any man instruct me herein. 48. I have not my knowledge by study; indeed I have read the order and position of the seven planets in the books of astrologers, and find them * to be very right; but the root, how the planets came to be, and from what they are proceeded, I cannot learn from any man; for they know it not, neither was I present when God created the planets. * " find them," i.e. find the order and position of the seven planets. 49. But seeing the doors of the deep, and the gates of wrath, and the chambers of death also, are, through the love of God, set open in my spirit, therefore the spirit must needs look through them. 50. Accordingly I find, that the birth or geniture of nature standeth to this day, and generateth itself, just so as it did when it first took its beginning; and whatsoever riseth up in this world, whether men, beasts, trees, herbs, grass, mineral ores, or be it what it will, all riseth up in such a quality, manner and form as it first did; also every life, be it good or bad, taketh its original thus [as it did from the beginning]. 51. For this is the right or law of the Deity: that every life in the body of God should generate itself in one manner or uniform way; though it be done through many various imagings, yet the life hath one uniform way and original in all. 52. I see not this knowledge with my fleshly eyes, but with those eyes wherein life generateth itself in me; in that seat the gates of heaven and hell stand open to me, and the new man speculateth * into the midst or centre of the astral birth or geniture, and to him the inner and outermost gate standeth open. * "speculateth " (speculiret). See Ch. 10, par. 33. 53. While he yet sticketh in the old man of wrath and death, and sitteth also in his heaven, he seeth through both; in such a manner also he seeth the stars and elements. For in God there is no place of hindrance; for the eye of the LORD beholdeth all. 54. Now if my spirit did not see through his spirit, then I were but a blind stock; but seeing I see the gates of God in my spirit, and have the impulse to do it, I will therefore write directly according as I have seen it, and will not regard any man's authority. 55. Thou must not conceive it so, as if my old man were a living saint or angel. No, Friend, he sitteth with all men in the house of wrath and of death, and is a constant enemy to God, and sticketh in his sins, wickedness and malice, as all men do, and is full of faults, defects and infirmities. 56. But thou must know this, that he sticketh in a continual, anxious birth or geniture, but would fain be rid of the wrath and wickedness, and yet cannot. For he is as the whole house of this world, wherein love and wrath always wrestle the one with the other, and the new body always generateth itself in the midst or centre of the anguish. For so it must be, if thou wilt be born anew, otherwise no man can reach the regeneration. 57. In this world man is always seeking for soft days of ease for the flesh, and after riches, beauty and bravery, and knoweth not that he sitteth therewith in the chamber of death, where the sting of wrath darteth into him. 58. Behold! I tell this to thee, as a word of life, which I receive in the knowledge of the spirit, in the midst or centre in the birth or geniture of the new body of this world, over which the Man JESUS CHRIST is Ruler and King, together with his eternal Father. 59. Also, I receive it from before the seat of his throne, where all holy souls of men stand before him, and rejoice before him; [and I tell thee] that the desire of the flesh in soft pleasingness, to be rich, to be handsome, beautiful and fair, or to be mighty or potent, is a very bath or lake of hellish wrath, into which thou crowdest and runnest, as if thou wert drawn in with cartropes; for there is very great danger therein. 60. But if thou wouldst know how it is, behold, I will tell thee in a parable or similitude: When thou art pressed, according to the desire of thy heart, into riches and power, then it is with thee as if thou stoodst in a deep water, where the water always standeth up to thy very mouth, and thou feelest no ground under thy feet, but thou swimmest with thy hands and strugglest to protect or save thyself; now thou art in deep water, now above water again, yet always in a great terror and danger, expecting to sink down to the bottom, the water often coming into thy mouth, and always expecting death. 61. Just in this manner, and no other, thou sittest, when thou art in the pleasures of the flesh; if thou wilt not fight, thou canst not look for any victory, but thou wilt be murdered in thy soft bed of down. For man hath a continual host or army before him, which fight with him continually; if he will not defend himself, then he is
any man instruct me herein. 48. I have not my knowledge by study; indeed I have read the order and position of the seven planets in the books of astrologers, and find them * to be very right; but the root, how the planets came to be, and from what they are proceeded, I cannot learn from any man; for they know it not, neither was I present when God created the planets. * " find them," i.e. find the order and position of the seven planets. 49. But seeing the doors of the deep, and the gates of wrath, and the chambers of death also, are, through the love of God, set open in my spirit, therefore the spirit must needs look through them. 50. Accordingly I find, that the birth or geniture of nature stands to this day, and generats itself, just so as it did when it first took its beginning; and whatsoever rises up in this world, whether men, beasts, trees, herbs, grass, mineral ores, or be it what it will, all rises up in such a quality, manner and form as it first did; also every life, be it good or bad, takes its original thus [as it did from the beginning]. 51. For this is the right or law of the Deity: that every life in the body of God should generate itself in one manner or uniform way; though it be done through many various imagings, yet the life has one uniform way and original in all. 52. I see not this knowledge with my fleshly eyes, but with those eyes wherein life generats itself in me; in that seat the gates of heaven and hell stand open to me, and the new man speculats * into the midst or centre of the astral birth or geniture, and to him the inner and outermost gate stands open. * "speculats " (speculiret). See Ch. 10, par. 33. 53. While he yet sticks in the old man of wrath and death, and sitts also in his heaven, he sees through both; in such a manner also he sees the stars and elements. For in God there is no place of hindrance; for the eye of the LORD beholds all. 54. Now if my spirit did not see through his spirit, then I were but a blind stock; but seeing I see the gates of God in my spirit, and have the impulse to do it, I will therefore write directly according as I have seen it, and will not regard any man's authority. 55. You must not conceive it so, as if my old man were a living saint or angel. No, Friend, he sitts with all men in the house of wrath and of death, and is a constant enemy to God, and sticks in his sins, wickedness and malice, as all men do, and is full of faults, defects and infirmities. 56. But you must know this, that he sticks in a continual, anxious birth or geniture, but would fain be rid of the wrath and wickedness, and yet cannot. For he is as the whole house of this world, wherein love and wrath always wrestle the one with the other, and the new body always generats itself in the midst or centre of the anguish. For so it must be, if you will be born anew, otherwise no man can reach the regeneration. 57. In this world man is always seeking for soft days of ease for the flesh, and after riches, beauty and bravery, and knows not that he sitts therewith in the chamber of death, where the sting of wrath darts into him. 58. Behold! I tell this to you, as a word of life, which I receive in the knowledge of the spirit, in the midst or centre in the birth or geniture of the new body of this world, over which the Man JESUS CHRIST is Ruler and King, together with his eternal Father. 59. Also, I receive it from before the seat of his throne, where all holy souls of men stand before him, and rejoice before him; [and I tell you] that the desire of the flesh in soft pleasingness, to be rich, to be handsome, beautiful and fair, or to be mighty or potent, is a very bath or lake of hellish wrath, into which you crowdest and runnest, as if you were drawn in with cartropes; for there is very great danger therein. 60. But if you would know how it is, behold, I will tell you in a parable or similitude: When you are pressed, according to the desire of your heart, into riches and power, then it is with you as if you stoodst in a deep water, where the water always stands up to your very mouth, and you feelest no ground under your feet, but you swimmest with your hands and strugglest to protect or save yourself; now you are in deep water, now above water again, yet always in a great terror and danger, expecting to sink down to the bottom, the water often coming into your mouth, and always expecting death. 61. Just in this manner, and no other, you sittest, when you are in the pleasures of the flesh; if you will not fight, you can not look for any victory, but you will be murdered in your soft bed of down. For man has a continual host or army before him, which fight with him continually; if he will not defend himself, then he is
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.