To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
WHen God had made a Covenaant with Abram, and blessed him; and made him a father of many Nations; which should be bles∣sed through him, viz. by Abrams Blessing in the Covenant; then he gave him the Seale of the Covenant, viz. the Signe and the Figure upon what Ens the blessing passed; and shewed him in this figure, what in man should Inherite and possesse the eternall blessing; that is to say, not the
gross earthly beastiall Man, which is conceived and born in the lust of the flesh, out of the Beastiall lust of Man and Woman; which did involve or insinuate it selfe into Adam, according to the Brutish, and beastiall property of the divided life's Essence; upon this the Covenant, and bles∣sing doth not passe; but upon the Ens of the Word formed out of the hea∣venly worlds property, out of the Limus of the Earth; not upon the in∣troduced Serpents Ens out of the dark worlds Ens, and property; but upon the Soule, and its right Body, which was created to it in Adam.
2. And we here see by the Circumcision, the Types that the beastiall copulation of man and woman, is an abomination before the holinesse of God, which yet is boarne withall, by divine patience, and permission, seing now it cannot be otherwise with Man, he having lost the magicall birth of Paradise; for here God set forth the figure in the Circumcision; that every Male must be circumcised on this member of the propagati∣on of the masculine seed, in that, man soweth his own will out of the property of nature in his seed; therefore God set forth the figure with the Circumcision, both of the earthly Seed, and also of the member and will; for the spirit in the Covenant must out off through Christs death this figure in the inward spirituall man, together with this beastiall will and desire.
3. For the beastiall gross earthly Seed of the man or woman shall not put on the Covenant, and blessing; as Christ also said; but He, who is not born of the will of man, nor of the flesh, but of God; the beastiall birth with its members must be cut off through the Temporall death; and dye in the spirituall birth through Christs death, and be buried in the eternall death, viz. in the nothing.
4. But being the Covenant of God had incorporated it selfe in Abra∣hams seed to a propagation, God did here set before him by the Circum∣cision, the person of Christ, in whose death, this Beast and Monster should dye, and out of his death a new Angelicall form should come forth; for the Circumcision was not the Atonement, but the apprehended [or conceived] Ens of faith was the Atonement; out of which Ens of faith Christ should be born; but the Circumcision was the Signe, that the Ens of faith in the word of God, should cu•• off the earthly Seed.
5. For the living word of God looked into the Covenant; and in the Covenant, the humane Seed of the heavenly part, lay disappeared; and in the disappeared Ens stood the Aym or Limit of the new Regeneration in Christs motion, where the word of the divine Tincture, and power, would again move it selfe in the true humanity created in Adam; and also it did move it selfe in the Spirit of the children of faith, so that they were received and accepted of God in the Spirit (upon the Promise, of the motion or manifestation of the shut-up Ens) as dear innate chil∣dren.
6. Not that they had put on Christ in the flesh before his manifestati∣on, but indeed the same Ens in their faith, and this same received or in∣taken Ens of Faith was the Circumcision, which circumcised the heart and minde, and rent in twain the sinfull vaile, and pointed at the cutting off of the earthly introduced Serpents Ens in Adam, viz. of the earthly Seed, and the earthly members to the Beastiall propagation; it shewed; that Christ (when the incorporated Ens of faith should manifest it selfe in the
humanity) should, and would cut off this Beast, and destroy the life of death, and hell therein.
7. We must not look upon the Circumcision onely and barely as a signe or figure, for it is the Seal of the Covenant, which stood as a Seal imprinted on the Ens of faith, for the Spirit of the promised word to the new-birth, was in the Seale, as among the Christians it is in the Seale of Baptisme.
8. And therefore God said, that soule that shall contemn this Cove∣nant, shall be rooted out from among his people, and commanded the Natives and strangers to be Circumcised, although they were not of the Seed of Abraham, to signifie, that the Covenant passed upon all people, who would but receive the Ens of faith; even there the Circumcision should be don.
9. For that was not the right Circumcision which was don outward∣ly on the flesh, but it was the Signe onely of the Circumcision; the true Circumcision was effected in the Ens of faith, in the Covenant, in the power of the word, and Holy Spirit, where the word, in the spirit of Christ, doth cut off the Serpents Ens from the right humane Ens of the heavenly Part; viz. it cuts off the Ens of the dark world introduced and insinuated through Adams evill desire, and the Devils in-flying poyson∣full desire.
10. The Baptisme of the Christians, and the Circumcision of the Jewes hold wholly one and the same Right; among the Jewes the Circumcisi∣on was effected or performed in the word of power, the Holy Spirit bap∣tized them with the holy fires Baptisme, understand, it baptized their true man corrupt [and withered] in Adam, the same was Tinctured with this Baptisme, viz. in the Ens of faith; for the Ens of faith was the Baptisme of the Jewes, where the Holy Spirit did inwardly baptise them unto Christs humanity.
11. But now being this same word of faith; (viz. the Ens of faith) hath put on the humanity, and quickned it in it selfe to life; this same Spirit doth now Baptize with water, pointing at the humanity of Christ; for the water of eternall life, viz. the heavenly worlds substance, was disappeared in Adam, and made alive again in Christs heavenly Ens, (being also the water of the heavenly Powers) introduced into our (in him assumed) humanity; therefore the humanity of Christ was the first-born from the dead.
12. And with this same heavenly water, which Gods word and power introduced into the humanity of Christ from heaven (understand from the holy spirituall world, viz. from the Second Principle) the Holy Spi∣rit of Christ doth baptize the Christians in their Baptisme of water; which externally is also but a Signe of the internall Seale, in which Seale the Holy Ghost baptizeth.
13. And therefore Christ hath appointed the Seale of the Circumcisi∣on into a baptisme of water; being the fire-baptisme in the Covenant, is become manifest in the water of life in the humanity; so that this fire-baptisme, viz. the flaming-Love-word, is made flesh; therefore Christ said John 3. We must now be born anew through the water, and spirit, else we shall not see God.
14. For in the water wherein the flaming Love-word in the Ens of the
Covenant hath manifested it selfe in our heavenly disappeared water (which is become incarnate) all the children of Christ must be new∣born, and take this water in their faith's desire; in which water the eter∣nall flaming Love-word of God hath incorporated it selfe; this same water baptizeth the inward man which disappeared in Adam to the new regeneration; and the earthly beastiall half-Serpentine-and-Devillish man to mortification and Death; it circumciseth the poor captive soul, and putteth the Covenant and humanity of Christ upon it in the in∣ward spirituall man, now disappeared or withered, as to the kingdome of heaven.
15. Understand it aright yee Jewes, and Christians; you have but one onely baptisme; the Jew is baptized inwardly on the soul in the Ens of the Covenant, and circumcised on the disappeared Ens of the Right heavenly humanity; viz. the Serpents Ens is cut off from the heavenly Ens in the Power of the word's humanity, and the flaming Love-spirit in the Ens of the word, Tinctureth the true humanity, and baptizeth it with the in-taken or conceived Ens of Faith; the Faith in the Spirit of God, baptizeth it with its heavenly water.
16. And the Christian is baptized even with the same very word and water in the faith; it is wholly One and the same; onely this is the [ex∣ternall] difference, that God hath appointed and established the Cove∣nant of Circumcision in the baptisme of water; being that this fire-bap∣tisme hath manifested it selfe in Christs humanity in the water of life.
17. And that you may yet see, that they are both One; Christ was circumcised as a Jew, and was baptized as a Christian; thereby to de∣clare, that he, in his Love revealed in the humanity, had manifested the fire-baptisme in the water, viz. in great meekness, and long-sufferance, and changed them into One.
18. The Ens of faith was not yet become incarnate among the Jewes, therefore God gave them the Signe of the inward Circumcision by the cutting off of the outward fore-skin, that so, they might have a Signe, that the Holy Spirit in the Ens of faith in the Covenant, would cut off their Sinfull birth; whereby, they were the children of Grace in the Ens of faith.
19. But this same Ens of faith was first made flesh among the Christi∣ans in Christs humanity, and is also now incarnate in the children of faith in their true man: the Christians do now in their faith's desire, put on Christ, (viz. this Ens of faith, which the Jewes did also put on in the flesh) in the heavenly flesh, viz. in the heavenly living water in the divine manifestation.
20. This water is the heaven, wherein the onely holy Element is the motion, and essence; it is Christs, viz. Gods, holy corporeity, viz. the formed wisdome of the forth-breathed or formed word of the divine powers, Gods living, eternall speaking word, which is a spirit, and the divine understanding, which again attracteth to it selfe its own forth-breathed essence, viz. the forming of its wisdome.
21. The fathers will, draweth the Soul, which is a fire-breath out of its fire-spirit, unto it selfe; and the Sons will draweth the noble Image created out of the wisdome, viz. out of the heavenly essence; to it selfe, and the Holy Spirit draweth the whole moving humane understanding,
to it selfe, so that it is a God-Man, and a Man-God, God made manifest in an Image; and this is the Image of God; and thus also, the Circumci∣sion and the Baptisme is to be understood, which in both is the ground, and chiefe corner stone to the new-birth, among the Jewes, and Chri∣stians.
22. Now in that the Males were to be circumcised and not the Fe∣males, and yet all are to be baptized among the Christians is thus to be understood, as followeth; mark it aright ye Jewes, and Christians, and all other Nations, we tell and declare it unto you all, for ye are hereby called, the Time is come about, that the Antichrist must dye.
23. Adam was the Image of God, he was man and woman and yet neither of them, before his Eve, but a masculine virgine in peculiar Love, full of chastity and purity; The Tinctures, viz. the Power of the fire and light according to the property of the Father and Son were both in each other as One, in an uncessant Conjunction of desire, wherein stood the peculiar fiery Love-desire.
24. But being the Devill assailed the property of the fires-Tincture, and brought his false desire thereinto, so that the fires-Tincture was divided in the properties of the eternall nature, each property on the centre gave it selfe forth into its Selfehood, whence the selfly revolted will and the false lust did arise, which lust desired to prove the dark worlds essence, viz. the earthly essence out of the dark worlds desire, and to tast in it selfe, how the same would relish, if evill and good (each manifest in it selfe) were together, viz. in the dis-Temperature with∣out the divine One; hereupon the false fiery desire shut up the property of the lights Tincture with the introduced vanity of the Devills desire, and with the earthly hunger after the vanity (proceeding from the dark worlds essence) in the earth, and in the Elements, so that the hea∣venly female or right virgin-ike life was extinct in the Ens of the light.
25. For the Holy Spirit departed from the introduced vanity; and so the holy matrix, viz. the heavenly Generatress, disappeared, and the mother of the outward nature, viz. the outward naturall woman, under∣stand the property of the woman, got the upper dominion in the birth, so that Adam must now be divided and figured into a man and wo∣man.
26. But being the fiery property of the Tincture, (which now hath the dominion in the man, and is called man by reason of the fathers pro∣perty) was the cause of the poysonfull infection; so that the Tincture of venus, viz. of the woman or the light, was mortified; and being he intro∣duced in himselfe the abomination of lust into the womans property, (whereby afterward the woman, viz. his Eve, did so eagerly lust after evill and good, and began the earthly Eating) Thereupon we are here to consider, that this same fires-soul, viz. the mans Tincture, must be bap∣tized again with the divine Love-fire, that so it might not introduce the Ens of the Devill, and Serpent, insinuated into the masculine Seed; so poysonfull, into the womans matrix; it must be tinctured, and bapti∣zed again with the divine Love-tincture, viz. with the holy Love-Ens, which came to pass in the Ens of faith, in the promised incorporated Word, of the power of God.
27. But the Woman, viz. Adams virginity, was now transformed or
formed out of Adams nature, and essence, into a woman or manness, and in her the holy virginity, disappeared as to God, viz. the Tincture of the Love, and light, did still remain, but as it were dead or disappeared; for the outward mother, viz. the elementary mother lived now in its stead in her, and was the Generatress of nature, which must receive Adams, viz. the mans Seed, into it selfe.
28. Into this disappeared heavenly Tincture of the light, viz. into the true holy virginity; the Eternall holy word of the power of God, which had created Adam into an Image of God, did promise in-hest, and incorporate, it selfe, with a Covenant, to bruise the head of the Devill, and the Serpents Ens.
29. Thus understand us here, very accurately; like as the Father generateth the Son; and as out of Adam, who betokens the Fathers pro∣perty, the woman; viz. his Love-Tincture, was taken; and as before, while the woman was in the Man, the fires Tincture penetrated into the lights Tincture, and loved it selfe, therein; and as man and woman are one Body, so likewise the fire-baptisme of the Circumcision went forth out of the mans fire-Tincture into his female Tincture in the woman; God baptized the fires Tincture in the Man, and out of the Mans Seed cometh both the male, and the Female Sex.
30. Thus the mans Covenant and Baptisme entred into the woman, viz. into the female property, for the Womans Tincture had in it (al∣ready) the holy Ens in the Covenant, that Gods word in the Covenant would become man, in her shut up [barren] Ens, and quicken again therein the disappeared virginity.
31. Therefore the woman must not put on the Seal of Baptisme in her own peculiar will or desire but have it from the man, being shee was ta∣ken from the man, that so shee might become a right woman [or man∣ness] in the mans Baptisme, that so the Image of God in her might ob∣tain the fires-Baptisme and Tincture from the man.
32. For St Paul understood this very well, when he said, The woman shall be saved by bearing of children, if shee continues in the Covenant, and in the Love; for the woman hath her soul from the mans soul; and when shee is given to the man, then she is one body with him, and brings forth children to the man, she is his woman, his instrument; an half-man, and the Man an half-woman.
33. And that the mans property might again obtain the perfect Love, viz. the female Ens, and the woman the Masculine Ens; the Holy Spirit baptized the mans, viz. the fi••es Tincture, with the heavenly holy virgin-like Tincture, and the man baptized the womans essence in his Seed with the fiery and also divine Tincture; therefore God commanded the males onely to be circumcised.
34. For in the Jewes fire-Baptisme the Spirit baptized onely without water, but among the Christians the Spirit baptizeth through water; the Jewish women could put on the Spirit indeed in the mans fire-Tin∣cture, but now being this same fire-word is become flesh; they ought now of right also to put on Christ in the flesh, and be baptized; for their heavenly disappeared virginity must also put on Christ's introduced heavenly virginity, so that they might be true manlike virgins in the spirit and essence of Christ.
35. Now Reason asketh further, Wherefore must the male-children be circumcised just on the Eighth day? why must it not be either sooner, or later? did it not lye in mans choice and power to delay the same if it were weak? Herein is contained the mystery, and wonder; dear brethren cease from the contention of the letter, and learn to understand the hid∣den mysteries, we shall deal with you in a child-like manner; do but look us in the face, from whence we come, and whence it is that wee know and understand all this.
36. God Commanded the Boyes to be circumcised upon the Eighth day, and wherefore? Six dayes are the Man in nature, the Seventh is the day of Rest in him, viz. the heavenly disappeared Ens, wherein the six spi∣rits of nature do work; As God made the Creation in six dayes; viz. out of the six properties of nature, and brought them to Rest into the Seventh, viz. into the Emanation or flowing forth of the heavenly Ens, which God hath co-imprinted into the compaction of the creation, which is the rest, and right life of the six properties.
37. Thus man hath gotten seaven dayes for his own, the Seventh is his day of Rest; understand the Seventh property is the heavenly nature, which dyed in him, whereby he came into disquietnesse; therefore the Eighth day came out of meer Grace to help him, and gave it self again into his Seaven working dayes, viz. into the Seaven properties of his own essence; and THIS DAY is Christ in the Circumcision and in the Bap∣tisme.
38. For God in this process holdeth the order with the Regenerati∣on of man, in manner and nature as he created him out of seven dayes; understand in six dayes his naturall life was brought out of the six pro∣perties of the inward and outward nature into an Image, and the Se∣venth property was the Paradise, viz. the Saturday, in which the six spi∣rits of nature in their operation were reconciled, and Atoned, for it was the spirituall world.
39. And hence arose that command unto the Jewes, that they should sanctifie and rest, even externally on the Saturday, viz. the Sabbath, to signifie, the inward holy Eternall Sabbath, in which the Spirit of God worketh in man and every creature, in each, according to its property; for every created being resteth in him.
40. And therefore he commanded the male children to be circumci∣sed on the Eighth day; viz. in himselfe, for he himselfe is this Eighth day which circumciseth; for before Christs humanity the process went in the form of nature; but being now Christ hath fullfilled the nature of man, and given himselfe into the Seaven dayes of mans property; chil∣dren may now be baptized every [or any] day.
41. We see here a very excellent figure by the beginning [or first institution] of the Circumcision; and Covenant of the fire-baptisme, against the makers of the reason-conclusions upon the letter, who will needs have it, that some children are damned from the wombe, and even therefore, because they are taken and born out of the corrupt Ens of na∣ture; For Ishmael who was by nature a mocker, and captivated in the poysonfull, and corrupt Adamicall Ens; Even He, must be the first man which Abraham circumciseth; who was baptized in the Covenant.
42. Yee reason-wise! I pray set this looking-glass before your eyes;
and think what you do with your Conclusions concerning Predestinati∣on; we shew it you in humility, if you will not see, it shall be shewn you with fire▪ which is certainly known; for Christ came for Ishm••els sake, and for those that are like him, to help, and save them, if they would themselves; but in Isaac shall the Seed be called; viz. the Eighty day, which is come to help the other six dayes, and introduce them again in∣to the Seventh, viz. into the day of Re••••.
43. Dear brethren be instructed aright; the God of Love, He will not the death of the poor corrupt man; but hath powred forth his best Treasure (which he had in himselfe, and is himselfe) in Grace, over all men; like as the Sun doth shine unto the good, and evill; but the wicked doth corrupt, and spoil the Treasure in himselfe, and will not receive it; but taketh in the Ens of the Serpent full of vanity, and is baptized with the fire of Gods Anger in the will of Selfe.
44. But if he went with his own will into the death of Christ; and desired from the bottom of his heart, to dye unto his selfehood and own will, in Gods Mercy, and cast his whole trust and confidence in God, and thought that he had nothing of his own, in this earthly cottage, but that he was onely a Servant, and Steward of God and his neighbour, in all that he hath and possesseth; and forsook the propriety and [selfish-in∣terest] thereof, in his minde, he should soon be baptized with the Holy Spirit, and put on Christ in his will.
45. But these mischievous earthly Temporall Goods; Temporall ho∣nour, and pleasure of the flesh, captivate him in the Ens of the Serpent, so that he is not capable of the Baptisme of the Holy Spirit.
46. Also the Selfe-elected unfitted and unprofitable Teachers (train∣ed up in the School of the disputing Reason, and chosen by the favour of Man) are wholly blind herein, and teach onely of the husk or outward vessell of the regeneration; they will needs be outwardly adopted chil∣dren (forsooth) by an externall imputation of Grace; albeit they live onely in the will of Selfe; they will preach the holy Spirit into the Beast of selfe-will, which yet is no wayes capable of the Holy Spirit; They understand nothing fundamentally, either of the Baptisme, or the Lords Supper; the new-birth is strange unto them, they deny the divine essen∣tiall in-dwelling in Gods children; viz. the Temple of God, and so stand before the Jewes, when they should declare unto them, What Christ is IN VS, and what Baptisme, and the Lords Supper is, just as pictured Chri∣stians, or as Idolls.
47. For the Jewes know that God hath spoken with their fathers, and given them the Circumcision, and the Covenant; there they stick; but could the Christians fundamentally demonstrate to them what the Co∣venant, and Circumcision is essentially, and effectually, together with their offrings, they would forsake the Signe and enter into the Sub∣stance.
48. But that it hath so fallen out, that both the Jewes, and also the Christians have walked in blindnesse, even till this last time, and so also the Turkes, who by reason of the blindnesse, contention, and ungodli∣nesse of the Christians, have turned themselves unto Reason and nature; God hath therefore permitted it, because the Christians and Jewes both in the old and new Testament, received and appropriated to themselves
the Covenant, and the Seal of the Covenant in the outward shell onely, viz. in the vessell, [or litterall notion and apprehension] and lived one∣ly to the outward earthly mortall man; they all wayes minded, and provided for the Earthly kingdome and life, more then for the eter∣nall.
49. They would understand in the Husk, viz. in the outward letter, what God hath spoken; and chose to themselves reason-wise people, which were gifted in the outward, formall, logicall, and notionall, un∣derstanding of the letter, who had not the spirit and power of Gods word and life in the new-birth, in them; but onely the spirit of Selfe, pride, and the earthly Belly-God, contriving thereby how they might be rich, in Christs poverty, upon the earth; These men have blinded them, so that both among the Jewes and Christians men have minded, and loved, onely the Earthly Ens.
50. Therefore God hath permitted, that the wonders of nature in the power of his anger should be opened and brought forth in them, and that they should thus stick in blindness, yet in controversie and contests, (so that the name and memory of his Covenant might not quite be extin∣guished) and one Nation hath by reason thereof exercised and evilly entreated another in the contention and contrariety, whereby often∣times a fair green Twigg hath sprung from the right understanding, which hath been strange unto them, by reason of their received Opinion, and they have contemned, and persecuted it; for the earthly man in Selfe is not worthy of the holy Covenant, and Seale.
51. And seeing God knew very well that they would run of them∣selves without being sent of him, and would abuse the holy Ens in the Covenant; thereupon the vail of Moses hath beset the Jewes, and the Tower of Babel with the Antichrist (viz. the outward Christ instead of the holy Ens in the Covenant, that is, Gods presence) the Christians; so that they have been evermore seeking, in this Antichrist, what God is, in his Covenant, will, and essence.
52. Thus they have been exercised in contention, and persecution, in that they have persecuted one another; yet so, as that Gods children have sprung forth, in the Crosse; and Christ hath been inwardly manifest to them, but outwardly Babel hath yet stood both among the Jewes, Christians, and Turkes; the Antichrist is onely the same among all, for he is the Titular- or letter-God, wherein the Selfe-will seeketh and wor∣shippeth God in the Husk.
53. Hear therefore, yee Christians, Jewes, Turkes, and Heathen: even all Nations of the earth; what now (yet once more for a farewell in this worlds being) is freely tendred unto you, in the visitation of the mercifull God in the voyce of his Trumpet, by his Love-will and spirit; the Sound of the Trumpet concerns you all; let it enter into your eares, and do but open your eares and hearts a little from selfe, and then you shall heare the Sound in you; it Soundeth through all, even to the ends of the earth, but no Selfe-will heares it.
54. The onely divine way, wherein man may see God in his word, being, and will; is this; that man become wholly one in himselfe; and in his own will forsake all, whatsoever he himselfe is or hath; let it be Authority, Might, Power, Honour, Beauty, Riches, Money, Goods, Fa∣ther,
Mother, Brother, Sister, Wife, and Child, Body, and Life, and be∣come wholly a nothing to himselfe: He must freely resigne up all, and be poorer then a Bird in the air, which yet hath a Nest, the true man must have none; for he must travell away from this world, that so he be no more to himselfe in this world; He must be a nothing to the worlds selfe and interests; for the substance of this world which he possesseth for a propriety, is the Tower of Babel, and the Antichrist, wherein men will be their own God; and with this selfe made God they will ascend upon the Tower to heaven, and place themselves for God. Understand it thus.
55. It is not meant that one should run from house and home, from wife, children, and kindred, and fly out of the world, or so to forsake his goods as not to regard them; but the own self-will which possesseth all this for a propriety, that he must kill, and annihilate.
56. And think, that all that, of which he is a master, is not at all his own, let him thrive or go behinde-hand, gain or loose, be rich or poore, wise or simple, high or low; let him have something or nothing; let him esteem all these things alike; a fair Garment as a course patcht one, the prosperity of this world as the adversity, life as death; his authori∣ty as a servants place; a kingly Crown as an old Hatt; and forsake it all in his minde, and not account it for his own.
57. But think, and wholly resigne up his will thereinto; that he is but a servant of all whatsoever he hath; and is onely a Steward in that Calling, Profession, Office and Order, wherein he is; that it is Gods and his brethren's in common, that he onely serveth God and his brethren therein, and let him look that whatsoever is conferred and put upon him, be so received of him, and managed by him, as that it may conduce to the generall brotherly order and profession, and that God may make such Orders in this world, as a figure of the Angelicall world, that so he might serve him therein.
58. And not at all insinuate his minde into selfehood, as to think (let him be either King, Counsellour, or Judge of the people) that he is therefore better before God, or before man; he must continually look upon his naked bosome, and think, that one naked man doth alwayes re∣semble and is like another; and also that his Gown of state, and Office, over which he hath charge, is the brotherly Societie's.
59. And all whatsoever is bestowed and conferred upon him, either for honour, power, wealth, and goods, to return and give it back again to God his Creator, and say unfeighnedly in his minde, Lord! it is thine, I am unworthy to have command over it, but being thou hast placed me therein, I wholly, and fully resigne up my will unto thee; Govern, and work thou by me as thou pleasest, that it may be don in thy will, and conduce to the profit, and service of my brethren, whom I serve in my calling, as thy Command; do thou, O Lord, all, through me, and say onely in me, how, and to what, I ought to direct the workes of my hands; to whom I should give, and bestow money, goods, power, and honour; and thus continually think, how he in his place may please, and pleasure (not himselfe, but) his brethren.
60. But if he be a Servant, then let him think that he serveth God in his will, and Men in Gods, and the Generall brotherly Function, and
that is, in that little which God hath given him, in this Cottage, for food and Rayment, is as rich as a King, for if he lookes upon himselfe na∣ked, he seeth the Truth.
61. And when man bringeth it so far, that all is One unto him [that he is able to esteem all things alike, and be content with any condition, as St Paul teacheth] then he is as the poor Christ, Who had not whereon to lay his head; and rightly followeth Christ, who said; He that forsaketh not house, Court, monies, goods, brethren, sisters, wife, child, and denieth him∣selfe, he is not worthy of me.
62. And for this Selfe and unworthiness sake, God hath turned away his holy countenance from the Nations, so that they have known him onely through a dark word and shadow.
63. But he that entreth into this totall Resignation, he cometh▪ in Christ, to divine contemplation, so that he s••eth God in him, and speak∣eth with God, and God with him, and understands what Gods word be∣ing and will is, this man is fit to teach, and none else; he ••eacheth Gods word from him; for God is made known and manifest to him in his Co∣venant, of which he is a Servant and Minister; for he willeth nothing save what God willeth through him.
64. He teacheth when God commands him; let it be either to friends or foes in their season, or out of their season; he thinks that God must do in him as he please, and albeit that he must therefore suffer scorn, yet tis all one unto him; if he be honored and respected of men, he humbleth himselfe before God and his brethren, and giveth God and his brethren the Honor, and takes it not at all unto himselfe; but if they curse him, and smite him on the face, he thinkes thus; I now stand in Christs estate of persecution, it shall turn unto the best for me and my brethren.
65. Lo! Loving brethren, this is a Christian, and such a kingdome he now offers to you, by the wonderfull Sound of his Spirits Trumpet, and there must and shall be such a kingdome soon manifest and come in∣to beeing, for a witness unto all the Nations of the earth, of which all the Prophets have prophecied.
66. On the contrary, he offers to all wicked, unwilling, stubborn men, his anger, wrath, and hardning, to devoure them, and to make an end with Babel; This say not I, but the Spirit of the wonders of all Na∣tions.
67. Therefore trusse up thy selfe in Armour, and lay lustily about thee thou Antichristian Babylon, and devour much bloud, for thou thy Selfe art even he that destroyeth, and qui••e ruins thy selfe; For thee, there is no remedy [thou wilt take no counsell, thy own Cain like fury in hypocrisie doth harden thee] also there is no repentance in thy will, but for the children of God under thee, we have written this as we have known, and seen it.
68. Now saith Babel; whence shall this people come that shall know the Lord, and live in God? Heare O Babel! among thy brethren in the time of thy affliction and tribulation, they are brought forth, in their disrespect and misery; and thou callest them fooles, and knowest them not; let no man wait for another coming; the time is allready come about; the voyce of the caller and hearer is allready present, the Cove∣ring is put away from this voyce, thou art not at this time called under a vail, but with open mouth, very clearly.
69. This voyce of the Cryer openeth Gods clear Countenance in his Children, and in the ungodly, the angry Countenance, seing they de∣sire fully to purse up all, in covetousnesse, into Selfe, viz. into the Anti∣christian bagg, and to bring the whore of Selfe even to the very topp of the Babylonicall Tower.
70. The Signe of this Image, and its destruction, is the Covetousness, and envy; its Signe stood before in Silver and Gold; that was the Banner, and Standard of Antichrist; but now the Banner hath changed it selfe into Copper, being Mars is the Soul, viz. the man or husband in Copper, so that this Mars is given to Babel for a Banner and Ensigne, which shall Rule, till Babel hath an end, and no wicked man shall know this; and though he carry the Signe in his hands, yet he calls it onely his Loving Companion.
71. But upon the Kingdome that is, and is not, and yet is, shall the glorious Ornament of Gold be put, for the Prince of the powers of the earth hath given it to them. Amen.
Gen. XVII.
Joh. 1.13.
Note.
Note.
Note how wee are Baptized into Death.
Note. Why Miles onely Circumcised. Why Males and Females both Baptised.
1 Tim. 2.15.
Burning, ardent.
Circumcisi••n the 8th Day.
Text. The Sun-Even∣ing, or ••he E∣vening of atone∣ment, according as the word will bear it. See Chap the 16 of this book. Paragraph 16, 17, &c.
Baptized every Day.
His precious image.
Sacrifices.
Or, with God.
Matth. 8.20.
Mat. 19.29.
Or, Sword.