Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
wherein 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
8. 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 hep. 132 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. .. .
matter, 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.
wherein 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 has 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 brings 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
8. 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 behoves every one to work the works of God, in which he stands ; of which God will require an account from every one, what he has 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 supposes that he knows it very well, he has 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. .. .
matter, nor pour out his mockmgs so presumptuously [against the children of God], for so long as he is a scorner [or mocker] he knows nothing of this. He ought not to think his cap becomes 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 does not know : He
8 Or institu- must one day give a heavy account of his 6 ordination by the favour of man ; because he boasts of a divine calling, and yet the spirit of God is far from him, therefore he is a liar, and belies the Deity.
11. Therefore let every one take care what he does : I say again, that whosoever he be that
7 Or minister, intruds 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 enters not through the door into paradise, but he creeps in with the dogs and the wolves, into the den of thieves, and he does it but for his belly's sake, and his own honour [and esteem] ; he is no pastor [or shepherd], but he depends on the great whore, upon Antichrist ; and yet he supposes that he is a pastor [or shepherd] ; but he is not known in paradise.