Six Theosophic Points, and Other Writings

15. I say, then, that a child (as soon as it has life in the womb) is, so far as the divine essence is moving in the heavenly part, already baptized by the Holy Spirit, and attains the incarnation of Christ. For baptism depends not on the priest's power, that the Holy Spirit should wait upon him. The incarnation of Christ waited not upon man's power, but upon the goal that God set in his covenant. This goal was blessed. Therefore the angel said to Mary: Blessed art thou among women. The goal lay in her, and was blessed, and blessed her also when God's heart awakened the goal.

16. This goal reached back to Adam, and forward to the last man. When God became man, the goal was awakened in the heavenly part; not only in Mary, but also in Adam and Eve, and all their children who had given themselves up to God ; these were all blessed in the goal.

17. For that is the covenant of grace which God estabhshed with Adam and Eve. This covenant is in all human essence, but not in devihsh essence.

18. But baptism is the seal that God affixed to the covenant, as in the old testament circumcision. In baptism God gives divine water to the human race as a pledge and seal; but the covenant is already there before baptism; it was made in paradise, yea before the foundation of the world. As soon as a soul is stirring in the womb, so that

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a human soul is born, it is in the covenant. For Christ has given himself to the fire of God, to the principle, and fulfilled the covenant, and is become the result of the testament.

19. This result waits not upon any external ordinance, upon the delusion of the outer man; but as soon as a soul is born from the principle, it is in the result of the testament, so far as the divine life is moving in it. But not in godless souls; in them the divine life must first be born. God's wi-ath swallows up many a soul still in essence, before it attains the principle ; because it is from false essence, from evil seed of the parents.

20. Reason says: What can a child do to this, that the parents are wicked? Nay, what can even God do? It is in the parents' power to get a child. What can God do to this, that whores and profligates creep together? Though the false tree springs not thus from this line only, but also in marriage. Man is free; if he awaken no life, his seed remains an essence. Shall God, because of the child's innocency, cast pearls before swine? The kingdom of heaven confronts it; let it enter, God closes the kingdom of heaven to none.

21. But a bad man is shut up in body and soul, why not also in the seed? The seed is truly the fruit of his body. If we would reap good wheat, we of right sow wheat; but if thistle seed be sown, a thistle gi'ows from it. Must God then change that into wheat? Has not the sower power to sow in his field what he pleases? Or wilt thou say: What can the thistle do to this, that it isp. 95 a thistle and pricks? It belongs not among the wheat, but grows up itself along with it.

22. God were certainly content though no thistlechild did grow; it is not his ordinance. But the devil sows weeds amongst the wheat, viz. in the heart of man. Why does man suffer this and destroy himself, so that his essence becomes a thistleseed, and yields weeds to the fire in the wrath of God? It is not all attributable to the seed, but depends on the field. INIany a noble gi-ain perishes in the evil field's essence. The heavens with the sun give life and power to all growth. The sun makes no weeds, neither desires any ; but the essence in the field makes oftentimes another thing, and destroys the good.