Reflections on Esaias Stiefel's Booklet: On the Threefold State of Man and His New Birth

essence; the mother may do with him what she wills. The mother only wants to have humble children who lie at her breast and drink of her power and live in her will, so that she may rejoice in them. For their fruit grows on their little branches, which is the praise of the tongue in the wonderful deed of God.

86. It should not have the meaning as if I wanted to despise a Christian spirit, but I teach in the spirit of Christ, in Him, since I should speak of the root and this is my given office, so that we may build ourselves up in Christ, in one tree, in knowledge; and I ask that it be understood rightly. For to speak with an angelic tongue, with the mouth of the Holy Spirit, is a great thing. Indeed, no one goes out unarmed, provided the spirit of God does not arm his tongue, heart, and spirit and give certainty; then he should not say: The Lord speaks.

87. For when the fire of the Holy Spirit often shines from the inner, as from the essence of God, through the outer, then the outer mysterium is ignited and becomes highly joyful and begins, in the knowledge of the light, to speak with tongues from the mysterium. But the will-spirit should take good care that the outer spirit does not exalt itself too much and speak out of itself with tongues in the name of the Lord. For the outer spirit triumphs when it gets a glimpse as if it were in the inner, and often rises so joyfully. But the outer spirit of reason from the stars likes to mix itself in.

88. Therefore, it is a very subtle thing to speak with the outer mouth from divine tongues; the Holy Spirit must travel on the wings of the wind and direct the understanding so that the mind experiences it, for in the mind there must be certainty.

89. The prophet who speaks there is not the certainty, for he speaks out of two tongues, as out of the turba, the wickedness of men; he rebukes it, and also speaks out of the love from the humanity of Christ and points out the right way.

90. Now, however, the certainty stands in the mind; that must be ignited and filled with the Holy Spirit. Then the mouth of the Lord speaks through the outer mouth, not as his word, but as God's word. Only the noble image in the inner stands as trembling before the face and great power of the Lord.

91. It indeed does not make words in the name of the Lord unless the spirit of God forms them; then it shall act as a child in