1wherein earthly fruits (good and evil) grow ; as is
before our eyes.
7. But the paradise is somewhat else ; and yet
no other place, but another Principle, where God
and the angels dwell, and where there is perfection,
Ch. 9] OP PARADISE, ETC. 131
where there is mere love, joy, and knowledge ;
where no misery is : which [paradise] neither death
nor the devils touch, neither do they know it :
And yet it hath no wall of earth or stones about
it, but there is a great gulf [or cliff] between
paradise and this world, so that they who would
pass from hence thither, cannot ; and they who
would come from thence to us, cannot either ; and
the hell and the kingdom of darkness is between
them. And none can come therein but by a new
birth ; which Christ spake of to Nicodemus. The
souls of the saints [holy] and regenerate must enter
into it (by the death of darkness), whom the ArchShepherd with the angels bringeth thereinto upon
his l bride-chariot : Of which you shall find [an » Note, the
..-,.., , . " j bride-chariot
exposition] in its proper place in order. is the true
28. But seeing somewhat is lent me from the intXs bosom
grace of the power [or divine virtue] of God, that °
I might know the way to paradise ; and seeing it
behoveth every one to work the works of God, in
which he standeth ; of which God will require
an account from every one, what he hath done in
the labour of his day's work in this world ; and
will require the work (which he gave every one to
do) with increase, and will not have them empty ;
or else he will have that unprofitable servant to be
bound hand and foot, and cast into darkness ; where
he must be fain to work, yet in the anguish, and
in the forgetting of the day-labour which was
given him to do here [or of the talent which he
132 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 9
had received here] wherein he was found an unprofitable servant.
9. Therefore I will not neglect my day-labour,
but will labour as much as I can on the way ; and
1 Much less to although I shall scarce be able to * tell the letters,
spell or read. ... 1-1 9-1111 1-1
2 my iabour. m tnis so h^h a wav> 7et lt: sna^ be so high,
that many will have enough to learn in it all their
life long : He that supposeth that he knoweth it
very well, he hath not j^et learnt the first letter
of paradise, for no doctors are to be found on this
3 children way in this school, but only 3 scholars [or learners].
school. 10. Therefore let not my Master of Arts (in his
4 Or crowned * hood and tippet) think himself so cunning in this
hat. .. .
3matter, nor pour out his mockmgs so presumptuously [against the children of God], for so long as
he is a scorner [or mocker] he knoweth nothing of
this. He ought not to think his cap becometh him
so finely ; nor ought he to boast of his human
5 by holy calling, as if he did sit in his calling 5by the
orders, divine <•/* •» i i •
institution, or ordinance ot God, whereas he is not set or confirmed
therein from God, but by the favour of man. He
ought not so much to prohibit [and forbid] the way
to paradise, which himself doth not know : He
8 Or institu- must one day give a heavy account of his 6 ordination by the favour of man ; because he boasteth of a
divine calling, and yet the spirit of God is far from
him, therefore he is a liar, and belieth the Deity.
11. Therefore let every one take care what he
doth : I say again, that whosoever he be that
7 Or minister, intrudeth himself to be a pastor [or 7 shepherd]
Ch. 9] OF PARADISE, ETC. 133
without the divine calling, without the knowledge
of God, he is a thief and a murderer ; he entereth
not through the door into paradise, but he creepeth
in with the dogs and the wolves, into the den of
thieves, and he doth it but for his belly's sake, and
his own honour [and esteem] ; he is no pastor [or
shepherd], but he dependeth on the great whore,
upon Antichrist ; and yet he supposeth that he is
a pastor [or shepherd] ; but he is not known in
paradise.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.