7. So also the devil draweth it mightily down into the abyss, and would fain throw it into the eternal aching source [or torment] of hell; and if it resist, he striketh at it with the anguish of hell, that it should despair, and throw itself into the abyss; and there it hath no helper with it, nor about it, nor can it discover any to appear, till it raise itself upwards into the love and mercy of God, where then it must leave and forsake all whatsoever is in its house, and must wind quite through from it, as a spirit without substance; that is, it must go forth with its will from all its thoughts, and out from all its mind, into the mercy of God, into the first original mother [eternal nature], where it was only a seed before the creation of the world.
8. And when it cometh thither, it findeth that the same Word which created it, is become man; into which it casteth itself, and eateth of that humanity, as of a pure and new body, in which there is no source [or property] of enmity, but only a meek, pure, desirous love; and there its will is accepted [or received] of God, and the Holy Ghost entereth into its will, and bringeth to the poor captive soul heavenly refreshment and comfort, so that it feedeth on the flesh of the eternal Word of its original mother, and drinketh of the water of eternal life, wherein, before the world, it was only a seed.
9. There it findeth the place of its rest, and cooleth its flames therewith, and resteth in the bosom of its mother, for it entereth into the land of the living, and the Holy Ghost leadeth it out of prison, and it eateth at God's table, and sitteth among the children of love [God's love]. O how humble it is, that the Holy Ghost hath delivered it from the strife of battle ! and then God hath a true, obedient, and humble child of it. And thus it is with the souls which press forth out of this sea of misery into God, or which with the deliverance from the earthly life enter into God, and so are released from the driver [the devil] .
10. Since therefore it is certainly thus, and that we have found out the way, we will speak what we know, and testify the truth: For Christ saith;
My Father will [or desires to] give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him for it: No son asketh the Father for an egg, and he qffereth him a scorpion instead of it: or for bread, and he giveth him a stone;
or for fish, and he giveth him a serpent: Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you, saith Christ.
11. When the heart and mind, and all the senses or thoughts; resolve into a will and purpose, that the soul will enter into the mercy of God, and repent of its misdeeds, and is resolved to seek after love and mercy, then it is said, Before they call, I have heard them; as may be seen by Daniel, when the angel said to him, When thou chastisedst thyself, and didst intend to pray for thine own sins, and the sins of the people, I brought thy prayer before God, and this command went forth. Read the history of Tobiah, what praying and fasting, and due preparation for the kingdom of God, are able to effect: briefly, the whole scripture is full of such examples.
12. Consider the prayer of Christ; how his human soul in God the Father called, and awakened the Verbum Domini in him, when he would do great wonders [or miracles] ; especially about Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead: then he sighed to his Father, and awakened the centre of nature, and the Word in the centre of nature on the cross of the Number Three: There the Holy Ghost, and the Word which the Holy Ghost then awakened, went forth in his soul: and then the soul of Christ thanked his Father who had heard him, and said in the power of the Word to dead Lazarus, Lazarus, come forth; and there they saw the power of the Word in the soul, that the dead must arise; which power the soul of Christ had opened and awakened with his knocking.
13. You must know that Lazarus was awakened from within; and we shall all at the last day
7. So also the devil draws it mightily down into the abyss, and would fain throw it into the eternal aching source [or torment] of hell; and if it resist, he striks at it with the anguish of hell, that it should despair, and throw itself into the abyss; and there it has no helper with it, nor about it, nor can it discover any to appear, till it raise itself upwards into the love and mercy of God, where then it must leave and forsake all whatsoever is in its house, and must wind quite through from it, as a spirit without substance; that is, it must go forth with its will from all its thoughts, and out from all its mind, into the mercy of God, into the first original mother [eternal nature], where it was only a seed before the creation of the world.
8. And when it comes thither, it finds that the same Word which created it, is become man; into which it casts itself, and eats of that humanity, as of a pure and new body, in which there is no source [or property] of enmity, but only a meek, pure, desirous love; and there its will is accepted [or received] of God, and the Holy Ghost enters into its will, and brings to the poor captive soul heavenly refreshment and comfort, so that it feeds on the flesh of the eternal Word of its original mother, and drinks of the water of eternal life, wherein, before the world, it was only a seed.
9. There it finds the place of its rest, and cools its flames therewith, and rests in the bosom of its mother, for it enters into the land of the living, and the Holy Ghost leads it out of prison, and it eats at God's table, and sitts among the children of love [God's love]. O how humble it is, that the Holy Ghost has delivered it from the strife of battle ! and then God has a true, obedient, and humble child of it. And thus it is with the souls which press forth out of this sea of misery into God, or which with the deliverance from the earthly life enter into God, and so are released from the driver [the devil] .
10. Since therefore it is certainly thus, and that we have found out the way, we will speak what we know, and testify the truth: For Christ says;
My Father will [or desires to] give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him for it: No son asks the Father for an egg, and he qffers him a scorpion instead of it: or for bread, and he gives him a stone;
or for fish, and he gives him a serpent: Ask and you shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you, says Christ.
11. When the heart and mind, and all the senses or thoughts; resolve into a will and purpose, that the soul will enter into the mercy of God, and repent of its misdeeds, and is resolved to seek after love and mercy, then it is said, Before they call, I have heard them; as may be seen by Daniel, when the angel said to him, When you chastisedst yourself, and did intend to pray for your own sins, and the sins of the people, I brought your prayer before God, and this command went forth. Read the history of Tobiah, what praying and fasting, and due preparation for the kingdom of God, are able to effect: briefly, the whole scripture is full of such examples.
12. Consider the prayer of Christ; how his human soul in God the Father called, and awakened the Verbum Domini in him, when he would do great wonders [or miracles] ; especially about Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead: then he sighed to his Father, and awakened the centre of nature, and the Word in the centre of nature on the cross of the Number Three: There the Holy Ghost, and the Word which the Holy Ghost then awakened, went forth in his soul: and then the soul of Christ thanked his Father who had heard him, and said in the power of the Word to dead Lazarus, Lazarus, come forth; and there they saw the power of the Word in the soul, that the dead must arise; which power the soul of Christ had opened and awakened with his knocking.
13. You must know that Lazarus was awakened from within; and we shall all at the last day
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