Stone of the philosophers; for they seek it not rightly. They are mere hypocrites, [such as make a show of holiness], like the devil in the form of an angel.
36. But Abel, Isaac, and Jacob, found it indeed. Jacob wrestled for it a whole night; and Isaac carried the fuel of the fire, [to burn] himself [with], and readily yielded that the darkness and dross of his Stone should be burnt away: for he had attained the [noble] Stone in his mother's womb. Look upon the king and prophet David, what he did with that Stone, how dearly he loved it. For he said, Though body and soul should be broken asunder, yet thou art the desire of my heart, and my portion [or salvation].
37. Look upon Solomon, in his great and wonderful wisdom, who knew the [nature andjproperty of all living creatures and plants, which he learnt in no academy; he understood it only by the Precious Stone which he had in his heart.
38. Look upon Moses, what miracles he did by this Stone: Look upon the prophet Elijah, who shut heaven for three years and six months: He brought forth fire in the anger of God, so that it devoured an hundred men.
39. Look upon all prophets, what miracles they wrought with it; they knew things to come, in the virtue of this stone; they healed the sick, and raised the dead.
40. And this stone is CHRIST the Son of the living God, which discovereth itself in all those that seek and find it: What an admirable example have we in the Apostles, (who were but simple unlearned laymen), how they went about with this Stone, in power, and doing miracles; and so did all their successors.
41. O how eagerly have the rational wise men of the schools of this world persecuted it at all times, and at this very day: they have a glistering stone, with a pleasant outside [or shell], or sound, and they think it is the right [stone ]: they spread themselves abroad upon it, and boast themselves of it, and would be honoured for it as gods.
42. But their stone is only a stone belonging to the wall of the great building of this world, in which [building] the seven seals, accomplish their wonders, and under which the seven spirits of the anger of God pour forth their vials of wrath and abominations.
43. For we are with Adam shut up in the anger, which holdeth us captive: and yet the grace also is presented to us, and that desireth to have us also, and so there is a hard strife in us. This you may see in the writings of Moses, in that God commanded, that all the first-born of the males should be offered to him.
44. But you see the vehement opposition of his anger; how it hath penetrated [and prevailed], and many times taken away the first birth; as may be seen by Cain and Abel, by Esau and Jacob, also by the children of Jacob, and throughout the whole Scripture, that the Stone would rest, not upon the first Adam, but upon the second.
45. We have a great example in the children of Jesse; when the prophet [Samuel] thought the eldest should be king, yet the election fell upon the youngest, because he had that Stone.
46. This election was not thus from eternity in God: for Adam was good and perfect, also pure; but he yielded himself to be overcome. For the anger stood in the abyss, and was covered with the Principle of this world.
47. And know, that the tree of Adam's tempting in paradise, (which yet stood only in the abyss), grew out of the source of the anger: and Adam was tempted, to try whether he would with his will cleave to God.
48. Nothing compelled Eve to eat of it, but her lust, which the devil in the anger brought [awakened] into her: If she had turned away her eyes from the devil and the serpent, she had continued in paradise: Had she not a command [not to eat]? But when she followed the devil, and would be skilful, she became foolish.
Stone of the philosophers; for they seek it not rightly. They are mere hypocrites, [such as make a show of holiness], like the devil in the form of an angel.
36. But Abel, Isaac, and Jacob, found it indeed. Jacob wrestled for it a whole night; and Isaac carried the fuel of the fire, [to burn] himself [with], and readily yielded that the darkness and dross of his Stone should be burnt away: for he had attained the [noble] Stone in his mother's womb. Look upon the king and prophet David, what he did with that Stone, how dearly he loved it. For he said, Though body and soul should be broken asunder, yet you are the desire of my heart, and my portion [or salvation].
37. Look upon Solomon, in his great and wonderful wisdom, who knew the [nature andjproperty of all living creatures and plants, which he learnt in no academy; he understood it only by the Precious Stone which he had in his heart.
38. Look upon Moses, what miracles he did by this Stone: Look upon the prophet Elijah, who shut heaven for three years and six months: He brought forth fire in the anger of God, so that it devoured an hundred men.
39. Look upon all prophets, what miracles they wrought with it; they knew things to come, in the virtue of this stone; they healed the sick, and raised the dead.
40. And this stone is CHRIST the Son of the living God, which discovers itself in all those that seek and find it: What an admirable example have we in the Apostles, (who were but simple unlearned laymen), how they went about with this Stone, in power, and doing miracles; and so did all their successors.
41. O how eagerly have the rational wise men of the schools of this world persecuted it at all times, and at this very day: they have a glistering stone, with a pleasant outside [or shell], or sound, and they think it is the right [stone ]: they spread themselves abroad upon it, and boast themselves of it, and would be honoured for it as gods.
42. But their stone is only a stone belonging to the wall of the great building of this world, in which [building] the seven seals, accomplish their wonders, and under which the seven spirits of the anger of God pour forth their vials of wrath and abominations.
43. For we are with Adam shut up in the anger, which holds us captive: and yet the grace also is presented to us, and that desires to have us also, and so there is a hard strife in us. This you may see in the writings of Moses, in that God commanded, that all the first-born of the males should be offered to him.
44. But you see the vehement opposition of his anger; how it has penetrated [and prevailed], and many times taken away the first birth; as may be seen by Cain and Abel, by Esau and Jacob, also by the children of Jacob, and throughout the whole Scripture, that the Stone would rest, not upon the first Adam, but upon the second.
45. We have a great example in the children of Jesse; when the prophet [Samuel] thought the eldest should be king, yet the election fell upon the youngest, because he had that Stone.
46. This election was not thus from eternity in God: for Adam was good and perfect, also pure; but he yielded himself to be overcome. For the anger stood in the abyss, and was covered with the Principle of this world.
47. And know, that the tree of Adam's tempting in paradise, (which yet stood only in the abyss), grew out of the source of the anger: and Adam was tempted, to try whether he would with his will cleave to God.
48. Nothing compelled Eve to eat of it, but her lust, which the devil in the anger brought [awakened] into her: If she had turned away her eyes from the devil and the serpent, she had continued in paradise: Had she not a command [not to eat]? But when she followed the devil, and would be skilful, she became foolish.
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