Mensis Mysticus Sabbaticus (Cracow), part 3 of 5 (15–21 Apr. 1584)

The same Saturday, after Noon, hora 3½ 4.

The white Curtain remained about half an hour after my prayer to God, and some invitation to Gabriel and Nalvage, at length the Curtain quaked as though wind blew it.

E. K. Me thinketh that I hear a stir within the Stone. At length they appeared.

E. K. They have very eyes which twinkle as other mens eyes do, and therefore I see them with my external eye, not within my imagination, as.....

I had discoursed somewhat with E. K. of the manner of skrimges. Gabr....... as I think.

...... There are two kind of visions, the one by infusion of will and descending, the other by infusion by permission and ascending. The first is the image of the Will of God descending into the body, and adjoyned to the soul of man, whose nature is to distinguish things of his own likenesse, but shut up in prison in the body, wanteth that power; and therefore being illuminated by spiritual presence, inwardly, seeth now in part, as he shall hereafter do in the whole.

But note, that every vision is according to the soul of man in power: and so is received of him that seeth. The boy of man feeleth nothing spiritual until he be of incorruption: Therefore useth no sense in and illumination. The other is to be found out by his contrary.

E. K. Here is a Devil that derideth these instructions, and saith, you may know his vertue by his wisdom: he never went to School.

Gab...... I know what he is: Power is given to me to resist him, but not to touch him. He hath ascended, and begotten him a son, wherein the people of the earth shall be accursed. those that are in prison shut up from light, and the use of the day comprehend not any thing, but that which entreth unto them by permission, or free will, so is the Soul of man shut up from all light, except that which entreth by the will, or suffrance of the highest.

But as obedience is the tryal of dignification, so are the Ceremonies appointed by God, the witnesses of justification. For he that violated the outward Law was […]: But the very end of Justice to salvation is the obedience, and submission of the Soul. How can it be that the earth and elements shall bear witnesse against man in the day of Judgement, but in the perverse use of them, contrary to God his Commandments. He is a slow School-master, and of smāll understanding.

Gab...... Cease, for the conflict is great, and must have judgement of the Lord.

Δ. Sall I joyn my prayers with yours to our God, to drive away this wicked scorner, and contemner of your ministery?

Gab...... Not so, you know not the secret judgements of the Lord herein. The white Curtain was drawn.

Δ. Deo Nostro soli Omnipotenti sit omnis Laus, Honor, Gloria, & imperium in secula seculorum.

Amen.

Sonday, Aprilis 15. Mane Hor. 7½.

After a few prayers necessary, and invitation to Gabriel and Nalvage for their instructions.

...... Our instructions shall grow most plentifully amongst you. But give place to time, for this is the voyce of the highest. Be holy and righteous in the works of your hands, and keep alwayes the Sabbath of your Redeemer hereafter: For even yet, the Serpent is amongst us. For even yet the Serpent is amongst my holy ones, and endeavoureth to cut you asunder. Therefore I say be holy even in the works of your hands, for he thinketh to prevail against you: But let your houses be swept clean, that when the spy entreth, he finde nothing to feed on.

A voyce out of the stone. Sabaoth. The Serpent laboureth to part us a sunder, and hopeth to prevail.

Δ. We ceased and gave our selves to the Sabbath: considering, intending hence foreward to visit the Church and Assembly, to pray and meditate on God his service.

Solus Jesus Christus est Triumphator contra mortem & Diabolum, Dominus Noster & Deus Noster.

Amen.

Monday, 15. Aprilis. Mane, hora 6. Cracoviae.

Δ. After a short prayer to God for remission of sins, and sending of his graces, and his good Ministers assigned for our instructions: and for the avoiding away of the great enemy, &c. who held conflict against Gabriel, &c. The white Curtain appeared still drawn before in the stone for an hour.

E. K. There appeareth a face standing upon two Pillars, the Curtain yet remaining drawn: The face is fiery, and hath very great teeth. The Pillars are like Marble spotted gray, and the ground of the Pillars colour white. He said, the works of the highest are become a stumbling block, and have entred into the breasts of a woman, and he is become angry. But when she thinketh her self happy, she shall stumble, where she would not, and become sorrowfull without comfort.

E. K. This face and Pillars became a great water swelling upward, and so vanished away.

Δ. After about an hour, the Curtain was opened. All appeareth as before: Gabriel sitteth in his Chair, and Nalvage kneeleth.

Δ. I prayed divers prayers of God, & help against the wicked enemy, yet present, and molesting us as he was permitted.

Nal...... Pray, for the mercy of God. Pray, for thou shalt not be heard? So, well said, fy upon him.

Δ. Thy judgement light on this wicked Rebel for this blasphemy, O God.

Δ. This Devil rayled against God.

Gab...... Move not, for presence of power is great.

Nal...... Number the words of the first Key.

Δ. I have counted them, and they seem to be 88.

Nal...... There are not so many.

87 Δ. Where have I misreckoned, I pray you? Perhaps Poamalzod is to be but one word, and so are 87.

E. K. There is a great Crosse over all the stone that is red: Not onely over to be impressed through the stone.

Nal...... Number the words in thy own language.

Δ. I have numbred them, and they seem to be 169.

Δ. While I numbred, the great red crosse went away: and shortly after came in again into the stone as before.

Gab...... More not, for the place is holy. You have Zurza ds Gono in the Call: the sd is too much.

Δ. I will then put it out.

Δ. I finde Zurza Adna ds Gono.

Nal...... That ds is too much. I pray you, what is then the number of them, of you allowed?

Nal...... 86.

Δ. Making also Poamolzod one word? in that account?

Nal...... Set down.

• 1 — 1
• 2 — 1
• 3 — 2
• 4 — 1
• 5 — 2
• 6 — 2
• 7 — 3
• 8 — 3
• 9 — 2
• 10 — 2
• 11 — 1
• 12 — 2
• 13 — 1
• 14 — 1
• — 15 — 2
• 16 — 1
• 17 — 2
• 18 — 1
• 19 — 4
• 20 — 1
• 21 — 1
• 22 — 2
• 23 — 3
• 24 — 3
• 25 — 1
• 26 — 3
• 27 — 1
• 28 — 2
• 29 — 3
• — 30 — 1
• 31 — 1
• 32 — 2
• 33 — 3
• 34 — 2
• 35 — 1
• 36 — 1
• 37 — 2
• 38 — 2
• 39 — 2 — 71
• 40 — 4
• 41 — 2
• 42 — 2
• 43 — 1
• 44 — 2 — 80
• 45 — 2
• 46 — 3
• 47 — 2
• 48 — 1
• 49 — 5
• 50 — 2
• 51 — 1
• 52 — 4
• 53 — 1
• 54 — 1
• 55 — 2
• 56 — 2
• 57 — 2
• 58 — 3
• — 59 — 1
• 60 — 1
• 61 — 3
• 62 — 3
• 63 — 3
• 64 — 1
• 65 — 1
• 66 — 2
• 67 — 1
• 68 — 2
• 69 — 2
• 70 — 1
• 71 — 1
• 72 — 1
• 73 — 1
• 74 — 1
• 75 — 3
• 76 — 1
• 77 — 1
• 78 — 3
• 79 — 4
• — 80 — 1
• 81 — 2
• 82 — 2
• 83 — 1
• 84 — 5
• 85 — 3
• 86 — 3

Tuesday, Aprilis 17. Cracoviae.

After divers Ejaculations appropriate to the action, and the Curtain of white water yet remaining. E. K. thought divers times that he saw through the white Veil, and stone and all, nothing appearing therein. E. K. immediately fell into a new doubting of the verity of these actions, and said he had a Vision by a good Creature the last night, who said these Creatures with which we dealt, would no more appear unto him. Hereupon he said that both the last dayes skorner, and these our instructors were all Devils: and that he would no more sit to receive A. B. C. And so by Letters, any Doctrine of theirs, unlesse they would otherwise expresly, and lively deliver a plain rule thereof: With many other arguments to disprove the verity of our Actions, whereupon he said, that John your boy can well enough deliver you their Letters, and so you need not me, &c. I referred all to God, his will, and mercies: For, as I had at his hands onely, and by his order, and for his service required wisdom and true knowledge, so do I not doubt but God will, according to his accustomed goodnesse, provide for me, that is best for my vocation here in earth, &c.

E. K. He rose, and went away: and left me alone in my Study, appointed for these actions.

Deus in adjutorium meum intende, Domine ad adjuvandum me festina. Gloria Patri & Filio & Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio & nunc & semper & in secula seculorum.

Amen.

Thursday, Circa 9.

As I was in my upper Study, and had gathered the holy words of the second and third call, and had conferred them with their English delivered also unto us: E. K. came up the stairs, and so went into his Study, and came out again, and as he was going down the staires I opened my Study door, and saluted him: He thereupon came up again, and came into my Study: And there I shewed him what I had done; and how I had some understanding of those holy words, their significations by reason of due applying the English to the word Christus, in tending thereby to have induced E. K. to likē the better of the manner of our friends, due, and Methodical, proceeding with us, and told him that unlesse of this strange language I should have these words delivered unto us Letter by Letter, we might erre both in Orthography, and also for want of the true pronunciation of the words, and distinctions of the points, we might more misse the effect expected: But as on Tuesday last, so now again he said, our Teachers were deluders, and no good, or sufficient Teachers, who had not in two years space made us able to understand, or do somewhat: and that he could in two years have learned all the seven Liberal sciences, if he had first learned Logick, &c. wherefore he would have no more to do with them any manner of way, wished himself in England, and said that if these books were his, that he would out of hand burn them, and that he had written to my Lord (by Pirmis) that he took our Teachers to be decelvers, and wicked, and no good Creatures of God, with many such speeches, and reasons (as he thought) of force to diswade himself from any more dealing with them: But willed me to use John my Boy as my Skryer, for that these spiritual Creatures were not bound unto him, &c. I answered unto all these parcels and reasons, as time served declaring my perfect trust in God, that seeing I have many years desired, and prayed for wisdome (such as these Actions import) at his hands, and by such means as to his Divine Majesty seemeth best, that he would not either mislike my prayer, or abuse my Constant hope in his goodnesse and mercy: Therefore I concluded that I referred all to the mercifull will of God, and doubted nothing at the length to be satisfied of my request, and prayer made unto him. So he went from me this second time.... God lighten his heart with knowledge of the truth, if it be his Divine will and pleasure.

Note. Permis. went on last Wednesday morning, and had received our Letters after noon, on Tuesday last: But on Monday before the wicked Prince of darknesse did what he could to hinder our proceeding.

On Thursday, Tabius (brother to my Lord Laskie his wife) brought news to Cracovia, that my Lord, Laskie was coming to Cracovia ward. Emericus came from Kesmarks, and returned back again. Tabius rode from Cracovia toward Kesmark.

Saturday, Aprilis 21. à Meridie.

After our prayers made, appeared shortly Gabriel and Nalvage. E. K. propounded six questions orderly, which had bred great doubt in this fantafie, and requested their answers.

Δ. He would have our spiritual friends to promise him the performance of the Prints.

Gab....... If we were Masters of our own doings, we might well promise: But we are servants and do the will of our master. But let me ask thee one question:

Dost thou not think that all things are possible with God?

E. K. I do so, and I know so.

Gab....... Then is there no cause why thou should distrust. Let him that is a servant, and is commanded to go, go: and let not the earth rise up, and strive against the plow man. What sin is it when the creature riseth up, and saith in his heart, Let the Lord make a Covenant with me, considering he is a bond man?

[E. K. They seem, both the voices at once, to come to my eare.]

None but he that becometh disobedient, and refuseth his Master.

Δ....... [Δ would do so.

Gab. Nal....... These things, that is to say, this Doctrine, delivered by us, is of God, and of his mercies granted unto you, which cannot be in vain: and therefore to be performed; for the secret determinations of God are unknown unto us.

He never heard of any man that would ask, if God would perform his promises.

E. K. By August next?

What if it were a hundred Augusts? you may be a weary before August next, as the Children of Israel were of their Manna.

E. K. Why joyn you numbers with these letters, and added none with those of the former Table.

Brother, what is the cause that all the World is made by numbers? The Numbers we speak of, are of reason and form, and not of merchants.

Δ. I beseech you as concerning the powder whereof he thinketh that he hath made due assay of it, as if it should have been the Philosophers Stone, and so affirmed to be, by the minister of this action? I beseech you so to answer, the thing, as his reason may be satisfied.

Δ. They gave no answer hereunto, but proceeded in the former matter of Numbers.

Gab....... Every Letter signifieth the member of the substance whereof it speaketh. Every word signifieth the quiddity of the substance. The Letters are separated, and in confusion: and therefore, are by numbers gathered together: which also gathered signifie a number: for as every greater containeth his lesser, so are the secret and unknown forms of things knit up in their parents: Where being known in number, they are easily distinguished, so that herein we teach places to be numbred: letters to be elected from the numbred, and proper words from the letters, signifying substantially the thing that is spoken of in the center of his Creator, whereby even as the minde of man moved at an ordered speech, and is easily perswaded in things that are true, so are the creatures of God stirred up in themselves, when they hear the words wherewithal they were nursed and brought forth: For nothing moveth, that is not perswaded: neither can any thing be perswaded that is unknown. The Creatures of God understand you not, you are not of their Cities: you are become enemies, because you are separated from him that Governeth the City by ignorance.

E. K. Whether is this Language known in any part of the World or no? if it be, where and to whom?

Gab....... Man in his Creation, being made an Innocent, was also authorised and made partaker of the Power and Spirit of God: whereby he not onely did know all things under his Creation and spoke of them properly, naming them as they were: but also was partaker of our presence and society, yea a speaker of the mysteries of God; yea, with God himself: so that in innocency the power of his partakers with God, and us his good Angles, was exalted, and so became holy in the sight of God until that Coronzon (for so is the true name of that mighty Devil) envying his felicity, and perceiving that the substance of his lesser part was frail and unperfect in respect of his pure […]sse, began to assail him, and so prevailed: that offending so became accursed in the sight of God; and so lost the Garden of felicity, the judgement of his understanding: but not utterly […] favour of God, and was driven forth (as your Scriptures record) unto the Earth which was covered with brambles: where being as dumb, and not able to speak, he began to learn of necessity the Language which thou, E. K. callest [1 Hebrew:] and yet not that [2 Hebrew] amongst you: in the which he uttered and delivered to his posterity, the nearest knowledge he had of God his Creatures: and from his own self divided his speech into three parts; twelve, three, and seven: the number whereof remaineth, but the true forms and pronuntiations want; and therefore is not of that force that it was in his own dignity, much lesse to be compared with this that we deliver, which Adam verily spake in innocency, and was never uttered nor disclosed to man since till now, wherein the power of God must work, and wisdom in her true kind be delivered: which are not to be spoken of in any other thing, neither to be talked of with mans imaginations; for as this Work and Gift is of God, which is all power, so doth he open it in a tongue of power, to the intent that the proportions may agree in themselves: for it is written, Wisdom sitteth upon an Hill, and beholdeth the four Winds, and girdeth her self together as the brightnesse of the morning, which is visited with a few, and dwelleth alone as though she were a Widow.

Thus you see there, the Necessity of this Tongue: The Excellency of it, And the Cause why it is preferred before that which you call Hebrew: For it is written, Every lesse, consentesh to his greater. I trust this is sufficient.

E. K. As concerning the power, What is it?

Gab....... What it is, that it is, for the knowledge of it may lead you to error.

Δ. This answer offended greatly E. K. and thereupon he left off, and would receive no more at their hands. God make him patient, and a favourer of this Action as soon as it is needful that he should be.

Δ. Laudetur, magnificetur & extollatur nomen Jesu Christi in omne aevum. Amen.

Note on Tuesday after Noon, circa horam quartam, as we two sat together, E. K. said that he thought upon the matter, Et quod jam vellet duas horas mihi concedere singulis diebus ad recipienda illa, quae illi tradere vellent. Ego autem illi & maximo Deo gratias egi, quia hanc esse mutationem dextra excelsi factam verè judicavi; nam ante prandium rigidissimus erat in contraria opinione & sententia.