13 1. But if Heaven in Man be not open, and the Man stand without Heaven flattering himself, and say, I am still without , but Christ will take me in through his Qrace ; is not his Merit mine ? Such a one is in Vanity and Sin with the outward Man, and with the Soul in Hell , viz., in the Anger of God.
132. Therefore learn to understand rightly what Christ hath taught us, and done for us. He is our Heaven ; He must get a Form in us, or else we shall not be in Heaven. Thus then the Sbul’s inward Man , with the Holy Body of Christ , viz., in the New Birth , is in Heaven , and the outward mortal Man is in the World \ of which Christ spake, saying, ‘My Sheep are in my ‘Hand, and none shall pluck them away; the Father who ‘ gave them to me is greater than all/
p. 6
3 2 The TV ay to Qhrist .
— .
Chapter VI.
Of the Right and of the Wrong going to c Church , receiving the Sacraments, and Absolution.
B ELOVED Brethren, we will teach you faithfully, not with flattering Lips to please the Antichrist , but from our Pearl , the Virtue , Power, and Spirit of Christ in us, from a Christian Essence and Knozvledge ; not from the Husk and History , but from a New-born Spirit, from Christ's Knowledge , as a Branch growing on the Vine Christ ; from the Measure of that Knowledge which ris opened in us, according to the Will and Counsel of God.
134. Men tie us in these Days to the History,^ andj&.r\he> material Churches of Stone ; which Churches are indeed good in their Kind, if Men did also bring the Temple of Christ into them. They teach moreover that their Absolution is a Forgiving of Sins, and that the Supper of the Lord taketh away Sin : Also that Jthe Spirit of (jod cometh into Men through their Ministry . All which hath a proper Meaning, if it was rightly understood ; and if Men did not cleave merely to the Husk .
135. Many a Man goeth to Church twenty or thirty Years, heareth Sermons , receiveth the Sacraments , and heareth Absolution read or declared, and yet is as much a Beast of the Devil and Vanity at the last as at the first. A Beast goeth into the Church , and to the Supper, and a Beast cometh out from thence again.
136. How will he eat that hath no Mouth? can any Man eat that Food which is so shut up that he cannot get it ? How will he drink that can come at no Water? Or how will he hear that hath no Hearing?
137. What good End doth it answer, for me to go to the material Churches of Stone , and there fill my Ears with emjjty Breath? Or to go to the Supper , and feed nothing byt the earthly Mouth, which is mortal and corruptible ? Cannot I feed and satisfy that with a Piece of Bread at Home? What good doth it to the Soul, which is an immortal Life, to have the Bestial Man observe the Form, and venerate the Shell, of Christ's Institution, if it cannot obtain the Kernel thereof? For St. Paul saith of the Supper , — £ You receive it to Condemnation,
4 because ye discern not the Lord’s Body/
138. The Covenant stands firm, and is stirred in the Use of thq Institution/ Christ proffereth His Spirit to us in His Word (vis., in His preached Word) and his Body and Blood in the
Of ‘Regeneration . 83
•
Sacrament , and His Absolution in a Brotherly Reconciliation one to another.
139. But what good doth it to a Beast to stand and listen, who hath no Hearing to receive the inward living Word , nor any (ground wherein to lay the Word , that it may bring forth Fruit? Of such Christ saith, ‘The Devil plucketh the Word ‘ out of their Hearts, lest they should believe and be saved/ But how can he do so ? Because the Word findeth no Plate in the Hearing Mind to take Root in.
140. And thus it is with Absolution also : what Benefit is it
13 1. But if Heaven in Man be not open, and the Man stand without Heaven flattering himself, and say, I am still without , but Christ will take me in through his Qrace ; is not his Merit mine ? Such a one is in Vanity and Sin with the outward Man, and with the Soul in Hell , viz., in the Anger of God.
132. Therefore learn to understand rightly what Christ has taught us, and done for us. He is our Heaven ; He must get a Form in us, or else we shall not be in Heaven. Thus then the Sbul’s inward Man , with the Holy Body of Christ , viz., in the New Birth , is in Heaven , and the outward mortal Man is in the World \ of which Christ spake, saying, ‘My Sheep are in my ‘Hand, and none shall pluck them away; the Father who ‘ gave them to me is greater than all/
p. 6
3 2 The TV ay to Qhrist .
— .
Chapter VI.
Of the Right and of the Wrong going to c Church , receiving the Sacraments, and Absolution.
B ELOVED Brethren, we will teach you faithfully, not with flattering Lips to please the Antichrist , but from our Pearl , the Virtue , Power, and Spirit of Christ in us, from a Christian Essence and Knozvledge ; not from the Husk and History , but from a New-born Spirit, from Christ's Knowledge , as a Branch growing on the Vine Christ ; from the Measure of that Knowledge which ris opened in us, according to the Will and Counsel of God.
134. Men tie us in these Days to the History,^ andj&.r\he> material Churches of Stone ; which Churches are indeed good in their Kind, if Men did also bring the Temple of Christ into them. They teach moreover that their Absolution is a Forgiving of Sins, and that the Supper of the Lord takes away Sin : Also that Jthe Spirit of (jod comes into Men through their Ministry . All which has a proper Meaning, if it was rightly understood ; and if Men did not cleave merely to the Husk .
135. Many a Man goes to Church twenty or thirty Years, hears Sermons , receives the Sacraments , and hears Absolution read or declared, and yet is as much a Beast of the Devil and Vanity at the last as at the first. A Beast goes into the Church , and to the Supper, and a Beast comes out from thence again.
136. How will he eat that has no Mouth? can any Man eat that Food which is so shut up that he cannot get it ? How will he drink that can come at no Water? Or how will he hear that has no Hearing?
137. What good End does it answer, for me to go to the material Churches of Stone , and there fill my Ears with emjjty Breath? Or to go to the Supper , and feed nothing byt the earthly Mouth, which is mortal and corruptible ? Cannot I feed and satisfy that with a Piece of Bread at Home? What good does it to the Soul, which is an immortal Life, to have the Bestial Man observe the Form, and venerate the Shell, of Christ's Institution, if it cannot obtain the Kernel thereof? For St. Paul says of the Supper , — £ You receive it to Condemnation,
4 because you discern not the Lord’s Body/
138. The Covenant stands firm, and is stirred in the Use of thq Institution/ Christ proffers His Spirit to us in His Word (vis., in His preached Word) and his Body and Blood in the
Of ‘Regeneration . 83
•
Sacrament , and His Absolution in a Brotherly Reconciliation one to another.
139. But what good does it to a Beast to stand and listen, who has no Hearing to receive the inward living Word , nor any (ground wherein to lay the Word , that it may bring forth Fruit? Of such Christ says, ‘The Devil plucks the Word ‘ out of their Hearts, lest they should believe and be saved/ But how can he do so ? Because the Word finds no Plate in the Hearing Mind to take Root in.
140. And thus it is with Absolution also : what Benefit is it
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