Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence

1 scandaiizeth the new man, yet it giveth 3 offence ; and we must with the new man live to God [and serve him], though it is not possible to be perfect in this world, yet we must continually go on and hold out ; and the new man is in a field, where the ground is cold, bitter, sour, and void of life.

37. And as an herb (by the pleasant sunshine) groweth out of the earth, so our new man in Christ groweth out of the old, sour, cold, harsh man of our earthly flesh [and blood]. And that is the true light of the Pearl, when we apprehend it truly and really (in the knowledge) in the new man ; and it is the sword wherewith we can fight against the devil. Only we must take the sword of the death of Christ into our hand, which cutteth so sharply, that the devil must fly away.

THE TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER

The Suffering, Dying, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God: Also of his Ascension into Heaven, and sitting at tJie Right hand of God his Father.

The Gate of our Misery ; and also the strong Gate of the
Divine Power in his Love.

• 1. ~TF we consider ourselves in our right reason, -L and behold the kingdom of this world, in which we stand with our flesh and blood, also with our reason and senses, then we find very well, that we have the substance and stirring of it in us ; for we are its very proper own. Now all whatsoever we think, do, and purpose in the outward man, that the spirit of this world doth in us men ; for the body is nothing else but the instrument thereof, wherewith it performeth its work ; and we find, that as all other instruments (which are generated from the spirit of this world) decay, corrupt, and turn to dust, so also our earthly body, wherein the spirit of this world worketh [and acteth] for a while.
• 2. Therefore none should scorn or despise another, though he leadeth not the same course

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that he doth himself ; or though he be not of that way in his mind and will which himself is ; or that another cannot learn and follow the same stately courtly manners and behaviour with himself. For the natural heaven maketh every one, according as its form (in its influences) is, at all times ; and so every creature getteth its condition, form [or shape], inclination and will, which cannot wholly be taken away from the outward man, till the [natural] heaven breaketh its beast. Therefore we ought to consider the great strife in us ; when we are regenerated out of the eternal, then the eternal strive th against the corruptible, against the malice and falsehood of the corruptible.

1 worketh or 3. And now each kingdom l effecteth its will ;

p«rformeth. .

the inward goeth right forward, and consenteth not to the wickedness of the outward, but it

2 it aimeth at. runneth to its 2 mark ; and the outward also goeth forward with its desire, and performeth its work according to the influence of its constellation.

4. But if it happeneth, that the outward doth not what its desire willeth, that proceedeth not from its wisdom, but the heaven hath altered it by

•Or aspect, another 'conjunction; but if 4it be compelled to maneou leave off that which is evil, that is not 5by the

•from the course of the heavens, but the new regenerated influence or