sound forth, and sing of God's deeds of wonder, but best of all in the mother tongue, which every one understandeth, and can lift up his heart and soul therein, and so the whole church or congregation of Christ, as one body, exulteth in God, and singeth of the wonders of God, which doth stir up attention and consideration, which in a strange, or foreign language, is but hypocrisy and ostentation, whereby pride will vaunt itself, for it always appeareth very willingly in a seeming divine posture in hypocrisy: for the devil is such an idol, for he mocketh God, his Creator, therewith, and so painteth forth the Antichrist before the face of God, that God should see what a potent lord and prince he is, who can shine as the Majesty of God shineth, and so he maketh such a glistering in mockery to God, and bringeth the souls of men into the glistering [hypocritical show of holiness].
48. O thou proud and covetous Antichrist, what hast thou done that thou hast thus brought thyself and many thousand souls away from God to thy own glistering pomp? How wilt thou be able to subsist, when the bright countenance of God appeareth ? Where will thy poor soul turn away, in thy glistering hypocrisy, when the day of Judgment shall come? Seeing all must pass through the fire, where will your own appearing holiness remain? Will it not remain in the fire? For no soul can reach God, unless it be turned into the will of God, and be regenerated in God, else there is no subsisting in the fire.
49. For the soul must be tried through the fire, and must not be turned in any whither, but into great humility, unto the love and mercy of God, in the humility of Jesus Christ; it must bring Christ's body, and stand in the wisdom of God, that must be its body, else it will not be acknowledged for God's child: for it must be as pure as it was when it was created upon the cross: It must be regenerated upon the cross of Christ, and enter with Christ in the flesh and blood of Christ, through the death of Christ, through the anger of God, into the ninth number, as into the tincture of the eternal divine fire; and there it standeth as a creature before the tenth number, as before the holy Number Three, and humbleth itself before the Number Three, and the Majesty of the Number Three embraceth it as a dear child: So the humility is the food and strength of the Majesty, out of which the brightness goeth forth from eternity to eternity.
50. Where wilt thou, hypocrite, remain with thy glistering lustre, which is generated out of covetousness and pride? O ye children of God, Go out from this whore ! She standeth on the devil's stage, and is carried in a show of triumph, to God's disgrace and contempt.
The Great Open Gate of the Antichrist
51 Hearken and see, thou poor soul, we will shew thee the very Antichrist who domineereth over the whole world, whom God hath made known to us that thou mightest see him: for thou hast hitherto accounted him a god; but now his shame must come to light: for he is so secret that none know him, unless they be born of God, so that they apprehend God's essence and will, otherwise he remaineth hidden in every man; for there is none but hath him, and carrieth him in his heart;
yea, if one be a child of God, and yet hath not the deep knowledge of God, he hangeth still to him [depends on him] :
for the devil hath insinuated himself in the form of an angel into him: Therefore mark what here followeth, for it is the number of the Seventh Seal, and declareth the eternal day.
sound forth, and sing of God's deeds of wonder, but best of all in the mother tongue, which every one understands, and can lift up his heart and soul therein, and so the whole church or congregation of Christ, as one body, exults in God, and sings of the wonders of God, which does stir up attention and consideration, which in a strange, or foreign language, is but hypocrisy and ostentation, whereby pride will vaunt itself, for it always appears very willingly in a seeming divine posture in hypocrisy: for the devil is such an idol, for he mocks God, his Creator, therewith, and so paints forth the Antichrist before the face of God, that God should see what a potent lord and prince he is, who can shine as the Majesty of God shines, and so he makes such a glistering in mockery to God, and brings the souls of men into the glistering [hypocritical show of holiness].
48. O you proud and covetous Antichrist, what have you done that you have thus brought yourself and many thousand souls away from God to your own glistering pomp? How will you be able to subsist, when the bright countenance of God appears ? Where will your poor soul turn away, in your glistering hypocrisy, when the day of Judgment shall come? Seeing all must pass through the fire, where will your own appearing holiness remain? Will it not remain in the fire? For no soul can reach God, unless it be turned into the will of God, and be regenerated in God, else there is no subsisting in the fire.
49. For the soul must be tried through the fire, and must not be turned in any whither, but into great humility, unto the love and mercy of God, in the humility of Jesus Christ; it must bring Christ's body, and stand in the wisdom of God, that must be its body, else it will not be acknowledged for God's child: for it must be as pure as it was when it was created upon the cross: It must be regenerated upon the cross of Christ, and enter with Christ in the flesh and blood of Christ, through the death of Christ, through the anger of God, into the ninth number, as into the tincture of the eternal divine fire; and there it stands as a creature before the tenth number, as before the holy Number Three, and humbls itself before the Number Three, and the Majesty of the Number Three embracs it as a dear child: So the humility is the food and strength of the Majesty, out of which the brightness goes forth from eternity to eternity.
50. Where will you, hypocrite, remain with your glistering lustre, which is generated out of covetousness and pride? O you children of God, Go out from this whore ! She stands on the devil's stage, and is carried in a show of triumph, to God's disgrace and contempt.
The Great Open Gate of the Antichrist
51 Hearken and see, you poor soul, we will show you the very Antichrist who domineers over the whole world, whom God has made known to us that you might see him: for you have hitherto accounted him a god; but now his shame must come to light: for he is so secret that none know him, unless they be born of God, so that they apprehend God's essence and will, otherwise he remains hidden in every man; for there is none but has him, and carries him in his heart;
yea, if one be a child of God, and yet has not the deep knowledge of God, he hangs still to him [depends on him] :
for the devil has insinuated himself in the form of an angel into him: Therefore mark what here follows, for it is the number of the Seventh Seal, and declares the eternal day.
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