Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
his holy body to be a clear eternal day, whereinto no night ever came, but the light of God the Father and of the Lamb shone therein.
76. Thou shouldst not think that the soul of
Christ these forty hours was in any other place
1 AS fire goeth than in the Father, l and in his body, where it out in the iron . , , .
by the water's sprang up in great meekness upon the persecution MiihiCgof8it°,r [it had], as a rose, or fair flower out of the earth; " as also our souls in our rest, in the body of Jesus
Christ, at the Last Judgment-day in the destruction of this world, shall in the new body break forth again out of the old ; and in the meanwhile the soul groweth up in the holy element, in the "ourap- body of Christ, till 2our forty hours also come about, and not one hour longer than the appointed time is. Thus is the body of Christ in the power or virtue of the Father (through the soul) risen again and gone forth, and hath in it the light of the Holy Trinity.
77. It was not needful that the stone should be rolled away [from the grave], but to convince the blind Jews, that they might see it was but folly in them to go about to detain or shut up God ; also because of the disciples' weak reason, that they might see that he was risen for certain ; for [when the stone was rolled away], they could go into the grave and see it themselves.
78. Also the angel appeared to them there, and comforted them. Thus will Christ comfort his afflicted ones, who are afflicted for his sake ; yeaCh. 25] CHRIST'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION 713 he is [present] with them, as he was with Mary Magdalene, and with the two disciples going to Emmaus.
79. Thou must know that no stone or rock can keep or retain his body, he pierceth and penetrateth through all things, and breaketh nothing; he comprehendeth all things, and the thing comprehendeth not him ; he comprehendeth this world, and the world comprehendeth not him ; he is hurt by nothing, the whole fulness of the Deity is in him, and is not included in anything ; l he 1 Note. appeareth a creature, in our human form, in the same 2 dimensions that our bodies have, and yet his a circum-
. . scription and body hath no end or limit ; he is the whole princely bigness. throne of the whole Principle.
80. When he was here upon earth in the earthly man, his outward body was circumscribed and limited, as our bodies are, but the inward body is unlimited, for we also (in the resurrection in the body of Jesus Christ) are unlimited, yet visible and palpable or comprehensible, in the heavenly flesh and blood, as the Prince of Life himself is ; 8 we can in « Note. the heavenly figure [or shape] be great or little, and yet nothing be hurt or wanting in us ; there is no need of compressing the parts of that body.
81. 0 dear Christians, leave off your contentions about the body of Jesus Christ ; he is everywhere in all places, * yet in the heaven ; and the heaven 4 Note. (wherein God dwelleth) is also everywhere. God dwelleth in the body of Jesus Christ, and in allp. 714 holy souls of men, even when they depart from this outward body ; and if they be regenerated, then they are in the body of Jesus Christ, even while they are in this earthly body. A soul here in our body upon earth hath not the body of Christ in a palpable substance, but in the word of power [or virtue], which comprehendeth all things. In Christ indeed body and power are one [thing], but we must not understand [this of the four elementary] creature, [which is] in this world. 1 Or wit- 82. And the spirit * signifieth, that if you do not leave off this contention, you shall have no other firTde?oSed sign [given 7OU] than tne 2 sign of JSlias, in fire, the unbeiiev- jn zeaj • the zeal shall devour you, and your coning captains * J
his holy body to be a clear eternal day, whereinto no night ever came, but the light of God the Father and of the Lamb shone therein.
76. You should not think that the soul of
Christ these forty hours was in any other place
1 AS fire goes than in the Father, l and in his body, where it out in the iron . , , .
by the water's sprang up in great meekness upon the persecution MiihiCgof8it°,r [it had], as a rose, or fair flower out of the earth; " as also our souls in our rest, in the body of Jesus
Christ, at the Last Judgment-day in the destruction of this world, shall in the new body break forth again out of the old ; and in the meanwhile the soul grows up in the holy element, in the "ourap- body of Christ, till 2our forty hours also come about, and not one hour longer than the appointed time is. Thus is the body of Christ in the power or virtue of the Father (through the soul) risen again and gone forth, and has in it the light of the Holy Trinity.
77. It was not needful that the stone should be rolled away [from the grave], but to convince the blind Jews, that they might see it was but folly in them to go about to detain or shut up God ; also because of the disciples' weak reason, that they might see that he was risen for certain ; for [when the stone was rolled away], they could go into the grave and see it themselves.
78. Also the angel appeared to them there, and comforted them. Thus will Christ comfort his afflicted ones, who are afflicted for his sake ; yea
Ch. 25] CHRIST'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION 713 he is [present] with them, as he was with Mary Magdalene, and with the two disciples going to Emmaus.
79. You must know that no stone or rock can keep or retain his body, he pierces and penetrats through all things, and breaks nothing; he comprehends all things, and the thing comprehends not him ; he comprehends this world, and the world comprehends not him ; he is hurt by nothing, the whole fulness of the Deity is in him, and is not included in anything ; l he 1 Note. appears a creature, in our human form, in the same 2 dimensions that our bodies have, and yet his a circum-
. . scription and body has no end or limit ; he is the whole princely bigness. throne of the whole Principle.
80. When he was here upon earth in the earthly man, his outward body was circumscribed and limited, as our bodies are, but the inward body is unlimited, for we also (in the resurrection in the body of Jesus Christ) are unlimited, yet visible and palpable or comprehensible, in the heavenly flesh and blood, as the Prince of Life himself is ; 8 we can in « Note. the heavenly figure [or shape] be great or little, and yet nothing be hurt or wanting in us ; there is no need of compressing the parts of that body.
81. 0 dear Christians, leave off your contentions about the body of Jesus Christ ; he is everywhere in all places, * yet in the heaven ; and the heaven 4 Note. (wherein God dwells) is also everywhere. God dwells in the body of Jesus Christ, and in all
714 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 25 holy souls of men, even when they depart from this outward body ; and if they be regenerated, then they are in the body of Jesus Christ, even while they are in this earthly body. A soul here in our body upon earth has not the body of Christ in a palpable substance, but in the word of power [or virtue], which comprehends all things. In Christ indeed body and power are one [thing], but we must not understand [this of the four elementary] creature, [which is] in this world. 1 Or wit- 82. And the spirit * signifies, that if you do not leave off this contention, you shall have no other firTde?oSed sign [given 7OU] than tne 2 sign of JSlias, in fire, the unbeiiev- jn zeaj • the zeal shall devour you, and your coning captains * J