Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
cometh 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.
and 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,
p. 590
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 22
1 the holy forefathers.
2 essence or but 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.
comes 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 springs up, grows, and at length flourishes, as corn [or grain] does 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.
and 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,
p. 590
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 22
1 the holy forefathers.
2 essence or but 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 has 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 has 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.