Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
the conscience of the simple-hearted in his good meaning ; he hath invented rights, which in his laws serve to promote his deceit, contrary to the light of nature ; all reproach and blasphemies have subsisted in his strength and authority, whereby he hath terrified the simple-hearted, that his power might be great.
56. Thus falsehood is wrought with falsehood, and the inferior is become false also, who hath set lies to sale for truth, and so falsely cheated his superior ; from whence is grown cursing, swearing, stealing, and murdering, so that they have continually held one another for cozening cheaters, liars, and unjust ;
1 the superior for they are so indeed, and l they have exchanged feriorhave words for words, and therewith in lying and in reproach one truth also they rub one another with the bitter ier' unsavoury salt of devils in the anger of God, whereby the name of God is blasphemed and abused, and the world is found [to be] in the anger of God, and is become a den of thieves and murderers.
57. Seeing then out of this unrighteous people, there should an host [or generation] be born to the kingdom of heaven, and seeing none lived upon earth that was not defiled with this wickedness, and yet that in the love of God there was a possibility found [that such a generation might be brought forth out of mankind], so that we (who are sorry and grieved at this fore- mentioned evil beast, and desire to go out from it) might come to
Ch. 25] CHRIST'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION 703
the grace of God, and yet no otherwise but in this Christ ; and yet that it is daily found among the regenerated Christians, that the old earthly body is so kindled in such wickedness, and that (although they would fain go out from it and leave it quite) yet they cannot, for the anger holdeth us captive in the old man, and the devil is lord therein, who driveth the body (in the spirit of this world) often into evil and wickedness, which man intended not to do, for the wickedness of the ungodly (by his cursing and falsehood) kindleth the anger of the 1 old man, and although he be inwardly [new] born l wherein the
, new man m God, yet it is not known. liveth.
58. Therefore (seeing our falsehood and unrighteousness, as also our offences, are manifested before God, and appear in the tincture, and that we could not [otherwise] be freed from such evil) Christ hath taken upon him all our transgressions, and suffered himself to be accounted one that had a devil, and a sorcerer, seducer, and deceiver, as if he would have set up an imperial crown for himself, as the high-priests laid to his charge ; he suffered himself to be mocked, scourged, spit upon, and smitten on the face ; he suffered a false crown of thorns to be set upon his head ; and as we proceed against one another, and vex one another with falsehood and malice upon earth, where the potent doth what he listeth, to satisfy his anger ; and as we revile, deride, mock, vilify, and send one another to the devil, to deprive one another ofp. 704 credit and reputation through falsehood, so must Christ therefore take all this upon him.
59. And you see clearly, that the wicked Pharisees and Scribes put these things upon him ; for these things did not happen to him for nothing, or without cause ; for it was of necessity to be so ; for the Pharisees, Scribes, and rulers, had put that in his dish for him, which he must eat. Or shall we be silent ? We must tell it, though it should cost us our life.
the conscience of the simple-hearted in his good meaning ; he has invented rights, which in his laws serve to promote his deceit, contrary to the light of nature ; all reproach and blasphemies have subsisted in his strength and authority, whereby he has terrified the simple-hearted, that his power might be great.
56. Thus falsehood is wrought with falsehood, and the inferior is become false also, who has set lies to sale for truth, and so falsely cheated his superior ; from whence is grown cursing, swearing, stealing, and murdering, so that they have continually held one another for cozening cheaters, liars, and unjust ;
1 the superior for they are so indeed, and l they have exchanged feriorhave words for words, and therewith in lying and in reproach one truth also they rub one another with the bitter ier' unsavoury salt of devils in the anger of God, whereby the name of God is blasphemed and abused, and the world is found [to be] in the anger of God, and is become a den of thieves and murderers.
57. Seeing then out of this unrighteous people, there should an host [or generation] be born to the kingdom of heaven, and seeing none lived upon earth that was not defiled with this wickedness, and yet that in the love of God there was a possibility found [that such a generation might be brought forth out of mankind], so that we (who are sorry and grieved at this fore- mentioned evil beast, and desire to go out from it) might come to Ch. 25] CHRIST'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION 703 the grace of God, and yet no otherwise but in this Christ ; and yet that it is daily found among the regenerated Christians, that the old earthly body is so kindled in such wickedness, and that (although they would fain go out from it and leave it quite) yet they cannot, for the anger holds us captive in the old man, and the devil is lord therein, who drivs the body (in the spirit of this world) often into evil and wickedness, which man intended not to do, for the wickedness of the ungodly (by his cursing and falsehood) kindls the anger of the 1 old man, and although he be inwardly [new] born l wherein the
, new man m God, yet it is not known. lives.
58. Therefore (seeing our falsehood and unrighteousness, as also our offences, are manifested before God, and appear in the tincture, and that we could not [otherwise] be freed from such evil) Christ has taken upon him all our transgressions, and suffered himself to be accounted one that had a devil, and a sorcerer, seducer, and deceiver, as if he would have set up an imperial crown for himself, as the high-priests laid to his charge ; he suffered himself to be mocked, scourged, spit upon, and smitten on the face ; he suffered a false crown of thorns to be set upon his head ; and as we proceed against one another, and vex one another with falsehood and malice upon earth, where the potent does what he lists, to satisfy his anger ; and as we revile, deride, mock, vilify, and send one another to the devil, to deprive one another of
704 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 25 credit and reputation through falsehood, so must Christ therefore take all this upon him.
59. And you see clearly, that the wicked Pharisees and Scribes put these things upon him ; for these things did not happen to him for nothing, or without cause ; for it was of necessity to be so ; for the Pharisees, Scribes, and rulers, had put that in his dish for him, which he must eat. Or shall we be silent ? We must tell it, though it should cost us our life.