ly cooeperate with you; [To revive the
mystical dead.] so resolve as united in the spirit ... to break through
that and to break it up, which lies as a covering over this princely
being.... Pray and do not only wait [no idle mysticism] but struggle and
work until you have released, set free and liberated this power hidden in
a prison; which may be exalted upon the throne of empire, since in truth
my spirit as well as yours has hitherto not been displaced from its
kingdom except by force and unrighteousness." [With reference to the
raising (cf. L. G. B., III, pp. 87, 91); in that place three degrees of
mystical development are described in the similitude of three altars.
Under the last altar, which is built of quadrangular stones, in which one
can see his own face as in mirrors, lies the life trampled to death, which
will again be wakened.]

"Knowest thou not, I was asked, that the law of sin has the mastery as
long as it [the body with its selfish tendencies] lives? So that the
spirit clearly bore witness and gave me to understand that nothing could
make me worthy of this marriage with the Lamb [unio mystica] except an
absolute death, since he wedded only the maidenly spirit, to be one flesh
with him, [H in H, F against F, etc.] and by so doing changed it into his
own pure manhood. [Humanity.] And this is the generation or birth to an
actively self-sufficient being, which rises out of the old one. For just
as the grain of wheat perishes or dies in the earth and comes into a new
life, just so it goes also with the arising and the growing up of the new
creation, which in truth is Christ our life, whose appearance will put an
end to the sins in us. For, dear one, what has brought on the curse, care,
trouble, misery, weaknesses, which press and torture the poor man in this
fallen state of his but the departing from God? And as long as he is in
this condition, he is a debtor to sin and under its dominion; which
subjects him to all affliction and misery, which are wont to follow the
footsteps of those who live in the elemental flesh. Now without doubt it
is good and joyful tidings to hear of a possibility of drawing out and
putting off this body of sins; and in truth the prophet who has arisen in
me has prophesied that such a day was at hand. Be dismayed at it, ye that
are the wounders and despisers of this grace; which I see is now near
being revealed, for the bridal garments are being prepared ... [Cf. the
end of the parable