Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
p. 629
in God ; and said to the devil, It is written, ihou \ shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Here the devil's pride (in the kingdom of wrath) was rightly overcome ; and the humility, the strength, and the might remained to be our Christ's ; and the soul of Christ is entered into the holy Ternary, as into the humble love, and espoused itself with the humble chaste virgin of the divine wisdom.
97. Now when the devil had lost twice, then he came at last, with his last powerful temptation, as he did also to Adam, he would give him the ivhole world, if he would fall down and worship him. The business with Adam also was about this world, he would draw this world to him, and so be like God with it, that as God had drawn this world to him, to manifest his great wonders thereO with, so the soul in Adam thought [with itself],
Thou art the similitude of God, thou wilt do so too, and so thou shalt be like God ; but thereby he went forth from God into the spirit of this world. Now therefore the second Adam must hold out the standing of the first Adam, whereby it was tempted [or tried,] whether the soul would continue in the new holy heavenly man, and live in the Barmhertzigkeit [the * mercifulness] of God, 1 Or mercy.
or in the spirit of this world.
98. And thus stood the soul as a valiant
Champion, and said to Satan, Get thee hence,
Satan, thou shouldst worship the Lord thy God,
and serve him only. I have no more to do with
p. 630
thee. There the devil, hell, and the kingdom of this world, were commanded to be gone, and the valiant Champion gat the victory ; and the devil was fain to get him gone, and the earthly [part] was overcome. And here now the noble Champion standeth upon the moon, and receiveth all might, in heaven, hell, and on earth, into his power, and ruleth (with his soul, in the holy Ternary, in this outward body) over death and life ; and here this world is become Christ's own, for he hath overcome it ; he could live in God, and needed not the earthly food nor drink.
99. And the Reader must know, that the combat (with the temptation) was held in body and soul ; and that this temptation concerneth us also ; he hath overcome for us. If we put our whole trust in him, then we have victory in him, over sins, death, hell, and the devil, and also over this world ; for he held the last victory in his death, when he brake the sword of the Cherubim, and destroyed the hell of the devil, and hath led captivity captive, that thereby thou mightest live by the death of Christ.
100. And we see that all is true, as is above mentioned ; for when he had overcome in the temptation, and had stood forty days, then he had wholly overcome till the last victory in death, for so long Adam was in the temptation, in the
1 Viz. after Garden of Eden ; and l there he began his priestly the tempta- . .. .
tion. kingdom (as a king over heaven and this world)
Ch. 22] THE NEW REGENERATION IN CHRIST 631
with signs and wonders ; and in bis first miracle turned water into good wine ; he also healed the sick, made the blind to see, the lame to go, and cleansed lepers ; also he raised the dead, and shewed himself to be the true king over the 1 quick and dead, and sat upon David's throne of l over the living and promise, and was the true priest in the order of the dead. Melchisedech. All whatsoever Aaron was (in the Father's might) in a type, that this High-Priest was in virtue [and power], with deeds and wonders ; which we will clearly describe in the succeeding Book, if we live, and God shall give us leave to do it.
THE TWENTY-THIRD CHAPTER
Of the highly precious Testaments of Christ, viz. Baptism and his Last Supper, which he held in the Evening of Maundy-Thursday with his Disciples; which he left us for his Last [ Will], as a Farewell for a Remembrance.
The most noble Gate of Christianity.
Cll. 22] THE NEW REGENERATION IN CHRIST 629 in God ; and said to the devil, It is written, ihou \ shall not tempt the Lord your God. Here the devil's pride (in the kingdom of wrath) was rightly overcome ; and the humility, the strength, and the might remained to be our Christ's ; and the soul of Christ is entered into the holy Ternary, as into the humble love, and espoused itself with the humble chaste virgin of the divine wisdom.
97. Now when the devil had lost twice, then he came at last, with his last powerful temptation, as he did also to Adam, he would give him the ivhole world, if he would fall down and worship him. The business with Adam also was about this world, he would draw this world to him, and so be like God with it, that as God had drawn this world to him, to manifest his great wonders thereO with, so the soul in Adam thought [with itself],
You are the similitude of God, you will do so too, and so you shall be like God ; but thereby he went forth from God into the spirit of this world. Now therefore the second Adam must hold out the standing of the first Adam, whereby it was tempted [or tried,] whether the soul would continue in the new holy heavenly man, and live in the Barmhertzigkeit [the * mercifulness] of God, 1 Or mercy.
or in the spirit of this world.
98. And thus stood the soul as a valiant
Champion, and said to Satan, Get you hence,
Satan, you should worship the Lord your God,
and serve him only. I have no more to do with
630 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 22 you. There the devil, hell, and the kingdom of this world, were commanded to be gone, and the valiant Champion gat the victory ; and the devil was fain to get him gone, and the earthly [part] was overcome. And here now the noble Champion stands upon the moon, and receives all might, in heaven, hell, and on earth, into his power, and ruls (with his soul, in the holy Ternary, in this outward body) over death and life ; and here this world is become Christ's own, for he has overcome it ; he could live in God, and needed not the earthly food nor drink.
99. And the Reader must know, that the combat (with the temptation) was held in body and soul ; and that this temptation concerns us also ; he has overcome for us. If we put our whole trust in him, then we have victory in him, over sins, death, hell, and the devil, and also over this world ; for he held the last victory in his death, when he brake the sword of the Cherubim, and destroyed the hell of the devil, and has led captivity captive, that thereby you might live by the death of Christ.
100. And we see that all is true, as is above mentioned ; for when he had overcome in the temptation, and had stood forty days, then he had wholly overcome till the last victory in death, for so long Adam was in the temptation, in the
1 Viz. after Garden of Eden ; and l there he began his priestly the tempta- . .. .
tion. kingdom (as a king over heaven and this world)
Ch. 22] THE NEW REGENERATION IN CHRIST 631 with signs and wonders ; and in bis first miracle turned water into good wine ; he also healed the sick, made the blind to see, the lame to go, and cleansed lepers ; also he raised the dead, and showed himself to be the true king over the 1 quick and dead, and sat upon David's throne of l over the living and promise, and was the true priest in the order of the dead. Melchisedech. All whatsoever Aaron was (in the Father's might) in a type, that this High-Priest was in virtue [and power], with deeds and wonders ; which we will clearly describe in the succeeding Book, if we live, and God shall give us leave to do it.
THE TWENTY-THIRD CHAPTER
Of the highly precious Testaments of Christ, viz. Baptism and his Last Supper, which he held in the Evening of Maundy-Thursday with his Disciples; which he left us for his Last [ Will], as a Farewell for a Remembrance.
The most noble Gate of Christianity.