Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence

6. But mark and consider this well, dear Reader, and let not your simplicity deceive you, the author is not greater than others, he knows no more, i mini.

Ch. 4] OF THE TRUE ETERNAL NATURE 33 neither has he any greater authority than other children of God. Do but look upon yourself, why have you earthly thoughts of yourself? Why will you be mocked by the devil, and be fooled by the world, [so as to be led to think] that you are but a kind of figure like God, and not generated or begotten of God ? i

7. Your monstrous form or shape indeed is not God, nor of his essence, or substance, but the hidden man, x which is the soul, 2 is the proper i which the essence of God, forasmuch as the love in the light !° , , o 2 Or out of of God is sprung up in your own centre, out

• essence or which the Holy Ghost proceeds, wherein the substance, as

J a child is the

second Principle of God consists : How then should father's own substance.

you not have power and authority to speak of God, who is your Father, of whose essence you are ? Behold, is not the world God's ? And the Light of God being in you, it must needs be also yours, as it is written, The Father has given all things to the Son, and the Son has given all to you. The Father is the eternal power, or virtue, and the Son is the Heart and light continuing eternally in the Father, and you continue in the Father and the Son. 'And now, being the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son, and that the eternal power or virtue of the Father is in you, and that the eternal light of the Son shines in you, why will you be fooled ? ) Know you not what Paul said : That our conversation is in heaven, from whence we expect our Saviour

34 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 4

Jesus Christ, who will bring us out of this monstrous image, or birth (in the corruption of the

1 Or paradisi- third Principle of this world), in the x paradisical nance86 birth to eat the Word of the Lord?

8. Why will you be fooled by Antichrist, by his laws [precepts] and pratings? Where will you seek God? in the deep above £he stars? You will not be able to find him there. Seek him in

2 Or in the your heart, 2 in the centre of the birth of your life, foundation of and there you shall find him, as our father Adam the beginning , , ,-, ,., and sustaining and mother JtLve did.

9. For it is written, You must be born anew through the water and the spirit, or else you shall not see the kingdom of God. This birth must be done within you : The Heart, or the Son of God must arise in the birth of your life ; and then the Saviour Christ is your faithful Shepherd, and you are in him, and he in you, and all that he and his Father have is yours, and none shall pluck you out of his hands ; and as the Son (viz. the Heart of the Father) is one [with the Father], so also the new man is one in the Father and the Son, one virtue or power, one light, one life, one

1 Or enduring eternal paradise, one eternal heavenly 3 birth, one substance.

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and you his child.

10. Does not the son see plainly what the father does in his house ? And now if the son learn to do the same thereby, what displeasure will the father have towards his son for it ? Nay, will not the father be well pleased that his son is

Ch. 4] OF THE TRUE ETERNAL NATURE 35 so apt [and forward to learn] ? Then why should the heavenly Father be so displeased with his children in this world, which depend upon him, and enquire after him, which would fain learn to know him, fain labour in his works, and do his will ? Does not the Regenerator bid us come to him, and whosoever comes to him, he will not reject? Why should any Resist the spirit of J0r withstand