This post is a corrected OCR of a book on the interpretation of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, by Sebastian Franck aka Augustinus Eleutherius, who, according to Rufus Jones, was an influence on Jakob Boehme. Therefore, a line of influence may be drawn from Eckhart through Franck and Tauler to Boehme. This book was owned by George Fox.
THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT.
OR A TREATISE
Of the Tree of Knowledge of Good &
Evill, of which Adam at the first, & as yet all Mankind do eate
death.
Moreover, How at this day it is forbidden to every one as well as to Adam; And how this Tree, that is the wisedome of the Serpent planted in Ada is that great Image, and that many headed Beast; mentioned in Daniel and the Apocalyps, whom the whole world doth worship.
LASTLY, Here is shewed what is the Tree of Life,
contrary to the wisdom, righteousnesse, and knowledge of all mankind:
With a description of the Majestie and nature of Gods Word.
By AUGUST: ELUTHENIUS. Translated out of Latine into English.
Printed in the yeare, 1640.
CHAP. I.
What is the Tree of Knowledge of
Good and Evill.
I Will not much contend
with them that would
have the Tree of Knowledge
of Good and Evill,
according as it is in the
Scriptures to be a Naturall
Tree, which being
planted in Paradise, had that nature divinely
given unto it, that who should eate
thereof, their eyes should be opened to
view themselves, and they be made Gods,
and so know both Good and Evill: perhaps
God would teach Adam both inwardly
and outwardly, and what he
forbad or taught him inwardly in his
heart, that he would propose outwardly
to his eyes for greater testimony: but yet
I desire of them, that they would grant this
unto me, that as the thing was done outwardly,
so the same to have happened inwardly
in the heart of Adam, that there he
was tempted by the seed of the Serpent to
have the guiding of his own will and nature,
not to be so void of knowledge and
action, as to be subordinate unto God. That
I should so think, two reasons or causes do
especially move me.
The first is, that the Seed of the Woman
was to breake the head of the seed of the
Serpent; but as a naturall and living Serpent,
whose head was broken, of that Seed
we do not reade of any: but as even
then the Seed of the woman was spiritually
in the heart of Adam, so in the same manner
was the seed of the Serpent, for man at the
first was created good, not of God but of
nothing, and for that cause doth he turne
himself alwayes from God, and bend
downewards to his own nothing and
vanity againe; which nothing I with the
ancient Fathers, but especially Taulerus,
do judge to be sinne, Satan, death, & hell;
and this perhaps was that devill, inhabiting
in Adam, as also in Lucifer.
The other reason is this, which the scripture
doth testifie of the Citie of God and
the Heavenly Jerusalem, that Paradise to
be in us: but God alone and his omnipotent
Word is our Paradise, the Tree of Life, and
the Temple wherein we inhabit, walk, serve,
pray, &c. as we are on the other part the
Temple of God and his Paradise. In like
manner the Beast (which even now the whole
world both great and small) do worship
in their hearts, of which the scriptures make
mention in the Apocalyps, as also the Tree
of knowledge of Good and Evil is in us, for
the exterior world, & whatsoever outwardly
is to be seene or is done, is onely an accident
and a certaine signifying figure of the
true and interior nature: and there is nothing
true in all those things which are seen
with the eye, that is substantiall; for it behoveth
that the forme of this World perish,
because it is nothing else but an imaginary
world, and a figure of the right true eternal
and by it selfe the constant world; therefore
it is expedient that all these things in their
course be done over againe, which throughout
all the Bible are related outwardly and
significantly to have been done, and yet to
this day after their manner, the Historie of
the Bible, Moses, and the Prophets, are spiritually
and truly of force, but all things
are brought into the truth by Christ, and it
it is expedient, that all the prophecies, which
have been from the beginning of the world,
which God hath spoken by the mouth of
his Saints, be againe reiterated: Therefore
that Tree was nothing else then the nature,
will, knowledge, and life of Adam, whereof
he ought not to eat. That is not to attribute
any part of it to himself: But freely and
willingly submitt himself to God; and
know nothing but what God would know
in him; do nothing but what God would
do in him; speake nothing but what God
would speake in him, &c. Whereby without
any impediment God might exercise
his Kingdom, will, nature, and power in
him, that being void of will, wisdom, and
knowledge, he might have nothing of his
own, or arrogate any thing to himself, this
God would, this was pleasing to him, and
thus he commanded. To this opinion the
German Divinity assents: Theologia Germanica,
3470. cap. Which saith that this tree
is nothing else but our own will & knowledge,
of which alone in the Earthly Paradise
of the world of our hearts, we are not
to eate, but account it as forbidden, unlesse
we desire to dye, or eate death from it. And
now when Adam was fallen, and had eaten
of this tree, then was it planted in his heart,
& the same was derived into all his boughes
and fruit, so that the same case, word, precept,
and interdict, is common to all his posterity,
we all have eaten death, whosoever
are in Adam, and this uncorrected poyson
have we received from the Serpent, being
evill Egges of an evill Bird.
Hence may every man easily perceive,
how each man is the greatest enemy to
himself, and what he ought to esteeme of
himself, his will & understanding, wisdom
and knowledge, since it is the Counsell,
seed, wisdom, knowledge and head
of the Serpent, which by Christ is to be
broken in our hearts: it behoveth that all
things (which Circumcision in the old, and
Baptisme in the new Covenant doth signify)
which are hereditary and naturall from Adam
should dye in us: that we should labour
to unlearne, and put off all things, as
if they were death and the devill; that is
our will, wisdom, and righteousnesse, &c.
with which as with figleaves Adam strove
to cover himself: for this is sinne, and the
stinge of sinne and death, that is to eate of
this forbidden Tree, and to arrogate any
thing to a mans selfe, as his will, nature,
and understanding, or himself; But alas,
alas who knowes this, or beleeves this, who
abandons or is weary of his own will, understanding,
or knowledge, when will men
give a farewell to them: Give a Farewll
say I, why every one delights himself in
his own imaginations, & sweetly slumbring
recreats his soule in his own wisdom, knowledge,
workes, &c. the Tree is fayre to the
eye, and pleasant to the tast: Here all mankinde
as Adam himself do taste death;
But yet no man knowes, no man thinkes of
this, but every man judgeth it to be right,
and the flesh esteemeth it to be the Tree of
Life. That is to follow its own pleasure
and opinion of Good, which is false: To
know much, to finde out much, to learn
many sciences, and finally to become a God;
Neither do any consider, that this was
Adams estate and morsell, that bitter morsel
of death.
How do we speake and talke of Adams
misery, and yet not marke that the same is
fresh in us; We can talke of his eating, and
wonderfully detest it, when notwithstanding
we do the same that he did.
O man, who art thou that thus preparest a
staffe for thine own shoulders, and pronouncest
a Sentence against thy selfe, while
thou condemnest thy Father Adam, and
yet considerest not that thou thy selfe art
ensnared in his Nett.
Here propound and consider what our
will is, our knowledge is, our wisdom is, &c.
in which we so insolently boast our selves,
yea and by which we imagine and suppose
that we can come unto God, when notwithstanding
it is nothing, nothing else
but death it selfe, and the bitter Fruit of the
forbidden Tree.
Is there any amongst all men who understand
this? Who can away with this? To
deny, put off, fearefull to rest in their own
will, wisdom, knowledge, &c. No: do
not most chuse and extoll them as true gold
and Eternall Life, when notwithstanding
they are nothing but Eternall death.
CHAP. II.
Why the Tree of knowledge of good
and Evill is mortall & forbidden.
THIS may be easily answered by that
which hath been before related. God
(as right it is) would be in us both Lord
and Master; and in the same, will, work,
do, love, omit, think, &c. therfore should
we be free from all these things of this kind:
so that we should know, or do nothing, but
what God himself would know and do
in us. Which reason even against its will,
doth confesse to be equity to him that concludes
and proves it by truth; for what is
more equall then that the Potter have so full
a Dominion over his pots, that none of them
challenge any the least authority to themselves,
since they were not their own makers;
the same is our condition: God alone
is called the God of understanding, knowledge,
wisdom, &c. wherefore he alone
will know all things in us, and by consequence
nothing but himself; if therefore
any man will taste of the Forbidden Fruit,
and so know himself, be made a God, be of
himself, stand upon his own bottome, and
so be his own God; it is necessary that
together with Lucifer, he fall into the hell of
death, and like the Dragon be cast downe
from Heaven, because the Fruit of that Forbidden
Tree is death. Wherefore God
would know onely himself in us, and
for that cause would have one to know no
other science, esteeming this only necessary
to life: and will teach the same to us, if so
be we will obediently attend him: That is
know onely God, praise him, pray to, and
heare him, which things I say he himself
would work in the obedient: For this
cause the Wise Man saith:
(Wisdom 5.)
Lord to know thee and understand thee
is all righteousnesse.
In which he justifies
many, and by consequence much more
his own: Let not the Wise Man boast
himself in his wisdom, nor the strong Man
in his strength, but in this let every man
boast that he knowes me,
Isa. 53. Jer. 9.
Which thing God by the mouth of his own
Christ, Joh. 17. calleth Eternall Life; For
from this knowledge, roote, and Tree of
Life, proceeds all whatsoever can be called
good or is truly good; This is the onely
and true Key of David, which so openeth
that no man shutteth, &c.
CHAP. III.
Of the abuse of all things, how all
things are unclean to the unclean flesh: yea those
things which in themselves are cleane;
and wherefore that curious flesh desireth
to know much; and on the
contrary, how men ought to
know nothing but God,
and for God, and use
all things in God.
THAT lost nature of man, who in the
Scripture is called the Flesh, is an instrument
so impotent to all things, so vile, &
obscure, that it knows neither to have, speak
or do any thing, but abuseth and defileth it
by touching, because he converts all things
(which are from God, in whom truly they
are) to himself as his proper own: although
he ought never to be his own. No not in
that which is his own, but therein to be
subject to God. Neither ought he to challenge
to himself that wisdom and knowledge
that is in him; but to have all things
free in his God, as if he himself had them
nott. But this he doth not; but arrogates
himself to himself, and will needs be,
have, and know himself, and this is the fall
and degeneration of Adam, and his posterity,
in, and with all things with them.
Againe, the true and onely use with, and
in all things, is thus: God would that Adam
should know nothing but what he would
know in him, should be nothing but what
he would be in him; should do nothing
but what he would do in him; should have
nothing but what he would have in him;
This would not Adam, but all those things
he arrogated to himself, as his own, or
rather he himself would be all these things;
This is the fall of Adam, and the abuse of all
things in all things, by all mankinde, to the
end of the world.
The abuse is, I say, to arrogate any thing
to mans selfe, as his own, & not to possesse
the same freely, as though he had them not;
but to steale and use them from God, in and
to himself. As for Example: if having
Money, Wife, Children, knowledge, life
it selfe, yea my selfe, I challenge these to my
selfe as my own.
But since God exacts them, if followes that
I would therfore detaine them, and as much
as in me is, not yeeld them unto God, but
knitt my mind unto them, that I may keepe,
defend, and never loose or forsake them
(when notwithstanding they are Gods and
not mine) this is the Fall of Adam and his
theft, being the abuse of all things inbred in
the flesh: until man be translated into
new kinde of estate or condition, wherefore
it is behoovefull that we be borne anew
do vomitt up the Fruit of the Tree of
Knowledge of Good and Evill: And all
these things which we having stolen from
God as theeves, do challenge to our selves
and so forgetting them restore them again
to God; this truly is the resurrection and
conversion of Adam; and by this meanes alone
shall the Fall of Adam be repaired &
amended.
Therefore the true and onely use of all
things, known alone to the regenerate and
new man is this: That I be altogether free
from all things, and alone subject to God:
and being void of name, will, and knowledge,
&c, remaine nothing in my selfe, neither
vindicate, deliver, or claime any thing to my
selfe (because whatsoever I have, am, know,
do, &c. all are of God,) no more then the
Cow doth for her milke, the Tree for it
fruit, the Bird for its song; but wholy referring
all things to God, and have, know, do
love, and be nothing but in him; Thus the
redeemed, free, and perfect Christians, have,
know, do, &c. all things they possesse, wife,
children, life, knowledge, wisdom, substance,
&c. yea and themselves altogether
freely in the Lord: neither do they attribute
any thing to themselves; even as if
they were nothing, had nothing, knew nothing;
for they know that God it is, who is,
hath, knowes, and doth all those things
which they are, know, or do; so the Christian
hath his wife in the Lord, that is doth
not challenge her to himself as his own,
but freely designeth her to God, whose she
is, and from whom she is lent unto him,
whom he is willing to restore whensoever it
shall please God to require her, & as he never
challengeth her to himself as his own,
even so he ever enjoyes her in God, and in,
and for God, loves her; This Paul & David
calls it, to sing, rejoyce, marie, & have in the
Lord: that is to reduce all things unto God,
in him, know, love, have, be, do all things,
neither detract any thing from God as my
proper own and right.
And whosoever have not thus their
knowledge, Wife, Children, and themselves
in the Lord, they offend in this: because
they love them, it being a carnall Love out
of God; And so far are all things unclean
to the unclean, that even his prayers are sin
unto him, yea his praises of God, Fasts, Orations,
Supplications, God despiseth according
to the Prophet: And although he be
bountifull to the poore, yet he doth it in
vaine. Briefly, what he doth, he doth it in
vaine, it is not pleasing but displeasing unto
God: Whether he love or hate his Wife,
Children, and Neighbours, whether he
chide or pray, all things are uncleane unto
him, Wife, Children, Feilds, Lands, Money,
povertie, riches, fame, infamy, life, death, knowledge,
learning, yea God himself.
And lastly, he is unfit for any thing that is
good. By himself, he is evill, sinfull, and
nothing. And what shew of goodnesse soever
is in him, it is stained by an hypocriticall
eye and affection; Therefore its no
matter what he hath, knoweth, or doth, he
is a Vessell of no price, an evill Tree; unprofitable
for any good work, since both
his mind and conscience is depraved.
Therfore before all things it is necessary,
that with Nicodemus they be born again,
that all things with them may become new
unto them, the flesh must be changed into
the spirit, & so cease to be flesh. For it
is so impure and every way desirous of
its own gaine, and so infected and depraved
with the poyson of sinne, that it
draweth all things to it selfe, seeketh it
selfe in all things, and arrogateth that to
it selfe as its own, which it knoweth, loveth,
or doth, and hath all things under a
false pretence, & out of a love to it selfe.
Neither doth it love any thing but what
is pleasant and profitable for it selfe. But
a Christian loveth an unprofitable, sicke,
and loathsome Wife for God, and hath
her not for his pleasure or profit only, but
for Gods will & pleasure.
The naturall and fleshly man doth nothing
but out of a love to himself, and
whatsoever he doth, he hath an eye and
reflecteth upon himself, and in what he
sees, he can finde to delite himself in, he
is willing to meddle with that.
Hence it is that the house of sorrow,
poverty, banishment, troubles, sicknesses
and reprehensions, and whatsoever he
sees harsh unto him, he hates no lesse
then the Devill doth the crosse of Christ
Jesus; But whatsoever is excellent, great,
pleasant, beautifull, &c. to this he cleaves
as fast as the clay to the wheele; Whereby
he may enjoy what he saw and desired in
them.
Briefly, he doth nothing but out of a
love to himself, and in what he doth he
challengeth the chiefe part to himself;
I say, that in all his actions both with God
and Man, he respects nothing but his
own profit and pleasure, which if he be
deprived off, he looseth his cheerfulnesse
and alacrity of spirit, and becoms sorrowfull
& desists to work any further, what
therefore can be done by such a man as
this but what is uncleane.
But the regenerate man being borne
of God, doth quite contrary in all his actions,
he is desirous of the common profit,
being altogether so affected and disposed
as God his Father; He doth nothing
but most freely subjected unto
God, suffreth him to do and care for
all things in him; so that it followes that
in this man is the meere nature & work
of God; and he or rather God in him repaires
to the humble poore, sicke, and to
to those that are in the house of sorrow,
to help and comfort them: by whatsoever
God hath either given him, or doth work
in him as his substance, milke, and consolation,
and in all those things he lookes
upon no other thing but only God; who
rather in him only lookes upon himself;
Neither is it the Man, but God in the
Man, who communicateth to other necessities,
loves, prayes, heares, worshipps,
honours, wills, and possesseth.
Thirdly, Adam would know, and therefore
labours for much knowledge, and so
Eates of the forbidden Fruit, that he may
live and become a great one, even God;
and for this only end the whole World
now a-dayes applies it selfe to all studies;
because it desires not to dye in obscuritie
and oblivion, but to live and florish, not
in the lower degrees of estimation, but
in the chiefest seate of reputation and
honour, and with all to know all things
that possible it can, that so it may be
made famous, and thereby be glorified
and delighted therein; wherefore every
day he works more and more to encrease
his knowledge, by which he may be more
and more emminent, greater, and more
like unto God; that if it were possible to
know more then God, that with Lucifer
be might be equall with him; But
that this ambition was the fall of Lucifer
no man will consider; but every man in
those prosecutions, disputations and studies
for knowledge seeketh for life, when
indeed there is in them nothing but bitter
death; which both in Lucifer, as also
in Adam most manifestly doth appeare.
Truely it is a wonder that of this forbidden
Tree of Death; every man should
be so much desirous to eate; Gods will is
that we know nothing, but what he will
know, write, and teach in us; and that being
void of all knowledge, prudence &
wisdom in our selves, we become
fools, we remaine under him as fools
and babes; but we busie our selves about
the obtaining of many thousands of
Sciences, and treasure them up unto
our selves, as if in them our life consisted,
that like to God we are ignorant of
nothing, and all flesh desireth rather to
be like unto God then to Christ.
But on the contrary, Gods will it is,
that before this be, we as Christ was, be
deprived of every thing that is our own,
and be wholy subject unto him: Have,
know, do, love, be nothing, but what
God hath, knowes, doth, loveth, is in us;
For by this privation and denyall, will
God draw us unto himself, make us
like God, and teach all men wisdom
in him, and not out of themselves.
Therefore the knowledge of Christ
in Men is quite contrary unto this;
For he hath known nothing, doth,
or wills to know nothing, but onely
God, this is his rejoycing, for this
only cause doth he learn sciences, or
rather doth God in him; And to
this with all his endeavoure and
strength doth he apply himself: that
as in Adam he was made something,
even so in Christ and with Christ he may
be brought to nothing againe; and all his
knowledge and sciences, even as it were
foolishnes & deadly poyson, he may vomit
up againe, & esteem as nothing; that
he may wipe out of the tables of his heart
all human arrogancie, having action,
knowledge and science: to the end that
nothing may remaine there, but only that
which God teacheth and by his own
finger writeth.
Briefly, a true Christian is a certaine
bare naked thing, who with Socrates knowes
nothing but this, that he knowes nothing;
In these blessed and unknowing fools, God
will know all things, if so it be, man know
how to empty himself, and to cast away
the baseness of his old ragges; But the
flesh for this onely cause doth learn that
it may be something, or rather be all
things, know, have, and do all things;
wheras the spiritual man learnes only for
this cause, that before God he may be made
nothing to himself & all other creatures
whatsoever, that thereby God may be all
things in him: know, have, do, love, and
live in him; this is behoovefull to be
known; this is the true use of all things,
and for this only end ought we to labour
to know any thing.
But every fleshly minded man, who
belongs to the Kingdom of Satan, and
lyes captrivated under his power, thinkes
farre otherwise; and defendeth quite
contrary; and therefore is in the sight of
God foolishnes, wickednes, sinne, and Satan;
From whence it is that he esteemeth
their wisdom to be foolishnes, their life
to be death, and righteousnesse sinne, accounting
their love no better then hatred.
Fourthly, the naturall man hath many
goods, wife, Children, life, riches, knowledge,
wisdom, will, glory, honour, name,
and all things as his own proper, these
he arrogates to himself; to these he applies
his minde; these are pleasant, profitable,
and deare unto him. But if they
be taken from him, and God exact his
own, then the theefe appeares, neither
will he willingly send them againe:
he turnes himself, and seeketh for all
safegards and wayes of escape, and means
whereby he may retaine them still, and
award God the proper owner of them,
who now exacts them of him: the whole
World lyes sick in this misery, and those
things that are Gods, are abused by men.
And what is common to all, or rather accommodated
from God, he labours as
much as in him lyes to make it his
own, and whensoever he is to restore
it againe, he doth it very unwillingly.
But if it be so, that that which he hath
stolen from God, is now no longer profitable
or delitefull unto him, he then
surrenders it of his own accord. And if
it so be, God giveth it againe into his
own bosome, and if it be Gods will, he
shall retaine it longer, yet will he not retaine
it, if he be able to resist it, by compulsion;
if he have it, it is with great
resistance, so that before God he rather
wilfull casts them away, then retaines
them.
So is it that the flesh, which hath all
things out of God, offends in all; and because
it apprehends all things out of God,
it necessarily followes, that although it
have all things, yet hath it nothing. For
what can it have who wanteth God, the
essence of all things, and in whom all
things subsist: Surely they can be no
other then like Tantilus Sicicus, & Medeas.
Again, what can he want who hath
God, and in him all things, since that
God is all in all.
Hence it is, that often times those that
seem to have all things, have truly nothing,
and those that have nothing, may
truly be said to have all things.
On the contrary, the new Man hath
nothing but only God, wherein he can
glory; neither doth he any way claime
any thing to himself but God; As for
that which God gives him, he useth it
for Gods sake as his gift and reward,
ready to render it every moment, as it
shall please God to exact it; For he can
willingly restore that which he did never
claime as his own, but as God did give,
or rather lend it unto him; so that he willingly
permits God at his pleasure to assume
it from him. Briefly, he useth all
things as the traveller doth his Inne, or a
friend money, committed to his custody,
ready every houre to restore it back.
This Paul termes so to have any thing
as not to have it, or as though thou hadst
it not: (which in the eyes of the World is
accounted meere folly) that is that thou
arrogate nothing unto thy selfe; offend
in nothing willingly, forsake all things
and with God (as a true wife with her
husband have all things common) Wife,
Children, Money, life, and all things else
he loveth in God, and for God; and therefore
keeps them, loves them, hath them,
and takes them as lent from God; ready
to yeeld them to God againe, whensoever
he requires them; all the gifts of God,
as Wife, Children, and all other things
he loveth only for the givers sake, & the
giver above all his gifts; and although
some things are contrary to his nature, as
the Crosse, death, exyle, &c. yet he loveth
all things alike, and this it is to have,
know, love, and marie in the Lord.
But the world and worldly minded
men, are carried headlong unto the gifts
of God, as the Sow unto the Dunghill;
Never do they any whitt respect the
giver but the guift; with the which they
committ adultery, challenging by right
unto themselves; and so long as it is either
pleasant or profitable unto them, so
long they dearely esteeme it: and willingly
will not permit God to have it
againe; whatsoever is contrary unto
them therin, that they unwillingly suffer,
though it come by divine providence;
unto them; for incontinently they looke
about them which way they may pull
their neckes out of the yoke: and therfore
whatsoever they undertake, do,
speake, &c. that they altogether abuse;
and in the abuse it is altogether unfitt
for any good: until they cease to be that
which they are, and being translated into
Christ, become in him new creatures.
Here it will availe nothing to patch up
with God, for if thou stopp one hole, or
fill up one crevise, an other will presently
be made; therefore it is necessary that
men be borne againe, and altogether forgett
this Tree of Knowledge of Good &
Evill. And briefly, be quite contrary to
what he is or hath been. He is flesh born
of flesh unto death, and therefore it is
behoovefull, that he be made spirit borne
of spirit unto life. Which before he be
all things are uncleane unto him; as he
is himself, although all things in themselves
are very good; yet are they perverse
& evill unto him, as all things seem
blew to him that lookes upon them
through a blew perspective: all things
degenerates into the nature of the possessor,
and therefore all things by Adam are
made vanity, although by themselves (as
ever they have been) they are good: For
all foode is savory according to the pallet
& temperature that receives it: even so
is every thing according as he that possesseth
and hath it, is cleane to the cleane,
uncleane to the uncleane; it cannot be otherwise
but that all things be unjustly
done, loved, prayed for, known, and retained;
which an unjust man doth love,
pray for, know, and retaine, as the very
words themselvs declare; For how can it
be that a wicked man can do any thing
justly, a foolish man speak any thing wisely,
an unclean man do any thing purely,
a lying man speak any thing truly.
Fiftly, the naturall man, as before hath
been said, is Flesh, borne of the flesh, altogether
of an uncleane nature, perverse, &
adulterous, the servant of Satan sprong
of the Seede of the Serpent, seduced and
turned away by his word, and the tree of
knowledge; & so infected with poyson,
that betwixt Lucifer and Adam there is
no difference: for as all true Christians are
of Christ the sonnes of God, gods & God
himself, so are all the Sonnes of the Devill,
the Devill, being of the same kindred
& offspring, appertaining to the same
Kingdom and Covenant, as Princes and
Subjects to the same, being all in the same
estate of condemnation, neither is there
any remedy to prevent this jayle; but that a
man put off the old man, so as he be no longer
man, but a new offspring & creature
born of God. Hence we may easily gather
what is the naturall prudence, justice &
knowledge of man, to witt, foolishnes, sin
and enmity unto God; because that all
flesh is an enemy unto God, friends unto
Satan, and altogether of the same witt,
nature, will, & birth, & as it were his flesh
& blood; In so much as he is nothing but
an enemy unto God; can perceive nothing
that is divine; would be nothing but with
out God, or rather his own God.
Attributing all that is good to himself,
as Adam and Lucifer did, the Father of
the flesh; these are the Fruits of the forbidden
Tree.
But the Christian is borne of God, is a
spirit and life, altogether of divine nature,
and nothing else but the Image of
God; or if you will a visible and corporal
God; who being made one with God,
is of the same nature: rich in love, desirous
of the common profit; attributing
nothing to himself; like to God; free,
strong, void of proprietie, ambition, and
anger.
Briefly, or in a word, whatsoever can
be said or may be said of God, may in its
kinde be said of the true Christian, since
now it is not, he that lives but Christ
lives in him: Not now he is any thing,
but God is all things in him: that is,
whatsoever he speakes, teacheth, hath,
wills, &c. and although they unwillingly
carry the old man about them, yet never
do they live unto him, but alwayes contrary,
earnestly endevouring themselves
against him, until they have quite put
him out.
Therefore to conclude this chapter,
the true use of all things is known
only to the sincere Christians, and the
abuse to the naturall man: Not yet justified,
living in himself: who can neither
use, speake, teach, do, love, know,
have, or not have any thing truly; But
with all hath a defiled, both conscience &
minde.
Hence it is that he is altogether unfitt
for any good work, like a black Collier;
and in all his actions like a stage player,
foolish, blinde, dumb, deafe, abscene, and
wicked. In a word, whatsoever evill
man hath, or title can be invented, it's
proper unto him, until he returne from
the Tree of Knowledge of Good and
Evill; unto the Tree of Life, and eating
thereof, and he be delivered from the
Kingdom of Darknesse into the Kingdom
of Light: Otherwise the flesh
doth alwayes retaine its proper nature,
and hath in all things a false and ungodly
cause and end, for which it doth every
thing that it doth. In a word, he altogether
aimes at himself, yea under a
pretence of God; although he think
himself to know, love, and desire God
only for God, without any respect had
to himself. No man hath yet truly
learned to know himself, the flesh
being so cunning and craftie to excuse it
selfe, no man knowes whether or no he
sinnes in all his workes, so unsearchable
is the craftines of the heart; yea no man
truly understands, that in all his works,
as in his loving, doing, speaking, knowing,
praying, giving, willing, having,
possessing, &c. he mortally sinnes, until
he be redeemed and pulled out of the
dregs of Adam, & translated into Christ,
he become a new Creature; Of which
things reade Paul & Bochius, de consolalatione
Philosophiae, the third Booke and
the tenth Proofe: How we must live
unto God, and so be made blessed in
him.
CHAP. IV.
How Man being of God could
sinne; and what it was that moved
him to sinne.
ADAM was not taken out of God, or
made of a Spirit, but of nothing of the
Earth; if he had been taken out of God, he
could never have fallen by sinne; as those
that are borne of God cannot sinne, Jo. 3.
but God created him of nothing, and then
left him to himself and his own arbitrament
whether he could returne to his
own nothing againe, or according to
the order of his kinde be drawen unto
God. Sinne in Man and in the Devill is
nothing else but that they do avert
themselves from the condition of their
creation, and that which they are unto
their vanity and nothing againe; the
essence of Man and Satan is very good,
but this is their nature acquired in their
fall, that they strive to be not that which
they are, to wit, nothing, but that which
they are not, & so do turn themselvs from God;
As if it so were, that that nothing of
theirs were something in it selfe.
This is sinne, this is that devill in all
our hearts, which stirreth up all sinne in
us: For as soone as Adam by the instinct
of the Serpent fell away from God, and
returned unto his nothing again, he was
indeed made nothing: which thing Satan,
who before had fallen into his nothing,
did spinne and weave into the heart of
Adam, by the externall object of the tree;
and he made the Fruit of the Tree so
pleasant to behold, that no sooner they
beheld it, but they were inflamed with a
desire to eate of that Fruit; For which
cause it is written (Jer. 9.) that death enters
in by the windowes, that is by the
sight of the eyes.
And this moved the Schoolmen to
define sinne to be nothing, that is, no
Creature of God: Neither that death
which it produced: both which came
into the world by the malice of Satan;
& for the same cause sinne brought man
back againe into his first nothing; wherefore
the Devill and Adam are run out of
the sight of God; He not acknowledging
them for his own: neither having any
commerce or societie with them: So
long as they do not acknowledge their
vanity; therfore since man by sin is made
nothing before God; and yet will not acknowledge
himself to be nothing, but
even then esteeme himself to be something,
it is necessary that so long he be
expelled out of the presence of God, till
he be made nothing in his own heart:
then doth God love his hand, and creates
him againe of nothing: For God knows
not how to create any thing of something,
but of nothing, for that is his nature: He
that yet is not nothing, he cannot hope
that he shall be something; wherefore behave
thy selfe to Godward quietly, like
a livelesse trunke, as thou didst in thy
creation: Suffer God to do; Fast, Feast,
and Rest, and do thou nothing at all;
lest it happen that thou be taken with a
desire of the forbidden tree, or any other
thing; or esteeme thy selfe to be something
according as the Law commands,
yet doth it not cease to curse and condemne
us, until it hath brought us unto
that spirituall Sabbath; that so forsaken
in our selves, we do no more work to
our new birth then we did to our first
creation, but only suffer; So that our
actions are only to do nothing, and be
like a stone or trunke; For this desire to
be somthing is alwayes that which brings
to nothing.
CHAP. V.
Wherfore the Tree of the Knowledge
of good & evill was created, then forbidden
to Adam, and now to us, since
God knew that both he
& we should eat death
from the same, and
what is that tree.
Wherefore was Adam and Eve forbidden
this Tree, seeing to know Evil
is not Evill, but to do Evill. If Adam
had not known good in himself, God
had been alone good in him, and he had
not arrogated any thing to himself, but
had been as free from pride therein, as a
bird is in her song, a horse in his strength,
a Cow in her milke, and a Tree in its
fruit; but as soone as he knew good, and
considered it what it was; as a beautifull
woman doth her beauty, he arrogated it
to himself, and therein became a theef
unto God.
This God foreknew, and therefore
was unwilling that Adam should know
good, that so he might walke in his innocencie,
and be ignorant both of Good
and Evill: For this cause God said unto
him, thou shalt not eate of it, as if he had
said beware, least thou thy selfe desire to
know what is Good or Evill; but suffer
me to be all things, and be thou quiet in
all things, that that good which I am, and
desire to work alone, I may work it in
thee, to my own praise in thee, according
as I do it in the rest of the Creatures;
And thus he was forbidden to know
Evill, for God knew, that as soone as
Adam had smelt what Evill was, it being
of its own nature, like to him nothing,
would be pleasing to him, and so it
would come to passe that he would desire
and affect the same.
Besides this another evill hath risen
from hence, that that evill which man
according to his nature delighted to do
he denyeth that he hath done it. Thus
pulling his own necke out of the yoke,
he accuseth the Serpent that it was done
by it.
Againe, the good which God doth in
him, and which is not his own, he falsly
contendeth that he hath done it himself
being deceived with a presumptious
opinion of his own power and strength,
this being the perverse estate and condition
into which Adam did fall willingly;
therfore after that Adam was fallen into
this perverse wisdom, by eating of the
forbidden Fruit, and his own arrogancie,
he was so depraved, that whatsoever he
thinkes, speakes, or doth, is displeasing
unto God; and we all in him have eaten
death, and fallen into the same estate and
condition; but after we are raised from
death, and redeemed from it againe, by
means of Christ, there is the same reason
that the Tree of knowledge of Good &
Evill, should be also forbidden us, least
afterward we fall into the same estate againe: wherefore the next way of coming
unto God is this: that now Adam
with all his Children abstaine from this
tree, that is, deny it, vomitt up the Forbidden
Fruit, and repent himself of his
wit, as if it were foolishnes.
But when we eate of the Forbidden
Fruit or Tree, God forgives us, but upon
this condition, that for ever afterward
we fast, and alwayes repent our selves of
our first eating.
This tree is planted in every one of
our hearts, & is nothing else but our own
witt, reason, flesh, knowledge, and will, to
which as long as we adhere, and are not
made foolish in our selves, and as little
Children, we can have no pardon from
God; wherefore we must either abstaine
from this wisdom, and become little
Children againe, or else want God; and
that prohibition of God, eate not of the
tree: if thou do thou shalt dye; is the
same with that saying of Christ, except
ye renounce your selves, and hate your
own life, ye cannot enter into the Kingdom
of God; For what was spoken
unto Adam, the same also was said unto
us; neither is our estate to be amended
any other wayes then that of Adams;
the hearts of all are like to a vessel which
smells of that matter and meate which
Adam did first power into it.
Therefore as Adam declined from
God and inclined towards himself, and
made himself as it were a wise deaster,
and admired himself like a little God,
the same is also fresh in every carnall
heart.
Now therfor, we must labour as it were
to go backward, and that inbred witt of
Adams is to be rejected & esteemed of us
no otherwise then foolishnes.
Here many things are to be unlearned,
and this we are to learn & know, that
all our conceit & opinion of wit is foolishnes,
and that which separates us from
God, and hinders us so that we cannot
attaine the true wisdom indeed; and we
must labour to be freed from the bondage
of our selves. And to this work we
should all apply our selves; to wit, quietly
to rest our selves, not in knowledge, but
in God known; and so affect knowledge
only as an Index, which only shews and
paints out God unto us, and is of God;
That is the Fruit of the Tree of Life,
and not of the Tree of Knowledge of
Good & Evil; to wit, that we permit God
to be, know, love, & have all things in us,
so that he speake, work, know, and love
in us nothing but himself, when, where,
and wherefore he will.
Julian th' Apostate ignorant of this
secret, against whom Cirill writes, was
greatly offended at this: that God would
have man to know neither good nor evil,
or rather that he would have Man to
have, teach, be; and will nothing at all, &c.
He (I say) was offended at this.
But if the matter be brought unto the
light of truth, we shall finde that all this
happened because of us: even as a Father
forbids and detaines a Sword from his
Son, knowing that if he had it, he would
hurt himself upon it, or otherwise abuse
it; In the same manner God denyed
unto Adam, and also unto us, that Tree
of Knowledge, for our profit and good;
Neither did he envy us therein, but
only did it to prevent the future evill,
into which he foresaw we should fall;
For he knew that as soone as Adam, like
God should know Good and Evill, he
would challenge the same to himself, &
desire to be his own God; otherwise
God had not cared though Adam had
eaten of that tree for satiety. For as soone
as Adam had eaten of it, there followed
thereupon selfelove, and arrogating all
things to himself, praise, and all other
vices.
So God in all his commandements
hath respect not so much to himself as
to us and our salvation, which not he but
we enjoy: as Job himself doth manifestly
confesse, that God is neither hurt
by our sinns, nor profited by our righteousnesse,
but still remaineth an eternall,
perfect, and impassible God, to whom
nothing can be added or any thing detracted;
though we try, yet can we not
make a Heaven, neither put the Sunne
out of them; nor dry up a Fountaine;
but all these things remaine in the same
estate and condition wherein God hath
placed them: He that assumes to throw
a stone against Heaven, it will fall upon
his own head.
Therefore we can make God neither
richer nor poorer, greater nor lesser, no
he is no way advantaged by us, though
we all adhere unto him; only he hath a
care on us to helpe us; we never deserve
to be what we are, therefore we ought to
attribute the cause of all our good to
him only, and give him the glory: he hath
an open hand more ready to give then
we are to receive; rich to all those that
call upon him; Neither doth he desire
any thing at our hands but only this: that
we quietly receive of him that which he
is willingly pleased to give, for he that
with quietness doth not receive, can have
no hope that he shall receive; all our witt
we ought only to imploy to this end, to
the denying of our selves.
This should make us nothing, children,
Fooles, and prostrate low at the feete of
God.
And to the effecting of this denying
of our selves, all our knowledge ought
to be directed; but that knowledge only
which proceeds from God, can effect it;
it can make a man nothing, a Child, a
Foole, and casts him downe at the feete
of God; But that knowledge that puffs
up a Man, making him great and wise in
his own conceit, such being the wisdom
of the World, comes not from God, but
is rather the Serpents Seed & forbidden
fruit. Now every one that eateth of the forbidden
Tree, for no other cause eateth he
thereof, but only that he may obtaine a
great name, honour, titles, and glory, that
he may have preheminence to be counted
the light of the World. And by
this meanes he eateth death in stead of
life. This the holy Scriptures testify
unto us, for whereas we ought to know
and learn nothing, every man learnes to
know and be wise in all things.
Now here some man might enquire,
why therefore did God create the Tree,
if he foreknew that both Adam and we
would eate death thereof, and not rather
hinder our sinne?
I answer, that God at the first made us
of earth, and assuredly did know that we
would not constantly abide in the estate
of our creation, and yet he suffred Adam
to take his course, & make tryall of misery;
that forced through sorrow & death
he might hast to God again; for so it was
to be that God would create him againe
out of sorrow, and make him againe a
new, not as before of nothing, but with
grace of himself; this God foresaw from
all eternity, and therefore suffred his fall,
and gave way that man should first taste of
the bitternes of death, before that he
would give him the sweetenesse of eternall
life, by which he might know the
better what he hath in God, and what
that life is compared with death, which
before he tasted.
Besides it was meete that God suffered
the freedome of sinne, rather then restrained
it, as well for many other causes
as more speciall for this, that otherwise
it had been coaction and force, and not
libertie, and also the goodnesse of God &
his mercie, having no other object, could
never have been manifested in his Creature:
Therfore it behoved that things
should come thus to passe by the providence
of God, and yeeld without necessity
or any fault in God; Read Brentius
lib. 4. & Ambros. in Rom. 9.
CHAP. VI.
Of the two kinds of knowledge,
and Will, and how the one allwayes
resists the other.
There is nothing under the Sunne but
it may be said to be twofold, that is
Just and wicked, Good and Evill. Now
just, and also that which is evill and wicked,
may in like manner be said to the
twofold, the one according to the judgment
of God, and the other according to
the estimation and opinion of men.
And now seeing God is a spirit, and
Men flesh, contrary to the spirit, it followes,
that all their judgements, wills,
knowledges, and actions, be contrary and
repugnant one to the other. Whence it
is, what man calleth good, right, sweete,
light, life, knowledge, wisdom, justice,
&c. God esteemes that to be evill,
wicked, bitter, darkness, death, foolishnes,
and sinne, according as the Scriptures
testify of God and of the World.
Therefore there is nothing in the
world but it may be called good or evil,
according as the judgement of men are
disposed, to whom it is proposed. What
God is unto the world, the same is the
Devill unto God; and so on the contrary;
So that nothing can be called Evill, but
all things are in their order right and
good, and evill and wicked, according
as the Touchstone is, by which they are
examined.
If I say, that the Word of God is false,
foolishnes and Heresie, the same is true
in the judgement and opinion of the
world; and thus all things are twofold,
either good or evill; & good is twofold,
as also evill: the one truly good or
evill in the sight of God, the other apparantly
good or evill in the sight of Men
or their opinion; so that there is a twofold
fasting, praying, willing, &c. to
witt, one that is really good in the sight
of God, so as is God himself, the author
and teacher of all goodnesse; the other
in the sight of the World good, but
in truth evill and wicked; for what seems
holy in the opinion of Men, is prophane
in the sight of God.
So there is a twofold knowledge and
witt, the one divine of the Tree of Life,
the other humane of the Tree of Knowledge
of Good and Evill. Humane wisdom
is a Fruit of the Forbidden Tree,
and the roote thereof is the Seede of the
Serpent, and so is mortall.
These are all the arts which Naturall
Men have found out, if not without
God, yet surely not in God.
Briefly, all witt and arts, which God
himself doth not plant in the hearts of
Men, by the power of his spirit and
Word, but acquired and gotten outwardly
by the industry and helpe of men
are death it selfe, or rather a deaster; if
man do any manner of way, trust or
hope in them, for they do make man no
more acceptable to God, or any way
more righteous before him, then do his
meate, drinke, or cloathes, for all these
things are out of man; and a certaine
superstition and worshipping of a false
God, if thou restest thy selfe in them;
thou mayst seem to thy selfe to be nearer
unto God, because thou knowes and understands
many things, being more
wise and accute then some simple good
man, who cares only to know God; But
in very truth, thou art no better then a
foole, who art ignorant of these; For by
how much thou art wiser then others
hereby, by so much thou art worse; For
since it is so, that all the knowledge of
this World, and all the righteousnesse of
the flesh is Devilish, according as Saint
James giveth this and other more opprobrious
names unto it.
It followes, that by how much a man
offends and growes higher, and increaseth
in this witt, by so much is he the
worse and more Devilish, so that a good
and simple man, who cares and desires
to know nothing but God, if he be compared
with him in respect of him, he
may seem to be a Saint or God, and one
of those is worth a thousand of others,
as holy Scriptures do testify, one rightous
man is more worth then a thousand
wicked men.
The other wisdom, which in the eyes
of the world is foolishnes, is that denying
wisdom, the fruit of the Tree of Life,
which whosoever hath, he shall never die.
This springeth up in man out of the
seed of the Woman, and is given and
taught of God alone, being in its own
nature, full of love, working divine solace
and is called in the holy Scriptures the
Knowledge of God; because it knoweth
nor acknowledgeth nothing but God;
This teacheth and professeth only God
in the hearts of his servants; it arrogateth
nothing to it self, but as it meerly knoweth
God; So it renders all it receives, to
him againe; This renewes man, justifies
him, enlives him, and makes him like
unto God, but it is to be found in no
mans heart, but only in his who hath given
a farewell to all Earthly pleasures,
arts, will, and witt, because that since it is
so that these two knowledges are so contrary
one to another, as fire is to water,
it cannot be that they should live together
in one heart, but the one will expell
the other, as the day the night, and the
night the day; wherefore all fleshly knowledge,
will, and witt, must be quite unlearned,
and we must become little Children
and Fooles againe, according as
the holy Scriptures testify unto us, if we
would have the true knowledge & wisdom
of God to dwell in our hearts; For
God requires a free and empty soule,
which he would fill with his knowledge
and goodnesse, and imbrace as a pure &
unspotted spouse, possessed with no other
love but his: He would be the only Father
of the Family, and cannot endure
Satan in his Kingdom to be neare unto
him, who is altogether light and void of
all darkness.
Now this wisdom being humane,
and a Fruit of the forbidden Tree, so is
it fleshly puffing up the possessor of it, so
as it makes him provide selfe-loving, desirous
of his own profit, bold and
wicked.
In a word, it makes a man a Lucifer,
and so contrary and abominable to God,
that he cannot or will not flow into his
soule.
And indeed nothing so much hurts
man as his own knowledge, witt, and
righteousnes, &c. which makes the word
of the everliving God to appeare foolishnes,
and God himself, to seem Satan
unto him.
Therefore as it hath already been said
of witt and knowledge, the same may
be said of the will of God and man.
The one cannot endure the other; No
more then the spirit can endure the flesh,
life death, fire water; Therefore the
wisdom of God aymes at the utter
destruction of Adams life, nature, will,
and wisdom, labouring to plucke us
from the duggs of humane wit, by which
we are nourished.
We must therefore learn to forgett,
and unlearne whatsoever Adam knew, or
doth know, wils, loves, &c. and all things
must be made a new in Christ, this is the
wisdom of God.
Now let us see how farre we are from
this, if a man have but onely a thought
to learn his way presently, he thinkes it
is well with him, and without any repentance
he doth sweetly delite himself
in his own knowledge, art, and will, and
all men will be good Christians, and if
God will, will compose whole bookes
and volumes of Christ, which they neither
do nor have known; and by this
meanes they do so wearily imploy and
vex their minds through Satans motion,
with so many questions, arts, and idle
disputations, that scarcely can they have
so much time as to think of the knowledge
of God; Whereas the true knowledge
of God is not learned by prying
into, running over, reading, or hearing
a company of doubtfull questions; as
the 1. Chapt. of the German Theologie &
Taulerus in many places elegantly doth
teach; but by patient and obedient remaining,
hearkening and attending to that
which God doth work in us; For he that
would be divinely wise, and learn the
knowledge of God, its needfull that he
heare and learn the same from God himself,
he having detained it to himself, so
that it can by no meanes be taught of
man; For as humane arts and sciences
proceede from men, and is their work;
so divine science is from God, and is the
work of his onely word.
For as John Staupitius saith in a little
booke of the love of God: that those
things that cannot be known but by sence
and experience, neither can they be taught
by, or learned from others. As for Example:
No man can teach another to see,
heare, taste, and touch; in like manner, and
much lesse can any man teach another, to
beleeve, love, hope, repent, so that divine
truth and Theologie may rather be said
to be experience then Arts: no man can
learn of himself the knowledge of God,
love of God, Faith, and such like, because
the naturall man cannot perceive things
divine; nay the Letter of the Scriptures
is not able to do this: it doth not begett
in man any new nature, it but shewes unto
him what a one he ought to be, and
what he ought to do; But yet he is, not
such, neither can they make him such,
but rather kill him and slay him by shewing
unto him his want and misery.
Therefore is the position true, that
faith & love cannot be conceived in the
heart of man by the Letter of the word;
Otherwise it would be that none should
be more faithfull then the Learned; and
yet for the most part none are more perverse.
The letter of the word indeed proposeth
faith unto us, but cannot write it in our
hearts, that being the work of the holy
Ghost. Therefore that of Saint John is
alwayes true: as the anoynting teacheth
you; As also this, he that hath heard and
learned of the Father commeth unto me; For
faith and love commeth into no mans
heart but his who is indued with the
Holy Ghost. From whose inhabiting in
our hearts, the light of faith and the
knowledge of God deduce their originall;
yea love it selfe is not begott or
infused in us, but by the holy Ghost and
an affect of the love of God towards us.
Wherefore the conclusion is this: that
whom the Holy Ghost doth not comfort,
teach and direct, he cannot be comforted,
taught, and directed to the obtaining of
Life.
Now all men will say and confesse,
that the world is darkness, mans wisdom
is foolishnes: yet if so be you will
indulge nothing unto him, but will tax
his will, witt, and designes, and say they
are all foolishnes and darkness, there
is no man will confesse it of himself, or
that it is earthly, but every man wil egerly
and earnestly contend, that his witt is
heavenly and divine, especially if it be
any way exercised about Religion, when
in very deed it is nothing else but the
wisdom of the flesh; Yea even that use
of the holy Scriptures, which is in the
world, which are wrested and turned as
every man likes to either hand; neither
can these bare words, these words of
God, containing in them the knowledge
of God, which are common in every
mans mouth, profit him any whitt: these
must be tryed according to the will of
God, and accordingly used. Otherwise
these very words will become a very
snare of Satan, and in stead of the
word of God the word of Satan to him.
It is not to say how well the wisdom of
the flesh knowes how to change it selfe
into each shape, and to flatter it selfe with
a forme of the word of God; what cannot
men pretend and undertake, to say in the
name of God: pretending indeed nothing
lesse then the meere honour, praise
and righteousnesse of God.
CHAP. VII.
The Testimony of the Scripture,
how we ought to evacuate the Seed of
the Serpent his counsell & word,
and so vomitt up the Fruit of the
forbidden Tree, and purge the
same away as deadly poyson
by the Fruit of the
Tree of Life.
THis we oftentimes reade, that our
wisdom is foolishnes with God. Which
forme of speech we steale from Paul, &
bable of it, when indeed we neither
know our own nor Pauls meaning touching
it. No man remembers to renounce
& give a farewel to his own wisdom.
This forsooth every man thinks is
spoken of the wisdom of Turkes and
infidels; As for his own wisdom, his reason
being corrupted and houlding some
tenents, gathered from the holy Scriptures
(though he miserably wrest them to
his own turn) yet he thinks his wisdom to
be the wisdom of God, and divine.
This every man witnesseth in his own
writings, in which for the most part he
goes on securely, without any doubting
upon the seeming approbation of the
Scriptures, to his tenents and opinions;
Not considering that this is the very
presumption of the Turkes and infidels,
with all Sects of false Christians, whom
I have known every one hath, or would
seem to have the Word of God to be
the foundation of their tenets, as the
Turkes and Jewes think at this day,
their faith is grounded upon the Word
of God.
Hence it comes to passe that every
man is deceived in himself, and shutt
up to himself, from the knowledge of
himself. This being it which God foresaw,
when he said that the serpent should
bite the heele of the woman, that is secretly
and craftily lay snares, and deceitfull
ginns in the hearts of men.
Therefore know whatsoever naturall
man, though wise man in the judgement
of the World, yea Adam with all his ofspring
the whole nature of men unregenerate
knowes, speakes, doth, thinkes,
lives, &c. all this is human, the wisdom
of reason, and the counsell of the flesh, &
the knowledge of that deadly and forbidden
Tree: only that rare Phenix,
which the Scriptures call the new man,
or the regenerate that hath the knowledge
and wisdom of God, being taught
it from above; All other things are the
inventions of men, the wisdom of the
Serpent and Fruit of the forbidden Tree.
Now we have said before that the
wisdom of man must be forgotten, and
we must learn to unlearne it: For as the
flesh, even so the wit of the flesh, and the
righteousnesse thereof is nothing but
foolishnes and wickednesse in the sight
of God. And on the contrarie, the wisdom
of God, and his righteousnesse, is foolishnes
and wickednesse in the sight of the
world and to the flesh. So that all arts
and sciences, being only fleshly, are altogether
vanity, filthines, and a Fruit of the
forbidden Tree, from the which all men
eate death.
It is no purpose for a man in word
to deny his own witt, and yet in his
heart to extoll the same as the wisdom
of God; Or, secretly to be elevated therefrom,
these are but the findings out of
the deceived heart of man; outwardly
sugred over by Satan with faire words;
And whosoever rests and depends upon
these faire pretences, he builds upon
hell, which will all damne. For as meate,
cloathes, time, place, person, and such like
do make men neither lesse or more acceptable
to God; So all humane arts and
sciences do not make the possessour
thereof one jot the better in the sight of
God, if he looke at them, and (as Adam
did) arrogate them to himself.
Therefore the most learned and wise
of this world are in this respect in no
better a condition then the foolish Idiot
that is.
It is necessary therefore that those
wise men go out of themselves, and
learn to become fools, by going out of
their witt, will, knowledge, &c. if they
desire to be indued with divine knowledg
from above:
Therefore even as the naturall man
voluntarily for his own bellies sake
doth torture himself day and night, in
the finding out of so many covetous, curious,
and with God unprofitable arts;
Even so it is necessary that with the same
paine and labour he learn to forgett and
forgoe the same, and become a Childe
and Foole againe; For it is a greater
difficulty, and more labour by many degrees
to unlearne his fleshly wisdom,
and forsake that good he hath gott already,
then from the beginning to learn
it for his profit.
In so much that this is true, who once
hath played the Asse, will scarcely learn
to leave those doultish tricks.
O how difficult is it for them to become
Fooles, who have grounded themselves
in a presumption of their own
witt.
And yet it is necessary that this they
must be, or otherwise they shall be
nothing lesse then that which they desire
to be.
Therefore so requisite is this denyall,
hatred & forgetfulnesse of himself, that
without it no man can be the disciple of
Christ; that is, no man can be indued with
divine wisdom, unlesse in his affections
he hath excluded, and given a farewell &
adewe to his own.
Wherefore what wonder is it if the
worldly Man, who is busied about the
things of this life, be altogether ignorant
of the knowledge of God; For since
he is not obedient to that wisdom that
is sprituall, neither can perceive any divine
thing, nor receive the spirit of
truth; nor for the wisdom of God exchange
his own; For he neither cares to
nourish that wisdom in his heart, neither
desires to learn it, and because he
desires it not, he cannot learn it.
And now it is requisite, that as Sainct
Paul sayes, if any man will be wise, with
God he must be a foole in the World, that
thereby he may become truly wise: That is;
he must cease to think, as the world doth
labour to gett a new minde, and deliver
over his sences & thoughts to be renewd
by God.
The cause of which Paul immediately
annexeth to the same: For the wisdom
of the World (saith he) is foolishnes to
God.
And in his Epistle to the Romans he
calleth it death and enmity to God. And
the same Paul bids adew to all his own
witt which he had learned at the feete of
Gamaliell, above all his equals and accounts,
all his own righteousnes and
knowledge as dung and drosse, in respect
of the excellencie of the knowledge of
Christ.
And elsewhere he glories in this that
he had learned to unlearne and forget all
things, and now desired to know nothing
but Christ & him crucified.
In the same manner all the Apostles
become little Children again.
Besides, Nichodemus, and all other
whosoever, (as Christ had said unto them)
unlesse they be changed, and become as
little Children, they cannot see the Kingdom
of God.
And a little after, Christ saith, that the
Kingdom of God is of such little Children.
This is the reason why the Scriptures
admonish us so often to beware of our
own witt, least we do any thing that
seemes good in our own eyes; As also
that we resist our own wils, neither that
we suffer our selvs to be led, and guided
by our own affections and desires; and
also those that trust in their own hearts
& obey their own cogitations, are foolish
and wicked, also that we seem not wise
in our own conceits, nor magnify our
selves but feare, and in feare and trembling
work out our own salvation.
And lastly, that we trust not, nor leane
not to our own witt; For what is or can
be more wicked then what flesh and
blood hath found out.
Truely the flesh cannot of its own
nature seeke God, and have him in estimation,
unlesse it renounce it selfe, and
hate its own life and soule; that is all its
own workes; though it gloze them over
with a pretence of the word, honour and
glory of God; for he cannot be beleeved,
loved, prayed unto, or found but only in
God.
Therefore all the endeavour, study,
art, & diligence of is altogether void of
God, and want his grace and spirit. For
the word of God requires an humble,
submissive trembling, and abiected mind;
and a soule poore in spirit, & free from the
bondag of the creatures; & like to tender
wax or clay, plyable in the finger of God
to receive the figure and stamp of his
image imprinted upon it.
To these Fooles and Children, such
as feare God, and are seperated from the
Dugges of the World, doth he open his
secrets, and teach his divine wisdom &
knowledg; if there be any man that fears
God, to him the Lord will shew the way
that he may choose, and he walke in the
truth, and his posterity shall inhabit the
Land: He sayes not to the Learned, and
to the wise of the World; as also in an
other place; the Lord reveales his secrets
to the righteous. For this cause Christ
the Sonne of God gives thankes to his
Father, that he had hidden his secrets
from the prudent and wise of the World,
and had revealed unto Children and
Babes; That as we have already spoken
out of the mouths of sucking Babes;
Such as were Moses, Ieremias, Amos,
and the Apostles, &c. he might speake
his praise, and extoll his Kingdom and
Glory.
Againe, the rich & proud he sends away
emptie, and filleth only the hungrie with
good things.
Now, no Money-master nor rich covetous
Churle is more swollen up with the
vaine confidence of his riches; nor any
woman more proud of her bewtie, then
these wise men pride and boast themselvs
of their wisdom and knowledge; perswading
themselvs that this is the divine
wisdom and riches of the soule, which
neither theevs can steale, nor rust canker
it, nor moath corrupt it, when notwithstanding
it is nothing but meere death,
foolishnes, and enmity against God, and
in a word the knowledg of the forbidden
Tree.
Therefore the holy Scriptures speake
expresly of the wise of the world, these
righteous men, famous for their arts,
priding themselves in their own hearts,
who are arrogant and proud, and are indued
with nothing lesse then the spirit
of God, who abides onely in simple
Doves.
By this it appeares that no kinde of
men are farther from the Kingdom of
God, and do lesse square and agree
with his word, and more disagree from
his will, then those who leane and trust to
their own wisdom, knowledge, reason,
and will.
Christ in the holy Scriptures speaketh
not so much against Publicans and common
sinners as these, who being puft up
with a conceit of their own righteousnes,
reflect upon themselves with a selfe
pleasingnes; with these can Christ least
accord, & unto them doth so often threaten
woes in the Scripture, and sayes that
adulterers and Publicans shall enter before
them into the Kingdom of Heaven.
These are those wicked men against
whom David so fervently and often
prayes, and of whom Christ hath so little
hope, and unto whom he with his Apostles
and Steuen give so cutting language;
who being men of a wicked mind,
would seem nothing lesse; But those
things which are written concerning
wicked men, they ignorantly interpret
of others, these are such whom the whole
world esteeme and accounts to be the
shining lights thereof; Such were Nichodemus
and Paul before his conversion;
these are those who in David, Moses,
Christs, and all other times of the church
have been the righteous Scribes & Pharises
with the people; who having a shew
of piety, have so lived, as that they were
esteemed Patrons and Examples for
others to imitate; These righteous men
of the world, the Scriptures call wicked;
who want nothing but onely this that
they have wicked minds, void of Faith
and grace; yet they so cloake their wickednesse
with a forme of godlines, that
they seem nothing lesse.
Neither think we that the times of
Christ and David were onely pestered
with these kinde of people; But we may
rather conceive, that if those goulden
dayes of theirs were full of such, these
Iron ages of ours are much more abundant.
All times and ages have had their
Dissemblers, Pharises and Scribes, these
our last ages since are the worst, for
seldome comes best things last; For the
world as it growes more aged, so it
growes more wicked, as both the Scripture
and experience do testify.
Wherefore it is behovefull that every
man endeavour that he be not of the
number of those men, who wresting the
word of the Scriptures apply and interpret
them on others, as most men do;
but in them behould himself as in a
glasse, if he desire to see a wicked man,
and one that is a capitall enimy against
God; And let him but question with
his own conscience, it is as good
as ten thousand witnesses, and then
he shall easily knowe what a one
he is.
For this cause the Scriptures are so
fyerie against these Godly Wise Men
of the World; Yea denying all good
to them, God in his just judgement
striking them with blindnesse; So that
they erre in their own way, hiding
himself and his word from their understanding.
Besides, the Scriptures do brand
them with a thousand infamous names;
Calling them Wolvs, a generation of vipers,
Beares, Bulls, Sonnes of Beliall,
painted Sepulchres, who are glorious in
shew in the sight of men, and set forth
themselves as righteous before men by
their sage manners, modest habits, and
graue gestures, when in the sight of God
they have their hearts full of nothing
but filthines and sinne. Of whom Christ
saith, that unlesse we be more righteous
then they, and exceede them, we shall
never enter into the Kingdom of God.
Neverthelesse they would not seem to
be what they are indeed, but cover themselves
with a shew of Sanctity. Wherefore
it pleaseth the spirit of God to
checke and rebuke them to the discouering
of their secret houlds, and vizards
of their faces; But he who accuseth himself,
and denyeth himself before God,
and in his presence, shall obtaine pardon,
as the Scriptures testify; which reprehend
those carnall spirituall spirits, or
men, who place their state with God, and
will be ignorant of nothing, and they are
admonished by God in Solomons Proverbs,
that they would desist from this
their arrogancie; Otherwise they shall be
so oppressed with the glorie and Majesty
of God, that they shall not be able to endure
and stand; But those who humbly
submitt themselves, and creepe unto
God, and willingly know nothing, nor
are nothing but what God knowes and
is in them, they in not seeking finde that
which the other seeking with great
auxiety of minde shall never obtaine;
For all things are theirs, and they know
what God is, hath or knowes, because
they in God and God in them inhabits
and dwels:
Hence it is that Paul saith, the spirituall
man searcheth all things, yea the
secret things of God; which is denyed to
the foolish flesh, according as we may
reade in the Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes,
for in counsell of the wicked there is no
health, no word of God, knowledge, or
love.
To the same purpose is that saying of
Solomon, God made man at the first
upright, but he found out to himself
many inventions, many difficults, many
labours, with which he doth weary and
vex himself; God that is good, simple, &
just, commandeth him that he should
know nothing but him, and follow and
be obedient to him as all the rest of the
Creatures; He should (I say) be so obedient
to him, as to do, know, will, love,
omit, and speake nothing but onely what
God doth know, will, love, omitt, and
speake in him, by which as in all other
Creaturs so in the heart of man he might
enioy a plenary Kingdom, and ruling
and governing him according to his own
will, neither should man have any title,
claime, power, or priviledge over himself.
Satan suggestion it was that man
found out so many ambushes & curious
questions, with frivilous difficulties, by
which he is degenerated from that simplicity
wherein God created him, and
subordinated him, being transported
with an ambitious desire, to become a
Lord & God to himself; and so remained
in the power of his own will; but
how just this is, let man that hath reason
judge, that the clay should desire to know
or be any thing contrary or besides that
which the maker thereof would have it,
know, or be; such similitudes doth not
yet fully expresse the matter.
Therefore it happens deservedly unto
us, that our wisdom, knowledge, and
will, should bring upon us all punishment
due unto sinne, and also make us
utterly disquieted, bringing unto us nothing
but torture and vexation, since besides
and contrary to the will of God we
have deserved them.
Hence it necessarily followeth, that
sinne is the punishment of it selfe, and
Fooles are destroyed by their own wisdom
and knowledge.
This is that which Solomon experimently
complaines off, when he sayes:
where there is much knowledge, there
is much vexation; And he that increaseth
learning sorrowes. And these wise men
are Fooles, for whosoever endeavoureth
to be wise above measure, this man shall
endure greiffes and sorrowes; and by
how much they become more wise, by so
much they are more disquieted: For
God will have us to finde rest in him
onely.
Neither must we rise, come, go, or do
any thing before him; For whosoever
commeth before him is a theefe, and
whosoever speaketh or doth any thing
of his own accord, without him, is a
Devill.
Therefore it is that all men are deluded,
deceived, and fooled by their own
witt; yea even because they professe
themselves to be wise, therefore they are
foolish.
And as God did the Caldean, Philosophers,
and wise men, so he suffers those
to be seduced by their own knowledge,
and to be wearied with their own inventions,
actions, and arts.
Hence it is that Christ would not have
his disciples desire to be esteemed some
bodies, or couett that men should call
them Masters, Lords, Doctors, or Rabbins,
but onely Ministers, Brethren, and
witnesses of him, Ioh. 15. Ye are my
witnesses.
CHAP. VIII.
Of the great Deaster of humane
wisdom and knowledge; and how all
men do kisse their own hand, and all
the World adores it selfe, and its own
work; that is, inventions, actions, and
deliberations of Fleshly reason and wisdom.
What other thing is the worshipping
of Images, Superstition, and the Institutions
of men, then the reason, witt, art,
invention, and prudence of man.
Therfore the worshipping of Deasters
is nothing but the adoring of the images
of God, not according to his Word as he
doth teach, figure and forme it to us, but
according to our own opinion and selfe
conceit.
Againe, what other thing is sinne then
our own will, witt, and counsell, sowne
unto us with the Seeds of the Serpent.
Consider the institutions, practice, and
Life of all Mankind, when and how
you will, you shall finde it nothing else
then humane wisdom; here every man
would be his own God, guide, governe,
teach move, revenge, defend, excuse, and
enrich himself; and every man sets his
own braine, will, and reason in the place
of his God, so that sinne & the fall of
Adam is nothing else but the humane
affectation of the art, reason, & knowledge
of the flesh; and therfore deservedly
is tearmed foolishnesse and enmity,
deadly and Devilish.
All men ought with Christ to become
nothing, and with a continuall decrease
& depression of soule, become asses, fools
& children; but now it is quite contrary:
every man labours that he may be wise,
great, illustrious and mightie; so many
arts and sciences are learned of men, that
they may be great, famous, and excellent
in the eyes of the world; and may obtaine
titles of honour, & names of respect.
Hence it is that yong men are inflamed
with a desire of glory, & labour not only
to be famous in Schooles, but to be admired
in the pulpitt also; and for that end
they seeke out learned Tutors, who may
make them expert, quick, and acute in all
kind of Literall deceits and exercises of
arts. By which it is as cleare as the Sunne
that the whole world is contrary and enmity
to God. Here every man kissing his
own hand and adoring his own witt,
esteeming it to be his light & his God;
Even it that was the only sinne of Adam;
and it from whence other sinnes came &
have their originall, as Job confesseth;
(Job. 33. 31.) For to admire & worship
himself, and to be led by his own will;
In a word, to stand on his own bottom, &
to desire to be something of himself
without God, is that one mortall sinne,
which is the fountaine of all other; for the
lusts of the flesh, and the witt thereof is
very dead.
And man like a Logg, is no better
then dead; but while he doth nothing,
knowes & desires nothing, but keeping
a holy Sabbath or rest; dyes wholy unto
himself; and being void of will or
witt, resignes himself over unto God,
and permits him to know and do in
him, what, when, and how he will.
And now the whole world lyes overwhelmed
with this sinne; in so much that
it doth no other but adore the work of
its own hand, that is its own invention,
counsels, comments, and wisdom.
To this purpose all things are directed,
intented, and wrested; yea the very
Scriptures themselves, the word of God;
that it may be agreable to our corrupt
reason, and not hinder the course of our
carnall and fleshly witt, and knowledge,
but all these things must be unlearned
and cast away if we will see God. And
therefore the Scriptures urge so often
times, that we should become Fooles,
little Children, and purge ourselves with
the Fruit of the Tree of Life, that we
may vomit up that poysonfull witt and
knowledge of the Forbidden Fruit.
CHAP. IX.
That the Tree of the knowledge
of Good and Evill, planted in the heart
of Adam, is the Seed, word, and spirit of
the Serpent and that great Daster, Antichrist,
sinne, death, the Devill, & that
Beast, which is mentioned in Daniell,
and the Apocalyps, which is the greatest
and commonest Idolatry.
1. What is that Beast of which Daniell
writeth, which speaketh against the highest,
and slayeth the Saints of God?
2. What is that Serpent who deceived
Adam & Eva?
3. What is the Tree of Knowledge of
Good and Evill?
4. What is that impudent King and Antichrist,
of whom Daniell and Paul
speaketh, 1 Thes. 2?
5. What is that many headed Monster,
mentioned in the Apocalyps, whom the
whole World doth worship?
6. What is sinne? What death? What
the Devill?
I answer: it is every mans own carnall
wit and reason, righteousnesse, and
the like; For which cause Paul calleth it
death, enmity, & foolishnesse unto God;
and Saint Iames calls it earthly, humane,
and devilish, because these three are one;
For whatsoever is humane, is worldly, &
Devilish; and whatsoever is Devilish, is
Earthly. For the Devill and Man, Adam
and the Serpent, are sworne Brethren, yea
both one; For the Serpent hath so shed
his wisdom, and fained righteousnesse
into the heart of Adam, that the Seed of
the Serpent and his word are incorporated
and made man, so that now the
same thing may be said of both.
And even as those that are borne of
God, and in whom the Word of God is
incorporated, are called God, or one spirit
with God: So all men borne of flesh
and blood, before they be regenerate &
planted into Christ, may be called Devils;
and so whatsoever is Earthly, may
be said to be Devilish, and whatsoever is
Devilish, may be said to be Earthly.
Againe, what is the Fall of Adam but
only the wisdom of the Serpent and
Fruit of the forbidden Tree? What is
that old Dragon, who ascends out of hell?
and with his tayle drawes a great part
of the Starres of Heaven after him? But
onely the wisdom of the Flesh, which
doth extoll it selfe against God, and
desires to become a God unto it selfe?
What are the thoughts of the Flesh?
What is sinne? what pride? But the
wisdom and Fruit of the Forbidden
Tree.
What are the Decrees of Men? The
workes of reason against God? Mens
inventions, knowledge, and bookes? But
onely the are of the Devill, Eaten of the
Tree.
What is all the worship of Images
and all false Religions? as of Jewes,
Turkes, infidels, and all false Christians.
What are all Sacraments, Assemblies, and
Ceremonies? But an apple of this Forbidden
Tree: which bearing a shew
to be of the Tree of Life, offers unto
Men, pleasant Fruit to his eye, that is,
reason which whosoever eates, he shall
finde to be deadly.
No man can fully expresse that idolatry,
with which all the corners of the
world and hearts of men are stuffed up;
and who is it that doth not adore himself,
and sayes to his hand, wisdom,
and reason, his art and his knowledge,
thou art my God, in thee I trust, in thee I
hope.
Indeed men say not this with their
mouth, but surely in their lives, workes,
and hearts, they plainly testifie as much.
Hence all men deny that there is a
God, and testify the same by their works;
For if they think there is a God, wherefore
do they not resigne vengeance unto
him? Wherefore are they so doubtfully
distracted? Wherefore do they forge
such wicked deceits, to deceive one another?
Wherefore do they so warre
upon one another (whether with right or
injustice it matters not) and contend
together for mine and thine? Why do
they lye, cogg, and flatter one another?
Wherefore do they labour night and
day to gett and heape up riches? Wherfore
are they so forgetfull of the word
of God, and so little esteeme his precepts
and commandements? But that they
think God cares not for them, or that he
cannot or will not revenge them; therefore
it is necessary that they helpe and
revenge themselves; or that they think
that while to long to wait and expect the
helpe of God, before that he take vengeance
and punishment they themselves
shall be overthrowen; And because they
think that nothing but povertie comes
upon them, if they have any commerce
and communion with the truth of God;
therefore it is necessary that they helpe
themselves, and labour for their living,
by lying, cogging, deceiving, and usury,
and the like; this makes a man rich and
honourable. As for the word of God that
is but a late helpe, and deficient in adversitie;
it stands us in hand, therefore
to adore our selves, speake bigge & swelling
words; elevate our selves as much as
we can. Who but my selfe is God? saith
the world in the course of her Life.
CHAP X.
An answer to certaine objections,
that we ought to be wise, and not
fools; and how we ought to
be wise, and how
foolish.
But you will say, that the learned shall
shine as the Starres or Sunne in Heaven,
and in a thousand places we are commanded
to apply our hearts unto wisdom,
as in the Proverbs and Eccles. wise
men are commended?
To which I answer, that it is rightly
spoken, if it be rightly understood, to
wit, of the tree divine & heavenly knowledge,
which God himself doth work
& teach in those that are poore in spirit;
I say, it is understood of the wisdom of
the tree of life; and not of the deadly and
foolish wisdom of the Flesh, which is
the knowledge of good and evill; and the
Scriptures will have us to acknowledge
our folly, and to be made fools in our
own judgement, (and indeed we are so,
but we would not be accounted so) and
forget all things whereby we may become
truly wise, and receive the influence of
divine knowledge into our souls; For
we are all foolish & wicked, and we will
not see and perceive it, nor beleeve it;
and therfore God would have us by confessing
our folly in true simplicity, to
give a farewell unto it, & by submitting
our selves over unto God, be made truly
wise and learned by him.
Hereupon it is that Solomon calls them
fools, whom Paul calls wise & prudent;
Solomon calls them what they are indeed
in the sight of God; but Paul calls
them what they seem to be in their own
eyes, and in the sight of men: We must
unlearne, and therein strive to be fools
in that wherein we learn and strive to be
wise in; But as it is given us of God, so it
can be learned from none but God; and
as the love of God shed abroad in our
hearts, begets a mutuall love of him
againe; Even so Gods knowing of us, begets
in us a knowledge of him, as Paul
witnesseth to the Gal: after that ye knew
God, or rather are known of him.
As also to the Phill. I desire to know
as I am known. And also 1. Joh. 3. He
first loved us. Also in another place: if
any man love God, he is borne of God.
Out of all these places I gather, that God
is never known, loved, sought, or found
of us, until we be known, loved, sought
and found of God; as Christ saith to the
Pharisees: the Kingdom of God is in
you; and Paul to the Athenians: He
is not far off from every one of us; for
in him we live, move, & have our being.
But this is most miserable and lamentable,
that those who professe themselves
to know God, know him not as they
ought; as Paul testifies of the world:
If any man love the world, the love of the
Father is not in him. And againe: if any
man seem to know any thing, he knoweth
nothing as he ought.
We should know this, that by nature
we know nothing, but are altogether
blind, dead, and foolish in spirituall
things; and ths knowledge should make
us nothing, foolish and Children in our
own eyes; But we desire to know,
and seem wise, whereby it comes to
passe that we know not how, or for what
end we ought to learn knowledge, for
wisdom is not given unto us for this
purpose, that thereby being puffed with
pride, we extoll our selves, and become
something in the eyes of the world, but
on the contrary to make us nothing.
This is the knowledge of God, that
makes us Fooles and Children to our
selves and the world: it doth not puffe
us up, making us seem wise in our own
opinion; Noe, for that is the knowledge
of the Serpent, both most devilish and
deadly.
Thus you see that the whole world
knowes not what, how, and for what end
they should desire to know, but alwayes
strives against God in their knowledge;
and know not of what things they ought
to be ignorant off, but cheifly are desirous
to know those things they ought to
be ignorant off; and so by their own
art and knowledge make themselves
Fooles.
Briefly, that which they do know and
do desire to know, that they should
learn to unknow; and what they resist
to know that they should learn to know,
otherwise God will never acknowledge
them for his own, because God hath determined
never to acknowledge, crown
or reward any thing in us, but his own
gifts and workes, that is never to love
or accept any thing in us but himself:
For he alone is the Light, Life, the way,
and the truth, so that whosoever is not in
him, or he in them, they alwayes wander
in the pathes of errour and shadow of
death. Now every man knows what it is
to walk in darkness. The walls of Jerusalem
were not to be opened before the
Sunne did rise; even so should no
man intend to go forth before the
Sonne of righteousnesse arose in his
heart; since all things depends upon him,
and be should be our Teacher and
Example, by whose instruction we should
learn, and by whose Example we
should walke, as the Scriptures testify.
It is an easie thing to say, that the
world is in darkness, and uncapable of
the spirit of truth: but no man will either
acknowledge or beleeve himself to be
the world, or that the whole world to
God is all Fleshe as the Sonnes of Adam
all were naturall men, with the universall
righteousnesse, reason, and wisdom
therein; but by the world men think
to be understood, the Turkes, Gentiles, &
Heathens; and I know not what people
of the farthest parts of the world, attributing
so much to arts, tongues & Scriptures,
which they almost preferre above
the spirit; and if a man do reade and
have a Bible, they think it enough, and
that by which they may easily obtaine
the Holy Ghost; not considering that
either the Holy Ghost must be their
guide, and enlighten them in the knowledge
of the Word, or otherwise it is but
a dead Letter; and is so farre from
bringing Life with it, that it mortifies &
kills the Reader: as Paul implies, where
he sayth, the spirit quickens and not the
Letter.
The Iewes in ancient times, and so
men in these dayes do boast themselves
of the word of God, & are strongly perswaded,
that out of it they are able to
gather Life to their souls; but they are
farre deceived.
Wherefore Christ sayes: In whom
think ye to have Life. As for the Scriptures
his testimony of them is this, that
they are them which testify of him.
Therefore all arts and knowledges are
no wayes the cause of Life; but the knowledge
of Life to know him in and with
God; wicked nature hath alwayes a perverse
end, proposed to it selfe, and therefore
it desires to know all things, not
for God but for its own sake; therefore
all things are to the flesh (as it is its self)
vaine and perverse, if the learning of so
many arts had been necessary to salvation,
God had created and taught them
in the beginning; Neither would be
have suffered that men should so long
have wanted that, without which they
were not able to attaine to Life; but
because they were formed out by men,
and still are found out by them, though
no man be any whitt the more unhappie,
if so be he never know any thing of them;
Yea he were more happie if he could
unlearne them, though with greater difficulty
then he learned them; you may
by the Tree conjecture what the Fruit
is, what humane arts and sciences are:
to witt, the Fruit of the forbidden Tree;
How then can they conduce any thing
unto Life, being the only precepts & inventions of men.
Therefore very well in praise of that
word of God doth Cornelius Agrippa call
all arts and actions of men meere ignorant
fables and foolishnes, in his Booke
De vanitate Scientiarum. The beginning
and end whereof we have putt in this
Booke, that we may not seem alone
with Ernestinus to contemne Arts and
praise folly.
Wherefore if thou leane unto arts,
please and boast thy selfe in them, having
any hope or accounting thy selfe any
thing better for them, they will prove
death unto thee, for they do no more
conduce to thy happines then garments,
time, place, or such like circumstances:
But as they are the inventions of the
flesh, so do they produce no other thing
in thee then the workes and Fruits of
the flesh, to witt, selfe-love, pride of spirit,
contempt, disdaine, security, & such
like; And this is verified by experience,
for no men are more perverse, craftie, &
covetous, then these wordly wise and
learned men be, being men drowned in
their own selfe-love, esteemed of themselves
worthy to be beloved and reverenced
of all; full of rash judgement,
lovers of all pleasures, and so full of all
vices: that the whole world gives credit
to no men lesse, speakes worse of
no men more: being full of taunting &
reproaching proverbs against them; such
as these, the better learned, the worser
mannered, the better scholler the worser
Christian. No man scapes scotfree out of
the clawes of a preist. He that wil have an
honest house, must keepe it free from
Preists, Apes, & Doves. A Monk dare do
as much as he dare think. These & such
like proverbs are common in every mans
mouth; which arise from this that they
are so swollen with the poyson of the fruit
of the forbidden tree, so puft up with the
false opinion of their own wisdom and
righteousnesse, that no rich man is more
insolent by reason of his riches, then these
perverse wise men are by reason of their
arts & knowledge; So that it is as easie to
remove Cyrus out of his Kingdom, as
one of these wise men out of his opinion
and tenent; And truly it cannot be but
by how much a man is more wise in the
art of the forbidden tree, by so much he
is more miserable, as Christ witnesseth
in the Gospel: that the multitude of their
arts and knowledge is an impediment
why they come not into the Kingdom
of God, and publicans and harlots enter
in before them.
Therfore these men are to perish with
their arts, & to depart empty, and so far
is any of them from leaving his art, wisdom,
knowledge, & righteousnesse, that
he esteemeth these to be the good and
riches of the soule, which neither theevs
can steale, nor moathes corrupt, when in
very deed they are nothing but the inventions
of Satan, fruits of the forbidden
tree, and the death of the soule; For the
life of the soule is the true knowledge of
God, which himself doth work & teach
in us, to wit, the fruit of the Tree of life,
whose fruit is that it makes a man gentle,
loving, humble, lowly, meeke, &c. By this
let a man examine himself, with what
witt and righteouseesse he is endued;
For if day by day, he be lesse in his own
eyes and in the judgement of the world;
if he seem still more foolish in himself,
and a Child in his own thoughts, his
knowledge is divine the Seede of the
Woman, a Fruit of the Tree of Life;
but if he finde contrary effects in himself,
then is all his wisdom Devilish,
the Seede of the Serpent and Fruit of
the Forbidden Tree, and so the death of
the soule.
CHAP. XI.
Of the Tree of Life, what it is?
why Adam was excluded from it,
and not permitted to eate
thereof.
I also grant thus much, that this Tree was
visible in Paradise, and had this divine
vertue bestowed upon it, that whosoever
eate thereof, should live for ever; But
whereas Adam before had eaten of the
Forbidden Tree, and had incurred death,
therefore he should not eate of this Tree
of Life, least otherwise he should have
lived for ever; and in a word, God should
have been false in his word, which was
that he should dye the death, but God
who is Life it selfe, would not for ever
be angrie with his Creature, but was
unwilling that man should for ever live
in that misery, into which he had cast
himself, and therefore drove him out of
Paradise, and afterwards shewed him
the way by which he should returne into
Paradise againe, and eating of this Tree
live for ever; and then gaurded the Tree
of Life with a Cherub and a flamming
sword, least man in his exile should have
presumed to have come to this Tree, and
have eaten thereof.
The will and counsell of God was that
it was better that man should dye in the
flesh, and so putt of this miserable life,
and change it for a better, then live in it
for ever.
Therefore God who cannot nor will
not hate us, delt every way most mercifull
with us, if so be we would truly
consider of it.
Now do I think that the same also happened
in the true Paradise of Adam's heart,
the Tree of the Knowledge of Good &
Evill, is the Seed, Knowledge, and wisdom
of the Serpent: And the tree of
Life, is the Seed of the Woman, and the
wisdom of God; and these two Trees
are, as God and Satan; so contrary one to
another, that the one brings Life unto us,
and the other death.
Therefore he that eates of the one, its
impossible he should eate of the other,
because they are divided by a flying
Cherub and a flaming sword; which I interpret,
sinne and disobedience, which
sometimes in the Scriptures is called a
partition wall.
For he that eates of the Tree of
Knowledge of Good and Evill, that is
he that is possessed with a Diabolicall
wisdom of the Flesh, he cannot eate
the Tree of Life; that is, he is departed
from divine knowledge and wisdom
that proceeds from God: For these two
wisdomes are incompitable, they cannot
be in one and the selfe-same heart,
being as contrary one to the other, as
heaven to hell; He that eateth of the
Tree of Life, and is pertaker of divine
knowledge, he cannot dye, neither
sinne; For this Fruit eates the eater
of it, and changeth him into its own
nature, into Life, as the Scriptures
do testify of those that do eate the
flesh of Christ.
For it is one and the same thing, to
eate Christ, to live in his word, to eate
of the Tree of Life, to beleeve in
God, &c. as it is also the same thing to
be in Adam, to live in Adam, to eate
of the Tree of Knowledge, of Good &
Evill, to obey the word of Satan, and
be God.
Therfore those that eate of this deadly
Tree, and adhere to the word and
wisdom of the Serpent, and are borne
of Satan, these cannot do any thing
that is pleasing unto God. As on the
contrary the other doth not any thing
that is displeasing unto him.
Therefore he that would be the one,
must bidd adew to the other: He must
putt off the wisdom of the Serpent, and
vomitt up the Fruit of the Forbidden
Tree, who would eate of the Tree of
Life.
Adam must dye in us, and the witt of
the Flesh must be unlearned of us, if we
would have Jesus Christ to live in us,
and obtaine the direction of the holy
spirit; For the death of the one is the
life of the other; the infirmity of the one
is the strength of the other.
No man can serve two Masters, neither
is it possible to unite Adam, God, &
the Devill together.
CHAP. XII.
The praise of the Word of God, on
which alone man ought to build, rest, reside,
and it onely know, if he will remain
unshaken in adversity, have his Faith
manifest and approved, and finde quietnesse
to his Soule.
Indeed there be many arts profitable
to the body, which God the belly hath
created, and yet doth dayly finde out,
which truly bring much profit to the
kitchin; and onely serve, worship, & obey
their God the belly most zealously, as it is
expedient they should. But as the common
proverbe is, that which is profitable to
the body: doth often hurt the soule, and
that which is the bellies and flesh, as life,
foode, and plentie, is often times the
death of the soule, and a meere poyson
unto it, because the spirit is contrary to
the flesh.
Hence it comes to passe that table or
belly arts, because they be the Fruit, off-spring,
and witt of the flesh, are altogether
vaine, famine, and death unto the
soule. And on the contrary, that onely
art, the end whereof, was not for God
bellies advantage; which the whole world
doth so much sleight and little regard,
that onely true wisdom and Theologie,
to witt, God and the knowledge of his
Word in him; together with the knowledge
of him divinely infused into our
souls, is the sole art onely necessary to
mans salvation.
Therfore the true, heavenly, & divine
art, the true tree of Life, of which whosoever
eateth hath everlasting life.
Furthermore I say, this art is the
Foode, Wine, Milke, excellencie, defence
and all whether the profit, pleasure or
advancement of Soules; All other arts
being vaine, doubtfull, and the poyson
of the Soule, hurtfull and deadly to
the Spirit of Man, if he leane upon
them, rest in them, glory in them, or
build his happinesse upon their sandy
foundation. In a word, they are the fruit
of the Tree of Knowledge of Good &
evill, of which whosoever eates, as I have
amply proved, he shall dye the
death.
Therefore I desire that we would
not be to righteous nor wise in our own
eyes; As Solomon (Eccles. 8. as also
Proverbs 3.) doth faithfully instruct
us: that we should esteeme nothing to
be our wisdom, righteousnesse, or any
other vertue in us, but onely to know
God in and with himself, and love,
praise, worshipp, feare, honour, and understand
him as we ought. Which
thing must necessarily proceede from
God himself, beeing the work of his
eternall, and in it selfe everlasting and
immutable word, which without spokesman
from him proceeds out of his
mouth: that he speakes in our hearts,
teacheth himself in our souls, imprinting
and engraving his Image in us,
thereby enlightning so our understanding,
that to speake in a word, he so
teach, love, know, understand, pray unto,
heare, guide, governe and worshipp
himself in us.
All other things whatsoever are to
dull, and all the vertue of things are to
base, that they should be able to teach
us God, and give us everlasting felicity;
or that God by them should give it
unto us.
God will be himself, teach himself,
give, and convay himself into
our hearts: Neither will he suffer
his honour to be given to any Creature,
that by it we should be saved
or sanctified; but he that heareth and
learneth it of the Father commeth unto
him.
He will himself be the Master of spirits;
and so a spirit shall be taught of a spirit.
And all those that are divinely instructed
of the all-knowing and understanding
God, shall be said truly to be learned
and wise.
The flesh hath teachers, who belonging
to the old Covenant, have commerce
with the flesh. The new Covenant, because
it is spirit and Life, and in like manner
hath a spirituall and new birth of God
to be instructed, hath also a spiritual word
and Master to instruct it, which is the
word and spirit of Life.
Therefore if any man would know
himself, submitt himself quietly to the
direction, and permitt himself to be
spoken too, sought and found in him;
He surely should be elevated to a wonderfull
Light; if any man I say doth follow
the instruction and Doctrine of the
Father in himself, he verily should finde
God in God and with God. But the
world busied and accupied in the Creatures
passeth away in a confusion, and
not considering the hidden and secret
treasure that is closed in his heart; Neither
seekes for this precious Pearle, but
covered all over with the earth of the
Creatures, remaineth in darkness with
the multitude of his arts and sciences;
weary, ignorant, and void of all true arts
and sciences; yet doth he in the meane
space learn art after art, further and
further searcheth into the mystery of
knowledge.
And to use the words of Saint Paul,
is alwayes learning, and never able to
come to the knowledge of the truth;
but the more he learneth, the more perverse
he is; and to such a madnesse doth
he come at last, through his overmuch
wisdom, that he quite forgets what to
say, babble, determine, beleeve, and what
opinion to hold; and so he together with
his fraile foundation and fickle arts,
staggers here and there, slides out of one
errour into another, until he become
vaine in all his imaginations, and like to
Foxes, caught with all their trickes and
turnings; is thereby miserably ensnared
in the Netts and snares of his own arts
and sciences. But the Christian like to
the Catt, hath but one way, knowes but
one art, whereby he is able to save himself,
yea that a chiefe one, viz. his God,
in whom he hath all things, knowes,
loves, and comprehends all things; And
therefore he scapeth, when the Fox
though he know many sleights, & those
craftie ones indeed; yet often together
with his sleights, he falleth into the
power of the Gods and the hands of the
hunter.
Therefore thou canst boast of nothing,
nor build upon any other thing whatsoever,
but onely that sure foundation and
art, which is God himself, & his holy
word: For all other things forsake man
in adversitie, except the hope and confession
of God; this is the true preacher
in our hearts, if any man will attend and
hearken to what he shall speake in him,
he hath planted in us the Seede of the
woman neere unto the Seede of the Serpent,
for opposition unto the same; yea he
hath confirmed his Spirit, finger, word,
and Image in us; His Spirit he hath
cloathed in us with Flesh, and hath placed
it captive in the midst of its enimies
in the Tabernacle of the Flesh,
that it may prevaile and overcome, and
subduing the Flesh may with it selfe
carie it unto God, deify it, engraffe it, &
unite it unto God; For this is the fight
betweene the Flesh & the Spirit in us, of
which Paul speaketh off.
Therefore if any will yeeld himself
over in the midst of his enimies to the
holy Spirit, & glory in God, as in a most
fortified Campe in him: God would
(without doubt) once come and vanquish
his enimies, and so he should know
all things to eternall Life.
But the World doth not attend unto
God in himself, alwayes occupied with
the sound or noyse of the Creatures,
passeth on with tumult and confusion,
and so knowes nothing, heares nothing,
learnes nothing, though in the meane
time it compasseth, searcheth, and inquireth
out a thousand unprofitable
arts, and continually learnes, and the
longer it learnes, it is the more unlearned,
until sliding into errour at last,
it falls quite downe.
But if men as Christians do, would
abide with God privately in the Schoole
of their hearts; and with Marie would
sitt attentively at the feete of their Lord, and would both heare and learn what
God would be pleased to speake, teach,
& interprise in them, verily they divinely
instructed, would at last vomitt up all
their arts, as ignorant and folly. And with
Paul would forgett them, deny them, and
account them as drosse and dung.
Standing water is easily made bright
with the beames of the Sunne; and
a rolling stone gathereth no mosse;
but the roaring Rivers of this world
must necessarily be either lukewarme or
cold.
Therefore it is behovefull, that before
all things we turn unto God in our souls,
and compose our selves with him in
quietnesse; dayly talking with him, heare
him, and learn of him. Which thing the
whole world is ignorant off; it knoweth
not how to heare the word, the Master,
the teacher, and how to learn of him in
himself; but alwayes it flyes out of its
own heart into the mouth of man; who
when they be altogether lyers, filthie,
vaine, it comes to passe that they are allwayes
deceived; are alwayes learning,
and heaping many arts; when notwithstanding
with all their arts they are ignorant
and foolish, because that which
they know, is but meerely surreptions,
theevish, untried, taken upon trust from
others, of which they themselves never
had experience; but if any to please the
people have profunctorily beleeved, yet
together with the people they beleeve
some other thing.
Then truly like Bees they fly out in
swarming sometimes, prosecuting a poor
Wesell, making deare enquiry into a
matter of little moment, and fall into
some matter of dispute, upon whose,
foundation and ground they are altogether
ignorant off, until they be satiated
with it, then they fall upon some other
thing.
So in times past all Israell (in whom
all the whole world is figured) together
with their Kings and Preists did fall, until
they wholy erred from the Faith, and
once taken were led away captive.
Read the people painted in my booke
of the World.
Now I call with Paul the word of
God: that foolish and offensive speech,
which to wit doth bring with it the
crosse, greefe, and death of the flesh, and
maketh all things which seem somthing
to be nothing, and only looketh upon &
regardeth those men who are nothing in
themselves, which in the eyes of the
world seem the greatest folly that can
be. Neither can it be perswaded, that letting
passe that which it sees, it should
embrace that which it neither hath not
sees; for it would rather have one bird in
hand then two in a bush. Neither doth
it doubt so it might keepe it to preferre
a temporarie life before a thousand eternall
lives.
And therefore the Word and the
preachers of the word have been persecuted
for fools.
Now the word of God is of such a
nature and force, that though it hath a
vulgar stile so simple in the language of
truth, yet it overthroweth all things
whatsoever rise against it, it dulleth the
edge of all witt, and these entysing and
corrupt contemplations, together with
the more eloquent kinde of lying, it
doth bring into such straight, that it maketh
them to blush for shame; although
(as it is alwayes the properties of lyes
and ungodlinesse) they will not confesse
themselves to be overcome; For the
word of God doth say such strait seege
to the heart of Man, that every one, if
he do not speake against his own conscience,
is forced thus to think, and so to
determine as the word doth speake, that
so it is, and otherwise it cannot be but a
lye.
On the contrarye bursts in with a
long Circumlocution, and one lye doth
almost waigh ten lyes, that it may seem
to be true and have a shaddow thereof.
But the word of God, as I have already
said, doth proceed after a most simple
manner, but it doth so gird a man, that
will he or not, he becommeth, amazed,
and with admiration astonished
& affrighted, doth say, this is the finger
of God.
No man ever spake thus; for this word
hath such a sharpnes, sting, and strength,
that it pearseth even into the heart, and
seperateth the flesh from the spirit, so as
the minde beeing captivated without all
controversie, assents to the same, and
confirmes the truth thereof with all assurance;
not so craftie subtiltie can be objected
against the truth, but that may be
battered, weakened, and refuted with
one word; neither can any thing so accute
be produced, which weakened with
the like accute, may not be overthrowne,
onely the word of God overcommeth
with such force, that even the minde of
the enemy is overcome and taken with
it; the outward man alone, and the face
of the flesh, which would not be bridled,
seekes out all kinde of ambushes, trickes
and turnings, to escape this thunderclapp.
And falshood, for shame covers its
face with its hands, and thereby thinks
that the whole body is covered, that it
cannot be seene.
Moreover, it is behovefull, that all other
traditions of arts, words, and spirits, be
examined by the word of God, as by an
index, golden rule, and touch-stone.
I call that the word of God, which is
the Spirit and Life, (not the Letter)
written without Inke and paper in the
hearts of beleevers, which speakes unto
the souls of all those that are obedient
unto it. This I call the Word of God;
Not the Scriptures. For if we speake
properly, the Scriptures or Letters are
not the word of God, but the minde, spirit,
and that true divine meaning, which
Paul calleth the sence of Christ and mind
of the Spirit, and Christ the Word of
God.
This I say is the word of God, as St.
Paul doth testify: The Letter (sayth he)
doth kill, but the Spirit, that is the true
and spirituall meaning thereof, which
onely spirituall men are indued with,
which doth quicken.
These alone have the Key of David,
for the opening of all the Seales of this
closed booke; to all other the booke is
Sealed with seven Seales; Of which mention
is made in Dan. 7. Apoc. 5. and Mat.
13. by way of parable; and the vaile of
the Letter doth hang before their eyes,
until they turne unto God, and seriously
will obey his will.
The spirit of understanding entreth
into no froward scorner, who in the letter
only desireth to shew his nicitie and
Clarkeship. For the truth is, that word
of God, and his secrets, are made manifest
to them that feare him.
Therefore many in our times are
snared, who betwixt the writings and the
word of God do know no difference,
and so do they esteeme the Scriptures
for the word of God, so as beside it
they know no other.
But it appeares by the Testimony of
many divinely taught, that the scriptures
are nothing but the huskes, the shell, the
sheath, the Lanthorne, the shrine, the letter,
the cave, the vaile of the word of
God. From whence it ariseth that they
appeare so sinister, and in shew often repugnant,
and are hidden from wicked
men.
But the Word of God placed in and
under them, is the kernell, the life, fulnes,
and thing it selfe, or substance: For otherwise
those learned men the Scribes and
Pharisees had been blessed and happy, if
the Letter had been the word of God,
viz. the light, &c. because they had so
well conned the Scriptures, that most
part of them they could say by heart, yet
were they for all that most miserably to
perish with this Art; and so death is eaten
by the Tree of good and evill, while yet
men think thereby to have Life.
But Christ doth more ingenuously testify,
that they know not the Scriptures,
that is what in the Scriptures is the word
of God; for what otherwise belonged to
the Letter and grammaticall sence they
writt, but knew not the mind of Christ,
which was the force and meaning of the
Letters; and the Letters in my judgment
are of sett purpose, so sinister and darkly
dictated by the Holy Ghost, comprehended
and declared, that those impious
Swine and Dogges may not understand
them, according as Christ out of Esay.
doth alleadge them, and giveth this reason,
why he speaketh so obscurely by similitudes,
and demonstrateth the same
thing more significantly in Iohn, least
we should make an idoll of the Letter;
And that we should think some other
thing more necessarie to salvation then
Bibles: to weet, that of God we should
desire the Light of his word, which is
hidden in this Lanthorn; and also that
true teacher the Holy Spirit, which may
direct, lead, and instruct us in the holy
Scriptures, and may open the Seales
thereof, declaring unto us the mysterie
of this shrine, that is his divine word,
Law pleasure, will, and meaning, hidden
under the dead Letter.
Many think it enough that they have
Bibles, and know how to reade; Here
forsooth they find the Holy Ghost, the
word of God, that double Sword of
the Spirit; yet wrapped up, and closed
in the sheath.
But who can understand, gaine, finde,
and brandish the same? He answers by
the Prophet Esay: Yong Children, who
will be affrayd at this killing Letter,
they are sore out of heart, tremble and
dye for feare.
Therefore it is not enough, although
it is good, to have Bibles. What to have
Bibles? All the Pharises had the same,
could say them by heart, and yet they
lived no lesse blinde and dead.
These very Bibles are the Tree of
Good and Evill, of which they did eate
death, although to the godly who consult
with God about the meaning of them,
and renouncing themselves, pray unto
him for the obtaining of his Spirit, they
be the Tree of Life; God will give his
glory to none other, no not to the Scriptures,
but hath made them darke unto us,
and hath reserved the interpretation to
himself, that he may teach, enlighten,
rule, and guide, how, when, and as he
will; and his will is, that we alwayes
wax stronger, and by degrees come nearer
to the knowledge of the truth, if so
be we would do the same by his helpe;
but he hath not sowen his word by the
way side for dogges and swines, but hath
covered it, the same beeing hiding in the
Letter, that we may not rest our selves
contented in the Letter, but digg up the
hidden treasure; and with all Religion
pray for grace and understanding, and
consult with his Holy Spirit, that he may
take us into his tuition, guide us, teach
us, leade us unto the Tree of Life, the
Fruit whereof may feed us up unto eternall
Life.
And this is the tryall of all Arts, Doctrines,
and Spirits, that they be compared
and agree with the word of God, that
that which is divinely unto us, we finde
to be true by his word in our hearts. In
a word, that our spirits may confirme the
same so to be by its testimony, as we
have divinely learned the same, and that
we sustaine for the defence thereof to
dye.
Therefore it is likely and so it shal be
indeed, what Doctrine soever commeth
from God, the same is not repugnant to the
word, which divinely taught, we have in
our hearts, but agreeable, thereunto giveth
testimony that we know his word,
as we are known of God, and comprehended
as we are comprehended of him,
otherwise how could we say Amen, and
assent if the contrarie should be fall in
us.
Therefore they are much deceived
who think that nothing is the word of
God, but what altogether differeth from
our minds; and therefore compell themselves
only to beleeve those things which
in their inward man they can perceive,
feel, & comprehend to be far wanting in
them, and contrary to them.
Indeed the word of God invadeth our
hearts with an exceeding force, because
it is spirit, our hearts are flesh; but where
the beleeving heart addicts it selfe to the
worship of God, the word is soone incorporated
in us, and our heart made one
with it, is converted into spirit; so as
now the truth it feeleth, yea and what
more it witnesseth that to be true, which
the spirit doth speake unto it; and is so
bound that it necessarily must assent unto
it; Neither doth it so compell or
force it selfe to beleeve, but it is so compelled,
that it cannot but beleeve, and
would a thousand times make a losse of
its body rather then beleeve otherwise.
So again the mind cannot be beleeved,
and as long as the minde doth not assent,
it is a sure argument, that as yet it hath
not comprehended, nor as yet is the
word incorporated in thee, nor the
Sonne of God borne.
For he who comprehendeth the word as
he is comprehended, feeleth the same,
yea testifieth, & knoweth that the same
is true.
Wherefore compare, or examine all
learning with the testimony of the spirit.
For if thou art a beleever, God dwelleth
in thee, and thou art sealed with his
word and Spirit, but if thou dost not
beleeve, this examination nothing belongeth
unto thee; For it is spoken to the beleeving
Thessalonians, try the Spirits.
If in a wicked man the spirit were to
be compared with his heart and with the
letters, he could never rightly judge how
he doth understand them, because he
taketh that to be the word of God whatsoever
pleaseth his wicked and perverse
heart and eyes.
On the contrary, it is commanded to
the Saints, that they try and prove all
Spirits and Doctrines by the word of
God, which divinely taught, they have
approved in their souls; not to the wicked
who are unfitt to every good work,
and whose judgement God doth not approve
off.
But if they say, they are to be brought
to the touch-stone of the word the holy
Scriptures. I willingly grant the same,
so that you understand that of the minde
of the Scriptures, which is the onely word
of God; which also onely those who are
of God do understand, but if the Doctrine
and Spirit be compared with the
Letter of the Scriptures, it will be compared
diversly, every one according to
his own understanding, in which they
are deceived; neither is this the true trial,
as more cleare then Light we may see
it; Since all desire the Letter to be this
judge, and think them of themselves to
be the same.
Therfore that which hath not the examination
I speake off, which I but now
spake off, is as easily confuted as it is
admitted, as Gregory sayth.
Here are casheered all the arts, explanations,
orations, and comments of men,
which are boughes and fruits of the forbidden
Tree, in the Paradise of this
World, from which as yet all men do
eate death, and yet neverthelesse with
Adam and Eva think themselves to eate
life, and hope to be Gods. Therefore
all mens arts are no other then a plant of
the Devill, who thinketh by this meanes
to change men into Gods, & from hence
promiseth life & immortality, when neverthelesse
death is before their eyes, so
soone as they have eaten of this fruit.
Now that Sentence standeth firme:
Every plant that my Heavenly Father
hath not planted shall be cutt downe.
Therefore all those Arts must againe
in their original be brought to
nothing.
That I confesse is the only Scope of the
holy scripturs, which is the word of God,
known of them who are of God; But
that the literall and grammaticall sence
is, this I do not think, which wicked men
do understand, and also follow, and yet
by Christ are denyed to understand the
Scriptures, but as they expound themselves
in the Godly, out of the Doctrine
of the Holy Ghost; And this meaning
cannot be comprehended in open Commentaries
and rules, but the Holy Ghost
will have this book & mistery reserved to
himself, neither wil he have it imprinted
but will shew, teach, & open to all, according
to the measure of every mans faith,
as much as is necessarie, neither will he
have it so committed, that one may
teach another, and so incroch upon the
priviledge of God, but will teach it himself,
that all and every one of us may be
divinely taught, and may glory that we
have learned the Word of God from
God, and not from men, with pleasant
docility, yet so as men ought,
and every one may one to another give
that testimony which he hath learned
from God.
So it commeth to passe, that with
Christ and his Apostles we are witnesses
of the Word, not Ministers of the
Spirit; For who hath commaunded
the Wind but onely the Master of the
Winde.
To this belongs that which Job, Jeremie,
and Esayas say, that we shall all
be taught of God, so as it shall not be
necessary for us to be taught of any
other, but that so its true as the holie
unction shall teach us.
And whereas God is onely true, and
all men are lyars, it cannot be but it must
be a lye and errour whatsoever commeth
not from God; and that cannot come
from God which all wicked know and
understand. Since they are not of God,
but are seperated from him by the partition
wall of sinne.
Now what commeth not from God
is sinne, and not good; and what shineth
not from his Light, is altogether darkness,
although it seem to be Light and
wisdom, as Esay. upbraideth the Caldean
Philosophers, their own witt hath
deceived them, and they were wearied
with the multitude of their own inventions,
&c.
God speaketh this against all arts, except
the art of God, formed in us by his
word; which exhibits unto us nothing to
be meditated upon, and viewed in the
Light but onely God, to know and understand
God, because that word is verily
God, without any distinction of nature;
there as God cannot be defined,
described, or divided; but if we speake
properly, God is all in all things, and yet
nothing of all these things which can be
felt, conceived, or comprehended by
sence, reason, or understanding, spoken,
written, or heard; so is the Word of God
infinite, infallible, incomprehensible, eternall,
by it selfe existing, and farre exceeding
all the writings and words of
men, because it, as God cannot properly
be written, read, or spoken. Since it is
God, and was before writing or man
was, and shalbe when man is deceased &
writing are ceased.
Therefore all things are subject unto
vanity; For which cause the nature of all
things are called vaine and vast, by reason
of the accident of vanity, although in
it selfe it be good; onely the word of
God, which in it selfe is perpetuall and
semperternall, can neither be written in
Letters, nor expressed in word, endureth
for ever.
Hence it comes to passe, that whatsoever
is spoken or written of it, as that
which is not of God himself, remaines
but as a shadow, a figure, and testimony
thereof, and is not properly God and his
word.
Now no man can speake or utter this
word, therefore it is necessary that it
speake it selfe, in an obedient and willing
heart; and for this cause it is required
of every man, that he submitt
himself under the potent hand of God,
void of his own will, free and cleare
from his own heart, and subordinate to
the will of God, that God or his word
may speake, teach, seeke, love, finde, acknowledge,
beseech, hear, praise, honour,
feare, and adore it selfe.
This alone is the art of God, which he
himself doth teach in us, without this all
other arts are nothing; For besides this
to know all things, is to be ignorant of
all things. All arts without this art is
vanity, which yet is better conceived in
hearr then it can be uttered in word; yea
it cannot be expressed or declared in
worde, therefore no man can teach the
same to an other, but it is to be taught
and manifested by God, to the teaching
of which whosoever are sent, they are
not Doctors or Masters, but onely witnesses
of that word, which by the vertue
of God is before in our hearts.
Therefore it hath many names, which
oftentimes are used one for an other; so
that as sometimes the Father, sometime
the Sonne, and sometimes the Holy
Ghost is called the Fountaine of Life or
Truth; So the word of God is sometimes
called the Seed of God, sometimes
his soule, sometimes his sonne, sometime
his arme, sometimes his hand, sometime
his right hand, sometime his Law,
sometime his will, sometime his image,
sometime his inspiration.
And hither may be referred all the
names which the Scriptures give to the
Father, Sonne, and Holie Ghost, and the
word of God, which are all one, and referred
unto one, serve to the signification
of the same thing.
And this Word which in the New
Covenant is called Christ, is the essence
of all things which are, and all things
are created by it, and also are preserved,
nourished, and sustained by it, and
in it.
So that all things have their beeing
rather in the Word then in themselves.
And if God should withdraw this word
to himself, as was the estate of them before
the beginning of the world, while
yet the world was not made of him, so
should all things necessarily in the same
moment be turned to nothing againe.
Therefore doth God even to this day
preach this word unto us, and yet it is
ineffable, as Taulerus saith, though in him
all things have their essence and being
in & from God.
Wherefore to committ and consecrate
a mans selfe to this living word of God,
is the onely life eternall; and that true
one art and part of Mary which cannot
be taken from her; all other arts are vaine
and must perish with the inventors and
professors, only to know God, & obey his
word, which the Scriptures calls to eate
Christ, to beleeve in him, to putt on the
new man, to adhere unto God, to be born
a new, to live to the spirit, to heare and
receive the word of God, to be baptized,
to be ingrafted into Christ, to receive
Christ, and many other tearmes: is not
onely of it selfe immortal, but preserveth
all from death, who are indued with the
same. No man can consume this bread,
but it preserves him the eater thereof,
from eternall death, and hunger unto
eternall life.
This treasure can no theefe take away,
no rust or moath corrupt. In a word, this
eternall word is to a Christian all things:
in adversitie a Sword & Weapon against
all dangers, meate to him that starves,
cloathing to the cold, for want of divine
grace, and a sure sanctuary to every
fugitive.
But he that knoweth all things, and is
ignorant of this, knoweth nothing; even
as he who knoweth and hath all things,
and wanteth God, possesseth nothing;
and if it could be, that any man could
know all arts, which all men at any time
have known and understood; if he were
a Pandora, or a Hippias, knowing all
things, yet were he not therefore any
whitt better in the sight of God; yea I
dare say, he should be so much the worse,
by how much he had glutted himself of
the tree of knowledge & eaten death; for
the more poyson is received, the speedier
will the destruction be.
And even as this was the fall & death of
Adam, viz. to become a god, & to arrogate
to be something in himself, & to know,
I will not say to be ignorant of nothing.
That fal cannot be forgiven, or repaired,
unlesse thou vomitt up all that Diabolicall
art and curious knowledge; and besides
eate of the Tree of Life, which shall
work in thee an utter forgetfulnesse of
all those arts, and make thee a Childe, a
Foole, and reduce thee to innocencie under
God, that at length thou mayst know
that which God would know in thee; so
he himself should teach and suggest in
thee by his word, according as it is said;
otherwise all things are unprofitable, yea
though a man know all things, they are
not onely unprofitable, but also a hinderance
to this art of God. He that is ignorant
of this, in vaine hath he learned &
known all things else besides.
In the word of God alone, which proceedeth
out of the mouth of god, is seated
the rule of all things, the Scope, Doctrine,
art, life, and truth, teaching what is to be
done, what not to be done, what to be
spoken, what not to be spoken, whether
to enter, from whence to depart and
come out.
All other arts they be variable whatsoever
they be to time, fortune, vanitie,
death, and oblivion; and not onely these
arts, but also the Letters, bookes, formes,
masters, tongues, which we use, do
perish, and others after them, which succeed
in their places, so that nothing is constant
& of long continuance in the earth,
but all things according to their visible
nature, are frayle, mutable, and momentary.
How often are the tongues themselves
changed; how often the formes
being removed, do new succeed in their
place (as I have said before). Orthography
is not ever like it selfe, and the same
with all people in all times; yea the true
pronounciation of the Latin tongue (as
Cornelius Agrippa in his booke, called De
vanitate scientiarum, formerly alleadged
by us) is perished, and no where extant.
Moreover, the ancient Letters of the
Hebrews are gone, so that there is
no memorie left thereof, but onely
those which Esdras in their place invented.
Adde moreover, that the tongue is
made verie lame by the Caldeans, which
also hath been incident to perish of other
tongues; So that no man there is who can
finde out their ancient forme and dialects;
Besides this new words do allwayes
creepe in the old word, beeing
growen out of use. And againe, the old
words are received, the new being thrust
out; so farre forth, that nothing is durable
or constant in this life. And if any man
would observe, he shall finde that our
mother Tongue in England is dayly
changed: that at this day they speake
otherwise then they did a few yeares
since; yea and such a curiositie & nicenesses
there is in the word and tongues,
that what men have a while made use
off, suddenly they cast away, as disdaining
the same; Every man endevouring to
bring out some new and rare thing, that
he seem not to imitate the words of any
other: insomuch that the cheife inventour
of words do now obtaine the chief
praise and estimation of Art. And by this
meanes all things are confounded in the
earth; and what now is new, is presently
growen old, and anone become new
againe; and the hearts of men, the Kingdomes,
peoples, and Languages of the
World, like to the course of the yeare.
In times past France spoke the Dutch
language (as Beatus Rhenamis writing of
the Germaine affaires, most elegantly
proves) but now it hath gathered a
proper speech to it selfe out of Italie,
Germaine, & Spaine, but most specially
from Italie; which thing of the tongue
was caused, perhaps by their warre,
because divers people being mixed together,
they made and used a mixed kind
of Speech.
Hence it came to passe, that as yet
they retaine some of the Germain words:
as Suppen Sacken kushen, which they almost
according to the Nether Germains
pronounce, after the bastard Germaine
Souper, Sacen, Cuysten.
This I speake that we may see, that
nothing is constant or new in the earth,
and that is true which Terence writt: Nothing
is spoke now which was not spoke
before; So nothing is done which was
not done before. So that Cornelius Agrippa
thinkes the invention of Gunpowder,
and guns was no new invention; of
which opinion in the Historian Volatiramis;
and this may be gathered out of
the sixt of Virgils Eneads, where thus
he writes of Salmon:
I Salmon saw with paine & torment late
Who would loves flame & thunder imitate,
For carried by 4. steeds, with torch in hand
Through Elis City & all Grecian Land
Did ride in triumph, and command that all
Shuld give him honour and a dietie call;
O mad man, he who with his Chariots noise
Would imitate the mightie thunders voice,
And Solomon shewes the same all
along in the 3. chapt. of Eccles. as also to
the first: that what hath been that shall
be, what hath been done, the same
shall be done, neither is there any thing
new under the Sunne.
There is something which is as if it
were new, yet was that in ancient
times which hath been before us. There
is no memory of former ages, neither
shall there be of those that are to come;
amongst who are to be; and a little after
things past, and things to come, are all
forgotten, and the wise together with the
fool do dye. In which words what other
thing would the preacher show then
that all arts are subject to oblivion and
death; Neither can they alwayes remaine
in the soule, but together with the
body departs or perisheth by death. For
nothing (I say) can adhere unto the Image
of God, (I meane the Soule
which is like unto God) and consist in
death and fire; but what is onely God
and his word, this is the onely endure
able creature, and the meate of Eternall
Life: Not that opinion and Art of
Philosophers, but the true good of the
minde and Soule, which can happen to
no other thing but the word; although
I do not denye but that word appeared
to some of the Gentils, and taught
them; because God is no respector of
Persons, but as a common Light of souls,
as the Sunne is the Light of the whole
world; neither is the hand of God shortned,
nor his eye envyous, that he should
not looke upon the whole World.
With the same love, eye, and grace since
we are all alike the same workmanshipp
of God, all of the same love, estimation,
and authoritie with him.
Hence thou mayst collect, that all arts
(invented by men) are death, and fruits
of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and
Evill. For as soone as Adam had eaten
of that Tree, the same day he dyed in the
eyes of God; as the historie declares; although
afterwards according to the
flesh he lived many yeares; as from
heavenly matters the same day was his
eyes shutt up, and he eat death, although
in his own judgement his eyes were
opened, and he seemed to himself to be
a living God, knowing Good and Evill:
Then began he to exercise his art, his
cunning to expound, dispute and seeke
out a malitious sutle and captious meaning
in all things, and also to deale deceitfully
with God, and in all things to
hide himself, to cover himself with
Figge leaves, to kisse his own hand; in a
word, to worship himself, by inventing
many arts amongst his posterity.
And out of this Roote spring up all
the precepts of men, their expositions,
their arts; and so excellent a foundation
have they, as both the inventour and the
authour of them was the Devill; and the
first Scoller that learned them, did eate
death therefrom.
And this Science and Art is utterly to
be abhorred, being no other then a Diabolicall
perswasion, conceived in Adam,
formed and hid in the Seede of the Serpent;
And yet all the World, as Adam
did, thinkes that Life is placed in it; neither
doth it receive any instruction from
Adam, neither indeed understand the historie
of Adams fall, or his rising againe;
and that whole matter at this day doth
live yet, accounting it but a Historie long
since acted & done, and afterwards dare
say the word of God endureth for
ever.
Therefore we must needs confesse
that nothing is past which in its kinde is
not yet extant.
Whole Moses is urged upon Christians,
neither is one jott of the word of
God lost, which shall not be fulfilled in
every moment in spirit & truth.
Therefore the fall of Adam happeneth
dayly; dayly doth Adam in his posterity
eate of the forbidden fruit; And therfore
his Sonnes in Adam, as in the roote, are
damned & dead.
Now this our fall as Adams, is amended
and repaired, if we spit out and vomitt
up this knowledge of good and
Evill as poyson, and become as Adam
was before his fall, Children, Fooles, and
innocent Turttles, that we may eate
of the Tree of Life, and suffer the Seed
of the woman to be ingrafted in us. This
is not the Seede, the art, witt, and counsell
of the Serpent; but the Seede, word,
will, the minde of God, the Tree of
Life, which whosoever eateth, and suffreth
himself to be fedd therewith, is
indowed with Eternall Life.
Now in us there is a Medicine with
poyson; For as by sinne the Tree of
knowledge of good and Evill was planted
into the heart of Adam, so by his
conversion, rising againe, and Seede of
the Woman, the Tree of Life is planted
by the Tree of death in the heart of
Adam. From these two Seeds & trees so
different, do spring different Fruits, so
as one is poyson and death, the other is
Medicine & Life; and if any man would
know that plant, which is called Man, he
may easily know what he ought to think
of his own art, knowledge, wisdom,
and righteousnesse, how that this pleaseth
all men, and is of great respect with
them; For what is current with the
world but its own coyne? What but
the wisdom, art, and righteousnesse of
the Flesh, seemeth holie in the sight of
men: onely the Holy Ghost can reprehend
the world of sinne, righteousnesse,
and judgement.
It is wonderfull to behould how the
world doth dayly yet eate death of the
forbidden Tree; which tree you may call
(as the Germaine Theologie doth) our
own will; and although God do dayly
cry aloud in them, and moreover provideth
by the witnesses whom he sendeth
to teach them externally, that they abstain
therefrom, or otherwise they shall reape
death therefrom, yet none beleeveth
but all follow that Serpent, which secretly
in our heart doth speake thus:
Not death shal you reape by any meanes,
but if you know many arts, you shall be
like unto God, and live for ever; (this the
whole historie of the Bible remaines in
force at this day;) & from hence ariseth
a certaine art and curiositie, enquiring &
searching out; Neither will any submitt
himself docibly and simplie unto God,
and obey his word.
But every man will be his own, yea
Gods Master too, and teach both himself
and God, bring him into the Schoole, and
there prescribe unto him, with whom,
where, what, wherefore he shall do,
speake, permitt, or omitt.
Hence it commeth to passe that wisdom
is justified alwayes of her Children;
and those men skilled in a thousand
arts, and above measure craftie, God cannot
satisfie, neither can he obtaine his
Kingdom, or gett any love or right at
their hands. Since they will be altogether
Gods, and kisse their own hands, will,
wisdom, prudence, and reason.
The art of the Devill, which is sucked
out of the Duggs of the Serpent, hereupon
we compose many bookes, desiring
to teach the whole world, not knowing
how to teach our selves.
From hence it comes that the proud
Devill, alas! is buried deepe in Learned
men, whom their deadly knowledge doth
so dangerously puffe up, that they think
themselves worthie all honour, both from
God and men, and oftentimes if not in
word, yet indeed they make their estate
as Lucifer and Adam did.
No man understandeth how we dayly
become Lucifers and Adams, but think
that to be the relation of a thing long
since done in Adam, and condemne his
wicked pride and fal, when neverthelesse
we all sticke fast over head and eares in
the same, and yet deride others who in
this kinde are foolish.
Divines preach much the word and
his precepts, but when they are to be
kept, indeed they are wanting in this;
yea what themselves do sometimes teach
they will not suffer others to practise,
but contented meerly in the bare words,
so making the word of God nothing but
a meere Art, a matter of talke and disputation,
& had rather be called knowers
and fearers of God, then lovers of him,
that not in vaine is the proverbe, which
is verified by experience, teaching and
confirming the same: The greater Scoller
the worser Christian.
The Gramarian is carefull that he erre
not in his speaking, but little regardeth
the errour of his life.
In like manner the Poets had rather
be lame in their lives then halting in
their Verses. Philosophers would know
all things, but not themselves. The Historian
describeth all peoples, but neglecteth
himself. The Orator is more
sollicitous that he speake not rudely,
then that he beleeve not, or live wickedly.
The Logitian will sooner forsake
the truth, then leave his opinion and conclusion.
They that have any thing to
do with Geometrie, do sooner measure
the Earth then their wayes. The Musician
taketh more care that his Song be
not dissonant then that his cariage be
consonant. Astrologers travell over the
whole Heavens, and foretell things to
come, but see not the ditch under their
feete.
The Cosmographer relates of all
Mountaines, Valleyes, Woods, and Rivers,
but that makes him not one haire
better in the sight of God. The Phisician
healeth sick mens bodies, but neglecteth
the healing of his own soule.
Lawers are alone expert in the precepts
of men, but negligently violate the
Lawes of God, so as the proverb from
hence hath risen. Neither doth the Phisician
live, nor the Civillian dye well, because
Phisitians of all men are most intemperate,
and Civillians the worst Christians;
and for that cause (as Baldus
being an expounder of the Law himself
doth say) the most part of them are taken
away by sudden death.
Other Arts-men I will not here mention,
but referre you to Cornelius Agrippa,
chap. 100.
So the Devill doth compasse us about
with the rope of folly; insomuch that
sometime with one question, sometime
with another art, we be so amazed; in
the meane time we neglect the onely
science of God, in which all things consist,
even as the Adulteresse Medea
when her husband Jason pursued her,
cutt her Children in peeces, & dispersed
their members in the way, that Jason
might be busied in the gathering of
them up, while shee escaped out of the
Countrie.
Alas, shall death, sinne, and the Devill
thus please us? shall we alwayes thus
seeke God in hell with the Devill? Light
with darkenesse? The living among the
dead?
One thing is necessary, and this no
man will desire; many things are unprofitable
and unhealthfull, yea deadly; yet
these are greedily desired off, and devoured
by all men.
In the word of God alone, and no other
thing, are all things placed, neither
therefore will it profit thee to have all
things, to know, will, speake, surpasse in
measure, dispute off, number, paint, adorn,
judge, teach all things, &c. To know
all things, is nothing else then to know
the arts of the Devill, eaten by his counsell
of the forbidden tree; Onely to know
the word and will of God, and to live
according unto it; to be fruitfull in good
workes, is the true art and eternall Life,
eaten of the tree of Life; in vaine, it is
to know all things, yea rather it is bitter
death, as hath been sufficiently spoken
off before.
Since therefore all the arts, witt, and
righteousnesse of men, springeth from
the tree of knowledge of good & evill,
or rather from the Devill; and therefore
is the fall and death of Adam; it necessarily
followeth, that the more any man is
learned therein, and experienced, the
higher he hath ascended, the worse and
more perverse he is; as he who hath
made the greatest proficiencie in the wisdom
and knowledge of the Devill.
And againe, the more foolish a man is
in this art, and in the wisdom of the
flesh and the Serpent, and the more be
hath unlearned, forgotten, and emptied
himself thereof, the more righteous he
is, and wise before God: For we must altogether
forget and unlearne this fleshly
art, this curious sagacitie, this Devilish
righteousnesse; And in steed thereof must
learn the onely new, contrarie, and divine
art, wisdom, and righteousnesse, by
the eternall word, by the Seed of the woman
of the Tree of Life, of which whosoever
eateth, shall have eternall Life.
For this cause the Scriptures do so vehemently
urge new birth, Childishnes,
Foolishnes, hate of a mans Life, deny all
of himself; which would not be, if there
were any thing that is good or acceptable
to God in man before.
No man thinkes of this, but all men
being puffed up with their own arts,
witt, righteousnesse, goodnesse, &c. beeing
secure and without conscience or
Religion, and yet do eate death of this
forbidden tree, that is of their own will,
witt, reason, knowledge, goodnesse, and
art, by that Seed of the Serpent, implanted
in them. But God doth exact nothing
but the knowledge of himself, and that
we would be obedient to his word, and
submitt our selves to be taught by him,
which the Scriptures do sometimes call
faith, which bringeth us unto God, begets
us anew, and regenerates us, that thence
do flow the waters of Life, the fruits of
the spirit, love, peace, joy, a guiltlesse
minde, and all other good things, which the
Spirit of God effecteth and powreth into
us.
Therfore Theologie is the true Magick,
the worship, & science of God, which God
doth equally exact from us all. And this
is the same which God doth exact, teach,
and effect by his Word in them, who
offer and submitt themselves to that his
word and clemency to be taught.
Therefore doth he so frequently and
often admonish us, that he might make it
known, that in him alone is Life and all
other things to be found, and that he
threatneth and inflicteth great punishment
on them that despise him, as many
places of the Scriptures do witnesse,
though the word of God is not tyed or
bound unto them, as we will prove anone;
yet they give good direction
and testimony to the mind, if any man
can have the same & use it aright; and
yet do much more, abuse the Scriptures
then rightly use them. Neverthelesse
they are not to be forsaken any more
then a mans wife, Children, meate,
drinke, &c. all which may be abused,
but yet we must learn to use them
rightly.
CHAP. XIII.
Of the Maiestie, of the free, constant
and eternall Word of God, how it
can be bound to nothing, included in
nothing, nor buried in the Letter; and
also the difference betwixt the internall
and the externall Word.
THE word of God is as God, infinite,
invisible, ineffiable, a Spirit and Life,
which no mortall man can speake, see,
or heare, but as farre as is Lawfull to
speake of it after the manner of men,
and by similitude.
The word of God is nothing else then
the glistering, the essence, the Image, the
forme and splendor, as well imprinted
like a Seale into all Creatures, as more
specially into the hearts of the faithfull,
which in all things is the cause of their
being, in all beleevers teacheth, in all wicked
men reproveth, exhorteth, and contendeth
and reprehendeth the world of
sinne, and which in the beginning did
enlighten & informe the hearts of Adam,
Abell, Noah, Lot, Abraham, Job, Mercurie,
Termigestus, Plotinus, Cornelius, and
all other upright-hearted Gentils.
For though God giveth beeing, in,
above, below, without, and beyond all
Creatures, and is the essence of all things
that be; yet in nothing is he so clearly
to be seene as in Man, whom therefore
he created after his own image, and
perfected in Christ.
Therefore as brightnesse doth so
proceed from the Light of the Sunne,
as yet it is not seperated from the Sunne,
but for all that remaines in the Sunne,
though it fill the whole world, and enlighten
the same; So is the Sonne in like
manner whole in the Father, and in all
the Creatures, as the Light is in the
Sunne and in the whole World:
Therefore it is called the brightnesse
of his Majestie, and the image or figure
of his divine essence; Of the same nature,
substance, and essence with God;
So as nothing can be spoken of the Father,
which may not also be verified of
the word: God is no where and every
where, in all places, in all things, and yet
incomprehensible above and beyond all
things; Limited to nothing, so farre forth
that the heavens and earth are not able
to containe him, nor all the Creatures.
So is the word.
Even as the Light of the Sunne hath
an originall, from whence it proceedeth,
and a force & action into which it tendeth,
which originall is the Sunne it selfe,
and which externall active force is the
heating or enlightning of the whole
world, or as the word of every man
hath originall force and spirit, which
originall is man, whose expression and
image the word is, and of the same
essence with him.
And thirdly, it hath an active force or
spirit, which qualifieth this word, and
makes it either cheerefull, or angrie, or
sorrowfull or displeased. So the originall
of this divine word is the Father, or the
action, or active force, or vertue of it is
called the Holy Ghost.
As therefore the Sunne, is light, and
that active force of that Light, is the
same; and as man his word, and the
active force of that word, is the same;
So the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Ghost, are one God. Wherefore nothing
that appertaines to their essence can be
spoken of one, which cannot also be verified
of all, that is all three; and as they are
of the same essence, so of the same condition,
disposition, and nature.
As therefore God is in nothing, and
yet in all things; so also is his almightie
word, which is the same: as God is so in
all things, yet that he can be included in
nothing, and so above all Creatures, as
the Earth, Heaven, or any other Creature
is not able to conceive or circumscribe
him. And so in all Creatures, as nothing
is without him, or rather nothing there
is that is not full of him. So is also his
Word.
As God can neither be spoken or
written, nor any man is able to declare
what God is, but all things which are
said of him, are but Images & shadows.
I will not say as Taulerus and Dr. Eickarius
say, seeing if we speake truly and
properly, the whole nature of God is
farre otherwise then man doth or is able
to speake of him.
Lastly, as God is a thing opposite, and
contrary to humane cogitation, and farre
otherwise then he is conceived to be in
the thoughts of man; So also is the divine
word of God.
As there is nothing so little in which
there is not God; and againe, nothing
so great that can receive or circumscribe
God. As nothing is so little but God is
lesse, and nothing so great but God is
greater, beyond, without, below, & above
all Creatures; So also is his divine
word.
As the free, almightie, eternall, immutable,
omniscient, incomprehensible, invisible,
and unconceivable God is the
beeing of all things; So as all things
consist rather in him then in, and by
themselves (as Taulerus and the Germain
Theologie in a 1000 places do avouch)
and is none of these things which can be
seene or comprehended by sence or expressed
by word; So his divine word is
free in all, and beyond all, bound unto
nothing, neither tyed to the prison, or
letters, or cover of the Letter, concluded,
included, and so tyed unto it, that otherwise
it is no where; even as the following
Position and Sentence of a Learned
man divinely instructed do show.
As the word is covered and hidden by
the Letter, so it is opened and revealed
by the spirit.
Hence it commeth to passe that the
Letters be as a closed or sealed Booke;
so as the dark Letter, except it be opened,
doth slay; but the Spirit doth quicken,
and the Letters are as a certaine Image,
void of Life and Spirit: that is a printed
and dead expression of the Spirit; therefore
they want Life, (except the soule of
the spirit be present) and do erre.
Therefore the Letters cannot be the
word of God. Since the word is farre
otherwise an other thing then the letters;
For it is a spirit, truth, & life; but the letters
are contrary: flesh the letter & death;
yea the letters if they want the Light of
the word, are an offence; & if they want
the soule of the spirit, are a stumbling
block.
Therfore the Letters are an otherwise
thing then the word; that is, they are not
the Sword of the Spirit, but a sheath;
For as the womb of the virgin conceived
the word, so the Letters.
For the word is clothed both with
flesh & with the Letters, that Seede of
Abrahem layeth hold of the Scriptures
or Letters, (for they are both one,) and
againe is apprehended by them; but the
spirit is not apprehended in the flesh or
Letter of the Scriptures.
The cause thereof is this: the flesh or
Letter cannot containe, conceive, or
comprehend the Majestie of the word;
yet even as it was so in the flesh, that the
Majestie thereof did not appeare; so it is
in the Letter, that true neither to all, or
to any one that reads, is it obvious and
apparent.
This is witnessed by all Learned men
in the meere Letter, since the world
began, who neither could know, finde, or
comprehend Christ in the flesh, nor the
word in the Letter; which they should
have done, if Christ in the flesh, or under
the miserie of the flesh had been known
unto all, not hidden but manifested; and
the Letter had been not the covering
mysterie, but the true living and enlightning
word of God it selfe.
As therefore the flesh was not the
word, but the cover thereof, and a certaine
great mysterie; So the Letters are
not the word properly, but the shell, the
barke and cover thereof.
The word was made fleshly assumption,
not mixture, and so the same word
is made Letters, yet not so as the same
can be said of the Letters, as of the word,
but as in a certaine Seale.
Therfore so farre are the Letters from
being the word of God, that they onely
be the figure and barke thereof.
For the word is not that which is spoken
by the Letter, but that which is expounded
by the Holy Ghost, and understood
onely of the Faithfull.
Therefore the Letters do paint out, &
shadow out; and after a certaine manner
set forth unto us the word, and expresse
something, but are not the word, although
they be spoken and expressed.
For the word did not assume the flesh
that it is not out of the flesh. So it did
not so fall into the Letter, that it is not
out of the Letter; For there was the word
when there was no Letters; and the same
will remaine after the Letters are perished.
Therefore as the word was never
included and circumscribed in the flesh,
neither is it in the Letters.
For so it was in the bodie, as it never
yet left heaven, and in the same manner
it is so in the Letter as yet it is every
where.
Therefore the word is in the Letter
altogether, but not all. Hereupon we see
that the letters have been exercised with
a continuall encrease and addition.
Therefore the Letters are the Image
of the word, and not the word it selfe;
And if they be, they are altogether a
written, and a dead, & not a living word;
For there is a twofold word, one that
quickneth, viz. the Spirit, another the
Letter, which is said to kill and slay.
The living word is that which inwardly
teacheth, and maketh us to fructifie;
the dead word is that which in the
Flesh and Letter is proposed unto us.
The living word is a true Light, which
enlightneth all men, and therefore a regenerating
spirit, because it reneweth all
things. In a word, it is the power and
might of God, which giveth unto us that
knowledge, sence, soule, and Life, which
is from God. A certaine brightnesse of
the face of God, which enlightneth us
from above, & imprints in us the unction
of the Holy Ghost, by which it teacheth
and instructeth us in all things; But the
dead word are the Letters, that sealed
booke, and dead Letter, sence, and will,
which is the word of the flesh, not of the
Spirit of God.
The true and living word is that
which God begetteth in us, and the spirit
of God effecteth in us; But the dead and
Litterall word is that which the Letters
show unto us and men propound.
Therefore he doth not alwayes want
the word who hath not the Letters: For
he may have the interior who wants the
exterior word, to witt, the Law of God
written in our hearts.
Hence it comes to passe, that no man
hath absolute neede to be taught of an
other, or to admonish his brother concerning
the knowledge of God.
For all these shall know, from the least
to the greatest, and are all the Disciples
of Christ divinely taught.
This writing is not printed with inke
and paper, but written with the finger of
God in the tables of our hearts.
This is the Doctrine of the truth, and
the inspiration of the Spirit, to wit, the
propheticall breathing, the inspiration of
the Spirit, and the true art of God.
Moreover, he may have the living
word of God who wants the dead of the
Letter; and the thing it selfe who wants
the signe, that is the Life of the word,
though he wants the dead Letter; For
two things are cheifly to be considered in
the word.
The first is the disposition and nature
of the word, which is a certaine Light
intended for the enlightning of men.
The other is the action of it, that is the
spirit, which giveth action and operation
to the word. For the word hath not
onely a knowledge, but also a certaine
action, it is not onely a Light and
splendor in us given from above but
also Life.
The interior word containeth both of
these which sometimes is called the
Kingdom of God, sometimes the Spirit,
sometimes Christ dwelling in us. For it
is not onely a Light, way, and guide, but
also Spirit, truth, and Life; that is, which
not onely teacheth man that he may understand,
but also moves him that he
workes.
But the exterior word is farre from
this priviledge, and hath far a different
nature; For it is nothing else but a
certaine forme & figure of the interior,
I will not say a shadow. Therefore
the interior words, as it is the onely lively,
so it is the onely true word, as being
the truth and life.
But on the contrary the exterior is
nothing but a killing Letter, and a deceitfull
figure of the word.
Hence it ariseth, the Letter, (as Christ)
becomes a certaine snare to wicked men,
a stone of offence, darkenesse, not Light,
death, and not Life.
Therefore it is necessarie, that beside
the exterior word, the interior be sought
after and known: Since the exterior
deceiveth a man with its shape, is death
and darkness, unlesse the Light & Life
of the spirit be together present with
it.
Moreover, the exterior suffereth a
man to be sluggously and idle, except
the power of the interiour be present
with it. Therefore the interiour word
may be without the exterior, as the exteriour
without the interior.
Therfore it doth not necessarily follow
that a man hath the word of God, because
he pretends and hath the letter; as on the
other side it followeth not, that he who
wanteth the exterior word or letter, wanteth
also the interior, true, and heavenly word,
which is God himself. For he doth not
alwayes want the word who hath not the
Letter; For the Letters doth onely give
a testimony of the word, so farre are
they from being the word it selfe; yea
they are scarce the Image of the living
word; Much lesse are they it, which
neither can be written nor expressed by
words both which is incident to the Letters.
Therefore the Letters are farre from
being the word of God, yea all the word,
though sometimes they be called the
word of God; as the image and picture
of a man is called sometimes by his name,
even as God is sometimes called man, &
the word flesh: not that God is man, or
the word or spirit is made flesh, by imitation,
appellattion, and permixion; So as
what is said of one, may be verified of
the other, or so as God cease to be God,
and to be truly changed into man, as
that water in Cana Galilee was changed
into wine.
Or so as the word is so flesh, as not now
it is not the spirit, or the word but flesh,
in no wise.
The word is not so in the Letter, that
they be one and the selfe same thing, or
so as the word should have changed it
selfe into the Letter; and yet well and
rightly the Letters are called the Word
of God; so as God is called Man, and
the Word flesh; although to speake properly,
neither is the word of God changed
into Letters, nor God into Man, nor the
word into flesh.
Therefore both these may be true, the
Letters are the word of God, and the
Letters are not the word of God.
Now although the Letters are sometimes
in some respect the word of God,
yet truly are they not the sole, nor altogether,
nor all the Word of God; yea if
we speak properly, they are not the word
of God, which either can be spoken or
written; and that the Letters are not the
sole word of God, may be made known
by this: That many things besides the
Scriptures are revealed & inspired unto
many, and many things are spoken and
written by them which are not contained
openly in the letters, yea which somtimes
are contrarie to the dead Letters.
The Prophets, & Moses, & Christ,
and his Appostles, whose words seem to
be contrary to the Prophets, what they
have written of the Temple, the Sacrifice,
Circumcision, and of the vision of
God.
Moreover, the true word of God hath
been from all eternitie; yea even before
any scripture was, (as I have said before)
& it will be hereafter when the scriptures
are perished. Therefore the word is
improperly in the Letter and flesh, and
therefore it is improperly called flesh or
the Letter; For my word (saith Christ) is
Spirit and Life.
Therefore the word cannot be that
word which is flesh or dead letter; wherefore
though the word truly and indeed
is onely in spirit, as in which it onely
liveth, yet it is also in the flesh, but yet
weake if there it be alone without the
Spirit and Life.
It is also in the Letter, but altogether
dead, unlesse the Spirit do quicken it,
as the soule doth the bodie; and it is in
both, and yet not truly, and if truly, yet
not all, and onely, and lively.
Now, although the word is in the
Spirit lively and true, yet after a more
peculiar & excellent manner it is in the
flesh then in the Letter, although the
Spirit be present with the Letter, and
lend a hand, it teacheth nothing, but
when the spirit dwelleth with the flesh,
it not onely teacheth, but also maketh
alive, and bursteth out into workes.
So the letter of the Law brings men
to no perfection, although it be the word
of God, as also the Scriptures spoken by
the mouth of God, and written by his
finger; For the word of the Law did
teach the knowledge of the precept, but
did not give man a will and strength to
fulfill the same, but the word which is
made flesh giveth life to beleevers.
Hence it commeth to passe, that the
flesh inspired with the word and spirit of
God, wills and doth keepe the Commandement
of God.
Therefore the word in the flesh doth
onely give an Example of life, when on
the contrarie it leaveth in the letter all
things idle and sleepie.
But in the Spirit it truly stirrs up
the heart and affections towards the
Law, for the Spirit is the life and soule
of the word, and therefore the word it
selfe; but the flesh is a certaine imitation
of the word, the letters a certaine
printed picture and Copie of the word.
Wherefore the written word is not the
true word, but a certaine image thereof;
yea the Scriptures pronounced in words
are not the true word of God, but onely
a testimony thereof: For the Scriptures
had beginning in time by occasion, but
the word was from all eternitie. Adde
to which the Scriptures do lead men
into errour, except the interpreter, viz.
the Spirit be present.
And they are a sealed booke, and a
perplexed Laborinth, unlesse the Spirit
be present, as the Treede of Thesius, to
to guide us, and as the Key of David to
open unto us.
Hence it comes to passe, that many
men seeing see not, and hearing heare
not, and as who know the Scriptures, and
yet neither know nor understand.
Therefore we confesse that the letters
are a certaine image and figure of the
word, yet they are not truly the very
word, because they are but onely an
image & figure thereof.
This is the reason wherefore we admitt
no other word but what is answerable
to this Image or Example of the
Scriptures, and to the true and spirituall
sence.
Therefore the Scriptures are as the
Index or golden Scales of the word, so
they be understood not according to the
dead letter, but according to the minde
of Christ and will of the Spirit.
Therefore we reject not what is agreable
to the true meaning of the Scriptures,
so we do not deny what is not
contrary unto them; For whosoever is
not against us is of us.
Therefore we deny not the exterior
word, written or spoken, so do we confirme
the interior or living, so it is we
grant the maistery and unction of the
Spirit, and do not deny the guift of
Prophecye and interpretation of the
Scriptures.
For the word hath something to come
and something obscure & difficult to the
flesh. That which is to come, the Spirit
taketh it of the word, and declareth it
unto us, that which is obscure & hard to
be understood, it dayly teacheth unto us,
and leadeth us into all truth. Therefore
under the name of the word of God, the
Letters are not onely understood, but all
prophecies, visions, dreames, unctions, inward
speakings, Doctrins of the Spirit &
revelations if they be from God; also whatsoever
holie men by the instinct of the
spirit have either spoken or done.
Therefore no man must adhere peremptorily
to the onely letter; where the
Holy Ghost is, there is libertie, and the
free word is bound to none. Moreover,
the Holy Ghost suffereth no rule or limit
to be prefixed to it in its own; therefore
to nothing it is tyed but to it selfe, that
is, be not contrarie and disagreeing to it
selfe, as therefore many things come and
are spoken from God; all which (nay not the
thousand part) are written in the scripturs;
So many things at this day happen & are
spoken by God, which are not written;
And yet neverthelesse they are the word
of God, and wrought by him.
Add to which that many things there
are not written, nor expressed in words,
which we yet receive for the word of
God, and onely by hand as it were, have
received them from our Forefathers, of
which kinde are the abrogation of the
precepts of the first counsell, renewed
after by the Holy Ghost to the Church;
So as the Church was freed from the
same; Of which things we notwithstanding
have no written or expresse
word.
Christ himself taught all in word, and
writt nothing, and commanded his Apostles
to preach, not to write.
And the Church is begotten rather by
word then by writing.
Moreover, the Doctors & preachers
of the new Covenant were called and
indeed are the Ministers of the Spirit, not
of the Letter.
By all these it is manifest, that the free
and swift Spirit is not tyed unto letters,
nor the Doctrine of the Spirit can be
included into the Jayle, prison and
corner of the Scriptures.
Therefore although there be many
bookes of the Law, something sometimes
may change to come in handling
of which there is no expresse Canon or
Law to be found, but it is to be excogitated
and ruled by reason.
So oftentimes such a rare thing happeneth,
the letters do universall forsake a
man, that they cannot teach, comfort,
guide, or appease him; but a man must
necessarily repaire unto God, and consult
with the peculiar word of the Spirit
by prayer, to comfort and strengthen his
weakned conscience; For it is not sufficient
to have the common call and word,
except a man have speciall, proper, and
inward call, which yet is not contrary
unto the common.
And although the word of God is altogether
one, and undivided, yet how
much thereof a man hath received by
faith, so much of it is his; and this is his
word; His issue the Word of God is,
as God himself, must be made every
ones by faith.
No otherwise then whereas the Light
of the Sunne is common; yet as much
as every one is enlightned thereby, so
much is the Sunne his, and no more; So
as much as every one hath of God and
his word, so farre is he his God, and so
farre hath he God and his word, which
are common to all, peculiar to himself.
Therfore the letters are farre weaker
then to satisfie a troubled conscience in
the offences thereof, and to make quiet
againe; the lively word of God must do
this, and this honour hath God reserved
onely to himself, neither will he permitt
it to the letters, or any Creatures whatsoever.
Moreover, the Holy Ghost will not
be bound or captivated in those that are
his, nor be subject to the masterie of any
one, nor suffer that it should be taught by
any writing or mouth of man, but will it
selfe be the light, the Doctor, master, captaine,
and in a word all in all things.
Moreover, he who useth the Scriptures
for a testimony of that work & spirit, so
he do it according to the minde of
Christ; not interpreting them according
to the interpretation of the Scribes and
Pharisees, doth onely use the Scriptures
aright, according to the will of God, according
as he ought; all others are meere
abuses, and the worship of images, as the
whole world busies it selfe in the Scriptures,
and esteeme them to be their Apollo,
as if the Holy Ghost & God were no
longer to be consulted with, concerning
any affaires, but onely the letters.
In a word, here they enquire and have
all things; here with the Pharisees they
think to have life; neither will they grow
by an others mans harme, nor will they
see how blinde, impious, ignorant, and
dead they ever have been in all ages, in
divine things, and in the word of God,
who have been the most Learned, and
could all the Bible at their fingers ends,
having for all that neede to heare and
learn the truth from Christ; So darke
and deadly are the Letters, which they
make their Idols.
Paul calleth the Letters death, but
they life; but indeed they are eternall
darkness, death, aenigma, allegorie, and a
sealed booke.
Unlesse thou have the living word of
God unto the Light, and in them relie
upon the Holy Ghost; For thy teacher,
inspirer, interpreter, guide, and master;
and yet many of them dare make the
booke to be open when as yet they cannot
agree in the exposition of it. And
from thence do as many Sects and Heresies
arise, as Readers and Heads do
attempt to reade it.
But know thou, and have it as a thing
most true, that they are cleane onely to
the cleane, Spirituall to the Spirituall,
the Word of God to them who are of
God, and Religiously studie them by
the direction and guidance of the Holy
Ghost, whom they carie alwayes with
them, and put as a Light into this, otherwise
darke Lanthorne; so as by the
the doctrine of the Spirit & direction of
it they bring more light unto them; then
they receive therfrom; what they receive
therefrom is nothing else or no other but
a certaine Testimonie of the Spirit of
them and all Doctrine.
The Bereans used the Scriptures as
Christ would have them to be used:
(Acts 17.) Search the Scriptures, (saith he,)
in which yee think yee have Eternall life,
Joh. 5. But he thinkes otherwise; For it
followes, they are they which testifie of me,
that I am the Life and Word which speaketh
unto you, John 8.
As therefore we graunt that the Scriptures
are the rule of the word & judge
of spirituall things; So in no wise will
we remove out of the Church, the word
of God, and unction of the Spirit.
For even as we defend the Majestie
and authoritie of the word of God against
the dead Letter, so will we maintaine
the masterie of the Spirit against
the executioner of the Letter.
And so do we grant the fulfilling of
the swift and short word, as in the onely
precept of love all is contayned, both
the Law and Prophets be comprehended
therein, we ingenuously confesse.
Wherefore as we do not take away
the word of the Law, but confirm it: So
we do think that something is yet dayly
to be opened in the Church, by the
unction of the Doctors thereof; the signe
and earnest not of that which is necessary
to salvation, but to the guift of Prophecying,
and the hidden interpretation of
the Scriptures.
Since Christ never forsaketh his
Spouse, but is alwayes present with her
unto the end, Math. 28. and being ever
in the midst of her, doth guide & direct
her, 2 Cor. 9.
This is the reason wherefore we do not
force or include the Majestie of the word
of God within the narrow prison of the
Letters.
FINIS.
