the place of its abominations: It cannot go from thence, for the hellish matrix holdeth it, and it must thus feed itself with anguish, cursing, abominations, and bitterness, and even with that which its heart hath done here [in this life], wherein at length it despaireth, and that is its eternal food.
15. All earthly food and lust passeth away at the end of days, and returneth again into the ether; but the will remaineth standing eternally, and the desire in the will.
16. Therefore, you parents and children, you superiors and inferiors, observe, you have filled the mother of nature full with abominations, the fierce anger of God is at hand, the Last Judgment is at the door, God will purge the earth with fire, and give every one his wages: The harvest cometh, this garment will remain no longer, every thing will be gathered into its barn: He that will not take counsel, let him take his course; he will find by woeful experience what the seventh seal at the centre bringeth with it.
17. When reason looketh all about and considered, it saith, I see not yet that it is otherwise than it was in former times: Moreover, the world was always good and bad, as histories relate: Also, a man must take such courses, else he will be accounted a fool and an owl in the world, and must starve and perish for hunger.
18. If I do not give my children leave to learn the manners and fashions of the world, then they would be despised and scorned of every body: And if I myself did not carry it out with state, loftiness, and stoutness, I should not be regarded: And if I must have credit, I must use some cunning to get it; for with truth, love, and righteousness, I shall not attain it: I must therefore do as other people do, and then I may be able to live amongst them: Must I needs be made the fool of all the world? Though indeed I commit sin, yet God is gracious and merciful; and hath not Christ slain sin and death on the cross, and taken away the power of the devil? I shall one day repent well enough, and be saved.
19. This is the rule of the world which the superior and inferior go by; also the shepherd [ pastor] and the sheep: Christ's sufferings must be a cover for their wickedness: Every one will be a Christian under the cover of Christ, when the poor soul sitteth a- whoring with the devil: If one do but say with the mouth he is a Christian, and yet cover his wickedness with the purple mantle of Christ, all is well: Thus we are brave lipChristians under the mantle of Christ; but in the heart we have the Antichristian whore sitting as a guest.
20. O you false shepherds of Christ, who go into the sheepfold at your thievish back-door, why do you cover your wickedness with Christ's sufferings and death? Do you think Christ was wicked? Seek the centre of nature, and shew people the abyss that is in their heart: Shew them the snares of the devil, wherewith we lie bound, that they may not esteem cursed worldly things; but that they may learn to strive against flesh and blood, against the devil, and against the hypocritical life and conversation, that they may go forth from the devil's high-mindedness into righteousness, into love and humility.
21. The suffering of Christ is profitable to none, unless they turn from their false evil purposes, and repent, and enter into the covenant of God; and to these it is very effectual. The hypocrites use this for a show, and that they may be called Christians; but thereby they take the name of God in vain, and must give a strict account thereof.
22. O you Antichristian shepherds of the new
the place of its abominations: It cannot go from thence, for the hellish matrix holds it, and it must thus feed itself with anguish, cursing, abominations, and bitterness, and even with that which its heart has done here [in this life], wherein at length it despairs, and that is its eternal food.
15. All earthly food and lust passes away at the end of days, and returns again into the ether; but the will remains standing eternally, and the desire in the will.
16. Therefore, you parents and children, you superiors and inferiors, observe, you have filled the mother of nature full with abominations, the fierce anger of God is at hand, the Last Judgment is at the door, God will purge the earth with fire, and give every one his wages: The harvest comes, this garment will remain no longer, every thing will be gathered into its barn: He that will not take counsel, let him take his course; he will find by woeful experience what the seventh seal at the centre brings with it.
17. When reason looks all about and considered, it says, I see not yet that it is otherwise than it was in former times: Moreover, the world was always good and bad, as histories relate: Also, a man must take such courses, else he will be accounted a fool and an owl in the world, and must starve and perish for hunger.
18. If I do not give my children leave to learn the manners and fashions of the world, then they would be despised and scorned of every body: And if I myself did not carry it out with state, loftiness, and stoutness, I should not be regarded: And if I must have credit, I must use some cunning to get it; for with truth, love, and righteousness, I shall not attain it: I must therefore do as other people do, and then I may be able to live amongst them: Must I needs be made the fool of all the world? Though indeed I commit sin, yet God is gracious and merciful; and has not Christ slain sin and death on the cross, and taken away the power of the devil? I shall one day repent well enough, and be saved.
19. This is the rule of the world which the superior and inferior go by; also the shepherd [ pastor] and the sheep: Christ's sufferings must be a cover for their wickedness: Every one will be a Christian under the cover of Christ, when the poor soul sitts a- whoring with the devil: If one do but say with the mouth he is a Christian, and yet cover his wickedness with the purple mantle of Christ, all is well: Thus we are brave lipChristians under the mantle of Christ; but in the heart we have the Antichristian whore sitting as a guest.
20. O you false shepherds of Christ, who go into the sheepfold at your thievish back-door, why do you cover your wickedness with Christ's sufferings and death? Do you think Christ was wicked? Seek the centre of nature, and show people the abyss that is in their heart: Show them the snares of the devil, wherewith we lie bound, that they may not esteem cursed worldly things; but that they may learn to strive against flesh and blood, against the devil, and against the hypocritical life and conversation, that they may go forth from the devil's high-mindedness into righteousness, into love and humility.
21. The suffering of Christ is profitable to none, unless they turn from their false evil purposes, and repent, and enter into the covenant of God; and to these it is very effectual. The hypocrites use this for a show, and that they may be called Christians; but thereby they take the name of God in vain, and must give a strict account thereof.
22. O you Antichristian shepherds of the new
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.