...That the Outward Man, how eminent soever in all Natural and Political Sciences, is to be denied, and die in us; and, that the Inward Man by the Light of Grace, through profession and practice of a holy life, is to be acknowledged and live in us: Which is the only means to keep the true Sabbath in inward Holiness, and free from outward Pollution.
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Wherefore, seeing there is nothing in us so near and intimate as God is, it follows that any other thing is not to be so esteemed, sought and loved as God alone, Who hath put and hid in us, the most excellent Treasure of His divine Wisdom, Light, Life, Truth, and Virtue, taken from His own Self, and hath commanded to ask Him, seek, and knock in the hidden place of our heart, in Spirit, and in Truth, having given a testimony, that the kingdom of God, first of all, to be sought, is not here or there without us, but is to be found most inward in us, as a Treasure hid in a Field.
From all these things it clearly appears to me that God is not at all more remote or nearer to me in this life whilst I am in this world, and in this mortal body, than He will to me be in life eternal. But I have and feel my God equally now present and intimate to me, even as I shall have Him in the other world, in a new body. For He is in me and I in Him, whether I am in a mortal body in this world, or without this body in that world. This alone makes the difference, that this thing even hitherto is hidden: but then it shall be manifest and open.
But that I am not so nigh and near to Him as He is to me, this is not to be imputed to Him, but to my aversion, who do not sabbathize in my God Who is with me, that is, who by running up and down with my unquiet and vagabond soul through the creatures, am more delighted to be and to be busied in my proper will out of my internal Country; and I suffer that ever hissing Serpent to creep on to the creatures in the multifarious concupiscence and delectation of the flesh, of the eyes, and pride of life, or self-love: neither am I less frequent in the various discourse of my thoughts, ever and anon, day and night, ascending out of my heart, now desiring this, now that, speculating, willing, nilling, now this, now that; where, moreover I weary and burden myself with all kind of care, and vex myself with various affections. All of which things are the Astrological operation and revolution of the internal stars in our soul.
But if I could Theologize my Astrology, that is, if I could desist sometimes from all these things, and study to be at rest in my God Who dwells with me, that is, if I could accustom my mind to quiet and spiritual tranquillity, that it should cease to wander in the variety of thoughts, cares, and affections, that it might be at leisure from the external things and creatures of this world, and chiefly from the love of myself; that I might wholly die, and as it were be annihilated in my self, that I could come into a loathing and oblivion, not alone of all the things of the whole world placed without me, and of mundane friendship, which I have with men, but also into a plenary dereliction of myself, that is, of my will, of mine — if there be any — wisdom, knowledge, science, art, industry, prudence; of mine — if there be any — dignity, praise, honour, authority, estimation in the world amongst men; of mine — if there be any — office, state, degree, order; and, in brief, into an absolute forgetfulness of all my negotiations and occupations, and of myself as well within as without, which is nothing else than to Theologize Astrology.
Then, at length should I begin: more and more to see and know the most present habitation of God in me, and so I should taste and eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of Paradise, which Paradise I myself am, as a Guest with whom God is, and ought to be, and I in like manner with God.
This, I say, should be the exercise of my soul, the Theologization of Astrology, and a regression from Externals to Internals; from Nature to Grace; from the Creature to God; from the friendship of the world, to the friendship of God; from the tree of Death, to the Tree of Life; from terrene things to Celestial.
So should I go again to my first original, from whence I went forth, by arrogating to myself a liberty of willing, desiring, coveting, thinking, speaking and doing what pleased me, God in the meantime being neglected, without Whom I ought not to do any thing.
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For to all that covet and desire the kingdom of God, is the old man made of Nature, to be put off and laid down; yea, to be buried in an absolute abnegation and oblivion, as well of himself as of all those things which he hath, possesseth, studieth, knoweth, learneth; and the new man is to be put on, which is created according to God, where "there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, neither bond nor free, but the new creature."
I say, the new creature is required to possess the kingdom of God, wherein there is nothing, left of the old leaven. The old leaven is the knowledge of good and evil, beginning to spring in man from the forbidden tree, and is the prudence or subtilty of the Serpent. But the new leaven is the heavenly wisdom, the simplicity of the Dove, from whom alone true life and beatitude flow, and which also only shall bear rule in the elect heirs of the kingdom of God, the natural and terrene wisdom being then utterly together and at once swallowed up, blotted out, and extinct.
Matt.18, John 3 - For the kingdom of God is of such only who are converted from the old creature into the new, and become as children, who never knew neither good nor evil.
EXCERPTS taken from:
VALENTIN WEIGEL'S "ASTROLOGY THEOLOGISED"
