Light and Love (which I call in this little Booke, the heavenly vaniſhed Ens and Subſtance in Adam) wherein Adam vaniſhed, viz: the Soules will departed out from it; The Third Principle is the Aſtrall Animall Soule, Ex Spiritu Mundi, out of the Spirit of the World, with its Body out of the Limus of the Earth, viz the whole outward viſible Man.

5. This Threefold Man was wholly fallen; for as the Divine Light in the Spirit of the Second Principle went out, he was quite blinde as to God, and dead as to Paradiſe; In this muſt a Divine Love-Ens be Infuſed againe, in which Love-Ens, the Divine fire and Light might againe kindle to a new Life; but if this muſt be done, then muſt the Holy Fire firſt beforehand manifeſt it ſelfe with the Covenant in the Threefold Humanity, as in Chriſts Humanity, that Gods Spirit might baptiſe us out of, with, and through, this threefold Humanity; that Each Principle in us might be baptized with its like or ſimilitude.

For the Holy Ghoſt Baptizeth through Chriſt to the forgiveneſſe of Sinnes.

6. The Holy Fire of the Divine Power in Chriſt Baptiſeth his Temple in us, which the Holy fire, viz: the Divine life in us would poſſeſſe, viz: the vaniſhed Ens of the Heavenly worlds Subſtance, the Spirit of underſtanding, or of Power, viz: the Second Principle, or Angelicall Body out of the Angelicall worlds Subſtance, to which Subſtance Chriſt afterwards giveth his moſt holy ſpirituall fleſh for food, in which he himſelfe dwelleth: This Divine Love in the Holy fire baptiſeth this Spirit, for it is an Ens of the Holy fire, wherein it burneth or liveth: And the firſt Principle, viz: the fiery Soule out of the Divine Science of the ſeperable ſpeaking word, out of the Fathers Property, is baptiſed with the fiery Spirit of the Fathers Property, as with the fire burning Love.

7. Thus to be underſtood.

The Soule is of the Fathers Property, and in this Baptiſme with his Infuſion into the Soule, he giveth it to the Son in his Love-fire: The Fathers Property in the fire taketh hold on the Soule, firſt with the Law of Nature, with his Strickt Righteouſneſſe, with the Eternall Birth of the fire-Ground: whereby the hard^[90] Compreſſed Dead Soule in that Infuſion of the fire is moveable, and its hard^[91] Compreſſion of the falſe Magnetick Deſire is broken in ſunder and opened, in that manner, as a Man ſtrikes up fire.

8. Thus now the Divine Light of the Great Love is in the Opened Name JESUS out of JEHOVA in the Centre of the Fathers fire: When the Fathers fire, unlocketh the fiery Soule, then the light of the Divine Love can ſhine into it, and Introduce the Love Ens into it: for ſo ſoone as the Wrath-fire unlocketh the Soule; iuſtantly it receiveth the Love-fire of the Sonne, and goeth into it; as fire Gloweth through Iron, or as a Tincture penetrateth Metrall.

9. And thus is the Soule given from the Father to the Sonne, and thus the Sonne Giveth it the Love-fire, viz the Eternall Life: for if the Fathers Property did not move together in the ſhut up Soule, then the Soule would remaine in its Impreſſion in Eternall Death, and the Light could not be manifeſted in it.

10. The^[92] ſhrill ſounding and kindling of the Fathers fire, is the fountains of humane Repentance, where man trembleth before ſinne; for in the fire-glance is the falſe compreſſed vanity of ſinnes in the Darkneſſe of the Soule, Manifeſt, and the Love-ſhining in, of the Sonne, is the Meeke Love-Oyle, that uniteth and tempereth the Contrition or ſhrill ſounding, againe.

11. For the Sonne is in the Father, and the Father in the Sonne, and they baptiſe together, The Father with fire, and the Sonne with Light: after that manner as fire is ſtruck, ſo that the meeke Light-Glance is manifeſted out of the fire, and ſo the fire burning is wholly turned and growne into a Light Glance [•] The Fathers fire with its terrour conſumeth the vanity in the Soule, and the Sonnes Love healeth it againe.

Thus is the Baptiſme according to the Inward Ground of Mans Soule and Spirit, to be underſtood.

12. The Third Property; of the Third Principle,^[93] in the Water-Baptiſme, wherewith the body of the outward Worlds Subſtance, as alſo the Spirit of the Conſtellation in Man is baptiſed, is thus to be conſidered: By the Water, viz: by the Element of the Body of Chriſt, the right Adamicall Man (which was created in Adam as to the Body, underſtand out of the outward worlds Subſtance) is baptiſed, for here the Holy Ghoſt baptiſeth, who goeth forth from the Father and the Sonne, his Going forth is the formation of the world, and the world is the outſpoken, formed Word, and the Spirit of God it is that hath formed it.

13. For Hee is to be underſtood in all the Three worlds, in each world according to their Property: As in the Fathers wrath according to the Darkneſſe, he is the flame of Painfullneſſe, and in the Eternall Light, he is the Love-flame of God: and in this world in Spiritu Mundi, in the Spirit of the world he is the formour and workmaſter of every thing, in every thing according to its property: As the Seperator of the thing is, ſo alſo is the outflowne Spirit out of the outſpoken word in every thing.

14. For in the outward worlds Subſtance, it is not to be underſtood, that the Spirit of its Subſtance, is called God, but it is the outflowne Spirit in the outſpoken word of God, which with its ground ſtandeth in the Word of God.

15. The Outflowne Spirit of the Outward Creaturely and Naturall Life, is flowne forth out of Gods Love and Wrath, out of Light and Darkneſſe, viz: out of the firſt and ſecond Principle, as out of the Eternall Nature, out of the Speaking of the Word, and ſtandeth with its Ground in Gods Speaking, for the Eternall Word^[94] exhaleth it ſelfe with that Spirit into a Creaturely Life.

16. It, (that ſame Exhaled Spirit) is the outward Creaturely Life, in Every Creature, according to its property.

It is the Soule of the Outward World, viz: the Inceptive Soule, a life of the foure Elements.

Its power is a fiery and lightiſh Conſtellation: What the whole outward Conſtellation is in it ſelfe in its power; the ſame is that [Spirit] alone in it ſelfe: yet as a ſhut up Conſtellation that lyeth in the Temperament, and yet unfolds it ſelfe in Every Life, and maketh it ſelfe Seperable, according to the lifes property.

^[95]In the Temporary Creatures with a Temporary Property, and^[96] in the Eternall with an Eternall Property.

In Man with a temporary and [fragile] Corruptible property, and alſo with an Eternall.

Which Eternall hangeth to the Eternall Exhaled Word (to the Eternall Exhaling): wherein Man at the Laſt Day, according to the viſible Image, ſhall ariſe and come againe, out of the Corruptibility, and be preſented before Gods Judgement (before The Judgement) and be put upon the Great^[97] fires-Proba, where the Mortall ſhall ſeperate it ſelfe from the Eternall.

17. Underſtand us now heere rightly thus, concerning the Baptiſme of this Outward Spirit: The Inward Holy-Spirit of Divine Love kindleth the Outflowen Spirit, and anointeth it with Divine Power: For, the humanity of Chriſt according to our Outward Spirit was anointed of the Holy Ghoſt: and that ſame outward Spirit of Chriſt, which in Chriſts Perſon in the Elements of the Body ruled after a humane Manner, that in the Covenant of his Teſtament in the Water-Baptiſme, anointeth the Inward ground of the Water; and the anointed power in the water, in the word of the Covenant, anointeth the true Man, which in Adam was Created out of the Limus of the Earth; and ſo alſo it anointeth the Spiritus Mundi, the Spirit of the world; viz: the right^[98] Aſtrall Soule, which at the Laſt Day ſhall come againe and be tryed.

18. Now underſtand us dearely and well, it availeth us much: This Anointing of Water-Baptiſme, is anointed with Chriſts ſuffering, death, and reſurrection; it is anointed with Chriſts ſhedding of his bloud, with which heavenly bloud, he changed Gods Wrath into Love, and beſprinkled Death in the humane Property, wherewith he anointed the Earth, when he ſhed forth this his bloud upon and into it: Note alſo: It was anointed therewith, when Chriſt yeelded his anointed Life of the outward humanity received from us, in his Death, into this Spiritus Mundi, this ſpirit of the world againe, and anointed that alſo with his Anointing in his Death: viz: where his outward mortall ſoule, received from us (which dyed on the Croſſe, and yeelded it ſelfe into the hand of God, as into his Outſpoken Word) went out of the Body into the Elements: Alſo: It is anointed therewith where this his outward Soule with the Eternall Soule, wherein the holy Ghoſt was; penetrated through Death and Hell: And alſo therewith, where the Holy Ghoſt in the Word, received this his dead Aſtrall Soule, our of death, and brought it through death with his reſurrection into Eternall Life, where Gods Love anointed it with the Eternall Life.

19. This Anointing of Chriſt is underſtood in the Water-Baptiſme as in the Covenant of God, for God anointeth in the humanity of Chriſt the Elements of the Body, together with the Mortall and Immortall Soule, and bringeth Chriſt with this anointing into his Death, and into the Wrath, and through Death into the Eternall Life; And this Anointing (wherein Chriſt hath overcome Gods Wrath, Sinne, Death, the Devill, and Hell) hath God with his Covenant of the Old-Teſtament ordained in the Water-Baptiſme, and offereth it now to Every man.

20. And ſo now if a Man deſireth it, and inclineth himſelfe to it, as a Man, and not a Beaſt, then the Holy-Ghoſt baptiſeth the inward Ground, viz: his Temple, which himſelfe poſſeſſeth, viz: the true Eternall Spirit, together with the Eternal Soule: And the anointing of Chriſt, out of his humanity received from us, anointeth and baptiſeth in us the true firſt Man Created in Adam out of the Limus of the Earth, together with the Mortall Soule, (yet that a Man may underſtand the Ground herein, is that) which ſhall ariſe and live Eternally.

21. This is done through Chriſts ſuffering, Death, and Reſurrection in his bloudy^[99] Conflict; viz: the victory of his Death is the hand that baptiſeth. Note; the right Man is baptiſed unto Life, and the Serpent-Groſſe earthly Man, is baptiſed with Chriſts Death and dying, ſo that he ſhall dye, and leave all his evill luſts and deſires to the Death of Chriſt, that that may kill it, and bring a new will out of the Death of Chriſt, out of Soule and Body.

22. The Evill Man, viz: that Serpent-Monſter, is taken with this baptiſme (viz: where the hand of God, viz: his ſpeaking Word it ſelfe, taketh and baptiſeth) and is buried with Chriſt in his Death, and in that Hell, into which Chriſt in his dying entred: underſtand, into the Darkneſſe of Gods Wrath, viz: into the Abyſſe of the humanity: and this anointing in the Baptiſme bindeth and uniteth it ſelfe with the true Adamicall firſt Body, which was before the fall of Adam, and generateth, through Chriſts victory, a new will in ſoule and body, which obeyeth God.

23. Thus then according to this anointing, the true Man ſtandeth in the Anointing of Chriſt, and the Serpent-Monſter ſtandeth in Gods wrath: and yet during this time [of life] dwell in one body, but each in its Principle, viz: in its own Property; concerning which St Paul ſaith; Rom. 7.20.25. Now if I ſinne, it is not I, but ſinne in the Evill fleſh that doth it: Alſo: ſo then I now ſerve God with the minde of the anointed Ground, and with the Minde of the falſe fleſh I ſerve the Law of ſinne.

24. And ſaith further: Rom. 8.1.28. Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus in his anointing, which according to this purpoſe of God are called in the Word, or are thus comprehended in the Calling in the Anointing: where he then meaneth the right anointed Man, which in this time [of life] ſticketh hidden in the^[100] Scales of the Earthly Body, as fine Gold in a Groſſe ſtone, and yet according to the Anointing dwelleth in Heaven; as St Paul alſo ſaith; Phil. 3.20. Our Converſation is in Heaven: Alſo Rom. 6.15. Gal. 2.17. Shall we then that belong unto Chriſt be yet ſinners? that be farre from us: where he meaneth the Anointed Ground, and not the beaſtiall Monſter of Earthlineſſe, full of Evill inclinations, which ſtandeth in the wrath of God, the Condemnation; and ſhall not inherite the Kingdome of God, which yet in this [life] time, hangeth to the right anointed Man.

25. The anointed Ground is the Chriſtian, and not the outward Groſſe Beaſt: The Anointing it is, which daily breaketh the head of the Monſter the Serpent, viz: the Evill Earthly will, where the Strife in Man is, where one property willeth Evill and the other Good, and that which overcometh, driveth Man on to Work: Therefore ſhall and muſt Mans Works be Judged, and every one be gathered into its barne: viz: that which is done in the power of the Anointing, into the Kingdome of God; and that which is done in the power of the Monſter the Serpent, into Damnation, into the Darkneſſe of Wrath and Death.

The Third Chapter. A Briefer and more fundamentall Inſtruction, how Man is Baptiſed by the Holy Ghost, with Chriſts Suffering, Death, and Reſurrection, in Body and Soule.

WHen God would introduce his Covenant with the Water Baptiſme into the humanity, then was the inſpoken Grace-word of the holy fire of God, viz: the fiery Love; Firſt beforehand become Man, and tooke firſt beforehand the Womans ſeede on him, viz: our ſoule, ſpirit and whole humanity, that he might Baptiſe us with the living Covenant, which was God and Man.

For the Body of Man, to which the Baptiſme was neceſſary, was out of the Elements: and now if it ſhould be baptiſed, the Covenant Would firſt beforehand give it ſelfe into an Elementary Medium, as in the humanity of Chriſt, and ſanctifie the ſame, that Man might through this Medium be baptiſed.

For it was not to be done alone, for the heavenly Subſtance which vaniſhed in Paradiſe; in which Subſtance, as in the moſt inward Ground of the humanity, the Covenant in Paradiſe incorporated it ſelfe; that the ſame Ground alone ſhould be baptiſed: No; but alſo for the Soule, and for the Body out of the Limus of the Earth.

The whole Man needeth the Baptiſme: All the Three Principles, viz: all the Three worlds Properties in Man muſt be baptiſed: The firſt Principle is the Eternall Nature, The Myſterium Magnum, the Great Myſtery, out of which the viſible world is ſprung forth, a ground of the true Eternall Soule which through Gods inbreathing came into the Body: The ſecond Principle is the true Eternall Spirit, viz: the Holy Lights-Power (which Power I call in this little Booke, the heavenly Ens or Subſtance vaniſhed in Adam) which vaniſhed in Adam with the Fall, as the Soules-will departed out there-from into Earthlineſſe, and brake its will off therefrom: The Third Principle is the Man from the outward worlds Subſtance, viz: the Aſtrall ſoule with its Body out of the Limus of the Earth, which ſtandeth in the foure Elements.

This Threefold Man was wholly fallen; for as ſoone as the Light in the Spirit of the Second Principle, went out, he was quite blinde as to God, and dead as to Paradiſe, in this muſt a Divine Love Ens be Infuſed or imprinted againe, wherein the Divine fire and Light might kindle it ſelfe to a new Life: and therefore the Holy Fire of the Great Love of God in the Covenant muſt manifeſt it ſelfe in the Humanity of Chriſt, that Gods Spirit might Baptiſe us out of, with, and through, this Threefold Humanity; that Each Principle in us might be baptiſed with its like or ſimilitude: For the Holy Ghoſt Baptiſeth through Chriſt, to the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes.

How is this Baptiſme of the Holy Ghoſt Effected?

Anſwer: Gods holy Fire of the Divine Love power in Chriſt Jeſus baptiſeth his Temple in us, which the holy fire Life, viz: Gods Spirit will poſſeſſe, viz: the vaniſhed Ens of the Heavenly worlds Subſtance, the Spirit of power and underſtanding the ſecond Principle or Angelicall Ground: to which Ground Chriſt afterwards giveth his holy Spirituall fleſh for food, wherein the true^[101] Expreſſe Image of God doth Conſiſt: The Divine Love and ſweetnes in the holy fire, baptiſeth this Spirit, for it is an Ens of the holy fire, wherin it burneth or liveth: And the firſt Principle, viz: the fiery Soule out of the Divine Science of the Seperable Eternall-Speaking word out of the Fathers fiery Subſtance is baptiſed with the fiery Spirit of the Fathers Property, as with the fire-burning Love.

Ʋnderſtand this thus.

The Soule is of the Fathers Property, according to the fiery omnipotency, and in this Baptiſme, in which the Father cobaptiſeth, Hee giveth it to the Sonne in his Love-fire: underſtand the Soule is of the Fathers fire, become a wrath-fire: This wrath-fire with his Infuſion he giveth to his fire-burning-Love: The Fathers Property in the fire, taketh hold on the Soule, firſt with the Law of Nature, as with his ſtrickt righteouſneſſe of the Eternall Birth of the fire-ground: whereby the hard^[102] Compreſſed dead Soule in that ſame^[103] Infuſion of the fire of the Divine life, is moveable, and its hard^[104] Compreſſion of the falſe Magnetick deſire is broken in ſunder and opened, in that manner as a Man ſtrikes up fire: thus a new fire of God is kindled, which^[105] Commotion, or ſhrill ſounding, is alſo the Ground of Repentance.

Now when the Fathers fire is ſtirred and kindled, then ſhineth the Divine Light of the Great ſweet Love in the opened Name JESUS out of the Holy Name JEHOVA in the Centre of the Fathers fire, out of the unity of God, as the Beames of Divine Grace in the Soule: for the Soule is with this Glimps unlocked, and then ſuddenly the Light of Love taketh in the unlooked ground, & filleth it with the ſubſtance of Love.

And thus the Sonne, viz: the Love of the Father, receiveth the Soule, and ſanctifieth it, and throughly penetrateth it; as fire throughly penetrateth the Iron. And that is it which Chriſt ſaith: Father the Men were thine, and thou haſt given them unto mee: and I give them the Eternall Life: Alſo:^[106] This is the Eternall Life, that they rightly know thee Father, that thou art the true God, and whom thou haſt ſent, Jeſus Chriſt, Joh. 17.3.6.

In this inſhining and indwelling Light, is the New Birth, and God is Comprehended and knowne in the Spirit: whereupon followeth inſtantly the true Faith, which willeth nothing but what God will; for thus is Chriſt the Light of the Little World, viz: of Man, and giveth the Eternall Light-Life of God, to the Soule.

And thus the Soule liveth in the Father, and yet with the Sonnes office is governed and ſanctified, and its anxious Fire-Life is a meere Love-burning: But the Fathers Concuſſion or ſhrill ſounding is neceſſary, that the ſoules fire-ſource may be touched, that the Soule may finde what it is: for it is thereby brought into continuall Repentance and humility, when the Beame of Gods wrath often toucheth it, that it conſider its fall, and is at no time ſecure: (for it hath a great Enemy neere it in its fleſh and bloud, viz: Satans poyſon) that it may no more run-on in its owne will as formerly: For the Soule in this Beame of wrath trembleth before ſinne, and ſo ſinne is manifeſted in the Light: and then comes Sorrow and Lamentation over ſinne on a heape. And thus ſtandeth this pretious figure in the Inward Ground. For where the owne will of ſinne is ſhaken through Repentance, there the holy anointing Oyle of Love penetrateth inſtantly and healeth theſe wounds. Thus the Father Baptiſeth with fire to Repentance, and the Sonne with Love, to Sanctification; and the Holy Ghoſt manageth the office, who baptiſeth with a New life: For the whole holy Trinity baptiſeth according to the Divine Manifeſtation; For without and beyond the Manifeſtation there is onely One Triune God in one onely Good^[107] Beeing and Will, whereof a Man cannot ſay: the Father is wrath, this or that, but is the Triune Good Beeing: But according to his Manifeſtation, out of which the Soules and Angells, together with Every Heavenly and Helliſh Beeing is ſprung, (viz: after the Manner of the Myſterium Magnum, the Great Myſtery;) from hence ariſeth his Wrath or fire-ſource, and that from Eternity in Eternity.

Note: Thus now a Man may underſtand the Baptiſme according to the Inward Ground, according to Soule and Spirit: viz: the Father Baptiſeth with the Concuſſion or ſhrill ſounding to Repentance with fire. in which fire, the bitter ſuffering and dying of Jeſus Chriſt is impreſſed into the poore Soule: for the Wrath-fire which holdeth the Soule captive, is overcome and ſoftened with Love: and this is impreſſed in the Soule as a victory: and the Sonne baptiſeth with the holy anointing-Oyle of Gods Love, and healeth the poore ſhaken Soule againe: And the true Comforter the Holy Ghoſt, which goeth forth through Chriſts Death, through Chriſts Reſurrection, through the Father in the Sonne, he baptiſeth with a new Life, and giveth true Faith and underſtanding, that wee receive and know this.

The Third Property of the Third Principle, with the Water-Baptiſme, wherewith the body of the outward worlds Subſtance, as alſo the Outward Life is baptiſed, that is conſidered as followeth: By the Water, viz: by the Element of the body of Chriſt, the Right Adamicall Man out of the Elements, which was created in Adam, underſtand the outward worlds Subſtance, is baptiſed: for heere the Holy Ghoſt Baptiſeth, who goeth forth from the Father and the Sonne, his going forth is the formation of the world, and the world is the outſpoken formed Word, and the Spirit of God it is, that hath formed that outſpoken Word.

Hee is to be underſtood in all Three Principles or Worlds, in each world according to their property. As Firſt in the Fathers wrath according to the Darkneſſe, Hee is the flame of painefullneſſe: and Secondly, in the Eternall Light he is the Love flame of God: and Thirdly, in this world in Spiritu Mundi, in the Spirit of this world hee is the formour and workmaſter of Every thing, in every thing according to its property: as the Seperator or Archaeus of the thing is, from whence it ariſeth, ſo alſo is the outflowne Spirit out of the outſpoken word, in every thing.

And it is not to be underſtood, that the Spirit of the Outward Subſtance, is called God, but it is the outflowne Spirit in the outſpoken Word of God, which with its Ground ſtandeth in the Word of God.

The Outflowne Spirit of the outward Naturall and Creaturely Life, is flowen forth out of Gods Love and Wrath, out of Light and Darkneſſe, viz: out of the firſt and ſecond Principle, out of the Eternall Nature, out of the Speaking of the Word, for the Eternall Word, hath breathed it ſelfe with that Spirit into a Creaturely, Image-like Life.

It is the Soule of the Outward World, a Life of the foure Elements. Its power is as a fiery and lightiſh Conſtellation: What the whole outward Conſtellation is in it ſelfe in its power, the ſame is that [Spirit] every where alone in it ſelfe, yet as a ſhut up Conſtellation that lyeth in the Temperament, and yet unfoldeth it ſelfe in every Life, and maketh it ſelfe Seperable, according to every Lifes property.

Note.

Courteous Reader, this is what our Authour, bleſſed in the Spirit of the high knowledge, indeed readily began to bring to the eaſier underſtanding for the ſimple, but hath not finiſhed it, for ^[108] A. † O. 1624. in his Jubilee-yeare, or 50th yeare of his Age, he went, according to the Myſtery, againe, into his Grave or Magick and Mentall Principle.

The Fourth Chapter. Of the Outward Water-Baptiſme by Mans hand: who is worthy to performe ſuch Baptiſme? and what Baptiſed Infant doth worthily receive this Baptiſme; how it goeth with the unworthy hand, as alſo with the unworthy Baptiſed Infant.

In this time highly neceſſary to be conſidered.

1. WHen God eſtabliſhed the Teſtament of his holy Covenant of Grace in Paradiſe, out of the Type and Sacrifices, & would ordaine the Circumciſion into Water-Baptiſme: then he bringeth forth a Branch out of his Covenant in a humane Manifeſtation, and began the Water-Baptiſme thereby; As is cleerely to be ſeene in John the Baptiſt, who was proclaimed by the Angelicall Meſſage or Embaſſie, and moreover of the ſtock of the high Prieſts.

2 His Incarnation or becoming Man, came not from the will of the fleſh, for his Father Zachary and Mother Elizabeth, which were ancient people full of Dayes, who were cleerly dead in the fleſhly ſperme or ſeede, where the ability of Man was cleerly gone: The ſeede of Zachary and Elizabeth, was raiſed up through the moving of the Holy Ghoſt out of the Paradiſicall Grace-Covenant in their now quite vaniſhed Spermatick Property.

3. Indeed he came out of the humane Ground, but not out of humane ability, for the Anointing in the Covenant awakened it, ſo that their ſperme, above the courſe and power of Natures owne ability was unlocked: which Holy Ghoſt raiſed up a ſeede out of the humane ſperme, and to that purpoſe choſe^[109] it in its firſt beginning.

4. But the anointing of John was done in Maries Salute, when ſhee came to old Elizabeth, and the divine anointing ſtirred in her (underſtand in Mary) out of Chriſts Incarnation or becoming Man: When Mary full of this anointing, ſaluted Elizabeth, then the Incarnation of Chriſt, diffuſed with the anointing through the ſalute of Mary in John in the Mothers womb: and not onely in John, but alſo in his Mother Elizabeth, ſo that ſhee was full of this anointing, and both the Mothers propheſied in the Spirit of this anointing.

5. And this is the Baptiſme of John, when as he was anointed with the Incarnation of Chriſt, out of Chriſt, and received the Baptiſme of the Holy Ghoſt out of the Covenant in the Mothers womb, ſo that he ſhould be a Forerunner and declarer, that the time of the Anointing, and fullfilling of the Covenant of God, was at hand: that God hath introduced his Covenant of the anointing of Grace, into the humanity, and that the Covenant is become a Man: that God will hence forward ſhed forth his anointing through the humanity of Chriſt, through an Elementary Medium or Meanes, (that conſiſteth no more in fire, as in the Old Teſtament, but in Love and Meekneſſe of Water, ſo that the time of Grace is at hand, wherein God hath given his anointing into the humanity.

6. And then wee ſee that God there began no new Covenant, but onely a New Ordinance: for John ſuffered himſelfe to be Circumciſed, as alſo Chriſt: John tooke the power and calling out of the Covenant of the Circumciſion, out of the Sacrifices of fire, and by the command of God brought them into the Water-Baptiſme: to ſignifie that hence forward ſinne ſhould be drowned by the death of Chriſt in his Love and Meekneſſe, and no more burne in the fire, as was done by Iſrael in the Type.

7. Moreover wee ſee by John, that he did not yet baptiſe with the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, but with Repentance, viz. with the Spirit of the anointing to Repentance, which ſoundeth through the hearts of Men, and prepareth the way for the Spirit of Chriſt, which unlocketh the Doores of Mens hearts and ſoules, that after^[110] him, the King of Glory might enter in at thoſe Opened Gates; concerning which David ſayth; Open the Gates wide for the King of Glory; that the King of Glory, viz: Chriſt may enter in, Pſal. 24.7.9. And as John witneſſeth, He baptiſed with water to Repentance and forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, yet he is not Chriſt, but after him cometh he that hath the fan in his hand, who will baptiſe with the fire of the Spirit, Luk. 3.16, 17.

8. Alſo wee ſee in John, that he muſt be the ſonne of a Prieſt, who were converſant about Circumciſion and Sacrifices: he muſt come out of the Law of the Covenant, and ſuffer himſelfe to be Circumciſed, and put on the Covenant, that he might with the Spirit of the Covenant and of Circumciſion, begin the Water Baptiſme; viz: the Ordinance of Grace and forgiveneſſe: for ſinne ſhould be deſtroyed now no more by fire, but by Love, which God manifeſted in the Covenant through Chriſt; it [ſinne] ſhould be drowned and changed by Gods Meekneſſe.

9. Therefore alſo, God ordained for this deſtroying of ſinnes this meanes of the Water-Baptiſme: to ſignifie, that ſinne ſhould be drowned in the bloud of Chriſt, in his Love and Grace, and that Man ſhould henceforth have an open Gate of Grace to God in the Love and Meekneſſe, ſo that now with the Repentant ſorrow for ſinnes, with the^[111] forſaking of ſinnes he may Enter through this Gate into Grace.

10. And wee ſee heere in John, the beginner of the Water-Baptiſme, what Man is worthy to baptiſe with this new Grace Covenant, viz: ſuch a one, as alſo beforehand, hath been baptiſed with this Grace, as John was by Chriſt, who was Baptiſed even in his Mothers womb: for fleſh and bloud without this anointing cannot Baptiſe: for this Might, ſtandeth not in the^[112] authority of Man, but in Chriſts^[113] authority.

11.^[114] A Chriſtian, in whom is the anointing of Chriſt, baptiſeth with the anointing of Chriſt, for the Holy Trinity baptiſeth with the Grace-Covenant of the anointing, with Chriſts Incarnation or becoming Man, with his ſuffering, death, and victory: Now will any baptiſe, they muſt not onely baptiſe with the Hand and Water-Baptiſme, but alſo with the Faith of the anointing.

12. An unfaithfull, or unbeleeving Baptiſer, doth no more in this high work of the Baptiſme; Then the Font-ſtone [or Baſon] doth, which holdeth the water: for though he ſprinkle or powre water; and uſeth the words of Chriſt; yet he Effecteth nothing therewith, but is dumb [or dead] in the working, except the Covenant of Chriſt worketh and baptiſeth: he is but meerly a Medium or means, like a workleſſe [inanimate] ^[115] Subſtance, that doth not it ſelfe work together in this Covenant: but onely doth the work, in which work God worketh in reſpect of his Covenant.

13. Not ſo to be underſtood, as if the worke by the unworthy hand were therefore wholly ^[116] powerleſſe: no, the Covenant of God,^[117] ſevereth not it ſelfe; for the unworthy hands ſake, which is but a Medium or Means: for faithfull Parents, which ſtand in the anointing of this Covenant, and have put on the Covenant, they have the anointing alſo in their ſeede; and generate Children out of the property of their bodyes and ſoules: now if they be baptiſed in body and ſoule, and have put on the anointing of Chriſt, wherefore then not alſo the Ens of their bodyes? if they be the Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, (who dwelleth in them;) and eate Chriſts fleſh and drink his bloud, ſo that Chriſt is in them and they in Chriſt; as Chriſt ſayth; Joh. 6.56. Wherefore then not alſo the fruit of their Bodies? For Chriſt ſayth indeed (Matth. 7.18.) a Good Tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, and a bad Tree cannot bring forth Good fruit: If the eye of the ſpirit be light, then is the whole body light: If the Leven be Holy, then is the whole Lump Holy, Matth. 6. Rom. 11.

14. John was baptiſed in the Mothers womb through the Spirit of Chriſt out of Maries voice, as alſo his mother Elizabeth: and wee ſee cleerly, how it came to paſſe, for as Elizabeth heard the Spirit of Mary, the Holy Ghoſt moved in her, and alſo in her fruit alike; they received the Baptiſme of Chriſt out of his humanity alike, the Mother with the Sonne: wherefore then not alſo now at preſent, in holy Parents, in whom the anointing is, For ſuch as the Tree is, ſuch is alſo its fruit: But the Covenant in the Baptiſme is therefore, that every one ſhould themſelves with their owne will, as a particular branch on the Tree, and as a life of their owne, put on the Covenant of Chriſt, as through the outward Medium or Meanes ordained thereunto.

15. Not to underſtand; that a childe of honeſt anointed Parents, which hath attained life, though it dye before the Baptiſme, that it is not in the anointing of Chriſt; It hath indeed put on the anointing of its Parents, for it is exiſted out of their ſubſtance, out of their baptiſed ſoules and bodies ſubſtance, and onely needeth, if it liveth, to enter into the Image of the viſible Covenant, as a life of its owne; and with its will give it ſelfe up into that which it inheriteth from its Parents: But ſeeing a childe underſtandeth not this, therefore the Parents doe it with their Faith, and every one of thoſe that are called to that work, viz: the^[118] Witneſſes or God-fathers and God-mothers, who in their faiths-deſire with their Prayer^[119] recommend the childe to the Covenant of Chriſt, and preſent it in the Covenant of Chriſt to the Holy Trinity, and deſire the Covenant to be upon this Childe.

16. All theſe, both the Parents and ſtanders by: viz: the faithfull Baptiſer and Witneſſes, worke with their faith in the property of the Childe, and reach out to it with their faith the Covenant of Chriſt: for the will of their Faith, taketh the Childes will being without underſtanding, into their faiths deſire, and ſo beare the childes will in their will, with their anointing into the Covenant of Chriſt, viz: before the Holy Trinity.

17. When the Baptiſer ſprinkleth or powreth the water upon the Childe, then is his faith together in the water, and faſtneth it ſelfe in the words of Chriſt, who ſayth; Matth 28.19. Goe hence into all the world, Baptising all Nations, in the Name of the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost: Upon Christs command they Baptiſe Men, the Baptiſer Baptiſeth with the Hand, and with Faith: and the Parents together with the Witneſſes, baptiſe with their Faiths deſire, with the anointed will: they infuſe it into Chriſts Covenant; and Chriſt infuſeth himſelfe therein, with his Bloud, Death, and Victory, viz: with the victory of his Death: and kindleth the faiths-Ens of the Childe, with his love fire.

18. Thus the Graine of Muſtardſeed of the love-fire, ſoweth it ſelfe into the Childes Soules and Bodies Ens, as a Glimmering^[120] Mother of Divine Love: which Mother afterwards, when the childe getteth underſtanding of its owne, is more kindled through Faith, Repentance and Prayer, and becometh a high ſhining Light: and when afterwards the Mouth of Faith eateth Chriſts fleſh and drinketh his bloud, then this holy Mother love-fire, atteineth holy Oyle to the burning of its Life.

19. With the Baptiſme is implanted the humanity of Chriſt according to the holy Love-water, viz: the Water of Eternall Life, in which water the holy fire may burne: and with the Supper is participated the Holy Tincture in the bloud and fleſh of Chriſt, viz: the true Love-fire burning, a ſpirituall Anointing Oyle out of the divine fire and Light, which the water of Love kindleth, viz: the Baptiſme-Covenant: And though a Childe be borne of Holy Parents,^[121] and in the Mothers womb be cleerely in this Covenant, yet it ought alſo to put on this Covenant in its owne ſelfeſubſiſting perſon, in its owne lifes will: for this Cauſe, that in the fleſh, Sinne and uncleanneſſe is together propagated and inherited, and therefore ſhould it ſelfe put on this Covenant: for it ought and muſt it ſelfe with the Covenant of Grace breake the head of the Serpent in the fleſh, and therefore it ought alſo it ſelfe to put on Chriſt with his victory: For Chriſt now offereth himſelfe, to it ſelfe, it ought therefore in its owne perſon to receive him with its owne will, and give its owne will up to him.

20. For the Baptiſme is nothing elſe but a marriage or Contract with God^[122] in Chriſts bloud and Death, wherein Chriſt bindeth himſelfe to Man with his victory and Reſurrection, and placeth Man therein: And Man in the Baptiſme giveth up his Adamicall averſe will to the Death of Chriſt, and deſireth to dye to his owne will in the Death of Chriſt, and to riſe againe through Chriſts Reſurrection out of Chriſts Death, with, and in Chriſt, to a new will, and to live and to will with Chriſt: For wee are through the Baptiſme with Chriſts victory, planted anew in the Word of God: for Man is the Outſpoken Imaged Word of God, which hath brought his will in Adam from the ſpeaking of God into an owne will and ſpeaking, and is become treacherous to the Word of God: and with the Baptiſme the Imaged Word promiſeth and incorporateth it ſelfe againe with the Eternall Speaking of God, that it will ſpeake and will according to God: viz: Gods righteouſneſſe and truth.

21. The Baptiſme is an Oath which Man ſweareth^[123] to God, when he renounceth the Devill and his Kingdome, and giveth up himſelfe to God for his proper owne, viz: for a Temple of God: And though a childe underſtandeth not this: yet the Baptiſer, as alſo the Parents and Witneſſes ſhould underſtand it and introduce their faith into the childes will; and ſo with their introduced will in the childes will, together plunge or ſinke themſelves downe with this oath into Gods Covenant through the Word of Chriſt upon his command in the Water-Baptiſme: and apprehend the Command of Chriſt in themſelves, viz: in their Faith, and ſo in their underſtanding enter into the Covenant with the childes^[124] not-underſtanding; and in the ſtead, and with the will of the childe, in their will make ſuch a promiſe to God: for this the Parents may and ought eſpecially to doe: ſeeing the childe is ſprung up out of their life and ſubſtance, as the branch out of the Stock,^[125] ſo they have alſo power, to comprehend the will of the childe in the will of their Faith, and with the will of the childe to give up and binde or unite it unto God.

22. Moreover the Baptiſer hath this in his power, who upon the Command of Chriſt ſtandeth there in Chriſts ſtead, and bringeth in his Mouth the Command of Chriſt, and baptiſeth with his hand upon the command of Chriſt: ſuch a one, ſhould be the Anointed of Chriſt, and enter into that worke through the Doore of Chriſt, or he is but as a piece of wood, or clod of earth, ſtanding by as an Earthly Medium, and himſelfe doth not baptiſe together with his Faith, but is onely an outward Inſtrument of the Covenant, as the Axe wherewith the Carpenter heweth: though indeed he is not altogether as the Axe that cutteth, but as the hand that holdeth the Axe: he neither cutteth nor coworketh in the work of the Spirit, but is onely the outward Inſtrument, and doth onely an outward thing: Hee reacheth not [•]he Covenant, but onely the Water, and bringeth a dead word in his life, but the office of Chriſt is in the command.

23. The living Word in the Covenant which there baptiſeth, hath not its originall out of the power of the wicked mouth, but out of the Command in the Covenant: The wicked Mouth bringeth the outward litterall Word, as a Miniſter thereof, but the Covenant bringeth the Living Word in Power: If the Parents and Witneſſes be faithfull, they reach forth the childe with their Faith to the Covenant, and the wicked Baptiſer with his Mouth and Hand is but an Inſtrument to it, in that manner and way, as a Clock ſtriketh and ſoundeth, and yet hath no life, but giveth notice and underſtanding to the Living what it meaneth: or as a wicked Man in a ſhew of Holineſſe, nameth and acknowledgeth the Holy Name of God before a Holy perſon, where inſtantly the Holy Name of God is thereby ſtirred and becometh working in the Heart of the Holy Man that heareth it, and yet the Hypocrite in his knowledge neither underſtandeth it nor findeth it; and this ſtirring of the good Heart doth not proceed out of the wicked Mouth, and enter into the Holy Heart, but it proceedeth out of the Name of God.

24. Thus alſo the Holy Name baptiſeth by the wicked Baptiſer, and not the evill Mouth, but he muſt be an Inſtrument, that pronounceth the Holy Name, which worketh not from his pronouncing, but from the Name and Covenant, through the faithfull Parents and Witneſſes introduction of their Faith:^[126] For the Covenant is it ſelfe a Faith [or Beleeving] viz: Gods Word and Mouth: The Covenant baptiſeth them all, that give themſelves up into it, whether worthily or unworthily, whether the Faith of the Boptiſer and of the Parents and Witneſſes be there or not, but with great difference, as the Scripture ſaith; With the Holy thou art Holy, and with the Perverſe thou art perverſe, Pſal. 18.26. Alſo, ſuch as the People are, ſuch a God they have: and as St Paul ſaith of the Supper; Therefore they received it to Judgement, becauſe they diſtinguiſh not the Lords body.

25. For where Gods Love is preſent, there his wrath is alſo preſent: where Light is, there is alſo Fire: The Ens of Faith preſſeth onely through the Fire forth into Light: The Covenant ſtandeth firme, the childe is baptiſed with the Covenant, the Covenant receiveth it, although there were onely a wicked Baptiſer, and alſo ſuch Witneſſes without Faith: But as the Mouth is, ſuch is alſo the food in the Mouth, as the Lord ſaith by the Prophet; Wherefore doth the wicked take my Covenant into his Mouth, and hateth ^[127] to be reformed? Pſal. 50.16, 17. Men ſhould not miſuſe the Name of God, for the Lord will not leave him unpuniſhed that miſuſeth it, Deut. 5.5. Hee will not caſt the Pearle before Swine, Matth. 7.6. The wicked Man that draweth neere to his Covenant, is to God in his Covenant a Good ſavour to the Condemnation of Death, and the Holy is a good ſavour to life, 1 Cor. 2.15, 16.

26. What elſe can be, if there are Evill Parents without Faith, but that they alſo beget wicked children, for as the ſtock is, ſo alſo is the fruit: And now if they convert not, and through true earneſt Repentance and Prayer, incorporate their fruit to Chriſt, and ſend them with faith to this Covenant, but indeed invite ſuch wicked Witneſſes or Goſſips, without Faith thereunto, and there be alſo a wicked Baptiſer, who ſhall baptiſe heere? Shall the Love of God in the Covenant of Grace baptiſe? May it not be as St Paul ſayth of the Supper; That the wicked receive it unto Judgement? Now if a Man make a mock of the Covenant, how will Gods Glory appeare among the Scorners? there it is rightly ſayd, With the Holy thou art holy, and with the perverſe thou art perverſe: If the ſeede be^[128] bad, though a Man caſt it into good Ground, yet there groweth bad fruit from it, for it draweth from the good Ground, an Ens of its owne likeneſſe to it ſelfe.

27. How then may it goe there, where a childe ſpringeth from Parents that are quite wicked, and alſo wicked Witneſſes are onely called to it, which ſtand there onely for ſtate and pride, or for humane ſavour, which are alſo for ſuch cauſes called to it, whereas there is no Faith nor Good will, much leſſe an Earneſt Prayer, but onely an Earthly Eucifer ſtandeth before the Covenant of Chriſt, and the Baptiſer is alſo a dead perſon: who awakeneth heere the Holy Covenant? As the Faith is that moveth or ſtirreth the Covenant, ſuch is alſo the Manifeſtation of the Covenant, and ſo is alſo the Baptiſme.

28. Chriſt ſayth; Suffer little children to come unto mee, for of ſuch is the Kingdome of God, Matth. 10.14. Chap. 19.13. but he meaneth children, not Wolves and Beaſts: Hee biddeth them to come to him, and Not to bring them to him in the Devills pride and ſtate, with ſtately high-minded falſe unfaithfull People, which doe but deſpiſe the humility of Chriſt, and ſcorne Love; it muſt be in Earneſt if a Man will enter through the Wrath of God into Love.

29. Reaſon ſayth thus; What is it to the childe, that it is begotten of wicked Parents and is brought by Evill People to the Covenant of Chriſt?

Anſwer: Yes indeede, what is it to God, who willeth not the Death of a Sinner, that wicked Parents beget wicked children, and that a Man doth but ſcorne his Covenant of Grace: ſhall he therefore caſt the Pearle before Swine? The Parents indeed know very well, that God ſayth; Hee will puniſh the ſinne of the Parents on the Children unto the third and fourth Generation, Deut. 5.9. Shall he then powre his Love into their wicked Wills, when as indeed they doe not deſire the Love, nor is there any Earneſtneſſe there, but meerly the performance of a Cuſtome, and they doe it onely with an hypocriticall ſhew without Earneſtneſſe, and withall make uſe of ſuch people about it, which doe but ſcorne the ſimplicity of Chriſt with their Pride.

30. To be converſant with the Teſtaments and Covenant of Chriſt, and to make uſe of them, will require great Earneſtneſſe, not onely in ſhew but in power: For the Covenant of God in Chriſt is made through his bloud and Death, and to that End, that whoſoever will partake of this Covenant and Teſtaments, ſhould convert with his will and enter into Repentance, and dye to the Inherited falſe Luſt in the Covenant, through Chriſts Death, and be New borne out of the Covenant of theſe Teſtaments.

31. For the Baptiſme conſiſteth not alone in Water, but in the Word of God, and in the Faith: The water is but a Medium, wherein the Word of God and the Faith, taketh hold and worketh, and without the Word of God and Faith there is no Baptiſme; the faith of Man muſt take hold on the promiſed Word, and in the Water theſe two, viz: the Faith and the Word of God bring themſelves into one ^[129] ſubſtance, and that ſpirituall ſubſtance is the Baptiſme, which is underſtood under Water: Now if there be no Faith at this work; then is the Word without Humane Subſtance, only in it ſelfe according to and in the Covenant, and that baptiſeth Man according to the Mans Property, but Faith in the Grace apprehendeth the Grace in the Covenant and Word, and bringeth it ſelfe with the Covenant into the Water; and ſo then the Word of God and the Faith and the Water baptiſe alike.

32. For the outward Elementary water is not the Ground of the Baptiſme; but the ſpirituall Water, which is united and tyed with the Word in the Covenant, and with the Faith: for the Word powreth it ſelfe forth in a Water-ſource of Life in^[130] great Meekneſſe and Love, and the Faith taketh hold of this promiſed Word of Grace in the Covenant: This Grace in the ſpirituall water, comprehendeth it ſelfe with the Elementary water, after the manner as the Inviſible world hath made it ſelfe viſible with this worlds ſubſtance, viz: with the Elements: and as the Inviſible Word of God worketh by the viſible, and as the viſible ſubſtance of the Elements ſhall againe goe into the Inviſible: Thus alſo in the Baptiſme-Covenant, the Inviſible Element, viz: the heavenly ſubſtance uniteth it ſelfe with the viſible Elements of Mans body: viz: the ſubſtance of Eternity with the ſubſtance of Time: the Eternall Speaking Word of Divine Love with the Outſpoken^[131] Imaged Word of the Humanity.

33. For the Pure Element, according to the holy ſpirituall World, out of which the foure Elements are ſprung forth, is that which baptiſeth through the foure Elements of Mans Body: The true Man created in Adam, which ſticketh in the Groſſe husk of the foure Elements, that is baptiſed to Eternall Life, for the Pure Element ſoaketh or Infuſeth it ſelfe againe into the vaniſhed Image of Man, which Image was out of the Pure Element, but vaniſhed in Adam; And to that End God hath^[132] ordained his Covenant in the Water Baptiſme: and there belongeth now Faith to it, and Repentance to this Receiving: for Repentance is an unlocking or ſtirring of the hidden ſhut up things of Man, whereby the Inward Spirituall deſire, viz: the Spirituall Mouth to ſuch Receiving, is opened: and Faith is the Opened Mouth which taketh in the Holy Element.

34. And although a childe without underſtanding cannot doe this, yet thoſe with their Faith ſhould doe it, who baptiſe, and the reſt that are preſent at the Baptiſme, for their Faith muſt comprehend it ſelfe in the childes will, for the childe hath not yet a willing, neither to Good nor Evill, but their Faith comprehendeth it ſelfe in the childes Life, viz: in Soule and Spirit: which may well be, being all ſoules, have their originall from One, and ſo they are in the Centre, one onely Ground, viz: in the Word of God, out of which the Soule hath taken its originall, and wherein they all ſtand together in the Ground, for this Comprehending in [the childe] is nothing elſe, but to introduce their love-will into the childe: and although a Man cannot doe that in his owne power and Might, yet if the will of Man comprehendeth it ſelfe in Gods Word and Promiſe, and taketh hold of the Promiſed Grace, together with the command that wee ſhould doe this thing, then is the Poſſibility there: For the Promiſed Word giveth and worketh the ability in Mans Will, and giveth the Deed: Gods will taketh Mans will reſigned up to him, and doth it through his Might with Mans will.

35. Therefore ſay I, it is a dangerous thing, to baptiſe children without the Faith of the Parents, and of them that Baptiſe, and the reſt that are preſent to the work: The Scripture ſayth, Heb. 11.6. Without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God: But this Faith is not a Hiſtory or Knowledge, that a Man onely give aſſent to it, and beleeve that it is Gods work: No, it is an Earneſt, deſirefull co-working, a preſſing in to the Promiſed Grace, an Earneſt conſideration of our inherited ſinne, and of the Great earneſtneſſe of God, and how he through this Grace-Covenant receiveth us againe as children, and powreth his Grace into us with this work.

36. Thoſe that are preſent ſhould with Great humility and^[133] inverſion to God, with Earneſt prayer, apply themſelves to this Covenant, and well conſider, what they there purpoſe to doe, for they ſtand even before the Covenant of the Holy Trinity, before Gods open Face, and have to deale with God and Man, and ſhould well imprint in them the bitter ſufferings, and dying of Jeſus Chriſt: into which a childe is baptiſed, of which they are co-working Witneſſes according to the Faith: and not ſtand before this Covenant, as a Whore before a Glaſſe, with proud Hearts, as if it were a worldly honour which a Man ſhould make uſe of, about it: ſuch People which have no underſtanding and Faith towards it, and onely come to it with proud hearts, are not^[134] profitable to this Covenant, but a hinderance, they hinder others, who Gape upon the Pride and bravery, and therewithall forget the Earneſtneſſe.

37. And although the Baptiſme may be performed without ſuch Perſons, through the Parents and the Baptiſers Earneſtneſſe and prayer; yet the Chriſtian Church hath ſo ordained, that living Witneſſes ſhould be preſent, which with their prayer attend this Earneſtneſſe, and it was well ordained: but it is come to ſuch a Miſuſe that it were many times better that ſuch children of Infidelity were not preſent: for, the Devill belongeth not to this work: Now if the Devill have the chiefe Dominion in a Man, what is then ſuch a Man profitable at it? As is mentioned before; The Funt-ſtone or Baſon, and the unfaithfull Stander-by is one as good as the other, but that the Proud Man is a hinderance to others.

38. The Baptiſme is a ſubſtantiall working, not a meere ſigne or^[135] ſymbole of the Teſtament of Chriſt: The Holy Ghoſt baptiſeth the Soule and the Spirit, from Chriſts bloud and Death, with his victory: and the Holy Element of the ſpirituall Water baptiſeth the Body of the foure Elements to the Reſurrection of the Dead, and baptiſeth the Serpents Ens, and awakened introduced Poyſon to dye, [or for Dead].

39. It is a ſubſtantiall working Infuſion of the Covenant of God: therefore if the Infant baptiſed ſhould worthily receive it, there muſt be Earneſtneſſe: A Chriſtian, who is a Chriſtian in Chriſt,^[136] in whom Chriſt worketh, liveth, and^[137] dwelleth, he ſhould Baptiſe; for he muſt enter into this Sheepfold by the Doore of Chriſt: viz: through Chriſts Spirit, and not climbe up otherwhere, elſe he is a Theefe and a Murtherer, and cometh onely that he may robbe and ſteale the honour of Chriſt,^[138] and deceive Men, he ſhould be A true Shepheard and not a hireling: Heere availeth no babling and making a ſhew, but there muſt be Earneſtneſſe, for it is an Earneſtneſſe with God: All Jangling and diſputation about this work, is an unprofitable thing, and moreover hurtfull, Men ſhould lay hould of it with Earneſtneſſe, and follow the Command of Chriſt, and beleeve what Chriſt hath ſayd.

40. There belongeth no more to this work, but Faith and Water, and Earneſt Prayer in true Repentance, with ſuch a Will, that one Man would helpe to releaſe another from Death, the Devill and Hell, and (help) to introduce him with himſelfe into the Kingdome of God: that is the whole proceſſe that belongeth heereunto: Every one that is a true Chriſtian in Chriſt, ^[139] is worthy to be a Stander by and preſent at this work: but he that is not ſuch a one, is unworthy, whether he be Baptiſer or Stander-by, one as well as the other, there is no reſpect of Perſons with God: In Chriſt wee are ONE, Hee is the Stock, wee are the Branches: Hee worketh his work through his fellow Members, as the Stock of the Tree generateth its fruit through its Twiggs and Branches: The Stock uſeth no ſtrange Tree for its Twigges, ſo alſo Chriſt onely uſeth his Members to his work of his fruit.

The End of this firſt little Booke Concerning The Holy Baptiſme.

The Second Booke, Concerning The Holy Supper of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; What kinde of Participation it is, and how that is to be underſtood.

Alſo concerning the Contention of the Learned about Chriſts Cup: what they doe about it, alſo what is to be held concerning it.

Wherein Babell, the Great City upon Earth, with her forme and Wonders, together with the Antichriſt, ſtandeth quite naked and manifeſt.

To the Comfort of the ſimple Children of Jeſus Chriſt, and to the building up of the true Chriſtian Religion, in this confuſed troubleſome Time.

All very Earneſtly and ſincerely diſcovered from the knowledge of the Great Myſtery.

LONDON; Printed by M. S. and are to be ſold by H. B. at the Caſtle in Cornhill. 1652.

1 COR. 11.28.

Let a Man Examine himſelfe, and ſo let him Eate of this Bread and Drink of this Cup.

An Intimation or Inſtruction to the READER.

THough indeed I heere dive and ſearch ſublimely and Deepe, and ſet it downe very cleerely, yet the Reader muſt be told thus much, that without the Spirit of God, it will be a Myſtery to him, and not apprehended.

Therefore let every one looke well to it, what he judgeth, that he fall not into the Judgement of God, and be captivated by his owne Turba, and that his owne Reaſon diſtract him; this I ſay, meaning well, and give it to the Reader to Ponder [in his Minde].

JACOB BEHM of Old Seidenberg.

The Contents of the Chapters in this Second little Booke, Concerning the Holy Supper of Jeſus Chriſt.

1. OF the Ground of the Old Teſtament, how this Teſtament was cleerly in the Type among the Jewes.

2. Of the Supper of the New Teſtament, how the Type is come into Eſſence [or Subſtance].

3. How the Diſciples did eate and drinke the fleſh and bloud of Chriſt.

4. Of the difference in the Participation of it, what the wicked receive with this Teſtament: and how a Man ſhould ſo prepare himſelfe, that he may be truly worthy.

5. Of the Contention and Strife in the high Schooles or Univerſities, about Chriſts Teſtaments: how that Strife that hath filled the face of the Earth, is a vaine and very hurtfull thing, and ariſeth in the Anger of God, from the Devills deſire and will, whereby all brotherly Love and unity is deſtroyed, the highly pretious Name of GOD blaſphemed, and the Holy GHOST in his Divine Wonders is Judged and deſpiſed by Reaſon.

The Firſt Chapter. Of the Ground of the Old Teſtament; how this Teſtament was cleerly in the Type among the Jewes.

1. WHen God ſent Moſes to Pharao, and commanded him, to let the Children of Iſrael goe into the Wilderneſſe and ſacrifice to him, and Pharao would not doe it, then God ſent great Plagues and puniſhments upon him; and laſtly, the^[140] deſtroying Angel, which ſlew all the firſt-borne in Egypt; and there he commanded Iſrael the Paſſeover, or to ſlay and eate the Paſchal-Lamb, viz: a Lamb of a yeare old, and beſprinkle the Doores and upper Poaſts with the Bloud thereof, that the ſlaying anger ſhould there ^[141] paſſe over, and kill none in the Houſe, Exod. 2.12.

2. Which was a Type of the New-Teſtament, [ſhewing] how the Poaſts and Doores of our Life ſhould be ſprinckled with the Bloud of the Lamb Chriſt, that Gods Anger in ſoule and body may not ſwallow us up into his wrath: And as they muſt Eate up that Lamb wholly or quite and leave nothing over, ſo would the Lamb Chriſt, give himſelfe in his Teſtament wholly for food to his Chriſtendome, and not divided; and would beſprinkle the Poaſts of our Life with his Bloud of Love, that the deſtroying Angel in Gods Anger might not take hold of us and ſlay us.

3. Alſo wee have an Image or ſimilitude thereof in the Ʋnleavened Cakes, which they muſt Bake and Eate, [ſhewing] that they ſhould through this Paſchal-Lambs Figure, which ſignified Chriſt, be a New and ſweet^[142] Lump, when they ſhould eate the right Paſchal-Lamb Chriſt, in his Teſtament: all which was a Figure of the New Regeneration: [ſignifying] how the ſame ſhould be borne through the right Paſchal-Lamb Chriſt, 1 Cor. 5.7. and how the ſame (New Birth) would Eate the ſweet food of the Divine Grace.

4. This is a Powerfull Figure of the terrible Fall in Adam, and then in the New Birth or Regeneration in Chriſt, for in Adam the firſt Birth, viz: the firſt Angelicall Life, was ſlaine by Gods Anger, and by the Grace-Covenant in Chriſt, was the ſame brought back againe, and ſpoken [or inſpired] into Adam and Eve: thus now the Spirit of God ſignifieth by this figure of Moſes in Aegypt, how that ſame inſpoken Grace ſhould be fullfilled with heavenly and divine Subſtance, alſo how Man ſhould be^[143] marked and ſprinckled by that Mark, viz: by the bloud of the Lamb of God: and how God would give him the ſubſtance of his ſweet Love for food, whereby the Naturall fouliſh fire-Life ſhould be againe quickened, and attaine a Divine Ens in its Lifes-Eſſence, and thereby be tranſmuted and changed againe into the Angelicall Image.

5. Alſo wee ſee this Image very cleerly in the Sacrifices of Iſrael: How they muſt ſlay and ſacrifice Beaſts and burne the Fat: For when God gave the Law to Moſes, that Iſrael ſhould live in full obedience in the Covenant of this Law, then he gave him alſo the figure, [ſhewing] how this Law ſhould be fullfilled, and how Man ſhould be^[144] attoned from Sinne, and the Anger of God: as wee may cleerly ſee this, in the^[145] third Book of Moſes in the Eighth Chapter, where the Image of the reconciliation or attonement ſtandeth.

Where it ſtandeth thus.

^[146]And Moſes cauſed an Heifer to be brought for a Sinne-Offering, and Aaron with his Sonnes layd their hands upon his head: there it was ſlaine, and Moſes tooke the bloud, and with his finger put it round about upon the homes of the Altar, and^[147] clenſed the Altar, and powred out the bloud at the foote of the Altar, and ſanctified it, ſo that he made an attonement on it: And tooke all the fatt upon the Inwards, and the Kall upon the Liver, and the two Kidneyes with the fatt on them, and burned it upon the Altar: But the Heifer with his hide, fleſh, and dung, he burnt with fire without the Hoſt, as the Lord had commanded him: And brought a Weather or Ram for a Burnt Sacrifice; and Aaron with his Sonnes layd their hands upon his head, and it was ſlaine there: And Moſes ſprinckled the Bloud round about upon the Altar, and clave the Ram in pieces, and burnt the head, the pieces and the Rump: and waſhed the Inwards and the leggs with water, and ſo burnt the whole Ram upon the Altar; this was a burnt ſacrifice for a ſweet ſavour, a fire to the Lord as the Lord had commanded him, Leviticus 8.14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.

6. This is a true figure of the Sacrifice of Chriſt with our aſſumed humanity: how he hath offered our humanity, through the ſacrifice of his body, to the Anger of God, and how God in this ſacrifice, hath ſmelt his ſweet love in the Humanity of Chriſt, and reconciled his wrath in the fire.

7. The Figure of Chriſt ſtandeth thus.

^[148] When Moſes ſhould make this ſacrifice, he tooke firſt the anointing Oyle, and anointed the ^[149] dwelling place, and all that was therein, and ſanctified it, and ſprinckled therewith ſeaven times upon the Altar, and anointed the Altar, and all its implements, the Laver with its foote, ſo that it was ſanctified; and powred the anointing Oyle upon Aarons Head, and anointed him, ſo that he was ſanctified.

Moſes ſtandeth heere in the figure of God, and Aaron ſtandeth in the figure of Chriſt according to our Humanity, and the Heifer ſtandeth in the figure of the earthly, periſhed Adam, according to his Beaſtiall property; and the Ram ſtandeth in the figure of the true Man created in Adam [ſhewing] how the ſame ſhould be offered up to God againe in the humanity of Chriſt: Moſes anointed Aaron, that is, God anointed our Humanity in Chriſt with his higheſt Love, viz: with the ſubſtantiall Wiſdome, and Divine ſubſtance in the Name JESUS.

8. And that is it, that Moſes firſt anointed the Tabernacle, which ſignifieth the Body of Mary, in which GOD became MAN, and therefore the Angel called her the Bleſſed among all women, Luk. 1.28. For God firſt ſanctified the Tabernacle, and ſprinckled with his anointing oyle of Love upon all the ſeaven properties of the Naturall Life: which life in the humanity of Chriſt, the Altar of Moſes ſignified, which God anointed, when JESUS aſſumed Mans Life: The Laver with its foote ſignifieth: How God hath anointed the humane Hand or deſire in the humanity of Chriſt, with which he ſhould doe wonders: The anointed Head of Aaron ſignifieth, how the humanity of Chriſt, viz: our humane Science, ſhould be anointed with the Holy Ghoſt.

9. This, God ſet forth by Moſes in the Type; for when Moſes had anointed Aaron together with the Tabernacle and the ſonnes of Aaron, and eſtabliſhed the whole buiſines; then he cauſed a Heifer to be brought for a ſinne-offering: which Heifer ſignified the Groſſe Earthly Man impreſſed through Adams Luſt: On this Heifer muſt Aaron and his ſonnes lay their hands upon his head, which ſignifieth, how God in Chriſt, and then the Prieſts or Phariſees would lay their hands upon our, in Chriſt aſſumed, Mortall humanity and flay that is put to death, our humanity according to this Worlds Subſtance: and how his humane Bloud ſhould be ſprinckled round about on the Hornes of the Holy Altar, with the finger of God, viz: as with the laying hold of Gods Anger: and how God would thus cleanſe his Altar in the Humanity; upon which Altar, viz: the humane Life; ſhould holy Sacrifices be offered to God againe.

10. But that Moſes did burne the fatt of the Liver and Kidneys, upon the Altar, ſignifieth, that our true Adamicall Man out of the Limus of the Earth, according to its right Inward Ground, ſhould not be caſt away, or thruſt out from God, but be kindled in the fire of Gods Anger with the fire of Love, and be offered to God. As this then was done in the humanity of Chriſt, when he ſacrified our humanity to the Anger of God, but yet did introduce it with his Love through Death into Life, as out of the fire there ſpringeth up a cleere Light, as out of the-fire dying, a new Life, which conſiſteth in power and Love.

11. But that Moſes did burne with fire the Heifer with his hide, fleſh, and Dung, without the Hoſt, and only ſprinckled the bloud of the Heifer upon the hornes of the Altar, and kindled the fatt, it ſignifieth, that the groſſe beaſtiall body of our fleſh with skin and bones, ſhall not come upon Gods Altar, and inherite the kingdome of God, but it ſhall be conſumed with the Eſſentiall fire of the Earth without the holy Fire of God: as Moſes muſt burne the Heifer without the Hoſt, ſo alſo ſhould and muſt, the Groſſe beaſtiall Man be burnt up without the City of God, viz: in its owne Principle, by that ſame Nature-fire: as it is done before our Eyes: But this Earthly Mans Bloud, wherein the Aſtrall ſoule [••]veth, ſhould be ſprinckled upon the Hornes of the Altar: which ſignifieth the right Man created in Adam out of the Limus of the Earth with the right Aſtrum, whoſe bloud or power ſhall come againe at the Laſt Day: that ſame bloud was in Chriſts humanity, with the incluſion of the Heavenly bloud, ſprinckled upon the hornes of the Altar in his ſuffering and dying on the^[150] Tree of the Croſſe; for a ſigne, that our bloud, after a right humane manner, is with Chriſt come upon Gods Altar, and that God in Chriſt hath therewith Marked us in the Eternall Heavenly Altar.

12. But that the other bloud muſt be powred at the foote of the Altar, ſignifieth, that our humane bloud, wherein our outward humane life conſiſteth, which here dyeth, is in its dying powred out at the foote of the Altar, viz: into the [foure] Elements, and reſerved to the bringing againe of the firſt true Man, that the right life ſhall be kept at the foote of the Altar, that is, in its owne Principle, as in Myſterio Magno in Spiritu Mundi, in the Great Myſterie in the Spirit of the world, till God ſhall purge this Altar of the foure Elements, and bring forth againe the ſame pure vertue and power of the bloud, together with the Elements, and bring them into the Temperature, and ſo then the humane bloud ſhall againe come to the Soule, according to the property of the Spirituall World.

13. For this cauſe muſt Moſes and Aaron in the figure powre out the Heifers bloud at the foote of the Altar: for God had not to doe about the blood of Beaſts, but he ſet forth the figure of Mans reſtoration, and ſignifieth under it, that Wee Men according to the outward Groſſe Earthly Man were but ſuch Beaſts, which Groſſe beaſtiall property had ſwallowed up the true Man into it ſelfe: Thus he ſignifieth, how he would with his power bring againe and new Generate that ſame inward devoured Ground: And as the power and vertue of our Mumia, of the oyly property ſhall be kindled againe through the fire of God, as Moſes kindled the fatt; ſo ſhall the power of the inward Ground, heere even in the time of this life, be kindled with the Divine fire, and burne upon Gods Altar, which through the Ʋnction or anointing of the Spirit of God ſhould be done in us: Even as Moſes kindled the fatt, ſo ſhould alſo the ſpirit of Chriſt kindle our Inward Ground even in this [lifes] Time: And when this comes to be done, then ſhould the Heifer, viz: the beaſt-Man be ſlaine; that is, he ſhould be daily Mortified, and with his will and beaſtiall deſire be caſt forth without the Hoſt of God: for he is but Earth and a Beaſt, and not fit for the Kingdome of Heaven, Joh. 6.

14. But the Ram now ſignifieth the right anointed Man in the humanity of Chriſt, as alſo our inward Ground, which with Chriſts anointing in us becometh living againe. As God through Aarons ſons, viz: through the high Prieſt, would lay the hand of his Anger upon it, and ſlay it, that our humane will might be ſlaine; ſo ſhall in this ſlaying the bloud of this Ram, viz: the right humanity, be ſprinckled every where upon the Altar of God, and the humane will ſhall be ſplit in pieces, and quite forſake the owne will, and the Head, viz: the humane ſenſes or thoughts be kindled with Gods fire: Even as Moſes kindled the Head of the Ram, as alſo the pieces and the Rump, ſo muſt alſo our humanity in Chriſt, be waſhed with the water of Love, and afterwards be ſacrificed upon the Altar of God, viz: on the Tree of the Croſſe.

15. Note. But that the Ram muſt be kindled with fire,^[151] and be offered to the Lord, for a ſweet ſavour to the Lord: therein Lyeth the Great Myſtery: The Ram is the right Man Created in Adam, which Chriſt, as the Word, or the power of God, tooke on him, from our Adamicall Humanity, in the Body of Mary: and ſignifieth by the Ram, that God in Chriſt would thus anoint our right Adamicall Humanity, with the holy anointing Oyle, and bring it to God againe.

16. But ſeeing the humane will was departed from God, and had brought it ſelfe into Earthly beaſtiall Luſt: therefore ſhould this Ram, viz: the Humanity of Chriſt be kindled with Gods fire of Anger: for the Anger of God was become manifeſt in the humanity: and therefore God anointed firſt the humanity with the Spirit of his Love in Chriſts humanity, and afterwards offered this Ram, viz: the right Adamicall humanity to the fire of God, that in the Anointing of the Love-Oyle, the anger-fire might be kindled, and the anger fire in the anointing of the Love, viz: through the Oyle of its holy ſubſtance, be tranſmuted, and wholly turned into a Love burning.

17. For our humane ſoule was become an Anger fire, viz: an Enmity againſt God, and therefore thus God reconciled it in the Love of its ſubſtance: That is, Gods anger in the humane life was thus econciled, for Gods power ſmelt, or thus drew, in the fire, the humane life againe into the Eternall Word, viz: into God. Gods Anger-fire was the Mouth, which received the humane Life againe into it, and ſwallowed up the humane averted will into it ſelfe.

18. But when this Great love had given up it ſelfe into the humane Life in Chriſt, then was Gods Anger-fire with its devouring in the ſoules fire, turned into meere Love, viz: wholly into a Love-fire: and thus Death in the fire of Gods Anger, which holdeth the ſoule captive with its Impreſſion: wherein the ſoule was a darkneſſe, viz: a darke fire; was broake open, and againe turned into the Light Life.

19. And that is it, which God with this Sacrifice ſets forth in a Type, of the Comming of Chriſt: for Moſes ſayth: This was a ſweet ſavour to the Lord: Now God doth not ſavour the beaſtiall Life; for that ſhall not inherite the Kingdome of God: Gods buiſines which he had to doe by Moſes, was not about the Ram and the Heifer, but he ſet forth the humanity under them before him: Gods Imagination went into the Humanity in his inſpoken Grace-Covenant, viz: in that inſpoken Grace word of Love, which ſtood as a Goale or Limit in Man, even unto Mary, where it manifeſted it ſelfe in the Humanity: Into this went Gods Imagination, and Mans Imagination went into this Type, viz: into the Sacrifice in the fire: Thus went alſo the Incorporated Grace-Covenant with Mans Imagination into the Sacrifice of the fire, as into the Type [ſignifying] how Chriſt ſhould reconcile Gods anger in the humanity.

20. And thus was the humane will in the Type of Chriſt ranſomed in the fire; for the Incorporated Grace-Covenant, went with the humane deſire, in their prayer (which through this Sacrifice in the fire preſſed into God) together into the fire of the Sacrifice, and reconciled (that is, deſtroyed) the Earthly Beaſtiall property of the humane will, in the fire, with the Love: For with the fire God formed an Image before him, as a ſubſtance, in which fire ſubſtance Gods fire Imaged it ſelfe, and reconciled the Elementary fire in Man: his Eternall Love-fire, ſavoured the humane will, through the incorporated Grace, through that Medium of the fire, for Moſes had holy fire, wherewith he kindled the Sacrifice.

21. Thus was the Elementary fire of Man reconciled in the Holy Fire, and yet muſt a Beaſtiall Medium, viz: Beaſts fleſh, come into the Holy fire of Moſes, ſeeing Man was become Beaſtiall: that the beaſtiall kinde be burned away in the Holy fire through the Fathers anger-fire; and that Gods Love-fire might kindle the humane ſoule-fire in its introduced deſire in the Sacrifice and ſo Gods deſire in the Word ſmelt Mans deſire through the fire; for in the fire, the Beaſtiall vanity of Mans will, burnt away in the anger-fire: and ſo then the cleere humane will, preſſed into Gods Love-fire, as a ſweet ſavour: for the incorporated Paradiſicall inſpoken Grace, preſſed with the cleere will of Man, into God.

22. And that is it which Moſes ſayth; It was a ſacrifice of a ſweet ſavour unto the Lord: For God deſired to ſmell nothing there, but onely Mans will, viz: the humane Life, which before the times of the world, was in the Word of God: indeed without Creature, but yet in power, which was inbreathed to the Created Image: That ſame did God ſmell through the Sacrifice in the Ens of Chriſt viz: through the inſpoken Grace, and reconciled the averted will through the Grace in the Fire, ſo that the humane will became divine againe: and brought (1) the humane Lifes fire, and (2) Gods Love fire, into one fire, as into one lifes burning: and that was a right Sacrifice of Reconciliation, or ſinne-offering, when ſinne was offered to the fire of Gods anger to be conſumed.

23. And thus alſo the beaſtiall fleſh, which they offered and eare afterwards, was ſanctified to Man: for Gods Imagination in the Covenant went thereinto; therefore Moſes calleth it; Holy Fleſh: alſo, Holy Bread, ſuch was the Shew bread, ſam. 21.6. Matth. 12.4. All which, ſtood in the Type [ſignifying] How that ſame incorporated power of the Grace-Covenant, would manifeſt it ſelfe with Heavenly Subſtance in Chriſt, and give it for food of the humane ſoule, viz: to the ſoules fire: in which food, the ſoules-fire ſhould be turned into a Love-fire.

24. For in the Old Teſtament this ſweet Grace Covenant gave it ſelfe into the Sacrifice of the fiery ſoules deſire, for ſood, as to the Soules Mouth in the fire: For the Soule, viz: the Souliſh Faiths Mouth, did in the Sacrifice of fire, eate of this ſweet Grace, not in the Subſtance, but in the power, upon the fullfilling that was to come, till the power was manifeſted in the fleſh: But their Body did under it, eate of the bleſſed bread and fleſh,^[152] wherein alſo the power of the Grace, viz: the Imagination of the Covenant, was. Thus the Jewes did eate Chriſts fleſh and drank his bloud in the Grace Ens, in the power, in the Type; where the power was not yet fleſh and bloud: but yet that ſame word of Grace, which afterwards became Man, was therein.

25. But when the time came, and was fulfilled, that the ſame incorporated Word of Grace (which received their Soule in the faiths-deſire in the fiery Eſſence) became Man, then it gave it ſelfe to this faiths Mouth, viz: of the fiery ſouliſh Eſſence, according to the Divine and humane property, for food: Of which wee will heere following write more at large, and ſet downe the true Ground, how Chriſts fleſh and bloud it to be eaten and drunk: not out of a Conceit or Opinion, but out of the Ground of the Scripture, and true certaine knowledge through Gods Grace.

The Second Chapter. Of the Supper of the New Teſtament, how the Type is come into Subſtance.

1. WHen the time was fullfilled, that this Grace-Covenant ſhould manifeſt it ſelfe, and aſſume the Humanity with Soule and Body, then the Type ceaſed; For the Anger-fire of God in the Soule and in the fleſh of Man, was together^[153] imprinted in the Subſtantiall Word, viz: in the Divine Ens: which Divine Ens out of the Divine power, aſſumed alſo the Divine Ens of Adam, which vaniſhed as to the Kingdome of Heaven, viz: to the Holy Working Fire, when the Soule Imaged it ſelfe into Earthlineſſe; and made it living, that is burning in it ſelfe againe, through the Holy Fire, where then the Divine Sacrifice in the fire was manifeſted in the Humanity.

2. For the Soule was of the Fathers property, according to his fires might, and was become a meere fire of Anger: This the Father gave to the Sonne, as to the Manifeſted Grace-Covenant, and brought the Fathers Anger-fire in the Soule, into the Sonnes Love fire, ſo that the Fathers anger-fire and the Sonnes Love fire, in the humane Subſtance ſtood in one Ground: the Love-fire became Subſtantiall, that is, a heavenly fleſh, and gave it ſelfe to the anger-fire of the Father in the humane Lifes property, for food to a fire-burning, after the manner, as a Man putteth a pleaſant Oyly Balſam to a fire, and then the fire in its burning giveth forth out of it ſelfe, a pleaſant ſmell and vertue out of this Balſam Oyle.

3. Thus the Father now ſmelt this pleaſant ſavour in the Humanity in the Soules fire, which ſavour he formerly ſmelt in the Sacrifice in the Type: for Chriſt was now the right high Prieſt, which offered to God his Father the acceptable Sacrifice of the ſweet ſavour in the Humanity, and reconciled the Anger in the Humanity: The Altar of God upon which Moſes ſacrificed, was now in the Humanity of Chriſt, who offered up to God the ſweet humanity out of the heavenly Ens, with the Adamicall humanity into his Anger-fire, which burned in the Adamicall humanity: Sinne in the Adamicall fleſh was deſtroyed through the ſweet heavenly fleſh: viz: through the Subſtantiall Word of Love, through JESUS, viz: Gods greateſt Sweetneſſe.

4. God brought the Sacrifice of Moſes, viz: the reconciliation in fire, into the humanity, and made of Moſes, Chriſt; viz: the right high Prieſt, who with his holy bloud beſprinckled the Altar, viz: the fire-Life; as Moſes did with the bloud of Beaſts in the Type.

5. And we ſee this Eminently in the Supper of Chriſt, which when at laſt he would enter into his ſufferings, and kill ſinne in our humanity, with the ſubſtantiall Love fire in his bloud, then at laſt he Eate the Paſchall Lamb with his Diſciples: for he had given himſelfe up into the Type with his Grace-Covenant, with the heavenly fleſh, and would fullfill the Type with the fleſh of Love, and bring forth the Adamicall humanity through Death; viz: through Gods Anger, through the incloſure of the Adamicall Life into Gods Love-fire, and breake open the Priſon of Death.

6. So now in the Type of the Paſchal-Lamb he began the New Teſtament, viz: the fullfilling of theſe Types: and lead his Diſciples to the Sacrifice of the New Teſtament; viz: to the Altar of God, in his fleſh and bloud, that they ſhould eate the fullfilling of the Old Teſtament in the Sacrifice of the New Teſtament: for he brought the Old Teſtament, viz: the figure, into the New, viz: into his fleſh and bloud, which was the Sacrifice of reconciliation for the ſinnes of the World; and gave them the^[154] attonement in his fleſh to Eate, and in his bloud to drink.

7 For the reconcillation ſhould be no more done in fire, where the Fathers anger burnt away the vanity in Mans Faith, but it ſhould be done in the Love-fire, in the fleſh of Chriſt: they ſhould now with their faiths deſire, viz: with the fiery lifes Mouth of the ſoule, eate and drink the reconciliation with Chriſts fleſh and bloud: No more with Faith in the Type, but in Subſtance, no more in power without Subſtance, but with Subſtantiall Divine and humane power, wherein the humanity of Chriſt himſelfe ſhould be the Paſchal Lamb: Not Deity without Humanity, but Deity and Humanity alike.

8. For the Paſchal-Lamb muſt be eaten quite up, and ſo alſo he would not give them onely a piece of his humanity, but (Note) gave himſelfe to them wholly and altogether, into their ſoules fire-mouth, viz: into the Faiths-deſire: The ſoules fiery Mouth was now the fire of God which devoured the Sacrifice: as common fire devoureth Oyle, and giveth a cleere light out of its conſuming: Thus alſo Chriſt gave to his Diſciples, viz: to their faiths deſire, underſtand, to the fiery Mouth of the Soule, as to the true Life; his heavenly Body and his heavenly Bloud, in that manner and way, as the heavenly Ens in the limit of the Covenant gave it ſelfe, into Mary, into the vaniſhed Ens, and became one Perſon, wholly undivided.

9. Note; He gave his whole heavenly humanity to them into their Adamicall Humanity, underſtand to the Paradiſicall Ground: for every Life deſireth an Ens of its likeneſſe, viz: every fire deſireth an Ens for its burning, which is like that fire.

10. The fooliſh fire-life was become dark through the Impreſſion of Death, and therefore needed a light Ens, out of the Divine Light, as a Subſtance of Light: as a holy anointing Oyle: wherein the dark painfull Soules fire changeth it ſelfe into a Light- and Love-deſire: This now conceived upon Chriſts Altar, viz: out of Chriſts humanity, the Subſtantiall Love, viz: the Subſtantiall Wiſdome of God: that ſame fire in this Subſtance was the Name and the power JESUS, viz: Gods greateſt holineſſe, which changeth the Soules fire into a Light: whence Chriſt ſaid; Hee was the Light of the world, Joh. 8.12. For in his power, hath the Soule againe attained eyes of Divine Light, ſo that it beholdeth God againe.

11. And as a Man giveth Oyle to common fire, out of which ariſeth a Light, ſo in like manner is to be underſtood concerning the dark Soules fire; which receiveth into it ſelfe, Chriſts heavenly Ens of the Divine Subſtantiall Love, in this Teſtament, and kindleth againe, the vaniſhed even heavenly Ens in Adam, and burneth in its likeneſſe: wherein the Kingdome of Heaven, viz: the City of God is againe unlocked, where the Divine Light in that ſame unlocked Paradiſicall Ground ſhineth againe: which is the City of God in Man, where the Holy Ghoſt dwelleth; of which Chriſt ſaith; Hee that Eateth my fleſh and drinketh my bloud, he continueth in Mee and I in him, Joh. 6.56.

12. In this Paradiſicall unlocked Ground, Chriſt, viz: the Divine Love-Ens, continneth dwelling in the Light: for the power in the Light is the Divine Ens, viz: the Supernaturall heavenly fleſh, a Tincture of Life, which Tincture tinctureth the Soule, and giveth the heavenly fire-Glance to the Soules-fire; But yet that a Man may rightly underſtand it: The Soule is the Fathers fire, which receiveth into it ſelfe (viz: into its fiery deſire) the Sonnes Subſtantiall Love, viz: the holy Love-fire, which hath turned it ſelfe into the humane Tincture, viz: into fleſh and bloud, underſtand, into that ſame humane Lifes power: Thus is the changing of the Soules Will Effected.

13. Thus wee ſee firſt this figure in Moſeſes Sacrifice of reconciliation, that the Soule, viz: the Faiths deſire of the Soule brought it ſelfe into the Sacrifice, as into a Subſtance, and with the Subſtance went into the fire, where the reconciliation through fire, was made in the introduced Covenant of the Love-fire, in that manner and way, as the Subſtantiall Love of Chriſt ſhould give it ſelfe up into the Soules-fire, wherein Gods anger did burne, for food and reconciliation: Secondly, wee ſee alſo by Moſes, not onely how the Soule is ranſomed from ſinne through fire, and with the Love in the Covenant became fed with the holy fire of Grace, but they bleſſed alſo the bread and fleſh through the reconciliation of the Grace-Covenant, and did eate the ſame, viz: the holy bread and fleſh, as God alſo commanded them.

14. Which ſignifieth the Orall eating and drinking of the Subſtantiall Grace; where not onely the Soule is fed, but (Note) alſo the right Adamicall Man, which ſhall ariſe from Death againe: for the Earth was curſed through Mans ſinne, and Man muſt from the Curſe of Gods anger Eate of the Earthly fruit: but with this Sacrifice and bleſſing of the Covenant, God erecteth now a new bleſſing, ſo that Iſrael did eate of Bleſſed food againe, where the Grace preſſed through the Curſe againe, as the Sunne preſſeth and penetrateth through Water.

15. All which was a Type of the Teſtament of Chriſt, which would not onely feed the Soule with Subſtantiall fiery Love; But (Note) alſo the right Adamicall Body: and that when he would ordaine his New Teſtament under Bread and Wine, [ſignified] how the inward Grace of Love would preſſe through the outward Man, as the Sunne penetrateth through the Water, or as fire penetrateth through Iron.

16. And by the Orall eating and drinking of his New Teſtament is ſignified the Paſchal Lamb in the Old Teſtament, where the Grace-Covenant of the Divine bleſſing gave it ſelfe into a viſible Elementary Subſtance, viz: into a Medium, wherein the humane Body received the Grace: And it points at the New Teſtament, where Chriſt, viz: the Subſtantiall Grace, would with his Love, with the power of his fleſh and bloud, of Divine and humane property, give himſelfe into his fellow-Members the Chriſtians, through an Elementary Medium of bleſſed Bread and Wine for-foode and drink: where-through, the accurſed Body out of the Limus of the Earth, (which hath eaten the Curſe into it ſelfe) is bleſſed againe.

17. This wee ſee cleerly by the Laſt Supper of Chriſt, that Chriſt with the Inſtitution of the New Teſtament, would not ordaine any ſtrange or new thing, but onely fullfill the Old Teſtament; and with the Subſtantiall Grace, which in his Soule and fleſh was become MAN; give himſelfe up into the Covenant of the Old Teſtament: and himſelfe be the fullfilling, viz: the Paſchal Lamb, and the Holy bread and fleſh, where-through our right Adamicall Man is to be bleſſed: For he firſt eate the Paſchal Lamb with his Diſciples, and incorporated himſelfe with them in the Covenant of the Old Teſtament: and waſhed their feete for them: Afterwards he tooke the Bread, gave thanks, and brake it, and gave to them, and ſayd: Take and Eate, that is my body, which is given for you: In like manner alſo he tooke the Cup after the Supper and gave thanks, gave to them and ſayd: Drink yee all thereof, that is my bloud of the New Teſtament, which is ſhed for many for the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes: I ſay unto you, I will now henceforth drink no more of this fruit of the Vine, till at the day that I will drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome, Matth. 26. Mark. 14. 1 Cor. 11.23.

18. This is now the true Ground, and ſignifieth firſt how the ſweet Grace of Gods Covenant, hath given it ſelfe up into our humanity: and ſecondly, how that ſame Grace-Covenant, (which in the Old Teſtament with the Sacrifices and Paſchal-Lamb, gave it ſelfe to Iſrael under that ſame food for a bleſſing,) doth now with the aſſumed humanity give it ſelfe to Man alſo under a Medium, viz: under Bread and Wine, to be eaten and drunk: and Thirdly: how he would not take away the firſt Covenant, and begin ſome new thing; but how he himſelfe would be that very Grace-Covenant, and now preſent himſelfe as a Man, and now give himſelfe into Man after a Divine and humane way; that as they had participated of him heretofore, with his Grace in the Covenant, in the Sacrifice, in a ſpirituall way in power, through a Medium, ſo now they ſhould participate of him alſo in a corporeall and ſpirituall way through the Medium of Bread & Wine, and Subſtantially participate of that ſame incorporated Grace in the Covenant.

19. For the cauſe was this; that he would give himſelfe to them to be participated both in a humane and alſo in a Divine property, alike; that they ſhould participate of the Grace (which had given it ſelfe into the humanity, and ſlaine Death, and opened the humane Life againe, and brought it through Death) in a new humane Life: that the ſame New Life out of Chriſts Death and Reſurrection, might unlock even their Life which was ſhut up in Death, therefore he gave them this new unlocked humane Life of his aſſumed humane Life, with his fleſh and bloud, even under an Elementary Medium, that the Faith might conceive it through a Medium.

20. Therefore there muſt be a Medium, that (firſt) Gods Imagination of his Love, and (ſecondly) Mans Faiths deſire might come together, and take hold one of another by a Medium; for as the participation of the Old Teſtament was done in a Spirituall way, ſo now it ſhould be both in a Subſtantiall and Spirituall way alike: for the Deity hath now preſented the Paſchal-Lamb in the humanity of Chriſt; and Gods Imagination (which went formerly into the Sacrifice) went now into the humanity of Chriſt: and the Imagination of the humanity of Chriſt went with Divine power into the Medium of Bread and Wine, and through the ſame, in the participation thereof, into the humane Life.

The Third Chapter. How the Diſciples of Chriſt have Eaten and Drunk Chriſts fleſh and bloud: and how that is properly to be underſtood.

1. REaſon ſhould heere goe out from the Image likeneſſe into that which is unimagelike, and forſake the folly which Men ſtrive for, for it was not an Imagelike participation, but is underſtood under an Imagelike one; Chriſt gave not his Diſciples the Imaged Creaturely outward palpable fleſhly humanity, as ſome piece thereof: No, that is not conſiſtent, for he ſate by them at the Table, and did not rend the Imaged ſubſtance of his body, but he gave them the ſpirituall humanity, viz: the power and vertue of his body and bloud, his owne Mumia, wherein the Divine and humane power is underſtood: which Mumia is a true humane Subſtance of fleſh and bloud, and is a ſpirituall fleſh, out of which the viſible Image groweth, and is wholly one with the viſible Image.

2. See a Similitude in the Sunne, which ſtandeth in its Orb, but preſſeth with its Luſtre, power, and whole Subſtance, with all whatſoever it is in Eſſence, power, and Subſtance, forth out of it ſelfe into the whole world, and giveth it ſelfe to every Element, Subſtance, and Creature, to all hearbs, and Trees, alſo to every Creaturely life, and worketh in all things, whatſoever it will receive, and yet teareth not it ſelfe, when it goeth forth from it ſelfe, and giveth it ſelfe to the other Creatures, it continueth alwayes whole, and goeth not away from its Subſtance.

3 So is alſo the Supper of Chriſt to be underſtood; as wee ſee a Similitude of it in the hearbs and graſſe of the Earth, which neither doth, nor can doe any thing without the power of the Sunne, it ſetteth the Jawes of its Eſſence wide open towards the Sunnes power and vertue; that is, it hungereth onely after that, and into that hunger the Sunne ſhineth in, and kindleth the Spirit, viz: the Brimſtone, Salt, and Oyle of the Hearb: and as ſoone as that is done, that the Sunnes vertue findeth or perceiveth it ſelfe in the Brimſtone, Salt and Oyle of the Hearb, then it worketh therein, whence the Hearb attaineth a perceptible warmth, and conceiveth and impreſſeth the Sunnes vertue in it ſelfe, ſo that the Sunnes vertue and power becometh Subſtantiall in the Hearb, and groweth with the Hearb, and tinctureth the ſame, whereby the Hearb becometh Sunney or Solar, and worketh, to [the bringing forth] fruit.

4. So in like manner wee are to underſtand concerning Chriſts Teſtaments: for Hee is the Sunne of Life, and the Light of the world, Joh. 8 12 Hee according to the Deity, is the Eternall Speaking Word, viz: the power and ver[•]ue of the Deity, the power of the Divine Light, and according to the humanity, he is, the formed outſpoken Word which is wholly one with the Eternall Speaking Word: for hee hath introverted our received humanity with the Eternall Word, viz: turned the outward inward, viz: the Subſtance of Time; and turned the inward outward, viz: the Subſtance of the Eternity: and is with the Divine Subſtance, through our humane Subſtance received from us, become preſſing forth; as the Sunne preſſeth forth from it ſelfe, and giveth forth it ſelfe, ſo the Divine Subſtance giveth it ſelfe forth through the humane: Note: The Divine Subſtance bringeth the humane forth with it ſelfe; for the Divine Deſire goeth forth towards the humane Eſſence, and the humane Eſſence goeth in towards the Divine out-preſſing delight or deſire.

5. Note: But, being the Divine power and vertue excelleth the humane, therefore is the humane brought forth through the Divine power, ſo that the humane power and vertue giveth it ſelfe, together with the Divine, through the Divine power: for the humane power and vertue is a perception or invention of the Divine, wherein the Divine findeth it ſelfe in ſomething, viz: in the formed Subſtance of the word of power, wherein the Divine power loveth it ſelfe, as in its perceptible Subſtance, as the Soule loveth it ſelfe in its Body.

6. Note: And thus hath God powred his love through the humane Subſtance in the humanity of Chriſt, into the Diſciples of Chriſt, with the humane Subſtance; in that way and manner, as the Sunnes power and vertue in Spiritu Mundi, in the Spirit of the World; as with the Effluence of the power and vertue of the Starres, mingleth it ſelfe with the Spirituall Brimſtone, Salt and Oyle in the upper Elements, ſo that it comprehendeth their power and vertue in its Glance, and giveth it ſelfe to them, and it (the power) giveth it ſelfe into the Sunnes power and vertue, and [ſo they] worke together, whereby the light of Nature is unlocked, and with ſuch working give themſelves into the Earth, Hearbs, Trees, and all Creatures: ſo that in an Heath or Tree ſuch a vertue doth exiſt; whence the vegeration or budding forth of Creatures doth exiſt: where alwayes in ſuch growing or life, a man is to underſtand (1) an Elementary Subſtantiall power and vertue, and then (2) a ſuper-Elementary Sunney or Solar and Starry or Aſtrall power and vertue, where the Sunney and S[•]arry with their ſtrong power preſſe forth with the Elementary.

7. Note: Now wee ſee in hearbs and all things that grow out of the Earth, when they take hold of and Eate this power and vertue of the Sunne and Starres, in them, that they doe not rend themſelves and make or uſe a ſevered Mouth to doe it withall, but the Eſſence of their deſire (viz: even the Naturall Br[•]mſtone, Salt and Oyle in the Hearb) is the Mouth, which taketh hold and eateth in it ſelfe the Influence of the upper Elements of the Sunne and Starres: Thus alſo in like manner it is to be underſtood concerning Chriſts Diſciples and all other Men: they have Eaten and drunk Chriſts fleſh and bloud, under Bread and Wine, as through a Medium, with the [•]ſſentiall deſirous Faiths-Mouth: not with a circumſcribed creaturely comprehenſion, but with the Faiths deſire.

8. Note: Yet that a Man may rightly underſtand it [he is to know]: (1) the outward Mouth with its comprehenſion, apprehendeth the outward Elementary Subſtance, Bread and Wine: The Mortall t[•]anſitory Subſtance of Man, viz: the Groſſe Fleſh (which ſhall not, nor cannot inherite the Kingdome of Heaven, Joh. 6.63. 1 Cor. 15.50.) that apprehendeth and eateth Bread and Wine, for Bread and Wine is alſo an earthly tranſitory Subſtance, which goeth into the Belly, and out from thence againe, as all naturall ſood, Matth 15 17. And (2) the right true Man, which was created in Adam, which before the beaſtiall groſſeneſſe, was a right Man and Image of the viſible World, according to its inward Spirituall Ground; the ſame eateth Chriſts fleſh, which is even ſuch Spirituall Subſtantiall fleſh; with the Eſſentiall deſire: Note: underſtand the fleſh that he tooke on him in Mary, viz: our humane, but not the outward Ground of the Corporall foure Elements, but the Inward holy Element, viz: the Ground, out of which the ſoure Elements proceed: Not Fire, Aire, Water, and Earth, but the Eternall pure Element, which is a Subſtance of Paradiſe, which is hidden in the foure Elements, underſtand the Subſtance of Eternity, out of which time is gone forth into a viſion Subſtance: that ſame fleſh as a ſpirituall Mumia, out of which, Man as to the viſible body hath taken its originall in verbo Fiat, in the word Fiat, which in Adam became blinde as to the Kingdome of Heaven, when he went with the deſire into the foure Elementary groſſenes: which fleſhly Subſtance in Chriſts becoming Man was filled with heavenly living Subſtance, and made living againe; Note; that is it which the right Adamicall Man eateth, which ſticketh hidden in the Groſſe ſhell of the foure Elements: and in that Subſtance, the right Man Eateth Chriſts Paſſion, Dying, and Death, which death of Chriſt is in his victory become an Eternall Life, which Life ſo riſen out of the Death of Chriſt, breaketh our Earthly evill will, and is become a Death to our Death, which the outward Nature holdeth for a Life.

9. Note: Note: And heere is Chriſts Paſſion and Dying put on to Man, altogether Eſſentially,^[155] Operatively, which Lifes-Death of Chriſt, ſwalloweth up our Death, wherein the Body when it heere dyeth according to the foure Elementary Subſtance, reſteth; and the foure Elementary becometh duſt and aſhes: this ſame power and vertue of the true humanity reſteth in its Principle to the coming againe of the Corporeall Subſtance.

10. But (2) the Soule which is a ſpirituall fire, in its deſire, as with the true Faiths Mouth, eateth the Supernaturall Subſtantiall Love of the Name JESUS: which (Name) is become a Subſtantiall Power and vertue, viz: the Supernaturall Wiſdome of God, wherein the whole Deity is underſtood workingly.

11. The Soules Mouth eateth of this Holy Subſtance, whereby the Soule is turned into a Love-fire-burning, for the Love of Chriſt giveth Ens and Subſtance to the Soules Fire; the fiery Life of the Soule taketh this Love Subſtance into its Eſſence, and by this Love-burning the Temple^[156] Soph-JAH is againe unlocked, viz: the Subſtantiall Holy powerfull-Light, the true Spirit which vaniſhed in Adam: As a Light goeth forth out of fire, ſo through the Soules-fire, another Principle, viz: the property of the Divine power and vertue goeth forth, and in that out-going power and vertue dwelleth the ſupernaturall unſubſtantiall God in Trinity: for this is the Divine Principle, where God in Man dwelleth, worketh, and willeth, wherein the Divine Light is underſtood, which^[157] diffuſeth it ſelfe through the true Man, as fire through Iron.

12. Note: Underſtand it aright thus; Man ſtandeth in Three Principles, viz: in Three Beginnings: (1) the viſible Man is the viſible World, which is outward and inward, viz: a tranſitory and an untranſitory, viz: the Pure Element, and the Efflux, viz: the ſoure Elements: (2) the Groſſe Man, with outward fleſh and bloud, is the foure-Elementary Body, and the Spirituall Body in the Quinteſſence or fiſt Eſſence, is the Holy Element which is hidden in the foure, which is neither hot nor cold, neither dry nor moiſt: But the Souliſh Ground, is not the Element, it is grounded in the Eternall Word, where the fiery Word of the Fathers property hath inbreathed it ſelfe into the Created body, as another Principle of an Eternall Nature.

13. Now the Third (3) Supernaturall Ground of Man is the true Spirit, underſtand the Subſtantiall Light, the Subſtantiall Wiſdome, which with the Soules breathing in came into Man, but yet vaniſhed when the Soule brought it ſelfe from the breathing Word into owne Will, into the viſible Subſtance, with the deſire; for the Soules fire-Life out of the Fathers property, could no more attaine that, therefore was this ground vaniſhed as to the Creature, and not in God, but onely to the Creaturely Soule.

14. And when this holy Ground of the ſoule and body was hidden, then was ſoule and body a dark^[158] Dangeon, ſull of Paine and Torment: for God was hidden to it, and inſtantly the Principles according to their properties began to qualifie and operate; as (1) the Soule according to the Anger property of God the Father, which as to the light ſhining in it was hidden: And (2) the outward Body, began to qualifie in the foure Elements, viz: in hot and cold, and in all other properties of the Starres power and vertue, and every awakened property impreſſed it ſelfe into a ſubſtance, whence the body became groſſe, hard and beaſtiall, and the true Image of God, a Viſard and Monſter: And that is the ſinne, for the ſake of which Gods power and vertue went againe into the Humanity and received the Humanity, and overflowed into us againe his divine power and vertue through and in a right Humanity.

15. Seeing then Man ſtandeth in Three Principles, as an Image according to time and Eternity of the viſible and inviſible Subſtance, and that Chriſt true GOD and MAN, hath alſo put on to himſelfe the viſible and inviſible Subſtance in one undivided Perſon, ſo alſo is the participation of his Subſtance in his Teſtaments to be underſtood, as that every Principle in Man eateth and drinketh of its likeneſſe againe; viz: Note: (1) The outward right Adamicall Image out of the Limus of the Earth, eateth againe of the ſame humanity of Chriſt which he received from Man; and (2) The Soule eateth of the Divine Love-fire; and (3) the Heavenly Divine Subſtance vaniſhed in Adam, eateth of the Subſtantiall Wiſdome, and yet wholly unſevered through one onely Faiths Mouth alike: But: Note: (4) The groſſe Beaſt of the Groſſe fleſh, which is but a Huske, receiveth onely the outward husk of the Teſtament, viz: Bread and Wine, and under them the Judgement of God, that breaketh and killeth the Luſt of the body of this Groſſeneſſe; therefore Man ſhould diſtinguiſh the body of the LORD, and his bloud, from the Animall Man [that is] without Faith, which receiveth onely the Judgement under Bread and Wine, for as the Mouth is, ſo is alſo the food in the Mouth.

16. Chriſt ſayd, Joh. 6. My fleſh is the right food, and my bloud is the right drink: Alſo: I am the Bread that is come from Heaven, that Giveth Life to the World: Hee that eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my bloud, he continueth in Mee and I in Him: but he that eateth not the fleſh of the Sonne of Man, he hath no life in him: Then the Jewes contended one among another and ſayd: How can this Man give us his fleſh to eate, and were offended at this ſaying: But he ſayd: My words are Spirit and Life: Note: To ſignifie, that wee ſhould beleeve his words, and he that comprehendeth and receiveth his word in himſelfe, he comprehendeth in himſelfe that word which is become fleſh and bloud; which word is become a true humane Subſtance, and that the Faiths Mouth comprehendeth in it ſelfe, viz: the right hunger or deſire of the right true humanity, after a ſpirituall way and manner: Note: As the word of the Divine power is become Man, ſo is it alſo comprehended by the Faith, and is Man in his Members alſo.

17. That ſame Spirituall Subſtantiall Word taketh on it our Humanity, underſtand the ſpirituall humanity, and giveth it ſelfe into the ſame, and worketh and dwelleth therein ſubſtantially after a ſpirituall manner; as hee dwelt and wrought in the Body which he received from Mary: where Men ſaw on Him outwardly our fleſh and Bloud, viz: the ſpirituall Worlds ſubſtance, and yet in the viſible was the inviſible ſubſtance: of which he ſayd; Joh. 3.13. He was therewith come from Heaven.

18. Thus alſo that ſame inviſible ſpirituall ſubſtance of Chriſt, which hath united and introverted it ſelfe with our Hu[••]nity; into our Faiths deſire; in that manner as a ſpark of fire falleth into Tinder, and kindleth the Tinder, and conſumeth the ſubſtance of the Tinder, and maketh it altogether fire: ſo alſo the Subſtantiall Power and vertue of Chriſt conſumeth in his Tinder, viz: in the humane ſpirituall Ground; in the Minde,^[159] Thoughts and Will, and evill influxes in Thoughts and Will: whether they were from the deſire of the Earthly fleſh, or from the Devill, and from the Luſt of the world caſt thereinto, yet that ſame ſpirituall fire, conſumeth all, for it taketh in the Life of Man, and ruleth it.

19. It is a Light, viz: a Spirituall Oyle in the Life of Man, wherein the true Spirituall Life, viz: the ſouliſh Life burneth, and without this Spirituall Oyle there is no true Light or Life in Man, but onely an Aſtrall Light; and the true ſoule ſtandeth in the dark Dungeon in its Eſſence, and helpeth it ſelfe with the Aſtrall Light of the Sunne, in which regard it hath alſo vaine earthly Deſires and Luſt in it.

20. But that ſoule which attaineth this Holy anointing Oyle of Chriſt in it ſelfe, turneth its longing and deſires away from the vanity of the World, into Gods word and power, and is as a new young childe, that lyeth in the Mothers womb, and ſuffereth the Mother to nouriſh it: Thus it hangeth to Chriſts Eſſence, Subſtance and power, and eateth of the Stock of the Vine Chriſt, as the branch eateth of the Stock of the Vine, Joh. 15.

21. Reaſon ſhould underſtand us right, It is not ſo to be underſtood, that Chriſt hath with his fleſh and bloud, with the groſſe mortall fleſh and bloud, introverted himſelfe into Man, which fleſh and bloud is of no profit, but is onely as a receptacle or ſhall of the right ſpirituall Man: Much leſſe doth the Divine Subſtance mingle it ſelfe with Bread and Wine; ſo that when I behold the bleſſed Bread and Wine, and receive it into the Earthly mortall Mouth, I ſhould think, that I comprehended Chriſts fleſh and bloud with my fleſhly Mouth, as I comprehend Bread and Wine therewith.

22. No: That cannot be, Bread and Wine is but a Medium or meanes thereunto, even as the Earthly Mouth is a Medium or meanes of the Spirit: the Spirituall Faiths Mouth of Man comprehendeth Chriſts fleſh and bloud under Bread and Wine: not inherent in Bread and Wine: for Bread and Wine changeth not it ſelfe into Chriſts fleſh and Bloud, but it is a meanes thereto ordained, which Medium belongeth to the viſible Man, through which Medium, the Inviſible giveth it ſelfe into the Inviſible Spirituall Man.

23. In Bread and Wine two properties are underſtood, as (1) the Groſſe Elementary Earthly Subſtance, that belongeth to the Mor[•]all Man; and then (2) the power and vertue therein, wherein the Tincture of the Bread and the Wine lyeth, which (Tincture) is above the Elementary Subſtance, wherein the foure Elements lye in the Temperature, which is a heavenly Paradiſicall power and vertue; that ſame Tincture of Bread and Wine is the true Medium wherewith Chriſt the humane Tincture giveth himſelfe as into the humane Life: for, Man liveth not ^[160] from the foure Elements onely, Matth. 4.4. The Groſſe food which entereth into the Mouth, doth not alone ſuſtaine Life, but the Inward power and vertue, viz: the Quinteſſence or fiſt Eſſence, wherein the Tincture lyeth as a ſpirituall fire.

24. The Elementary food^[161] produceth onely mortall fleſh, and giveth a Source or moving of the Mortall Life, but the Spirituall Man taketh his Nutriment from the Tincture, for it ſelfe is a Tincture, viz: a Spirituall Fire: therefore Chriſt powreth or over-floweth his heavenly fleſh and bloud, viz: the Holy anointing Oyle, into the Life of Man, through and with the Nutriment of the true Life, viz: through the Tincture of Bread and Wine: Not to underſtand, that the Tincture of Bread and Wine is able to apprehend ſuch a thing, but it is onely a permiſſive Medium thereunto, as the Outward Mouth of a Man is but a Medium, where-through the power and vertue of the Tincture in the food is over flowed into the Spirituall Man: and, becauſe in Bread and Wine there lyeth the higheſt Tincture; which is neereſt to the Life of Man, which moſt of all ſuſteineth the Life of Man, therefore alſo hath Chriſt ordained this Teſtament under it.

25. But (1) wee ſhould not be earthly minded, and ſuppoſe, that after the Bread and Wine is bleſſed with the words of Inſtitution, that then Chriſts fleſh and bloud is inherent in the Bread and Wine, and that every wicked Man may partake of it without the right Mouth; No, if that were ſo, then could Bread and Wine comprehend the divine power and vertue in its own capacity, and Chriſts Spirituall fleſh and bloud were become Bread and Wine, and it would no more continue to be as Chriſt ſayd; My words are Spirit and Life, Joh. 6.63.

26. Mans ſpirituall Mouth, taketh with the Faith Chriſts words and Life, which words are a power of his fleſh and bloud, where the divine word is become a humane Subſtance: That ſame humane and divine ſubſtantiall word is given to Man with the Tincture of Bread and Wine, as through a Medium, that there may be a viſible ſigne, of what is done in the inward Ground.

27. Note, Note; (2) wee ſhould not depend on this meanes or Medium alone, and think, that Chriſts fleſh and bloud is onely and alone Participated in this uſe of Bread and Wine; as reaſon in this preſent time miſerably erreth therein: No, that is not ſo, Faith when it hungereth after Gods Love and Grace, alwayes eateth and drinketh of Chriſts fleſh and bloud, through the Medium or meanes of the bleſſed food, and without the Medium or meanes of the food: Chriſt hath not bound himſelfe to Bread and Wine alone, but hath bound himſelfe to the Faith, that hee will be in Man, Hee will continue in him, and Man ſhall continue in Chriſt: His powerfull living Word would continue ſubſtantially in the Faith, of which Subſtance, the Faith may alwayes (as alſo it ever might) eate, for it is the Faiths Nutriment, wherein the Faith doth ſubſiſt and is a Subſtance: Note: The Faith in ſuch participation becometh a ſubſtance; viz: a ſpirituall fleſh and bloud of Chriſt, in which the Living GOD in Trinity, dwelleth, worketh, and willeth.

28. The Subſtantiall Faith in Man is Chriſt himſelfe, who continueth in Man, who is the Life and Light of Man: That is, the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt, who dwelleth in us; as Paul ſayth; Know yee not, that yee are the Temple of God, that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Alſo, the Temple of Chriſt is Holy, which yee are, 1 Cor. 3.16, 17. Alſo, Shall wee that belong unto Chriſt, be yet Sinners? that be far from us, then were Chriſt a ſervant of Sinne, in us, Galat. 2.17. This ſame ſubſtantiall Faith is alſo the branch on the Vine of Chriſt, which power and vertue penetrates through the whole Man (as the Sunne doth an hearb) and killeth the Luſt and workes of the fleſh.

29. The Mortall fleſh is not the Subſtantiall Faith; that fleſh comprehendeth not Chriſts fleſh and bloud, but ſuffereth it as a Groſſe ſtone ſuffereth the Tincture of Gold: and as fine Gold lyeth and groweth in the Groſſe ſtone; ſo alſo the love of Chriſt groweth in the true Life of Man, and penetrateth through the Life, as fire doth through Iron: Not that ſuch power ſtood in Mans Life, that it could receive the ſubſtance of God in its owne power and vertue; No, it is given him of Grace; as the Sunne of its own will giveth it ſelfe to the Hearb: And the Hearb cannot therefore ſay, I am the Sunne, becauſe the Sunne worketh in it: ſo alſo can Man not ſay:^[162] I am Chriſt, becauſe that Chriſt dwelleth and worketh in him as in his Expreſſe Image: But the Creature is the Paſſive wherein the Creator dwelleth and worketh.

30. Wee are Members of Chriſt according to his humanity, and are therefore called Chriſtians, becauſe Chriſt dwelleth and worketh in us, in that wee are in our Life his twiggs and branches, in thoſe in whom he bringeth forth fruit through his power and vertue: O little Children, it is a Great Myſterie! Note, Note; the uſe of this Teſtament, where wee eſpecially under Bread and Wine ſhould partake of Chriſts fleſh and bloud; is therefore ordained, that ſo wee ſhould come together, and eate of One Bread, drink of One Cup, and thereunder receive Chriſt, that wee ſhould Inſtruct one another, what he hath done for us, and declare his ſuffering Death and bloud-ſhedding one among another, and teach it to our children, and ſhould binde our ſelves therewith in Love, and exhort one another, that wee in Chriſt are Members of one Body, that wee in Chriſt are all but One.

31. Even as the One onely Chriſt giveth himſelfe into us all in Common to be one onely Life, and loveth us all in his one onely Humanity, and reacheth forth that ſame onely humanity with his great Love and Grace to us all in Common, under one Bread and Wine, and ſo bindeth himſelfe to us in one only participation: Thus ſhould wee alſo in ſuch coming together and participation, as members of one body, binde our ſelves together in true Love and faithfulneſſe, and ſeriouſly Conſider, that in ſuch participation wee are all but one in Chriſt: for wee partake all of one onely Chriſt, and in that ſame one Chriſt wee are one onely Body, which is Chriſt in his Members: O little Children, what a depth of Myſterie is this if wee did rightly conſider it! Satan in the Anger of God, hath rent us aſunder, and made us at odds, ſo that wee have Oppoſite thoughts: and heere cometh Chriſt with his Love, and maketh us all, in himſelfe, one onely Man againe, which is he himſelfe in us: ſo that all of us together are become branches rooted in his tree, which he himſelfe is; and all live from his vertue and ſubſtance, and ſtand in one ſtock, which is himſelfe.

32. Therefore wee ſhould rightly conſider this, and not with unworthy hearts and Mouths draw neere to this Communion, and ſuppoſe it is enough, that wee partake of Bread and Wine: No, it is a brotherly, memberly Band and Covenant; wee binde our ſelves therewith in Chriſt to be one onely Man, and that ſame one onely Man, is every one himſelfe in Chriſt: therefore our purpoſe in ſuch coming together ſhould be, that wee as Members of one Body, will binde our ſelves faſt with ſuch participation, and forſake Satan with his Oppoſite will, and heartily love one another, as Chriſt hath loved us, and hath given his life into Death for us.

33. To this End is this Teſtament of participation under Bread and Wine ordained: Not to underſtand, as if it were a participation apart and aſunder, whereof a Chriſtian without the uſe of this could not partake: for if wee are in Chriſt, and he himſelfe be in us, and is our Life and Light, and wee thus rooted in him in the Subſtantiall Faith; which Faiths Subſtance he himſelfe is: Wherefore ſhould not then that ſame Lifes deſire, be able alwayes, if it but turne it ſelfe thereinto, to eate thereof: this Ordinance is onely a memberlike Band of Love; that wee might thereby inſtruct one another what Chriſt hath done for us, till hee ſhall viſibly come to us againe in his aſſumed humane Imagelikeneſſe; and as our right High Prieſt be ever with us and in us.

The Fourth Chapter. Of the difference of ſuch Participation, what the wicked receive by this Teſtament: and how a Man ſhould rightly prepare himſelfe for it; that he may be rightly worthy.

1. AS is above-mentioned, it lyeth not in the conceit or ſuppoſition that one need onely draw neere with the Body to ſuch Communion, and think: when I have participated of Bread and Wine with others: then I have received the true Teſtament of Chriſt, whereby my ſinnes are forgiven mee: No, St Paul ſayth: Hee that diſtinguiſheth not the Body of the LORD from Bread and Wine, he receiveth it to his owne Judgement, 1 Cor. 11.29. Bread and Wine cannot apprehend this Teſtament, much leſſe the Faithleſſe, who come to it onely out of Cuſtome, and that he will have the Name of a Chriſtian.

2. So alſo it ſtandeth not in the Prieſts power, with his bleſſing to bring the Body and Bloud of Chriſt into the Bread and Wine; but it ſtandeth in the Divine Inſtitution, which Inſtitution is hidden from the wicked Mouth, and it is done to him as to Judas, who though indeed he alſo eate and drank of the Bread and Wine of the Supper; and was invited to the Teſtament; yet he did not receive Chriſts fleſh and bloud, viz: the Love of God; for after the Supper Satan went into him: which is as much as to ſay: the power and vertue of the Teſtament touched him, ſo that his inward falſe Faiths Mouth, was thus ſtirred and opened, but as his Faiths Mouths was, ſo was alſo the Teſtament in his participation, as the Scripture ſayth: With the Holy thou art Holy, and with the perverſe thou art perverſe Pſal. 18.26, 27.

3. Hee received the Teſtament of Chriſt, but [it was] the Judgement onely: which Judgement in the Holy or Saints killeth the Earthly Will of the Serpent: that is, when the Soule is capable of the holy power and vertue; ſo that it hath a Mouth of Faith, which receiveth the Love in the Teſtament, then it receiveth alſo herewith in like manner Chriſts ſuffering. Death and Reſurrection, which killeth Sinne in Soule and Fleſh; but the wicked Mouth is not capable of the Love; therefore it receiveth onely Chriſts ſuffering and Death, and Not his Reſurrection, for with his falſe opinion, he layeth his deſire, viz: the falſe Faiths Mouth, to Chriſts Fleſh and Bloud, and killeth Chriſt in this participation in his Teſtament, in himſelfe: he is thereby Guilty of the Death of Chriſt, for with his falſe participation, and falſe Faiths deſire, he toucheth the ſevere Judgement of God in Chriſts Agony, Wounds, and Death.

4. Therefore, in that he is onely capable of the Judgement, the Judgement of God which killed Chriſt for our ſinnes ſake, in this Teſtament is moveable in the Soule and property of the wicked; which Judgement, toucheth or ſtirreth Chriſts wounds and Death in his Teſtament, in this participation of falſe property, for the falſe Serpents-ſeede with this touch^[163] ſtingeth Chriſt in the Heele: for Chriſt offereth the Soule his Teſtament, and would ſlay the Serpent: but while Satan hath the chife Dominion in the Soule, he will not receive it, but through the Soules Eſſence caſteth his falſe Poyſonous rayes^[164] upon the wounds of Chriſt, and deſireth to kill Chriſt.

5. Underſtand; he deſireth to poyſon and infect that Ground in Man, where Chriſts Bloud and Death, with his Reſurrection, ſhould be poſſeſſed, and ſtirreth it ſelfe ſo much the more in the falſe Soule, as he did in Judas: when he received this Teſtament, then he was Stirring in Judas, and tooke his life in: Therefore ſayth the Scripture; After the Sop, Satan entered into him, Joh. 13.27. For his falſe Heart had ſtirred the Judgement of God, therefore it came alſo into him, for it was within him aforehand, but not manifeſt, till he touched the Covenant in the Teſtament; ſo it went with him as with Ʋzza, Who unworthily touched the Arke of God, 2 Sam. 6.6, 7. 1 Chron. 14.9, 10. which a wicked Man ought to obſerve, that he doe not without repentance for his ſinnes touch this Teſtament, elſe, he layeth his hand of falſe property, on Chriſts Wounds, Agony and Death, and will in the End receive Judas wages therefrom.

6. It is not ſo to be underſtood, as if the wicked, who applyeth himſelfe with others to the Covenant of the Teſtaments of Chriſt, did receive nothing, as alſo is to be underſtood in Baptiſme; for the Teſtament ſtandeth firme, the Inſtitution continueth in power and vertue, for the Faithleſſe doth not take away the Covenant and power; The Covenant goeth with ſuch participation and uſe, into all, but as the Mouth is, ſuch alſo is the participation: Gods great Love and Grace, viz: the Subſtantiall Love, giveth not it ſelfe into the wicked Soule, but the Proceſſe of Chriſt, with his paine,^[165] Agony, Scorne and Death, goeth indeed into the wicked ſoule, for therein the Man-Devill, viz: the wicked Heart, pierceth Chriſt in his wounds, and maketh it ſelfe Guilty of the Death of Chriſt.

7. The wicked indeed participateth on Chriſts Going into Hell, on his Anguiſh, and Death, but he is not capable of his Reſurrection, wherein Chriſt ruleth over Death and Hell: for his wicked will deſireth not to dye in Chriſts Death with Chriſt, to his wickedneſſe and falſe matters and converſation, but deſireth onely to ariſe and Live with ſinnes in Chriſts Spirit; he will rule in the Reſurrection of Chriſt with his Earthly Lucifer, therefore he treadeth the Death of Chriſt with the feete of his falſe deſire, and doth the ſame which the Phariſees did to Chriſt: therefore it were better for him not to boaſt himſelfe to be a Chriſtian, and that he did not touch or meddle with Chriſts Teſtament.

Of the Ground of Abſolution. What forgiveneſſe of Sinnes is.

8. The falſe conceit and groſſe^[166] miſ-underſtanding, when Men teach, Chriſts Teſtaments deſtroy ſinne, needs yet a more^[167] acute expoſition, that the wicked Man may not thus hide himſelfe under it, and ſo cover himſelfe with Chriſts purple Mantle, and weare it as a Badge upon him in falſhood: Chriſts Bloudſhedding, as when he deſtroyed Gods Anger therewith, and turned the Anger into Love, is that which deſtroyeth ſinne: Hee that worthily participateth of Chriſts Bloudſhedding, in him ſinne is deſtroyed through his victory and reſurrection with his bloud and Love; Hee that cometh to it with a Penitent heart for his by-paſt ſinne, and is angry at it, and hath a ſtrong purpoſe in himſelfe, no more to enter into it, he layeth hold with the Faith on the Teſtamentary Grace.

9. It is falſe for one to deferre his repentance till the participation of the Teſtament of Chriſt, [and then to think] that the ſame will take away his ſinne: There is no forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, either by Teſtament or Abſolution, unleſſe a Man convert from ſinne, and be renewed through earneſt ſincere Repentance and turning in to the Grace of God in Faith on Chriſt in the Holy Ghoſt: that he taketh up another will and reſolution to goe out from falſhood and wickedneſſe.

10. For, the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes in Chriſts Teſtaments, and without the uſe of them is nothing elſe but this: when Chriſt in the Converting Sinner ariſeth from Mans Death, into Mans Faith; and a New obedient will ariſeth out of his Death, and becometh a Light in Mans Life, ſo that the Eternall Night is turned into a cleere Day, then Sinne is forgiven: for if the Eternall day of Love dawneth, then is the Night of the Eternall Darkneſſe of Gods Anger turned into Love, and there is the Wedding of the Lamb rightly kept; and not with the unworthy Heart, which without repentance and forſaking of its ſinnes runneth to the Teſtament, and ſuppoſeth, that its ſinnes are forgiven through the laying on of the Prieſts Hand, and participation of the Teſtaments.

11. The Prieſt hath no power to forgive ſinne, it ſtandeth not in his owne might and power, the might is in the Ordinance of Chriſt: Chriſt in Man, and ſo farre alſo as he is in the Prieſt himſelfe, forgiveth ſinne to the Repenting Conſcience: The Abſolution is but a Medium, viz: an outward ſigne thereof, that wee ſhould receive one another in Love and hearty forgiveneſſe, and binde and reconcile our ſelves in the Love of the bands of Chriſt, in his Bride, and in Love receive one another into the Communion of the body, viz: of the Bride of Chriſt.

12. The Miniſter of Chriſt, taketh the faithfull Penitent Man, through an Outward Abſolution, in Chriſts ſtead, into the^[168] Communion or Congregation of Chriſt: Hee is with his Abſolution a Medium or meanes, of that which Chriſt himſelfe through his abſolution doth^[169] Effectually in the inward Ground, and ſo Man is through ſuch a a Medium outwardly confirmed: But if there be no Faith and converſion there; but onely a Cuſtome, then there is alſo no Abſolution; for the Prieſts Abſolution without Chriſts co-working, is powerleſſe and dead, for the power ſticketh not barely in the outward Ordinance and in the Prieſt, but in the Communion of the Saints in Chriſt, viz: in the Bride of Chriſt, the ſame taketh the Repenting Man into their Memberlike fraternity, in the Faith of that which is to come, the Spirit of Chriſt in his members receiveth him.

13. A wicked Prieſt, in whom the Spirit of Chriſt is not, cannot abſolve him, nor receive him, but the Office of Chriſt through the word of his Promiſe, receiveth him: A falſe Prieſt is but an outward workleſſe inſtrument as to himſelfe, and doth no more with this than the wicked Prieſt with the Water-Baptiſme, which onely powreth the water, and ſpeaketh the words without co-working; But the Spirit of the Office looketh not upon the unworthy Miniſter of the Office, but upon thoſe that come to the Office with Faith: He abſolveth him through his Office, and receiveth him with the Bride of Chriſt in whom Hee worketh, into the Church or Congregation, and not by a wicked Phariſee, who himſelfe is not capable of the Office, and onely ſitteth there as an Idoll, which Man worſhippeth, and is himſelfe but a Devill full of falſhood, and attributeth that to himſelfe, which he himſelfe hath not.

14. There muſt be earneſtneſſe uſed in going about with ſuch an Office of the power of God, or elſe Chriſt is but mocked therein: Therefore no Man ſhould relye upon the Ordinance and think, that the Ordinance abſolveth him, or that for the Ordinance and Inſtitution ſake of Chriſt he receiveth the Teſtament: If any will receive Chriſt into himſelfe for a lodger; he muſt then bring the Temple of Chriſt, wherein Chriſt abſolveth him, with him into the Ordinance; The abſolution is but a receiving into the Communion of the Members of Chriſt; the Prieſt receiveth him outwardly with the Congregation, and Chriſt receiveth him in the Faith, and bindeth himſelfe workingly with him; which cannot be done without Faith and Earneſt turning into God: and now as Chriſt worketh inwardly in him, ſo alſo the Congregation or Church, viz: the Bride of Chriſt, worke membrally in him with their prayers, and they all are but one in Chriſt.

15. But it is a ſnare of the Devill, that the wicked think, that he is a ſinner indeed, but he will at laſt goe to the Office of Chriſt, to the Communion of Saints; and will be abſolved and receive Chriſts Teſtament, that his ſinnes may once be forgiven him, and then will ſinne a new, when his old ſinne is done away: as it cometh to paſſe, that many begin to hang their heads a little and make a ſhew, and preſently afterwards enter into their old Cuſtome againe, into all abominations and Blaſphemy: Theſe Crucifie Chriſt, and^[170] pierce him in his wounds; and it goeth with ſuch a one as with Judas, who after he had eaten, Satan entered into him, it were better he continued altogether from it, ſo long as it is not with him in Earneſtneſſe, if that he thinketh to be and remaine a true Chriſtian

Of true Chriſtianity. What a right Chriſtian is.

16. Chriſtianity is not a bare conceit, that a Man need onely to acknowledge with the Mouth and beleeve, that Chriſt dyed for us, and hath ſatisfied for ſinne, that a Man need onely to give aſſent to the Goſpel, and hold the Hiſtory of what was done by Chriſt, to be true, and that a Man need onely and balely to goe to his Teſtament, and there receive the Grace which he left behinde him, and comfort himſelfe therewith, and accompt it as a Merit and imputed Grace: It is not enough for a Man to heare Sermons preached, and to be Baptiſed to Chriſt, and goe to the Supper, ſo that a Man doe but keepe the Cuſtome: this by farre maketh no Chriſtian, it muſt be Earneſtneſſe, none is a Chriſtian, unleſſe Chriſt live and work in him; as Chriſt himſelfe ſayth; Without mee yee can doe nothing: Joh. 15.5. Alſo: Hee that gathereth not with mee ſcattereth, Matth: 12.30.

17. A Chriſtian muſt be one Spirit in and with Chriſt, and will and work in the power of Chriſt: it is a living active working Grace, in a Chriſtian; a continuall burning fire, a feeling power and vertue, which though it be often covered with the Luſt of the fleſh, and the vanity of the world, yet it^[171] glimmereth and burneth in the Heart, as a fire, and reproveth the fleſh, and the vaine luſt of untruth, rejecteth the falſe way, and willeth it not: that ſame inward fire is the Spirit of Chriſt, which without ceaſing breaketh the head of the Serpent; viz: the Luſt of the fleſh: The fleſh hath the will of this world; but that ſame kindled ground, hath the will of God: If any be a Chriſtian, then he will hate and be angry at the will of the fleſh, he will be an Enemy to his evill fleſhly Luſt, and conſtantly complaine and hold himſelfe to be unworthy, ^[172] and continually with his inward will of the ſoule ſinck himſelfe, into the^[173] meereſt Grace, into Gods mercy, and not ſay of himſelfe, I am a right Chriſtian, but will continually preſſe with his Deſire into Gods Mercy, and fly to Grace, that he might be but a right Chriſtian, and will accompt himſelfe in all his converſation alwayes too unworthy of ſuch Grace, and in continuall reſigned humility with weeping and prayer; onely preſſe into Grace, his whole life will be a [〈7 letters〉]all Repentance, and [he will] evermore deſire to apprehend Grace, as it hath apprehended him.

18. A right Chriſtian is affrighted at ſinne, when the Luſt of the fleſh would worke ſinne: alſo when he ſeeth others work ſinne, then he groaneth in himſelfe at it; and wiſheth that ſuch evill were not committed, it is an abomination to him in his Eyes, he loveth truth and righteouſneſſe, and hateth the falſe way: and although the Earthly fleſh often unawares without any purpoſe of will, falleth upon him with a ſudden falſe Luſt, and many times bringeth him to fall, as hath been with David, and Solomon; and Many Saints, and is ſtill done, yet ſuch a Man in whom the Spirit of Chriſt is, doth not lye in ſinne; but the Inward Ground, viz: the Incorporated Grace in the Spirit of Chriſt, cometh quickly with Gods^[174] ſevere righteouſneſſe, in the Anger, and entereth into him in the Conſcience; as the Prophet Nathan entered into Davids conſcience, and touched his conſcience, and awakened the fire of Anger: when David ſuddenly began with great ſorrow to repent and acknowledge his ſinne, and entered into ſuch Earneſt Repentance, that he would receive no comfort from all his friends, and would not ſuffer his Eares to be filled with comfort, and the tickling of Grace, till he felt the Grace of the Lord in his Conſcience; no flattery would ſet his heart at peace, till the Lord ſpake into him with his Grace[•] 2 Sam. 12.7.

Of the worthy preparation to the holy Teſtament of Chriſt.

19. If any will call himſelfe a Chriſtian, and comfort himſelfe with the Merits of Chriſt, and approach to his Teſtament, and worthily receive the ſame, let him conſider his wayes well, and looke to his heart, and ſee how it is framed, 1. Whether he ſtandeth in ſuch a deſire, as to be willing to dye wholly from vanity; 2. Whether it be in his purpoſe, to goe out from all falſhood, unrighteouſneſſe, lying and deceit; and that he be reſolved never to enter into them againe: 3. Whether he deſire the Grace of God in Chriſt, with a cleane pure wil 4. Alſo whether he is ſorry for his ſinne: 5. Whether he finde and feele ſuch a will in himſelfe, that from henceforth he will wholly goe forth from his former Sinnes and Blaſphemies: 6. And alſo whether he be ſo minded, that he will yeeld up his whole heart and will to Gods Mercy: 7. Alſo whether he findeth feeleth and knoweth a place in himſelfe where he will lay up this high Teſtament, viz: the fleſh and bloud of Chriſt with his Grace: 8. Alſo whether or no he hath made roome in his heart and whole ſoule for the Spirit of Chriſt, that he may there enter in as a Living Conqueror over Death and Hell, and may erect his Kingly Palace in his heart and ſoule: 9. And whether he be capable of this, where Chriſt ſayth; Wee will come unto you and make our dwelling in you, Joh. 14.23. 10. Alſo whether the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt in him be ſwept and purged with right repentance: 11. Alſo whether there be a right Mouth in him, that can rightly receive Chriſts Holy fleſh: 12. Alſo whether the Eſſence of his Life be ſo framed, that Chriſt with his Subſtance and with his Love may continue therein? For Chriſt ſayth, Hee that Eateth my fleſh and drinketh my Bloud, continueth in Mee and I in him, Joh. 6.56. 13. Alſo whether he finde in his Minde that the Streame of the Living Waters of Divine Love flow from him, that he love his God, and his brother and Neighbour as himſelfe: 14. Alſo whether he wiſheth and deſireth to doe Good to his Enemies. 15. Whether he accompteth any thing in this world as his owne, of which he ſayth; This is mine owne onely: 16. Or whether in that which he hath and poſſeſſeth he accompteth himſelfe but a ſervant of God, and a Steward to him and his brother therein: and Conſider that he is but an Officer and Servant of God in his ſtate and condition, & in his temporall Goods, that none of it is his own, but Gods and his brothers? 17. Alſo whether he truſteth God in his converſation, and keepe and eſteeme his Life as his Lord Chriſt did; who was but a Pilgrim in this world, and had nothing for his owne, and alſo willingly left his Life for his brethren? 18. Alſo whether he findeth a ſparkle of ſuch a will in himſelfe.

20. Now if he finde all this in himſelfe, then he is rightly worthy and very fit for ſuch a Teſtamentary participation: but if not, and yet findeth ſuch a hunger in himſelfe, that he would willingly be and will ſo, then he is in the drawing of the Father to the Grace in Chriſt, then he ſhould not long parly with Reaſon, and frame doubts in himſelfe, but ſhould that very houre enter into ſuch an Earneſt purpoſe, that he will enter into Earneſt ſincere Repentance, and continually fly to the Grace of God in Chriſt, and pray, that he will give him ſuch a heart and will, and not attribute to himſelfe, as if he would attaine it in his owne power and vertue, but barely and meerly ſinck into the moſt pure Grace, into the Mercy of God, and be in himſelfe as a young childe, which onely hath a deſire after the Mothers Milke, that cannot help himſelfe, but flyeth to the Mother for her to helpe him.

21. His going to the Communion of Saints ſhould be in Humility: with a right reconciliation with all thoſe, whom he hath wronged, or who have wronged him, and ſhould forgive all his Enemies, and wiſh the ſame to them which he deſireth for himſelfe: With the feare of God, and a penitent Heart, in a right Earneſt purpoſe, he may approach thereto, and bring no owne deſire to the Teſtament of Chriſt, nor willing to apprehend and comprehend ſuch Grace by his owne ability, but onely ſinck himſelfe downe, and wholly give himſelfe up into the Grace as unworthy: and caſt himſelfe upon the Grace, to doe with him what it will; and not at all will to deſire the Spirit of Divine Joy; underſtand, as a propriety; but give himſelfe up to it, and ſinck downe in the Grace, that the ſame (Spirit of Grace) may be in him how and when it will.

22. The Heart and Minde ſhould ſay in it ſelfe before the Teſtament of God, thus: O thou Great Grace of God, I unworthy ſinfull Man, come to thee upon thy Call, whereas thou haſt bidden us poore Men to come and thou wilt refreſh us, Matth. 11.28. Be it done unto mee according as thou ſayſt, how thou wilt, I give up my ſelfe herewith wholly and altogether, doe thou with mee poore unworthy Man according to thy Grace, how thou wilt; I will Eternally be thy owne: Break now my will, and govern it with thy will, I can and am able to doe nothing but ſinck now wholly and altogether into thy Grace.

23. Such a Man as ſo wholly giveth himſelfe up to God, and continueth ſtanding in ſuch reſignation with his will, he will in the End when the Grace moveth in him, finde and feele, what Grace and Divine Love is: When the Divine fire is kindled in his life, then he will ſeele and taſte what Chriſt in him is, and finde quickly how he is become another Man of other thoughts and will.

24. And then he is a Chriſtian, when Chriſts Love-fire ſtriveth with Gods Anger in the Conſcience, and it will be ſet before that Man in Chriſts proceſſe in this world, that he muſt follow after Chriſt, in his ſuffering, anguiſh, paine, ſcorne, and perſecution, and muſt take the Croſſe of Chriſt upon him, and be conformable to Chriſts Image: where there is Inwardly Strife againſt Sinne, and fleſhly Luſts that are in him, ſo that he deſpiſeth himſelfe and hateth the evill Luſt; and outwardly he hath contempt, ſcorne, trouble, and miſery: whereas the world accompteth him for a ſtranger and a foole, where reaſon looketh upon it ſelfe as fooliſh, and he himſelfe as to the matters and converſation of this world will be a foole, and hateth every thing which his fleſh loveth: where there is none that flattereth him, but all his good friends, ſhun him and withdraw themſelves, except onely a few of the children of God, who take notice of it, and whom God ſendeth him for his comfort: Then may he think, that he at that time with Chriſt, hangeth to the Croſſe, and he ſo behaveth himſelfe, that he would willingly even dye with Chriſt, for the profeſſion ſake of the Tru h, in hope that he alſo in Chriſts victory and overcoming ſhall ariſe with Chriſt, and live Eternally in Chriſt.

25. This is a Chriſtian and worthy for the Communion of Saints, who is entered into this proceſſe, and converſeth therein: All others who goe onely out of Cuſtome, and accompt Chriſts Teſtament, for an outwardly imputed Grace, and as a worke done beleevingly appropriate it to himſelfe, and will receive it as a Gift, but will not be new-borne, and be another Man of other thoughts and will, and keepe the defiled Cloake of ſinne in the Conſcience in him, and paſſe quickly againe into the old footſteps: All theſe are unworthy and unfit, and uncapable of the Teſtament, and receive it onely unto Judgement, as before is mentioned.

The Fift Chapter. Of the Contention, Diſputation, and Strife of the Learned about Chriſts Teſtaments: what they Effect therewith, and what is to be held concerning it.

1. NOt out of an affection to meddle with any one in his good Conſcience, will I adde this Chapter, but for the comfort of the ſimple children of Chriſt, which Men ſo lead into Errour, and ſhut them up in opinions, and ſeduce them from the true underſtanding in contention, and make of Chriſts Teſtaments a meere Den of Murther, and binde and ſhut up the Conſcience in Snares and Bands, to them I will ſignifie what they ſhould hold concerning the contentious Diſputation of the Learned in Reaſon, and what they ſet up thereby.

2. Chriſts Teſtaments are nothing elſe, but a Band and Covenant between God and Man, a Memberlike union of the children of Men, where God with the humanity of Chriſt hath bound himſelfe with Man againe after the fall, to be their loving God: Now all that without this Memberlike Band and Covenant of Love, contend and diſpute about conceits and opinions, about knowledge, that goeth into owne ſelfe without Chriſt, and there is no true underſtanding in any ſuch, for none knoweth Chriſt, but the Father onely, and thoſe to whom the Father will reveale him, Matth. 11.27.

3. Now if Chriſt be revealed to and in a Man, then he hath no contentious Diſputation, nor Strife with any Man about that knowledge and skill, but he is lowly, and accompteth himſelfe unworthy of any ſuch knowledge; he deſpiſeth none for the difference ſake of his Gifts, but is in Love with all Men, and letteth every Man have his owne, and giveth to his Neighbour onely his Love will, and conſidereth how he may be a Member of Chriſt and of his Brethren and Siſters.

4. But that Men run into ſo many Opinions, and ſtrive, contend, and diſpute about them, and deſpiſe one another for the Letter ſake, and ſcorne, and give them to the Devill: there the ſimple Chriſtian is to know, that in all ſuch Strife there is no true underſtanding, but meere Pride and Antichriſtian ^[175] doings, or miſerable confounding of the words of Chriſt, where nothing ariſeth from it but diſunion, unſafety, Enmity, and nothing elſe is effected therewith but the Devills will.

5. And that is, becauſe they give out themſelves to be Teachers of the Kingdome of Chriſt, and yet are not ſent or knowne of God; they take their matter all from others, and exchange words and letters, and contend and diſpute about the Art, how Men may artificially ſet letters together, and make opinions, which compoſure is moſt artificiall, and compell the Conſciences into that Art; but they themſelves underſtand not what they doe: their knowledge ſticketh barely in the letters, and yet have not the Living word CHRIST in them, who giveth teſtimony to the Literall word: Had they Chriſt in the Love in them, then they would impart that ſame Love, and would ſhew men Chriſt in themſelves, and would ſo walke that Men might ſee they were Chriſts children: But while they onely contend and diſpute, and will not ſo love and live, themſelves, it is falſe and but an hypocriticall ſhew.

6. But that this is true, let Men looke upon their ſuppoſition, about which they contend: One heape of them ſayth, Chriſt is ſubſtantially under Bread and Wine: Alſo, Bread and Wine is changed into the Teſtament of Chriſt, and there is a change of the Bread and Wine; and ſo will receive Chriſt into the Beaſtiall and Mortall Man, which Beaſt yet is not profitable^[176] as to Holineſſe: The other Party ſayth; It is onely a ſigne and ſignification of the Body of Chriſt, that he was broken or dyed for us: and denieth the^[177] preſent ſubſtantiall participation, and underſtand nothing concerning Man, what and how he is, what he wanteth and ſtandeth in need of, that he may attaine the ſalvation of God againe: The Third Party will handle the matter beſt, and keep to the words of the Inſtitution, but ſay; That Chriſt is participated with and under Bread and Wine, that is, Chriſts fleſh and bloud is eaten and drunke under Bread and Wine; but yet have no underſtanding how that comes to paſſe, what is in Man that is capable of ſuch a Gift, and will know nothing of the inward Ground and right Adamicall humanity, and deny alſo moreover the Subſtantiall inhabiting of Chriſt, and is as farre from underſtanding as either of the other two: Neither will they know how the participation is wrought, but depend barely on the dead letter, but lay about them, laſh and thunder, with railing, ſcorne, Hereſie, and Blaſphemy.

7. Every party ſtriveth onely about a literall Image, and will have Chriſt bound to their^[178] Imagelike opinion, and will be Patron of that ſame Image, and doe it upon no other ground, but that they will attaine Glory, honour, and high Eſteeme by it: which may be knowne in that they all of them diſgrace and contemne one another, that each of them may but maintaine his^[179] Imagelike opinion, and be called and eſteemed^[180] Lords of the Myſteries of Chriſt; and yet in the ground of their hearts reſpect nothing but the Earthly Lucifer, with temporary honour and ſelfe-will; and will be^[181] worſhipped as Chriſt: Every party would have it ſo, that Men ſhould worſhip their Image, viz: their framed literall Opinion.

8. With Chriſts Teſtaments they diſtinguiſh their Images, and make them a Sect therewith: and cry; Heere is the Church of Chriſt, there is Hereſie and Seduction: cleave unto mee, heere is Chriſt: and therewith imbitter the hearts of Kings and Princes, as alſo the Mindes of the People, ſo that one brother, for an Image-like opinion ſake, deſpiſeth, diſgraceth, ſlandereth, and blaſphemeth another, and accompts him and cryeth out upon him for Devilliſh, and will raiſe warres and bloudſhed, and deſolation of Land and People, for the ſake of ſuch Idoll-Images: all which are a meere empty ſhell without fruit, and belong to the fiery World for Seperation.

9. Men have brought it to this paſſe, that the people think they are ſaved, if they doe but cleave to the opinion [of ſuch men] and allow it: whether they underſtand it or no, when they doe but honour a Sectarian Name thereby, and hold the Patron of their opinion to be right; ſo that when one heareth the name of him, he cryeth; Yes, yes, that is right: and yet knoweth not what it is: ſo altogether have men blinded and ſeduced the ſimple, that Men looke onely upon Mens Names, and think Chriſt is in the Opinion; and that which is yet worſe, men ſo compell the people with power into ſuch Image-like Opinions, and have ſo blinded Men, that they forſake even body and Goods for an Opinion ſake, which yet they underſtand not in the ground of it, and perſecute, hate, and kill one another for it.

10. Every one of them cryeth Men will take away the true Doctrine, viz: the true Faith, from them, and yet they have it not, neither is it in their Opinion; thus altogether is the world filled and blinded with Opinions: Men ſuppoſe, if a Man uſe but Chriſts Teſtaments according to the opinion of his Patron, then there is bleſſedneſſe and ſalvation therein, elſe there can be no ſalvation: and whoſoever imagineth not according to the ſame opinion, and hangeth and cleaveth to them, cannot be ſaved; alſo he is no true member of the right Chriſtendome.

11. Men doe ſo miſerably contend about ſuch Image-like opininions, that the Churches are made nothing elſe but meere houſes of contentious Diſputation, and ſpirituall Dennes of Murther: which Murther in the End comes to warres and bloudſhed, and meere diſgrace and diſhonour is done to Chriſt for his holy Gifts and Teſtaments ſake: and nothing elſe in truth is thereby erected, but as Iſrael danced about the Golden Calfe, and made an Idol-calfe to be their God, and joyed in their owne handiworke; viz: in their Idoll-Image, and loſt their God: and therefore alſo the anger of God was wrath againſt them, and devoured them all in the Wilderneſſe, ſo that ſuch Idoll and Image Servants could not come into the promiſed Land.

12. Loving brethren, contend not about Opinions, all contentious Diſputation is an Image of an Idoll: Chriſt hath concerning his Omnipreſence, told us of no opinion, where he ſayth, He will be with us every day to the End of the world, Matth. 28.20. He ſayth not, in ſuch or ſuch an opinion, but where he ſignifieth his preſence, he ſayth thus; as the lightening goeth forth and ſhineth to the going downe thereof, ſo ſhall alſo the Ever enduring coming of the Sonne of Man be, Matth. 24.27. And ſayth; The kingdome of God is inwardly within you, Luk. 17.21.

13. Chriſts Light and power riſeth up in his children in the inward Ground, and ſhineth to them through the whole courſe of their life, and in that well-ſpring of Light is the kingdome of God in M[•]n: Now if he have not this, let him contend and diſpute as much as he will, yet he will bring it into him by no opinion; but if he hath it, out of the ſame wellſpring flow even ſtreames of Love; it needeth no Opinion, let him onely looke that Chriſts kingdome be borne in him, that Chriſt be Man in him: elſe he is no Chriſtian, be he how he will for opinion, he muſt ſtand as a branch in the vine of Chriſt, Joh. 15. The Opinion helpeth him not, but the true Faith, which through the breaking forth of Love is active, and worketh good works, Gal. 5.6. if he have not the works of Love, then he hath alſo no Faith: the opinion maketh no ſalvation, but is Babell, a confuſion of the Tongues of the one onely Love: None is a Chriſtian, unleſſe he love his neighbour, and deſireth to doe him good.

14. The outwardly imputed Grace, without the innate^[182] filial Grace is all falſe; when Chriſt worketh in a Man, then he is a Chriſtian, and then the ſufferings, merits, and ſatisfaction of Chriſt availe him: when he hath him in himſelfe for an Advocate, who hath done it, that he doe it alſo in him, and attracteth his merits to him, then is the kingdome of God in that Merit, otherwiſe all Imagelike Opinions are faiſe: No work pleaſeth God but what he himſelfe worketh in Man through his Spirit, therefore let us be the children of Chriſt, and not the children of Images.

15. Chriſt hath imparted his kingdome to us in his Teſtaments, he that will receive it muſt be his childe, elſe there is no Inheritance: to work Repentance is better then to deſire to know much: Is not the knowledge given from God to a Man, then he will not [be able to] underſtand the Ground of the divine ſecret Myſtery, but if it be given him, he neede no Image: to continue in the humility and ſimplicity of Chriſt, and to cleave to his love and Grace without deſpiſing of any one, is good Chriſtianity: All whatſoever ſpeaketh of it ſelfe is Babell; in Chriſt wee are all Members, and all one. AMEN.

The End of the ſecond little Book concerning The Holy Supper.

The Table of the Two Teſtaments.

Angells.
• • Book 1. Ch: 1. THe End why God Created the Angells and Men; alſo of Reaſons Miſunderſtanding of the Teſtaments of Chriſt. Verſe. 23.
  • Book 1. Ch: 2. How Angells became Devills. Verſe. 3, 4, 5

Anointing. Anointed.
• • Book 1. Ch: 3. How Chriſts anointing is underſtood in the Water Baptiſme. Verſe. 19
  • Book 1. Ch: 3. How the Body and Soule is anointed by Chriſt in the Water-Baptiſme. Verſe. 19.20
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. John Anointed when Mary ſaluted Elizabeth. Verſe. 4
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. A Baptizer ſhould be the Anointed of Chriſt. Verſe. 22

Antichriſtian.
• Booke 2. Ch. 5. Of Antichriſtian doings. Verſe. 4

Ariſe.
• Booke 1. Ch. 3. What that is, wherein Man at the laſt day ſhall Ariſe and ſtand before the Judgement. Verſe. 16.17.20

Baptiſme. Baptiſed. Baptiſe. Baptiſer.
• • Booke 1. Ch. 2. How the Deluge was a figure of Baptiſme. Verſe. 17
  • Booke 1. Ch. 2. Why God ſent the Baptiſme and Divine Infuſion in an Elementary Earthly Medium. Verſe. 26.27.
  • Booke 1. Ch. 2. What is the Ground of that Water-Baptiſme, to which the holy Ghoſt is the Hand that Baptiſeth. Verſe. 36
  • Book 1. Ch: 3. How the whole Man needed Baptiſme. Verſe. 4
  • Book 1. Ch: 3. How the Baptiſme of the holy Ghoſt is effected. Verſe. 6
  • Book 1. Ch: 3. What it is in the Water-Baptiſme, wherewith the Body from the Outward World and the Spirit of the Conſtellation in Man is Baptiſed. Verſe. 12
  • Book 1. Ch: 3. How wee are buried with Chriſt in Baptiſme. Verſe. 22
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. John the Baptiſt the Beginner of Water-Baptiſme. Verſe. 01
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. Circumciſion changed into Water-Baptiſme. Verſe. 6
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. Why God Ordained the Water-Baptiſme. Verſe. 9
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. Why the Outward Baptiſme is requiſite to thoſe that live to have it. Verſe. 14.15.19.
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. Wee are through Baptiſme planted anew in the Word of God. Verſe. 20
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. How God is with the Holy, & with the Ʋnholy in the Baptiſme. Verſe. 24
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. What required to Baptiſme in them that are preſent. Verſe. 33.34.40
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. Wicked people at the Baptiſme, a hinderance to the work. Verſe. 36
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. Baptiſme not a meere ſigne, but a ſubſtantiall work. Verſe. 38
  • Book 1. Ch: 3. What was done that the Three Worlds properties in Man might be Baptiſed. Verſe. 5[•]
  • Book 1. Ch. 3. What it is in Man that is Baptiſed into Death. Verſe. 21
  • Book 1. Ch. 4. Faithfull Parents Baptiſed in Soule and Body, generate Children in that Baptiſme. Verſe. 13
  • Book 1. Ch. 3. How the Father Sonne and Holy Ghoſt Baptiſe together. Verſe. 11
  • Book 1. Ch. 4. Who it is that is worthy to Baptiſe with Water. Verſe. 10.11.39
  • Book 1. Ch. 4. Holy Parents Baptiſe their Ofſpring in Spirit, yet why the Outward Baptiſme is requiſit in thoſe that live to have it. Verſe. 14, 15.19
  • Book 1. Ch. 4. The unfaithfull Baptiſer is dead in that work, though God alwayes worketh in reſpect of his Covenant. Verſe. 12

Beaſts.
• Book 2. Ch: 1. The Image of Reconciliation in the ſacrificing of Beaſts, and burning the Fat of them mentioned Levit. 8.14. &c. Verſe. 5

Body.
• • Book 1. Ch: 1. How wee came to have this Beaſtiall Body. Verſe. 20
  • Book 1. Ch: 2. What Body the Saints, before (and ſince) Chriſt, put on; and what Body they waite for in the Reſurrection at the Laſt Day. Verſe. 14
  • Book 1. Ch: 3. The Body of Man neceſſary to be Baptiſed. Verſe. 2.3
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. Why the Bread and Wine cannot be turned into the Body and bloud of Chriſt. Verſe. 25
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. How it is, not to diſtinguiſh the Lords Body. Verſe. 1

Children.
• Book 1. Ch: 4. Chriſt biddeth; Suffer little Children to come to him. Verſe. 28

Chriſt. Chriſts. Chriſtian.
• • Booke 1. Ch: 2. Why God muſt become Man; and why Chriſt muſt receive the Elementary part from us. Verſe. 34
  • Booke 1. Ch: 2. How Chriſt is beſtowed upon Man. Verſe. 37.38
  • Booke 1. Ch: 3. How Chriſt is the Light of the (little) World. Verſe. 10
  • Book 2. Ch. 2. How Chriſt is the Light of the world. Verſe. 10
  • Book 1. Ch. 3. How Chriſt penetratrated through Death and Hell. Verſe. 18
  • Book 1. Ch. 3. How Chriſt deſcended into Hell. Verſe. 22
  • Book 1. Ch. 4. John the forerunner of Chriſt. Verſe. 5
  • Book 2. Ch. 2. How Chriſt was the right High Prieſt. Verſe. 3.4
  • Book 2. Ch. 2. Chriſt gave his whole Humanity to his Diſciples. Verſe. 8.9
  • Book 2. Ch. 2. What the Citie of God in Man is, and how wee continue in Chriſt, and be in us. Verſe. 11
  • Book 2. Ch. 2. Chriſt, by the laſt Supper, fulfilled the Old Teſtament. Verſe. 17
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. Man cannot ſay I am Chriſt, though Chriſt dwelleth in him. Verſe. 30
  • Book 2. Ch. 4 Who they are that Crucifie Chriſt now, and wound him. Verſe. 15
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. How a Man ſhall feele and Taſte what Chriſt in him is. Verſe. 23
  • Book 2. Ch. 5. None know Chriſt, but thoſe to whom, and in whom the Father revealeth him. Verſe. 2, 3
  • Book 2. Ch. 5. How Men ſay, heere is Chriſt. Verſe. 8
  • Book 2. Ch. 5. How Chriſt is with us Every Day to the End of the World. Verſe. 12
  • Book 1. Ch. 3. What was effected by Chriſts ſhedding forth his bloud upon the Earth. Verſe. 18
  • Book 1. Ch. 3. What in Man is the Chriſtian, and why Mans works muſt be Judged. Verſe. 25
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. The whole life of a Chriſtian ſhould be continuall Repentance, and flying unto Grace and the meere Mercy of God. Verſe. 17.20.21
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. A right Chriſtian is afraid of all Sinne. Verſe. 18
  • Book 2. Ch. 5. None is a Chriſtian but he that deſireth to doe his neighbour good. Verſe. 13

Church. Churches.
• • Book 2. Ch. 4. Faithful Witneſſes about Baptiſme, well ordained by the Chriſtian Church. Verſe. 37
  • Book 2. Ch. 5. How the Churches are made ſpirituall Denns of Murther. Verſe. 11

Circumciſed.
• Book 1. Ch. 2. The Covenant and the Holy Fire, renewed with Abraham, and why Maſculine Perſons muſt be Circumciſed. Verſe. 18

Communion.
• • Book 2. Ch. 3. It is not enough to partake of Bread and Wine in the Communion. Verſe. 32
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. What our purpoſe muſt be when wee goe to the Communion. Verſe. 32
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. How a Chriſtian partaketh of the Communion without Bread and Wine. Verſe. 33
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. The uſefulneſſe of the Ordinance of the Communion. Verſe. 33
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. Wee muſt deſire the ſame to all our Enemies that wee deſire for our ſelves, if wee will worthily goe to the Communion of Saints. Verſe. 21

Contention.
• Book 2. Ch. 5. The Authour ſheweth the Contention of the Learned for the Comfort of the ſimple. Verſe. 1

Covenant.
• • Book 1. Ch: 2. Why God transferred the Covenant from Circumciſion into Baptiſme. Verſe. 25
  • Book 1. Ch: 2. Why the Covenant of the Water-Baptiſme was firſt brought into the Heavenly Ens of Man. Verſe. 32
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. The Covenant of Chriſts Teſtaments is alwayes powerfull. Verſe. 6
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. The wicked Man in Gods Covenant is a ſweet ſavour unto condemnation. Verſe. 25
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. What it is to a childe, that it is begotten of wicked Parents, and brought by wicked people to the Covenant: alſo what it is to God. Verſe. 29
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. Why the Covenant of God is made in Chriſts Bloud and Death. Verſe. 30
  • Book 1. Ch. 4. Baptiſme a Spirituall Subſtance brought with the Covenant into the VVater. Verſe 31.32.33

Creature.
• Book 2. Ch: 3. VVhat it was that vaniſhed as to the Creature when Man fell. Verſe 13

Dead. Death.
• • Book 1 Ch: 5. VVhat is baptiſed to the Reſurrection of the Dead, or for Dead. Verſe 38
  • Book 1 Ch: 1. How Chriſt became Death to Death. Verſe 24
  • Book 1 Ch: 2. How the Soule dyed the Death, was poyſoned and came to have an Evill Life: How Angells became Devills. Verſe 3.4.5
  • Book 1 Ch: 3. VVhat it is that is baptiſed into Death. Verſe 21
  • Book 2. Ch. 1. How Death was broke open 18. Ch. 2 verſe. Verſe 13
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. VVhat it is that is Death to Death, which Outward Nature holdeth to be a Life. Verſe 8.9

Diſpute.
• • Book 2. Ch. 1. The cauſe why Men Diſpute about Divine things. Verſe 7.11, 12
  • Book 2. Ch. 1. VVat Men ſhould doe, that they need not Diſpute about God. Verſe 14, 15
  • Book 2. Ch. 1. Men ſhould conferre and inſtruct one another, not Diſpute. Verſe 16

Father.
• Book 2. Ch: 4. How wee are in the Drawing of the Father. Verſe 20

Faith.
• • Book 1. Ch: 2. How the Spirituall Oyle and VVater of the Soule hath flowed into the Faith, and made the fallen Soule capable of the New Birth. Verſe. 1.2
  • Book 1. Ch. 2. In what Faith the Children of God before Chriſts Incarnation Sacrificed, and why they uſed thoſe Types Verſe. 8.9.10.11
  • Book 1. Ch. 4. Parents have power, to give up the Childes will, to God, in their Faith. Verſe. 21
  • Book 1. Ch. 4. A dangerous thing to Baptiſe without Faith. Verſe. 35
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. How the Inviſible Subſtance of Chriſt falleth into our Faith, as a ſparke into Tinder. Verſe. 18
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. The Subſtantiall Faith in Man is a Branch on the Vine Chriſt. Verſe. 28
  • Book 2. Ch: 5. Of Mens crying, the true Doctrine and Faith, will be taken away from them, and yet they have it. Verſe. 10

Fire.
• • Book 1. Ch: 2. How the Sacrifice was kindled with Holy Fire. Verſe. 12
  • Book 1. Ch: 2. How the underſtanding of the Holy Fire came to be quenched. Verſe. 17
  • Book 1. Ch: 2. How the Divine Holy Fire was introduced through Baptiſme. Verſe. 35
  • Book 2. Ch: 1. Moſes had holy Fire for the Sacrifice. Verſe. 20

Fleſh.
• • Book 1. Ch: 1. How Chriſt giveth us Eternall Life, how wee Eate his Fleſh, and drink his Bloud, how he giveth us the water of Eternall Life. Verſe. 28.29
  • Book 1. Ch. 3. To what in Man, Chriſt giveth his holy Spirituall Fleſh for food. Verſe. 6
  • Book 2. Ch. 1. How there was holy Fleſh, and holy Bread. Verſe. 23
  • Book 2. Ch. 2. Of holy Fleſh. Verſe. 13
  • Book 2. Ch. 2. How Chriſts fleſh and bloud is the Sacrifice of the New Teſtament. Verſe. 6.7
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. Chriſt gave his Diſciples his Spirituall Fleſh and Bloud. Verſe. 1
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. In what manner wee eate and drink the Fleſh and bloud of Chriſt. Verſe. 6.7.
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. Chriſts mortall Fleſh but the ſhell of the Spirituall Fleſh. Verſe. 21
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. How Faith alwayes eateth Chriſts Fleſh and bloud without a Medium as well as with it. Verſe. 27.33
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. VVhy it was ſo ordained that wee ſhould partake of Chriſts Fleſh and bloud under Bread and VVine. Verſe. 31

Food.
• Book 2. Ch. 2. How Iſraell did eate bleſſed Food, notwithſtanding the Curſe. Verſe. 14

Forgiveneſſe.
• • Book 2. Ch. 4. No Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes without Converſion and Reſolution to depart from wickedneſſe. Verſe. 9
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. What the Forgivenes of ſinnes is. Verſe. 10
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. The Power of Forgiveneſſe is in Chriſts internall Ordinance, not in the Prieſt. Alſo of the Bride of Chriſt. Verſe. 11.12

Formes.
• Book 1. Ch. 1. VVerein the ſeaven Formes of Nature take their Beginning. Verſe. 6

God.
• • Book 1. Ch. 3. VVhat in the Outward VVorlds Subſtance is called God. Verſe. 1
  • Book 1. Ch. 3. How with the Minde, Paul ſerved God, and with the fleſh the Law of ſinne. Verſe. 23
  • Book 1. Ch. 3. VVho are called according to the Purpoſe of God. Verſe. 24
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. VVhere it is that God dwelleth in Man. Verſe. 11

Grace.
• • Book 1. Ch. 1. How Grace (the New Covenant) came into the Soule to helpe it againe; of which Aarons Rod was a Figure. Verſe. 6.7
  • Book 1. Ch. 4. John declared that the time of Grace (the Kingdome of Heaven) was at hand. Verſe. 5
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. Mans Life cannot in its own Power receive the Subſtance of God, but it is given of Grace. Verſe. 29
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. The true imputed Grace, is to live in Chriſt. Verſe. 16
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. The whole Life of a Chriſtian ſhould be continuall Repentance, and flying unto Grace, and the meere mercy of God. Verſe. 17.20.21
  • Book 2. Ch. 5. The Innate Filiall Grace is the true imputed Grace. Verſe. 14

Ground.
• Book 1. Ch. 1. VVhat ſearching cannot reach the true Ground whence every Beeing taketh its Originall. Verſe. 3.4

Heaven.
• • Book 1. Ch: 1. How Divine underſtanding is attained and the Kingdome of Heaven. Verſe. 8.9
  • Book 1. Ch: 1. Of the Miſunderſtanding where Heaven is. Verſe. 24
  • Book 1. Ch: 1. How Chriſt dwelleth in Man; and Man in him, in Heaven; and witneſſeth in the ſoule infallibly, that wee are the children of God. Verſe. 28.29.30
  • Book 1. Ch: 3. How wee dwell in Heaven, and have our Converſation there. Verſe. 24.

Hell.
• Book 2. Ch: 4. The wicked partaketh of Chriſts going to Hell: It were better the wicked did not meddle with Chriſts Teſtaments. Verſe. 7

Humanity.
• • Book 1. Ch: 3. VVhy Chriſt aſſumed our Humanity. Verſe. 1
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. The Subſtantiall VVord taketh on it our Humanity, the Spirituall Humanity, the Inviſible Subſtance, with which Chriſt came downe from Heaven. Verſe. 17

Image.
• • Book 1. Ch: 2. The Beaſtiall Earthly Image of Man is preſerved in the Fire of God. Verſe. 13
  • Book 2. Ch: 4. How wee are made conformable to Chriſts Image. Verſe. 24
  • Book 2. Ch: 5. How Three Parties ſtrive onely about a literall Image of Chriſts Teſtaments. Verſe. 7

Infant.
• • Book 1. Ch: 4. How the Faithfull Baptiſer, Parents, VVitneſſes, and Standers by, work to the Baptiſing of the Infant, though it hath no underſtanding of what is done. Verſe. 15.16
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. How the Command of Chriſt, Matth. 28.19. is effectuall in the Baptiſing of an Infant. Verſe. 17
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. VVhat a wicked Baptiſer doth, and how the Infant is notwithſtanding baptiſed with the Living VVord. Verſe. 23
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. How it is with an Infant of wicked Parents, that is baptiſed by a wicked baptiſer, and wicked People ſtanders by. Verſe. 26.27

John.
• Book 1. Ch: 4. John the Baptiſt, the ſonne of a Prieſt. Verſe. 8

Lamb.
• Book 2. Ch: 4. How the wedding of the Lamb is rightly kept. Verſe. 10

Law.
• Book 1. Ch: 3. How the ſoule is layd hold on by the Law of Nature, and what is the Ground and fountain of Repentance. Verſe. 7.10.11

Life.
• • Book 1. Ch: 1. Where the Book of Life is to be found. Verſe. 18
  • Book 1. Ch: 2. What is the New Life of Regeneration. Verſe. 31
  • Book 1. Ch: 3. How the Sonne Giveth the Soule Eternall Life, and what Eternall Life is. Verſe. 9.11
  • Book 1. Ch: 3. VVhat the Creaturely Life is. Verſe. 15 16

Light.
• • Book 1. Ch: 3. When, the Divine Light in the Name Jeſus is received into the Soule. Verſe. 8
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. The Inviſible Subſtance of Chriſt is a Light and Spirituall Oyle in the Life of Man. Verſe. 19

Medium.
• • Book 1. Ch. 2. VVhy there muſt be an Earthly Medium, to Enter into the Covenant of God by. Verſe. 33
  • Book 2. Ch: 1. VVhy the Beaſtiall Medium in the Sacrifices muſt be uſed. Verſe. 21
  • Book 2. Ch: 2. Of the Elementary Medium of bleſſed Bread and Wine. Verſe. 16
  • Book 2. Ch: 2. How through the Medium of Bread and Wine, wee participate of Chriſt in a Corporeall and Spirituall way. Verſe. 18.19
  • Book 2. Ch: 2. VVhy there muſt be a Medium in the New Teſtament as well as in the Old Teſtament. Verſe. 20
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. Bread and VVine a Medium to the viſible Man. Verſe. 22

Mumia.
• Book 2. Ch: 3. Of the Humane Mumia, and what it is. Verſe. 1

Opinion.
• Book 2. Ch: 5. How Men cleave to an Opinion, whether they underſtand it or no. Verſe. 9

Ordinance.
• Book 2. Ch: 4. None ſhould rely meerely upon the Outward Ordinance. Verſe. 14

Participation.
• Book 2. Ch: 5. The Three Contenders about the preſence of Chriſt in the Supper, have no underſtanding how the true Participation is wrought. Verſe. 6

Paſſeover.
• Book 2. Ch: 1. Of the Paſchall Lamb, the Paſſeover, and how it was a Type of Chriſt. Verſe. 1.2

Power.
• • Book 1. Ch. 1. How the Soule comes to looſe the Divine power and knowledge. Verſe. 5
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. VVhat the Humane Power is to the Divine Power. Verſe. 5
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. What that Sinne was, upon which Gods Power went into the received Humanity againe. Verſe. 14
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. Man liveth not by Bread onely, but by the inward Power thereof. Verſe. 23
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. Mans Life cannot in its owne Power receive the Subſtance of God, but it is given of Grace. Verſe. 29

Preſence.
• Book 1. Ch: 1. How Chriſts Preſence, Office, and Kingdome are to be underſtood. Verſe. 25.26.27

Principles. Principle.
• • Book 2. Ch: 3. Of the Three Principles in Man. Verſe. 12
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. How each Principle in Man eateth its like in the Participation of Chriſts Teſtaments. Verſe. 15

Reaſon.
• Book 1. Ch: 1. How the Body, and Reaſon, and Soule of Man, is diſtinctly fed with Nouriſhment. Verſe. 13.18

Redemption.
• • Book 1. Ch: 1. How Chriſt effected our Redemption, and through Death brought the Soule into Eternall Life, and how the Soule is become Lord over Sinne, Death, the Devill and Hell. Verſe. 25.26.27
  • Book 1. Ch: 2. Of Iſaac a Type of Our Redemption. Verſe. 19

Repentance.
• • Book 1. Ch: 3. How the Soule is layd hold on by the Law of Nature, and what is the Ground and Fountaine of Repentance. Verſe. 7.10.11
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. John baptiſed but with Repentance: onely prepared the way, and Opened the Gates for the King of Glory to Enter in. Verſe. 7
  • Book 2. Ch: 4. Repentance muſt not be deferred till the participation of the Teſtaments. Verſe. 9

Sacrifices. Sacrifice.
• • Book 1. Ch: 2. How the Sacrifices were effectuall, and how God and the Soule wrought with the Sacrifice. Verſe. 20.21.22.23.24
  • Book 1. Ch: 2. The Fat of Beaſts a Medium in the Sacrifices. Verſe. 28
  • Book 1. Ch. 2. VVhat the Sacrifice Typified. Verſe. 29
  • Book 2. Ch: 1. How the Sacrifices were a figure of Chriſts Sacrifice. Verſe. 6

Seede.
• • Book 1. Ch: 2. Of the Seede of the Woman, and Deſtroyer of the Serpent. Verſe. 8.9.10.11
  • Book 1. Ch: 2. Of Abrahams ſeede as the Starres. Verſe. 19
  • Book 1. Ch: 2. The Love-fire awakened it ſelfe in the Seede of the VVoman. Verſe. 30
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. The Parents of John Dead in their fleſhly Seede. Verſe. 2.3
  • Book 1. Ch: 4. How the Graine of Muſtard-ſeede is ſowen in the Ens of the Childe. Verſe. 18
  • Book 2. Ch: 4. How the Seede of the Serpent ſtingeth Chriſt in the Heele. Verſe. 4

Signified. Signifieth.
• • Book 2. Ch: 1. What the unleavened Cakes ſignified. Verſe. 3.4
  • Book 2. Ch: 1. What Moſes, Aaron, the Heifer, and the Ram ſignified in the figure. Verſe. 7.9
  • Book 2. Ch: 1. What the Tabernacle ſignified: why Mary was called the bleſſed among all women: what the Altar, the Laver, and anointing the Head of Aaron, ſignified. Verſe. 8
  • Book 2. Ch: 1. What the Burning of the Fat, ſignified. Verſe. 10
  • Book 2. Ch: 1. What the Burning of the Heifer without the Hoaſt ſignifieth, and that the bloud ſprinckled upon the Altar, ſignifieth that our bloud ſhall come againe to the Soule in the power of it at the Laſt Day. Verſe. 11.12
  • Book 2. Ch. 1. What the powering of the bloud at the foote of the Altar, ſignifieth. Verſe. 12.13
  • Book 2. Ch. 1. What the Ram ſignified; how it was a ſweet Saviour to the Lord. Verſe. 14.15.16.17.19.22 & Ch: 2. verſe 3.

Sonne.
• Book 1. Ch: 3. Of the Soules being given to the Sonne, and how the Sonne giveth it Eternall Life; and what Eternall Life is. Verſe. 9.11 Ch: 2. v. 2

Sop.
• Book 2. Ch: 2. How it was with Ʋzza; and with Judas after the Sop. Verſe. 5

Soule.
• • Book 1. Ch. 1. How the Soule came to be helped againe after the Fall. Verſe. 21.22
  • Book 1. Ch. 1. How the Soule is become Lord over Sinne, Death, the Devill, and Hell. Verſe. 25.26.27
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. The Soule eateth of the ſupernaturall ſubſtantiall Love of the Name Jeſus. Verſe. 10

Spirit.
• • Book 1. Ch. 1. How the Spirit leadeth into all Truth. Verſe. 18
  • Book 1. Ch. 3. How the Spirit of God is to be underſtood in all the Three Worlds. Verſe. 13

Supper.
• • Book 2. Ch. 3. A reſemblance between Chriſt in his Supper, and the influence of the Sun in hearbs. Verſe. 2.3.4.6
  • Book 2. Ch. 3. Why Chriſt Ordained the Teſtament of his Supper under Bread and Wine. Verſe. 24
  • Book 2. Ch. 5. How all the Three Contenders and Diſputers about the Preſence of Chriſt in the Supper, have no underſtanding how that participation is wrought. Verſe. 6

Teachers.
• Book 2. Ch. 5. Of Teachers not ſent. Verſe. 5

Teſtaments. Teſtament.
• • Book 2. Ch. 4. Chriſts Teſtaments deſtroy ſinne in the Penitent receiver. Verſe. 8
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. XVIII enquiries into a Mans own heart, to finde whether he may worthily receive the Teſtament of Chriſt. Verſe. 19
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. How the Minde when it cometh to Chriſts Teſtaments muſt acknowledge it is able to doe nothing. Verſe. 22
  • Book 2. Ch. 4. Hee that will not be a Man of New thoughts and will, receiveth the Teſtament unto Judgement. Verſe. 25
  • Book 2. Ch. 5. Hee that will receive the Kingdome of Chriſt in his Teſtaments muſt be his childe. Verſe. 15

Types. Type.
• • Book 1. Ch: 2. How Cain and Abell differed, and of their ſeverall Types. Verſe. 15.16
  • Book 2. Ch: 2. Why the Type ceaſed. Verſe. 1

Thoughts.
• • Book 1. Ch: 1. What is the Ground of the underſtanding and Thoughts. Verſe. 1.2
  • Book 1. Ch: 1. How the Thoughts come to be fed with divine foode, which is the Eſſentiall wiſdome of God. Verſe. 19

Variety.
• Book 1. Ch: 1. The cauſe of the changing and variety in Nature. Verſe. 17

Vine.
• • Book 1. Ch: 1. How Man becometh a Branch on the Vine Chriſt. Verſe. 27
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. How the Holy Man is a Branch on the Vine Chriſt. Verſe. 20

Underſtanding.
• • Book 1. Ch: 1. How Divine Underſtanding is attained, and the Kingdome of Heaven. Verſe. 8.9
  • Book 1. Ch: 1. Of the Three Touch-Stones of the Divine Underſtanding. Verſe. 18

Wicked.
• Book 2. Ch: 4. The wicked Prieſt and Phariſee is not capable of being in the Office of Chriſt. Verſe. 13

Will.
• Book 2. Ch: 2. How the Soules will cometh to be changed. Verſe. 12

Word. Words.
• • Book 1. Ch: 1. Why the Eternall Word is become Man. Verſe. 24
  • Book 2. Ch: 3. What ſignifieth to us Chriſts ſaying; My words are Spirit and Life. Verſe. 16
  • Book 2. Ch: 4. Mans ſpirituall Mouth receiveth Chriſts words and Life. Verſe. 26
  • Book 2. Ch: 5. The Living Word giveth Teſtimony to the Literall word. Verſe. 5

Works.
• Book 1. Ch. 3. What in Man is the Chriſtian, and why Mans Works muſt be Judged. Verſe. 25

FINIS.

REader, pray cauſe theſe faults to be mended with a Pen. Page 21. on the ſecond ſide, line 10. for, unlooked, reade unlocked. Page 50. line 2. for, fooliſh reade ſouliſh. page 55. line 31. for viſion reade viſible.

Marginal notes

1. 1 Joh. 4.8. ↩
2. 1 Joh. 4.18. ↩
3. 1 Joh. 3.14. ↩
4. Yeeld to it in obedience to the dictates to it. ↩
5. Luke 17.21. ↩
6. Charles of Endern. ↩
7. One by the other, one on one ſide, the other on the other, verſe for verſe. ↩
8. Or, to Adminiſter it. ↩
9. Covenanting. ↩
10. Or, Might. ↩
11. Auſibeute Talent, or earneſt Penny, or Pawne. ↩
12. Auſibeute Talent, or earneſt Penny, or Pawne. ↩
13. Or, Eſſentiall. ↩
14. Senſes. ↩
15. Or, Senſes. ↩
16. Impregnated, or conceived. ↩
17. Celebration. ↩
18. Text. in. ↩
19. Or, Sacrament ↩
20. Text, Between them. ↩
21. Or, Paſtor. ↩
22. Joh. 7.17 ↩
23. Or, Senſes. ↩
24. Or, Exhaleth it. ↩
25. Or, Haling. ↩
26. Comprehendeth. ↩
27. Comprehenſibility. ↩
28. Or, after. ↩
29. Diſtinguiſhable. ↩
30. Thoughts. ↩
31. Senſible or conceptive. ↩
32. Fragility. ↩
33. Adverſe. ↩
34. In the midſt. ↩
35. Formings. ↩
36. Fragility. ↩
37. Triumph, or ſhew. ↩
38. Shew or Triumph. ↩
39. Imaginary Manner. ↩
40. At Preſent. ↩
41. Inward ſenſes or thoughts. ↩
42. Or, Reſemblance or Antitype. ↩
43. Reſemblance or Antitype. ↩
44. Or, Image. ↩
45. Or, Oracles. ↩
46. Or, Pawne or Earneſt. ↩
47. Imaginary. ↩
48. Imaginary. ↩
49. Or, Senſes. ↩
50. Text, Glauben. Vide Ch. 2. v. 1. on the ſecond ſide. ↩
51. Or, ſupple. ↩
52. Or, ſenſes. ↩
53. Or, Baptiſme of Water. ↩
54. Blazing. ↩
55. Aſſwaged or refreſhed. ↩
56. Text. Impreſſed. Impreſſion. ↩
57. Text. Impreſſed. Impreſſion. ↩
58. Or, is not of a light fire. ↩
59. Text. Impreſſed. Impreſſion. ↩
60. Or, oppoſition. ↩
61. Text. Impreſſion. ↩
62. Text. Impreſſion. ↩
63. Text. Impreſſeten. ↩
64. Or, Gods Wrath fire. ↩
65. Or, Imaging. ↩
66. Note. ↩
67. Or, Animall Image. ↩
68. Note. ↩
69. Note. ↩
70. With. ↩
71. Reconciliation. ↩
72. Fire-noyſe. ↩
73. Or, into. ↩
74. A[•••]ned. ↩
75. Text. Impreſſed. ↩
76. Eintauchen, Soaking or ſteeping. ↩
77. Inſtituted. ↩
78. Or, Subſtance. ↩
79. By OTHER may be ment other men then the man Chriſt himſelfe. ↩
80. Reſemblance, or thing of the like nature. ↩
81. Balſam or Ʋnction. ↩
82. Glauben, See Ch. 1. v. 28. on the ſecond ſide. ↩
83. Impreſſion. ↩
84. Text. Bild, Image or Type. ↩
85. With. ↩
86. Abomination. ↩
87. Eintauchen. ↩
88. Eintauchen. ↩
89. Or, Ʋnction. ↩
90. Impreſſion. ↩
91. Impreſſion. ↩
92. Commotion or Contrition. ↩
93. Text. With. ↩
94. Or, breatheth forth that outſpoken Spirit. ↩
95. Text. By. ↩
96. Text. By. ↩
97. Or, fiery Triall. ↩
98. Note. ↩
99. Or, Fight or combat. ↩
100. Viz: Shell. ↩
101. Owne very Reflect Image. ↩
102. Impreſſed. ↩
103. Eintauchen ↩
104. Impreſſed. ↩
105. Trembling or Contrition. ↩
106. Note. ↩
107. Subſtance or Eſſence. ↩
108. Anno. ↩
109. The Seede. ↩
110. Viz. John the Baptiſt. ↩
111. The abſolution from ſinnes. ↩
112. Or, Power. ↩
113. Or, Power. ↩
114. Note. ↩
115. Or, Thing. ↩
116. Or, Ineffectuall. ↩
117. Abſenteth or withdraweth. ↩
118. Pathen Goſſips. ↩
119. Tranſferre or deliver over. ↩
120. Hatcher, breeder, or Ember. ↩
121. Note. ↩
122. Text. auff: upon. ↩
123. In or into. ↩
124. Or, Ignorance. ↩
125. Thus, ↩
126. Note. ↩
127. Nurture or chaſtiſement. ↩
128. Or, Falſe. ↩
129. Or, Eſſence. ↩
130. Text. Eine. ↩
131. Or, Formed. ↩
132. Or, Inſtituted. ↩
133. Turning into God. ↩
134. Or, Furtherance. ↩
135. Or, ſignification. ↩
136. Note. ↩
137. Text. Iſt. ↩
138. Note. ↩
139. Note. ↩
140. Stifling. ↩
141. Paſſe by. ↩
142. Dowe. ↩
143. Smeared or ſtreaked. ↩
144. Releaſed or reconciled. ↩
145. Levit. 8.14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. ↩
146. Sacrifice. ↩
147. Clenſed it from ſinne. ↩
148. Levit. 8.10.11.12. ↩
149. Tabernacle. ↩
150. Note. ↩
151. Note. ↩
152. Note. ↩
153. Or, Immodeled. ↩
154. Or, Reconciliation. ↩
155. Workingly, Effectually. ↩
156. Or, Sophia, The Wiſdome of God. ↩
157. Penetrateth. ↩
158. Dale or Valley. ↩
159. Se[•]ſes. ↩
160. By Bread onely. ↩
161. Worketh, or Effecteth. ↩
162. Note. ↩
163. Or, pierceth. ↩
164. Or, againſt. ↩
165. Or, Anguiſh. ↩
166. Or, Ignorance. ↩
167. Or, Sharp. ↩
168. Church. ↩
169. Workingly. ↩
170. Note. ↩
171. Gloweth. ↩
172. Note. ↩
173. Pureſt. ↩
174. Strict. ↩
175. Matters. ↩
176. Text. In the holineſſe. ↩
177. All-preſent, preſentiall. ↩
178. Imaginary. ↩
179. Imaginary. ↩
180. Or, Maſters and Diſpencers. ↩
181. Venerated. ↩
182. Or, childelike. ↩