58. Or do we alone say this? Doth not Christ say, When the unclean spirit goeth out from a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest and finding none; and then he returneth again into his house, and when he cometh there, he findeth it swept and trimmed; and then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits, which are worse than himself, and entereth in, and dwelleth there, and so the last [condition] of that man is worse than the first? Do you understand this [similitude]? You have driven out Satan, and have cleansed your heart, and have well swept your house of sin, and trimmed it; and now, when you are secure and careless, then cometh the devil with all the seven forms of nature, and slippeth in, and thrusteth the old worldly lusts into thy heart again, out of which all wickedness and blasphemies are generated; for he dwelleth in those seven spirits, and tickleth thy heart therewith, and deceiveth thee seven times more, and so thou yieldest to him, and fallest from one sin into another; and then he bindeth the poor soul fast to the sin, and letteth it not run after abstinence or amendment, but bringeth it into fleshly lusts; and when the soul beginneth to stir [or struggle], he saith, To-morrow, to-morrow: so long till he get the venison.
59. Therefore it is said, We must stand still and watch; for the devil goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour: He cometh at all hours before the door of thy heart, to see whether he can get in or no: for it is his beloved lodging: He hath no rest in hell, but in the soul of man he hath joy and pleasure: he can therein open his malicious wonders, wherewith he may sport himself after this time also, wherein he taketh his pleasure; for hell and the anger of God desireth that.
60. Again, you see how the great whore of Babel hath set herself up in this her play of forgiving [sins]: She boasteth of the keys of Absolution, that she can forgive sins, and boasteth of the Apostolical Keys, and maketh sale of sins for money, and usurpeth that from Christ's words, Whose sins ye remit, &c.
61. Now I would fain know, how the sins of the repentant sinner, who casteth himself into God's will, and who goeth forth from this world's reason into God's mercy, can have his sins retained? And much more would I fain know, how one sinful man can fetch another out of hell into the kingdom of heaven, when he cannot get in himself, and goeth about only to make the devil proud with his covetousness, in that he selleth the forgiveness of sins for money? Whereas all sins are drowned only in Christ's New Body, in Christ's flesh and blood: And Isaiah saith, in the person of Christ, / tread the wine-press alone: and I alone blot out your sins, and none besides me. But if it were true, which Antichrist boasteth of, then one devil must drive away another; and then, what would become of the New Regeneration in Christ's flesh and blood, whereby our souls are brought into God?
62. If it could possibly have been that God might have taken away Adam's sin in such a manner, God had not [needed to] become man, and so have brought us into God again: He might rather have forgiven Adam his sin, as a prince pardoneth a murderer, and granteth him his life: No, you yourself must go out from sin, and enter into the will of God; for God doth not stand by as a king, and forgive sins with words: It must be power: You must go out from the fire into the light; for God is no image for us to stand before, and give good words to, but he is a spirit, and penetrateth through the heart and reins, that is, soul and spirit: He is the fire of love, and his centre of nature is the fire of anger; and if you were in hell among all the devils, yet then you are in God, for the anger is also his, it is his abyss; and therefore when you go out from that, you go into the love of God, into the liberty that is without source [or pain] .
63. There is no other forgiveness [to be] understood, but that thou goest out from [the will of] this world, and of thy flesh also, from the devil's will, into God's will; and then God's will receiveth thee, and so thou art freed from all sins, for they remain in the fire, and thy will [remaineth] in the tincture of God, which the Majesty enlighteneth:
58. Or do we alone say this? Does not Christ say, When the unclean spirit goes out from a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest and finding none; and then he returns again into his house, and when he comes there, he finds it swept and trimmed; and then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits, which are worse than himself, and enters in, and dwells there, and so the last [condition] of that man is worse than the first? Do you understand this [similitude]? You have driven out Satan, and have cleansed your heart, and have well swept your house of sin, and trimmed it; and now, when you are secure and careless, then comes the devil with all the seven forms of nature, and slipps in, and thrusts the old worldly lusts into your heart again, out of which all wickedness and blasphemies are generated; for he dwells in those seven spirits, and tickls your heart therewith, and deceives you seven times more, and so you yieldest to him, and fallest from one sin into another; and then he binds the poor soul fast to the sin, and letts it not run after abstinence or amendment, but brings it into fleshly lusts; and when the soul beginns to stir [or struggle], he says, To-morrow, to-morrow: so long till he get the venison.
59. Therefore it is said, We must stand still and watch; for the devil goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour: He comes at all hours before the door of your heart, to see whether he can get in or no: for it is his beloved lodging: He has no rest in hell, but in the soul of man he has joy and pleasure: he can therein open his malicious wonders, wherewith he may sport himself after this time also, wherein he takes his pleasure; for hell and the anger of God desires that.
60. Again, you see how the great whore of Babel has set herself up in this her play of forgiving [sins]: She boasts of the keys of Absolution, that she can forgive sins, and boasts of the Apostolical Keys, and makes sale of sins for money, and usurps that from Christ's words, Whose sins you remit, &c.
61. Now I would fain know, how the sins of the repentant sinner, who casts himself into God's will, and who goes forth from this world's reason into God's mercy, can have his sins retained? And much more would I fain know, how one sinful man can fetch another out of hell into the kingdom of heaven, when he cannot get in himself, and goes about only to make the devil proud with his covetousness, in that he sells the forgiveness of sins for money? Whereas all sins are drowned only in Christ's New Body, in Christ's flesh and blood: And Isaiah says, in the person of Christ, / tread the wine-press alone: and I alone blot out your sins, and none besides me. But if it were true, which Antichrist boasts of, then one devil must drive away another; and then, what would become of the New Regeneration in Christ's flesh and blood, whereby our souls are brought into God?
62. If it could possibly have been that God might have taken away Adam's sin in such a manner, God had not [needed to] become man, and so have brought us into God again: He might rather have forgiven Adam his sin, as a prince pardons a murderer, and grants him his life: No, you yourself must go out from sin, and enter into the will of God; for God does not stand by as a king, and forgive sins with words: It must be power: You must go out from the fire into the light; for God is no image for us to stand before, and give good words to, but he is a spirit, and penetrats through the heart and reins, that is, soul and spirit: He is the fire of love, and his centre of nature is the fire of anger; and if you were in hell among all the devils, yet then you are in God, for the anger is also his, it is his abyss; and therefore when you go out from that, you go into the love of God, into the liberty that is without source [or pain] .
63. There is no other forgiveness [to be] understood, but that you go out from [the will of] this world, and of your flesh also, from the devil's will, into God's will; and then God's will receives you, and so you are freed from all sins, for they remain in the fire, and your will [remains] in the tincture of God, which the Majesty enlightens:
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