Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
yieideth itself standeth. Jt it trade in the kingdom ot heaven, to, or con- . i i • i «• i -n • -i -i • • i verseth with, then the kingdom of hell is dead in it ; not that it is ceased, but the kingdom of heaven is predominant, and the kingdom of fierceness is changed into joy ; so also, if it trade in the kingdom of wrath, then that is predominant, and the kingdom of heaven is as it were dead ; although indeed (in itself it doth not vanish) yet the soul is not in it.
91. Thus also the temptation was to try, which kingdom in the soul might overcome, and therefore the food and drink was withdrawn from the earthly body, and the kingdom of heaven was predominant in him, in the holy Ternary, and in his Deity, and the kingdom of wrath and the kingdom of the devil were against him. And there the new-washed and half-regenerated soul stood in the midst, and was pulled at by both kingdoms, as Adam in paradise.
92. The Deity in Christ in the holy Ternary said, Eat of the Word of the Lord, and go forth from the outward man, rest in the kingdom of heaven, and live in the new man, and then the old man is dead, for the new man's sake ; on theCh. 22] THE NEW REGENERATION IN CHRIST 627 contrary, the devil said to the soul, Thy earthly body doth hunger (because there is no bread for it)
therefore make bread of stones, that thou mayest live ; and the strong soul in Christ as a Champion stood and said, Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
God : And he rejected the earthly bread and life, and put his imagination into the Word of God, and did eat of the Word of the Lord, and then the soul in the kingdom of heaven was predominant, and the earthly body was as it were dead for the kingdom of heaven's sake ; whereas yet it was not dead, but it became the servant of the heavenly body, and lost its potent * dominion. i regimen, or
93. And now when the kingdom of hell had this government mighty blow, and was thus overcome, then the devil lost his right in the soul ; yet he said in himself, Thou hast a 2 right in the earthly body. a Or jurisdicAnd somewhat was permitted to him ; and then etrtM^body. he took the body with the soul, and set them upon the pinnacle of the temple, and said, Cast thyself down (for thou art powerful and canst do all things) and then the people shall see that thou art God, and hast overcome. This is the right fluttering spirit, wherewith the devil would fain always fly above the thrones over the Deity, and yet goeth but in himself into the hellish fire> and apprehendeth not the Deity.
94. And 3here also was Adam tempted, [to try] « Or herein, whether he would steadfastly put his imagination
p. 628
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 22
1 Or submit to it.
2 allegeth
Scripture.
into the Heart of God, and then he should have continued in paradise ; but when he turned away his mind from the Heart of God into the spirit of this world, and would fly out beyond the humility, and would be like God, then he went forth beyond the throne of God, in the spirit of the fierceness of the anger. Therefore here the soul of Christ must be accurately tempted, [to try] whether it would (seeing it had retained the heavenly bread) fly out also in pride in the might of the fire ; or whether it would in humility look only upon the Heart of God, and *give itself up to that, that it might be carried only in the will of God, and become an angel in humility, and not rely only upon itself, to fly in its own might [or power].
95. And here the devil's master-piece is seen, in that he 2 useth the Scripture, and saith, The angels will bear ihee up ; whereas here the matter was not about the body, but about the soul, which he would bring into pride, that it might tear itself off from the love of God, and rely upon the angels bearing it up ; and that it should break itself off again from the new body (which can fly well enough with that) and leap down in the old body, and rely upon the angels, and so should fly out from God into the spirit of this world again.
96. But here his valour is seen ; though he stood (with his earthly body) upon the pinnacle of the temple, yet he committed his earthly body to God, and trusted in him, and that he was everywhere
yieids itself stands. Jt it trade in the kingdom ot heaven, to, or con- . i i • i «• i -n • -i -i • • i verses with, then the kingdom of hell is dead in it ; not that it is ceased, but the kingdom of heaven is predominant, and the kingdom of fierceness is changed into joy ; so also, if it trade in the kingdom of wrath, then that is predominant, and the kingdom of heaven is as it were dead ; although indeed (in itself it does not vanish) yet the soul is not in it.
91. Thus also the temptation was to try, which kingdom in the soul might overcome, and therefore the food and drink was withdrawn from the earthly body, and the kingdom of heaven was predominant in him, in the holy Ternary, and in his Deity, and the kingdom of wrath and the kingdom of the devil were against him. And there the new-washed and half-regenerated soul stood in the midst, and was pulled at by both kingdoms, as Adam in paradise.
92. The Deity in Christ in the holy Ternary said, Eat of the Word of the Lord, and go forth from the outward man, rest in the kingdom of heaven, and live in the new man, and then the old man is dead, for the new man's sake ; on the
Ch. 22] THE NEW REGENERATION IN CHRIST 627 contrary, the devil said to the soul, Your earthly body does hunger (because there is no bread for it)
therefore make bread of stones, that you may live ; and the strong soul in Christ as a Champion stood and said, Man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of
God : And he rejected the earthly bread and life, and put his imagination into the Word of God, and did eat of the Word of the Lord, and then the soul in the kingdom of heaven was predominant, and the earthly body was as it were dead for the kingdom of heaven's sake ; whereas yet it was not dead, but it became the servant of the heavenly body, and lost its potent * dominion. i regimen, or
93. And now when the kingdom of hell had this government mighty blow, and was thus overcome, then the devil lost his right in the soul ; yet he said in himself, You have a 2 right in the earthly body. a Or jurisdicAnd somewhat was permitted to him ; and then etrtM^body. he took the body with the soul, and set them upon the pinnacle of the temple, and said, Cast yourself down (for you are powerful and can do all things) and then the people shall see that you are God, and have overcome. This is the right fluttering spirit, wherewith the devil would fain always fly above the thrones over the Deity, and yet goes but in himself into the hellish fire> and apprehends not the Deity.
94. And 3here also was Adam tempted, [to try] « Or herein, whether he would steadfastly put his imagination
p. 628
THE THREE PRINCIPLES
[Ch. 22
1 Or submit to it.
2 allegs
Scripture.
into the Heart of God, and then he should have continued in paradise ; but when he turned away his mind from the Heart of God into the spirit of this world, and would fly out beyond the humility, and would be like God, then he went forth beyond the throne of God, in the spirit of the fierceness of the anger. Therefore here the soul of Christ must be accurately tempted, [to try] whether it would (seeing it had retained the heavenly bread) fly out also in pride in the might of the fire ; or whether it would in humility look only upon the Heart of God, and *give itself up to that, that it might be carried only in the will of God, and become an angel in humility, and not rely only upon itself, to fly in its own might [or power].
95. And here the devil's master-piece is seen, in that he 2 uses the Scripture, and says, The angels will bear ihee up ; whereas here the matter was not about the body, but about the soul, which he would bring into pride, that it might tear itself off from the love of God, and rely upon the angels bearing it up ; and that it should break itself off again from the new body (which can fly well enough with that) and leap down in the old body, and rely upon the angels, and so should fly out from God into the spirit of this world again.
96. But here his valour is seen ; though he stood (with his earthly body) upon the pinnacle of the temple, yet he committed his earthly body to God, and trusted in him, and that he was everywhere