and remaineth eternally to be the liberty. There is one God, one Will, one Spirit, one Lord, which together is called Wonder, Counsel, Power, and is become Man; who is called the Prince of Peace, Saviour, and Conqueror; and it is done to the end, that his dominion may be great, and that peace may have no end, saith Isaiah the prophet of God.
THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER
Concerning God's Blessing in this World. A very good and necessary Revelation for those that are weak in Faith.
1. DEAR children, if we be converted from our reason, and give up [or submit] ourselves into the will of God, that he may do with us, and make us, what he will, then, when we put our trust in him, we go in to our true Father, and are his children.
2. And now, as a father careth for his children, so also God our Father doth for us, as Christ hath faithfully taught us, saying, First endeavour after the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof anl then all other things shall be afforded [or added to you]
you. Also, Behold the fowls of heaven, they sow not, neither do they spin, neither do they gather into the barn; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them; and are you not more worth than these?
Oye of little faith !
3. The soul knoweth that this garment (of earthly flesh and blood) is a strange garment, wherein it is heartily and deeply ashamed before the Majesty of God, and therefore it doth so much doubt of God's grace, when it prayeth;
it always thinketh its sins are so many that it cannot reach into the Majesty of God.
4. And such pain the devil putteth it to, who always openeth his smoky pit, with the anger, and draweth the smoke into the will of the soul, that it keepeth back, and is afraid of God: The devil always presenteth God as a severe judge.
5. Thus the poor soul keepeth back, and entereth into the spirit of this world, and seeketh a livelihood and maintenance: It thinketh God lets things go as they will, and that things prosper with those that build upon, and trust in, themselves. For, when the soul thus sticketh in reason without God, it supposeth that it must use carking and caring to bring it to pass; it thinketh there is no other way, it must be done thus, the labour of the hands (or else cunning and subtlety) must do it; from whence so many [strong delusions] potent evils do arise.
6. Dear children, be rightly informed. The outward earthly life is fallen home to the spirit of this world, the belly needeth earthly food, and the body earthly clothing, and a house to dwell in; after these things the outward spirit must endeavour: it should labour and take pains; for in the sweat of thy face shalt thou (earthly man) eat thy bread, till thou return to earth from whence thou wast taken, saith God in Moses.
7. For the body was taken from the matrix of the earth, and hath imagined [or put its mind] into the earth, and the earth hath captivated that again, so that it hath eaten earthly fruit; and so is turned to earth, from whence it was taken.
8. For God took it from the earth, that is [he took] a Mesch, a mass or concretion of red earth, [* Adam from Adamah], from the fire's centre, and from the water's centre, viz. from both the mothers of nature, and breathed into it the breath from without by the spirit of the great world, and the soul from within out of the second Principle into the Heart.
9. The soul doth not dwell quite in the outward, only it is captivated with the outward: Its will is entered into the outward, and there is impregnated with the outward dominion, and so the outward dominion is come into the soul.
10. And that was it which God did forbid to man, that he should not lust after earthly fruit, power, and virtue; neither was there any necessity that drave him to it, for he was in paradise, and had paradisical food, without want and death; and as God dwelleth in the earth, and yet the earth knoweth him not, and apprehendeth him not; so also man; he could have dwelt in the matrix of the earth and yet have been with the soul in God, and the will of the soul had brought divine food to the soul: but now, being turned away, the soul eateth of the centre of nature, and the outward spirit eateth of the earth: but if the soul turn, and go with its will into the love of God, then it eateth of God's word, and the outward body eateth of the blessing of God.
and remains eternally to be the liberty. There is one God, one Will, one Spirit, one Lord, which together is called Wonder, Counsel, Power, and is become Man; who is called the Prince of Peace, Saviour, and Conqueror; and it is done to the end, that his dominion may be great, and that peace may have no end, says Isaiah the prophet of God.
THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER
Concerning God's Blessing in this World. A very good and necessary Revelation for those that are weak in Faith.
1. DEAR children, if we be converted from our reason, and give up [or submit] ourselves into the will of God, that he may do with us, and make us, what he will, then, when we put our trust in him, we go in to our true Father, and are his children.
2. And now, as a father cars for his children, so also God our Father does for us, as Christ has faithfully taught us, saying, First endeavour after the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof anl then all other things shall be afforded [or added to you]
you. Also, Behold the fowls of heaven, they sow not, neither do they spin, neither do they gather into the barn; yet your heavenly Father feeds them; and are you not more worth than these?
Oye of little faith !
3. The soul knows that this garment (of earthly flesh and blood) is a strange garment, wherein it is heartily and deeply ashamed before the Majesty of God, and therefore it does so much doubt of God's grace, when it prays;
it always thinks its sins are so many that it cannot reach into the Majesty of God.
4. And such pain the devil putts it to, who always opens his smoky pit, with the anger, and draws the smoke into the will of the soul, that it keeps back, and is afraid of God: The devil always presents God as a severe judge.
5. Thus the poor soul keeps back, and enters into the spirit of this world, and seeks a livelihood and maintenance: It thinks God lets things go as they will, and that things prosper with those that build upon, and trust in, themselves. For, when the soul thus sticks in reason without God, it supposes that it must use carking and caring to bring it to pass; it thinks there is no other way, it must be done thus, the labour of the hands (or else cunning and subtlety) must do it; from whence so many [strong delusions] potent evils do arise.
6. Dear children, be rightly informed. The outward earthly life is fallen home to the spirit of this world, the belly needs earthly food, and the body earthly clothing, and a house to dwell in; after these things the outward spirit must endeavour: it should labour and take pains; for in the sweat of your face shall you (earthly man) eat your bread, till you return to earth from whence you were taken, says God in Moses.
7. For the body was taken from the matrix of the earth, and has imagined [or put its mind] into the earth, and the earth has captivated that again, so that it has eaten earthly fruit; and so is turned to earth, from whence it was taken.
8. For God took it from the earth, that is [he took] a Mesch, a mass or concretion of red earth, [* Adam from Adamah], from the fire's centre, and from the water's centre, viz. from both the mothers of nature, and breathed into it the breath from without by the spirit of the great world, and the soul from within out of the second Principle into the Heart.
9. The soul does not dwell quite in the outward, only it is captivated with the outward: Its will is entered into the outward, and there is impregnated with the outward dominion, and so the outward dominion is come into the soul.
10. And that was it which God did forbid to man, that he should not lust after earthly fruit, power, and virtue; neither was there any necessity that drave him to it, for he was in paradise, and had paradisical food, without want and death; and as God dwells in the earth, and yet the earth knows him not, and apprehends him not; so also man; he could have dwelt in the matrix of the earth and yet have been with the soul in God, and the will of the soul had brought divine food to the soul: but now, being turned away, the soul eats of the centre of nature, and the outward spirit eats of the earth: but if the soul turn, and go with its will into the love of God, then it eats of God's word, and the outward body eats of the blessing of God.
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