which he had brought out of Egypt with great Wonders or Miracles among them to destroy them that they should turne to God and depart from covetousnesse and enter into brotherly love therefore he gave them a long time of respite as also to Israel whom he fed from Heaven for an Example that one people should be an Example to the other that there is a God that is Allmightie But they being earthly both of them and onely evill and being they did live in the Fathers fierce anger therefore the anger and severity of God lusted also to devoure them because they continually kindled it 24. Therefore he said to Joshua Passe over Jordan and destroy that people and leave none of them among you that you be not polluted This saying of his proceeded not out of his Love when he did bid him to kill the Heathens as also the Prophets did not all speak from his Love but from his Anger which was awakened by the wickednesse of Man so also he speaketh many times through the Spirit of the Prophets in the Great World in the Prophets and in Moses in the fire or in other terrors in an angry Zeale 25. And should wee therefore say that God is well pleased with anger and strife No the Prophets complained often in the Holy Ghost or Spirit of God that this evill people offended their God when they moved him to anger so that accordingly his severe wrath went forth and devoured them David saith in the fift Psalme Thou art not a God that are pleased with wicked wayes 26. Now if Man awaken sinne then the fierce anger or severity of God is stirred in himselfe viz. in Man which otherwise if Man did stand in humility would rest and be turned into great Joy as was often mentioned before But now when he burneth in wrath then one people devoureth the other and one sinne destroyeth another if Israel had been upright they had not been put to make warre but they should have entred in with Wonders and have converted the People Moses should have lead them into the promised Land with his Miracles or Deeds of Wonder but because they were wicked they could not enter in with the brightnesse of Moses with deeds of wonder in the lustre or glance of the Father to convert the Heathens but Moses with his deeds of wonder must stay in the Wildernesse and the whole People was consumed and devoured in the wrath and Joshua must warre with the Heathens and destroy them for one wrath devoured the other 27. Whereas Joshua was an Image and similitude that Israel because they could not subsist in the Fathers clarity and love should be led by the second Joshua or Jesus out of the wrath into the Love through the breaking of his body and entring into Death Moses must enter through Death into life and bring his clarity through Death into life even as he appeared with Elias on mount Thabor to the second Joshua or Jesus in the claritie of the Father and shewed him the pleasure of the Father viz. that he the second Joshua should bring Israel through his Death and clarity into the Promised Land of Paradise 28. Yet it could not be how vigorously soever it was sought after that Man in his own power could enter into Paradise and therefore poore captive Man must sit in this world in the Devils murthering Denne where now the Devill hath built his Chappell close by the Christian Church and hath quite destroyed the love of Paradise and hath in the stead thereof set up meere covetous proud selfe-willed or selfe-conceited faithlesse sturdy malicious Blasphemers Theeves and Murtherers which lift themselves up against Heaven and Paradise and have built themselves a Kingdome according to the Dominion of the fierce soure Starres or Constellations wherein they domineere with silver and gold and consume the sweat one of another whosoever is but able oppresseth the other to the ground And though he flie before him yet then he onely putteth forth his Dragons tongue and spitteth fire upon him he terrifieth him with his harsh voyce and plagueth him day and night 29. What can he said of thee O Cain doest thou suppose that God doth not see thee Thou Monstrous Beast thou shalt stand naked as the Spirit in the Wonders doth signifie that thy Ornament may be made knowne How art thou become thus O Eve are not all thy children which thou hast brought forth all come out of thy loynes Was it then the purpose of God that the evill should domineere among the Good and one plague another 30. O no But the Devill who is a cause of the wrathfulnesse Adam was made good out of the pure Element but the longing desire or lust of the Devill deceived him so that he went into the Spirit of this world 31. And now it cannot be otherwise the two Kingdomes wrestle one with another in the children of Men the one is the Kingdome of Christ Generated through the New Birth into Paradise that in this world is miserable and contemned there are not many that desire it for it hath meere scorne and contempt from the Devill and his followers it consisteth in righteousnesse and truth and that is not valued in this world and therefore it must lie at the Rich Mans doore with poore Lazarus and at his feete if any doe but let it appeare that they are the childe of God then the Devill will away with them presently or else will put them to such scorne and disgrace that they cannot be knowne that so the Devill may continue to be the Great Prince upon Earth and that the world may not learne to know him 32. The other Kingdome is that of Antichrist with a Golden Splendour or Glance Prancing in state Glistering on every side every one saith it is a happy thing for it adorneth it selfe most sumptuously and setteth its seate over the Hills and Mountaines every one saluteth it or doth it reverence it draweth the Tincture of the Earth to it selfe that it may glister alone it bereaveth the Kingdome of Christ of its temporall food livelihood or bread it devoureth the sweat of the needy and saith to him You are mine I am your God I will set you where I please you are the dogge that lieth at my feete If I had a minde to it I could hunt you out of my house you must doe what I will and the needy Worme must say I am your poore servant doe but spare my life and if he squeeze out the sweat of his browes so that it smarteth which his Master consumeth or spendeth then he groweth impatient with his Master and curseth him and seeketh out wayes of lying and deceit and by what way he might make his heavy burthen lighter 33. And then if he finde his Master so unjust he riseth up against him and taketh away his unrighteous Bread which he thinketh to eate under a soft yoake and worrieth him to
Devill out of himselfe but Angels to live in Joy to their comfort and rejoycing yet it is seene that Devils came to be and that they became Gods enemines therefore the source or fountaine of the Cause must be sought viz. What is the Prima Materia or first Matter of Evill and that in the Originalnesse of God as well as in the Creatures for it is all but one onely thing in the Originalnesse All is out of God â—â—de out of his Essence according to the Trinitie as he is one in Essence and Threefold in Persons 6. Behold there are especially three things in the Originalnesse out of which all things are both spirit and life motion and comprehensibilitie viz. Sulphur Mercurius and Sal but you will say that these are in Nature and not in God which indeed is so but Nature hath its ground in God according to the first Principle of the Father for God calleth himself also an Angry Zealous God which is not so to be understood that God is angry in himselfe but in the Spirit of the Creation or Creature which kindleth it selfe and then God burneth in the first Principle therein and the Spirit of the Creation or Creature suffereth paine and not God 7. Now to speak in a Creaturely way Sulphur Mercurius and Sal are understood to be thus SUL is the Soule or the Spirit that is risen up or in a fimilitude it is God PHUR is the Prima Materia or first Matter out of which the Spirit is generated but especially the Harshnesse Mercurius hath a fourfold forme in it viz. Harshnesse bitternesse fire and water Sal is the childe that is generated from these foure and is harsh eager and a cause of the comprehensibility 8. Understand aright now what I declare to you Harshnesse bitternesse and fire are in the Originalnesse in the first Principle the water-source is generated therein and God is not called God according to the first Principle but according to that he is called wrathfulnesse angrinesse the earnest severe or tart source from which Evill and also the woefull tormenting trembling and burning hath its Originall 9. This is as was mentioned before the harshnesse is the Prima Materia or first matter which is strong and very eagerly and earnestly attractive that is Sal the bitternesse is in the strong attracting for the spirit sharpeneth it selfe in the strong attracting so that it becometh wholly aking anxious or vexed For example in man when he is enraged how his spirit attracteth it selfe which maketh him bitter or soure and trembling and if it be not suddenly withstood and quenched we see that the fire of anger kindleth in him so that he burneth in malice and then presently a substance or whole essence cometh to be in the spirit and minde to be revenged 10. Which is a similitude of that which is in the originall of the generating of Nature yet it must be set down more intelligibly and plainly Mark what Mercurius is it is harshnesse bitternesse fire and brimstone-water the most horrible Essence yet you must understand hereby no Materia matter or comprehensible thing but all no other then spirit and the source of the originall nature Harshnesse is the first essence which attracteth it self but it being a hard cold vertue or power the spirit is altogether prickly stinging and sharp Now the sting and sharpnesse cannot endure attracting but moveth and resisteth or opposeth and is a contrary will an enemy to the harshnesse and from that stirring cometh the first mobility which is the third form Thus the harshnesse continually attracteth harder and harder and so it becometh hard and tart strong or fierce so that the vertue or power is as hard as the hardest stone which the bitternesse that is the harshnesses own sting or prickle cannot endure and then there is great anguish in it like the horrible brimstone spirit and the sting of the bitternesse which rubbeth it self so hard that in the anguish there cometh to be a twinkling flash which flieth up terribly and breaketh the harshnesse but it finding no rest and being so continually generated from beneath it is as a turning wheele which turneth anxiously and terribly with the twinkling flash furiously and so the flash is changed into a pricking stinging fire which yet is no burning fire but like the fire in a stone 11 But being there is no rest there and that the turning wheel runneth as fast as a swift thought for the prickle driveth it so fast the prickle kindleth it selfe so much that the flash which is generated between the astringency and bitternesse becometh horribly fiery and flieth up like a horrible fire from whence the whole Materia or matter is terrified and falleth back as dead or overcome and doth not attract so strongly to it selfe any more but each yeeldeth it selfe to go out one from another and so it becometh thinne for the fire-flash is now predominant the Materia or matter which was so very harsh astringent or attracting in the originalnesse is now feeble and as it were dead and the fire flash henceforth getteth strength therein for it is its mother and the bitternesse goeth forth up in the flash together with the harshnesse and kindleth the flash for it is the father of the flash or fire and the turning wheel henceforth standeth in the fire flash and the harshnesse remaineth overcome and feeble which is now the water-spirit and the Materia or matter of the harshnesse henceforth is like the brimstone spirit very thin raw aking vanquished and the sting in it is trembling and it drieth and sharpneth it selfe in the flash and being so very dry in the flash it becometh continually more horrible and fiery whereby the harshnesse or astringency is still more overcome and the water-spirit continually greater and so it continually refresheth it self in the water-spirit and continually bringeth more matter to the fire-flash whereby it is the more kindled for in a similitude that is the fewell of the flash or fire-spirit 12. Understand aright the manner of the existence of this Mercurius The word MER is first the strong tart harsh attraction for in that word or syllable Mer expressed by the tongue you * understand that it jarreth proceeding from the harshnesse and you * understand also that the bitter sting or prickle is in it for the word MER is harsh and trembling and every word or syllable is formed or framed from its power or vertue and expresseth whatsoever the power or vertue doth or suffereth You may * understand that the word or syllable CU is or signifieth the rubbing or unquietnesse of the sting or prickle which maketh that the harshnesse is not at peace but y heaveth and riseth up for that syllable thrusteth it selfe or presseth forth with the vertue or breath from the heart out of the mouth it is done thus also in the vertue or power
is weaker for it hath no kindling from the vertue of the Sunne and although the vertue of the Starres and the quality are kindled from the Sunne yet all is too little and so it becometh feeble or as it were dead and when the Tincture is feeble then the vertue in the bloud which is the Tincture is wholly weake and finketh into a sweet rest as it were dead or overcome 23. But now in the Tincture onely is the understanding which governeth the minde and maketh the thoughts or senses therefore all is as it were dead and the Constellation now onely ruleth in the roote of the first Principle where the Deity like a glance lustre or vertue worketh in all things There the starry Spirit in the glance of the Glasse of the divine vertue in the Element of fire looketh into the Matrix of the water and setteth his jawes open after the Tincture but that is voyde of power and therefore he taketh the vertue of the Tincture viz. the minde and mingleth or qualifieth with it and then the minde sealeth the Elements and worketh therein Dreames and visions all according to the vertue of the Starres for it standeth in the working and quality of the Starres and these are the Dreames and visions of the night in the sleepe The gate of the highest depth of the life of the Tincture 24. Though the Doctor it may be knoweth what the Tincture is yet the simple and unlearned doth not who many times if they had the Art have better gifts and understanding than the Doctor therefore I write for those that seeke though indeed I hold that neither the Doctor nor the Alchimist hath the ground of the Tincture unlesse he be borne againe in the Spirit such a one seeth through all whether he be learned or unlearned with God the Peasant is as acceptable as the Doctor 25. The Tincture is a thing that seperateth and bringeth the pure and cleere from the impure and that bringeth the life of all sorts of Spirits or all sorts of Essences into its highest pitch degree or exaltation Yea it is the cause of the shining or of the lustre it is a cause that all creatures see and live but its forme is not one and the same in every thing it is not in a Beast as in Man so also it is different in stones and hearbs although it is truly in all things yet in some things strong and in some weake 26. But if we search what it is in essence and propertie and how it is generated then wee finde a very worthy precious noble substance in its birth for it is come forth from the vertue and the fountaine of the Deity which hath imprinted it selfe in all things and therefore it is so secret and hidden and is imparted to the knowledge of none of the ungodly to finde it or to know it and although it be there yet a vaine false or evill minde is not worthy of it and therefore it remaineth hidden to him And God ruleth all in all incomprehensibly and imperceptibly to the Creature the creature passeth away it knoweth not how and the shadow and the figure of the Tincture continueth eternally for it is generated out of the eternall will but the Spirit is given to it by the Fiat according to the kinde of every creature also in the beginning of the Creation it was implanted and incorporated in jewels stones and metalls according to the kinde of every one 27. It was from Eternity in God and therefore it is eternally in God But when God would create a similitude of his Essence and that it should be generated out of the darknesse then it stood in the flash of fire that went forth in the place where the fift forme of the birth of love generateth it selfe in the similitude for it was generated out of the fountaine of the will out of the heart of God and therefore its shadow continueth in the will of God eternally and for the sake thereof also the shadow of all creatures and of every essence substance or thing which was ever generated in the similitude remaineth eternally for it is the similitude of God which is generated out of the eternall will yet its Spirit continueth not eternally in the third Principle of this world that ceaseth or passeth away with the ceasing of the springing or the ceasing of the life 28. For all whatsoever liveth in the third Principle corrupteth or passeth away and goeth into its Ether and end till it come to the figure of the Tincture and that continueth standing eternally as a shadow or will without spirit or mobility But in the second Principle the Tincture continueth eternally standing in the spirit and in the substance or essence all very powerfully viz. in Angels and Men as also in the beginning or first springing of every substance for their Centre to the Birth is eternally fixt or stedfast Of it s the Tinctures Essences and property The deepe Gate of Life 29. It s Essence is the flash in the Circle or Circumference of the springing of the Life which in the water maketh the glance and shining and its roote is the fire and the stock is the soure harshnesse Now the flash separateth the bitternesse and harshnesse from the water so that the water becometh soft fluid and cleere wherein then the sight of all creatures doth consist so that the Spirit in the flash in the Matrix of the water doth see and the flash standeth therein like a glance or lustre and filleth the Spirit of the Essences from which the Essence draweth vehemently to it selfe for it is the soure harshnesse and the flash continually separateth the darknesse from the light and the impure from the pure and there now standeth the divine vertue or power and the divine glance continually imagineth or imprinteth it selfe in the pure from which the soure strong property is separated out from Nature and the divine Glance maketh the pure sweet for it mingleth it selfe or infecteth there 30. But the sweetnesse is like Oyle or fire wherein the flash continually kindleth it selfe so that it shineth But the Oyle being sweet and mingled with the Matrix of the water therefore the shining light is steady constant and fixt and sweet But being it cannot in the nature of the water continue to be an oyle onely because of the infection of the water therefore it becometh thick and the nature or kinde of the fire coloureth it red and this is the Bloud and the Tincture in a Creature wherein the noble life standeth Of the Death and of the Dying The Gate of affliction and of misery 31. Thus the noble life in the Tincture standeth in great danger and hath hourely to expect the corruption or destruction breaking or dissolution for as soone as the bloud wherein the Spirit liveth floweth out or passeth away the Essence breaketh or dissolveth and the Tincture flieth away like a glance or
of the Starres attracteth the vertue of the Sunne to it and manifesteth it selfe in the vertue of the Sunne from whence there ariseth a twinckling flash in this raging from whence the hard soure harsh anxiety is terrified and sinketh downe and there the terrible Tincture goeth into its Ether for the Essence of the soure harshnesse in the Fiat is so mightily terrified at the flash that it becometh faint impotent or feeble and sinketh back expandeth it selfe and groweth thin 58. And the terrour skreeke or flash of fire is done in the bitter prickle and when it reflecteth it selfe back in the dark soure or harsh anxiety in the Mother and findeth her so very soft gentle and overcome then it is much more terrified than the Mother But this terrour happening thus in the soft Mother shee becometh white and cleere in the twinckling of an eye and the flash remaineth in the anguish in the roote of the fire and now therefore it is a skreeke or terrour of great joy and it is as when water is throwne into the fire where the soure harsh quality is then quenched and the sourenesse or harshnesse is then so mightily overjoyed with the light and the light with the Mother the sourenesse or harshnesse wherein it is generated that there is no fimilitude to compare it with for it is the birth and the beginning of the life ☉ Sol All this which followeth is done in the entrance of the fourth Moneth 59. And as soone as the light of life appeareth in the soure harshnesse and soft Mother so that the sourenesse or harshnesse cometh to taste the light of life and findeth that it is so meeke pleasant lovely and full of joy then it exulteth with great delight desire and longing after the light to mix it selfe therewith and apprehend it so that its lust or longing delight and vertue goeth forth from it after the light which lust or longing delight is the vertue of the light and this out-going lust in the love is the noble Tincture which is there new generated to be the childe 's own and the Spirit which is generated out of the anguish in the flash of the fire is the true and reall soule which is generated in Man 60. Now here it is especially to be observed where it dwelleth and whence Heart Lungs and Liver come especially the Bladder and Gutts and the Braine in the Head also the understanding and senses these I will here set down one after another It cannot well or sufficiently be expressed by a humane tongue especially the order which is observed in the twinckling of an eye in Nature it would require a great Volume to describe it in and as the world accounteth us too weake to be able to describe it so wee account our selves much weaker and more unable and it is with us as Isaiah saith I am found of them that sought me not and knowne of them that were ignorant of mee and so such as inquired not after mee 61. I say this hath not been sought but wee sought the heart of God that wee might hide us therein from the tempest of the Devill but when we came there then the loving virgin out of Paradise met us and offered us her love shee would be kinde and friendly to us and be betrothed to us for a Companion and shew us the way to Paradise where wee shall be safe from the stormy tempest and shee carried a branch in her hand and said We will plant this and a Lilly shall grow and I will come to thee againe from whence wee gat this longing to write of the amiable virgin which did shew us the way into Paradise where we must goe through the kingdome of this world and also through the kingdome of Hell and no hurt done us and according to that direction of her's wee write CHAP. XIV Of the Birth and Propagation of Man The very secret Gate 1. IF wee consider now the springing up of the life and in what place of the body it is where the life is generated then we shall rightly finde the whole ground of Man and there is nothing so secret in Man but that it may be found For wee must needs say that the Heart is the place wherein the noble life is generated and the life againe generateth the heart 2. As it is mentioned above so the life in the anguish with the kindling of the light taketh its beginning from the glance of the Sun-shine from the Spirit of the Starres and Elements in the great anguish where death and life wrestle one with the other for when man departed from Paradise into another Birth viz. into the Spirit of this world into the quality of the Sunne Starres and Elements then the Paradisicall vision or seeing ceased or was extinguished where man seeth from the divine vertue without need of the Sun and Starres where the springing up of the life is in the holy Ghost and the light of God is the glance of the Spirit from whence he seeth which went out for the spirit of the soule went into the Principle of this world 3. You must not so understand it as if it were extinguished in it selfe No but the soule of Adam went out from the Principle of God into the Principle of this world and therein now the Spirit of every soule is thus generated againe by humane propagation as is mentioned before and it cannot be otherwise and therefore if wee would be fit for the kingdome of Heaven wee must be regenerated anew in the Spirit of God or else none can inherite the kingdome of God as Christ taught us faithfully of which I will write hereafter that it may be a fountain for the thirsty and a light to the noble way in the blossome of the Lilly 4. And wee must here know that our life which wee get in our Mothers body or womb standeth meerly and onely in the power of the Sunne Starres and Elements so that they not onely figure or fashion a childe in the Mothers body and give it life but also bring it into this world and nourish it the whole time of its life and bring it up also cause fortune and mis-fortune to it and at last death and corruption and if our Essences out of which our life is generated were not higher in their first degree out of Adam than the Beasts then wee should be wholly like the Beasts 5. But our Essences are generated much higher in the beginning of the life in Adam than the beasts which have their Essences but meerly from the spirit of this world and it must also with the spirit of this world in a corruptible substance goe into its eternall Ether whereas on the contrary the essences of Man are proceeded out of the unchangable eternall mind of God which cannot in eternitie corrupt 6. For wee have a certain ground of this in that our
his beloved Heart and Sonne in the vertue of the meeknesse of the will viz. his Eternall Word from Eternity 86. And so should the Angelicall Man also set his will in the broken Gates of the Darknesse through the will of the Father wherewith the soule qualifieth or mingleth in the meeknesse of the Heart of God and then the source or quality of the Darknesse in the fierce wrathfulnesse should not have stirred him but he should have continued a glorious Prince of Paradise in triumph over the kingdome of Hell and of this world 87. But when he set his Imagination in the kingdome of this world then the bright and cleere will of his soule drew the swelled kingdome of the out-Birth to the soule into its will and so the pure Paradisicall soule became darke and the Element of the body did get the Mesch or Massa which the will of the soule of the minde attracted into the Element of the body and then he was a fleshly Man and gat the fiercenesse of the first Principle which the strong breaking through to God in the Gate of the Deepe did make to be hard Grissles and Bones 88. And wee are seriously and highly to know for it is seene in the light of Life that the marrow in the bones hath the noblest and highest Tincture wherein the Spirit is sweetest and the light clearest which may be knowne in the fire if you be not blinde with your gain-saying and it is accurately knowne that those places where the hard bones now are were wonders and vertue or power which have broken the Gates of the Darknesse in which power the Angelicall Man in the Light stood 89. Therefore the Providence of God when Adam fell into longing desire or lust environed that vertue and strength with the might of the first Principle viz. with the might of the Starres and sharpnesse of God that the source or quality of the first and third Principle might not so easily touch it and this was done in Adams sleepe when God built Adam to or for this world from whence Saint Paul also saith That the naturall Man was created in the corruptible life of this world which was done at the Temptation of Adam at that time when God made his naturall wife out of him but he was a holy Image before and he must be the same againe in his Restoration at the Last Day 90. Though the Devill and this world rage and rave against this yet it is neverthelesse the ground of Truth highly knowne in the wonders of God and not from the Fables or Suppositions such as the proud appearing-holy or hypocriticall world now ground their Babble upon about the Cup of Jesus Christ for the advancing of their pomp and haughtinesse their own honour and supposed wisdome for their pleasure and the filling of their Bellies Like the Proud Bride in Babylon who rideth upon the Evill Beast which devoureth the miserable Therefore thus saith the Spirit against Babell in the Confusion I have spewed thee out in the time of the wrath thou shalt drink of the Cup of thy Pride and thy source or Torment shall rise up in Eternity Of the voice of God in the Garden of Eden and the Conference between God and those two about sinne 91. So now when Adam and his Eve after the biting of the Apple beheld themselves then they perceived the monstrous Image and Beastiall Forme and they felt in themselves the wrath of God and the fiercenesse of the Starres and Elements for they took notice of the Stomack and Guttes into which they had stuffed the earthly fruit which began to take effect and they saw their beastiall shame and then they did lift up their mindes towards Paradise but they found it not they ran trembling with feare and crept behinde the Trees for the wrath had stirred their Essences in the Spirit with the earthly fruit and then came the voice of God in the Centre of the Gates of the Deepe and called Adam and said Adam Where art thou And he said Here am I and I am afraid for I am naked And the Lord said Who hath told thee that thou art naked Hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I said unto thee that thou shouldest not eate thereof And he said the Woman gave to mee and I did eate and he said unto the Woman Why hast thou done so And shee said the Serpent beguiled mee so that I did eate 92. Here it may be seene very plainly that the Devill had lost his Angelicall Image and cometh now in the forme of a Serpent with his murtherous lying and beguileth the Woman because he had not been able to overthrow Adam wholly therfore he setteth upō the Woman and promiseth her wisdome and the riches of this world and that shee should be therein like God the Devill mingled lyes and truth together and said Shee should be as God but he meant according to the Kingdome of this world and according to the first Principle of the fierce wrath and let Paradise out But Eve understood it that shee should continue in the Paradise in the divine and pleasant Joy 93. Therefore it is not good to prattle with the Devill he is a lyar and murtherer from the beginning of his kingdome and a theefe also he cometh onely to murther and to steale as here with Eve and the Devill is the highest cause of the Fall for he strewed Sugar upon Adam so that he imagined or lusted after the kingdome of this world though Adam indeed did not see him yet he slipt into the Essences of the fierce soure sternnesse and did there strow Hells-Paradisicall-Sugar before him so that Adam lusted 94. But because he beguiled Adam and Eve with his Sugar therefore God hath prepared such a dwelling house for him as Adam lets forth from the earthly Sugar at the nethermost Exit and that shall be left for him at the corruption of the Earth when it goeth into its Ether and then that pleasant smell of the stinck of sinne and abominations in the kingdome of the fierce wrath shall remaine for him and that Sugar he shall eate Eternally and frame his will continually therein to get other Sugar in the furnace of the fire and then he may make that ready for him as may best sute with his pallat at which he quaketh and trembleth when he heareth the Spirit declare such things and hereby it is also signified to all the ungodly that they shall also eate the same Sugar Eternally which they have continually baked here with their blaspheming cursing covetousnesse scorne backbiting thorny-taunting murthering robbing and taking the sweat of the needy and miserable to maintaine their haughty stately Pride 95. And now when these two thus captivated by the Devill and this world stood before God with feare and great horrour and felt the anger of God and the severe Judgement then the Heart of God
the Word and the earthly vayle hangeth before it wee must looke under the vayle For Adam was taken out of the earth not out of the foure issuings of the Elements but he was an Extract out of the Element which qualified or mingled with the Earth But when he fell into the foure Elements then he became Earth as also fire aire and water and now what should the Beastiall Man doe with the heavenly Paradisicall fruit he could not eate of it and therefore God doth not cast his heavenly kingdome to beasts and swine but it belongeth to Angels 7. So also it is very cleere and manifest that before the curse there grew such venomous or poysonous Thornes and Thistles and poysonous fruits and if God had not cursed the Earth from the one Element then no Beast should have been so fierce and mischievous or evill for God said Let the Earth be cursed for thy sake From whence now is also arisen the disobedience of the Beasts towards Man and their wildnesse or flying in their face as also that they are so cruell fierce mischievous and evill and that Man must hide himselfe from their fierce rage and fury whereas God in the Creation gave all into his power all Beasts of the field should be in subjection under him which now is cleane contrary for Man is become a Wolfe to them in devouring the Beasts and they are like Lyons against him and there is meere Enmity against one another he can scarce order the tame Beasts much lesse the wilde 8. And wee are to know that there was a great difference in the Beasts before the curse for some viz. the tame ones were very neer a-kinne to the Element with whom Man should have had joy and delight on the contrary some viz. the wilde ones which flie from Man were very neere a-kinne to the foure Elements for the causes of those wonders stuck wholly in the Essences and they were very well knowne and seene in the light of the life in the knowledge of the virgin there is nothing so deepe that Man cannot search into and see it most assuredly if he doe but put away the vayle and look through the Tables graven through with Joshua into the promised Land 9. And God said In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eate thy Bread till thou turne to Earth againe Here now all is cleere and manifest in the light for he had lost the heavenly fruit which grew for him without labour or toyle of his and now he must dig and delve in the earth and sow and plant and so in the foure Elements must get fruit in cares labour toyle and misery for while the Element or the vertue or power out of the Element sprung forth through the Earth there was so long a continuall lasting roote to the fruit but when the Element by the curse withdrew then the congealed Death frailty and transitory fading was in the roote and they must now continually be planted againe Thus the turmoyling life of Man took beginning wherein wee must now bath our selves 10. God could well have created creatures which should have managed the Beasts so that Man might well have stayd in Paradise in the Angelicall forme and besides that there are already in all the foure Elements creatures without a soule God would well have laid the labour or charge of managing the Beasts upon another generation which were also earthly But he saw well that Man would not stand therefore instantly the burthen was laid upon him as Moses also writeth of it 11. But if God would have had Beastiall Men then he would have created them so in the beginning and given them no Commandement neither should they have been tempted as indeed the Beasts have no Law 12. Therefore all Objections which fall into Reason are nothing else but the subtle contradictions or fallacies of the Devill who would very faine maintaine that God did will the Fall of Man There are also Men that dare to say that God did will it and say that he fitted the tongue of the Serpent to seduce Eve whose judgement is very justly upon themselves because they offer to confirme the Devils word with lying and goe about to make God a lyar 13. 'T is very true according to the first Principle viz. the Abysse of Hell he hath willed it but that kingdome is not called God there is yet another Principle and fast inclosure between but in the second Principle where God appeareth he hath not willed it Indeed all is Gods But the first Principle is the Band of Eternity which maketh it selfe from whence God the Father issueth forth from Eternity into the second Principle and therein he generateth his Heart and Sonne from Eternity to Eternity and there the holy Ghost goeth forth from the Father and the Sonne and not in the first Principle and Man is created for the second Principle 14. And therefore also the Heart of the second Principle by himselfe hath new regenerated him Man out of the Band of the first Principle and delivered him from the harsh or wrathfull Band and each Principle shall stand to it selfe in its own Eternity And yet God alone is Lord and alone Almighty but the Eternall Band is Indissoluble or else the Deity also would be dissoluble but now all must be to his honour glory and joy and he is alone the Creator of all things and all must stand naked before him as the Scripture saith Thou shalt see and rejoyce when the wicked are recompenced whereas in the second Principle there is no desire of revenge at all but in the sharpnesse of the breaking through out of the first Principle into the second where the soule straineth through from the torment into the joy there it rejoyceth that the Driver who plagued and vexed it is imprisoned and because now it is securely freed from him even as it is the joy of the Kingdome of Heaven that the Devill in the first Principle is imprisoned so that he cannot molest the Heaven any more and kindle the habitation of the Element 15. Therefore there is also very great Joy in Heaven for this world because there is a Principle generated so that the Devill can make no more use of the fierce wrath which he powred forth and kindled in the time of his Creation but is imprisoned between the two Principles which are both Good 16. Thus you must understand what it is or meaneth when the Scripture speaketh of revenging the ungodly that there is joy in the Saints at it for the fierce wrath or grimnesse and the source or torment of Hell is the Joy of the Heaven for if there were no source or paine there would be no flowing up or springing but if the light cometh to be in the fierce austere soure source then there is meere Joy and in the Darknesse there is a peculiar
had seven seales or seven Spirits of the Birth of God and opened them where the Elders fell down before him and worshipped the Lamb that was slaine and gave praise and honour to him which sate upon the Throne because the Champion of the House of Israel had overcome The seven Golden Candlesticks are his Humanity the seven Starres are his Deity as the Divine Birth in it selfe standeth in a sevenfold forme as it is expounded in the beginning of this Book in the first foure Chapters 43. Thus Moses hath a vayle before his eyes and if thou wouldst see his face then thou must onely set Christ thy Champion before thee that he may lift up his vayle and then thou shalt see that Moses hath no Hornes but that he is a patient Lamb fast bound to the Death of Christ and that his vayle was the Book that was shut so that wee could not be well enough till the Champion came and brake its seven seales with his entring into Death and there the vayle or covering was done away and in that Book there stood the holy Gospel of the Kingdome of God which our worthy Conquerour Jesus Christ hath left us 44. Now when Adam and Eve went out of the Garden they kept together as now married People doe and now would make tryall of their beastiall condition to trie what wonders might proceed from them and the Spirit of the great world did well enough teach them in their Reason what they were to doe And Adam knew his wife Eve and shee conceived and bare a sonne and called him Cain for shee said I have a Man from the Lord These are sealed words which Moses writeth that shee said I have a Man from the Lord for then said the Major Mundus I have the Lord of this world Eve spake no otherwise than as the Apostles thought that Christ was to erect a worldly Kingdome so Eve thought that her sonne as a strong Champion should break the Head of the Devill and set up a Glorious Kingdome from whence instantly a twofold understanding or different conditions followed and two sorts of Churches the one built or relying upon the mercy of God and the other upon their own might authority or power and therefore Cain could not endure his brother because Abel pressed hard upon the mercy of God and Cain relyed upon his own power might and authority He thought himselfe to be the Lord of the whole world as his Mother had instructed him and therefore now he would breake the Head of the Serpent in his own might as a Warriour or Souldier and began with his brother Abel for his Faith relyed not on God but on his own power and here the Serpent did sting the Treader upon the Serpent in the Heele the first time The Gate of the Mysteries or the Exposition of the hidden secrets 45. Reason saith how might that come to passe that the first Man borne of a Woman was so evill a malicious Murtherer Behold thou immodest vile whorish world here thou shalt finde a Glasse behold thy selfe and see what thou art Here againe the great secrets meet us in the light of Nature very cleerly and plainly to be understood For Adam and Eve were entred into the Spirit of this world and the Region of the foure Starres with the infection of the Devill had miserably possessed them and although they did somewhat stick to the word of the promise yet the true longing and love towards God was very much extinguished and on the contrary the longing and desire after this world was kindled in them and besides they gat from the Region of the Starres a Beastiall lust or wanton desire towards one another so that their Tincture thus became a fierce beastiall lust or longing for they had no Law but the Light of Nature which they suppressed and kindled themselves in wanton lust to which the Devill helped them 46. And now when Eve was impregnated her Tincture was wholly murtherous and false for her Spirit in the Love looked not upon God with a totall trust and confidence Also the wisdome of God stood hidden in the Centre of the light of her life Eve did not unite or yeeld her selfe to it with love and confidence but much rather to the lust of this world shee must bring it to passe if any thing were to be done and being her Trust was not in God so also God was not in her but in his own Centre or Principle and the wrath began to flow forth boyle or worke and this is that which Christ said An evill Tree bringeth forth evill fruit and so out of a false Tincture grew a soure evill roote and consequently such a Tree and fruit Also that which goeth forth is as the Tincture in the mixture was and such a childe is generated for the Spirit of the life generateth it selfe out of the Essences 47. And seeing Adam was gone out of Paradise into the Spirit of this world therefore now the strife was already between the two Kingdomes viz. the Kingdome of Heaven and the Kingdome of Hell about the children of Eve and here it is seene that the wrath had the victorie and the Spirit of God complaineth not without cause saying I am as a Grape-gatherer that gleaneth and yet would faine eate of the best fruit 48. But the fault lyeth in Man if he did put his Trust in the love of God then the Kingdome of God would have the victorie but if he put it in his evill lust and wantonnesse in himselfe in his own ability or power then he is captivated by the wrath and his body and soule is in the wrath But when he putteth his minde and confidence in God then he goeth out from the wrath and the Kingdome of God worketh in him to righteousnesse and thus it is seene as cleere as the Sunne what the cause is that the first Man borne of a Woman became a murtherer 49. For as the Tree was so was the fruit and though the Tree was not wholly evill or false yet as to the becoming Man the Tincture by the wrestling of the two Regions became false or evill And besides afterwards Eve his Mother helped him forward very much because shee sought after an Earthly Lord and Treader upon the Serpent and instructed him telling him that he was the Warriour or Souldier to overcome against the Devill he must doe it and so the wrath held him captive and his offering or sacrifice was not acceptable to God because in wrath he built upon himselfe and so his Prayer reached not the Gate of Heaven but the Driver did take it up because it proceeded out of selfe-pride like the proud Pharisee out of an evill or false minde 50. And here thou lascivious Whore in Babell full of immodesty and lechery in such whoredome thou hast a Glosse in thy evill or false Copulation without the feare of
thus yet the one must be parted from the other viz. the Kingdome of this world which is a Roote or stirrer up of the Roote of the fiercenesse and therefore it was necessary that God should passe with the new Body into the Seperation of the Roote and of the Kingdome of this world as into the Death of the fiercenesse and should destroy Death and spring with its own vertue and power through Death as a flower springeth out of the Earth and so hold the inward fiercenesse captive in his own vertue of the New Body 11. And this wee understand of Christ who is truly entred in such a manner and hath taken the strong Anger and the Devill in it captive and hath sprung with his holy heavenly body through Death and hath destroyed Death so that the Eternall Life springeth forth through Death and thus Death was taken captive by the New Eternall Body and it is an Eternall imprisonment so that an Eternall life is growne in Death and the New Body treadeth upon the Head of Death and of the fiercenesse the property of Death standeth in the Prison of the New Eternall Life 12. And so the Woman in whom the Eternall Life springeth standeth upon the Earthly Moone and despiseth that which is Earthly for that which is Earthly perisheth and then there remaineth of that which is Earthly the hard frozen Death and so now the Word of God as a living fountaine is entred into Death and hath generated the soule in its selfe and springeth forth out of the soule through Death like a new flower and that flower is the new Body in Christ 13. After this manner you may understand how he destroyed Death by the Springing of the Eternall Life in the Deity through Death and you may understand how the new Body in the Love of God holdeth the Eternall source of the Anger captive for the Love is the prison of the Anger for the source of the Anger cannot enter into the Love but continueth onely by it selfe as it was from Eternity and therein the Devils are imprisoned for the Light of God striketh them downe they neither can nor dare behold that Light in Eternity a Principle is between for the Love springeth forth in the Centre of the soule and therein the Holy Trinity appeareth or shineth 14. Thus wee have gotten a Prince of the Eternall Life and wee need doe no more but to presse in to him with a firme trust and strong Beliefe and then our soule receiveth his Love and springeth forth with him through death and standeth upon that which is Earthly viz. upon flesh and bloud and is a fruit in the Kingdome of God in the body of Jesus Christ and triumpheth over the fiercenesse for the Love holdeth that captive and that is a reproach to Death as Paul saith O Death where is thy Sting O Hell where is thy Victory Thanks be to God who hath given us victory 15. And because wee cleerly understand and apprehend it in the Spirit therefore wee are indebted to shew the light to those that apprehend it not and doe lie thus captivated in Reason and continually search into the Circumstances why it happened so in the Passion of Christ For Reason saith If it must needs be so that Christ must enter into Death and destroy Death and spring up through Death and so draw us unto him what is the cause then that he must be so despised and scourged and crowned with a Crowne of Thornes and at last be Crucified between Heaven and Earth Could he not dye some other Death and so spring through Death with his Heavenly Body 16. These hard Points cast downe all Jewes Turkes and Pagans and they keepe them back from the Christian Faith Therefore now wee must write for the sake of the Tree of Pearle and not conceale what appeareth to us in the Great Wonder Behold thou Childe of Man consider what wee set downe here gaze not on the hand of the Penne if you doe you erre and will loose the Jewel which in all Eternity you will be sorry for consider thy selfe onely and thou shalt finde in thy selfe all the causes of the Passion of Christ that are here written downe for there was a Wonderfull Penne in the writing of it and neither thou nor the Hand knoweth him sufficiently that directed it in the writing though indeed the Spirit knoweth him very well yet the naturall Man is blinde in it neither can it be expressed with earthly words Therefore consider thy selfe and if you search into the new-borne-Man then you will finde the Pearle The very horrible wonderfull Gate of Mans Sinnes 17. As wee have in the beginning of this Booke mentioned the Eternall Birth in the Originality so wee have mentioned the Birth of the Essences and the seven Spirits of the Eternall Nature and therein wee shewed how there is a Crosse-Birth in the Eternall Birth in the fourth forme where the Essences in the turning wheele make a Crosse-Birth because they cannot goe out from themselves but that the Eternall Birth is every where so in all things in the Essence of all Essences 18. And wee give you to understand thus much in very exact knowledge at the instant of this Text that all Essences in all qualities at the time of the over-coming of Death when Christ was to overcome death and destroy hell and captivate the Devill were predominant for so it must be he must release the soule from all Essences 19. Now the Crosse-Birth is the middlemost in the Essences yet before the Fire it standeth in the Anxious Death in the fiercenesse of the Hell as you may reade before for from the fierce flash in the Brimston Spirit the fire cometh forth and in the flash the Light and the fiercenesse it selfe maketh the Brimstone-Spirit and out of that in the Light cometh water as is before-mentioned Now then the soule of Man is discovered in the flash as a Spirit and held by the Fiat and so is created or generated and was brought in it selfe into the fift forme of the Birth as into the Love where then it was an Angel in the Light of God 20. But this world being created as a Principle in the fourth forme as an out-Birth and the Paradise being between the fourth and the fifth forme and the Element being in the fift forme and therein the Eternall Light of the Deity having opened another Centre and the soule having reflected back againe into the fourth forme and entered thereinto it made all Essences predominant in it which stood in the fourth forme 21. And now when the body of the soule in the fourth forme was come to be a Masse out of the water with a mixture of the other formes then stuck all Essences out of the fourth forme upon the soule and it was captivated with this body and it had continued in an Eternall Prison if the Eternall Word had not instantly given it selfe into
that in Christ returneth againe to the Father 15. The last Supper of Christ with his Disciples is just such another Covenant as the Paedobaptisme or Baptisme of Infants That which is done to the Infant in Baptisme that is done also to the poore finner which awakeneth from the sleepe of Antichrist and cometh to the Father in and through Christ as shall be handled in its place 16. I have therefore been desirous to warne you and tell you beforehand that you must not looke upon flesh and bloud in these high things nor upon the worldly wisdome of the Universities or high Schooles but that you should consider that this wisdome is planted and sown by God himselfe in the first and last and in all Men and you need onely to returne with the Prodigall lost Sonne to the Father and then he will cloath you with a new Garment and put a seale-ring upon the hand of your minde and in this Garment onely you have power to speak of the Birth of God 17. But if you have not gotten this Garment on and will prattle and talke much of God then you are a thiefe and a murderer and you enter not into the Sheepfold of Christ by the Doore but you climbe over into the Sheepfold with Antichrist and the Robbers and you will doe nothing but murder and steale seeke your owne reputation esteeme and pleasure and are farre from the kingdome of God your Universitie Learning and Arts will availe you nothing it is your poyson that you are promoted by the favour of Man to fit in great Authority and Place for you fit upon the stoole of Pestilence you are but a meere servant or minister of the Antichrist but if you be new borne and taught by the Holy Ghost then your place or office is very pleasing and acceptable to God and your sheep will heare your voyce and you shall feed them and bring them to the chiefe Shepherd God will require this at your hands therefore take heed what you teach and speak of God without the knowledge of his Spirit that you be not found to be a lyar Now here followeth the Chapter 18. The Eternall Generating is a not-beginning Birth and it hath neither number nor end and its depth is bottomlesse and the band of life uncorruptible The Sydereall and Elementary Spirit cannot discerne it much lesse comprehend it it onely feeleth it and seeth a glimpse of it in the minde which minde is the chariot of the soule upon which it rideth in the first Principle in its own seate in the Fathers Eternall Generating or Begetting for its own substance is altogether crude without a body and yet it hath the forme of the body in its own spirituall forme understand according to the Image which soule if it be regenerated in the light of God it seeth in the light of God the Father which light is his Glance Lustre or Sonne in the Eternall Birth wherein it liveth and remaineth eternally 19. Understand and consider it aright O Man God the Father made Man the beginning of whose body is out of the one Element or Roote of the foure Elements from whence they proceed which one Element is the fift Essence or Quintessence hidden under the foure Elements from whence the dark Chaos mist cloud or dust had its beeing before the times of the Earth whose originall is the spring of Water and out of which this world with the Starles and Elements as also the Heaven of the third Principle was created 20. But the soule was breathed into man meerely out of the originall Birth of the Father by the moving Spirit understand the Holy Ghost which goeth forth from the Father out of the light of the Father Which originall Birth is before the Light of Life which is in the foure Anguishes out of which the light of God is kindled wherein is the originall of the Name of God and therefore the soule is Gods own Essence or substance 21. And if it elevate it selfe back into the Anguish of the foure formes of the Originall and will horribly breath forth out of pride in the Originall of the Fire knowing it selfe shall so become powerfull it so becometh a Devill For the Devils also with their Legions had this Originall and they out of pride would live in the fierce wrath of the fire and so they perished and remained Devils 22. Yet if the soule elevate its Imagination forward into the light in meeknesse and comelinesse or humility and doth not as Lucifer did use the strong power of its fire in its qualification or breathing then it will be fed by the Word of the Lord and getteth vertue power life and strength in the Word of the Lord which is the heart of God and it s owne Originall strong fierce wrathfull source of the Birth of the Eternall life becometh Paradisicall exceeding pleasant friendly humble and sweet wherein the rejoycing and the fountaine of the Eternall Songs of Praise springeth up and in this Imagination it is an Angel and a childe of God and it beholdeth the Eternall Generating of the indissoluble Band and thereof it hath abilitie to speak for it is its own Essence or substance but it is not able to speak of the infinite generating for that hath neither beginning nor end 23. But if it undertaketh to speak of the unmeasurable space or infinite Geniture then it becometh full of lyes and is troubled and confounded for it belyeth the unmeasurable Deity as Antichrist doth which will have the Deity to be onely above the starry Heaven that thereby himselfe may remaine to be God upon Earth riding upon the great Beast which yet must shortly goe into the originall lake of Brimstone into the Kingdome of King Lucifer for the time is come that the Beast shall be revealed and spewed out concerning which wee may be well enough understood here by the Children of Hope but there is a wall and seale before the servants or ministers of Antichrist till the wrath be executed upon her whoredome and that shee have received her full wages and that the Crowne of their Dominion which they have worne be their shame and till the eyes of the blinde be opened and then shee will sit as a scorned whore which every one will adjudge to Damnation The very sublime Gate of the Holy Trinity for the Children of God 24. If you lift up your thoughts and minds and ride upon the Chariot of the soule as is before mentioned and looke upon your selfe and all creatures and consider how the Birth of life in you taketh its Originall and the light of your life whereby you can behold the shining of the Sunne and also looke with your Imagination without the light of the Sunne into a huge vast space to which the eyes of your body cannot reach and then consider what the cause might be that you are more Rationall than
the other Creatures seeing you can search what is in every thing and consider farther from whence the Elements Fire and Aire take their Originall and how the Fire cometh to be in the Water and generateth it selfe in the Water and how the light of your body generateth it selfe in the Water 25. And then if you be borne of God you attaine to what God and the Eternall Birth is for you see feele and finde that all these must yet have a higher roote from whence they proceed which is not visible but hidden especially if you look upon the starry Heaven which endureth thus unchangably therefore you ought to consider from whence it is proceeded and how it subsisteth thus and is not corrupted nor riseth up above nor falleth downe beneath though indeed there is neither above nor beneath there Now if you consider what preserveth all thus and whence it is then you finde the Eternall Birth that hath no beginning and you finde the Originall of the Eternall Principle viz. the eternall indissoluble Band and then secondly you see the separation in that the materiall world with the Starres and Elements are out of the first Principle which containeth the outward and third Principle in it for you finde in the Elementary Kingdome or Dominion a cause in every thing wherefore it is generateth and moveth as it doth but you finde not the first cause from whence it is so there are therefore Two severall Principles for you finde in the visible things a corruptibility and perceive that they must have a beginning because they have an end 26. And thirdly you finde in all things a glorious power and vertue which is the life growing and springing of every thing and you finde that therein lyeth its beauty and pleasant welfare from whence it stirreth Now look upon an hearb or plant and consider it what is its life which makes it grow and you shall finde in the Originall harshnesse bitternesse fire and water and if you should separate these foure things one from another and put them together againe yet you shall neither see nor find any growing but if it were severed from its own mother that generated it at the beginning then it remaineth dead much lesse can you bring the pleasant smell nor colours into it 27. Thus you see that there is an Eternall Roote which affordeth this and if you could bring the colours and vegetation or growing into it yet you could not bring the smell and vertue into it and thus you will finde in the Originall of the smell and of the taste there must be another Principle which the stock it selfe is not for that Principle hath its originall from the light of Nature 28. Now look upon the humane life a little further you neither see finde nor apprehend any more by your sight than flesh and bloud wherein you are like other Beasts secondly you finde the Elements of aire and fire which worke in you and that is but an animall or beastiall life for every beast hath the same in it from whence proceedeth the lust to fill them and to propagate themselves as all plants hearbs and grasse and yet you finde no true understanding to be in all these living creatures for although the Starres or Constellations doe operate in Man and afford him the senses yet they are onely such senses as belong to nourishment and propagation like other Beasts 29. For the Starres themselves are senslesse and have no knowledge or perception yet their soft operation in the water maketh a seething flowing forth or boyling up one of another and in the tincture of the bloud they cause a rising seeing feeling hearing and tasting Therefore consider from whence the tincture proceedeth wherein the noble life springeth up That thus becometh sweet from harshnesse bitternesse and fire and you shall certainly finde no other cause of it than the light but whence cometh the light that it can shine in a dark body If you say it cometh from the light of the Sunne then what shineth in the night and enlighteneth your senses and understanding so that though your eyes be shut you perceive and know what you doe Here you will say the noble minde doth lead you and it is true But whence hath the minde its originall You will say the senses make the minde stirring and that is also true But whence come they both What is their birth or off spring Why is it not so with the Beasts 30. My deare Reader if you be able breake open all and looke into the pith yet you shall not finde it though you should seek in the Deepe in the Starres in the Elements in all living Creatures in Stones Plants Trees and in Metalls also in Heaven and Earth you shall not finde it Now you will say Where then shall I finde it Deare Reader I cannot so much as lend you the Key that will lead you to it But I will direct you where you shall finde it it lyeth in the third Chapter of the Evangelist S t John in these words You must be borne anew by water and by the Holy Ghost This Spirit is the Key when you attaine it receive it and goe before the first Principle out of which this world and all Creatures are created and open the first roote from which such visible and sensible things did spring 31. But you will say this is onely God and he is a spirit and hath created all things out of nothing T is very true he is a Spirit and in our sight he is as nothing and if wee had not some knowledge of him by the Creation wee should know nothing of him at all and if he himselfe had not been from all Eternity there could nothing have ever been 32. But what doe you thinke there was before the times of the world out of which the Earth and Stones proceeded as also the Starres and Elements That out of which these proceeded was the Roote But what is the Roote of these things Looke what doe you finde in these things Nothing else but fire bitternesse and harshnesse or astringent sournesse and these three are but one thing and hence all things are generated Now this was but a Spirit before the times of the world and yet you cannot finde God in these three formes the pure Deity is a light which is incomprehensible and imperceivable also allmighty and all powerfull where is it then that men may finde God 33. Here open your noble minde see and search further seeing God is onely Good from whence cometh the Evill And seeing also that he alone is the life and the light and the holy power as it is undeniably true from whence cometh the anger of God From whence cometh the Devill and his evill will also Hell-fire from whence hath that its Originall Seeing there was nothing before the time of this world but onely God who was and is a Spirit and continueth so in Eternity