160. The Christendom that is in- Babel, striving about the Manner how Men ought to serve God, and glorify Him ; also how they are to know Him, and what He is in His Essence and Will. And they preach positively, that whosoever is not one and the same with them in every Particular of Knowledge and Opinion, is no Christian, but a Heretic.
161. Now I would fain see how all their Sects can be brought to agree in that One which might be called a true Christian Church ; when all of them are Scorners, every Party of them reviling the rest, and proclaiming them to be false.
162. But a Christian is of no Sect : He can dwell in the midst of Sects, and appear in their Services, without being attached or bound to any. He hath but one Knowledge, and that is, Christ in him. He seeketh but one Way, which is tire Desire always, to do and teach that which is right ; and he putteth all his knowing and willing into the Life of Christ.
163. He sigheth andwisheth continually that the Will of GOD might be done in him, and that His Kingdom might be manifested in him. He daily and hourly killeth Sin in the Flesh ; for the Seed of the Woman, viz., the inward Man in Christ, continually breaketh the Head of the Serpent , that is, the Power of the Devil, which is in Vanity.
164. His Faith is a Desire after Qod and Qoodness ; which he wrappeth up in a sure Hope, trusting to the Words of the Promise, and liveth and dieth therein; though as to the true Man, hit, never dieth.
- 165. For Christ saith, ‘Whosoever believeth in me, shall never
1 die, but hath pierced through from Death to Life ; and. Rivers'
‘ of living Water shall flow from him,’ viz., good Doctrine and
Works.
Of Regeneration. 87
t 0
166. 'therefore I say, that whatsoever fighteth and contendeth about the Letter , is all Babel. The Letters of the Word proceed from, and stand all in, one Root , which is the Spirit of Qod ; as the various Flowery stand all in the Earth and grow by one another. They fight not with each other about their Difference of Colour, Smell, and Taste, but suffer the Earth, the Sun, the Rain, the Wind, the Heat and Cold, to do with them as they please ; and yet every one of them groweth in its own peculiar Essence and Property.
1 67. Even so it is with the Children of God ; they have various Qifts and Degrees of Knowledge , yet all from one Spirit . They all rejoice at the great Wonders of God, and give Thanks to the most High in His Wisdom. Why then should they con - tend about Him in whom they live and have their Being , and of
Substance they themselves are ?
168. It is the greatest folly that is in Babel, for People to strive about Religion , as the Devil hath made the World to do ; so that they contend vehemently about Opinions of their own Fogging, viz., about the Letter ; when the Kingdom of Qod consisted in no Opinion , but in Power and Love.
169. As Chi'ist said to his Disciples, and left it with them at the last, saying, ‘ Love one another, as I have loved you ; for ‘thereby Men shall know, that ye are my Disciples.’ If Men would as fervently seek after Love and Righteousness as they do after Opinions , there would be no Strife on Earth, and we should be as Children of One Father, and should need no Law , or Ordinance .
170. For God is not served by any Law , but only by Obedience . Laws are for the W icked, who will not embrace Love and Righteousness ; they are, and must be, compelled and forced by Laws .
17 1. We all have but one only Order , Law , or Ordinance , which is to stand still to the Lord of all Beings, and resign our Wflls up to Him, and suffer His Spirit to play what Music He will. And thus we give to Him again as His own Fruits, that whichnHe worketh and manifesteth in us.
172. Now if we did not contend about our different Fruits, Gifts, Kinds and Degrees of Knowledge, but did acknowledge them in one another, like Children of the Spirit of Qod , what could condemn us ? For the Kingdom of Qod consisted, not in our knowing and* supposing, but in Power.
173. If we did not know half so much, and were more like Children, and had but a Brotherly Mind and good Will, towards
• one another, and lived like Children of one Mother, and as Branches of one Tree, taking our Sap all from one Root, we should be far more Holy than we are.
160. The Christendom that is in- Babel, striving about the Manner how Men ought to serve God, and glorify Him ; also how they are to know Him, and what He is in His Essence and Will. And they preach positively, that whosoever is not one and the same with them in every Particular of Knowledge and Opinion, is no Christian, but a Heretic.
161. Now I would fain see how all their Sects can be brought to agree in that One which might be called a true Christian Church ; when all of them are Scorners, every Party of them reviling the rest, and proclaiming them to be false.
162. But a Christian is of no Sect : He can dwell in the midst of Sects, and appear in their Services, without being attached or bound to any. He has but one Knowledge, and that is, Christ in him. He seeks but one Way, which is tire Desire always, to do and teach that which is right ; and he putts all his knowing and willing into the Life of Christ.
163. He sighs andwishes continually that the Will of GOD might be done in him, and that His Kingdom might be manifested in him. He daily and hourly kills Sin in the Flesh ; for the Seed of the Woman, viz., the inward Man in Christ, continually breaks the Head of the Serpent , that is, the Power of the Devil, which is in Vanity.
164. His Faith is a Desire after Qod and Qoodness ; which he wrapps up in a sure Hope, trusting to the Words of the Promise, and lives and dies therein; though as to the true Man, hit, never dies.
- 165. For Christ says, ‘Whosoever believes in me, shall never
1 die, but has pierced through from Death to Life ; and. Rivers'
‘ of living Water shall flow from him,’ viz., good Doctrine and
Works.
Of Regeneration. 87
t 0
166. 'therefore I say, that whatsoever fights and contends about the Letter , is all Babel. The Letters of the Word proceed from, and stand all in, one Root , which is the Spirit of Qod ; as the various Flowery stand all in the Earth and grow by one another. They fight not with each other about their Difference of Colour, Smell, and Taste, but suffer the Earth, the Sun, the Rain, the Wind, the Heat and Cold, to do with them as they please ; and yet every one of them grows in its own peculiar Essence and Property.
1 67. Even so it is with the Children of God ; they have various Qifts and Degrees of Knowledge , yet all from one Spirit . They all rejoice at the great Wonders of God, and give Thanks to the most High in His Wisdom. Why then should they con - tend about Him in whom they live and have their Being , and of
Substance they themselves are ?
168. It is the greatest folly that is in Babel, for People to strive about Religion , as the Devil has made the World to do ; so that they contend vehemently about Opinions of their own Fogging, viz., about the Letter ; when the Kingdom of Qod consisted in no Opinion , but in Power and Love.
169. As Chi'ist said to his Disciples, and left it with them at the last, saying, ‘ Love one another, as I have loved you ; for ‘thereby Men shall know, that you are my Disciples.’ If Men would as fervently seek after Love and Righteousness as they do after Opinions , there would be no Strife on Earth, and we should be as Children of One Father, and should need no Law , or Ordinance .
170. For God is not served by any Law , but only by Obedience . Laws are for the W icked, who will not embrace Love and Righteousness ; they are, and must be, compelled and forced by Laws .
17 1. We all have but one only Order , Law , or Ordinance , which is to stand still to the Lord of all Beings, and resign our Wflls up to Him, and suffer His Spirit to play what Music He will. And thus we give to Him again as His own Fruits, that which#He works and manifests in us.
172. Now if we did not contend about our different Fruits, Gifts, Kinds and Degrees of Knowledge, but did acknowledge them in one another, like Children of the Spirit of Qod , what could condemn us ? For the Kingdom of Qod consisted, not in our knowing and* supposing, but in Power.
173. If we did not know half so much, and were more like Children, and had but a Brotherly Mind and good Will, towards
• one another, and lived like Children of one Mother, and as Branches of one Tree, taking our Sap all from one Root, we should be far more Holy than we are.
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.