Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
23. And now because the devil had so highly triumphed, and had man in the eternal prison, therefore it was now permitted to the spirit of this world, that they (viz. the Pharisees, who lived only according to the spirit of this world) all of them might do and bring to pass whatsoever the devil had brought into the essences, in the Garden of Eden ; and there all was turned into a substance, and to an essential work, for a terrible example to
Ch. 25] CHRIST'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION 689
[shew] us, that all (whatsoever we suffer to come into the soul, and fill the soul full of, with a total will) standeth in the figure, and must come to light at the judgment of God.
24. For when Adam went out of the angelical form into the fierceness of the form of the serpent, then the devils mocked him ; and that mocking must at this time be essentially [or actually done] upon the outward man Christ ; and the devil's fatted swine (the high-priests) must have their pleasure upon him.
25. And so when Adam went out of the angelical form and property into the fourth form, then all the fierce [wrathful] essences fell upon him, and
1 wrought in him, and scourged him exceedingly. J qualified or But the Word of God in the promise mitigated S that again, though indeed we must still feel it enough ; if thou hast any reason, consider it. And now the outward man Christ underwent this pain also outwardly, when he was scourged ; for all the inward forms, which the man Christ must bear inwardly for our sakes, which caused him to sweat drops of blood, they stood also outwardly on his body, to shew that the outward man in this outward world stood and dwelt in such a source [property or condition].
26. And as Adam (in pride) desired the kingdom of this world, and would be like God in it, and wear the crown of this world, so must Christ wear a crown of thorns, and must endure to be mockedp. 44p. 690 by it, as a false king ; for so the devils also did to Adam, when they had set the crown of folly upon him with the kingdom of this world.
27. And as Adam (after his entrance into the spirit of this world) must have his essences broken, (when the woman was made out of him, and a rib was broken from his side for a wife), so must blood flow out of all the essences of Christ in his scourging, and his side must be opened with a spear, that therein we may behold the broken man within us, which the devil had mocked ; thus this Christ must bear the reproach for us in his body.
28. And as Adam went out from the eternal day into the eternal [dark] night, wherein the anger of God was, so this Christ must be bound in a dark night, and be led before the angry murderers, who all opened their jaws, and would pour out their fury upon him.
29. And as Adam in confidence of himself (desiring to be high and wise like God himself) went into the spirit of the fierce source [or property] in this world, so the second Adam must endure all mocking, torment, and pain to be
1 who were inflicted upon him from the wise l scribes, that we learned in the . .
Scriptures, might see that in our greatest art (which we suppose to have from the schools and universities in this world) we are but fools, and that such wisdom is but folly before God ; and our own opinions and conceits stick therein, as in Adam, who thought he could not now fail, he was becomeCh. 25] CHRIST'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION 691 lord therein [viz. in his self- wisdom], and he was but a fool. Thus also, when we fall from God, and rely upon our own reason, we are [but] fools.
30. How will ye then (0 antichristian fools) bind us to your art, that we should turn away from the Heart of God, to behold your invented fables and fopperies ? Whereas in your wisdom of this world ye are but fools, as Adam also was when he drew away his spirit from the Heart of God. The
23. And now because the devil had so highly triumphed, and had man in the eternal prison, therefore it was now permitted to the spirit of this world, that they (viz. the Pharisees, who lived only according to the spirit of this world) all of them might do and bring to pass whatsoever the devil had brought into the essences, in the Garden of Eden ; and there all was turned into a substance, and to an essential work, for a terrible example to
Ch. 25] CHRIST'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION 689
[show] us, that all (whatsoever we suffer to come into the soul, and fill the soul full of, with a total will) stands in the figure, and must come to light at the judgment of God.
24. For when Adam went out of the angelical form into the fierceness of the form of the serpent, then the devils mocked him ; and that mocking must at this time be essentially [or actually done] upon the outward man Christ ; and the devil's fatted swine (the high-priests) must have their pleasure upon him.
25. And so when Adam went out of the angelical form and property into the fourth form, then all the fierce [wrathful] essences fell upon him, and
1 wrought in him, and scourged him exceedingly. J qualified or But the Word of God in the promise mitigated S that again, though indeed we must still feel it enough ; if you have any reason, consider it. And now the outward man Christ underwent this pain also outwardly, when he was scourged ; for all the inward forms, which the man Christ must bear inwardly for our sakes, which caused him to sweat drops of blood, they stood also outwardly on his body, to show that the outward man in this outward world stood and dwelt in such a source [property or condition].
26. And as Adam (in pride) desired the kingdom of this world, and would be like God in it, and wear the crown of this world, so must Christ wear a crown of thorns, and must endure to be mocked
p. 44
690 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 25 by it, as a false king ; for so the devils also did to Adam, when they had set the crown of folly upon him with the kingdom of this world.
27. And as Adam (after his entrance into the spirit of this world) must have his essences broken, (when the woman was made out of him, and a rib was broken from his side for a wife), so must blood flow out of all the essences of Christ in his scourging, and his side must be opened with a spear, that therein we may behold the broken man within us, which the devil had mocked ; thus this Christ must bear the reproach for us in his body.
28. And as Adam went out from the eternal day into the eternal [dark] night, wherein the anger of God was, so this Christ must be bound in a dark night, and be led before the angry murderers, who all opened their jaws, and would pour out their fury upon him.
29. And as Adam in confidence of himself (desiring to be high and wise like God himself) went into the spirit of the fierce source [or property] in this world, so the second Adam must endure all mocking, torment, and pain to be
1 who were inflicted upon him from the wise l scribes, that we learned in the . .
Scriptures, might see that in our greatest art (which we suppose to have from the schools and universities in this world) we are but fools, and that such wisdom is but folly before God ; and our own opinions and conceits stick therein, as in Adam, who thought he could not now fail, he was become
Ch. 25] CHRIST'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION 691 lord therein [viz. in his self- wisdom], and he was but a fool. Thus also, when we fall from God, and rely upon our own reason, we are [but] fools.
30. How will you then (0 antichristian fools) bind us to your art, that we should turn away from the Heart of God, to behold your invented fables and fopperies ? Whereas in your wisdom of this world you are but fools, as Adam also was when he drew away his spirit from the Heart of God. The