49. And so it befalleth us at this day, we are captivated by the abyss of the anger; and so the devil sets before us the flattering hypocrisy and bravery of this world, viz. stateliness, arts, and riches, at which we bite, [as a fish at the bait which the angle is covered with, and so is caught, and pulled out from its livelihood] ; and so we also are driven out of paradise, and lose the Noble Stone.
50. Christ hath instituted Baptism as a bath, to wash away the anger, and hath put into us the Noble Stone, viz. the water of eternal life, for an earnest-penny, so that instantly in our childhood we might be able to escape the wrath.
51. But the serpent presents itself to us, [as he did to Eve], so that we imagine after [or set our mind upon] the tree of temptation; as we see by experience, that as soon as young children grow up a little, they creep up in pride, and flattering hypocritical arrogance, and set the paradisical garland [viz. the blossom of their youth] upon the head of the serpent; and thus the serpent playeth with them, and teacheth them all manner of wantonness, and leadeth them out of paradise into this world, into finery and pride, which require covetousness and deceit to maintain them.
52. And then the Noble Stone cometh to be contemned:
if they see a man who carrieth that Stone in him, he must be a fool with them; which is, because they have the wit, and subtlety of the serpent; and they that have the Stone are simple, without wit and cunning, like a child; their play [or part] in this world they act in care, sorrow, want, contempt and misery: but it is written; They pass away, weeping and sorrowful, but they carry noble seed with them, [or their employment is sowing in tears, but they shall reap in joy]. Eternal joy is far better than a momentary pleasure of the eye, and after that, eternal lamentation.
53. Seeing then we know and fundamentally understand, that we lie thus captivated in a close prison, therefore we will reveal that ground and the prison also, to try whether any will take notice what condition they are in.
54. We will not relate a history, but speak what we know in ourselves, in soul and body, also what we see in the ground or foundation of the world, from our own [eternal] light which we have from grace: we will speak from that, and not from a supposition, as doubting whether it be true or no.
55. They say, that which the eyes see, the heart believeth. It is good to see with our own eyes: but he that seeth with the eyes of another, [or he that depends upon another's words], is always in doubt whether the spirit be true or false.
56. Therefore it is good to have the Noble Stone, [which Abraham, Moses, the prophets and apostles had], that giveth assurance, and pointeth at the false Magi, such as are Magi in the history only, which they strut about withal, in state like a whore that would be accounted a maid, and yet is big with child.
57. And so they are big with darkness and wrath, and yet they always cry out, Here is the [true] Church, here is Christ, flock all hither! Yes indeed, run after the whore of Babel, who is big with stately pride; give something towards her child-bed, that she may fatten her whorish stomach, and satisfy her hypocritical stinking pride.
58. They are like whores, who (when they are said to be whores) will not endure it, but curse and rail: and so also when the spirit of truth layeth them open, then they cry, O heretic, O heretic, fire and faggot! O run away, begone all of you, the devil is in him. Thus they miscall the spirit of God, because they do not know it.
59. We do not write this out of a desire to contemn them, for we know the great misery of our captivity; but we write it, to the end that the simple (who cleave so very fast to their words, and believe all that the devil poureth forth in wrath) might every one of them enter into themselves, and try whether it be truth or no; and that men might not be so zealous in blindness, with anger and envy, without knowledge whether it hath any ground of truth.
49. And so it befalls us at this day, we are captivated by the abyss of the anger; and so the devil sets before us the flattering hypocrisy and bravery of this world, viz. stateliness, arts, and riches, at which we bite, [as a fish at the bait which the angle is covered with, and so is caught, and pulled out from its livelihood] ; and so we also are driven out of paradise, and lose the Noble Stone.
50. Christ has instituted Baptism as a bath, to wash away the anger, and has put into us the Noble Stone, viz. the water of eternal life, for an earnest-penny, so that instantly in our childhood we might be able to escape the wrath.
51. But the serpent presents itself to us, [as he did to Eve], so that we imagine after [or set our mind upon] the tree of temptation; as we see by experience, that as soon as young children grow up a little, they creep up in pride, and flattering hypocritical arrogance, and set the paradisical garland [viz. the blossom of their youth] upon the head of the serpent; and thus the serpent plays with them, and teaches them all manner of wantonness, and leads them out of paradise into this world, into finery and pride, which require covetousness and deceit to maintain them.
52. And then the Noble Stone comes to be contemned:
if they see a man who carries that Stone in him, he must be a fool with them; which is, because they have the wit, and subtlety of the serpent; and they that have the Stone are simple, without wit and cunning, like a child; their play [or part] in this world they act in care, sorrow, want, contempt and misery: but it is written; They pass away, weeping and sorrowful, but they carry noble seed with them, [or their employment is sowing in tears, but they shall reap in joy]. Eternal joy is far better than a momentary pleasure of the eye, and after that, eternal lamentation.
53. Seeing then we know and fundamentally understand, that we lie thus captivated in a close prison, therefore we will reveal that ground and the prison also, to try whether any will take notice what condition they are in.
54. We will not relate a history, but speak what we know in ourselves, in soul and body, also what we see in the ground or foundation of the world, from our own [eternal] light which we have from grace: we will speak from that, and not from a supposition, as doubting whether it be true or no.
55. They say, that which the eyes see, the heart believes. It is good to see with our own eyes: but he that sees with the eyes of another, [or he that depends upon another's words], is always in doubt whether the spirit be true or false.
56. Therefore it is good to have the Noble Stone, [which Abraham, Moses, the prophets and apostles had], that gives assurance, and points at the false Magi, such as are Magi in the history only, which they strut about withal, in state like a whore that would be accounted a maid, and yet is big with child.
57. And so they are big with darkness and wrath, and yet they always cry out, Here is the [true] Church, here is Christ, flock all hither! Yes indeed, run after the whore of Babel, who is big with stately pride; give something towards her child-bed, that she may fatten her whorish stomach, and satisfy her hypocritical stinking pride.
58. They are like whores, who (when they are said to be whores) will not endure it, but curse and rail: and so also when the spirit of truth lays them open, then they cry, O heretic, O heretic, fire and faggot! O run away, begone all of you, the devil is in him. Thus they miscall the spirit of God, because they do not know it.
59. We do not write this out of a desire to contemn them, for we know the great misery of our captivity; but we write it, to the end that the simple (who cleave so very fast to their words, and believe all that the devil pours forth in wrath) might every one of them enter into themselves, and try whether it be truth or no; and that men might not be so zealous in blindness, with anger and envy, without knowledge whether it has any ground of truth.
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