The Process, or Way.
A MAN must bring a serious Mind to this Work. He must come before God with sincere Earnestness, dyep Humility, and hearty Sorrow for his Sins, and with a deliberate and firm Resolution, not to enter any more into the old Broad Way of Vanity. And though the whole World should account him a Fool, and he should lose both Honour and Goods, nay, and the temporal Life also, for the Sake of his new Choice , yet he must resolve firmly to abide by it.
If ever he will obtain the Love and Marriage of the noble Sophia, he must make such a Vow as this in his Purpose and Mind. For Christ himself saith : ‘ He that forsaketh not Wife and Children, ‘ Brethren and Sisters, Money and Goods, and all that he hath, ‘ and even his earthly Life also, to follow me, is not worthy of * me.’ Here Christ meaneth the Mind of the Sozil ; so that if there were any Thing that would keep the Mind back from it, though it should have never so fair and glorious a Pretence or Show in this World, the Mind must not regard it at all, but ratlifer part with it than with the Love of the Noble Virgin Sophia, in the Bud and Blossom of Christ, in His tender Humanity in us as to the Heavenly Corporality. For this is the Flower in Sharon, the Rose in the Valley of fericho, wherewith Solomon delighted himself, and termed it his dear Love, his chaste Virgin which he loved ; as indeed all other Saints before and after hiip did ; whosoever obtained her, called her his Pearl.
After what Manner to pray for it, you- may see by this short Direction following. The Work itself must be committed to the Holy Qkost, He formeth and frameth the Prayer for the Soul, in every Heart wherein He is sought.
Of 'True ‘Repentance. } 7
The Prayer.
ir A poor unworthy Creature, come before thee, O great and I Holy God, and lift up mine Eyes to thee. Though I am f not worthy, yet thy great Mercy, and thy faithful Promise in thy Word, have now encouraged me to lifttheEyes of the Desire of my Soul up to thee. For my Soul hath noiv laid hold on the Word of thy Promise, and received it into itself, and therewith cometh to thee. And though it is but a strange Child which was disobedient unto thee, yet now it desireth to be obedient; and doth now infold itself with its Desire into that Word which became Man, which became Flesh and Blood , and hath broken Sin a«d De^th in my Humanity. Which hath changed the Anger of God into Love in the Scjul, hath deprived Death of his Power, and Hell of its Victory over Soul and Body ; and hath opened a Qate for* my Soul to the clear Face of thy Strength and Power. O Qreat and most Holy God, I have brought the Hunger and Desire of my Soul into this most Holy Word \ and now I come before thee, and in my Hunger call unto thee, Thou living Fountain , through thy Word which became Flesh and Blood. Thy Word being made the Life in our Flesh, I receive it firmly into the Desire of my Sousas my own Life; and I pierce into thee with the Desire of my Soul through the Word in the FJesh of Christ; through His holy conception in the Virgin Mary , His Incarnation, His Holy Nativity, His Baptism in Jordan , His Temptation in the Wilderness, where He overcame the Kingdom of the Devil and this World in the Humanity . Through all His Miracles, which He did on Earth ; through His Reproach and Ignominy, His innocent Death and Passion y the Shedding of His Blood, wherein God’s Anger in Soul and Flesh was drowned. Through His Rest in the Sepulchre, when He awaked our Father Adam out of iTis Sleep, who was fallen into a dead Sleep as to the Kingdom of Heaven. Through His love, which pierced through th e Anger and destroyed Hell in the Soul. Through His Resurrection from the Dead, His Ascension, the sending of the Holy Spirit into our Soul and Spirit, and through all His Promises ; one of which is ‘ that thou, O God the Father, wilt give the Holy Spirit to them f tjiat ask it, in the Name and through the Word which became * Man.’
The Process, or Way.
A MAN must bring a serious Mind to this Work. He must come before God with sincere Earnestness, dyep Humility, and hearty Sorrow for his Sins, and with a deliberate and firm Resolution, not to enter any more into the old Broad Way of Vanity. And though the whole World should account him a Fool, and he should lose both Honour and Goods, nay, and the temporal Life also, for the Sake of his new Choice , yet he must resolve firmly to abide by it.
If ever he will obtain the Love and Marriage of the noble Sophia, he must make such a Vow as this in his Purpose and Mind. For Christ himself says : ‘ He that forsaks not Wife and Children, ‘ Brethren and Sisters, Money and Goods, and all that he has, ‘ and even his earthly Life also, to follow me, is not worthy of * me.’ Here Christ means the Mind of the Sozil ; so that if there were any Thing that would keep the Mind back from it, though it should have never so fair and glorious a Pretence or Show in this World, the Mind must not regard it at all, but ratlifer part with it than with the Love of the Noble Virgin Sophia, in the Bud and Blossom of Christ, in His tender Humanity in us as to the Heavenly Corporality. For this is the Flower in Sharon, the Rose in the Valley of fericho, wherewith Solomon delighted himself, and termed it his dear Love, his chaste Virgin which he loved ; as indeed all other Saints before and after hiip did ; whosoever obtained her, called her his Pearl.
After what Manner to pray for it, you- may see by this short Direction following. The Work itself must be committed to the Holy Qkost, He forms and frams the Prayer for the Soul, in every Heart wherein He is sought.
Of 'True ‘Repentance. } 7
The Prayer.
ir A poor unworthy Creature, come before you, O great and I Holy God, and lift up mine Eyes to you. Though I am f not worthy, yet your great Mercy, and your faithful Promise in your Word, have now encouraged me to lifttheEyes of the Desire of my Soul up to you. For my Soul has noiv laid hold on the Word of your Promise, and received it into itself, and therewith comes to you. And though it is but a strange Child which was disobedient unto you, yet now it desires to be obedient; and does now infold itself with its Desire into that Word which became Man, which became Flesh and Blood , and has broken Sin a«d De^th in my Humanity. Which has changed the Anger of God into Love in the Scjul, has deprived Death of his Power, and Hell of its Victory over Soul and Body ; and has opened a Qate for* my Soul to the clear Face of your Strength and Power. O Qreat and most Holy God, I have brought the Hunger and Desire of my Soul into this most Holy Word \ and now I come before you, and in my Hunger call unto you, You living Fountain , through your Word which became Flesh and Blood. Your Word being made the Life in our Flesh, I receive it firmly into the Desire of my Sousas my own Life; and I pierce into you with the Desire of my Soul through the Word in the FJesh of Christ; through His holy conception in the Virgin Mary , His Incarnation, His Holy Nativity, His Baptism in Jordan , His Temptation in the Wilderness, where He overcame the Kingdom of the Devil and this World in the Humanity . Through all His Miracles, which He did on Earth ; through His Reproach and Ignominy, His innocent Death and Passion y the Shedding of His Blood, wherein God’s Anger in Soul and Flesh was drowned. Through His Rest in the Sepulchre, when He awaked our Father Adam out of iTis Sleep, who was fallen into a dead Sleep as to the Kingdom of Heaven. Through His love, which pierced through th e Anger and destroyed Hell in the Soul. Through His Resurrection from the Dead, His Ascension, the sending of the Holy Spirit into our Soul and Spirit, and through all His Promises ; one of which is ‘ that you, O God the Father, will give the Holy Spirit to them f tjiat ask it, in the Name and through the Word which became * Man.’
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.