1cometh to be a carcase, except we be again newborn out of this world, that so we may dwell in
this world as to our body, and as to our mind in
another eternal perfect new life, wherein our spirit
and mind put on a new man, wherein he must and
shall live eternally ; and then we first know what
we are, and where our home is.
6. Seeing then we clearly see and understand,
that we have our beginning altogether earthly,
and are sown in a field (as grain is sown in the
earth) where our life springeth up, groweth, and
at length flourisheth, as corn [or grain] doth out of
the earth ; where we can know in us nothing but
an earthly life ; yet we see very well that the
2 Or stars. 2 constellations and elements qualify [or work] in
us, and nourish, drive, govern, and guide us, also
fill us and bring us up, and so preserve our life a
while, and then break it again, and turn it to
dust and ashes ; like all beasts, trees, plants, and
all [things] that grow ; but we see not how it is
with us afterwards, whether all be ended with it,
Ch. 22] THE NEW REGENERATION IN CHRIST 589
or whether we go with our spirit and conversation
into another life ; and therefore it is most necessary
to learn, and to ssek the right way.
7. Now that is testified to us by the writings
of those who have been regenerated out of this
1 earthliness, and at length are entered into a holy ' Or transitoriness.
2and incorruptible life, who have written and taught
of an eternal joyful life, and also of an eternal
perishing and anguishing life ; and have taught us
how we should follow after them, and how we
should step into a new birth, where we should be
regenerated out of this earthliness, into a new
creature, and that we should do nothing else about
it but follow them, and then we should find, 2 in 2 Or really,
deed and in truth, what they had spoken, written,
and taught. Yea even in this life we should see
o
our true native country in the new regeneration,
and 3 know it (in the new-born man) in great joy, 3 understand,
or apprehend.
whereas then our whole mind would incline to
it ; and in our new knowledge (in the new man)
true faith would grow, and the hearty desire
of the unfeigned love towards the hidden God ;
for which noble knowledge sake, many times
* they have yielded their earthly body and life to 4 holy people,
the un regenerated gainsayer (according to his
devilish, malicious revengefulness) into death, and
have taken it with great joy, and have chosen for
themselves the eternal incorruptible life.
8. There is then the greatest and highest love
in the new birth, not only towards God, or oneself,
590
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 22
1 the holy
forefathers.
2 essence or
3but also towards men, our brothers and sisters : So
that those that were regenerated, have had their
desires and love so carried towards men, that they
have very earnestly taught men with meekness
and reproving, and their love to them in their
teaching hath been so great, that they have even
willingly yielded their life up to death, and left their
earthly goods, and all they had, in assured hope,
(in their strong and firm knowledge) to receive all
again in great honour [and glory].
9. And therefore we also have longed to seek
after that Pearl, of which we write at present ; and
though now the unregenerated (in the kingdom of
this world) will give no credit to us (as it hath
happened to our forefathers, from the children of
this world) we cannot help that, but it shall stand
for a witness against them, which shall be a woe to
them eternally, that they have so foolishly ventured
[and lost] so great an eternal glory and holiness,
for a little pleasure of the eye, and lust of the flesh.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.