,,dialogues  ,,on  ,,the ,,supersensual 
,,life  ,,by  ,,jacob ,,behmen  ,,edited
 ,,by ,,bernard ,,holland  ,,methuen    
,,co4 #cf ,,essex ,,street1 ,w4,c4      
,,london #aija  ,desiderare est ,mereri 
,,preface   ,the ,works of ,jacob       
,behmen1 the ,teutonic ,theosopher1     
translated into ,english1 were first    
printed in ,england in the seventeenth  
century1 between #afdd and #affb4 ,in   
the following century a complete edition
 in four large volumes was produced by  
some of the disciples of ,william ,law4 
,this edition1 completed in the year    
#agha1 was compiled in part from the    
older ,english edition1 and in part from
 later fragmentary translations by ,law 
and others4 ,it is not easily accessible
 to the general reader1 and1 moreover1  
the greater part of ,behmen's ,works    
could not be recommended save to those  
who had the time and power to plunge    
into that deep sea in search of the many
 noble pearls which it contains4        
,behmen's language and way of thought   

are remote and strange1 and in reading  
his thought one has often to pass it    
through a process of intellectual       
translation4 ,this is chiefly true of   
his earlier work1 the ,aurora or        
,morning ,redness4 ,but among those     
works which he wrote during the last    
five years of his life there are some   
written in a thought-language less      
difficult to be understood1 yet         
containing the essential teaching of    
this humble ,master of ,divine ,science4
 ,from these ,i have selected some which
 may1 in a small volume1 be useful4 ,it 
seemed that for this purpose it would be
 best to take the ,dialogues of the     
,supersensual ,life1 including as one of
 them the beautiful1 really separate1   
,dialogue1 called in the ,complete      
,works1 ,the way from darkness to true  
illumination4 ,in the case of neither of
 these works is the translation used    
that of the seventeenth century4 ,the   
first three dialogues are a translation 
made by ,william ,law1 one of the       

greatest masters of the ,english        
language1 and found in ,,ms4 after his  
death4 ,this translation from the       
original ,german is not exactly literal1
 but rather a liberal version1 or       
paraphrase1 the thought of ,behmen being
 expanded and elucidated1 though in     
nowise departed from4 ,the dialogue     
called ,the way from darkness to true   
illumination was taken by the eighteenth
 century editors from a book containing 
translations of certain smaller         
treatises of ,behmen then lately printed
 at ,bristol and made1 as they say1 in a
 style better adapted to the taste and  
more accommodated to the apprehension of
 modern readers4 ,i do not know who was 
the translator1 but the work seems to be
 excellently well done4  ,it will be    
well to say a few words first as to the 
life1 then as to the leading ideas of   
,jacob ,behmen4 ,this name is more      
correctly written ,jacob ,boehme1 but ,i
 prefer to retain the more easily       
pronounced spelling of ,behmen1 adopted 

by the ,editors of both the complete    
,english editions4  ,jacob ,behmen's    
outward life was simplicity itself4 ,he 
was born in the year #aege at ,alt      
,seidenberg1 a village among pastoral   
hills1 near ,goerlitz in ,lusatia1 a son
 of poor peasants4 ,as a boy he watched 
the herds in the fields1 and was then   
apprenticed to a shoemaker1 being not   
enough robust for rural work4 ,one day1 
when the master and his wife were out1  
and he was alone in the house1 a        
stranger entered the shop and asked for 
a pair of shoes4 ,jacob had no authority
 to conclude a bargain and asked a high 
price for the shoes in the hope that the
 stranger would not buy4 ,but the man   
paid the price1 and when he had gone out
 into the street1 called out ,jacob1    
come forth4 ,jacob obeyed the call1 and 
now the stranger looked at him with a   
kindly1 earnest1 deep1 soul-piercing    
gaze1 and said1 ,jacob1 thou art as yet 
but little1 but the time will come when 
thou shalt be great1 and become another 

man1 and the world shall marvel at thee4
 ,therefore be pious1 fear ,god1 and    
reverence his ,word2 especially read    
diligently the ,holy ,scriptures1 where 
thou hast comfort and instruction2 for  
thou must endure much misery and        
poverty1 and suffer persecution4 ,but be
 courageous and persevere1 for ,god     
loves1 and is gracious unto thee4 ,so   
saying1 the stranger clasped his hand1  
and disappeared4  ,after this ,jacob    
became even more pensive and serious1   
and would admonish the other journeymen 
on the work-bench when they spoke       
lightly of sacred things4 ,his master   
disliked this and dismissed him1 saying 
that he would have no house-prophet to  
bring trouble into his house4 ,thus     
,jacob was forced to go forth into the  
world as a travelling journeyman1 and1  
as he wandered about in that time of    
fierce religious discord1 the world     
appeared to him to be a ,babel4 ,he was 
himself afflicted by troubles and       
doubts1 but clave to prayer and to      

,scripture1 and especially to the words 
in ,luke xi42 ,how much more shall your 
heavenly ,father give the ,holy ,spirit 
to them that ask him4 ,and once1 when he
 was again engaged for a time by a      
master1 he was lifted into a state of   
blessed peace1 a ,sabbath of the ,soul1 
that lasted for seven days1 during which
 he was1 as it were1 inwardly surrounded
 by a ,divine ,light4 ,the triumph that 
was then in my soul ,i can neither tell 
nor describe4 ,i can only liken it to a 
resurrection from the dead4  ,jacob     
returned in #aeid to ,goerlitz1 became a
 master shoemaker in #aeii1 married a   
tradesman's daughter1 and had four      
children4 ,in the year #afjj sitting one
 day in his room1 his eye fell upon a   
burnished pewter dish which reflected   
the sunshine with such marvellous       
splendour that he fell into a deep      
inward ecstasy and it seemed to him as  
if he could now look into the principles
 and deepest foundations of things4 ,he 
believed that it was only a fancy1 and  

in order to banish it from his mind he  
went out upon the green4 ,but here he   
remarked that he gazed into the very    
heart of things2 the very herbs and     
grass1 and that ,nature harmonised with 
what he had inwardly seen4 ,he said     
nothing about this to any one1 but      
praised and thanked ,god in silence4 ,he
 continued in the honest practice of his
 craft1 was attentive to his domestic   
affairs1 and was on terms of goodwill   
with all men4,a  ,at the age of         
thirty-five1 in the year #afaj1 ,jacob  
,behmen suddenly perceived that all     
which he had seen in a fragmentary way  
was forming itself into a coherent      
whole1 and felt a fire-like impulse1 a  
yearning to write it down1 as a         
,memorial1 not for publication1 but lest
 he should forget it himself4 ,he wrote 
it early in the morning before work1 and
 late in the evening after work4 ,this  
was his ,morning ,redness or ,aurora4   
,a nobleman of the country1 called ,carl
 von ,endern1 happened to see the ,,ms4 

at the shoemaker's house1 was struck by 
it1 and had some copies made4 ,one of   
these fell into the hands of the        
,lutheran ,clergyman of ,goerlitz1      
,pastor ,primarius ,gregorius ,richter1 
who thenceforth became a bitter opponent
 of ,behmen4 ,he assailed him in        
sermons1 in language of savage          
invective1 as a heretic of the most     
dangerous kind1 until ,jacob was        
summoned before the ,magistrates1 and   
forbidden to write anything in future4  
,he was told that as a shoemaker he must
 confine himself to his own trade4 ,but 
the affair1 as is usually the case1 had 
an effect the reverse of that intended  
by persecutors4 ,it made him known to   
various persons more learned than       
himself who were interested in the      
subject1 and from his converse with them
 he learned a better style1 and some    
,latin technical terms1 which he        
afterwards found useful for expressing  
his thoughts4  ,jacob obeyed for some   
years the magisterial command to write  

nothing1 but it was very grievous to    
him1 and he often reflected with dismay 
on the parable of the talents and how   
that one talent which 'tis death to hide
 was lodged with him useless4 ,at length
 he would keep silence no more4 ,he says
 himself3 ,i had resolved to do nothing 
in future1 but to be quiet before ,god  
in obedience1 and to let the devil1 with
 all his host1 sweep over me4 ,but it   
was with me as when a seed is hidden in 
the earth4 ,it grows up in storm and    
rough weather against all reason4 ,for  
in winter time all is dead1 and reason  
says3 ',it is all over with it4' ,but   
the precious seed within me sprouted and
 grew green1 oblivious of all storms1   
and1 amid disgrace and ridicule1 it has 
blossomed forth into a lily4  ,between  
the year #afai and his death in #afbd1  
at the age of forty-nine1 he poured     
forth his stored up thoughts1 writing a 
number of ,works1 including those in the
 present volume1 which were among his   
very latest4 ,he had the more time to   

write because his shoemaking business   
had fallen off1 by reason1 perhaps1 of  
the question as to his orthodoxy1 but   
some friends supplied him with the      
necessaries of life4 ,he was now exposed
 to fresh attacks from ,gregorius       
,richter and was forced this time to go 
into exile4 ,at this period he went to  
the ,electoral ,court at ,dresden where 
the ,prince was curious about him1 and a
 conference took place between him and  
,john ,gerhard and other eminent        
theologians4 ,at the close of this ,dr  
,gerhard said3 ,i would not take the    
whole world and help to condemn this    
man4 ,and his colleague ,meissner said1 
,my good brother1 neither would ,i4 ,who
 knows what stands behind this man8 ,how
 can we judge what we have not          
understood8 ,may ,god convert this man  
if he is in error4 ,he is a man of      
marvellously high mental gifts who at   
present can neither be condemned nor    
approved4  ,soon afterwards1 while      
,jacob was staying at the house of one  

of his noble friends in ,silesia he fell
 into a fever4 ,at his own request he   
was carried back to ,goerlitz1 and there
 awaited his end4 ,on ,sunday1 ,november
 #bast #afbd1 in the early hours he     
called his son ,tobias and asked him if 
he did not hear that sweet melodious    
music4 ,as ,tobias heard nothing1 ,jacob
 asked him to set wide the door so that 
he might the better hear it2 then he    
asked what was the hour1 and when he was
 told that it had just struck two he    
said1 ,my time is not yet2 three hours  
hence is my time4 ,after some silence he
 exclaimed1 ,oh thou strong ,god of     
,sabaoth1 deliver me according to thy   
,will1 and immediately afterwards ,thou 
,crucified ,lord ,jesus ,christ have    
mercy upon me and take me to thyself    
into thy ,kingdom4 ,at six in the       
morning he suddenly bade them farewell  
with a smile1 and said1 ,now ,i go hence
 into ,paradise1 and yielded up his     
,spirit4  ,frankenberg writes of him3   
,his bodily appearance was somewhat     

mean2 he was small of stature1 had a low
 forehead but prominent temples1 a      
rather aquiline nose1 a scanty beard1   
grey eyes1 sparkling into heavenly blue1
 a feeble but genial voice4 ,he was     
modest in his bearing1 unassuming in    
conversation1 lowly in conduct1 patient 
in suffering1 and gentle-hearted4  ,as  
the shoemaker of ,goerlitz had in his   
life-time some disciples among highly   
educated men1 so has he always had a few
 since his departure from this life4    
,men so diversely situated as the       
non-juror ,william ,law in ,england2 ,st
 ,martin1 the philosophe inconnu of the 
,french ,revolution2 the sincere        
,catholic1 ,franz ,baader1 in ,germany2 
,martensen1 the ,protestant ,bishop in  
,denmark1 have found in him their       
,teacher4  ,the selections contained in 
the present book belong rather to the   
practical or ethical side of ,jacob     
,behmen's teaching than to his          
,cosmogony1 or ,vision1 as one may best 
call it1 of the nature of all things4 ,i

 think that any old cottager1 who had   
read nothing but his ,bible1 but had    
lived his life1 would well understand   
the general teaching of most that is    
contained in these ,dialogues1 and would
 find all ,behmen's words most beautiful
 and comforting4 ,it is not1 therefore1 
necessary for the present purpose to    
attempt fully to set forth the whole    
,vision of ,behmen1 nor1 in any case    
would it be within my power to do so4   
,but it may be of service to those      
readers who are not acquainted with the 
writings of ,behmen or of his disciples1
 if ,i here say something as to his     
general teaching with regard to the     
nature of the soul of man and its       
relation to that which is not itself1   
but like to itself4  ,the ,soul1 in the 
doctrine of ,behmen1 is a ,being which  
has a will or desire1 and is aided by a 
mirror of understanding or imagination4 
,will or ,desire is of the very essence 
of the ,soul1 inseparable from its      
existence4 ,he says3 ,where ,desire is  

there is also ,essence or ,being4 ,the  
,soul is subject to the diverse         
attractions of the ,centre of ,divine   
,life and ,light1 and of the ,spirit of 
the ,world4 ,enlightened by its         
understanding it has the free power to  
turn its will towards1 and unite itself 
to1 this or that4 ,choose well1 thy     
choice is brief and yet endless4  ,the  
,soul is a magic ,fire derived out of1  
or from1 ,god the ,father's ,essence1   
lumen de lumine1 and imprisoned in      
darkness4 ,it is an intense and         
incessant ,desire after the ,light2 it  
longs to return to the ,light-centre1   
whence it originally came1 that is1 to  
the heart of ,god4 ,thus longing1 it is 
a ,fire of ,anguish1 until it becomes a 
,fire of ,love4 ,it is a fire of        
anguish1 so long as it is shut up in its
 dark self4 ,it is a fire of love when  
it pierces through and escapes from its 
dark self-prison and burns freely and   
softly in union with the ,divine ,love4 
,god then comes as a ,light1 a soft     

purifying ,fire into the ,soul1 and     
changes all the wanting1 hungering1     
empty1 restless1 self-tormenting        
properties of the ,natural ,life into a 
sweetness of rest and peace4 ,this is   
called in ,scripture the new birth4     
,thus the same thing--the same          
,fire1--is a cause of torment or of joy 
according to the conditions under which 
it is4 ,man1 who is a microcosm of the  
whole ,universe1 is a mingling of light 
and darkness4 ,his anguish comes from   
his ,soul's imprisonment in darkness 7as
 a mere raging fire7 and continues until
 it can break forth and unite itself    
with that whence it came and to which it
 belongs4  ,behmen says ,the ,eternal   
,darkness of the ,soul is ,hell1 viz43  
an aching source of anguish1 which is   
called the ,anger of ,god1 but the      
,eternal ,light in the ,soul is the     
,kingdom of ,heaven1 where the fiery    
anguish of darkness is turned into joy4 
,for the same nature of anguish1 which1 
in the ,darkness1 is a cause of sadness1

 is1 in the ,light1 a cause of the      
outward and stirring joy4444 ,the ,fire 
is painful and consuming1 but the ,light
 is yielding1 friendly1 powerful and    
delightful1 a sweet and amiable ,joy4   
,pure delight1 with no trace of doubt or
 fear1 hope or regret1 is the sign of   
the presence of ,love or ,light4 ,so    
again ,behmen says3 ,the ,fire in the   
,light is a fire of ,love1 but the ,fire
 in the ,darkness is a fire of ,anguish1
 and is painful1 irksome1 and full of   
contrariety4 ,the end to which all      
things tend is the final separation of  
light from darkness2 the last day means 
this2 but the present world is a        
perpetual mixture of light and darkness1
 good and evil1 joy and anguish4 ,so1   
the ,cross of ,jesus is at once the     
highest embodiment of ,love and ,hate4  
,it is remarkable that in this doctrine 
of light and darkness ,behmen was nearly
 followed by one who had not1 ,i        
suppose1 ever heard of him1 reading as  
he did little of anything but the       

,bible1 who worked on the ,scriptures   
with his own powerful and earnest       
insight1 the ,christian hero1 ,charles  
,gordon4 ,in his little book called     
,reflections in ,palestine written in   
that one year1 #ahhc1 of unbroken repose
 from action spent in the ,holy ,land1  
just before his final service at        
,khartoom1 ,gordon dwells upon the      
repetition1 as he calls it1 both in the 
individual soul1 and in the world's     
history of four processes constantly    
recurring1--a state of darkness1 a light
 breaking forth through darkness1 a     
division of light from darkness or      
gathering together of light1 a          
re-dispersion of light into darkness1   
and then a renewal of the four          
processes1 ever upon an ascending level 
of good1 directed towards the final     
elimination of all light from the       
darkness4  ,fire must have fuel1        
something on which to feed4 ,it must    
feed or perish4 ,but the magic          
,fire-spirit1 the ,soul1 cannot perish  

because it is an eternal ,essence4      
,therefore it must either feed2 or      
hunger4 ,it desires spiritual essence or
 virtue to allay its raging hunger4     
,but1 during the space that it is       
embodied in this nature1 it can feed    
either on the ,divine ,spirit1 or upon  
the ,spirit of this ,world4 ,hence1 says
 ,behmen1 we may understand the cause of
 that infinite variety which is in the  
,wills and ,actions of ,men4 ,for of    
whatsoever the ,soul eateth1 and        
wherewith its ,fire-life becometh       
kindled2 according to that the ,soul's  
life is led and governed4 ,you become   
like to that which you eat4 ,if the     
,soul breaks forth out of its           
,nature-self and enters into ,god's     
,love-fire1 it eats of the ,divine      
,essence 7the substance or flesh of     
,christ7 and it is to this that ,jesus  
,christ referred when he spoke of       
feeding upon his body1 and when he spoke
 of the true bread from heaven which    
giveth life to the ,world 7,john vi4    

#cc71 of which he that eateth shall live
 for ever 7,john vi4 #eh71 or the living
 water1 whereof whosoever drinketh shall
 never thirst1 but it shall be to him a 
well of water springing up into         
everlasting life 7,john iv4 #ac1 #ad74  
,this feeding is in no way metaphorical 
but as real and actual as physical      
feeding4  ,behmen says1 ,the ,essence of
 that ,life eateth the ,flesh of ,christ
 and drinketh ,his ,blood4444 ,now if   
the ,soul eat of this sweet1 holy and   
heavenly food1 then it kindleth itself  
with the great ,love in the name and    
power of ,jesus1 whence its fire of     
anguish becometh a great triumph of joy 
and glory4,b  ,behmen held that man     
lives at once in three worlds1 firstly  
in the outward visible elementary world 
of space and time 7where man is the     
,time and in the ,time27 secondly1 the  
,eternal ,dark ,world1 ,hell1 the centre
 of ,eternal ,nature1 whence is         
generated the ,soul-fire1 that source of
 anguish1 and thirdly1 in the ,eternal  

,light ,world1 ,heaven--the ,divine     
habitation4 ,the same processes of      
feeding and life take place in the three
 ,worlds1 so that physical feeding is a 
kind of outside sheath of spiritual     
feeding4  ,if the ,soul accustoms itself
 to feed in this life upon the heavenly 
food 7that panem de coelo omne          
delectamentum in se habentem7 it        
gradually itself becomes of quite       
heavenly substance1 purged from         
darkness1 and1 when the natural life    
falls off at death1 stands in heaven1   
where indeed it already is4 ,but1 if the
 ,soul feeds upon the ,spirit and       
,things of this ,world1 then1 when by   
reason of death1 it can no longer feed  
upon them1 it is left in the condition  
of mere aching ,desire1 or eternal      
unsatisfied ,hunger1 working in a void1 
in perpetual anguish4 ,thus ,heaven and 
,hell are not places1 but conditions of 
the ,soul4 ,so ,milton1 who had no doubt
 studied the translation of ,behmen made
 in his own time1 writes3      ,the mind

 is its own place1 and in itself        
,can make a ,heaven of ,hell1 a ,hell of
 ,heaven4  ,they are in this life       
everywhere commingled1 but when this    
life falls away1 the ,soul remains in   
that of the two states into which it has
 in this life brought itself4 ,the      
,soul1 after death1 remains either as a 
satisfied ,desire1 that is1 a ,desire no
 longer but a ,joy1 or as an aching     
,desire4 ,the ,persian says3--          
,heaven is the vision of fulfilled      
,desire     ,and ,hell the shadow of a  
,soul on fire4  ,behmen says1 ,heaven is
 fulfilled desire2 ,hell is a ,soul on  
fire1 no mere vision or shadow4  ,heaven
 and ,hell are within us1 since our     
souls are portions of the universe of   
things1 in every part of which ,heaven  
and ,hell are commingled4 ,the gates of 
,heaven within us were shut in ,adam1   
but the ,power of ,god1 ,christ in      
,jesus1 broke open by his passion the   
closed gates of ,paradise1 that is1 the 
gates of our inward heavenly humanity1  

and now the wayfarer can1 if he will1   
pass through4 ,we do not spiritually    
live by a reasoning process1 or         
acceptance of doctrines by the          
understanding1 but by the action of the 
,desire in feeding upon the ,spirit of  
,love1 a process of laying hold1 drawing
 in1 and assimilating4 ,true prayer is  
like feeding1 or still more1 perhaps1   
like the unconscious drawing in of the  
air3 it should be as constant4 ,by it is
 introduced the heavenly life from      
without to nourish the like heavenly    
life contained in the seed within4 ,if a
 man thus rightly feeds1 then1 in him1  
the hellish life and passions1 portions 
of the powers of darkness1 our creatures
 as ,behmen says1 will be killed by     
starvation1 wanting their appropriate   
food4 ,on the other hand1 a man can feed
 these also from without with their     
appropriate food by misdirected desire1 
thereby starving the heavenly life in   
the ,soul4  ,thus the essence of        
,behmen's teaching as to the ,soul      

incarnate in ,man and revealed by his   
body1 is that it is an eternal ,being1  
and that it is a source of joy or       
anguish according as it is1 or is not1  
purified or tranquillised by communion  
with the ,centre of ,light1 or the      
,fountain of ,life4 ,he does not        
contemplate1 as some ,eastern teachers  
perhaps do1 the annihilation of the     
,will of the ,soul by a kind of higher  
spiritual suicide2 its existence is to  
him the very condition of good no less  
than of evil2 he contemplates its       
liberation from the dark1 contracted1   
self-prison1 its purification1 and      
entrance into the full heaven-life4     
,this magical soul-fire1 like visible   
fire1 can rage and destroy1 or it can   
serve as the means and ground of all    
good4 ,here is the foundation both of   
good and evil1 in man as in all things4 
,to understand this better1 one must    
consider the cosmic teaching lying      
behind the rich profusion of images1    
often inconsistent and clashing1 in     

which ,jacob ,behmen embodies his       
,vision4  ,man has fallen into ,nature4 
,but ,nature itself1 apart from and     
unfilled by the ,divine ,light1 is a    
self-torment1 a mere ,want1 a ,desire1 a
 ,hunger4 ,the true distinction between 
,god and ,nature is that ,god is an     
,universal ,all1 while ,nature is an    
,universal ,want1 viz3 to be filled by  
,god4 ,physical attraction is nothing   
but the outer sheath of this universal  
desire4 ,nature filled by ,god is       
,heaven or fulfilled ,desire4,c ,without
 ,god it is ,hell1 mere ,desire4 ,heaven
 is the ,presence of ,god3 ,hell his    
,absence4 ,it is as true to say that    
,heaven is in ,god1 as to say that ,god 
is in ,heaven4  ,apart from the         
existence of ,god there could be neither
 ,presence nor ,absence1 neither ,heaven
 nor ,hell4 ,if the ,soul of ,man were  
wholly divided and separated from the   
,divine ,life1 it would1 as a part of   
,nature1 be a mere hungering1 restless1 
conscious ,desire4 ,in so far as it is  

so separated it partakes of this pain4  
,for through all the ,universe of       
,things nothing is uneasy1 unsatisfied1 
or restless1 but because it is not      
governed by ,love1 or because its       
,nature has not reached or attained the 
full birth of the ,spirit of ,love4 ,for
 when that is done1 every hunger is     
satisfied1 and all complaining1         
murmuring1 accusing1 resenting1         
revenging and striving are as totally   
suppressed and overcome as coldness1    
thickness and horror of darkness are    
suppressed and overcome by the breaking 
forth of the light4 ,if you ask why the 
,spirit of ,love cannot be displeased1  
cannot be disappointed1 cannot complain1
 accuse1 resent or murmur1 it is because
 the ,spirit of ,love desires nothing   
but itself1 it is its own ,good1 for    
,love is ,god1 and he that dwelleth in  
,god dwelleth in ,love4,d  ,behmen's    
idea of the fallen ,angels is that they 
are entirely and hopelessly divided from
 the ,life of ,god4 ,they are mere      

embodied1 hopeless1 self-tormenting     
,desires4 ,they have fallen into the    
hell within themselves1 they cannot but 
be hating1 bitter1 envious1 proud1      
wrathful1 restless2 and therefore       
tormentors of others4 ,they have lost   
that which man1 however far astray1     
always possesses1 the faculty of return 
or regeneration through submission to   
and union with ,god4 ,the spark of the  
,life and ,spirit of ,god which is in   
,men is not in the fallen ,angels4 ,let 
us hope that ,beings so utterly lost do 
not exist4  ,god is outside of ,nature  
and yet in a sense inside also1 because 
there is a divine life or virtue in     
,nature which1 longing to re-unite      
itself with its source1 is a cause of   
anguish while divided1 and of joy when  
united4 ,so1 in the outer world1 the    
seed buried in earth contains a power   
kindred to the virtue of the sun4 ,it is
 this which breaks forth from the seed1 
forces itself up through the dark1      
imprisoning1 and yet nourishing and     

necessary earth1 and at last1 if it can 
win its way through obstacles1          
cheerfully expands in the light of the  
sun and feeds upon his warmth4 ,that1 in
 man's inner nature1 which answers to   
this power or life in the seed1 is      
called by ,behmen the ,life or ,spirit  
of ,jesus ,christ4 ,egoism or ,ihood1   
the old contracting1 narrowing cell1 is 
destroyed as this expansive and         
expanding force grows and breaks forth4 
,behmen says3 ,as the ,sun in the       
visible world ruleth over ,evil and     
,good1 and1 with its light and power1   
and all whatsoever itself is1 is present
 everywhere1 and penetrates into every  
,being1 and wholly giveth itself to     
every ,being1 and yet ever remaineth    
whole1 and nothing of its being goeth   
away therewith4 ,thus also it is to be  
understood concerning ,christ's person  
and office which ruleth in the inward   
spiritual world1 and penetrateth into   
the faithful man's soul1 spirit and     
heart4 ,as the ,sun worketh through a   

herb1 so that the herb becometh filled  
with the virtue of the ,sun1 and1 as it 
were1 so converted by the ,sun that it  
becometh wholly of the nature of the    
,sun1 so ,christ ruleth in the resigned 
will or ,soul and ,body1 over all evil  
inclinations and generateth the man to  
be a new heavenly creature4 ,the same   
teaching is finely set forth in a       
passage of ,william ,law4,e ,he says3   
,man has a spark of the ,light and      
,spirit of ,god1 as a supernatural gift 
of ,god given into the birth of his     
,soul to bring forth by degrees a new   
birth of that life which was lost in    
,paradise4 ,this holy spark of the      
,divine ,nature within him has a        
natural1 strong1 and almost infinite    
tendency or reaching after that eternal 
,light and ,spirit of ,god1 from whence 
it came forth4 ,it came forth from ,god1
 it came out of ,god1 it partaketh of   
the ,divine ,nature1 and therefore it is
 always in a state of tendency and      
return to ,god4 ,all this is called the 

breathing1 the moving1 the quickening of
 the ,holy ,spirit within us1 which are 
so many operations of this spark of life
 tending towards ,god4 ,on the other    
hand the ,deity as considered in itself1
 and without the ,soul of man1 has an   
infinite unchangeable tendency of love  
and desire towards the ,soul of man1 to 
unite and communicate its own riches and
 glories to it1 just as the ,spirit of  
the air without ,man unites and         
communicates its riches and virtues to  
the ,spirit of the air that is within   
,man4 ,this love or desire of ,god      
toward the soul of ,man is so great that
 he gave his only-begotten ,son1 the    
brightness of his glory1 to take the    
human nature upon him1 in its fallen    
state1 that by this mysterious union of 
,god and ,man1 all the enemies of the   
,soul of ,man might be overcome1 and    
every human creature might have a power 
of being born again according to that   
,image of ,god in which he was first    
created4 ,the gospel is the history of  

this ,love of ,god to ,man4 ,inwardly he
 has a seed of the ,divine ,life given  
into the birth of his ,soul1 a seed that
 has all the riches of eternity in it1  
and is always wanting to come to the    
birth in him1 and be alive in ,god4     
,outwardly he has ,jesus ,christ1 who as
 a ,sun of ,righteousness1 is always    
casting forth his enlivening beams on   
this inward seed1 to kindle and call it 
forth to the birth1 doing that to this  
,seed of ,heaven in ,man1 which the sun 
in the firmament is always doing to the 
vegetable seeds in the earth4  ,consider
 this matter in the following           
similitude4 ,a grain of wheat has the   
air and light of this world enclosed or 
incorporated in it4 ,this is the mystery
 of its life1 this is its power of      
growing1 by this it has a strong        
continual tendency of uniting again with
 that ocean of light and air from whence
 it came forth4 ,on the other hand that 
great ocean of light and air1 having its
 own offspring hidden in the heart of   

the grain has a perpetual strong        
tendency to unite and communicate with  
it again4 ,from this desire of union on 
both sides1 the vegetable life arises   
and all the virtues and powers contained
 in it4 ,but let it be well observed    
that this desire on both sides cannot   
have its effect till the husk and gross 
part of the grain falls into a state of 
corruption and death2 till this begins1 
the mystery of life hidden in it cannot 
come forth4  ,the sun only acts by      
stirring up in each thing1 and calling  
into activity1 its own imprisoned1      
dormant1 heat or life4 ,save by the same
 nature-process1 working in an inner    
sphere1 there cannot come to pass the   
flower and fruit of the ,soul4 ,the     
,sun1 true emblem of the ,redeeming     
,spirit1 helps each vital force to break
 forth from its state of death--even    
though1 like the grains of wheat found  
in ,egyptian graves and then            
new-planted1 it has been immured there  
thousands of years--and to enter into   

its highest possible state of life4     
,indeed1 in this school of wisdom1 the  
natural visible light1 of which the ,sun
 is the dispensing medium to our solar  
system1 and other suns to other circles 
of planets1 is actually an outer        
manifestation of the inner supernatural 
light1 and warmth1 not a mere emblem at 
all4 ,we speak more truly than we know1 
when we speak of a heavenly day4 ,all   
,nature is a series of out-births of the
 ,deity4 ,the outward world1 says       
,behmen1 is sprung out of the inward    
spiritual world1 viz41 out of ,light and
 ,darkness4 ,and his ,english           
interpreter says3 ,whatever is          
delightful and ravishing1 sublime and   
glorious in spirits1 minds1 or bodies1  
either in heaven1 or on earth1 is from  
the power of the ,supernatural ,light   
opening its endless wonders in them4    
,hell has no misery1 horror or          
distraction1 but because it has no      
communication with the supernatural     
,light4 ,and did not the supernatural   

,light stream forth its blessings into  
this world1 through the materiality of  
the ,sun1 all outward ,nature would be  
full of the horror of ,hell4 ,and       
elsewhere1 ,there is no meekness1       
benevolence or goodness in ,angel1 ,man1
 or any other ,creature1 but where      
,light is the ,lord of its life4 ,life  
itself begins no sooner1 rises no       
higher1 has no other glory1 than as the 
,light begins it1 and leads it on4      
,sounds have no softness1 flowers and   
germs no sweetness1 plants and fruits   
have no growth1 but as the ,mystery of  
,light opens itself in them4,f ,and so  
,behmen himself says3 ,there is nothing 
that is created or born in ,nature but  
it also manifests its internal form     
externally2 for the internal continually
 labours or works itself forth to       
manifestation4 ,we know in the power and
 form of this ,world1 how the only      
,essence has manifested itself with the 
external birth in the desire of the     
similitude2 how it has manifested itself

 in so many forms and shapes1 which we  
see and know in the stars and elements1 
likewise in the living creatures1 and   
also in the trees and herbs4 ,thus there
 is a real communion between all beauty1
 sweetness1 and glory1 within and       
without the ,soul of man4  ,it is this  
truth1 not of the analogy between the   
essential life of ,man and ,nature1 but 
of the unity in all things1 that is now 
opening itself out in many ways4        
,wordsworth1 a true seer1 has given to  
it its highest expression in ,english   
,poetry4 ,modern science all tends to   
confirmation of this unity4  ,god1 then1
 must become ,man1 there must be a birth
 of the ,life of ,god in the ,soul1 in  
order that the ,soul may live its       
highest life4 ,only in this way can the 
wild properties of ,nature be           
subordinated and turned to their proper 
use1 their restless hunger pacified4    
,goodness and happiness can be expected 
from nothing else but from the ,divine  
,life united to and dwelling in the     

,nature ,life4 ,it is the ingrafted     
,word of ,st ,james' ,epistle4  ,the    
plant cannot but grow towards the sun4  
,if it is too deep in earth1 or         
prevented by a strong soil1 or withered 
by dryness1 so that it cannot attain to 
its end1 the fault is not with it4 ,but1
 in the spiritual inner world 7in which 
the plant dwells not7 the ,soul of man  
has this freedom--that it can           
consciously turn towards ,god1 whose    
,spirit and ,life will then come forth  
to meet it1 or can turn towards the     
,things of this ,world4 ,upon this      
freedom of choice is founded ,behmen's  
moral teaching4 ,the ,soul is like a    
woman 7and all nations have testified in
 their languages and parables to their  
sense of this7 who can freely choose to 
submit and surrender her body to this   
,lover1 or to that4 ,when she has chosen
 her free power ends4 ,as she has       
chosen1 so her life-faculty will be     
fertilised by good or evil2 so will be  
the new life that arises within her1 and

 so will be her future joy or sorrow4   
,in a deep sense1 the desire of the     
spark of ,life in the ,soul to return to
 its ,original ,source is part of the   
longing desire of the universal ,life   
for its own heart or centre4 ,of this   
longing the universal attraction1       
striving against resistance1 towards an 
universal centre1 proved to govern the  
phenomenal or physical world1 is but the
 outer sheath and visible working4 ,it  
has been said that ,sir ,isaac ,newton  
7who was a diligent reader of ,behmen's 
,works7 ploughed with ,jacob ,behmen's  
heifer4 ,there is in truth but one      
,religion1 that founded upon the        
eternal1 immutable1 universal processes 
of the actual ,nature of things1 and of 
this ,christianity1 rightly apprehended1
 is the supreme ,revelation4 ,this will 
be seen better by all as the ,religion  
unfolds itself4 ,rightly speaking there 
is no such thing as supernatural        
religion2 there is but one ,religion1   
that of ,nature4 ,it is the work of     

visible religion to teach by signs and  
parables1 embodying the mystery in      
symbols1 and clothing it with adoration4
  ,jacob ,behmen's mode of expression is
 all his own1 and there is much in the  
fabric of his thought which men of our  
time1 if they take a superficial view1  
would not find it easy to accept4 ,the  
doctrine of ,evolution now profoundly   
influences every corner of the field of 
thought4 ,we now incline to think rather
 of the rise of ,man out of ,nature than
 of his fall into it1 though1 perhaps1  
there can no more be a rise without a   
precedent fall1 than there can be a     
return without a precedent out-going4   
,evolution may be the time-form of      
,attraction4 ,but all this affects the  
outside form1 not the essence of the    
doctrine4 ,behmen is concerned with the 
real nature of things1 apart from time  
and space1 with their apparent1 but so  
misleading1 facts4 ,he appeals to each  
,soul's knowledge of itself1 and1 on the
 principle that all is in everything1   

draws from the nature of ,man1 that     
little ,universe 7and we can no         
otherwise learn things as they are in   
themselves71 his teaching as to         
,universal ,nature4 ,in ,man 7he says7  
lies all whatsoever the ,sun shines     
upon1 or ,heaven contains1 as also ,hell
 and all the ,deeps4 ,his ,iliad is the 
struggle between light and darkness1    
life and death1 expansion and           
contraction1 the centripetal and        
centrifugal force1 heat and cold1 love  
and hatred1 peace and wrath1 humility   
and pride1 self-sacrifice and           
self-seeking1 joy and anguish1 repose   
and restlessness1 in the whole of       
,nature and in the ,soul of ,man4 ,does 
not every man1 who has lived his full   
life1 know the truth and reality of all 
this8 ,it is known more especially and  
actually by those ardent and adventurous
 spirits who have sailed in far seas of 
thought or action1 not merely coasting  
along the shores of tradition1 authority
 and established rule4 ,sinners know    

some things more vividly than those who 
ever and easily have been good4 ,only   
the man who has been sick knows the     
difference between sickness and health4 
,the prodigal who had wandered in a far 
country and had lived as he would1      
understood the meaning of peace and love
 better than the brother who had always 
stayed at home4  ,these wanderers1 if   
they return in time1 know best1 taught  
by the heart-rending lessons of         
experience1 the difference between the  
,heaven and ,hell within them2 the ,hell
 of wrath1 self-torment1 fear1 anxiety1 
envy1 malice1 evil-will1 pride1 cruelty1
 sensual passion1 longing to domineer1  
and the ,heaven of love1 benevolence1   
meekness1 humility1 compassion1 peace1  
joy1 long-suffering4  ,they know that   
,heaven and ,hell can alike be revealed 
in the ,soul4 ,from youth they have felt
 something in them striving1 often      
feebly enough1 against passionate       
desires for wealth1 honour1 success1 and
 for mastery over the minds1 affections1

 and bodies of others4 ,behind all this 
turmoil and ever unsatisfied anguish of 
seeking that which satisfies not1 they  
have been aware of a diviner life slowly
 growing towards heaven1 ever and again 
thwarted and driven back by the renewed 
assaults of the ,spirit of the ,world1  
yet never quite destroyed4 ,at the      
moments of fiercest fight against rebel 
passions they have felt the divine      
assisting strength flow into them1 if   
only they powerfully invoked it1 turning
 towards its source as a babe towards   
its mother's breast4 ,they have heard   
the ,peace be still amid the wildest    
spiritual storms4 ,they know that if    
they have been saved1 it is not by their
 own strength nor by reasoning1 but by  
this power from without4  ,they know the
 impotence1 in action1 of the merely    
reflective or spectator faculty4 ,in    
this sense of the word reason1 they     
would agree with him who wrote ,your    
,heart is the best and greatest gift of 
,god to you2 it is the highest1         

greatest1 strongest1 and noblest ,power 
of your ,nature2 it forms your whole    
,life1 be it what it will2 all ,evil and
 all ,good comes from it2 your ,heart   
alone has the key of ,life and ,death2  
it does all that it will2 ,reason is but
 its plaything2 and whether in ,time or 
,eternity1 can only be a mere ,beholder 
of the wonders of happiness1 or forms of
 misery1 which the right or wrong       
working of the ,heart is entered into4,g
  ,william ,law remarks that ,jesus     
,christ1 though he had all wisdom1 yet  
gives but a small number of doctrines to
 mankind whilst every moral teacher     
writes volumes upon every single virtue4
 ,it is1 he adds1 because our ,lord knew
 what they know not1 that our whole     
malady lies in this1 that the ,will of  
our ,mind is turned into this ,world1   
and that nothing can relieve us1 or set 
us right1 but the turning of the ,will  
of our ,mind and the ,desire of our     
,hearts to ,god4 ,and hence it is that  
he calls us to nothing but a total      

denial of ourselves and the ,life of    
this ,world and to faith in him as the  
,worker of a new birth and life in us4  
,on this one root of the whole matter   
,jacob ,behmen insisted1 expressing one 
truth in a thousand ways and through    
images1 which to him are not images but 
the same process working in other       
spheres4 ,his whole practical1 moral    
teaching enforces the right direction of
 ,desire4 ,mali mores sunt mali amores1 
said one who also truly saw2 the        
profound ,augustine4 ,the hunger of the 
,soul must be turned to the source of   
eternal joy4 ,all that is good and      
beautiful in nature or in the heart of  
man flows from that fountain4 ,desire is
 everything in ,nature2 does everything4
 ,heaven is ,nature filled with divine  
,life attracted by ,desire4             
,,footnotes3  ,a ,from the ,danish      
,bishop ,martensen's book ,jacob        
,boehme2 an excellent study well        
translated from ,danish into ,english by
 ,mr ,t4 ,rhys ,evans1 7,hodder and     

,stoughton1 ,london1 #ahhe74 ,an account
 of ,behmen's life is given in the      
preface to the first volume of the last 
century ,english edition of the ,works4 
,b ,it should be noted that ,jacob      
,behmen held strongly to the ,sacrament 
of the ,lord's ,supper1 the actual bread
 and wine as a permissive medium of the 
real feeding1 in order that there may be
 a visible sign of what is done in the  
inward ground4 ,but he says ,we should  
not depend on this means or medium      
alone1 and think that ,christ's ,flesh  
and ,blood is only and alone            
participated in this use of bread and   
wine1 as ,reason in this present time   
miserably erreth therein4 ,no1 that is  
not so4 ,faith1 when it hungereth after 
,god's love and grace1 always eateth and
 drinketh of ,christ's ,flesh and       
,blood4 ,christ hath not bound himself  
to bread and wine alone1 but hath bound 
himself to the faith1 that he will be in
 men4 ,works1 vol4 iv4 p4 #bjh4 ,charles
 ,gordon took the same view of the      

visible eating1 as being a great        
assistance to the spiritual feeding1 but
 not indispensable to it4 7,gordon's    
,letters to his ,sister47  ,c ,dante's  
ricchezza senza brama4  ,d ,law's       
,works1 vol4 viii41 p4 #agg4  ,e ,works1
 vol4 vii41 p4 #fe1 ed4 #agfe4  ,f      
,law's ,works1 vol4 viii41 p4 #ahi4  ,g 
,law's ,works1 vol4 vii41 p4 #afb4      
,,preliminary ,,note   ,before entering 
upon the ,dialogues ,i have thought it  
well to insert some sentences taken from
 a treatise of ,behmen's called         
,regeneration1 together with some taken 
from another treatise of his on         
,christ's ,testament because they show  
well the spirit in which he thought and 
wrote4 ,the freedom of thought and      
expression which he claims is1 happily1 
far more readily accorded now than it   
was in his own day4  ,i have only one   
thing to add4 ,in the eighteenth century
 ,english translation of ,behmen's      
,works1 all the substantives1 as was    
then the frequent custom1 are printed   

with capital letters4 ,there is a       
philosophic basis for this practice1    
because a substantive is an attempt to  
denote a thing in itself and is         
therefore of greater weight than an     
adjective1 which only expresses         
qualities which we attribute to it4 ,to 
,behmen's ,works this mode of printing  
seems especially appropriate4 ,in our   
now too literary language1 many words   
have become so trite and carelessly used
 that they have almost ceased to have   
reference to real existing things4 ,but 
,behmen never uses words in this merely 
literary way1 being indeed in nowise a  
man of letters4 ,it might have been said
 of him1 as indeed his enemies did at   
the time say1 that which was said by the
 ,jews of our ,lord1 ,how knoweth this  
man letters having never learned8 ,when 
he speaks of the glory of ,god1 he means
 something as real as if he spoke of the
 leaves on that tree1 and so with all   
his words4 ,i was therefore somewhat    
inclined1 in order to mark this1 to     

adhere altogether to the old custom in  
this case1 and though ,i have not done  
so1 fearing it might annoy the eye of   
the unaccustomed reader1 ,i have        
preserved the capital letters in many   
cases1 where it is especially desirable 
to dwell on the expression of real      
existences by the words4 ,it is of      
course an illogical compromise between  
two customs4  ,the title ,supersensual  
,life is not altogether a good one1 but 
it is that which is used in former      
editions of ,behmen4 ,the idea is rather
 of ,life behind1 than above1 the life  
of sense4     ,sentences ,selected from 
,jacob ,behmen's ,treatises             
,regeneration and ,christ's ,testaments 
#a  ,a true ,christian1 who is born anew
 of the ,spirit of ,christ1 is in the   
simplicity of ,christ1 and hath no      
strife or contention with any man about 
religion4   #b  ,the ,christendom that  
is in ,babel striveth about the manner  
how men ought to serve ,god and glorify 
him2 also1 how they are to know him1 and

 what he is in his ,essence and ,will4  
,and they preach positively that        
whosoever is not one and the same with  
them in every particular of knowledge   
and opinion1 is no ,christian1 but a    
heretic4   #c  ,but a ,christian is of  
no sect4 ,he can dwell in the midst of  
sects1 and appear in their services1    
without being attached or bound to any4 
,he hath but one knowledge1 and that is1
 ,christ in him4 ,he seeketh but one    
way1 which is the desire always to do   
and teach that which is right2 and he   
putteth all his knowing and willing into
 the ,life of ,christ4 ,he sigheth and  
wisheth continually that the ,will of   
,god might be done in him1 and that his 
,kingdom might be manifested in him4    
,his faith is a desire after ,god and   
,goodness1 which he wrappeth up in a    
sure hope1 trusting to the words of the 
promise1 and liveth and dieth therein2  
though as to the true man1 he never     
dieth4   #d  ,for ,christ saith3        
,whosoever believeth in me shall never  

die1 but hath pierced through from death
 to life2 and1 ,rivers of living water  
shall flow from him1 viz4 good doctrine 
and works4   #e  ,therefore ,i say that 
whosoever fighteth and contendeth about 
the ,letter1 is all ,babel4 ,the        
,letters of the ,word proceed from1 and 
stand all in1 one ,root1 which is the   
,spirit of ,god2 as the various flowers 
stand all in the earth1 and grow about  
one another4 ,they fight not with each  
other about their difference of colour1 
smell1 and taste1 but suffer the earth1 
the sun1 the rain1 the wind1 the heat1  
and cold1 to do with them as they       
please2 and yet every one of them       
groweth in its own peculiar essence and 
property4   #f  ,even so it is with the 
,children of ,god2 they have various    
gifts and degrees of knowledge1 yet all 
form one ,spirit4 ,they all rejoice at  
the great ,wonders of ,god1 and give    
thanks to the ,most ,high in his        
,wisdom4 ,why then should they contend  
about him in ,whom they live and have   

their being1 and of whose substance they
 themselves are8   #g  ,it is the       
greatest folly that is in ,babel for    
people to strive about religion1 so that
 they contend vehemently about opinions 
of their own forging1 viz4 about the    
,letter4 ,when the ,kingdom of ,god     
consisteth of no ,opinion1 but in ,power
 and ,love4   #h  ,as ,christ said to   
his disciples1 and left it with them at 
the last1 saying3 ,love one another as  
,i have loved you3 for thereby men shall
 know that ye are ,my disciples4 ,if men
 would as fervently seek after love and 
righteousness as they do after opinions1
 there would be no strife on earth1 and 
we should be as children of one father1 
and should need no law or ordinance4    
,for ,god is not served by any law1 but 
only by obedience4 ,laws are for the    
wicked1 who will not enhance love and   
righteousness2 they are1 and must be1   
compelled by laws4   #i  ,we all have   
but one ,order1 ,law1 or ,ordinance1    
which is to stand still to the ,lord of 

all ,beings1 and resign our wills up to 
him1 and suffer his ,spirit to play what
 music he will4 ,and thus we give to him
 again as his own fruits that which he  
worketh and manifesteth in us4   #aj    
,now if we did not contend about our    
different fruits1 gifts1 kinds1 and     
degrees of knowledge1 but did           
acknowledge them in one another1 like   
,children of the ,spirit of ,god1 what  
could condemn us8 ,for the ,kingdom of  
,god consisteth not in our knowing and  
supposing1 but in ,power4   #aa  ,if we 
did not know half so much1 and were more
 like children1 and had but a brotherly 
mind and goodwill towards one another1  
and lived like children of one mother1  
and as branches of one tree1 taking our 
,sap all from one ,root1 we should be   
far more holy than we are4   #ab        
,knowledge serves only to this end1     
viz41 to know that we have lost the     
,divine ,power in ,adam1 and are now    
become inclined to sin2 that we have    
evil properties in us1 and that doing   

evil pleaseth not ,god2 so that with our
 knowledge we learn to do right4 ,now if
 we have the ,power of ,god in us1 and  
desire with all our hearts to act and to
 live aright1 then our knowledge is but 
our sport1 or matter of pleasure1       
wherein we rejoice4   #ac  ,for true    
knowledge is the manifestation of the   
,spirit of ,god through the ,eternal    
,wisdom4 ,he knoweth what he will in his
 children2 he sheweth his wisdom and    
wonders by his children1 as the earth   
putteth forth her various flowers4   #ad
  ,now if we dwell with one another1    
like humble children1 in the ,spirit of 
,christ1 are rejoicing at the gift or   
knowledge of another1 who would judge or
 condemn us8 ,who judgeth or condemneth 
the birds in the woods that praise the  
,lord of all ,beings with various       
voices1 every one in its own essence8   
,doth the ,spirit of ,god reprove them  
for not bringing their voices into one  
harmony8 ,doth not the melody of them   
all proceed from his ,power1 and do they

 not sport before him8   #ae  ,those men
 therefore that strive and wrangle about
 the knowledge and will of ,god1 and    
despise one another on that account1 are
 more foolish than the birds in the     
woods1 and the wild beasts that have no 
true understanding4 ,they are more      
unprofitable in the sight of the holy   
,god than the flowers of the field1     
which stand still in quiet submission to
 the ,spirit of ,god1 and suffer him to 
manifest the ,divine ,wisdom and ,power 
through them4   #af  ,all ,christian    
,religion consisteth wholly on this1 to 
learn to know ourselves2 whence we came1
 and what we are2 how we are gone forth 
from the ,unity into dissension1        
wickedness1 and unrighteousness2 how we 
have awakened and stirred up these evils
 in us2 and how we may be delivered from
 them again1 and recover our original   
blessedness4   #ag  ,first2 ,how we were
 in the ,unity1 when we were the        
,children of ,god in ,adam before he    
fell4 ,secondly2 ,how we are now in     

dissension and disunion1 in strife and  
contrariety4 ,thirdly2 ,whither we go   
when we pass out of this corruptible    
condition2 whither with the unnatural1  
and whither with the natural part4 ,and 
lastly2 ,how we came forth from disunion
 and vanity1 and enter into that one    
,tree1 ,christ in us1 out of which we   
all sprung in ,adam4 ,in these four     
points all the necessary knowledge of a 
,christian consisteth4   #ah  ,so that  
we need not strive about any thing2 we  
have no cause of contention with each   
other4 ,let every one only exercise     
himself in learning how he may enter    
again into the ,love of ,god and his    
,brother4   #ai  ,the written ,word is  
but an instrument whereby the ,spirit   
leadeth us to itself within us4 ,that   
,word which will teach must be living in
 the literal ,word4 ,the ,spirit of ,god
 must be in the literal sound1 or else  
none is a ,teacher of ,god1 but a mere  
,teacher of the ,letter1 a knower of the
 history1 and not of the ,spirit of ,god

 in ,christ4   #bj  ,all that men will  
serve ,god with must be done in ,faith1 
viz4 in the ,spirit4 ,it is the ,spirit 
that maketh the work perfect1 and       
acceptable in the sight of ,god4 ,all   
that a man undertaketh and doeth in     
,faith1 he doth in the ,spirit of ,god1 
which ,spirit of ,god doth co-operate in
 the work1 and then it is acceptable to 
,god4 ,for he hath done it himself1 and 
his ,power and ,virtue is in it4 ,it is 
holy4   #ba  ,strife and                
misunderstanding concerning ,christ's   
,person1 ,office1 and ,being1 or        
,substance1 as also concerning his      
,testaments which he left behind him1   
wherein he worketh at present1 ariseth  
from the deflected creaturely ,reason1  
which runneth on only in an ,image-like 
opinion1 and reacheth not the ground of 
this mystery1 and yet will be a mistress
 of all things or beings1 and will judge
 all things4 ,it doth but lose itself in
 such ,image-likeness1 and breaketh     
itself off from its ,centre1 and        

disperseth the thoughts1 and runneth on 
in the multiplicity1 whereby its ground 
is confused and the mind is disquieted1 
and knoweth not itself4   #bb  ,no ,life
 can stand in certainty1 except it      
continue in its ,centre1 out of which it
 is sprung4   #bc  ,when the ,soul that 
is sprung from ,god's ,word and ,will is
 entered into its own desire to will of 
itself1 it will run in mere uncertainty 
till it return to its ,original again4  
#bd  ,seeing that human life is an      
outflowing of the ,divine ,power1       
,understanding and ,skill1 the same     
ought to continue in its ,original1 or  
else it loseth the ,divine ,knowledge1  
,power and ,skill1 and with             
self-speculation bringeth itself into   
centres of its own1 and strange imaging1
 wherewith its ,original becometh       
darkened and strange4  ,therefore say   
,i1 that this is the only cause that men
 dispute about ,god1 his ,word1 ,essence
 or ,being1 and ,will1 that the         
understanding of man hath broken itself 

off from its ,original1 and now runneth 
on in mere self-will1 thoughts and      
images in its own lust to selfishness1  
wherein there is no true knowledge1 nor 
can be1 till the ,life returneth to its 
,original1 viz4 into the ,divine        
,outflowing and ,will4   #be  ,if this  
be done1 then ,god's ,will speaketh     
forth the ,divine ,power and ,wonders   
again through the human willing4 ,in    
which ,divine ,speaking1 the ,life may  
know and comprehend ,god's ,will1 and   
frame itself therein4 ,then there is    
true ,divine ,knowledge and             
,understanding in man's skill1 when his 
skill is continually renewed with       
,divine ,power4   #bf  ,as ,christ hath 
taught us when he said1 ,unless ye be   
converted and become as a ,child1 ye    
shall not come into the ,kingdom of     
,god4 ,that is1 that the ,life turn     
itself again unto ,god out of whom it is
 proceeded1 and forsake all its own     
imaging and lust1 and so come to the    
,divine ,vision again4   #bg  ,all      

disputation concerning ,god's ,being or 
,essence or ,will is performed in the   
images of the senses or thoughts without
 ,god4 ,for if any liveth in ,god1 and  
willeth with ,god1 what needeth he      
dispute about ,god1 who1 or what ,god   
is8 ,that he disputeth about it is a    
sign that he hath never felt it at all  
in his mind or senses1 and it is not    
given to him that ,god is in him1 and   
willeth in him what he will4 ,it is a   
certain sign that he exalts his own     
meaning and image above others1 and     
desireth dominion4   #bh  ,men should   
friendly confer together1 and offer one 
another their gifts and knowledge in    
love1 and try things one with another1  
and hold that which is best1 and not so 
stand in their own opinion as if they   
could not err4 ,it lyeth in no man's    
person that men should suppose that the 
,divine ,understanding must come only   
from such and such4 ,for the ,scripture 
says1 ,try all things and hold that     
which is good1 #a ,thess4 v4 #ba4   #bi 

,the touchstone to true knowledge is    
first1 the ,corner-stone1 ,christ2 that 
men should see whether a thing enter out
 of love into love1 or whether alone    
purely the love of ,god be sought and   
desired2 whether it be done out of      
humility or pride2 ,secondly1 whether it
 be according to the ,holy ,scripture2  
,thirdly1 is it according to the human  
heart and soul1 wherein the ,book of the
 ,life of ,god is incorporated1 and may 
very well be read by the ,children of   
,god8 ,here the true mind hath its      
touchstone in itself1 and can           
distinguish all things4 ,if it be so    
that the ,holy ,ghost dwell in the      
ground of the mind1 that man hath       
touchstone enough2 that will lead him   
into all truth4   #cj  ,all strife      
concerning ,christ's testaments cometh  
hence that men do not understand that   
,heaven wherein ,christ sitteth at the  
right hand of ,god4 ,they understand not
 that he is in this ,world1 and that the
 ,world standeth in ,heaven1 and ,heaven

 in the ,world1 and are in one another1 
as ,day and ,night4       #a ,,cor4 ii4 
#g1 #h1 #i1 #aj1 #aa1 #ab1 #ac1 #ad1    
#ae4       ,we speak the hidden mystical
 wisdom of ,god2 which ,god             
ordained before the world into our      
glory2 which none of the      ,princes  
of this ,world knew4 ,for had they known
 it1 they      would not have crucified 
the ,lord of ,glory4 ,but1 as it is     
written1 ,eye hath not seen nor ear     
heard1 neither hath it      entered into
 the heart of man to conceive the things
 which      ,god hath prepared for them 
that love him4 ,but ,god hath           
revealed them unto us by his ,spirit4   
,for the ,spirit      searcheth all     
things1 yea the deep things of ,god4    
,now we      have received1 not the     
,spirit of the ,world1 but the ,spirit  
which is of ,god2 that we might know the
 things that are      freely given us of
 ,god4 ,which things also we speak1 not 
in      the words which men's wisdom    
teacheth1 but which the ,holy           

,ghost teacheth2 comparing spiritual    
things with spiritual4      ,but the    
,natural ,man receiveth not the things  
of the ,spirit      of ,god2 for they   
are foolishness unto him2 neither can he
      know them1 because they are       
spiritually discerned4 ,but he      that
 is spiritual judgeth1 or discerneth all
 things4     ,,of ,,the ,,supersensual  
,,life  ,,in ,,dialogues  ,,between ,a  
,,scholar ,,or ,,disciple ,,and ,,his   
,,master     ,,dialogue ,i   ,the       
,disciple said to his ,master3 ,sir1 how
 may ,i come to the ,supersensual ,life1
 so that ,i may see ,god1 and may hear  
,god speak8  ,the ,master answered and  
said3 ,son1 when thou canst throw       
thyself into ,,that1 where no ,creature 
dwelleth1 though it be but for a moment1
 then thou hearest what ,god speaketh8  
,,disciple  ,is that where no ,creature 
dwelleth near at hand1 or is it afar    
off8  ,,master  ,it is in thee4 ,and if 
thou canst1 my ,son1 for a while but    
cease from all thy thinking and willing1

 then thou shalt hear the unspeakable   
words of ,god4  ,,disciple  ,how can ,i 
hear him speak1 when ,i stand still from
 thinking and willing8  ,,master  ,when 
thou standest still from the thinking of
 ,self1 and the willing of ,self4 ,when 
both thy intellect and will are quiet1  
and passive to the expressions of the   
,eternal ,word and ,spirit2 and when thy
 soul is winged up and above that which 
is temporal1 the outward senses and the 
imagination being locked up by holy     
abstraction1 then the ,eternal ,hearing1
 ,seeing and ,speaking will be revealed 
in thee1 and so ,god heareth and seeth  
through thee1 being now the organ of his
 ,spirit1 and so ,god speaketh in thee1 
and whispereth to thy ,spirit1 and thy  
,spirit heareth his voice4 ,blessed art 
thou therefore if thou canst stand still
 from self-thinking and self-willing1   
and canst stop the wheel of thy         
imagination and senses2 forasmuch as    
hereby thou mayest arrive at length to  
see the great ,salvation of ,god1 being 

made capable of all manner of divine    
sensations and heavenly communications4 
,since it is nought indeed but thine own
 hearing and willing that do hinder     
thee1 so that thou dost not see and hear
 ,god4  ,,disciple  ,but wherewith shall
 ,i hear and see ,god1 forasmuch as he  
is above ,nature and ,creature8         
,,master  ,son1 when thou art quiet and 
silent1 then art thou as ,god was before
 ,nature and ,creature2 thou art that   
which ,god then was2 thou art that      
whereof he made thy nature and creature4
 ,then thou hearest and seest even that 
wherewith ,god himself saw and heard in 
thee1 before ever thine own willing or  
thine own seeing began4  ,,disciple     
,what now hinders or keeps me back1 so  
that ,i cannot come to that1 wherewith  
,god is to be seen and heard8  ,,master 
,nothing truly but thine own willing1   
hearing1 and seeing do keep thee back   
from it1 and do hinder thee from coming 
to this supersensual state4 ,and it is  
because thou strivest so against that1  

out of which thou thyself art descended 
and derived1 that thou thus breakest    
thyself off1 with thine own willing1    
from ,god's willing1 and with thine own 
seeing from ,god's seeing4 ,in as much  
as in thine own seeing thou dost see in 
thine own willing only1 and with thine  
own understanding thou dost understand  
but in and according to thine own       
willing1 as the same stands divided from
 the ,divine ,will4 ,this thy willing1  
moreover1 stops thy hearing1 and maketh 
thee deaf towards ,god1 through thy own 
thinking upon terrestrial things1 and   
thy attending to that which is without  
thee1 and so it brings thee to a ground 
where thou art laid hold on and         
captivated in ,nature4 ,and having      
brought thee hither1 it overshadows thee
 with that which thou willest1 it binds 
thee with thine own chains1 and it keeps
 thee in thine own dark prison which    
thou makest for thyself1 so that thou   
canst not go out thence1 or come to that
 state which is ,supernatural and       

,supersensual4  ,,disciple  ,but being  
,i am in ,nature1 and thus bound as with
 my own chains1 and by my own natural   
will1 pray be so kind1 ,sir1 as to tell 
me1 how ,i may come through ,nature into
 the ,supersensual and ,supernatural    
,ground1 without the destroying of      
,nature8  ,,master  ,three things are   
requisite in order to this4 ,the first  
is1 ,thou must resign up thy ,will to   
,god1 and must sink thyself down to the 
dust in his mercy4 ,the second is1 ,thou
 must hate thy own ,will1 and forbear   
from doing that to which thy own ,will  
doth drive thee4 ,the third is1 ,thou   
must bow thy soul under the ,cross1     
heartily submitting thyself to it1 that 
thou mayst be able to bear the          
temptations of ,nature and ,creature4   
,and if thou dost this1 know that ,god  
will speak unto thee1 and will bring thy
 resigned ,will into ,himself1 in the   
supernatural ground1 and then thou shalt
 hear1 my son1 what the ,lord speaketh  
in thee4  ,,disciple  ,this is a hard   

saying1 ,master1 for ,i must forsake the
 ,world and my life too1 if ,i should do
 thus4  ,,master  ,be not discouraged   
hereat4 ,if thou forsakest the ,world1  
then thou comest unto that out of which 
the ,world is made1 and if thou losest  
thy life1 then thy life is in that for  
whose sake thou forsakest it4 ,thy life 
is in ,god1 from whence it came into the
 body1 and as thou comest to have thine 
own power faint and weak and dying1 the 
power of ,god will then work in thee and
 through thee4  ,,disciple              
,nevertheless1 as ,god hath created man 
in and for the natural life1 to rule    
over all creatures on earth1 and to be a
 lord over all things in this world1 it 
seems not to be at all unreasonable that
 ,god should therefore possess this     
world and the things therein for his    
own4  ,,master  ,if thou rulest over all
 creatures but outwardly there cannot be
 much in that4 ,but if thou hast a mind 
to possess all things1 and to be a lord 
indeed over all things in this world1   

there is quite another method to be     
taken by thee4  ,,disciple  ,pray1 how  
is that8 ,and what method must ,i take1 
whereby to arrive at this sovereignty8  
,,master  ,thou must learn to           
distinguish between the ,thing1 and that
 which is only an image thereof2 between
 that sovereignty which is substantial  
and in the inward ground of ,nature1 and
 that which is imaginary and in outward 
form of semblance2 between that which is
 properly angelical and that which is no
 more than bestial4 ,if thou rulest over
 the creatures externally only and not  
from the right internal ground of thy   
inward nature1 then thy will and ruling 
is in a bestial kind or matter1 and     
thine at best is but a sort of imaginary
 and transitory government1 being void  
of that which is substantial and        
permanent1 that which only thou art to  
desire and press after4 ,thus by thy    
outward lording it over the creatures it
 is most easy for thee to lose the      
substance and the reality1 whilst thou  

hast naught remaining but the image and 
shadow only of thy first and original   
lordship wherein thou art made capable  
to be again invested1 if thou art but   
wise1 and takest thy investiture from   
the ,supreme ,lord in the right course  
and matter4 ,whereas by thy willing and 
ruling them in a bestial manner1 thou   
bringest also thy desire into a bestial 
essence1 by which means thou becomest   
infected and captivated therein1 and    
gettest therewith a bestial nature and  
condition of life4 ,but if thou shalt   
have put off the bestial nature1 and    
left the imaginary life1 and quitted the
 low-imaged condition of it1 then art   
thou come into the super-imaginariness  
and into the intellectual life1 which is
 a state of living above images1 figures
 and shadows4 ,and so thou rulest over  
all creatures1 being re-united with thy 
,original1 in that very ground or       
source1 out of which they were and are  
created1 and thenceforth nothing on     
earth can hurt thee4 ,for thou art like 

,all ,things1 and nothing is unlike     
thee4  ,,disciple  ,o loving ,master1   
pray teach me how ,i may come the       
shortest way to be like unto ,all       
,things4  ,,master  ,with all my heart4 
,do but think on the words of our ,lord 
,jesus ,christ when he said3 ,except ye 
be converted and become as little       
children ye shall not enter into the    
kingdom of heaven4 ,there is no shorter 
way than this1 nor can a better way be  
found4 ,verily1 ,jesus saith unto thee1 
,unless thou turn and become as a child1
 hanging upon him for all things1 thou  
shalt not see the ,kingdom of ,god4     
,this do and nothing shall hurt thee2   
for thou shalt be at friendship with all
 the things that are1 as thou dependest 
upon the author and fountain of them1   
and becomest like him1 by such          
dependence1 and by the ,union of thy    
,will with his ,will4 ,but mark what ,i 
have further to say1 and be not thou    
startled at it1 though it may seem hard 
for thee at first to conceive4 ,if thou 

wilt be like ,all ,things thou must     
forsake all things2 thou must not extend
 thy will to possess that for thine own1
 or as thine own1 which is ,something1  
whatever that ,something be4 ,for as    
soon as ever thou takest ,something into
 thy desire1 and receivest it into thee 
for thine own1 or in propriety1 then    
this very ,something 7of what nature    
soever it is7 is the same with thyself2 
and this worketh with thee in thy will1 
and thou art thence bound to protect it1
 and take care of it1 even as of thy own
 being4 ,but if thou dost receive no    
thing into thy desire then thou art free
 from all things1 and rulest over all   
things at once1 as a ,prince of ,god4   
,for thou hast received nothing for     
thine own1 and art nothing to all       
things1 and all things are as nothing   
unto thee4 ,thou art as a child1 which  
understands not what a thing is2 and    
though thou dost perhaps understand it1 
yet thou understandest it without mixing
 with it1 and without it sensibly       

affecting or touching thy perception1   
even in that matter wherein ,god doth   
rule and see all things1 he             
comprehending ,all1 and yet nothing     
comprehending him4  ,,disciple  ,ah6 how
 shall ,i arrive at this heavenly       
understanding1 at this pure and naked   
knowledge1 which is abstracted from the 
senses1 at this light above ,nature and 
,creature1 and at this participation of 
the ,divine ,wisdom which oversees all  
things1 and governs through all         
intellectual beings8 ,for1 alas1 ,i am  
touched every moment by the things which
 are about me1 and overshadowed by the  
clouds and perfumes which rise up out of
 the earth4 ,i desire1 therefore1 to be 
taught1 if possible1 how ,i may attain  
such a state and condition as that no   
creature may be able to touch me to hurt
 me2 and how my mind1 being purged from 
sensible objects and things1 may be     
prepared for the entrance and habitation
 of the ,divine ,wisdom in me4  ,,master
  ,thou desirest that ,i would teach    

thee how thou art to attain it2 and ,i  
will direct thee to our ,master1 from   
whom ,i have been taught it1 that thou  
mayest learn it thyself from him1 who   
alone teacheth the heart4 ,hear thou    
him4 ,wouldst thou arrive at this2      
wouldst thou remain untouched by        
sensibles2 wouldst thou behold light in 
the very ,light of ,god1 and see all    
things thereby2 then consider the words 
of ,christ1 who is the ,light and who is
 the ,truth4 ,o consider now his words1 
who said1 ,without me ye can do nothing 
7,john xix4 #e7 and defer not to apply  
thyself unto him1 who is the strength of
 thy salvation1 and the power of thy    
life2 and with whom thou canst do all   
things1 by the faith which he waketh in 
thee4 ,but unless thou wholly givest    
thyself up to the life of our ,lord     
,jesus ,christ1 and resignest thy ,will 
wholly to him1 and desirest nothing and 
willest nothing without him1 thou shalt 
never come to such a rest as no creature
 can disturb4 ,think what thou pleasest1

 and be never so much delighted in the  
activity of thine own reason1 thou shalt
 find that1 in thine own power and      
without such a total surrender to ,god  
and to the life of ,god1 thou canst     
never arrive at such a rest as this1 or 
the true ,quiet of the ,soul1 wherein no
 creature can molest thee1 or even so   
much as touch thee4 ,which when thou    
shalt1 with ,grace1 have attained to1   
then with thy ,body thou art in the     
,world1 as in the properties of outward 
,nature2 and1 with thy ,reason1 under   
the ,cross of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 
but with thy ,will thou walkest in      
heaven1 and art at the end from whence  
all creatures are proceeded forth1 and  
to which they return again4 ,and then   
thou canst in this ,end1 which is the   
same with the ,beginning1 behold all    
things outwardly with reason and        
liberally with the mind2 and so mayest  
thou rule in all things and over all    
things1 with ,christ2 unto whom all     
power is given both in heaven and on    

earth4  ,,disciple  ,o1 ,master1 the    
creatures which live in me do withhold  
me1 so that ,i cannot so wholly yield   
and give up myself as ,i willingly      
would4 ,what am ,i to do in this case8  
,,master  ,let not this trouble thee4   
,doth thy ,will go forth from the       
creatures8 ,then the creatures are      
forsaken in thee4 ,they are in the      
world1 and thy body1 which is in the    
world1 is with the creatures4 ,but      
spiritually thou walkest with ,god1 and 
conversest in heaven2 being in thy mind 
redeemed from earth1 and separated from 
creatures1 to live the life of ,god4    
,and if thy ,will thus leaveth the      
creatures1 and goeth forth from them1   
even as the spirit goeth forth from the 
body at death2 then are the creatures   
dead in it1 and do live only in the body
 in the world4 ,since if thy ,will do   
not bring itself into them1 they cannot 
bring themselves into it1 neither can   
they by any means touch the soul4 ,and  
hence ,st ,paul saith1 ,our conversation

 is in heaven2 and also1 ,ye are the    
temple of ,god1 and the ,spirit of ,god 
dwelleth in you4 ,so1 then1 true        
,christians are the very temples of the 
,holy ,ghost1 who dwelleth in them2 that
 is1 the ,holy ,ghost dwelleth in the   
,will1 and the ,creature dwelleth in the
 ,body4  ,,disciple  ,if now the ,holy  
,spirit doth dwell in the ,will of the  
,mind1 how ought ,i to keep myself so   
that he depart not from me again4       
,,master  ,mark1 my son1 the words of   
our ,lord ,jesus ,christ3 ,if ye abide  
in my words1 then my words abide in you4
 ,if thou abidest with thy ,will in the 
,words of ,christ2 then his ,word and   
,spirit abideth in thee1 and all shall  
be done for thee that thou canst ask of 
him4 ,but if thy ,will goeth into the   
creature1 then thou hast broken off     
thyself thereby from him4 ,and then thou
 canst not any otherwise keep thyself   
but by abiding continually with that    
resigned humility1 and by entering into 
a constant course of penitence1 wherein 

thou wilt always be grieved at thine own
 creaturely ,will1 and that creatures do
 still live in thee1 that is1 in thy    
bodily appetite4 ,if thou dost thus1    
thou standest in a daily dying from the 
creatures1 and in a daily ascending into
 heaven in thy will1 which will is also 
the ,will of thy ,heavenly ,father4     
,,disciple  ,o my loving ,master1 pray  
teach me how ,i may come to such a      
constant course of holy penitence1 and  
to such a daily dying from all          
creaturely objects1 for how can ,i abide
 continually in repentance8  ,,master   
,when thou leavest that which loveth    
thee1 and lovest that which hateth thee2
 then thou mayest continually abide in  
repentance4  ,,disciple  ,what is it    
that ,i must thus leave8  ,,master  ,all
 things that love and entertain thee1   
because thy ,will loves and entertains  
them4 ,all things that please and feed  
thee1 because thy ,will feeds and       
cherishes them4 ,all creatures in flesh 
and blood2 in a word1 all visibles and  

sensibles1 by which either the          
imaginative or sensitive appetite in men
 are delighted and refreshed4 ,these the
 ,will of thy mind1 or thy supreme part1
 must leave and forsake1 and must even  
account them all its enemies4 ,this is  
the leaving of what loves thee4 ,and the
 loving of what hates thee is the       
embracing the reproach of the ,world4   
,thou must learn then to love the ,cross
 of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and for   
his sake to be pleased with the reproach
 of the ,world which hates thee and     
derides thee2 and let this be thy daily 
exercise of penitence to be crucified to
 the ,world1 and the ,world to thee4    
,and so thou shalt have continual cause 
to hate thyself in the ,creature1 and to
 seek the eternal rest which is in      
,christ4 ,to which rest thou having thus
 attained1 thy ,will may therein safely 
rest and repose itself1 according as thy
 ,lord ,christ hath said3 ,in me ye may 
have rest1 but in the ,world ye shall   
have anxiety3 ,in me ye may have peace1 

but in the ,world ye shall have         
tribulation4  ,,disciple  ,how now shall
 ,i be able to subsist in this anxiety  
and tribulation arising from the ,world 
so as not to lose the eternal peace1 or 
not to enter into this rest8 ,and how   
may ,i recover myself in such a         
temptation as this is1 by not sinking   
under the ,world1 but rising above it by
 a life which is truly heavenly and     
supersensual8  ,,master  ,if thou dost  
once every hour throw thyself by faith  
beyond all creatures1 beyond and above  
all sensual perception and apprehension1
 yea1 above discourse and reasoning into
 the abyssal mercy of ,god1 into the    
sufferings of our ,lord1 and into the   
fellowship of his interceding1 and      
yieldest thyself fully and absolutely   
thereinto2 then thou shalt receive power
 from above to rule over ,death and the 
,devil and to subdue ,hell and the      
,world unto thee4 ,and then thou mayest 
subsist in all temptations1 and be the  
brighter for them4  ,,disciple  ,blessed

 is the man that arriveth to such a     
state as this4 ,but1 alas1 poor man that
 ,i am1 how is this possible as to me8  
,and what1 ,o my ,master1 would become  
of me1 if ,i should ever attain with my 
mind to that where no creature is8 ,must
 ,i not cry out1 ,i am undone8  ,,master
  ,son1 why art thou so dispirited8 ,be 
of good heart still2 for thou mayest    
certainly yet attain to it4 ,do but     
believe1 and all things are made        
possible to thee4 ,if it were that thy  
,will1 ,o thou of so little courage1    
could break off itself for an hour1 or  
even but for a half hour1 from all      
creatures1 and plunge itself into that  
where no creature is1 or can be2        
presently it would be penetrated and    
clothed upon with the supreme splendour 
of the ,divine ,glory1 would taste in   
itself the most sweet ,love of ,jesus1  
the sweetness whereof no tongue can     
express1 and would find in itself the   
unspeakable words of our ,lord          
concerning his great mercy4 ,thy spirit 

would then feel in itself the ,cross of 
our ,lord ,jesus ,christ to be very     
pleasing to it2 and would thereupon love
 the ,cross more than the honours and   
goods of the ,world4  ,,disciple  ,this 
for the ,soul would be exceeding well   
indeed4 ,but what would then become of  
the ,body1 seeing that it must of       
necessity live in ,creature8  ,,master  
,the body would by this means be put    
into the imitation of our ,lord ,jesus  
,christ and of his body4 ,it would stand
 in the communion of that most blessed  
,body1 which is the true temple of the  
,deity1 and in the participation of all 
its gracious effects1 virtues1 and      
influences4 ,it would live in the       
,creature1 not of choice1 but only as it
 is made subject to vanity1 and in the  
,world1 as it is placed therein by the  
ordination of the ,creator1 for its     
cultivation and higher advancement1 and 
as groaning to be delivered out of it in
 ,god's time and manner1 for its        
perfection and resuscitation in eternal 

liberty and glory1 like unto the        
glorified body of our ,lord and his     
risen ,saints4  ,,disciple  ,but the    
body1 being in its present constitution1
 so made subject to vanity1 and living  
in a vain image and creaturely shadows  
according to the life of the            
undergraduated creatures or brutes1     
whose breath goeth downward to the      
earth2 ,i am still very much afraid     
thereof1 lest it should continue to     
depress the mind which is lifted up to  
,god1 by hanging as a dead weight       
thereto2 and go on to abuse and perplex 
the same1 as formerly1 with dreams and  
trifles1 by letting in the objects from 
without1 in order to draw me down into  
the ,world and the hurry thereof2       
whereas ,i would fain maintain by       
conversation in ,heaven even while ,i am
 living in the ,world4 ,what1 therefore1
 must ,i do with this body1 that ,i may 
be able to keep up so desirable a       
conversation1 and not to be under       
subjection to it any longer8  ,,master  

,there is no other way for thee that ,i 
know but to present the body whereof    
thou complainest 7which is the beast to 
be sacrificed7 a living sacrifice1 holy 
and acceptable unto ,god4 ,and this     
shall be thy rational service whereby   
this thy body will be put1 as thou      
desirest1 into the imitation of ,jesus  
,christ1 who said his ,kingdom was not  
of this ,world4 ,be not thou then       
conformed to it1 but be transformed by  
the renewing of thy mind2 which renewed 
mind is to have dominion over the body1 
that so thou mayest prove1 both in body 
and mind1 what is the perfect ,will of  
,god1 and accordingly perform the same  
with and by his grace operating in thee4
 ,whereupon the body1 or the animal life
 would1 being thus offered up1 begin to 
die1 both from without and from within4 
,from without1 that is1 from the vanity 
and evil customs and fashions of the    
,world2 it would be an utter change to  
all the parts thereof1 and to all the   
pageantry1 pride1 ambition1 and         

haughtiness therein4 ,from within it    
would die as to all the lusts and       
appetites of the flesh1 and would get a 
mind and will wholly new for its        
government and management2 being now    
made subject to the ,spirit1 which would
 continually be directed to ,god4 ,and  
thus thy very body is become the temple 
of ,god and of his ,spirit1 in imitation
 of thy ,lord's ,body4  ,,disciple  ,but
 the ,world would hate it and despise it
 for so doing1 seeing it must hereby    
contradict the ,world1 and must live and
 act quite otherwise than the ,world    
doth4 ,this is most certain4 ,and how   
can this be taken8  ,,master  ,it would 
not take that as any harm done to it1   
but would rather rejoice that it is     
become worthy to be like unto the image 
of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 being      
transformed from that of the ,world4    
,and it would be most willing to bear   
that cross after our ,lord1 merely that 
our ,lord might bestow upon it the      
influence of his sweet and precious     

love4  ,,disciple  ,i do not doubt but  
in some this may be even so4            
,nevertheless1 for my own part1 ,i am in
 a strait between two1 not feeling yet  
enough of that blessed influence upon   
me4 ,oh how willingly should my body    
bear that1 could this be safely depended
 upon by me6 ,wherefore pardon me1      
loving ,sir1 in this one thing1 if my   
impatience doth still further demand1   
,what would become of it1 if the anger  
of ,god from within1 and the wicked     
,world also from without1 should at once
 assault it1 as the same really happened
 to our ,lord ,christ8  ,,master  ,be   
that unto it1 even as unto our ,lord    
,christ1 when he was reproached1 reviled
 and crucified by the ,world1 and when  
the anger of ,god so fiercely assaulted 
him for our sake4 ,now what did he under
 this most terrible assault both from   
without and within8 ,why2 he commended  
his soul into the hands of his ,father1 
and so departed from the anguish of this
 ,world into the eternal joy4 ,do thou  

likewise1 and his death shall be thy    
life4  ,,disciple  ,be it unto me as    
unto the ,lord ,christ1 and unto my body
 as unto his1 which into his hands ,i   
have commended1 and for the sake of his 
name do offer up1 according to his      
revealed ,will4 ,nevertheless ,i am     
desirous to know what would become of my
 body in its pressing forth from the    
anguish of this miserable ,world into   
the power of the ,heavenly ,kingdom4    
,,master  ,it would get forth from the  
reproach and contradiction of the ,world
 by a conformity to the passion of      
,jesus ,christ2 and from the sorrows and
 pains in the flesh1 which are only the 
effects of some sensible impression of  
things without1 by a quiet introversion 
of the spirit and secret communion with 
the ,deity manifesting itself for that  
end4 ,it would penetrate into itself2 it
 would sink into the great love of ,god2
 it would be sustained and refreshed by 
the most sweet name ,jesus1 and it would
 see and find within itself a new world 

springing forth1 as through the anger of
 ,god1 into the joy and love eternal4   
,and then should a man wrap his soul in 
this1 even in the great ,love of ,god1  
and clothe himself therewith as with a  
garment2 and should account thence all  
things alike2 because in the ,creature  
he finds nothing that can give him1     
without ,god1 the least satisfaction1   
and because also nothing of harm can    
touch him more while he remains in this 
,love4 ,for this ,love is indeed        
stronger than all things1 and makes a   
man invulnerable both from within and   
without1 by taking out the sting and    
poison of the ,creature1 and destroying 
the power of death4 ,and whether the    
body be in hell or on earth1 all is     
alike to him2 for whether it be there or
 here1 his mind is still in the greatest
 ,love of ,god2 which is no less than to
 say that he is in heaven4  ,,disciple  
,but how would a man's body be          
maintained in the ,world2 or how would  
he be able to maintain those who are    

his1 if he should by such a conversation
 incur the displeasure of all the       
,world8  ,,master  ,such a man gets     
greater favours than the world is able  
to bestow upon him3 he hath ,god for his
 friend2 he hath all the ,angels for his
 friends4 ,in all dangers and           
necessities these protect and relieve   
him2 so that he need fear no manner of  
evil2 no creature can hurt him4 ,god is 
his helper1 and that is sufficient4     
,also ,god is his blessing in           
everything4 ,and though sometimes it may
 seem as if ,god would not bless him1   
yet is this but for a trial to him1 and 
for the attraction of the ,divine ,love1
 to the end he may more fervently pray  
to ,god1 and commit all his ways unto   
him4  ,,disciple  ,he loses1 however1 by
 this all his good friends1 and there   
will be none to help him in his         
necessity4  ,,master  ,nay1 but he gets 
the hearts of all his good friends into 
his possession1 and loses none but his  
enemies1 who before loved his vanity and

 wickedness4  ,,disciple  ,how is it    
that he can get his good friends into   
his possession8  ,,master  ,he gets the 
very hearts and souls of all those that 
belong to our ,lord ,jesus to be his    
brethren1 and the members of his own    
very life4 ,for all the children of ,god
 are but ,,one in ,christ1 which one is 
,christ in ,all4 ,and therefore he gets 
them all to be his fellow-members in the
 ,body of ,christ1 whence they have all 
the same heavenly goods in common and   
all live in one and the same ,love of   
,god1 as the branches of a tree in one  
and the same root1 and spring all from  
one and the same source of life in them4
 ,so that he can have no want of        
spiritual friends and relations1 who are
 all rooted with him together in the    
,love which is from above1 who are all  
of the same blood and kindred in ,christ
 ,jesus2 and who are cherished all by   
the same quickening sap and spirit      
diffusing itself through them           
universally from the one true ,vine1    

which is the tree of life and love4     
,these are friends worth having2 and    
though here they may be unknown to him1 
will abide his friends beyond doubt to  
all eternity4 ,but neither can he want  
even outward natural friends1 as our    
,lord ,christ1 when on earth1 did not   
want such also4 ,for though1 indeed1 the
 ,high-,priests and ,potentates of the  
,world could not have a love to him1    
because they belonged not to him1       
neither stood in any kind of relation to
 him1 as being not of this world1 yet   
those loved him who were capable of his 
love1 and receptive of his words4 ,so1  
in like manner1 those who love truth and
 righteousness will love that man1 and  
will associate themselves unto him1 yea1
 though they may perhaps be outwardly at
 some distance or seeming disagreement1 
from the situation of their worldly     
affairs1 or from other reasons1 yet in  
their hearts they cannot but cleave to  
him4 ,for though they be not actually   
incorporated into one body with him1 yet

 they cannot resist being of one mind   
with him1 and being united in           
affliction1 for the great regard they   
bear to the truth1 which shines forth in
 his words and in his life4 ,by this    
they are made either his declared or his
 secret friends2 and he doth so get     
their hearts that they will be delighted
 above all things in his company1 for   
the sake thereof1 and will court his    
friendship and will come unto him by    
stealth1 if openly they dare not1 for   
the benefit of his conversation and     
advice2 even as ,nicodemus did to       
,christ1 who came to him by night1 and  
in his heart loved ,jesus for the       
truth's sake1 though outwardly he feared
 the ,world4 ,and thus thou shalt have  
many friends that are not known to thee2
 and some known to thee1 who may not    
appear so before the ,world4  ,,disciple
  ,nevertheless it is very grievous to  
be generally despised of the ,world1 and
 to be trampled upon by men as the very 
offscouring thereof4  ,,master  ,that   

which now seems so hard and heavy to    
thee1 thou wilt yet hereafter be most in
 love with4  ,,disciple  ,how can it    
ever be that ,i should love that which  
hates me8  ,,master  ,though thou lovest
 the ,earthly ,wisdom now1 yet when thou
 shalt be clothed upon with the         
,heavenly ,wisdom1 then wilt thou see   
that all the wisdom of the ,world is    
folly2 and wilt see also that the ,world
 hates not so much thee1 as thine enemy1
 which is this mortal life4 ,and when   
thou thyself shalt come to hate the will
 thereof1 by means of a habitual        
separation of thy mind from the ,world1 
then thou also wilt begin to love that  
despising of the mortal life1 and the   
reproach of the ,world for ,christ's    
sake4 ,and so shalt thou be able to     
stand under every temptation1 and to    
hold out to the end by the means hereof 
in a course of life above the ,world and
 above sense4  ,in this course thou wilt
 hate thyself1 and thou wilt also love  
thyself1 ,i say1 love thyself1 and that 

even more than thou ever didst yet4     
,,disciple  ,but how can these two      
subsist together1 that a person should  
both love and hate himself8  ,,master   
,in loving thyself1 thou lovest not     
thyself as thine own1 but thou lovest   
the divine ground in thee1 as given thee
 from the ,love of ,god4 ,by which1 and 
in which1 thou lovest the ,divine       
,wisdom1 the ,divine ,goodness1 the     
,divine ,beauty2 thou lovest also by it 
,god's works of wonders2 and in this    
ground thou lovest also thy brethren4   
,but in hating thyself1 thou hatest only
 that which is thine own1 and wherein   
the ,evil sticks close to thee4 ,and    
this thou dost1 that so thou mayest     
wholly destroy that which thou callest  
thine1 as when thou sayest ,i or        
,,myself do this1 or do that4 ,all which
 is wrong and a downright mistake in    
thee2 for nothing canst thou properly   
call thine but the evil ,self1 neither  
canst thou do anything of thyself that  
is to be accounted of4 ,this ,self      

therefore thou must labour wholly to    
destroy in thee1 that so thou mayest    
become a ground wholly divine4 ,there   
can be no selfishness in love2 they are 
opposite to each other4 ,love1 that is1 
,divine ,love 7of which only we are now 
discoursing71 hates all ,egoity1 hates  
all that which we call ,i1 or ,,ihood1  
hates all such restrictions and         
confinements1 even all that springs from
 a contracted spirit1 or this evil      
,self-hood1 because it is an hateful and
 deadly thing4 ,and it is impossible    
that these two should stand together1 or
 subsist in one person2 the one driving 
out the other by a necessity of nature4 
,for ,love possesses ,heaven1 and dwells
 in itself1 which is dwelling in        
,heaven2 but that which is called ,i1   
this vile self-hood1 possesses the world
 and worldly things2 and dwells also in 
itself1 which is dwelling in ,hell1     
because this is the very root of ,hell  
itself4 ,and1 therefore1 as ,heaven     
rules the ,world1 and as ,eternity rules

 ,time1 even so ought ,love to rule the 
natural temporal ,life2 for no other    
method is there1 neither can there be of
 attaining to that ,life which is       
supernatural and eternal1 and which thou
 so much desirest to be led into4       
,,disciple  ,loving ,master1 ,i am well 
content that this ,love should rule in  
me over the natural ,life1 that so ,i   
may attain to that which is supernatural
 and supersensual2 but1 pray tell me    
now1 why must ,love and ,hatred1 friend 
and foe1 thus be together8 ,would not   
,love alone be better8 ,wherefore1 ,i   
say1 are ,love and ,trouble thus joined8
  ,,master  ,if ,love dwelt not in      
,trouble1 it could have nothing to love4
 ,but its substance which it loves1     
namely the poor soul1 being in trouble  
and pain1 it hath thence cause to love  
this its own substance and to deliver it
 from pain1 that so itself may by it be 
again beloved4 ,neither could any one   
know what ,love is1 if there were no    
,hatred2 or what friendship is1 if there

 were no foe to contend with4 ,or1 in   
one word1 if ,love had not something    
which it might love1 and manifest the   
virtue and power of love in working out 
deliverance to the ,beloved from all    
pain and trouble4  ,,disciple  ,pray    
what is the virtue1 the power1 the      
height1 and the greatness of ,love8     
,,master  ,the virtue of ,love is       
,,nothing and ,,all1 or that ,nothing   
visible out of which ,all ,things       
proceed4 ,its power is through ,all     
,things2 its height is as high as ,god2 
its greatness is as great as ,god4 ,its 
virtue is the principle of all          
principles2 its power supports the      
,heavens and upholds the ,earth2 its    
height is higher than the highest       
,heavens1 and its greatness is even     
greater than the very ,manifestation of 
the ,godhead in the glorious light of   
the ,divine ,essence1 as being          
infinitely capable of greater and       
greater manifestations in all ,eternity4
 ,what can ,i say more8 ,love is higher 

than the ,highest4 ,love is greater than
 the ,greatest4 ,yea1 it is in a certain
 sense greater than ,god2 while yet1 in 
the highest sense of all1 ,god is ,love1
 and ,love is ,god4 ,love being the     
highest principle is the virtue of all  
virtues2 from whence they flow forth4   
,love1 being the greatest ,majesty1 is  
the ,power of all ,powers1 from whence  
they severally operate4 ,and it is the  
,holy ,magical ,root1 a ,ghostly ,power 
from whence all the wonders of ,god have
 been wrought by the hands of his elect 
servants1 in all their generations      
successively1 ,whosoever finds it1 finds
 ,nothing and ,all ,things4  ,,disciple 
,dear ,master1 pray tell me how ,i may  
understand this8  ,,master  ,first1     
then1 in that ,i said1 its virtue is    
,nothing1 or that ,nothing which is the 
beginning of ,all ,things1 thou must    
understand it thus2 ,when thou art gone 
forth wholly from the ,creature1 and    
from that which is visible2 and art     
become ,nothing to all that is ,nature  

and ,creature1 then thou art in that    
,eternal ,one1 which is ,god himself2   
and then thou shalt perceive and feel   
within thee the highest virtue of ,love4
 ,but in that ,i said1 ,its power is    
through ,all ,things1 this is that which
 thou perceivest and findest in thy own 
soul and body experimentally1 whenever  
this great ,love is enkindled within    
thee2 seeing that it will burn more than
 the fire can do1 as it did in the      
,prophets of old1 and afterwards in the 
,apostles1 when ,god conversed with them
 bodily1 and when his ,spirit descended 
upon them in the ,oratory of ,zion4     
,thou shalt then see also in all the    
works of ,god1 how ,love hath poured    
forth itself into all things1 and       
penetrated all things1 and is the most  
inward and most outward ground in all   
things4 ,inwardly in the virtue and     
power of every thing1 and outwardly in  
the figure and form thereof4  ,and in   
that ,i said1 ,its height is as high as 
,god2 thou mayest understand this in    

thyself3 forasmuch as it brings thee to 
be as high as ,god himself is1 by being 
united to ,god2 as may be seen by our   
beloved ,lord ,jesus ,christ in our     
humanity4 ,which humanity ,love hath    
brought up into the highest throne1     
above all angelical principalities and  
powers1 into the very ,power of the     
,deity itself4  ,but in that ,i also    
said1 ,its greatness is as great as     
,god1 thou art hereby to understand that
 there is a certain greatness and       
latitude of heart in ,love1 which is    
unexpressible1 for it enlarges the soul 
as wide as the whole ,creation of ,god4 
,and this shall be truly experienced by 
thee1 beyond all words1 when the throne 
of ,love shall be set up in thy heart4  
,moreover in that ,i said1 ,its virtue  
is the principle of all principles2     
hereby it is given thee to understand   
that ,love is the principal cause of all
 created beings1 both spiritual and     
corporeal1 by virtue whereof the second 
causes do move and act occasionally1    

according to certain ,eternal ,laws1    
from the beginning implanted in the very
 constitution of things thus originated4
 ,this virtue which is in ,love is the  
very life and energy of all the         
principles of ,nature1 superior and     
inferior4 ,it reaches to all ,worlds1   
and to all manner of beings in them     
contained1 they being the workmanship of
 ,divine ,love1 and is the first mover  
and first moveable1 both in heaven      
above1 and in the earth beneath1 and in 
the water under the earth4 ,and hence   
there is given to it the name of the    
,lucid ,aleph or ,alpha2 by which is    
expressed the beginning of the ,alphabet
 of ,nature1 and of the ,book of        
,creation and ,providence or the ,divine
 ,archetypal ,book1 in which is the     
,light of ,wisdom and the source of all 
lights and forms4  ,and in that ,i said1
 ,its power supports the ,heavens2 by   
this thou wilt come to understand that  
as the ,heavens1 visible and invisible1 
are originated from this great          

principle1 so are they likewise         
necessarily sustained by it2 and that   
therefore if this should be but never so
 little withdrawn1 all the lights1      
glories1 beauties and forms of the      
heavenly worlds would presently sink    
into darkness and chaos4  ,and whereas  
,i further said that it upholds the     
,earth2 this will appear to thee no less
 evident than the former1 and thou shalt
 perceive it in thyself by daily and    
hourly experience2 forasmuch as the     
,earth without it1 even thy own earth   
also 7that is1 thy body7 would certainly
 be without form and void4 ,by the power
 thereof the ,earth hath been thus long 
upheld1 notwithstanding a foreign       
usurped power introduced by the folly of
 sin4 ,and should this but once fail or 
recede there could be no longer either  
vegetation or animation upon it2 yea1   
the very pillars of it being overthrown 
quite1 and the band of union1 which is  
that of attraction or magnetism1 called 
the centripetal power1 being broken and 

dissolved1 all must thence run into the 
utmost disorder1 and falling away as    
into shivers1 would be dispersed as     
loose dust before the wind4  ,but in    
that ,i said1 ,its height is higher than
 the highest ,heavens2 this thou mayest 
also understand within thyself4 ,for    
shouldest thou ascend in spirit through 
all the orders of ,angels and heavenly  
,powers1 yet the ,power of ,love still  
is undeniably superior to them all4 ,and
 as the ,throne of ,god1 who sits upon  
the ,heaven of ,heavens1 is higher than 
the highest of them1 even so must ,love 
also be1 which fills them all1 and      
comprehends them all4  ,and whereas ,i  
said of the ,greatness of ,love that it 
is greater than the very ,manifestation 
of ,godhead in the light of the ,divine 
,essence2 that is also true4 ,for ,love 
enters even into that where the ,godhead
 is not manifested in this glorious     
light1 and where ,god may be said not to
 dwell4 ,and entering thereinto1 ,love  
begins to manifest to the soul the light

 of the ,godhead2 and thus is the       
darkness broken through1 and the wonders
 of the new creation successively       
manifested4  ,thus shalt thou be brought
 to understand really and fundamentally 
what is the virtue and the power of     
,love1 and what the height and greatness
 thereof is2 how that is indeed the     
virtue of all virtues1 though it be     
invisible1 and as a ,nothing in         
appearance1 inasmuch as it is the worker
 of all things1 and a powerful vital    
energy passing through all virtues and  
powers natural and supernatural1 and the
 power of all powers1 nothing being able
 to let or obstruct the ,omnipotence of 
,love1 or to resist its invincible      
penetrating might1 which passes through 
the whole ,creation of ,god1 inspecting 
and governing all things4  ,and in that 
,i said2 ,it is higher than the highest 
and greater than the greatest2 thou     
mayst hereby perceive as in a glimpse   
the supreme height and greatness of     
,omnipotent ,love which infinitely      

transcends all that human sense and     
reason can reach to4 ,the highest       
,archangel and greatest ,powers of      
,heaven1 are in comparison of it1 but as
 dwarfs4 ,nothing can be conceived      
higher and greater in ,god himself1 by  
the very highest and greatest of his    
creatures4 ,there is such infinity in it
 as comprehends and surpasses all the   
divine attributes4  ,but in that it was 
also said1 ,its greatness is greater    
than ,god2 that likewise is very true in
 the sense wherein it was spoken4 ,for  
,love can there enter where ,god        
dwelleth not1 since the most high ,god  
dwelleth not in darkness1 but in the    
,light1 the hellish darkness being put  
under his feet4 ,thus1 for instance1    
when our beloved ,lord ,jesus ,christ   
was in ,hell1 ,hell was not the mansion 
of ,god or of ,christ1 ,hell sees not   
,god1 neither was it with ,god1 nor     
could it be at all with him2 ,hell stood
 in the darkness and anxiety of ,nature1
 and no light of the ,divine ,majesty   

did there enter2 ,god was not there1 for
 he is not in the darkness nor in the   
anguish2 but ,love was there2 and ,love 
destroyed ,death and conquered ,hell4   
,so also when thou art in anguish or    
trouble1 which is hell within1 ,god is  
not the anguish or trouble1 neither is  
he in the anguish or trouble2 but his   
,love is there1 and brings thee out of  
the anguish and trouble into ,god1      
leading thee into the light and joy of  
his presence4 ,when ,god hides himself  
in thee1 ,love is still there1 and makes
 him manifest in thee4 ,such is the     
inconceivable greatness and largeness of
 ,love1 which will hence appear to thee 
as great as ,god above ,nature and      
greater than ,god in ,nature1 or as     
considered in his manifestative glory4  
,lastly1 whereas ,i said1 ,whosoever    
finds it finds ,nothing and all ,things2
 that is also certain and true4 ,but how
 finds he ,nothing8 ,why1 ,i will tell  
thee how4 ,he that findeth it findeth a 
supernatural1 supersensual ,abyss1 which

 hath no ground or ,byss to stand on1   
and where there is no place to dwell in2
 and he findeth also nothing is like    
unto it and therefore it may fitly be   
compared to ,nothing1 for it is deeper  
than any ,thing1 and is as ,nothing with
 respect to ,all ,things1 forasmuch as  
it is not comprehensible by any of them4
 ,and because it is ,nothing            
respectively1 it is therefore free from 
,all ,things1 and is that only ,good1   
which a man cannot express or utter what
 it is1 there being ,nothing to which it
 may be compared1 to express it by4     
,but in that ,i lastly said2 ,whosoever 
finds it finds ,all ,things2 there is   
nothing can be more true than this      
assertion4 ,it hath been the ,beginning 
of ,all ,things2 and it ruleth ,all     
,things4 ,it is also the ,end of ,all   
,things2 and will thence comprehend ,all
 ,things within its circle4 ,all ,things
 are from it1 and in it1 and by it4 ,if 
thou findest it thou comest into that   
ground from whence ,all ,things are     

proceeded1 and wherein they subsist2 and
 thou art in it a ,king over all the    
works of ,god4  ,here the ,disciple was 
exceedingly ravished with what his      
,master had so wonderfully and          
surprisingly declared1 and returned his 
most hearty and humble thanks for that  
light which he had been an instrument of
 conveying to him4 ,but being desirous  
to hear further concerning these high   
matters1 and to know somewhat more      
particularly1 he requested him that he  
would give him leave to wait on him the 
next day again2 and that he would then  
be pleased to show him how and where he 
might find this which was so much beyond
 all price and value1 and whereabout the
 seat and abode of it might be in human 
nature1 with the entire process of the  
discovery and bringing it forth to      
light4  ,the ,master said to him3 ,this 
then we will discourse about at our next
 conference1 as ,god shall reveal the   
same to us by his ,spirit1 which is a   
searcher of ,all ,things4 ,and if thou  

dost remember well what ,i answered thee
 in the beginning1 thou shalt soon come 
thereby to understand that hidden       
mystical wisdom of ,god2 which none of  
the wise men of the world know2 and     
where the ,mine thereof is to be found  
in thee shall be given thee from above  
to discern4 ,be silent therefore in thy 
spirit1 and watch unto prayer2 that1    
when we meet again to-morrow in the love
 of ,christ1 thy mind may be disposed   
for finding that noble ,pearl1 which to 
the ,world appears ,nothing1 but to the 
,children of ,wisdom is ,all ,things4   
,,dialogue ,,ii   ,the ,disciple being  
very earnest to be more fully instructed
 how he might arrive at the supersensual
 life1 and how1 having found all things1
 he might come to be a king over all    
,god's works1 came again to his ,master 
next morning1 having watched the night  
in prayer1 that he might be disposed to 
receive and apprehend the instructions  
that should be given him by a divine    
irradiation upon his mind4 ,and the     

,disciple1 after a little space of      
silence1 bowed himself1 and thus brake  
forth4  ,,disciple  ,o my ,master1 my   
,master6 ,i have now endeavoured to     
recollect my soul in the presence of    
,god1 and to cast myself into the ,deep 
where no creature doth nor can dwell2   
that ,i might hear the voice of my ,lord
 speaking in me1 and be initiated into  
that high life whereof ,i heard         
yesterday such great and amazing things4
 ,but alas ,i neither hear nor see as ,i
 should4 ,there is still such a         
partition wall in me which beats back   
the heavenly sounds in their passage1   
and obstructs the entrance of that light
 whereby alone divine objects are       
discoverable1 as till this be gone ,i   
can have but small hopes1 yea1 even none
 at all1 of arriving at those glorious  
attainments which you pressed me to1 or 
of entering into that where no creature 
dwells1 and which you call ,nothing and 
,all ,things4 ,wherefore be so kind as  
to inform me what is required on my     

part1 that this partition which hinders 
may be broken or removed4  ,,master     
,this partition is the creaturely will  
in thee1 and this can be broken by      
nothing but the ,grace of self-denial1  
which is the entrance into the true     
following of ,christ1 and totally       
removed by nothing but a perfect        
conformity with the ,divine ,will4      
,,disciple  ,but how shall ,i be able to
 break this creaturely will which is in 
me1 and is at enmity with the ,divine   
,will8 ,or what shall ,i do to follow   
,christ in so difficult a path1 and not 
to faint in a continual course of       
self-denial or resignation to the ,will 
of ,god4  ,,master  ,this is not to be  
done by thyself2 but by the light and   
grace of ,god received into thy soul1   
which will1 if thou gainsay not1 break  
the darkness that is in thee1 and melt  
down thy old will1 which worketh in the 
darkness and corruption of ,nature1 and 
bring it into the obedience of ,christ1 
whereby the partition of the creaturely 

self is removed from betwixt ,god and   
thee4  ,,disciple  ,i know that ,i      
cannot do it of myself4 ,but ,i would   
fain learn how ,i must receive this     
,divine ,light and ,grace into me1 which
 is to do it for me1 if ,i hinder it not
 my own self4 ,what is then required of 
me in order to admit this ,breaker of   
the partition1 and to promote the       
attainment of the ends of such          
admission8  ,,master  ,there is nothing 
more required of thee at first than not 
to resist this grace1 which is          
manifested in thee2 and nothing in the  
whole process of the work1 but to be    
obedient and passive to the ,light of   
,god shining through the darkness of thy
 creaturely being1 which comprehendeth  
it not1 as reaching no higher than the  
,light of ,nature4  ,,disciple  ,but is 
it not for me to attain1 if ,i can1 both
 the ,light of ,god1 and the ,light of  
the outward ,nature too1 and to make use
 of them both for the ordering of my    
life wisely and prudently8  ,,master    

,it is right so to do4 ,and it is indeed
 a treasure above all earthly treasures 
to be possessed of the ,light of ,god   
and ,nature operating in their spheres1 
and to have both the ,eye of ,time and  
,eternity at once open together1 and yet
 not to interfere with each other4      
,,disciple  ,this is a great            
satisfaction to me to hear2 having been 
very uneasy about it for some time4 ,but
 how this can be without interfering    
with each other1 there is the           
difficulty4 ,wherefore fain would ,i    
know1 if it were lawful1 the boundaries 
of the one and the other1 and how both  
the ,divine and the ,natural ,light may 
in their several spheres respectively   
act and operate for the ,manifestation  
of the ,mysteries of ,god and ,nature1  
and for the conduct of my outward and   
inward life8  ,,master  ,that each of   
these may be preserved distinctly in    
their several spheres1 without          
confounding ,things ,heavenly and       
,things ,earthly1 or breaking the golden

 ,chain of ,wisdom1 it will be          
necessary1 my child1 in the first place 
to wait for and attend the ,supernatural
 and ,divine ,light1 as this superior   
,light appointed to govern the day1     
rising in the true ,east1 which is the  
,centre of ,paradise1 and the great     
,light breaking forth as out of the     
darkness within thee1 through a pillar  
of fire and thunder-clouds1 and thereby 
reflecting also upon the inferior ,light
 of ,nature a sort of image of itself1  
whereby only it can be kept in its due  
subordination2 that which is below being
 made subservient to that which is      
above1 and that which is without to that
 which is within4 ,thus there will be no
 danger of interfering1 but all will go 
right1 and everything abide in its      
proper sphere4  ,,disciple  ,therefore  
without ,reason or the ,light of ,nature
 be sanctified in my soul1 and          
illuminated by this superior ,light1 as 
from the central ,east of the holy      
,light-,world1 by the ,eternal and      

,intellectual ,sun1 ,i perceive there   
will always be some confusion1 and ,i   
shall never be able to manage aright    
either what concerneth ,time or         
,eternity4 ,but ,i must always be at a  
loss1 or break the links of ,wisdom's   
,chain4  ,,master  ,it is even so as    
thou hast said4 ,all is confusion if    
thou hast no more than the dim ,light of
 ,nature1 or unsanctified and           
unregenerated ,reason to guide thee by1 
and if only the ,eye of ,time be opened 
in thee1 which cannot pierce beyond its 
own limit4 ,wherefore seek the ,fountain
 of ,light1 waiting in the deep ground  
of thy soul for the rising there of the 
,sun of ,righteousness1 whereby the     
,light of ,nature in thee1 with the     
properties thereof1 will be made to     
shine seven times brighter than         
ordinary4 ,for it shall receive the     
stamp1 image and impression of the      
,supersensual and ,supernatural1 so that
 the sensual and rational life will     
hence be brought into the most perfect  

order and harmony4  ,,disciple  ,but how
 am ,i to wait for the rising of this   
glorious ,sun1 and how am ,i to seek in 
the ,centre this ,fountain of ,light1   
which may enlighten me throughout and   
bring my properties into perfect        
harmony8 ,i am in ,nature1 as ,i said   
before1 and which way shall ,i pass     
through ,nature1 and the light thereof1 
so that ,i may come into the            
,supernatural and ,supersensual ground  
whence this true light1 which is the    
,light of ,minds1 doth arise2 and this  
without the destruction of my nature1 or
 quenching the ,light of it1 which is my
 reason8  ,,master  ,cease but from     
thine own activity1 steadfastly fixing  
thine ,eye upon one ,point1 and with a  
strong purpose relying upon the promised
 ,grace of ,god in ,christ1 to bring    
thee out of thy ,darkness into his      
marvellous ,light4 ,for this end gather 
in all thy thoughts1 and by faith press 
into the ,centre1 laying hold upon the  
,word of ,god1 which is infallible1 and 

which hath called thee4 ,be thou then   
obedient to this call1 and be silent    
before the ,lord1 sitting alone with him
 in thy inmost and most hidden cell1 thy
 mind being centrally united in itself1 
and attending his ,will in the patience 
of hope4 ,so shall thy ,light break     
forth as the ,morning1 and after the    
redness thereof is passed1 the ,sun     
himself which thou waitest for1 shall   
arise unto thee1 and under his most     
healing wings thou shalt greatly        
rejoice2 ascending and descending in his
 bright and salutiferous beams4 ,behold 
this is the true ,supersensual ,ground  
of ,life4  ,,disciple  ,i believe it    
indeed to be even so4 ,but will not this
 destroy ,nature8 ,will not the ,light  
of ,nature in me be extinguished by this
 greater ,light8 ,or1 must not the      
outward ,life hence perish1 with the    
earthly body which ,i carry8  ,,master  
,by no means at all4 ,it is true1 the   
evil ,nature will be destroyed by it2   
but by the destruction thereof you can  

be no loser1 but very much a gainer4    
,the ,eternal ,bond of ,nature is the   
same afterward as before2 and the       
properties are the same4 ,so that       
,nature hereby is only advanced and     
meliorated1 and the ,light thereof1 or  
human ,reason1 by being kept within its 
due bounds1 and regulated by a superior 
,light1 is only made useful4  ,,disciple
  ,pray1 therefore1 let me know how this
 inferior ,light ought to be used by me2
 how it is to be kept within its due    
bounds2 and after what manner the       
superior ,light doth regulate it and    
ennoble it4  ,,master  ,know then1 my   
beloved son1 that if thou wilt keep the 
,light of ,nature within its own proper 
bounds1 and make use thereof in just    
subordination to the ,light of ,god1    
thou must consider that there are in thy
 soul two ,wills1 an inferior ,will1    
which is for driving thee to ,things    
without and below2 and a superior ,will1
 which is for drawing thee to ,things   
within and above4 ,these two ,wills are 

now set together1 as it were back to    
back1 and in a direct contrariety to    
each other2 but in the beginning it was 
not so4 ,for this contraposition of the 
soul in these two is no more than the   
effect of the ,fallen ,state2 since     
before that they were placed one under  
the other1 that is1 the superior ,will  
above1 as the ,lord1 and the inferior   
below1 as the subject4 ,and thus it     
ought to have continued4 ,thou must also
 further consider that1 answering to    
these two ,wills1 there are likewise two
 ,eyes in the soul1 whereby they are    
severally directed1 forasmuch as these  
,eyes are not united in one single view1
 but look quite contrary ways at once4  
,they are in a like manner set one      
against the other1 without a common     
medium to join them4 ,and hence1 so long
 as this double-sightedness doth remain1
 it is impossible there should be any   
agreement in the determination of this  
or that ,will4 ,this is very plain4 ,and
 it showeth the necessity that this     

malady1 arising from the disunion of the
 rays of vision1 be some way remedied   
and redressed1 in order to a true       
discernment in the mind4 ,both these    
eyes therefore must be made to unite by 
a concentration of rays1 there being    
nothing more dangerous than for the mind
 to abide thus in the ,duplicity and not
 to seek to arrive at the ,unity4 ,thou 
perceivest1 ,i know1 that thou hast two 
,wills in thee1 one set against the     
other1 the superior and the inferior1   
and that thou hast always two ,eyes     
within1 one against the other1 whereof  
the one ,eye may be called the ,right   
,eye1 and the other the ,left ,eye4     
,thou perceivest too1 doubtless1 that it
 is according to the ,right ,eye that   
the wheel of the superior ,will is      
moved2 and that it is according to the  
motion of the ,left ,eye that the       
contrary wheel in the lower is turned   
about4  ,,disciple  ,i perceive this1   
,sir1 to be very true2 and this it is   
which causeth a continual combat in me1 

and createth in me greater anxiety than 
,i am able to express4 ,nor am ,i       
unacquainted with the disease of my own 
soul1 which you have so clearly         
declared4 ,alas6 ,i perceive and lament 
this malady1 which so miserably         
disturbeth my sight2 whence ,i feel such
 irregular and convulsive motions       
drawing me on this side and that side4  
,the ,spirit seeth not as the ,flesh    
seeth1 neither doth1 nor can1 the ,flesh
 see as the ,spirit seeth4 ,hence the   
,spirit willeth against the ,flesh2 and 
the ,flesh willeth against the ,spirit  
in me4 ,this hath been my hard case4    
,and how shall it be remedied8 ,o how   
may ,i arrive at the ,unity of ,will1   
and how come into the ,unity of ,vision8
  ,,master  ,mark now what ,i say4 ,the 
,right ,eye looketh forward in thee into
 ,eternity4 ,the ,left ,eye looketh     
backward in thee into ,time4 ,if thou   
now sufferest thyself to be always      
looking into ,nature1 and the ,things of
 ,time1 it will be impossible for thee  

ever to arrive at the ,unity1 which thou
 wishest for4 ,remember this1 and be    
upon thy watch4 ,give not thy mind leave
 to enter into nor to fill itself with  
that which is without thee2 neither look
 thou backward upon thyself2 but quit   
thyself1 and look forward to ,christ4   
,let not thy ,left ,eye deceive thee by 
making continually one representation   
after another1 and stirring up thereby  
an earnest longing in the               
self-propriety2 but let thy right eye   
command this left1 and attract it to    
thee4 ,yea it is better to pluck it     
quite out and to cast it from thee1 than
 to suffer it to proceed forth without  
restraint into ,nature1 and to follow   
its own lusts4 ,however there is for    
this no necessity1 since both eyes may  
become very useful1 if ordered aright1  
and both the ,divine and ,natural ,light
 may in the soul subsist together1 and  
be of mutual service to each other4 ,but
 never shalt thou arrive at the ,unity  
of ,vision or ,uniformity of ,will1 but 

by entering fully into the ,will of our 
,saviour ,christ1 and therein bringing  
the ,eye of ,time into the ,eye of      
,eternity1 and then descending by means 
of these united through the ,light of   
,god into the ,light of ,nature4        
,,disciple  ,so then if ,i can but enter
 into the ,will of my ,lord1 and abide  
therein1 ,i am safe1 and may both attain
 to the ,light of ,god in the ,spirit of
 my soul and see with the ,eye of ,god1 
that is1 the ,eye of ,eternity in the   
,eternal ,ground of my ,will2 and may   
also at the same time enjoy the ,light  
of this ,world nevertheless1 not        
degrading but adorning the ,light of    
,nature1 and beholding as with the ,eye 
of ,eternity things ,eternal1 so with   
the ,eye of ,nature1 things ,natural1   
and both contemplating therein the      
,wonders of ,god1 and sustaining also   
thereby the life of my outward vehicle  
or body4  ,,master  ,it is very right4  
,thou hast well understood1 and thou    
desirest now to enter into the ,will of 

,god1 and to abide therein as in the    
,supersensual ,ground of ,light and     
,life1 where thou mayst in his ,light   
behold both ,time and ,eternity1 and    
bring all the wonders created of ,god   
for the exterior into the interior life1
 and so eternally rejoice in them to the
 glory of ,christ2 the partition of thy 
,creaturely ,will being broken down and 
the ,eye of thy ,spirit simplified in   
and through the ,eye of ,god manifesting
 itself in the ,centre of thy ,life4    
,let this be so now1 for it is ,god's   
,will4  ,,disciple  ,but it is very hard
 to be always looking forwards into     
,eternity1 and consequently to attain to
 the single eye1 and simplicity of      
,divine ,vision4 ,the entrance of a soul
 naked into the ,will of ,god1 shutting 
out all imaginations and desires1 and   
breaking down the strong partition which
 you mention1 is indeed somehow very    
terrible and shocking to human nature in
 its present state4 ,o what shall ,i do1
 that ,i may reach this which ,i so much

 long for8  ,,master  ,my ,son1 let not 
the ,eye of ,nature with the ,will of   
the ,wonders depart from that ,eye which
 is introverted into the ,divine        
,liberty1 and into the ,eternal ,light  
of the ,holy ,majesty4 ,but let it draw 
to thee by union with that heavenly     
internal ,eye those wonders which are   
externally wrought out and manifested in
 visible ,nature4 ,for while thou art in
 the world1 and hast an honest          
employment1 thou art certainly by the   
,order of ,providence obliged to labour 
in it1 and to finish the work given     
thee1 according to thy best ability1    
without repining in the least2 seeking  
out and manifesting for ,god's glory the
 ,wonders of ,nature and ,art4 ,since   
let the ,nature be what it will it is   
all the ,work and ,art of ,god4 ,and let
 the ,art also be what it will1 it is   
still ,god's ,work and his ,art1 rather 
than any art or cunning of man4 ,and all
 both in ,art and ,nature serveth but   
abundantly to manifest the wonderful    

,works of ,god1 that he for all and in  
all may be glorified4 ,yea1 all serveth1
 if thou knowest rightly how to use     
them1 only to recollect thee more       
inwards1 and to draw thy ,spirit into   
that majestic ,light wherein the        
original patterns and forms of things   
visible are to be seen4 ,keep1          
therefore1 in the ,centre1 and stir not 
from the ,presence of ,god revealed     
within thy ,soul2 let the world and the 
devil make never so great a noise and   
bustle to draw thee out1 mind them not2 
they cannot hurt thee4 ,it is permitted 
to the ,eye of thy ,reason to seek food1
 and to thy hands by their labour to get
 food for the terrestrial body4 ,but    
then this ,eye ought not with its desire
 to enter into the food prepared1 which 
would be covetousness2 but must in      
resignation simply bring it before the  
,eye of ,god in thy ,spirit1 and then   
thou must seek to place it close to this
 very ,eye1 without letting it go4 ,mark
 this lesson well4  ,let the hands or   

the head be at labour1 thy ,heart ought 
nevertheless to rest in ,god4 ,god is a 
,spirit2 dwell in the ,spirit2 work in  
the ,spirit2 pray in the ,spirit2 and do
 every thing in the ,spirit2 for        
remember thou also art a ,spirit1 and   
thereby created in the ,image of ,god4  
,therefore see thou attract not in thy  
desire ,matter unto thee1 but as much as
 possible abstract thyself from all     
,matter whatever2 and so1 standing in   
the ,centre1 present thyself as a naked 
,spirit before ,god1 in simplicity and  
purity2 and be sure thy ,spirit draw in 
nothing but ,spirit4  ,thou wilt yet be 
greatly enticed to draw ,matter1 and to 
gather that which the ,world calls      
substance2 thereby to have somewhat     
visible to trust to4 ,but by no means   
consent to the ,tempter1 nor yield to   
the lustings of thy ,flesh against the  
,spirit4 ,for in so doing thou wilt     
infallibly obscure the ,divine ,light in
 thee2 thy ,spirit will stick in the    
dark ,covetous ,root1 and from the fiery

 ,source of thy soul will it blaze out  
in pride and anger2 thy ,will shall be  
chained in ,earthliness1 and shall sink 
through the ,anguish into ,darkness and 
,materiality2 and never shalt thou be   
able to reach the still ,liberty1 or to 
stand before the ,majesty of ,god4 ,it  
will be all darkness to thee1 as much   
,matter as is drawn in by the ,desire of
 thy ,will4 ,it will darken ,god's      
,majesty to thee1 and will close the    
seeing ,eye1 by hiding from thee the    
light of his beloved countenance4 ,this 
the ,serpent longeth to do1 but in vain1
 except thou permittest thy             
,imagination1 upon his suggestion1 to   
receive in the alluring ,matter2 else he
 can never get in4 ,behold then1 if thou
 desirest to see ,god's ,light in thy   
,soul1 and be divinely illuminated and  
conducted1 this is the short way that   
thou art to take2 not to let the ,eye of
 thy ,spirit enter into ,matter1 or fill
 itself with any ,thing whatever1 either
 in ,heaven or ,earth1 but to let it    

enter by a naked faith into the ,light  
of the ,majesty2 and so receive by pure 
love the ,light of ,god1 and attract the
 ,divine ,power into itself1 putting on 
the ,divine ,body1 and growing up in it 
to the full maturity of the ,humanity of
 ,christ4  ,,disciple  ,as ,i said      
before1 so ,i say again1 this is very   
hard4 ,i conceive indeed well enough    
that my ,spirit ought to be free from   
the contagion of ,matter1 and wholly    
empty1 that it may admit into it the    
,spirit of ,god4 ,also1 that this       
,spirit will not enter1 but where the   
,will entereth into ,nothing1 and       
resigneth itself up in the nakedness of 
faith1 and in the purity of love1 to its
 conduct1 feeding magically upon the    
,word of ,god1 and clothing itself      
thereby with a ,divine ,substantiality4 
,but1 alas1 how hard it is for the ,will
 to sink into nothing1 to attract       
nothing1 to imagine nothing4  ,,master  
,let it be granted that it is so4 ,is it
 not surely worth thy while1 and all    

that thou canst ever do8  ,,disciple    
,it is so1 ,i must needs confess4       
,,master  ,but perhaps it may not be so 
hard as at first it appeareth to be2    
make but the trial and be in earnest4   
,what is there required of thee but to  
stand still and see the salvation of thy
 ,god8 ,and couldst thou desire anything
 less8 ,where is the hardship in this8  
,thou hast nothing to care for1 nothing 
to desire in this life1 nothing to      
imagine or attract4 ,thou needest only  
cast thy care upon ,god1 who careth for 
thee1 and leave him to dispose of thee  
according to his good will and pleasure1
 even as if thou hadst no will at all in
 thee4 ,for he knoweth what is best2 and
 if thou canst but trust him1 he will   
most certainly do better for thee1 than 
if thou wert left to thine own choice4  
,,disciple  ,this ,i most firmly        
believe4  ,,master  ,if thou believest1 
then go and do accordingly4 ,all is in  
the ,will1 as ,i have shown thee4 ,when 
the ,will imagineth after ,somewhat1    

then entereth it into that somewhat1 and
 this somewhat taketh the ,will into    
itself1 and overcloudeth it1 so as it   
can have no ,light1 but must dwell in   
,darkness1 unless it return back out of 
that somewhat into ,nothing4 ,but when  
the ,will imagineth or hasteth after    
nothing1 then it entereth into ,nothing1
 where it receiveth the ,will of ,god   
into itself1 and so dwelleth in ,light1 
and worketh all its works in it4        
,,disciple  ,i am now satisfied that the
 main cause of any one's spiritual      
blindness1 is his letting his ,will into
 ,somewhat1 or into that which he hath  
wrought1 of what nature soever it be1   
good or evil1 and his setting his heart 
or affections upon the work of his own  
hand or brain1 and that when the earthly
 body perisheth1 then the ,soul must be 
imprisoned in that very thing which it  
shall have received and let in2 and if  
the ,light of ,god be not in it1 being  
deprived of the ,light of this ,world1  
it cannot but be found in a dark prison4

  ,,master  ,this is a very precious    
,gate of ,knowledge2 ,i am glad thou    
takest it into such consideration4 ,the 
understanding of the whole ,scripture is
 contained in it2 and all that hath been
 written from the beginning of the      
,world to this day may be found therein1
 by him that having entered with his    
,will into ,nothing1 hath there found   
,all ,things1 by finding ,god1 from     
,whom1 and to ,whom1 and in ,whom are   
,all ,things4 ,by this means thou shalt 
come to hear and see ,god2 and after    
this earthly life is ended to see with  
the ,eye of ,eternity all the ,wonders  
of ,god and of ,nature1 and more        
particularly those which shall be       
wrought by thee in the flesh1 or all    
that the ,spirit of ,god shall have     
given thee to labour out for thyself and
 thy neighbour1 or all that the ,eye of 
,reason enlightened from above1 may at  
any time have manifested to thee4 ,delay
 not therefore to enter in by this      
,gate1 which if thou seest in the       

,spirit1 as some highly favoured souls  
have seen it1 thou seest in the         
,supersensual ,ground all that ,god is  
and can do2 thou seest also therewith1  
as one hath said who was taken          
thereinto1 through ,heaven1 ,hell1 and  
,earth2 and through the ,essence of all 
,essences4 ,whosoever findeth it1 hath  
found all that he can desire4 ,here is  
the ,virtue and ,power of the ,love of  
,god displayed4 ,here is the ,height and
 ,depth1 here is the ,breadth and       
,length thereof manifested1 as ever the 
capacity of thy soul can contain4 ,by   
this thou shalt come into that ,ground  
out of which all ,things are originated1
 and in which they subsist2 and in it   
thou shalt reign over all ,god's ,works1
 as a ,prince of ,god4  ,,disciple      
,pray tell me1 dear ,master1 where      
dwelleth it in ,man8  ,,master  ,where  
,man dwelleth not3 there hath it its    
seat in ,man4  ,,disciple  ,where is    
that in a ,man1 when ,man dwelleth not  
in himself8  ,,master  ,it is the       

resigned ,ground of a ,soul to which    
nothing cleaveth4  ,,disciple  ,where is
 the ,ground in any ,soul1 to which     
there will nothing stick8 ,or where is  
that which abideth and dwelleth not in  
something8  ,,master  ,it is the ,centre
 of ,rest and ,motion in the resigned   
,will of a truly contrite ,spirit1 which
 is ,crucified to the ,world4 ,this     
,centre of the ,will is impenetrable    
consequently to the ,world1 the ,devil1 
and ,hell4 ,nothing in all the ,world   
can enter into it1 or adhere to it1     
because the ,will is dead with ,christ  
unto the ,world1 but quickened with him 
in the ,centre thereof1 after his       
blessed ,image4 ,here it is where ,man  
dwelleth not1 and where no ,self abideth
 or can abide4  ,,disciple  ,o where is 
this naked ,ground of the ,soul void of 
all ,self8 ,and how shall ,i come at the
 hidden ,centre1 where ,god dwelleth1   
and not ,man8 ,tell me plainly1 loving  
,sir1 where it is1 and how it is to be  
found of me1 and entered into8  ,,master

  ,there where the ,soul hath slain its 
own ,will1 and willeth no more any      
,thing as from itself1 but only as ,god 
willeth1 and as his ,spirit moveth upon 
the ,soul shall this appear4 ,where the 
,love of ,self is banished there        
dwelleth the ,love of ,god4 ,for so much
 of the ,soul's own ,will as is dead    
unto itself even so much room hath the  
,will of ,god1 which is his ,love1 taken
 up in that ,soul4 ,the reason whereof  
is this3 ,where its own ,will did before
 sit1 there is now nothing2 and where   
nothing is1 there it is that the ,love  
of ,god worketh alone4  ,,disciple  ,but
 how shall ,i comprehend it8  ,,master  
,if thou goest about to comprehend it1  
then it will fly away from thee2 but if 
thou dost surrender thyself wholly up to
 it1 then it will abide with thee1 and  
become the ,life of thy ,life1 and be   
natural to thee4  ,,disciple  ,and how  
can this be without dying1 or the whole 
destruction of my ,will8  ,,master      
,upon this entire surrender and yielding

 up of thy ,will1 the ,love of ,god in  
thee becometh the ,life of thy ,nature2 
it killeth thee not1 but quickeneth     
thee1 who art now dead to thyself in    
thine own ,will1 according to its proper
 ,life1 even the ,life of ,god4 ,and    
then thou livest1 yet not to thy own    
,will1 but thou livest to its ,will2 for
 as much as thy ,will is henceforth     
become its ,will4 ,so then it is no     
longer thy ,will1 but the ,will of ,god2
 no longer the ,love of thyself1 but the
 ,love of ,god1 which moveth and        
operateth in thee2 and then1 thou being 
thus comprehended in it1 thou art dead  
indeed as to thyself1 but art alive unto
 ,god4 ,so being dead thou livest1 or   
rather ,god liveth in thee by his       
,spirit2 and his ,love is made to thee  
,life from the ,dead4 ,never couldst    
thou with all thy seeking have          
apprehended it1 but it hath apprehended 
thee4 ,much less couldst thou have      
comprehended it1 but it hath            
comprehended thee2 and so the ,treasure 

of ,treasures is found4  ,,disciple     
,how is it that so few ,souls do find   
it1 when yet all would be glad enough to
 have it8  ,,master  ,they all seek it  
in somewhat1 and so they find it not4   
,for where there is ,somewhat for the   
,soul to adhere to1 there the ,soul     
findeth that somewhat only1 and taketh  
up its rest therein1 until she seeth    
that it is to be found in ,nothing1 and 
goeth out of the ,somewhat into         
,nothing1 even into that ,nothing out of
 which all ,things may be made4 ,the    
,soul here saith ,i have nothing1 for ,i
 am utterly stripped and naked of every 
,thing2 ,i can do nothing1 for ,i have  
no manner of power1 but am as water     
poured out2 ,i am nothing1 for all that 
,i am is no more than an ,image of      
,being1 and only ,god is to me ,i ,,am2 
and so1 sitting down in my own          
,nothingness1 ,i give glory to the      
,eternal ,being1 and will nothing of    
myself1 that so ,god may will all in me1
 being unto me my ,god and ,all ,things4

 ,herein now it is that so very few find
 this most precious treasure in the     
,soul1 though every one would so fain   
have it2 and might also have it1 were it
 not for this ,somewhat in every one    
that letteth4  ,,disciple  ,but if the  
,love should proffer itself to a ,soul1 
could not that ,soul find it1 nor lay   
hold of it1 without going for it into   
,nothing8  ,,master  ,no verily4 ,men   
seek and find not1 because they seek it 
not in the naked ,ground where it lieth2
 but in something or other where it     
never will be1 nor can be4 ,they seek it
 in their own ,will1 and they find it   
not4 ,they seek it in their             
,self-,desire1 and they meet not with   
it4 ,they look for it in an ,image1 or  
in an ,opinion1 or in ,affection1 or a  
natural ,devotion and ,fervour1 and they
 lose the substance by thus hunting     
after a shadow4 ,they search for it in  
something sensible or imaginary1 in     
somewhat which they may have a more     
peculiar natural inclination for1 and   

adhesion to2 and so they miss of what   
they seek1 for want of diving into the  
,supernatural and ,supersensual ,ground1
 where the ,treasure is hid4 ,now1      
should the ,love graciously condescend  
to proffer itself to such as these1 and 
even to present itself evidently before 
the ,eye of their ,spirit1 yet could it 
find no place at all in them1 neither   
could it be held by them1 or remain with
 them4  ,,disciple  ,why not1 if the    
,love should be willing and ready to    
offer itself1 and to stay with them8    
,,master  ,because the ,imaginariness   
which is in their own ,will hath set    
itself up in the place thereof4 ,and so 
this ,imaginariness would have the ,love
 in it1 but the ,love fleeth away1 for  
it is its prison4 ,the ,love may offer  
itself2 but it cannot abide where the   
,self-,desire attracteth or imagineth4  
,that ,will which attracteth ,nothing1  
and to which ,nothing adhereth1 is only 
capable of receiving it2 for it dwelleth
 only in ,nothing1 as ,i said1 and      

therefore they find it not4  ,,disciple 
,if it dwell only in ,nothing1 what is  
now the office of it in ,nothing8       
,,master  ,the office of the ,love here 
is to penetrate incessantly into        
,something2 and if it penetrate into1   
and find a place in ,something which is 
standing still and at rest1 then its    
business is to take possession thereof4 
,and when it hath there taken           
possession1 then it rejoiceth therein   
with its flaming ,love-fire1 even as the
 sun doth in the visible world4 ,and    
then the office of it is without        
intermission to enkindle a fire in this 
,something which may burn it up2 and    
then with the flames thereof exceedingly
 to enflame itself1 and raise the heat  
of the ,love-fire by it1 even seven     
degrees higher4  ,,disciple  ,o1 loving 
,master1 how shall ,i understand this8  
,,master  ,if it but once kindle a fire 
within thee1 my son1 thou shalt then    
certainly feel how it consumeth all that
 which it toucheth1 thou shalt feel it  

in the burning up thyself1 and swiftly  
devouring all ,egoity or that which thou
 callest ,i and ,me1 as standing in a   
separate ,root1 and divided from the    
,deity1 the ,fountain of thy ,being4    
,and when this enkindling is made in    
thee1 then the ,love doth so exceedingly
 rejoice in thy fire1 as thou wouldest  
not for all the world be out of it2 yea1
 wouldst rather suffer thyself to be    
killed1 than to enter into thy something
 again4 ,this fire must now grow hotter 
and hotter1 till it shall have perfected
 its office with respect to thee4 ,its  
flame also will be so very great that it
 will never leave thee1 though it should
 even cost thee thy temporal life1 but  
it would go with thee with its sweet    
loving fire into death2 and if thou     
wentest also into ,hell1 it would break 
,hell in pieces also for thy sake4      
,nothing is more certain than this1 for 
it is stronger than ,death and ,hell4   
,,disciple  ,enough1 my dearest ,master1
 ,i can no longer endure that any ,thing

 should divert me from it4 ,but how     
shall ,i find the nearest way to it8    
,,master  ,where the way is hardest1    
there go thou2 and what the ,world      
casteth away1 that take thou up4 ,what  
the ,world doth1 that do thou not2 but  
in all things walk thou contrary to the 
,world4 ,so thou comest the nearest way 
to that which thou art seeking4         
,,disciple  ,if ,i should in all things 
walk contrary to other people1 ,i must  
needs be in a very unquiet and sad      
state1 and the ,world would not fail to 
account me for a madman4  ,,master  ,i  
bid thee not1 ,child1 to do harm to     
anyone1 thereby to create to thyself any
 misery or unquietness4 ,this is not    
what ,i mean by walking contrary in     
everything to the ,world4 ,but because  
the ,world1 as the ,world1 loveth all   
deceit and vanity1 and walketh in false 
and treacherous ways1 thence1 if thou   
hast a mind to act a clean contrary part
 to the ways thereof1 without any       
exception or reserve whatsoever1 walk   

thou only in the right way1 which is    
called the ,way of ,light1 as that of   
the ,world is properly the ,way of      
,darkness4 ,for the right way1 even the 
,path of ,light1 is contrary to all the 
ways of the ,world4  ,but whereas thou  
art afraid of creating to thyself hereby
 trouble and inquietude1 that indeed    
will be so according to the flesh4 ,in  
the world thou must have trouble1 and   
thy flesh will not fail to be unquiet1  
and to give thee occasion of continual  
repentance4 ,nevertheless in this very  
anxiety of soul arising from the world  
or the flesh1 the ,love doth most       
willingly enkindle itself1 and its      
cheering and conquering fire is but made
 to blaze forth with greater strength   
for the destruction of that evil4 ,and  
whereas thou dost also say1 that the    
,world will for this esteem thee mad2 it
 is true the ,world will be apt enough  
to censure thee for a madman in walking 
contrary to it1 and thou art not to be  
surprised if the children thereof laugh 

at thee1 calling thee silly ,fool4 ,for 
the ,way to the ,love of ,god is ,folly 
to the ,world1 but is ,wisdom to the    
,children of ,god4 ,hence1 whenever the 
,world perceiveth this holy ,fire of    
,love in ,god's ,children1 it concludeth
 immediately that they are turned fools1
 and are beside themselves4 ,but to the 
,children of ,god that which is despised
 of the ,world is the greatest          
,treasure1 yea1 so great a ,treasure is 
it as no life can express1 nor tongue so
 much as name what this enflaming1      
all-conquering ,love of ,god is4 ,it is 
brighter than the ,sun2 it is sweeter   
than anything that is called sweet2 it  
is stronger than all strength2 it is    
more nutrimental than food2 more        
cheering to the heart than wine1 and    
more pleasant than all the joy and      
pleasantness of this world4 ,whosoever  
obtaineth it is richer than any ,monarch
 on earth2 and he who getteth it1 is    
nobler than any ,emperor can be1 and    
more potent and absolute than all ,power

 and ,authority4     ,,dialogue ,,iii   
,,between ,,junius1 ,a ,,scholar1 ,,and 
,,theophorus1 ,,his ,,master1           
,,concerning ,,heaven ,,and ,,hell      
,the ,scholar asked his ,master ,whither
 goeth the ,soul when the ,body dieth8  
,his ,master answered him3 ,there is no 
necessity for it to go any whither4     
,how not1 said the inquisitive ,junius1 
must not the ,soul leave the body at    
death and go either to ,heaven or ,hell8
  ,it needs no going forth1 replied the 
venerable ,theophorus4 ,only the outward
 ,mortal ,life with the body shall      
separate themselves from the ,soul4 ,the
 ,soul hath ,heaven and ,hell within    
itself before1 according as it is       
written4 ,the ,kingdom of ,god cometh   
not with observation1 neither shall they
 say ,lo here6 or ,lo there6 ,for behold
 the ,kingdom of ,god is within you4    
,and which soever of the two1 that is1  
either ,heaven or ,hell1 is manifested  
in it1 in that the ,soul standeth4      
,here ,junius said to his ,master3 ,this

 is hard to understand4 ,doth it not    
enter into ,heaven or ,hell1 as a man   
entereth into a house2 or as one goeth  
through a hole or casement into an      
unknown place2 so goeth it not into     
another world8  ,the ,master spoke and  
said3 ,no1 there is verily no such kind 
of entering in2 forasmuch as ,heaven and
 ,hell are every where1 being           
universally co-extended4  ,how is that  
possible8 said the ,scholar4 ,what1 can 
,heaven and ,hell be here present1 where
 we are now sitting8 ,and if one of them
 might1 can you ever make me believe    
that ever both should be here together8 
,then spoke the ,master in this manner3 
,i have said that ,heaven is everywhere 
present and it is true4 ,for ,god is in 
,heaven2 and ,god is everywhere4 ,i have
 said also that ,hell must be in like   
manner everywhere4 ,for the ,wicked     
,one1 who is the ,devil1 is in ,hell1   
and the whole ,world1 as the ,apostle   
hath taught us1 lyeth in the ,wicked    
,one1 or the ,evil ,one2 which is as    

much as to say1 not only that the ,devil
 is in the ,world1 but that the ,world  
is in the ,devil2 and if in the ,devil1 
then in ,hell too1 because he is there4 
,so ,hell therefore is everywhere1 as   
well as ,heaven2 which is the thing that
 was to be proved4  ,the ,scholar1      
startled hereat1 said3 ,pray make me to 
understand this4  ,to whom the ,master3 
,understand then what ,heaven is4 ,it is
 but the turning in of the ,will to the 
,love of ,god4 ,wheresoever thou findest
 ,god manifesting himself in ,love1     
there thou findest ,heaven1 without     
travelling for it so much as one foot4  
,and by this understand also what ,hell 
is and where it is4 ,i say unto thee it 
is but the turning in of the ,will into 
the wrath of ,god4 ,wheresoever the     
,anger of ,god doth more or less        
manifest itself1 there certainly is more
 or less of ,hell1 in whatsoever place  
it be4 ,so that it is but the turning in
 of thy will either into his ,love1 or  
into his ,anger2 and thou art           

accordingly either in ,heaven or in     
,hell4 ,mark it well4 ,and this now     
cometh to pass in this present life1    
whereof ,st ,paul speaking saith1 ,our  
conversation is in ,heaven4 ,and the    
,lord ,christ saith also1 ,my sheep hear
 my voice1 and ,i know them1 and they   
follow me1 and ,i give them the ,eternal
 ,life1 and none shall pluck them out of
 my hand4 ,observe1 he saith not1 ,i    
will give them1 after this life is      
ended1 but ,i give them1 that is1 now in
 the time of this life4 ,and what else  
is this gift of ,christ to his          
followers1 but an ,eternity of ,life1   
which for certain can be no where but in
 ,heaven4 ,yea1 moreover1 none shall be 
able to pluck them out of ,heaven1      
because it is he who holdeth them there1
 and they are in his hand which nothing 
can resist4 ,all therefore doth consist 
in the turning in1 or entering of the   
,will into ,heaven1 by hearing the the  
voice of ,christ1 and both knowing him1 
and following him4 ,and so on the       

contrary it is also4 ,understandest thou
 this8  ,his ,scholar said to him3 ,i   
think1 in part1 ,i do4 ,but how cometh  
this entering of the ,will into ,heaven 
to pass8  ,the ,master answered him3    
,this then will ,i endeavour to satisfy 
thee in2 but thou must be very attentive
 to what ,i shall say unto thee4 ,know  
then1 my son1 that when the ,ground of  
the ,will yieldeth itself up to ,god1   
then it sinketh out of its own ,self1   
and out of and beyond all ground and    
place1 that is or can be imagined1 into 
a certain unknown ,deep1 where ,god only
 is manifest1 and where he only worketh 
and willeth4 ,and then it becometh      
nothing to itself1 as to its own working
 and willing1 and so ,god worketh and   
willeth in it4 ,and ,god dwells in this 
designed ,will1 by which the ,soul is   
sanctified1 and so fitted to come into  
,divine ,rest4 ,now1 in this case1 when 
the body breaketh1 the ,soul is so      
thoroughly penetrated all over with the 
,divine ,light1 even as a glowing hot   

iron is by the fire1 by which being     
penetrated throughout1 it loseth its    
darkness1 and becomes bright and        
shining4 ,now this is the hand of       
,christ1 where ,god's ,love thoroughly  
inhabits the ,soul1 and is in it a      
shining ,light1 and a new glorious      
,life4 ,and then the ,soul is in        
,heaven1 and is a ,temple of the ,holy  
,ghost1 and is itself the very ,heaven  
of ,god1 wherein he dwelleth4 ,lo1 this 
is the entering of the ,will into       
,heaven2 and thus it cometh to pass4    
,be pleased1 ,sir1 to proceed1 said the 
,scholar1 and let me know how it fareth 
on the other side4  ,the ,master said3  
,the godly ,soul1 you see1 is in the    
hand of ,christ1 that is in ,heaven1 as 
he himself hath told us1 and in what    
manner this cometh to be so1 you have   
also heard4 ,but the ungodly ,soul is   
not willing in this life-time to come   
into the ,divine ,resignation of its    
,will1 or to enter into the ,will of    
,god2 but goeth on still in its own lust

 and desire1 in vanity and falsehood1   
and so entereth into the ,will of the   
,devil4 ,it receiveth1 thereupon1 into  
itself nothing but wickedness2 nothing  
but lying1 pride1 covetousness1 envy and
 wrath2 and thereunto it giveth up its  
,will and whole ,desire4 ,this is the   
,vanity of the ,will2 and this same     
,vanity or vain shadow must also in like
 manner be manifested in the ,soul1     
which hath yielded itself up also to be 
its servant2 and must work therein even 
as the ,love of ,god worketh in the     
regenerated ,will2 and penetrate it all 
over1 as fire doth iron4  ,and it is not
 possible for this ,soul to come into   
the ,rest of ,god1 because ,god's ,anger
 is manifested in it1 and worketh in it4
 ,now when a body is parted from the    
,soul1 then beginneth the ,eternal      
,melancholy and ,despair1 because it now
 findeth that it is become altogether   
,vanity1 even a ,vanity most vexatious  
to itself1 and a distracting ,fury1 and 
a self-tormenting ,abomination4 ,now it 

perceiveth itself disappointed of every 
,thing which it had before fancied1 and 
blind1 and naked1 and wounded1 and      
hungry1 and thirsty1 without the least  
prospect of ever being relieved1 or     
obtaining so much as one drop of the    
water of ,eternal ,life4 ,and it feeleth
 itself to be its own vile executioner  
and tormentor2 and is affrighted at its 
own ugly dark form1 and fain would flee 
from itself if it could1 but it cannot1 
being fast bound with the chains of the 
,dark ,nature1 whereinto it had sunk    
itself when in the flesh4 ,and so1 not  
having learned or accustomed itself to  
sink down into the ,divine ,grace1 and  
being also strongly possessed with the  
,idea of ,god1 as an angry and jealous  
,god1 the poor ,soul is both afraid and 
ashamed to bring its ,will into ,god1 by
 which deliverance might possibly come  
to it4 ,the ,soul is afraid to do it1 as
 fearing to be consumed by so doing1    
under the apprehension of the ,deity as 
a mere devouring ,fire4 ,the ,soul is   

also ashamed to do it1 as being         
confounded at its own nakedness and     
monstrosity1 and therefore would1 if it 
were possible1 hide itself from the     
,majesty of ,god1 and cover its         
abominable form from his most holy eye1 
though by casting itself still deeper   
into the ,darkness4 ,therefore it will  
not enter into ,god1 nay1 it cannot     
enter with its false ,will2 yea1 though 
it should strive to enter1 yet can it   
not enter into the ,love1 because of the
 ,will which hath reigned in it4 ,for   
such a ,soul is thereby captivated in   
the ,wrath1 yea1 is itself but mere     
,wrath1 having by its false ,desire1    
which it had awakened in itself1        
comprehended and shut itself up         
therewith1 and so transformed itself    
into the nature and property thereof4   
,and since also the ,light of ,god doth 
not shine in it1 nor the ,love of ,god  
enclose it1 the ,soul is moreover a     
great ,darkness1 and is withal an       
anxious ,fire-source1 carrying about an 

,hell in itself1 and not being able to  
discern the least glimpse of the ,light 
of ,god1 or to feel the least spark of  
his ,love4 ,thus it dwelleth in itself  
as in ,hell1 and needeth no entering    
into ,hell at all1 or being carried     
thither1 for in what place soever it may
 be1 so long as it is in itself1 it is  
in the ,hell4 ,and though it should     
travel far and cast itself many hundred 
thousand leagues from its present place1
 to be out of ,hell2 yet still would it 
remain in its hellish source and        
darkness4  ,if this be so1 how then     
cometh it1 said the ,scholar to         
,theophorus1 that an ,heavenly ,soul    
doth not in the time of this life       
perfectly perceive the ,heavenly ,light 
and ,joy1 and the ,soul which is without
 ,god in the ,world1 doth not also here 
feel ,hell1 as well as hereafter8 ,why  
should they not both be perceived and   
felt as well in this life as in the     
next1 seeing that both of them are in   
,man1 and one of them as you have       

shewed1 worketh in every man8  ,to whom 
,theophorus presently returned this     
answer3 ,the ,kingdom of ,heaven is in  
the ,saints operative and manifestative 
of itself by ,faith4 ,they who carry    
,god within them1 and live by his       
,spirit1 find the ,kingdom of ,god in   
their ,faith1 and they feel the ,love of
 ,god in their ,faith1 by which the     
,will hath given up itself unto ,god1   
and is made ,godlike4 ,all is transacted
 within them by ,faith1 which is to them
 the evidence of the ,eternal           
,invisibles1 and a great manifestation  
in their ,spirit of this ,divine        
,kingdom1 which is within them4 ,but    
their natural life is nevertheless      
encompassed with flesh and blood2 and   
this standing in a contrariety thereto1 
and being placed through the ,fall in   
the principle of ,god's ,anger1 and     
environed about with the ,world1 which  
by no means can be reconciled to ,faith1
 these faithful ,souls cannot but be    
very much exposed to attacks from this  

,world1 wherein they are sojourners2    
neither can they be insensible of their 
being thus encompassed about with flesh 
and blood1 and with the ,world's vain   
lust1 which ceaseth not continually to  
penetrate the outward mortal life1 and  
to tempt them manifold ways1 even as it 
did ,christ4 ,whence the ,world on one  
side and the ,devil on the other1 not   
without the curse of ,god's ,anger in   
flesh and blood1 do thoroughly sift and 
penetrate the ,life1 whereby it cometh  
to pass that the ,soul is often in      
anxiety when these three are all set    
upon it together1 and when ,hell thus   
assaulteth the ,life1 and would manifest
 itself in the ,soul4 ,but the ,soul    
hereupon sinketh down into the hope of  
the ,grace of ,god1 and standeth like a 
beautiful ,rose in the midst of ,thorns1
 until the ,kingdom of this ,world shall
 fall from it in the death of the body4 
,and then the ,soul first becometh truly
 manifest in the ,love of ,god1 and of  
his ,kingdom1 which is the ,kingdom of  

,love2 having henceforth nothing more to
 hinder it4 ,but during this life she   
must walk with ,christ in this world1   
and then ,christ delivereth her out of  
her own ,hell1 by penetrating her with  
his ,love throughout1 and standing by   
her in ,hell1 and even changing her     
,hell into ,heaven4  ,but in that thou  
sayest1 ,why do not the ,souls which are
 without ,god feel ,hell in this ,world8
 ,i answer2 ,they bear it about with    
them in their wicked consciences1 but   
they know it not2 because the ,world    
hath put out their eyes1 and its deadly 
cup hath cast them likewise into a      
sleep1 a most fatal sleep4              
,notwithstanding which it must be owned 
that the ,wicked do frequently feel     
,hell within them during the time of    
this mortal life1 though they may not   
apprehend that it is ,hell1 because of  
the earthly vanity which cleaveth to    
them from without1 and the sensible     
pleasures and amusements wherewith they 
are intoxicated4 ,and moreover it is to 

be noted that the outward ,life in every
 such one hath yet the ,light of the    
outward ,nature1 which ruleth in this   
,life1 and so the ,pain of ,hell cannot1
 so long as that hath the rule1 be      
revealed4 ,but when the body dyeth or   
breaketh away1 so as the ,soul cannot   
any longer enjoy such temporal pleasure 
and delight1 nor the ,light of this     
outward ,world1 which is wholly         
thereupon extinguished as to it1 then   
the ,soul stands in an eternal hunger   
and thirst after such vanities as it was
 here in love withal1 but yet can reach 
nothing but that false ,will1 which it  
had impressed in itself while in the    
body2 and wherein it had abounded to its
 great loss4 ,and now whereas it had too
 much of its ,will in this life1 and yet
 was not contented therewith1 it hath1  
after the separation by death1 as little
 of it2 which createth in it an         
everlasting thirst after that which it  
can henceforth never obtain more1 and   
causeth it to be in a perpetual anxious 

lust after ,vanity1 according to its    
former impression1 and in a continual   
rage of hunger after those sorts of     
wickedness and lewdness whereinto it was
 immersed1 being in the flesh4 ,fain    
would it do more evil still1 but that it
 hath not either wherein or wherewith to
 effect the same1 and therefore it doth 
perform this only in itself4 ,all is not
 literally transacted1 as if it were    
outward2 and so the ungodly is tormented
 by those ,furies which are in his own  
mind1 and begotten upon himself by      
himself4 ,for he is verily become his   
own ,devil and ,tormentor2 and that by  
which he sinned here1 when the ,shadow  
of this ,world is passed away1 abideth  
still with him in the impression1 and is
 made his prison and his ,hell4 ,but    
this hellish hunger and thirst cannot be
 fully manifested in the ,soul1 till the
 ,body1 which ministered to the ,soul   
that it lusted after1 and with which the
 ,soul was so bewitched1 as to doat     
thereupon1 and pursue all its cravings1 

be stripped off from it4  ,i perceive   
then1 said ,junius to his ,master1 that 
the ,soul1 having played the wanton with
 the ,body in all voluptuousness1 and   
served the lusts thereof during this    
life1 retaineth still the very same     
inclinations and affections which it had
 before1 then when it hath no           
opportunity or capacity to satisfy them 
longer2 and that when this cannot be1   
there is then ,hell opened in that      
,soul1 which had been shut up in it     
before by means of the outward ,life in 
the ,body1 and of the ,light of this    
,world4 ,do ,i rightly understand8      
,theophorus said3 ,it is very rightly   
understood by you4 ,go on4  ,on the     
other hand 7said he7 ,i clearly perceive
 by what ,i have heard1 that ,heaven    
cannot but be in a loving ,soul which is
 possessed of ,god1 and hath subdued    
thereby the ,body to the obedience of   
the ,spirit in all things1 and perfectly
 immersed itself into the ,will and     
,love of ,god4 ,and when the ,body      

dyeth1 and the ,soul is hence redeemed  
from the ,earth1 it is now evident to me
 that the ,life of ,god1 which was      
hidden in it1 will display itself       
gloriously1 and ,heaven consequently be 
then manifested4 ,but1 notwithstanding1 
if there be not a local ,heaven besides 
and a local ,hell1 ,i am still at a loss
 where to place no small part of the    
,creation1 if not the greatest4 ,for    
where must all the intellectual         
inhabitants of it abide8  ,in their own 
,principle1 answered the ,master1       
whether it be of ,light or of ,darkness4
 ,for every created intellectual ,being 
remaineth in its deeds and essences1 in 
its wonders and properties1 in its life 
and image2 and therein it beholdeth and 
feeleth ,god1 as who is everywhere1     
whether it be in the ,love or in the    
,wrath4  ,if it be in the ,love of ,god1
 then beholdeth it ,god accordingly1 and
 feeleth him as he is1 ,love4 ,but if it
 hath captivated itself in the ,wrath of
 ,god1 then it cannot behold ,god       

otherwise than in the ,wrathful ,nature1
 nor perceive him otherwise than as an  
incensed and vindictive ,spirit4 ,all   
places are alike to it1 if it be in     
,god's ,love2 and1 if it be not there1  
every place is ,hell alike4 ,what ,place
 can bound a ,thought8 ,or what needeth 
any understanding ,spirit to be kept    
here or there1 in order to its happiness
 or misery8 ,verily1 wheresoever it is1 
it is in the ,abyssal ,world1 where     
there is neither end nor limit4 ,and    
whither1 ,i pray1 should it go8 since   
though it should go a thousand miles    
off1 or a thousand times ten thousand   
miles1 and this ten thousand times over 
beyond the bounds of the ,universe1 and 
into the imagining spaces above the     
stars1 yet it were then still in the    
very same point from whence it went out4
 ,for ,god is the ,place of ,spirit1 if 
it may be lawful to attribute to him    
such a name to the which ,body hath a   
relation4 ,and in ,god there is no      
limit2 both near and far off is here all

 one2 and be it in his ,love1 or be it  
in his ,anger1 the abyssal ,will of the 
,spirit is altogether unconfined4 ,it is
 swift as thought1 passing through all  
things2 it is magical1 and nothing      
corporeal or from without can let it2 it
 dwelleth in its wonders1 and they are  
its house4  ,thus it is with every      
,intellectual1 whether of the ,order of 
,angels or of human ,souls1 and you need
 not fear but there will be room enough 
for them all1 be they ever so many2 and 
such also as shall best suit them1 even 
according to their election and         
determination1 and which may thence very
 well be called the own place of each4  
,at which said the ,scholar1 ,i         
remember1 indeed1 that it is written    
concerning the great traitor1 that he   
went after death to his own place4  ,the
 ,master said3 ,the same is true of     
every ,soul1 when it departeth this     
mortal life4 ,and it is true in like    
manner of every ,angel and ,spirit      
whatsoever1 which is necessarily        

determined by its own choice4 ,as ,god  
is everywhere1 so also the ,angels are  
everywhere2 but each one in its own     
,principle1 and in its own ,property or 
7if you had rather7 in its own ,place4  
,the same ,essence of ,god1 which is as 
a ,place to ,spirits1 is confessed to be
 everywhere1 but the appropriation or   
participation hereof is different to    
everyone1 according as each hath        
attracted it magically in the           
earnestness of ,will4 ,the same ,divine 
,essence which is with the ,angels of   
,god above1 is with us also below4 ,and 
the same ,divine ,nature which is with  
us is likewise with them2 but after     
different manners and in different      
degrees communicated and participated4  
,and what ,i have said here of the      
,divine1 is no less to be considered by 
you in the participation of the         
,diabolical ,essence and ,nature1 which 
is the ,power of ,darkness1 as to the   
manifold modes1 degrees1 and            
appropriations thereof in the false     

,will4 ,in this ,world there is strife  
between them1 but when this ,world hath 
reached in anyone the ,limit1 then the  
,principle catcheth that which is its   
own1 and so the ,soul receiveth         
companions accordingly1 that is1 either 
,angels or ,devils4  ,to whom the       
,scholar again3 ,heaven and ,hell then  
being in us at strife in the time of    
this life1 and ,god himself being also  
thus near to us1 where can ,angels and  
,devils dwell8  ,and the ,master        
answered him thus3 ,where thou dost not 
dwell as to thy ,self-hood and to thine 
own ,will1 there the holy ,angels dwell 
with thee1 and every where all over     
round about thee4 ,remember this well4  
,on the contrary1 where thou dwellest as
 to thyself1 or in ,self-seeking1 and   
,self-will1 there to be sure the ,devils
 will be with thee1 and will take up    
their abode with thee1 and dwell all    
over thee1 and round about thee         
everywhere1 which ,god in his mercy     
prevent4  ,i understand not this1 said  

the ,scholar1 so perfectly well as ,i   
could wish4 ,be pleased to make it a    
little more plain to me4  ,the ,master  
then spake3 ,mark well what ,i am going 
to say4 ,where the ,will of ,god in     
anything willeth1 there is ,god         
manifested4 ,and in this very           
manifestation of ,god the ,angels do    
dwell4 ,but where ,god in any ,creature 
willeth not with the ,will of that      
,creature1 there ,god is not manifested 
to it1 neither can he be2 but dwelleth  
in himself1 without the co-operation    
thereof1 and subjection to him in       
humility4 ,there ,god is an unmanifested
 ,god to the ,creature4 ,so the ,angels 
dwell not with such an one2 for wherever
 they dwell1 there is the ,glory of     
,god2 and they make his ,glory4 ,what   
then dwelleth in such a ,creature as    
this8 ,god dwelleth not therein2 the    
,angels dwell not therein2 ,god willeth 
not therein2 the ,angels also will not  
therein4 ,the case is evidently this2 in
 that ,soul or ,creature its own will is

 without ,god's ,will2 and there the    
,devil dwelleth2 and with him all that  
is without ,god1 and without ,christ4   
,this is the truth2 lay it to heart4    
,the ,scholar said3 ,it is possible ,i  
may ask several impertinent questions2  
but ,i beseech you1 good ,sir1 to have  
patience with me1 and to pity my        
ignorance1 if ,i ask what may appear to 
you perhaps ridiculous1 or may not be at
 all fit for me to expect an answer to4 
,for ,i have several questions still to 
propound to you2 but ,i am ashamed of my
 own thoughts in this matter4  ,the     
,master said3 ,be plain with me1 and    
propose whatever is upon your mind2 yea1
 be not ashamed even to appear          
ridiculous1 so that by querying you may 
but become wiser4  ,the ,scholar thanked
 his ,master for this liberty and said3 
,how far then are ,heaven and ,hell     
asunder8  ,to whom he answered thus3 ,as
 far as ,day and ,night2 or as far as   
,something and ,nothing4 ,they are in   
one another and yet they are at the     

greater distance one from the other4    
,nay1 the one of them is as nothing to  
the other2 and yet notwithstanding they 
cause joy and grief to one another4     
,heaven is throughout the whole ,world1 
and it is also without the ,world over  
all1 even everywhere that is1 or that   
can be even so much as imagined4 ,it    
filleth all1 it is within all1 it is    
without all1 it encompasseth all2       
without division1 without place2 working
 by a ,divine ,manifestation1 and       
flowing forth universally1 but not going
 in the least out of itself4 ,for only  
in itself it worketh and is revealed1   
being one and undivided in all4 ,it     
appeareth only through the              
,manifestation of ,god2 and never but in
 itself only4 ,and in that ,being which 
cometh into it1 or in that wherein it is
 manifested2 there also it is that ,god 
is manifested4 ,because ,heaven is      
nothing else but a ,manifestation or    
,revelation of the ,eternal ,one1       
wherein all the working and willing is  

in quiet love4  ,so in like manner ,hell
 also is through the whole ,world1 and  
dwelleth and worketh but in itself1 and 
in that wherein the ,foundation of ,hell
 is manifested1 namely1 in ,self-hood   
and in the ,false ,will4 ,the visible   
,world hath both in it2 and there is no 
place but ,heaven and ,hell may be found
 or revealed in it4 ,now ,man as to his 
temporal life is only of the visible    
,world2 and therefore during the time of
 his life he seeth not the spiritual    
,world4 ,for the ,outward ,world with   
its substance is a cover to the         
,spiritual ,world1 even as the ,body is 
to the ,soul4 ,but when the outward ,man
 dyeth1 then the ,spiritual ,world is   
manifested to the ,soul1 which hath now 
its covering taken away4 ,and it is     
manifested either in the ,eternal ,light
 with the holy ,angels1 or in the       
,eternal ,darkness1 with the ,devils4   
,the ,scholar further queried3 ,what is 
an ,angel1 or an human ,soul1 that they 
can be thus manifested either in ,god's 

,love or ,anger1 either in ,light or    
,darkness8  ,to whom ,theophorus        
answered3 ,they come from one and the   
self-same ,original4 ,they are little   
branches of the ,divine ,wisdom1 of the 
,divine ,will1 sprung from the ,divine  
,word1 and made objects of the ,divine  
,love4 ,they are out of the ,ground of  
,eternity2 whence ,light and ,darkness  
do spring2 ,darkness which consisteth in
 the receiving of ,self-,desire2 and    
,light which consisteth in willing the  
same thing with ,god4 ,for the          
conformity of the ,will with ,god's     
,will is ,heaven2 and wheresoever there 
is this willing with ,god1 there the    
,love of ,god is undoubtedly in the     
working1 and his ,light will not fail to
 manifest itself4 ,but in the           
,self-attraction of the ,soul's desire1 
or in the reception of ,self into the   
willing of any ,spirit1 angelical or    
human1 the ,will of ,god worketh with   
difficulty1 and is to that ,soul and    
,spirit nought but ,darkness2 out of    

which1 notwithstanding1 the ,light may  
be manifested4 ,and this ,darkness is   
the ,hell of that ,spirit wherein it is4
 ,for ,heaven and ,hell are nought else 
but a ,manifestation of the ,divine     
,will either in ,light or ,darkness1    
according to the ,properties of the     
,spiritual ,world4  ,,scholar  ,what    
then is the ,body of ,man8  ,,master    
,it is the visible ,world1 an ,image and
 ,quintessence1 or ,compound of all that
 the ,world is2 and the visible ,world  
is a manifestation of the inward        
spiritual ,world1 come out of the       
,eternal ,light1 and out of the ,eternal
 ,darkness1 out of the spiritual        
compaction or connection2 and it is also
 an ,image or ,figure of ,eternity1     
whereby ,eternity hath made itself      
visible2 where ,self-,will and resigned 
,will1 viz41 ,evil and ,good1 work one  
with the other4  ,such a substance is   
the outward ,man4 ,for ,god created ,man
 out of the outward ,world1 and breathed
 into him the inward spiritual ,world   

for a ,soul and an intelligent ,life1   
and therefore in the things of the      
outward ,world1 ,man can receive and    
work ,evil and ,good4  ,,scholar  ,what 
shall be after this ,world1 when all    
things perish and come to an end8       
,,master  ,the material substance only  
ceaseth2 viz41 the four ,elements1 the  
,sun1 ,moon and ,stars4 ,and then the   
inward world will be wholly visible and 
manifest4 ,but whatsoever hath been     
wrought by the ,will or ,spirit of ,man 
in this ,world's time1 whether evil or  
good shall there separate itself in a   
spiritual matter1 either into the       
,eternal ,light or into the ,eternal    
,darkness4 ,for that which is born from 
each ,will penetrateth and passeth again
 into that which is like itself4 ,and   
there the ,darkness is called ,hell1 and
 is an eternal forgetting of all ,good1 
and the ,light is called the ,kingdom of
 ,god1 and is an eternal joy in and to  
the ,saints1 who continually glorify and
 praise ,god1 for having delivered them 

from the torment of evil4  ,the last    
,judgment is a kindling of the ,fire    
both of ,god's ,love and ,anger1 in     
which the matter of every substance     
perisheth1 and each ,fire shall attract 
into itself its own1 that is1 the       
substance which is like itself4 ,thus   
,god's ,fire of ,love will draw into    
itself what is wrought in the ,anger of 
,god in ,darkness1 and consume the false
 substance2 and then there will remain  
only the painful1 aching ,will in its   
own proper nature1 image1 and figure4   
,,scholar  ,with what matter and form   
shall the human ,body rise8  ,,master   
,it is sown a natural gross and         
elementary ,body2 yet in this gross     
,body there is a subtle ,power and      
,virtue4 ,as in the ,earth also there is
 a subtle good ,virtue1 which is like   
the ,sun1 and is one and the same with  
the ,sun1 which also did in the         
beginning of time spring and proceed out
 of the ,divine ,power and ,virtue1     
whence all the good ,virtue of the ,body

 is likewise derived4 ,this good ,virtue
 of the mortal ,body shall come again   
and live for ever in a kind of          
transparent crystalline material        
property1 in spiritual flesh and blood2 
as shall return also the good ,virtue of
 the ,earth1 for the ,earth1 likewise   
shall become crystalline1 and the       
,divine ,light shine in everything that 
hath a being1 essence1 or substance4    
,and as the gross ,earth shall perish   
and never return1 so also the gross     
flesh of ,man shall perish and not live 
for ever4 ,but all ,things must appear  
before the ,judgment1 and in the        
,judgment be separated by the ,fire2    
yea1 both the ,earth1 and also the ashes
 of the human ,body4 ,for when ,god     
shall once move the spiritual ,world1   
every ,spirit shall attract its         
spiritual substance to itself4 ,a good  
,spirit and ,soul shall draw to itself  
its own substance1 and an evil one its  
evil substance4  ,,scholar  ,shall we   
not rise again with our visible bodies1 

and live in them for ever8  ,,master    
,when the visible world perisheth1 then 
all that hath come out of it1 and hath  
been external1 shall perish with it4    
,there shall remain of the ,world only  
the crystalline ,nature and ,form1 and  
of ,man also only the spiritual ,earth1 
for ,man shall be then wholly like the  
crystalline ,world1 which as yet is     
hidden4  ,,scholar  ,shall all then have
 eternal joy and glorification alike8   
,,master  ,st ,paul saith3 ,in the      
,resurrection one shall differ from     
another in glory1 as do the ,sun1 ,moon 
and ,stars4 ,therefore know that the    
,blessed shall indeed all enjoy the     
divine working in and upon them1 but    
their virtue and illumination or glory  
shall be very different according as    
they have endured in this life with     
different measures and degrees of power 
and virtue in their painful workings4   
,,scholar  ,how shall all people and    
nations be brought to judgment8         
,,master  ,the ,eternal ,word of ,god1  

out of which every creaturely spiritual 
,life hath proceeded will move itself at
 that hour1 according to ,love and      
,anger1 in every ,life which is come out
 of the ,eternity1 and will draw every  
,creature before the ,judgment of       
,christ1 to be sentenced by this motion 
of the ,word4 ,the ,life will then be   
manifested in all its works1 and every  
,soul shall see and feel its judgment   
and sentence in itself4 ,for the        
,judgment is1 indeed1 immediately at the
 departure of the ,body manifested in   
and to every ,soul4 ,and the last       
,judgment is but a return of the        
spiritual ,body1 and a separation of the
 ,world1 when the ,evil shall be        
separated from the ,good1 in the        
substance of the ,world1 and of the     
human ,body1 and everything enter into  
its eternal receptacle4 ,and thus it is 
a manifestation of the ,mystery of ,god 
in every substance and life4  ,,scholar 
,how will the sentence be pronounced8   
,,master  ,here consider the words of   

,christ4 ,he will say to those on his   
right hand2 ,come1 ye blessed of my     
,father1 inherit the kingdom prepared   
for you from the foundation of the      
world4 ,for ,i was hungry and ye gave me
 meat2 ,i was thirsty and ye gave me    
drink2 ,i was a stranger and ye took me 
in2 naked and ye clothed me4 ,i was sick
 and ye visited me1 in prison and ye    
came unto me4  ,then shall they answer  
him1 saying1 ,lord1 when saw we thee    
hungry1 thirsty1 a stranger1 naked1     
sick1 or in prison1 and ministered thus 
unto thee8  ,then shall the ,king answer
 and say unto them2 ,inasmuch as ye have
 done it unto one of the least of these 
my brethren1 ye have done it unto me4   
,and unto the wicked on his left hand he
 will say2 ,depart from me1 ye ,cursed1 
into everlasting fire1 prepared for the 
,devil and his ,angels4 ,for ,i was     
hungry1 thirsty1 a stranger1 naked1 and 
in prison1 and ye ministered not unto   
me4  ,and they shall also answer him and
 say2 ,when did we see thee thus and    

ministered not unto thee8  ,and he will 
answer them1 ,verily ,i say unto you1   
inasmuch as ye have not done it unto one
 of the least of these1 ye did it not to
 me4  ,and these shall depart into      
everlasting punishment1 but the         
,righteous into ,life ,eternal4         
,,scholar  ,loving ,master1 pray tell me
 why ,christ saith1 ,what you have done 
to the least of these you have done to  
me2 and what you have not done to them1 
neither have you done it to me8 ,and how
 doth a ,man this so1 as that he doth it
 to ,christ himself8  ,,master  ,christ 
dwelleth really and essentially in the  
faith of those that wholly yield up     
themselves to him1 and giveth them his  
,flesh for food and his ,blood for      
drink2 and thus possesseth the ground of
 their faith1 according to the interior 
or inward ,man4 ,and a ,christian is    
called a ,branch of the ,vine ,christ1  
and a ,christian1 because ,christ       
dwelleth spiritually in him2 therefore1 
whatsoever good any shall do to such a  

,christian in his bodily necessities1 it
 is done to ,christ himself1 who        
dwelleth in him4 ,for such a ,christian 
is not his own1 but is wholly resigned  
to ,christ1 and become his peculiar     
possession1 and consequently the good   
deed is done to ,christ himself4        
,therefore also whosoever shall withhold
 their help from such a needy           
,christian1 and forbear to serve him in 
his necessity1 they thrust ,christ away 
from themselves1 and despise him in his 
members4 ,when a poor person that       
belongeth thus to ,christ asketh        
anything of thee1 and thou deniest it   
him in his necessity1 thou deniest it to
 ,christ himself4 ,and whatsoever hurt  
any shall do to such a ,christian1 they 
do it to ,christ himself4 ,when any     
mock1 scorn1 revile1 reject1 or thrust  
away such an one they do all that to    
,christ1 but he that receiveth him1     
giveth him meat1 and drink1 or apparel1 
and assisteth him in his necessities1   
doth it likewise to ,christ1 and to a   

fellow-member of his own ,body4 ,nay he 
doth it to himself if it be a           
,christian2 for we are all one in       
,christ1 as a tree and its branches are4
  ,,scholar  ,how then will those       
subsist in the day of the last          
,judgment1 who afflict and vex the poor 
and distressed1 and deprive them of     
their very sweat1 necessitating and     
constraining them by force to submit to 
their wills1 and trampling upon them as 
their footstools1 only that they        
themselves may live in pomp and power1  
and spend the fruits of this poor       
people's sweat and labour in            
voluptuousness1 pride1 and vanity8      
,,master  ,christ suffereth in the      
persecution of his members4 ,therefore  
all the wrong that such hard executors  
do to the poor wretches under their     
control is done to ,christ himself2 and 
falleth under his severe sentence and   
judgment4 ,and besides that by such     
oppression of the ,poor they draw them  
off from ,christ1 and make them seek    

unlawful ways to fill their bellies4    
,nay1 they work for and with the ,devil 
himself1 doing the very same thing which
 he doth3 who1 without intermission     
opposeth the ,kingdom of ,christ1 which 
consisteth only in ,love4 ,all these    
oppressors1 if they do not turn with    
their whole hearts unto ,christ1 and    
minister to or serve him1 must go into  
,hell-fire1 which is fed and kept alive 
by nothing else but such mere ,self1    
which they have exercised over the ,poor
 here4  ,,scholar  ,but how will it fare
 with those who in this time do so      
fiercely contend about the kingdom of   
,christ1 and slander1 revile and        
persecute one another for their         
religion8  ,,master  ,all such have not 
yet known ,christ2 and they are but as a
 type or figure of ,heaven and ,hell1   
striving for each other for the victory4
  ,all rising1 swelling pride1 which    
contendeth about opinions1 is an image  
of ,self4 ,and whosoever hath not faith 
and humility1 nor liveth in the ,spirit 

of ,christ1 which is ,love1 is only     
armed with the ,anger of ,god1 and      
helpeth forward the victory of the      
imaginary ,self1 that is1 the ,kingdom  
of ,darkness1 and the ,anger of ,god4   
,for at the day of ,judgment all ,self  
shall be given to the ,darkness as shall
 also all the unprofitable contentions  
of men2 in which they seek not after    
,love1 but merely after their imaginary 
,self4 ,all such things belong to the   
,judgment1 which will separate the false
 from the true2 and then all images or  
opinions shall cease1 and all the       
,children of ,god shall dwell for ever  
in the ,love of ,christ1 and that in    
them4 ,for in ,heaven all serve ,god    
their ,creator in humble love4          
,,scholar  ,wherefore then doth ,god    
suffer such strife and contention to be 
in this time8  ,,master  ,the ,life     
itself standeth in strife1 that it may  
be made manifest1 sensible1 and         
palpable1 and that the wisdom may be    
made separable and known4  ,the ,strife 

also constituteth the ,eternal ,joy of  
the victory4 ,for there will arise great
 praise and thanksgiving in the ,saints 
from the experimental sense and         
knowledge that ,christ in them hath     
overcome ,darkness1 and all the ,self of
 ,nature1 and that they are at length   
totally delivered from the ,strife1 at  
which they shall rejoice eternally4 ,and
 therefore ,god suffereth all ,souls to 
stand in a free-will1 that the ,eternal 
,dominion both of ,love and ,anger1 of  
,light and of ,darkness1 may be made    
manifest and known2 and that every ,life
 might cause and find its own sentence  
in itself4 ,for that which is now a     
strife and pain to the ,saints in their 
wretched warfare here1 shall in the end 
be turned into great joy to them2 and   
that which hath been a joy and pleasure 
to ungodly persons in this world1 shall 
afterwards be turned into eternal       
torment and shame to them4 ,therefore   
the joy of the ,saints must arise to    
them out of death1 as the light ariseth 

out of a candle by the destruction and  
consumption of it in its fire1 that so  
the ,life may be freed from the         
painfulness of ,nature1 and possess     
another ,world4  ,and as the ,light hath
 quite another property than the ,fire  
has1 for it giveth and yieldeth itself  
forth2 whereas the ,fire draweth in and 
consumeth itself1 so the holy ,life of  
,meekness springeth forth through the   
,death of ,self-will1 and then ,god's   
,will of ,love only ruleth1 and doth all
 in all4 ,for thus the ,eternal ,one    
hath attained ,feeling and              
,separability1 and brought itself forth 
again with the feeling1 through ,death1 
in great ,joyfulness1 that there might  
be an ,eternal ,delight in the ,infinite
 ,unity1 and an ,eternal ,cause of ,joy2
 and therefore that which was before    
,painfulness1 must now be the ,ground   
and ,cause of this motion or stirring to
 the ,manifestation of all ,things4 ,and
 herein lyeth the ,mystery of the hidden
 ,wisdom of ,god4  ,every one that      

asketh receiveth1 every one that seeketh
 findeth1 and to every one that knocketh
 it shall be opened4 ,the ,grace of our 
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and the ,love of  
,god1 and the ,communion of the ,holy   
,ghost1 be with us all4 ,amen4          
,,dialogue ,,iv  ,,the ,,way ,,from     
,,darkness ,,to ,,true ,,illumination   
,there was a poor ,soul that had        
wandered out of ,paradise1 and come into
 the kingdom of this ,world2 where the  
,devil met it1 and said to it3 ,whither 
dost thou go1 thou ,soul that art half  
blind8  ,,the ,,soul ,,said  ,i would   
see and speculate into the ,creatures of
 the ,world1 which their ,creator hath  
made4  ,,the ,,devil ,,said  ,how wilt  
thou see and speculate into them1 when  
thou canst not know their essence and   
property8 ,thou wilt look upon their    
outside only1 as upon a graven image1   
and canst not know them thoroughly4     
,,the ,,soul ,,said  ,how may ,i come to
 know their essence and property8  ,,the
 ,,devil ,,said  ,thine eyes would be   

opened to see them thoroughly1 if thou  
didst but eat of that1 from whence the  
,creatures themselves are come to be    
good and evil4 ,thou wouldst then be as 
,god himself is1 and know what the      
,creature is4  ,,the ,,soul ,,said  ,i  
am now a noble and holy ,creature3 but  
if ,i should do so1 the ,creator hath   
said that ,i should die4  ,,the ,,devil 
,,said  ,no1 thou shouldst not die at   
all2 but thy eyes would be opened1 and  
thou wouldst be as ,god himself1 and be 
,master of ,good and ,evil4 ,also1 thou 
wouldst be mighty1 powerful and very    
great1 as ,i am2 all the subtlety that  
is in the ,creatures would be made known
 to thee4  ,,the ,,soul ,,said  ,if ,i  
had the knowledge of ,nature and of the 
,creatures1 ,i would then rule the whole
 ,world as ,i listed4  ,,the ,,devil    
,,said  ,the whole ground of their      
knowledge lieth in thee4 ,do but turn   
thy ,will and ,desire from ,god or      
,goodness into ,nature and the          
,creatures1 and then there will arise in

 thee a lust to taste2 and so thou      
mayest eat of the ,tree of ,knowledge of
 ,good and ,evil1 and by that means come
 to know all things4  ,,the ,,soul      
,,said  ,well then1 ,i will eat of the  
,tree of ,knowledge of ,good and ,evil1 
that ,i may rule all things by my own   
power1 and be of myself a ,lord on      
,earth1 and do what ,i will1 even as    
,god himself doth4  ,,the ,,devil ,,said
  ,i am the ,prince of this ,world2 and 
if thou wouldst rule on earth thou must 
turn thy lust towards my ,image1 and    
desire to be like me1 that thou mayst   
get the cunning1 wit1 reason1 and       
subtlety that my ,image hath4  ,thus did
 the ,devil present to the ,soul the    
,power that is in the fiery root of the 
,creature1 that is the fiery ,wheel of  
,essence in the form of a ,serpent4     
,upon which1  ,,the ,,soul ,,said       
,behold this is the ,power which can do 
all things4 ,what must ,i do to get it8 
,,the ,,devil ,,said  ,if thou dost     
break thy ,will off from ,god1 and bring

 it into this power and skill1 then thy 
hidden ,ground will be manifested in    
thee1 and thou mayest work in the same  
manner4 ,but thou must eat of that      
,fruit1 wherein each of the four        
elements in itself ruleth over the      
other1 and is in strife4 ,and then thou 
wilt be instantly as the fiery ,wheel   
is1 and so bring all things into thine  
own power1 and possess them as thine    
own4  ,,the ,,soul ,,did ,,so ,,and     
,,what ,,happened ,,thereupon  ,now when
 the ,soul broke its will off thus from 
,god1 and brought it into the fiery     
,will 7which is the ,root of ,life and  
,power71 there presently arose in it a  
lust to eat of the ,tree of ,knowledge  
of ,good and ,evil2 and the ,soul did   
eat thereof4 ,which as soon as it had   
done1 instantly was kindled the fiery   
,wheel of its ,essence1 and thereupon   
all the properties of ,nature awoke in  
the ,soul1 and exercised each its own   
desire4  ,first arose the lust of       
,pride2 a desire to be great1 mighty1   

and powerful2 to bring all things in    
subjection to it1 and to be ,lord itself
 without control1 despising all humility
 and equality1 as esteeming itself the  
only prudent1 witty and cunning one1 and
 accounting everything folly that is not
 according to its own humour and liking4
  ,secondly1 arose the lust of          
,covetousness1 a desire of getting1     
which would draw all things to itself1  
into its own possession4 ,for when the  
lust of ,pride had turned away the ,will
 from ,god1 then the ,life of the ,soul 
would not trust ,god any further1 but   
would take care for itself2 and         
therefore brought its desire into the   
,creatures1 viz41 into the earth1       
metals1 trees1 and other ,creatures4    
,thus the kindled fiery ,life became    
hungry and covetous1 when it had broken 
itself off from the ,unity1 ,love1 and  
,meekness of ,god1 and attracted to     
itself the four ,elements and ,new      
,essence1 and brought itself into the   
,condition of the beasts1 and so the    

,life became dark1 empty1 and wrathful2 
and the heavenly ,virtues and ,colours  
went out1 like a candle extinguished4   
,thirdly1 there awoke in this fiery     
,life the stinging thorny lust of ,envy3
 a hellish poison1 and a torment which  
makes the ,life a mere enmity to ,god   
and to all ,creatures4 ,which ,envy     
raged furiously in the sting of         
,covetousness1 as a venomous sting doth 
in the body4 ,envy cannot endure1 but   
hateth and would hurt or destroy that   
which ,covetousness cannot draw to      
itself by which hellish passion the     
,noble ,love of the ,soul is smothered4 
,fourthly1 there awoke in this fiery    
,life a torment like fire1 viz41 ,anger2
 which would murder and remove out of   
the way all who would not be subject to 
,pride4 ,thus the ,ground and           
,foundation of ,hell1 which is called   
the ,anger of ,god1 was wholly          
manifested in this ,soul4 ,whereby it   
lost the fair ,paradise of ,god and the 
,kingdom of ,heaven1 and became such a  

worm as the fiery ,serpent was1 which   
the ,devil presented to it in his own   
image and likeness4 ,and so the ,soul   
began to rule on earth in a bestial     
manner1 and did all things according to 
the ,will of the ,devil1 living in mere 
,pride1 ,covetousness1 ,envy1 and       
,anger1 having no longer any true love  
towards ,god4 ,but there arose in the   
stead thereof an evil bestial love of   
,wantonness and ,vanity1 and there was  
no purity left in the heart1 for the    
,soul had forsaken ,paradise1 and taken 
the ,earth into its possession4 ,its    
mind was wholly bent upon cunning       
knowledge1 subtility1 and getting       
together a multitude of earthly things4 
,no righteousness nor virtue remained in
 it at all2 but whatsoever evil and     
wrong it committed1 it covered all      
cunningly under the cloak of its power  
and authority by law1 and called it by  
the name of ,right and ,justice1 and    
accounted it good4  ,,the ,,devil ,,came
 ,,to ,,the ,,soul  ,upon this the      

,devil drew near the ,soul1 and brought 
it on from one vice to another1 for he  
had taken it captive in his ,essence1   
and set joy and pleasure before it1     
therein1 saying thus to it3 ,behold now 
thou art powerful1 mighty1 and noble1   
endeavour to be greater1 richer1 and    
more powerful still4 ,display thy       
knowledge1 wit and subtlety1 that every 
one may fear thee1 and stand in awe of  
thee1 and that thou mayst be respected1 
and get a great name in the ,world4     
,,the ,,soul ,,did ,,so  ,the ,soul did 
as the ,devil counselled it1 and yet    
knew not that its counsellor was the    
,devil2 but thought it was guided by its
 own knowledge1 wit1 and understanding1 
and that it did very well and right all 
the while4  ,,jesus ,,christ ,,met      
,,with ,,the ,,soul  ,the ,soul going on
 in this course of life1 our dear and   
loving ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 ,who was   
come into this ,world with the ,love and
 ,wrath of ,god1 to destroy the works of
 the ,devil1 and to execute judgment    

upon all ungodly deeds1 on a time met   
with it1 and spake by a strong power1   
viz41 by his passion and death into it1 
and destroyed the works of the ,devil in
 it1 and discovered to it the way to his
 ,grace1 and shone upon it with his     
mercy1 calling it to return and repent1 
and promising that he would then deliver
 it from that monstrous deformed shape  
and image which it had gotten1 and bring
 it into ,paradise again4  ,,how        
,,christ ,,brought ,,in ,,the ,,soul    
,now when the ,spark of the ,love of    
,god1 or the ,divine ,light1 was        
accordingly manifested in the ,soul1 it 
presently saw itself with its will and  
works to be in ,hell1 in the ,wrath of  
,god1 and found it was an ugly1         
misshapen monster in the ,divine        
,presence and the ,kingdom of ,heaven3  
at which it was so affrighted1 that it  
fell into the greatest anguish possible1
 for the ,judgment of ,god was          
manifested in it4  ,,what ,,christ      
,,said  ,upon this the ,lord ,christ    

spake unto it with the ,voice of his    
,grace1 and said3 ,repent and forsake   
,vanity1 and thou shalt attain ,my      
,grace4  ,,what ,,the ,,soul ,,said     
,then the ,soul with its ugly misshapen 
image went before ,god and entreated for
 ,grace and the pardon of its sins1 and 
came to be strongly persuaded in itself 
that the satisfaction and atonement of  
our ,lord ,jesus ,christ did belong to  
it4 ,but the evil properties of the     
,serpent1 formed in the ,astral ,spirit1
 or ,reason1 of the outward ,man1 would 
not suffer the ,will of the ,soul to    
come before ,god1 but brought their     
lusts and inclinations thereinto4  ,but 
the poor ,soul turned its countenance   
towards ,god1 and desired ,grace from   
him1 even that he would bestow his ,love
 upon it4  ,,the ,,devil ,,came ,,to    
,,it ,,again  ,but when the ,devil saw  
that the ,soul thus prayed to ,god1 and 
would enter into repentance1 he drew    
near to it1 and thrust the inclinations 
of the earthly properties into its      

prayers1 and disturbed its good thoughts
 and desires which pressed forwards     
towards ,god1 and drew them back again  
to earthly things that they might have  
no access to him4  ,,the ,,soul ,,sighed
  ,the central ,will of the ,soul indeed
 sighed after ,god1 but the thoughts    
arising in the mind that it should      
penetrate into him1 were distracted1    
scattered and destroyed1 so that they   
could not reach the ,power of ,god4 ,at 
which the poor ,soul was still more     
affrighted and began to pray more       
earnestly4 ,but the ,devil with his     
desire took hold of the kindled1 fiery  
,wheel of ,life1 and awakened the evil  
properties1 so that evil or false       
inclinations arose in the ,soul1 and    
went into that thing wherein they had   
taken most pleasure and delight before4 
,the poor ,soul would very fain go      
forward to ,god with its ,will1 and     
therefore used all its endeavours2 but  
its thoughts continually fled away from 
,god into earthly things1 and would not 

go to him4  ,upon this the ,soul sighed 
and bewailed itself to ,god2 but was as 
if it were quite forsaken by him1 and   
cast out from its ,presence4 ,it could  
not get so much as one look of ,grace1  
but was in mere anguish1 fear and       
terror1 and dreaded every moment that   
the ,wrath and severe ,judgment of ,god 
would be manifested in it1 and that the 
,devil would take hold of it and have   
it4 ,and thereupon fell into such great 
heaviness and sorrow1 that it became    
weary of all the temporal things1 which 
were before its chief joy and happiness4
  ,the earthly natural ,will indeed     
desired those things still1 but the     
,soul would willingly leave them        
altogether1 and desired to die to all   
temporal lust and joy whatsoever1 and   
longed only after its first native      
country1 from whence it originally came4
 ,but it found itself to be far from    
thence in great distress and want1 and  
knew not what to do1 yet resolved to    
enter into itself1 and try to pray more 

earnestly4  ,,the ,,devil',s            
,,opposition  ,but the ,devil opposed   
it1 and withheld it so that it could not
 bring itself into any greater fervency 
of repentance4  ,he awakened the earthly
 lusts in its heart1 that they might    
still keep their evil nature and false  
right therein1 and set them at variance 
with the new-born ,will and ,desire of  
the ,soul4 ,for they would not die to   
their own ,will and ,light1 but would   
still maintain their temporal pleasures1
 and so kept the poor ,soul captive in  
their evil desires1 that it could not   
stir1 though it sighed and longed never 
so much after the ,grace of ,god4 ,for  
whensoever it prayed1 or offered to     
press forward towards ,god1 then the    
lusts of the flesh swallowed up the rays
 and ejaculations that went forth from  
it1 and brought them away from ,god into
 earthly thoughts1 that it might not    
partake of ,divine ,strength4 ,which    
caused the poor ,soul to think itself   
forsaken of ,god1 not knowing that he   

was so near it1 and did thus attract it4
 ,also the ,devil tempted the poor      
,soul1 saying to it in the earthly      
thoughts3  ,why dost thou pray8 ,dost   
thou think that ,god knoweth thee or    
regardeth thee8 ,consider but what      
thoughts thou hast in his presence2 are 
they not altogether evil8 ,thou hast no 
faith or belief in ,god at all2 how then
 should he hear thee8 ,he heareth thee  
not1 leave off2 why wilt thou needlessly
 torment and vex thyself6 ,thou hast    
time enough to repent at leisure4 ,wilt 
thou be mad8 ,do but look upon the world
 ,i pray thee a little2 doth it not live
 in jollity and mirth1 yet it will be   
saved well enough for all that4 ,hath   
not ,christ paid the ransom and         
satisfied for all men8 ,thou needest    
only persuade and comfort thyself that  
it is done for thee1 and then thou shalt
 be saved4 ,thou canst not possibly in  
this world come to any feeling of ,god1 
therefore leave off1 and take care for  
thy body1 and look after temporal glory4

 ,what dost thou suppose will become of 
thee1 if thou turn to be so stupid and  
melancholy8 ,thou wilt be the scorn of  
everybody1 and they will laugh at thy   
folly2 and so thou wilt pass thy days in
 mere sorrow and heaviness1 which is    
pleasing neither to ,god nor ,nature4 ,i
 pray thee1 look upon the beauty of the 
,world1 for ,god hath so erected and    
placed thee in it1 to be a ,lord over   
all ,creatures and to rule them4 ,gather
 store of temporal goods beforehand1    
that thou mayest not be beholden to the 
,world1 or stand in need hereafter4 ,and
 when old age cometh1 or that thou      
growest near thy end1 then prepare      
thyself for repentance4 ,god will save  
thee1 and receive thee into the heavenly
 mansions there4 ,there is no need of   
such ado in vexing1 bewailing1 and      
stirring up thyself1 as thou makest4    
,,the ,,condition ,,of ,,the ,,soul  ,in
 these and the like thoughts the ,soul  
was ensnared by the ,devil1 and brought 
into the lust of the flesh1 and earthly 

desires2 and so bound as it were with   
fetters and strong chains that it did   
not know what to do4 ,it looked back a  
little into the ,world and the pleasures
 thereof1 but still felt in itself a    
hunger after ,divine ,grace1 and would  
rather enter into repentance and favour 
with ,god4 ,for the ,hand of ,god had   
touched and bruised it1 and therefore it
 could rest nowhere2 but always sighed  
in itself after sorrow for the sins it  
had committed1 and would fain be rid of 
them4 ,yet could not get true           
repentance1 or even the knowledge of    
sin1 though it had a mighty hunger and  
longing desire after such penitential   
sorrow4  ,the ,soul being thus heavy and
 sad1 and finding no remedy or rest1    
began to cast about where it might find 
a fit place to perform true repentance  
in1 where it might be free from         
business1 cares1 and the hinderances of 
the ,world2 and also by what means it   
might win the favour of ,god4 ,and at   
length purposed to betake itself to some

 private solitary place1 and give over  
all worldly employments and temporal    
things1 and hoped that by being         
bountiful and pitiful to the ,poor1 it  
should obtain ,god's mercy4 ,thus did it
 devise all kinds of ways to get rest1  
and to gain the love1 favour1 and grace 
of ,god again4 ,but all would not do2   
for its worldly business still followed 
it in the lusts of the flesh1 and it was
 ensnared in the net of the ,devil now1 
as well as before1 and could not attain 
rest4 ,and though for a little while it 
was somewhat cheered with earthly       
things1 yet presently it fell to be as  
sad and heavy again as it was before4   
,the truth was it felt the awakened     
,wrath of ,god in itself1 but knew not  
how that came to pass1 nor what ailed   
it4 ,for many times great trouble and   
terror fell upon it1 which made it      
comfortless1 sick1 and faint with very  
fear2 so mightily did the first bruising
 it with the ray or influence of the    
stirring of ,grace work upon it4 ,and   

yet it knew not that ,christ was in the 
,wrath and severe ,justice of ,god and  
fought therein with that ,spirit of     
,error incorporated in ,soul and ,body1 
nor understood that the hunger and      
desire to turn and repent came from     
,christ ,himself1 neither did it know   
what hindered it that it could not yet  
attain to ,divine ,feeling4 ,it knew not
 that itself was a monster1 and did bear
 the ,image of the ,serpent4  ,,an      
,,enlightened ,,and ,,regenerate ,,soul 
,,met ,,the ,,distressed ,,soul  ,by the
 ,providence of ,god1 an enlightened and
 regenerate ,soul met the distressed    
,soul1 and said3 ,what ailest thou1 thou
 distressed ,soul1 that thou art so     
restless and troubled6  ,,the           
,,distressed ,,soul ,,answered  ,the    
,creator hath hid his ,countenance from 
me1 so that ,i cannot come to his ,rest2
 therefore ,i am thus troubled1 and know
 not what ,i shall do to get his        
,loving-kindness again4 ,for great      
cliffs and rocks lie in my way to his   

,grace1 so that ,i cannot come to him4  
,though ,i sigh and long after him never
 so much1 yet ,i am kept back1 so that  
,i cannot partake of his ,power1        
,virtue1 and ,strength4  ,,the          
,,enlightened ,,soul ,,said  ,thou      
bearest the monstrous shape of the      
,devil1 and art clothed therewith2 in   
which1 being his own ,property or       
,principle1 he hath access or power of  
entrance into thee1 and thereby keepeth 
thy ,will from penetrating into ,god4   
,for if thy ,will might penetrate into  
,god1 it would be anointed with the     
highest ,power and ,strength of ,god1 in
 the ,resurrection of our ,lord ,jesus  
,christ2 and that unction would break in
 pieces the monster which thou carriest 
about thee2 and thy first ,image of     
,paradise would revive in the ,centre2  
which would destroy the ,devil's ,power 
therein1 and thou wouldst become an     
,angel again4 ,and because the ,devil   
envieth thee this happiness1 he holdeth 
thee captive in his ,desire in the lusts

 of the flesh1 from which if thou art   
not delivered1 thou wilt be separated   
from ,god1 and canst never enter into   
our ,society4  ,,the ,,distressed ,,soul
 ,,terrified  ,at this speech the poor  
distressed ,soul was so terrified and   
amazed1 that it could not speak one word
 more4 ,when it found that it stood in  
the form and condition of the ,serpent  
which separated it from ,god1 and that  
the ,devil was so nigh it in that       
condition1 who injected evil thoughts   
into the ,will of the ,soul1 and had so 
much power over it thereby that it was  
near damnation and sticking fast in the 
,abyss or bottomless pit of ,hell in the
 ,anger of ,god1 it would have even     
despaired of ,divine ,mercy2 but that   
the ,power1 ,virtue and ,strength of the
 first stirring of the ,grace of ,god1  
which had before bruised the ,soul1     
upheld and preserved it from total      
despair4 ,but still it wrestled in      
itself between ,hope and ,doubt2        
whatsoever ,hope built up1 that ,doubt  

threw down again4 ,and thus was it      
agitated with such continued disquiet1  
that at last the ,world and all the     
glory thereof became loathsome to it1   
neither would it enjoy worldly pleasures
 any more2 and yet for all this could it
 not come to ,rest4  ,,the ,,enlightened
 ,,soul ,,came ,,again1 ,,and ,,spoke   
,,to ,,the ,,troubled ,,soul  ,on a time
 the enlightened ,soul came again to    
this ,soul1 and finding it still in so  
great trouble1 anguish1 and grief1 said 
to it4  ,what dost thou8 ,wilt thou     
destroy thyself in thy anguish and      
sorrow8 ,why dost thou torment thyself  
in thy own ,power and ,will1 seeing thy 
torment increaseth thereby more and     
more8 ,yea1 if thou shouldst sink       
thyself down to the bottom of the sea1  
or fly to the uttermost coasts of the   
morning1 or raise thyself above the     
stars1 yet thou wouldst not be released4
 ,for the more thou grievest1           
tormentest1 and troublest thyself1 the  
more painful thy nature will be2 and yet

 thou wilt not be able to come to ,rest4
 ,for thy ,power is quite lost1 and as a
 dry stick burnt to a coal cannot grow  
green and spring afresh by its own      
power1 nor get sap to flourish again    
with other trees and plants2 so neither 
canst thou reach the ,place of ,god by  
thy own power and strength1 and         
transform thyself into that ,angelical  
,image which thou hadst at first4 ,for  
in respect to ,god thou art withered and
 dry1 like a dead plant that hath lost  
its sap and strength1 and so art become 
a dry tormenting ,hunger4 ,thy          
,properties are like ,heat and ,cold    
which continually strive one against the
 other1 and can never unite4  ,,the     
,,distressed ,,soul ,,said  ,what then  
shall ,i do to bud forth again1 and     
recover the first ,life1 wherein ,i was 
at rest before ,i became an ,image8     
,,the ,,enlightened ,,soul ,,said  ,thou
 shalt do nothing at all but forsake thy
 own ,will1 viz41 that which thou       
callest ,i1 or thyself4 ,by which means 

all thy evil properties will grow weak1 
faint1 and ready to die2 and then thou  
wilt sink down again into that ,one     
,thing from which thou art originally   
sprung4 ,for now thou liest captive in  
the ,creatures2 but if thy ,will        
forsaketh them1 they will die in thee1  
with their evil inclinations1 which at  
present stay and hinder thee that thou  
canst not come to ,god4 ,but if thou    
takest this course1 thy ,god will meet  
thee with his infinite ,love1 which he  
hath manifested in ,christ ,jesus in the
 ,humanity1 or human ,nature4 ,and that 
will impart sap1 life and vigour to     
thee1 whereby thou mayst bud1 spring1   
flourish again1 and rejoice in the      
,living ,god1 as a branch growing on his
 true ,vine4 ,and so thou wilt at length
 recover the ,image of ,god1 and be     
delivered from that of the ,serpent4    
,then shalt thou come to be my brother  
and have fellowship with the ,angels4   
,,the ,,poor ,,soul ,,said  ,how can ,i 
forsake my ,will1 so that the ,creatures

 which lodge therein may die1 seeing ,i 
must be in the ,world1 and also have    
need of it as long as ,i live8  ,,the   
,,enlightened ,,soul ,,said  ,now thou  
hast worldly power and riches1 which    
thou possesses6 as thy own1 to do what  
thou wilt with1 and regardest not how   
thou gettest or invest the same1        
employing them in the service or        
indulgence of thy carnal and vain       
desires4 ,nay though thou seest the poor
 and needy wretch who wanteth thy help1 
and is thy brother1 yet thou helpest him
 not1 but layest heavy burdens upon him1
 by requiring more of him than his      
abilities will bear1 or his necessities 
afford1 and oppressest him1 by forcing  
him to spend his labour and sweat for   
thee and the gratification of thy       
voluptuous ,will4 ,thou art moreover    
proud and exultest over him1 and        
behavest roughly and sternly to him1    
exalting thyself above him1 and making  
small account of him in respect of      
thyself4 ,then that poor oppressed      

brother of thine cometh1 and complaineth
 with sighs towards ,god1 that he cannot
 reap the benefit of his labours and    
pains1 but is forced by thee to live in 
misery4 ,by which sighings and groanings
 of his he raiseth up the wrath of ,god 
in thee1 which maketh thy flame and     
unquietness still the greater4  ,these  
are the ,creatures which thou art in    
love with1 and hast broken thyself off  
from ,god for their sakes1 and brought  
thy ,love into them or them into thy    
,love1 so that they live therein4 ,thou 
nourishest and keepest them by          
continually receiving them into thy     
desire1 for they live in and by thy     
receiving them into thy mind1 because   
thou thereby bringest the lust of thy   
,life into them4 ,they are but unclean  
and evil births and issues of the       
,bestial ,nature1 which yet by thy      
receiving them in thy ,desire1 have     
gotten an ,image and formed themselves  
in thee4 ,and that ,image is a beast    
with four heads4 ,first1 ,pride4        

,secondly1 ,covetousness4 ,thirdly1     
,envy4 ,fourthly1 ,anger4 ,and in these 
four properties the ,foundation of ,hell
 consisteth1 which thou earnest in thee 
and about thee4 ,it is imprinted and    
engraven in thee1 and thou art wholly   
taken captive thereby4 ,for these       
properties live in thy ,natural ,life2  
and thereby thou art severed from ,god1 
neither canst thou ever come to him1    
unless thou so forsake these evil       
,creatures that they may die in thee4   
,but since thou desirest me to tell thee
 how to forsake thy own1 perverse       
creaturely ,will1 that the ,creatures   
might die1 and that yet thou mightest   
live with them in the ,world1 ,i must   
assure thee that there is but one way to
 do it1 which is narrow and straight1   
and will be very hard and irksome to    
thee in the beginning1 but afterwards   
thou wilt walk in it cheerfully4  ,thou 
must seriously consider that in the     
course of this worldly life thou walkest
 in the ,anger of ,god and in the       

,foundation of ,hell2 and that this is  
not thy true native country2 but that a 
,christian should and must live in      
,christ1 and in his walking truly follow
 him2 and that he cannot be a ,christian
 unless the ,spirit and ,power of       
,christ so live in him that he becometh 
wholly subject to it4 ,now seeing the   
,kingdom of ,christ is not of the world1
 but in ,heaven1 therefore thou must be 
always in a continual ascension towards 
,heaven1 if thou wilt follow ,christ2   
though thy body must dwell among the    
,creatures and use them4  ,the narrow   
way to which perpetual ascension into   
,heaven and imitation of ,christ is     
this4 ,thou must despair of all thy own 
power and strength1 for in and by thy   
own thou canst not reach the ,gates of  
,god1 and firmly purpose and resolve    
wholly to give thyself up to the ,mercy 
of ,god1 and to sink down with thy whole
 mind and reason into the ,passion and  
,death of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1     
always desiring to persevere in the same

 and to die from all thy ,creatures     
therein4 ,also thou must resolve to     
watch and guard thy mind1 thoughts1 and 
inclinations that they admit no evil    
into them1 neither must thou suffer     
thyself to be held fast by temporal     
honour or profit4 ,thou must resolve    
likewise to put away from thee all      
,unrighteousness and whatsoever else may
 hinder the freedom of thy motion and   
progress4 ,thy ,will must be wholly pure
 and fixed in a firm resolution never to
 return to its old idols any more1 but  
that thou wilt1 that very instant leave 
them1 and separate thy mind from them1  
and enter into the sincere way of truth 
and righteousness1 according to the     
plain and full doctrine of ,christ4 ,and
 as thou dost thus purpose to forsake   
the enemies of thine own inward ,nature1
 so thou must also forgive all thy      
outward enemies and resolve to meet them
 with thy ,love1 that there may be left 
no ,creature1 ,person1 or ,thing at all 
able to take hold of thy ,will and      

captivate it2 but that it may be sincere
 and purged from all ,creatures4 ,nay1  
further1 if it should be required1 thou 
must be willing and ready to forsake all
 thy temporal honour and profit for     
,christ's sake1 and regard nothing that 
is earthly so as to set thy heart and   
affections upon it2 but esteem thyself  
in whatsoever state1 degree and         
condition thou art1 as to worldly rank  
and riches1 to be but a servant of ,god1
 and of thy fellow-,christians2 or as a 
steward in the office wherein thy ,lord 
hath placed thee4 ,all arrogance and    
self-exaltation must be humbled1 brought
 low1 and so annihilated that nothing of
 thine own or of any other ,creature may
 stay in thy ,will to bring the thoughts
 or imagination to be set upon it4      
,thou must also firmly impress it on thy
 mind that thou shalt certainly partake 
of the promised ,grace in the ,merit of 
,jesus ,christ1 viz41 of his outflowing 
,love1 which indeed is already in thee1 
and which will deliver thee from thy    

,creatures1 and enlighten thy ,will1 and
 kindle it with the ,flame of ,love1    
whereby thou shalt have victory over the
 ,devil4 ,not as if thou couldst will or
 do anything in thy own strength1 but   
only enter into the suffering and       
resurrection of ,jesus ,christ1 and take
 them to thyself1 and with them assault 
and break in pieces the kingdom of the  
,devil in thee4 ,thou must resolve to   
enter into this way this very hour1 and 
never to depart from it1 but willingly  
to submit thyself to ,god in all thy    
endeavours and doings1 that he may do   
with thee what he pleaseth4  ,when thy  
,will is thus prepared and resolved1 it 
hath then broken through its own        
,creatures1 and is sincere in the       
,presence of ,god1 and clothed with the 
,merits of ,jesus ,christ4 ,it may then 
freely go to the ,father with the       
,prodigal ,son1 and fall down in his    
,presence and pour forth its prayers2   
and putting forth all its strength in   
this ,divine ,work1 confess its sins and

 disobedience2 and how far it hath      
departed from ,god4 ,this must be done  
not with bare words1 but with all its   
strength1 which indeed amounteth only to
 a strong purpose and resolution2 for   
the ,soul of itself hath no strength or 
power to effect any good work4  ,now    
when thou art thus ready1 and thy       
heavenly ,father shall see thee coming  
and returning to him in such repentance 
and humility1 he will inwardly speak to 
thee1 and say in thee2 ,behold1 this is 
my son which ,i had lost1 he was dead   
and is alive again4 ,and he will come to
 meet thee in thy mind with the ,grace  
and ,love of ,jesus ,christ1 and embrace
 thee with the beams of his ,love1 and  
kiss thee with his ,spirit and          
,strength1 and then thou shalt receive  
,grace to pour out thy confession before
 him and to pray powerfully4 ,this      
indeed is the right place where thou    
must wrestle in the ,light of his       
,countenance4 ,and if thou standest     
resolutely here and shrinkest not back1 

thou shalt see or feel great wonders4   
,for thou shalt find ,christ in thee    
assaulting ,hell1 and crushing thy      
,beasts in pieces1 and that a great     
tumult and misery will arise in thee2   
also thy secret undiscovered sins will  
then first awake and labour to separate 
thee from ,god1 and to keep thee back4  
,thus shalt thou truly find and feel how
 ,death and ,life fight one against the 
other1 and shalt understand by what     
passeth within thyself what ,heaven and 
,hell are4 ,at all which be not moved1  
but stand firm and shrink not2 for at   
length all thy ,creatures will grow     
faint1 weak1 and ready to die2 and then 
thy ,will shall wax stronger1 and be    
able to subdue and keep down the evil   
inclinations4 ,so shall thy ,will and   
,mind ascend into ,heaven every day1 and
 thy ,creatures gradually die away4     
,thou wilt get a ,mind wholly new1 and  
begin to be a new ,creature1 and1       
getting rid of the ,bestial ,deformity1 
recover the ,divine ,image4 ,thus shalt 

thou be delivered from thy present      
,anguish1 and return to thy original    
,rest4  ,,the ,,poor ,,soul',s          
,,practice  ,then the poor ,soul began  
to practise this course with so much    
earnestness that it conceived it should 
get the victory presently1 but it found 
that the ,gates of ,heaven were shut    
against it in its own strength and      
power1 and it was1 as it were1 rejected 
and forsaken by ,god1 and received not  
so much as one look or glimpse of ,grace
 from him4 ,upon which it said to       
itself2 ,surely thou hast not sincerely 
submitted thyself to ,god4 ,desire      
nothing at all of him1 but only submit  
thyself to his judgment and             
condemnation1 that he may kill thy evil 
inclinations4 ,sink down into him beyond
 the ,limits of ,nature and ,creature1  
and submit thyself to him1 that he may  
do with thee what he will1 for thou art 
not worthy to speak to him4 ,accordingly
 the ,soul took a resolution to sink    
down1 and to forsake its own will2 and  

when it had done so there fell upon it  
presently the greatest repentance that  
could be for the sins it had committed2 
and it bewailed bitterly its ugly shape1
 and was truly and deeply sorry that the
 evil ,creatures did dwell in it4 ,and  
because of its sorrow it could not speak
 one word more in the ,presence of ,god1
 but in this repentance did consider the
 bitter ,passion and ,death of ,jesus   
,christ1 viz41 what great anguish and   
torment he had suffered for its sake1 in
 order to deliver it out of its anguish1
 and change it into the ,image of ,god4 
,in which consideration it wholly sank  
down1 and did nothing but complain of   
its ignorance and negligence1 and that  
it had not been thankful to its         
,redeemer1 nor once considered the great
 love he had shown to it1 but had idly  
spent its time1 and not at all regarded 
how it might come to partake of his     
purchased and proffered ,grace2 but     
instead thereof had formed in itself the
 images and figures of earthly things1  

with the vain lusts and pleasures of the
 ,world4 ,whereby it had gotten such    
bestial inclinations that now it must   
lie captive in great misery1 and for    
very shame dared not lift up its eyes to
 ,god1 ,who hid the light of his        
countenance from it and would not so    
much as look upon it4 ,and as it was    
thus sighing and crying it was drawn    
into the ,abyss or ,pit of ,horror1 and 
laid as it were at the ,gates of ,hell  
there to perish4 ,upon which the poor   
troubled ,soul was1 as it were1 bereft  
of sense1 and wholly forsaken1 so that  
it in a manner forgot all its doings1   
and would willingly yield itself to     
,death1 and cease to be a ,creature4    
,accordingly it did yield itself to     
,death1 and desired nothing else but to 
die and perish in the ,death of its     
,redeemer ,jesus ,christ1 who had       
suffered such torments and death for its
 sake4 ,and in this perishing it began  
to sigh and pray in itself very inwardly
 to the ,divine ,goodness1 and to sink  

down into the mere ,mercy of ,god4      
,upon this there suddenly appeared unto 
it the ,love of ,god1 as a great ,light 
which penetrated through it1 and made it
 exceedingly joyful4 ,it then began to  
pray aright1 and to thank the ,most     
,high for such ,grace1 and to rejoice   
abundantly that it was delivered from   
the ,death and ,anguish of ,hell4 ,now  
it tasted of the ,sweetness of ,god1 and
 of his promised ,truth2 and how all the
 evil ,spirits which had harassed it    
before1 and kept it back from the       
,grace1 ,love1 and inward ,presence of  
,god1 were forced to depart from it4    
,the wedding of the ,lamb was now kept  
and solemnised1 that is1 the ,noble     
,sophia espoused or betrothed herself to
 the ,soul1 and the ,seal-,ring of      
,christ's victory was impressed into its
 ,essence1 and it was received to be a  
,child and ,heir of ,god again4  ,when  
this was done the ,soul became very     
joyful1 and began to work in this new   
power1 and to celebrate with praise the 

wonders of ,god1 and thought thenceforth
 to walk continually in the same ,light1
 ,strength1 and ,joy4 ,but it was soon  
assaulted3 from without by the shame and
 reproach of the ,world1 and from within
 by great temptation1 so that it began  
to doubt whether its ground was truly   
from ,god1 and whether it had really    
partaken of his ,grace4 ,for the accuser
 ,satan went to it1 and would fain lead 
it out of its course1 and make it       
doubtful whether it was the true way1   
whispering thus to it inwardly2 ,this   
happy change in thy ,spirit is not from 
,god1 but only from thy own imagination4
 ,also the ,divine ,light retired in the
 ,soul1 and shone but in the inward     
ground1 as fire raked up in embers1 so  
that ,reason was perplexed1 and thought 
itself forsaken1 and the ,soul knew not 
what had happened to itself1 nor whether
 it had really and truly tasted of the  
heavenly gift or not4 ,yet it could not 
leave off struggling2 for the burning   
,fire of ,love was sown in it1 which had

 raised in it a vehement and continual  
,hunger and ,thirst after the ,divine   
,sweetness4 ,so at length it began to   
pray aright1 and to humble itself in the
 ,presence of ,god1 and to examine and  
try its evil inclinations and thoughts1 
and to put them away4 ,by which means   
the ,will of ,reason was broken1 and the
 evil inclinations inherent in it were  
killed and extirpated more and more4    
,this process was very severe and       
painful to the ,nature of the ,body1 for
 it made it faint and weak as if it had 
been very sick2 and yet it was no       
natural sickness that it had1 but only  
the melancholy of its earthly ,nature1  
feeling and lamenting the destruction of
 its evil lusts4  ,now when the earthly 
,reason found itself thus forsaken1 and 
the poor ,soul saw that it was despised 
outwardly and derided by the ,world1    
because it would walk no longer in the  
way of ,wickedness and ,vanity2 and also
 that it was inwardly assaulted by the  
accuser ,satan1 who mocked it1 and      

continually set before it the beauty1   
riches and glory of the ,world1 and     
called it a fool for not embracing them2
 it began to think and say thus within  
itself3 ,o eternal ,god1 what shall ,i  
now do to come to ,rest8  ,,the         
,,enlightened ,,soul ,,met ,,it ,,again 
,,and ,,spoke ,,to ,,it  ,while it was  
in this consideration1 the enlightened  
,soul met with it again1 and said3 ,what
 ailest thou1 my ,brother1 that thou art
 so heavy and sad6  ,,the ,,distressed  
,,soul ,,said  ,i have followed thy     
counsel1 and thereby attained a ray or  
emanation of the ,divine ,sweetness1 but
 it is gone from me again1 and ,i am now
 deserted4 ,moreover ,i have outwardly  
very great trials and afflictions in the
 ,world1 for all my good friends forsake
 and scorn me2 and am also inwardly     
assaulted with anguish and doubt1 and   
know not what to do4  ,,the             
,,enlightened ,,soul ,,said  ,now ,i    
like thee very well2 for now our beloved
 ,lord ,jesus ,christ is performing that

 ,pilgrimage or ,process on ,earth with 
thee and in thee1 which he did himself  
when he was in this ,world1 who was     
continually reviled1 despised1 and evil 
spoken of1 and had nothing of his own in
 it2 and now thou bearest his mark or   
badge4 ,but do not wonder at it1 or     
think it strange2 for it must be so1 in 
order that thou mayst be tried1 refined1
 and purified4 ,in this ,anguish and    
,distress thou wilt necessarily hunger  
and cry after deliverance2 and by such  
,hunger and ,prayer thou wilt attract   
,grace to thee both from within and from
 without4 ,for thou must grow from above
 and from beneath to be the ,image of   
,god again4 ,just as a young plant is   
agitated by the wind1 and must stand its
 ground in heat and cold1 drawing       
strength and virtue to it from above and
 from beneath by that agitation1 and    
must endure many a tempest1 and undergo 
much danger before it can come to be a  
tree and bring forth much fruit4 ,for   
through that agitation the virtue of the

 sun moveth in the plant1 whereby its   
wild properties come to be penetrated   
and tinctured with the solar virtue1 and
 grow thereby4  ,and this is the time   
wherein thou must play the part of a    
valiant soldier in the ,spirit of       
,christ1 and co-operate thyself         
therewith4 ,for now the ,eternal ,father
 by his fiery ,power begetteth his ,son 
in thee1 who changeth the ,fire of the  
,father1 namely1 the first ,principle1  
or ,wrathful ,property of the ,soul1    
into the ,flame of ,love1 so that out of
 ,fire and ,light 7viz4 ,wrath and      
,love7 there cometh to be one ,essence1 
,being1 or ,substance1 which is the true
 ,temple of ,god4 ,and now thou shalt   
bud forth out of the ,vine ,christ1 in  
the ,vineyard of ,god1 and bring forth  
fruit in thy life1 and by assisting and 
instructing others1 show forth thy ,love
 in abundance1 as a good tree4 ,for     
,paradise must then spring up again in  
thee1 through the ,wrath of ,god1 and   
,hell be changed into ,heaven in thee4  

,therefore be not dismayed at the       
temptations of the ,devil1 who seeketh  
and striveth for the ,kingdom which he  
once had in thee1 but1 having now lost  
it1 must be confounded1 and depart from 
thee4 ,and he covereth thee outwardly   
with the shame and reproach of the      
,world1 that his own shame may not be   
known1 and that thou mayst be hidden to 
the ,world4 ,for with thy ,new ,birth or
 regenerated ,nature thou art in the    
,divine ,harmony in ,heaven4 ,be        
patient1 therefore1 and wait upon the   
,lord1 and whatsoever shall befall thee1
 take it all from his hands as intended 
by him for thy highest good4 ,and so the
 enlightened ,soul departed from it4    
,,the ,,distressed ,,soul',s ,,course   
,the distressed ,soul began its course  
now under the patient ,suffering of     
,christ1 and depending solely upon the  
,strength and ,power of ,god in it1     
entered into ,hope4 ,thenceforth it grew
 stronger every day1 and its evil       
inclinations died more and more in it4  

,so that it arrived at length to a high 
state or degree of ,grace2 and the      
,gates of the ,divine ,revelation and   
the ,kingdom of ,heaven were opened to  
and manifested in it4  ,and thus the    
,soul1 through ,repentance1 ,faith1 and 
,prayer1 returned to its true ,rest1 and
 became a right and beloved ,child of   
,god again2 to which may ,he of his     
infinite ,mercy help us all4 ,amen4     
,,turnbull ,,and ,,spears1 ,,printers1  
,,edinburgh4