Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
of another, to [increase] the love and delight. But they make not of Christ (their great Prince) a deaf hearer, as if he did neither hear, feel, nor see anything himself; who stretcheth out his arms, and himself without ceasing calleth with his holy spirit, and inviteth all the children of men top. 486 the wedding ; he will readily accept all, if they would but come.
32. How then should a soul come before Christ, and pray for a living invocator, whereas Christ himself doth stand and invite men, and is himself the Atonement of the anger in the Father ? For the Father hath given men to the Son, as himself witnesseth : They were thine, and thou hast given them to me, and I will that they be with me, and see my glory which thou hast given me.
33. 0 thou confounded Babel, go out from Antichrist, and come (with a penitent heart and mind) before thy merciful brother, and Saviour of all men ; he will more readily hear thee, than thou come to him. Step only out of this wicked Babel into a new birth, and be not so much in love with the kingdom of this world; thou art but a mere guest and stranger in it. What availeth thee
1 Or corrupt- thy * transitory honour [from men], which scarce lasteth one moment ? Thou shalt indeed get much greater [surpassing] joy and honour in the new regeneration, where the holy souls in the heaven, and the angels, will rejoice with thee. Consider what joy and gladness thou wilt stir up thereby in the Heart of Jesus Christ, where then instantly the precious talent (the Holy Ghost) will be given thee, and thou wilt get the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that thou thyself mayest open it. Or dost thou think it is not true ? Do but seek and try with an earnest mind, and thou wilt findp. 487 wonders indeed ; thou thyself shalt know [understand], and (without any doubt at all) assuredly see in thy mind, out of what school this is written.
34. Now the mind thinketh, that if all the works of a soul (which it wrought here) shall follow it in the figure, then how shall it be, if a soul here hath for a long time l committed great J Or wrought great crimes, abominations, then that they will be great shame sins, and
• . /. blasphemies.
to it, it they must stand in the figure before its eyes ? This is a great stumbling-block of the devil's, which plagueth the poor soul, and usually forceth it thereby into despair, so that itself continually presenteth its sins before it, and despaireth of the grace of God.
35. Now behold, thou beloved soul, who art dearly redeemed by thy Saviour Jesus Christ, (with his entrance into the humanity, and with his entrance in the abyss of hell), and plucked off from the kingdom of the devil, in the might of the Father, and sealed with his blood and death, and covered with his ensign of triumph, all thy works, [both] the evil and the good which thou hast done, follow thee in the shadow, but not in the substance, nor in the source, [or in the working property]. Yet they will not be any 2 prejudice 2 detraction, in the heaven to the holy souls, which have turned disgrace. into the regeneration in Christ, but they shall have their highest joy concerning them, in that they have stuck in such hard misery and sins, and have been plucked out of them by their Saviour Christ ;
p. 488
p. 19
and from thence will arise mere joy and rejoicing, 1 hunter, or that they are redeemed from the l driver of their the devil. . / . .
sins, and from great misery, and that the driver is captivated, which tormented them day and night 28infulness. in such 2 sins.
of another, to [increase] the love and delight. But they make not of Christ (their great Prince) a deaf hearer, as if he did neither hear, feel, nor see anything himself; who stretches out his arms, and himself without ceasing calls with his holy spirit, and invits all the children of men to
486 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 19 the wedding ; he will readily accept all, if they would but come.
32. How then should a soul come before Christ, and pray for a living invocator, whereas Christ himself does stand and invite men, and is himself the Atonement of the anger in the Father ? For the Father has given men to the Son, as himself witnesses : They were your, and you have given them to me, and I will that they be with me, and see my glory which you have given me.
33. 0 you confounded Babel, go out from Antichrist, and come (with a penitent heart and mind) before your merciful brother, and Saviour of all men ; he will more readily hear you, than you come to him. Step only out of this wicked Babel into a new birth, and be not so much in love with the kingdom of this world; you are but a mere guest and stranger in it. What avails you
1 Or corrupt- your * transitory honour [from men], which scarce lasts one moment ? You shall indeed get much greater [surpassing] joy and honour in the new regeneration, where the holy souls in the heaven, and the angels, will rejoice with you. Consider what joy and gladness you will stir up thereby in the Heart of Jesus Christ, where then instantly the precious talent (the Holy Ghost) will be given you, and you will get the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that you yourself may open it. Or do you think it is not true ? Do but seek and try with an earnest mind, and you will find
Cll. 19] ENTERING OF THE SOULS TO GOD 487 wonders indeed ; you yourself shall know [understand], and (without any doubt at all) assuredly see in your mind, out of what school this is written.
34. Now the mind thinks, that if all the works of a soul (which it wrought here) shall follow it in the figure, then how shall it be, if a soul here has for a long time l committed great J Or wrought great crimes, abominations, then that they will be great shame sins, and
• . /. blasphemies.
to it, it they must stand in the figure before its eyes ? This is a great stumbling-block of the devil's, which plagus the poor soul, and usually forces it thereby into despair, so that itself continually presents its sins before it, and despairs of the grace of God.
35. Now behold, you beloved soul, who art dearly redeemed by your Saviour Jesus Christ, (with his entrance into the humanity, and with his entrance in the abyss of hell), and plucked off from the kingdom of the devil, in the might of the Father, and sealed with his blood and death, and covered with his ensign of triumph, all your works, [both] the evil and the good which you have done, follow you in the shadow, but not in the substance, nor in the source, [or in the working property]. Yet they will not be any 2 prejudice 2 detraction, in the heaven to the holy souls, which have turned disgrace. into the regeneration in Christ, but they shall have their highest joy concerning them, in that they have stuck in such hard misery and sins, and have been plucked out of them by their Saviour Christ ;
p. 488
THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 19
and from thence will arise mere joy and rejoicing, 1 hunter, or that they are redeemed from the l driver of their the devil. . / . .
sins, and from great misery, and that the driver is captivated, which tormented them day and night 28infulness. in such 2 sins.