AN APOLOGIE Concerning Perfection Being A Fundamentall Answer and Reply upon Esaiah Stiefel His Exposition of Four Texts of the Holy Scripture Written In the Year 1622. finished the 6. Aprill By Jacob Behme Also called Teutonicus Philosophus Englished by JOHN SPARROW LONDON Printed by M. S. for Giler Calvert and are to be sold at his Shop at the Black-Spread-Eagle at the West end of St. Pauls 1661. THE PREFACE 1. COurteous Reader who lovest Truth There hath lately come to my hands a Treatise sent from Good friends concerning some Points of Conclusion which one hath explained and as to his sence sufficiently expounded at large 2. Thereupon I have been entreated by them also to give My apprehension or understanding and explanation upon those very Points 3. Seeing therefore I observe that in that very Explanation there are some Erroneous Opinions that run contrary to the Holy Scriptures and true Understanding which are of concernment to the Reader and may almost stagger him therefore I would take the labour and expresse it in a more rectified understanding 4. Not to disturb or judge any man but that the understanding thereof might be made more cleer for the sake of the Reader who with earnestnesse seeketh the PEARL of Divine Knowledge that it might introduce their hungry Minds into better security and Rest and so might have occasion to seek with the greater earnestnesse the Pearl of Divine knowledge and to refresh themselves therewith till we can attain the PERFECT enjoyment thereof in the other Life After this Tabernacle 5. Therefore will I set before me those Points of Couclusion together with the meaning of him that hath explained them and briefly and summarily peruse the understanding of the Points as also the understanding of the Expositour and shew the true Ground and bring it into a round currant expresse understanding at large and leave it to the Reader of the Divine knowledge to consider of The Points to be explained are these Four Texts of Scripture I. The First is Genesis the 1. Chapter Verse 27. God Created Man according to his Image II. The Second is 1 Timothy 3. 16. The Divine Mystery is apparently Great God is Manifested or Revealed in the Flesh III. The Third is Isaiah 54. 5. He who hath made thee is thy Husband his name is called the Lord of Hosts and the Redeemer the Holy One in Israel who is called the God of the whole World IV. The Fourth is 1 Corinthians 11. 12. As the Woman is from the Man so also the Man cometh by the Woman but all things from God J. B. UPon these alledged Texts the Expositour giveth his meaning in the following words and expressions to the sender of the Texts thus E. S. I. BEloved and Elect in CHRIST JESUS the Tri-une living God Governour and Lord of Heaven and Earth born of the Tri-une highly praised God and most holy Substance of the totall Perfect Tri-unity from Eternity and begotten to his Image in the Love of his Divine voyce to his most holy delight and most holy Joy and Pleasure from and in Eternity 2. Upon your last and lately sent Questions as they are written in order one after another I shall and have according to your desire answered them with God the Tri-une wisdome in Christ yes with that very wisdome Christ himselfe the Eternall most Holy Omniscience This which followeth to the holy Tri-une praise of God to the alone salvation of the Souls of all you that are holy and faithfull in and out of the Tri-une Heart and Mouth with the Eternall Powerfull and Living Word in with and out of all holy Members of Christ the highly praised God and shall or will in the Testimony of the Letter bring them forth to the day light The First Text. 3. And as is first mentioned and set down in the Text of the 1. of Genesis verse 27. and expressed in Scripture God Created Man according to his Image first of all in Adam 4. This Text hath been urged by you particularly in regard of the outward appearance of the German Text Gott schuff den Menschen Jhm Zum Bilde and therefore because of your unskilfulnesse therein you ought not so very much to be blamed yet you have alledged it slightly and contrary to the Divine Sence 5. Because the Hebrew Greek and Latine Text mentions it thus God Created Man in his Image From which it clearly and Manifestly appears that the Tri-une God in Christ his first begotten or born Son and most holy expresse Image of his invisible Deity before all Creatures hath created not only Man but also all Heavenly and Earthly Creatures yes all whatsoever was made John 1. In him and he hath made and brought them forth in Christ to his holy praise and Glory 6. Therefore your Exposition as you set it first in Adam cannot here be applyed and alledged as also your Scripture brought to prove it even To the Image of God Created he him a second time in Christ cannot avail or be allowed because all this came to passe before the fall of Adam 7. Whereas at that time there is no mention of the Regeneration in and through Christ and according to the Testimony of Scripture is not recorded for the Created Man to know from and with God 8. The Hebrew Greek and Latine Text also mentioneth that the Tri-une God In Christ his first begotten or born Expresse Image before all Creatures in whom and through whom he made all that is made hath Created Man according to his Image that is according to Christ his Divine Expresse Image 9. And as Christ was generated or born out of and with God in the Love of the Mother and divine voice from Eternity to his expresse Image of his totall perfect Substance from the greatest to the least and from the least to the greatest from Eternity 10. So he did in the Creation make man visible in Christ to and according to the Image of Christ and created him to his praise and Glory that he should through the obedience of Christ stedfastly be and appear like him in Innocency 11. This according to your meaning or sence of the Scripture is not done and Manifested a second time in Christ but a second time in the Creation of Man I. B. NOw followeth My Answer upon this forementioned Explanation and furthermore My Explanation 1. MEn finde in no place of the Holy Scirpture that Man is proceeded forth in Totally PERFECT Power authority Omnipotence Omniscience and that he had the same for his creaturely proper own 2. For that may not be said even of the Person of CHRIST as he conversed in this world visibly amongst us according to the Humanity received from US but only according to his Eternall Deity 3. For his Soule and Humanity hath also called and prayed to and in God and on the Mount of Olives said when he would goe into his suffering Father if it be possiâ—le let this Cup
the Name JESUS is the holy divine Life viz the Divine Seed out of the word of the Deity the Womans Seed is his assumed Substance 81. And therefore HE is called the Womans Seed because he is from the woman viz from the heavenly Virginity which faded or disappeared in Adam and as to another part from the outward worlds substance in which the Name JESUS viz Gods seed destroyed or brake in peeces Death and Gods Anger 82. The womans Seed is a totall humane Seed from Soul and Body but it must be rightly understood as to THAT Seed wherein Adam might have generated Magically if his Longing or Lust had not plunged it self into vanity Evill and Good and awakened the Abomination as is before mentioned and here following in the Fourth Point 83. Now if I will in this place speak so highly of the divine Womans Seed then I must distinguish Gods and the Womans Seed and must rightly shew How Gods Seed viz the Name JESUS out of the word of the divine Sound or Life hath united it self with the womans Seed and given up it self into ONE Person which is called CHRIST 84. The Name JESUS is the anointing of the Womans Seed and in the anointing he is called CHRIST the Sonne of God the Seed of the Woman hath a given power and the Seed of the Woman is under or beneath God as the Body is beneath the Soule but the Name JESUS is the Giver 85. This Authour mixeth ALL TOGETHER and that for TWO Causes one is because himself doth not rightly understand it the other because he may advance all humane things and give forth himselfe onely for CHRIST viz for the Divine power and Omniscience and therefore he rejecteth all ART and PRAYER it self and calleth it a Forgotten thing as if it were without power or powerlesse and did not attain that which is Eternall 86. He will needs perswade us that the Womans Seed CHRIST God and Man is according to BOTH Natures totally ONE and that will HE Himself be But the humane Nature continueth indeed Eternally beneath the Diety though it is not devided for all that yet the Substance is not AS the Spirit 87. God with or by creating Man hath not created to himselfe a GOD which is of his own Substance but an Image of a Similitude according to himself viz a Manifestation of his unsearchable divine Substance in which he manifesteth himself to his own Joy of himself and Deeds of WONDER 88. And hath given to Man again to seek and to reveal or manifest the wonders of God in THIS worlds substance to his viz man 's own Joy delight and longing pleasure that God might be praised known and acknowledged in ALL works and Substances or THINGS HEre followeth The Authour Esaiah Stiefel's Fourth Point of the Fourth Text. 1. HItherto hath been Mentioned How Christ the Triune highly praised God and Man the holy Seed the living substantiall powerfull word of God hath appeared according to Measure from the beginning of the world in all the Saints his wife or woman and been manifested in the Eyes and Hearts of the Faithfull 2. Hereupon now it is rightly acknowledged by all the Called Elect truly faithfull Christians that this most holy womans Seed the Eternall Birth of God before all Creatures the Triune highly praised Sonne and living totally substantiall powerfull word of God and most holy Seed of the totall fullnesse of the Triune Deity 3. In the holy body and woman or wife of God the pure chast undefiled Virgin MARY humane Nature yet through and in the FAITH of the New-and re-generated holy pure flesh and bloud in unity hath taken to himself the pure humane Body and Soul to the undivided Eternall union and united it 4. And hath been generated and Manifested in and out of the faithfull Love and Wife or Spouse or Woman of God the Holy Virgin Mary a little infant and visible holy Creature the Sonne of God and Man in ONE Person 5. And as the greatest and least yes the totall fullnesse of the Divine Substance in the kingdome of Heaven from the least to the greatest here upon Earth in the Flesh of the least of all and most despised and unworthy generated in the Holy divine Unity such a Man and little childe which is equally in the Most high highnesse of all the great Triune GOD and LORD 6. This Perfect holy Seed and Word of God in one holy pure undefiled Person God and Man in the union of the woman Body and Soul through the Faith out of God and this his holy Seed regenerated viz the right Bridegroom which hath united and taken to himself the Bride of all faithfull good divine holy Flesh and Bloud in his holy humane Person 7. Concerning which the faithful witnesse John the Baptist and Fore-runner of Christ mentioneth this He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroome 8. In this perfect totall divine totall humane holy substance in one Person hath this Triune God and Man CHRIST JESUS delivered his wife or woman of his Body yes faithfull Body and Soul to and in a Masculine and Feminine Person who from the beginning to the end of the World have put their FAITH and trust in him in this his holy becoming Man or Incarnation from all Sinne Death Devil Hell world and ALL worldly Lust of the Flesh and of the Eye temporal and Eternal Damnation through his holy Passion dying and bloud shedding 9. And through his Innocent Death hath rescued from the Guilty Death and sinfull will and out of the shameful Kingdome of the abominable Satan Thief Lyar and Murtherour and set us in his own kingdome of Glory with himself to the Eternall Endlesse Joy and holy peace out of the Eternal Satanical sadnesse misery anguish necessity disquietnesse hatred envy and enmity of the mischievous Devils yes set us in the Eternal rest and blessednesse or Salvation 10. Now as this Perfect Triune Seed and word of God the totall fullnesse of the Deity in visible union of the Humane yet faithfull Nature a little Infant hath been and appeared which according to the testimony of the Scripture like other faithful Children grew to visible palpable greatnesse and was received to wisdom Age and Grace or favour with God and faithfull Men. 11. Which also the most holy high divine Triune Majesty exalted in and to himself from hours dayes and years in his visible Holy Person Gloriously and also at last here upon Earth visibly through his holy innocent Suffering and Dying Joyful Resurrection and Ascention made PERFECT and himself presented for a perfect Man or Husband of his totall Bride all the faithfull Holy Flesh and Bloud of his totall Church or Congregation in holy undivided Eternall Unity 12. And as he was from the beginning of the world in all Saints his Woman or Wife and faithfull Flesh and Bloud viz a child and Sonne of God of the Faithfull Flesh and Bloud of his womans Seed
alwayes by the Serpents seed the unfaithfull wicked world slain persecuted despised scorned and put to Death in which regard also the Death of all Saints was before the Lord very highly dearly and preciously Esteemed 13. So he hath also in his divine fullnesse and perfect Seed and word of God the pure faithfull womans and Virgins Sonne God and Man in one Person the right Seed Sonne and Word of God of the perfect faithful Flesh and Bloud the totall persecution enmity hatred and envy of the abominable Satanicall Serpents Seed of the wofull Devill substantially united in all unfaithfull unrepentant children of the world hath taken upon him for the sake of the redemption of all the faithfull of his body and holy woman 14. And through his innocent suffering and dying hath paid the penalty and debt of all the Sinnes of the world on his most holy body and woman reconciled it with the Deity in himself overthrown all Enmity between God and Man and in and according to this his most holy totall or UNIVERSALL Redemption through his guiltlesse Crosse with and in divine union through God and out of the infancy to a perfect Man presented himself to his totall holy Church or Congregation 15. In and with which he now according to his most holy prediction Hosea 2. I will Espouse my selfe with thee in Eternity I will betroth my self with thee in Grace and Mercy Yes in the Faith I will unite and bind my self with thee with this his holy unreproveable undefiled Church and perfect Bride and most holy Sulamith Canticles Reconcileth and espouseth in Eternity 16. In which he now according to his own most holy revelation of himself here upon Earth Esaiah 9. The Eternal Father in an undivided Person God and Man ONE Eternall Generatour TRIUNE God and Lord yes ALL in ALL his beloved totall perfect Bride his holy body and woman wherein he Eternally generateth his holy Seed his holy Word Will Work and Performance substantially livingly and powerfully 17. And to his Eternall praise laud and honour in this his holy Church holy Jerusalem and perfect City of the perfect appearing divine Peace which is kept in Heaven but now on Earth in this ending ceasing Last time of the world manifesteth himself in the Eternall Unity of his body and woman the undefiled untransitory unfadable Inheritance 18. And the receiving his holy kingdom and Dominion according to the Testimony of the Holy Scripture Dan 7. under the whole Heaven in his Saints his united woman and Eternally ruling it to be openly proclaimed 19. The Bride the Woman of all faithfull Flesh and Bloud according to the Testimony of the Scripture Revelations 22. hath called Come LORD JESU the Bridegroom and Man Christ appeareth and saith in the unity of his Wife or Woman Here I am Here I am Here will I dwell this is my Rest Eternally 20. Here thou wilt with the beloved woman of all faithfull Flesh and Bloud in divine unity of thy Man with this Scripture Explanation for further holy consideration in and with thy united Bridegroom according to thy desire for Love and divine will acknowledge and receive this 21. In which the Triune highly praised Sonne and Word of God the fullnesse of the Deity generated from Eternity the most holy seed of the Woman from the beginning of the World after the Fall of Adam and Eve as also the regenerated new faithfull flesh and bloud the woman in that which is in Part and perfect holy substance is discovered to thee and manifested to the Eternall and in Eternall unchangeable Union 22. NOT Tinctured according to the Cabalisticall Theophrasticall Roso-Crucian kind and transmuted out of the unfaithfull Substance into the Faithfull 23. But according to the Testimony of the Scripture a New Birth not out of the old sinfull Substance but in the Center and inward Heart in the Love of the divine voyce a new beginning a New Heart a New Flesh and Bloud a New faithfull Person as to Body and Soul a Faith not born out of the unbeleef but out of God 24. A Body a Woman a Man an unity of the Woman a Seed a faithfull visible good Substance of God A Christ a Lord a God a Spirit Substantially opperatively livingly powerfully and actively the self-subsisting Eternall ONE onely blessednesse or salvation an undefiled unfadable untransitory inheritance reserved in Heaven 25. But now in this Last Time revealed or manifested to all over all through all and in all faithfull with himself the Triune Eternall God an Eternall REST and holy City and habitation of the highest of all and lowest of All in Heaven and upon Earth which is and is called in All Eternall Eternity according to the Testimony of Scripture of Ezekiel the last Chapter A Wedding City Here is the LORD Psal 48. 1 2. Very greatly and highly to be praised is The Mountain SION the fair Branch with which the whole Land is Comforted Yours alwayes willingly A. V. E. Esaiah Stiefell HEre followeth My Answer upon this Fourth Point of the Fourth Text. 1. T Fourth Point I would even leave unexplained if it were produced by the Authour in a right understanding but he jumbleth all together and sticketh his erroneous meaning therein and maketh much more a Confusion of it then a right explanation But seeing I have explained the contents of it above almost in every particular I will therefore only expound the chief matters and extract the Erroneous Opinions out of his Confusion for the sake of the Reader 2. Concerning the becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ concerning which the Authour here mentioneth That the Seed of the Holy Trinity in the Totall divine Substance is become Man or Incarnate in the Totall Holy Perfect totally united with the Deity virgin MARY and hath taken HER Flesh and Soul upon him and so made MARY the Genetrix of God viz the holy word of God as he writeth and that MARY was before new born in the Faith e er she was impregnate or with Childe with the Saviour 3. This needs yet a sharper explanation and exposition and it had stood this Master in hand that will needs be Perfect and Omniscient to have unsolded this Mystery and not to have confused it so that a man cannot know what he understandeth thereby but only that a Man may see his secret in sown Grain or Seed spring up therein 4. He will not herewith satisfie the seeking Mind which enquireth after the Ground and lead him into the Center of Nature he must put on other Stieffeln or Bootes if he will ride with Christs Spirit over Death and Hell and say how Gods Anger is quenched Death broken to peeces and the Devills Kingdome IN Man destroyed 5. His explanation is much more erroneous and an obscuring the understanding of the seeking Mind than an Expounding He hâ—nteth some high Points concerning the manner of the becoming Man or Incarnation of Christ and produceth none 6.
both as to Light and Darknesse 51. And yet we are not so to think that a Spirit or Angell is it self the Out-breathing of the Eternall Birth or Geniture of the Holy Trinity in the Divine Voyce But it is the out-spoken Word as a Model and Image of the speaking Word a fitted Instrument of the Spirit of God through which the Spirit of God as by his fitted Instrument playeth or melodiseth and soundeth 52. So far as the Instrument remaineth standing in its fitted Order as with the Desire of the Fiat which standeth in all Angells as the Angells proper own wherewith the Will of the Angell may lift up it self into the Good viz into Gods Love or into the Anger and introduce it self into the Figure and Tang thereof then is the sound of the Word out of the Fathers Love and Anger out-breathed and become introduced into an Image in verbo Fiat in the Word Fiat 53. As is to be seen how some Prince-Angels give up themselves with the Desire into the Love and some as Lucifer into the Anger viz into the Desire of the Fiat and Created or Extracted a Will in the Desire of the Anger in the Fires Might to Live and to Rule according to the Fathers Anger Property and thus to domineer over all Principalities of Angels over the Love in the fierce wrathfull Fires Might whence followed upon him his thrusting out by the Word Fiat into the Darknesse of Gods Anger 54. Thus we can not say of the Creation of all things or Substances that the Eternall Substance of the Ternary or number Three hath thus formed it self into an Image of an Angell but in the Eternall Desire which hath Originated it selfe in the Longing delight of the Deity through the Moving of the Father of all things or Substances as an ETERNALL Nature and a Revelation or Manifestation of the Eternall hidden Nature 55. In that Eternall beginning-lesse Nature viz in the All-being All-substantiall working of the Great Mystery have the Angells and Souls of Men received their Originall in the Eternall Out-spoken Word in the Eternall Wisdome of God according to Love and Anger 56. For if they had Originated only in the holy voyce of God viz in the One only Love then they could not have attracted or framed in themselves any Will to the Anger or if the Love-Will of God in the Angels were fallen then it would have this understanding that God in the Creature had fallen and become a Devill which were abominable to be spoken 57. No Creaturely Spirit can subsist in the Creature without the Fire-world for even the Love of God would not be if his Anger or the Fire-world were not in him The Anger or the Fire of God is a cause of the Light and of the power strength and Omnipotency 58. But in the Love the Fire dyeth and transmuteth it self into the Kingdome of Joy for at the End Death originateth which is as a dying in the Fire out of which dying the Light as another source or quality originateth viz a Desire of Love which is called Gods Mercifullnesse or the Divine Kingdome of Joy the Life of Holinesse without source or pain goeth from the dying in the Fire sorth as a Glance of the Majesty a Glance of the Liberty 59. This dying Lucifer contemned he would Live and Domineer in the Fires Regiment in the Self-hood so he became also driven forth out of the Fire back into the Root of the Fire viz into the darknesse 60. Every Angell and Soul which will live in Gods Light and Power must DYE to the Self-hood of the Fires Dominion in the Desire and wholly immerse or cast himself with his own Propriety into Gods Will viz into the Divine Sound and dye to the own self Will in the Fire but bud or sprout forth in the Light of Love in the Resignation into Gods Sound or Word as a fruit of the Love of God that Gods will-spirit may rule and guide his Life 61. And that the holy Tincture of the Fire and Light may be the Glance of the shining of his Life out of which again Divine Will and Desire Originateth that the same Life may be able to live in the Power and vertue of the Wisdome of God to behold it self therein and frame or attract a Divine Will therein 62. Which Wisdome is the Angells Food out of which they generate to their Creatour Eternall Praise that Gods Joy play or-Melody in the Angelicall Voyce may be an Instrument of the Spirit of God all directed into the Harmony of the Divine Kingdome of Joy 63. For every Prince-Angell beareth the Name of the Great God every one according to his property as a peculiar Instrument directed into the Praise of God in the Divine Sound 64. In like manner we are not so to think of the Creation of Heaven and of the Earth that the Heaven and the World with its Substance or Matters are Created out of Gods holy Voyce or Word but IN the Voyce and through the Word 65. Not out of the Sound of the Divine property but in the word Fiat viz in the Impression of the Eternall Mystery of the Eternall Fire-and-Lights Desire and entered into a Substance according to the fires and Darknesses Property as also according to the Lights Desire viz according to the Free Longing delights Property as a Revelation or Manifestation of Evill and Good of Joy and also of pain and Torment 66. All which is undeniably before our Eyes and the whole Creation convinceth us thereof whereby men know that in ALL things there is Good and Evill for which things sake the Last judgment of God is appointed viz a Day of Separation wherein all shall again enter into its beginning 67. This visible World is a Similitude of the Eternall Mystery out of which Joy and Sorrow Light and Darknesse originateth through which Eternall Mystery the Spirit of the Ternary in the Trinity manifesteth or revealeth it selfe and introduceth it self into Three Principles 68. Viz First into the Dark Cold and Fire World viz into an Abysse of the Mystery And then Secondly into the divine Light World of the Kingdome of Joy And Thirdly with or by a Similitude of the Dark Fire and Light World viz with or by this outward visible and Elementary World 69. In which it generateth the Image of the Eternall World in Evill and Good as is to be seen in all living Creatures of this world as also in the Starres Elements Hearbs and Trees how all is contrary one o the other and yet the Birth or Geniture of all Life standeth in such a Contrary 70. Every Life standeth in Evill and Good viz in Poison and Oyle out of which the Life in the Fire burneth or shineth which ALL is a similitude of the Eternall Birth or Geniture of the Mystery of all Substances or of every thing also Men see the similitude of the Holy Trinity in every Life viz the Fire Light and proceeding Aire
for they need none and the Devils have NONE much lesse hath Christ redeemed all heavenly and earthly Creatures as this Authour conceiteth For the heavenly need no Redemption and the earthly are NOT created in the Eternall Life for indeed the earthly Creatures are NOW just as EVILL as before the Suffering and Death of Christ and so is the earth also yet or still in the Curse 60. In that regard this Omniscient Word is very Erroneous in this place And although indeed there is mention made in the holy Scriptures concerning the Redemption of the Creatures That all Creatures groane together with us to be delivered from vanity and that CHRIST shall Redeeme them 61. But it hath NOT this understanding to meane Oxen Calves Wolves Bares and other Beasts and Living Creatures BUT the Creation wherein the Vanity of the Curse of God which holdeth Captive in it self the Fair Paradise viz the GOOD part of the pure Element in this Worlds Substance THAT shall the Judge CHRIST in the Harvest Seperate and give the Chaffe to all Devills and Wicked Men to possesse 62. The Creatures are not yet redeemed they yet groane all this while to enter into the Mystery out of which they are gone forth it is but an erroneous Conceit which runneth contrary to any visible or apparent ground like a mad senslesse or raging Drunkennesse 63. Also the Crusher or Bruiser of the Serpent as this Authour sets it down in Paradise after the Fall was not promised to the BEASTS and earthly Creatures he can not shew that though he so much appeale to the SCRIPTURE 64. It is false and standeth not in the Scripture with such a meaning and men should not think while he speaketh falsly that he speaketh only and solely out or from God he that beleeveth him will be deceived 65. The Authour Esaiah Stiefel sets these words down concerning the Regeneration of Christ viz With which this Triune God loved the WHOLE World with all its Births or Genitures and not only promised it to Man and the abovesaid heavenly and earthly Creatures first for a Redeemer through this Triune Deity but also Regenerated and presented IT livingly substantially operatively and actively in the precious Birth and assumption of humane Flesh and Bloud in the Womb of the Virgin MARY God Man in one Person visibly palpably and Substantially here upon Earth 66. But Jacob Behme inserts that Christ hath Regenerated NO earthly Creatures but MAN 67. And while this Author Esaiah Stiefel with or by these words includeth ALL Creatures be they what they will in Heaven and Earth in the Becoming Man or Incarnation of CHRIST and in his Redemption and saith cleerly it is so palpably and substantially now here upon Earth a Man may thereby well know what Spirits Child this Author Esaiah Stiefel is 68. Viz That he is stark drunk with or from the Stars and likely also from that evill Enemy the Devill which I offer the Reader to ponder of and doe pray God that he will give this Authour Esaiah Stiefel a better Mind and Thoughts to leave off such an Errour that Christs Children be not deluded 69. He saith also God hath in CHRIST even while we are here upon Earth if we doe but beleeve redeemed and delivered us from ALL Sinne and Lust of the Flesh yes from the Devill Death and ALL unrighteousnesse And I understand it so too but according to or as to that Will which entereth into Christ but he who liveth in self-hood in the flesh he is NOT yet free from Sinne he Sinneth Dayly in himself till death cut off Sinne and the source or quality of sinne from the Faith and good Will 70. At this place he should distinguish the Earthly Evill and the Heavenly good Will and Spirit asunder which he compriseth all together in Christs Redemption that he might be able to say HE hath no sinne and that he is GOD in CHRIST but the Earthly Hide or Husk is not Christ but belongeth to the Earth and to Death till it dyeth and giveth up the Sinne Life or Life of Sinne. 71. But that he saith the truly Faithfull is ONE Substance with Christ That I say also but according to the Inward Man and Soul the house of sinne is so long severed from Christ whiles it sinneth but when it dyeth to sinne then it standeth in the Rest to or for the Resurrection and Restoration 72. But for what vertues he ascribeth to the Faithfull man those all only and solely the * Inward Man hath the outward doth nothing that is good freely and willingly unlesse the Inward Compel him to it that is proved in the Authour himself he should cleerly distinguish that else no credit will be given to him against all Reason Sense and Experience 73. I am perswaded that there are more that be Christians then he yet they must all acknowledge themselves to be sinners For it is written All the Saints will call on thee for the forgivenesse of sinnes therefore these men ought to consider with themselves 74. But that he saith Christ in the Faithfull is ALL the Will and the Performance or Deed Mind or senses and Thoughts working speaking living and all in all substantially visibly palpably inwardly and outwardly This is agreeable to no Truth If Man doth any thing that is good from an inward driving that indeed is from God but he doth also much Evill from the Lusts of the Flesh and the Devils instigation and that Christ doth not but the outward sinfull Man whether it be by Words Deed or Thoughts 75. He telleth me much of such truly Faithfull as cannot sinne at all I beleeve not that such a ONE liveth in the World he is himself a great sinner and a scornfull proud surly Man I beleeve he is altogether Drunk in Sinne so that he knoweth not himself 76. I know also well that CHRIST in Man if he once dwelleth in him SINNETH not but the FLESHLY Man sinneth dayly he cannot rule from one Sea to another Christ can doe it well but Man cannot he is only an Instrument this high painting for Man ought not to be the Tenth part so much Man is as to the Outward but a STINKING Sack of Wormes full of filth and Evill Lusts one as well as another The Fourth Text. Now followeth the Text. 1 Corinthians 11. 12. As the Woman is from the Man so also the Man cometh by the Woman but all from God Now followeth the Answer of the Explainer upon this Text in Four Points I. IN this is especially required First what the Divine good Wife or Woman is which cometh from Christ her only Lord Husband or Man and God and taketh her Originall according to a Divine humane Manner II. Secondly How and in what Manner and kind She proceedeth from her God and Husband or Man III. Thirdly How also the Husband or Man God Christ is proceeded and Manifested through the divine
passe from me and he prayed to God so that he sweat a bloudy sweat 4. Also when he would do Wonders or Miracles and Signes then he prayed his Father to hear him as may be seen by his raising Lazarus from Death Moreover it is written also that God will give his honour to no other Also I only am the LORD and GOD Also God is one only God and none Else 5. Therefore his Title and Introduction to the Person for whom he sets forth the Explanation is instantly very Erroneous and he will answer in the Perfect power of the Omniscience in and out of the Holy Trinity and esteemeth himself like God in every thing or substance and sets himself up as if he were God himself 6. He will in Christ with his totall humane substance outwardly and inwardly in all Saints be and know that which no Creature can know or do or be but the Spirit of God only which IN Every Man bloweth up the knowledge and imparteth to every one his own measure according to his gifts as be will not as the Creature willeth 7. But this man saith He will answer out of Christ out of his Eternall Wisdome out of the Heart and Mouth of God out of the holy Trinity 8. And though he had a divine command for it which a Man may very well doubt of and come to us in an Angelical Embassie yet he could NOT speak to us out of the Manifested or revealed sound or voyce of the Holy Trinity out of Christs self-subsisting Person but out of his Creature in divine Power through the Creaturely and humane Property in that kind as all men from the beginning of the world to this time have spoken 9. And though Men may with truth say that Gods Spirit speaketh through the Humane sound yet men should give the honour to God and not ascribe it to himself For it is written God will not give his honour to another he hath given it to his Son JESUS CHRIST to whom alone he hath given the holy Spirit in the Eternall Word without Measure and to no other 10. Whence Christ saith Matth 28. All power in Heaven and on Earth is given to me of my Father which no other Man while he liveth in this world dare say concerning his creaturely Humanity that he hath all power in Heaven and on Earth but only this JESUS whose out-going hath proceeded from Eternity 11. Also this JESUS CHRIST said when he would depart from us If any shall come and say he is Christ that we should not beleeve it and prophesied to us that Many false Christs and Prophets would arise after him of whom we should beware 12. Therefore it is very suspicious to us that this man will of himself speak out of the Heart and Mouth of the Holy Trinity for the Creature should humble himself before God and by no means say that he is God himself but a created work and Image of his Likenesse with whom God may do what he will 13. Further He speaketh of the Originall and Creation of Man so wonderfully that he cannot shew it in the Holy Scripture nor in the Light of Nature and there belongeth clean another Explanation to it 14. Yes he speaketh also of Christ so strangly that in briefe it appeareth to be no sufficient intelligible Explanation he saith CHRIST is from Eternity the expresse Image of God in the Divine Mother of his Love generated or born out of the voyce of the holy Trinity and so maketh a difference between the first born before all Creatures and the Holy Trinity and yet will have him also dwelling in the Holy Trinity 15. So he makes very wonderfully FOUR Persons as it should seem in the Deity as if the holy Trinity had from Eternity generated in it self some other Similitude and Image in which birth or geniture he also will have the Humane Originall from Eternity and so wonderfully blendeth one thing with another that a Man can not understand what God is and what Creature is 16. He saith God hath Created all Heavenly and Earthly Creatures in that first begotten or born Sonne of God and begotten the Sonne out of the Greatest Substance even to the least from Eternity out of God he understandeth thereby out of the Holy Trinity 17. And maketh all things one in another as a whirling Wheele so that a Man cannot understand out of what the Creaturely Originall is seeing he concludeth all without distinction in Christ and so setteth the Name of CHRIST as proceeding from Eternity 18. And saith that God hath brought forth all things in Christ and then he must also have brought forth all Evill venomous poysonous Worms and Beasts in Christ as also Darknesse and the hellish quality source or Torment and all whatsoever liveth in such a property 19. John saith in the first Chapter At the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word the same was in the beginning with God through that he hath made all things that were made and without it was nothing made that was made John saith God was the Word and in him was the Life of Men. 20. He saith NOT At the Beginning was CHRIST but the Word that very Word became Man in the Virgin Mary that was Christ which quenched the Anger of his Eternall Father in the humane property through the Christ and the Crusher or bruiser of the Serpent and destroyed the Devills Den of Robbery in the humane property 21. When the Angel Gabriel came to Mary and brought her the Message That she should be impregnate and bear a Sonne whose Name she should call JESVS whose out-going is from Eternity to whom God the Father will give the Throne of his Father David 22. He saith NOT there whose Name you shall call JESUS CHRIST but only JESUS whose beginning and Exit is from Eternity but the Name CHRIST existed in the JESUS when he possessed the Throne of his Father David and brake the Head of the Serpent and shed his Heavenly Bloud into the Fathers Anger and quenched the same in the humane property with divine Love 23. There he obtained the Name CHRIST as a Healer of the Soar or the Anoynted of God a breaker through Death a victorious Prince over Hell Death and the Devill 24. No Creature is Created or made in the CHRIST but he in the Regeneratour of the humane property he bringeth the humane Life out of Death and generateth that in CHRIST through the Name JESUS in the divine Power anew and to be the Child of God 25. For CHRIST is the Mother of the Regeneration and not the Creatour of All things in which all things lye inclosed 26. The CHRIST is become Man but the JESUS in the CHRIST is the Creatour of all things 27. The CHRIST saith To ME is given all power both in Heaven and on Earth he saith not from Eternity God
the Father hath given the power to CHRIST through the JESUS for he to whom a thing is given hath not had it from Eternity nor made it himself but he that hath himself made a thing to him it can not be given 28. Hath CHRIST made all things in himself understand in the CHRIST and out of himself then nothing can be given to him but he hath had it from Eternity and there is no giving 29. But he saith all power was given to him of his Father Now if the power be given of the Father to this Sonne viz to this CHRIST then must a Man think that the power that is given originateth in the Fathers Will. 30. For that which is given was not from eternity like or equall with the Gift in the Giver Indeed the Dear Name JESUS had it from Eternity for he had an Eternall Originall in the Eternall Ever speaking Word 31. He is the Name of the First-Born of the Father from Eternity whose out-going and beginning is from Eternity as the Angel said to Mary which Name in the Word which Created all things and generated all things in Mary in the Humane and Divine Essence and Substance became Flesh both a Heavenly and Humane Flesh which dwelleth both in Heaven and on Earth at once Joh. 3. 32. Which in the holy Trinity was from Eternity the Second Person of the Divine Substance and Eternally generated of his Father also in Eternity also still in CHRIST becometh ever and eternally generated of his Father 33. Not that CHRIST becometh continually generated that is once become generated in Man but the Eternall Word in CHRIST becometh from Eternity in Eternity ever generated from the Father 34. For CHRIST said to Philip Dost thou not beleeve that the Father is in Me and that I am in the Father for the Words which I speak are not Mine but the Fathers that dwelleth in Me. 35. They were not Christs Words but the Fathers viz the Fathers Sound and Eternall Voyce which had manifested it self in the Humanity Therefore said the Humanity the Words are Not Mine but the Fathers Words wherein and wherewith he hath assumed the Humanity 36. The Humanity is Eternally under the Deity in the assumed humanity in THAT the Word became Flesh the Name Christus or CHRIST originateth as a Saviour of the Flesh and of the Soul and not out of the humane fleshly property but out of the Name JESUS in the Word of the Father of all things or Substances 37. Now if I will speak of the Holy Trinity then I say not That the Divine Love is an Exgenerated Substance and a Mother of God or a Woman or Wife of God as this Authour Conceiteth as if the first begotten which he calleth CHRIST were generated out of the Mother of his Voyce and Love 38. The Eternall Word or the first begotten out of the Father from Eternity is it self the generating of the Love for from him and the Father goeth forth the Holy Spirit 39. The Eternall Wisdome is the Out-generated or out-spoken Substance as a Looking-Glasse and Ornament of the Holy Trinity in which the Power Colours and vertues of the Deity become Manifest and in which the Spirit of God hath seen ALL things from Eternity 40. Both according to the Fathers Property in which he calleth himself an Angry Zealous or Jealous God and a Consuming Fire in which Property is generated the Darknesse and source or quality of pain or Torment as also Nature and all Spirits and all whatsoever liveth in the Sulphur and Mercury both according to the Eternall Spirits and according to the Temporary Spirits 41. And then according to his Love and the Property of the Eternall Light according to which Property the Name GOTT God viz the GUTE or Good Originateth from Eternity in which the Name JESUS Originateth from the Eternall Light viz from the Creatour of the Humility or of the well-willing in it self as the Meeknesse of the Light Originateth in the Fire and bringeth along with it another Will of another quality then the Fire according to which God Calleth himself a Mercifull and Good Munificent God 42. Thus the Name JESUS is the first Eternall Originall to Gods Mercifulnesse Therefore saith Saint Paul We were foreseen or Elected in CHRIST JESVS before the Foundation of the World was laid For in the Fathers Anger was the Fall known and in the Name JESUS in his Love was CHRIST as a Redeemer from the Anger known 43. For To God are all his works knowne from Eternity the Good and the Evill The Evill is become known in his Anger the Good in his Love 44. That same Eternall God in Trinity hath Created all things with and through the Eternall Word which is his Mouth and the Sound of his Voyce out of himself out of BOTH Properties out of the Anger as out of the Eternall Nature and then out of the Love as a Healer or Saviour of Nature into Substance 45. Understand God in the Trinity is a Spirit and no Substance But in the Word of his Sound he hath in his Desire introduced it into Substance His desire is the Fiat which originateth in verbo Domini in the Word of the Lord viz an Eternall Desire 46. God in himself is the Eternall Longing Delight of the Liberty free from all things or Substances but with his Desire out of the Longing Delight as out of the Eternall Fires-Property he hath Created all Spirits viz the Angels and Souls of Men In which Fires-Property the Center of the Light in all Angels with the Fire of the Anger stood in Equall Ballance Harmony or Temper 47. For when God once moved himself to the Creation then he moved himself according to ALL whatsoever himself was in all things especially according to the Eternall Wisdome in which the Form of the Creation was seen from Eternity in the Fire and Lights Glance in the Spirit of God according to Love and Anger according to Darknesse and Light 48. The Creation is nothing else but an out-breathing or out-speaking of his Substance Whatsoever GOD is in the Nature of the Fire and then also in the Eternall Liberty of all sources or qualities that hath the Free Longing delight introduced into a Desire and impressed into a Moving Substance 49. The Desire viz the Fiat of all things or Substances Originateth in that the Vnchangeable God viz the Abysse hath once Moved it self in the Eternall Longing Delight where then Time began 50. All Angells and Creatures which are Created to Eternall Life are all of them comprised in the Out-breathing of the Father through the Word in the Desire as in the Moving in the Fiat and in a Model of the Eternall Longing Delight as the Eternall Spirit in the Wisdome hath comprehended it in its wonders become Created into an Image of the Longing Delight and there remained in all things the possibility to Good and Evill according to the whole Divine Property
substance 10. II. One other is called the filial substance the Sonne the Birth the Word Speech the in-and-out-speaking Substance of the Paternal Substance of the Father the Generator of the Power of the Triune Total Perfect Deity 11. III. One the Third is called the Spiritual Living Substance the Spirit the Life the Exit in and out of the Paternal Filial Substance Power Word or powerfull word of the Triune Total fulnesse of the Father and of the Sonne or in the Father and the Sonne the totall holy Spirit and Eternall Life in Power and Word Father and Sonne of the whole Triune Deity 12. And this most holy Triune Deity Power Word and Life Father Sonne and Holy Spirit are and remain from Eternity in Eternity undividably ONE before in and after the Birth one only GOD and one only LORD over all through all and in all that set their faith and trust in Divine working and dominion therein 13. And this Triune God Power Word and Life Father Sonne and Spirit in Eternal UNITY hath generated to himself the Medium of his most holy Substance from Eternity the Word to his Sonne and Glance of his totall divine fulnesse and begotten him to his most holy Triune Deity 's highest praise and honour 14. And presented it to the most holy Glorious Throne Glance and Expresse Image of his Total holy Divine Triune Fulnesse and invincible confirmation in the Love of the Divine Fulnesse which the Triune highly praised God hath trusted with him and his Paternal Substance in and with the Word and Spirit in Eternal Eternity for a Wife and Mother of his own Triune Substance of his Sonne and Word from Eternity in Eternity in and with himselfe 15. And united to the Eternall Genetrix and betrothed or promised to in and with this most holy Triune Divine Substance to an unity this from Eternity most holy Birth of God CHRIST JESUS The Triune highly praised God is all that himself which to the Total Deity to its highest praise and honour is ascribed and appropriated from Eternity also remaineth peculiarly so in it self to its Eternal stability 16. Viz the Eternal Substantial Eternal stedfast unalterable Love Righteousnesse Wisdome Truth Mercifulnesse Humility Patience Long-suffering Holinesse Purity Innocency and in brief all vertues of the Deity which through the Power Word and Spirit the most holy Triune God from Eternity in Eternity may or can be expressed 17. Yes all whatsoever may be called good and profitable and serviceable in Heaven and Earth and be apprehended with or by the Triune God that is this most holy birth of God self-subsistingly Substantially from Eternity in all Eternity 18. Now Thirdly what this most holy Triune Divine Births acting and working was before the Fall of Man the Holy Scripture witnesseth thereof in many places here and there that through this most holy Triune Birth of God CHRIST JESUS not only all Creatures Heaven and Earth and all that liveth and moveth therein was made and is proceeded But that this most holy Triune Birth of God is also in it self Co-Creatour Generator Bringer forth Worker yes himself in the Creating was the Will and operative substantial self-subsisting Deed yes all in all so that he was not only the Creator Eternal Father and Generator of all Creatures whatsoever they may be called but also of Angels and Men. 19. Now Fourthly what this Holy Eternall Birth and Sonne of God the whole Fullnesse of the Deity came to be after the Fall of Man and is henceforth now and to Eternal Times and remaineth to be unchangeably the Testimony of the Holy Scripture mentioneth in several places very much 20. That this Eternal Divine Triune Birth and Sonne of the Triune Deity to the Comfort of whole Mankinde to the Redemption and Renovation of the same after their horrible Fall losing of all their Glory received and inbreathed from God in his holy breath and renewing regenerating and changing out of the Dead damnable Substance of Sathan into the Holy unfadable immaculate untransitory Inheritance of the Eternall God and most holy Glorious Eternally enduring Life and Substance of Eternal Happinesse or Salvation 21. Not only of fallen Man through the Anger and just Curse of God for Sinnes sake thrown into Eternal Pain and Torment but also of all Heavenly and Earthly Creatures which are set and ordained by the Lord for the service of the Created Man in his Innocency in which respect they also after the Fall of Man for the same Mans sake by the Anger and Curse of God were come and brought into an unstedfast troublesome miserable pittifull state and changeable sorrowful perishable transitory Substance or thing 22. For the Comfort and Salvation of all these and the restoring of the losse of all the Glory and Holinesse this Sonne of God Eternally Born out of God out of meer Grace and Mercy in the Love of the Divine Voyce wherewith this Triune God loved the whole world with all its Generations or births not only hath foretold and promised to Man and the aforesaid heavenly and Earthly Creatures first for a Redeemer through this Triune Deity 23. But also hath livingly substantially operatively and actively in the Regeneration and assuming of the Humane Flesh and Bloud in the Body or womb of the Virgin MARY God and Man in one person visibly palpably and substantially here upon Earth Regenerated and presented 24. As then this Triune highly praised Sonne of God and Man in one holy Visible and palpable Person hath rescued and redeemed not only whole Mankind all truly faithfull Men wholly perfect through this his holy Incarnation or becoming Man innocent suffering and dying Resurrection and Ascention into Heaven from all sinnes and the totall Satanicall Diabolicall and Mortall Substance 25. But also all Called Elected truly Faithfull who from their hearts trust and beleeve in this Redeemer as or according to their Redemption from all sinne unrighteousnesse Death Devill and Hell and the treacherous World the Lust of the Eyes and of the flesh and with their whole Person yes with every true Beleever especially among Men and Women Kind wholly Espoused with himself his totall most Holy Perfect divine substance in the Unity of the Humane Body and Soul 26. Hath united and betrothed himself and bound himself to an unseperable UNION in Eternity in the Love so that this whole truly faithfull Mankind in Generall and every Man and Woman kind in Particular in speciall he himself calleth his own Divine Substance and full or entire Love which before in Vnbeleef was not his of Substance and his Love 27. So that now this Elect truly faithfull holy Church together and also every person in particular in with and through this most holy espousall and uniting with Christ the Triune highly praised God are NOT two severall Persons two Substances and two Loves 28. But through with and in the most holy Union ONE good holy Divine unblameable Eternall stedfast Substance one Divine one Christian one
wise true and reall One and with all Divine perfect Vertues and Names ONE holy Church of GOD together and every person in the same one Christ one Man of God one holy unblameable wise Just One. 29. To the highest Praise of the Triune highly Praised God CHRIST JESUS who in them over them through them and to all in a Personall Manner with his most holy Name and seed is the Will accomplishment senses thoughts works and Life speech and all in all substantially visibly palpably inwardly and outwardly and to Eternall Times remaineth undivided and unalterably and hath and keepeth the Dominion 30. Not only in Heaven at the right hand of God but also in the Vnion with all the faithfull together and in and to every true faithfull person of Man and Woman kind is called and in Eternity remaineth here upon Earth one God one Christ who Ruleth from one End of the Heaven and from one End of the Earth to the other 31. And in such eternal stedfastnesse remaineth one eternal Lord in all over all through all and to all substantially and in Eternity is for ever esteemed so and in and with himself is honoured praised Magnified one Man-God one God-Man or one Humane Good God one Divine Good Man one Christ one Body one Soul Hitherto the Explainer HEreupon followeth my Answer and Explanation highly to be considered by the Reader 1. FIrst as concerning the Text Isaiah 54. 5. Which this Authour explaineth he hath much more confused it and brought it altogether out of a right and orderly understanding into a confused unintelligible matter thing or Substance and hath altogether confounded the Eternall birth of the holy Trinity wholly with the Creature 2. His intent is to search out the Birth or Geniture and Originall of all things or Substances he hath demersed himself into the Birth or Geniture of the Deity and highly elevated himself and set himself up to be totally like God and made himself a God and yet understandeth as little of it as the Cow doth of the Bell which it carryeth about her Neck only it heareth it sound and Ring 3. Secondly He involves all Heavenly and Earthly Creatures in the perdition of Man and will have them all regenerated and Redeemed again in Christ and maketh a Lamentable forced desolation of the right understanding by confounding one thing with another 4. Thirdly He totally and altogether confoundeth the Distinction between God and the Creature and forceth them together into one contrary to all Reason and Truth and setteth the earthly Man if he but beleeve totally with his mortall Substance in the Deity and giveth him full power or authority in Heaven and Earth quite contrary to the Ground of the holy Scripture and also contrary to visible or apparent things or Substances 5. He will be rule overpower know and understand all in all yes God himself and yet he understandeth not the Ground of a Fly in its Essence and Substance much lesse the Divine and uncreaturely and maketh a confused Wheel like a Drunkennesse 6. And if such flattering hypocrisie should once become totally beleeved then were the greatest Antichrist of all born or generated which setteth it self in the Seat or Throne of God and very audaciously giveth forth himself for GOD and presenteth his own great holiness without blemish in immortality 7. Quite contrary to the visible or apparent ground of all Truth and totally hideth the Man of Sinne in the Anger of God and maketh of him-a-dear Sonne of God in his outward Flesh and thus bringeth us so totally out of the true understanding that we should not understand how and in what manner Christ becometh generated or born IN us what the Heavenly and Earthly Man is 8. He will perswade us we are both inwardly and outwardly totally perfect holy and without all Blemish and Sinne we should but beleeve and then the naturall outward sinfull Man dyeth and becometh wholly and altogether changed into Christs Person so that Man here in this Time upon Earth is as he saith wholly and altogether Christ who in Heaven sitteth at the right hand of God and is on Earth a totall perfect God-Man inwardly and outwardly without defect 9. And there is nothing more wanting but that the poor Sinner who would faine repent and beleeve fall down before THIS great holy God which he himself will BE and worship him that he may receive him to Grace into this HIS Holinesse 10. For HE will needs be the Christ in ALL in Divine Omnipotence and Substance and distinguisheth not at all what God Christ and Man is what the Creature Humanity and God are in him Flesh and Spirit is all one moreover Mortality and Immortality 11. Yet I would very fain see him to know whether he be otherwise then other Men I have not all my Life long heard any tell of any such wonderfull Man in the World not in any History read of such a Wonder And if that be true which he saith then he must according to the Tenure of the Scripture shine seaven times brighter then the SUN and other Men and Living Creatures would be struck blind before him because of his Great Holinesse and Clarity or Brightnesse 12. But if he should say Men can not see that in him as indeed he doth neither hath any Man on Earth seen it in him or in any other Man especially being Heat and Cold as also Pain and Sicknesse take hold of him and that he continually cloatheth himself with the Cloathing of Beasts he sleepeth and waketh useth Earthly Food and Drink in the Curse of God and which is much more liveth in repreaching and cursing of honest people that love God 13. In that regard we yet very strongly doubt of his perfect holinesse and doe not hold his confusednesse for Gods Voyce out of Gods Holy Substance especially since we see that he yet understandeth nothing of the Divine and Naturall Birth or Geniture and eternall Revelation or Manifestation of all things or Substances how one originateth out of another and yet thus elevateth himself without Divine knowledge out of a meer litterall Conceit which yet he perverteth and styeth aloft without Wings before they are feathered 14. But seeing it is a subtile extravagant Errour wherewith likely honest hearts fearing God in Innocency might be seduced without sufficient searching into this extravagancy therefore I would have the Reader who loveth the Truth informed of this almost quite hidden Errour and will a little unfold the same that men may see the high insuperably superlative sence as he supposeth and therewithall a little to open the true ground which hath better Testimony and also agreeth with that which is visible or apparent 15. Not at all to contend with this confused Wheel and to defame him but for the sake of Christs Children whom Christ hath Redeemed with his Bloud to try whether many will not become better discerning and would learn to distinguish such an Errour and get a
disappeared Substance the Father of all Things or Substances striketh up the sparkle of his divine power and if it be so that the Soul also in the drawing of the Father hungreth after it the sparkle beginneth to glimmer 54. And is first small as a grain of Mustard-seed as Christ saith and if the Soul persevereth and introduceth ITS Will and hunger continually into THAT Glimmering Tinder then he bloweth the Holy Fire up in its desire so that it glimmereth very much whence the soul getteth great hunger 55. Now if it be so that the Soul casteth away its self-hood and desireth totally to cast away the fals-hood or wickednesse of the Devill and in earnest strife with earnest Prayer and giving up it self enter into the Love-Fire then the Love-fire apprehendeth the Souls Desire and one Fire becometh kindled in the other for the Soul is the Fathers Fire and the sown Love-Fire is the Sonnes-Fire 56. And now cometh the lost Sonne viz the soul again into the Fathers Love and the Great Joy in Heaven beginneth so that the Angels rejoyce more than at Ninety Nine righteous that need no Repentance 57. And at this Place in this conjunction the Noble Virgin viz the Good Wife or Woman taketh its Bridegroom the Soul again into the Triumph of the Divine Kingdome of Joy and giveth its Bridegroom the Garland of Pearles 58. Not totally for its own propriety of its substance No there are Two Principles God remaineth God in himselfe but the Divine Light bringeth the Virgins-Spirit out of the Love-fire into the Souls-Fire and kindleth the Souls-Fire also so that the Virgins-Light shineth IN its Bridegroom viz the SOULS Light 59. And here is Christ in the Wifes or Womans seed become Man viz in the second Principle out of Gods Light-and-Love-world and what is here done and what kind of Joy is at this Espousall and Wedding we have no words to write but I wish the Lover of Christ may experiment it For the outward Naturall Man beleeveth US not unlesse himself hath been at this wedding which is kept both in Heaven and on Earth sufficiently to be understood by those that are OURS 60. But know this As Fire blazeth through Iron whence the Iron is a meer Fire-Source or of a fiery Quality and yet remaineth in it selfe in its Substance Iron as well at one time as at another and is never Fire in its own self-property and yet is Fire But the Fires Might standeth not in the Iron but it giveth only its Nature to it as an Instrument or a Body wherein the Fire blazeth 61. Thus understand us also as to GOD and the CREATURE The Fire when it blazeth in the Iron signifieth the Soul when it is kindled in Gods Light and the Light and the Shining of the Fire signifieth the Holy Fire and the Virgin the Power of the Light is the Pearly-Garland whereof I write in my writings THAT the Virgin giveth not to the Fire-Soul viz to the Originall of the Fire to be ITS own 62. But it sets the same upon it and presseth the same into its heart but it cannot comprehend it as its proper owne as the Fire cannot comprehend the Light and yet the Light shineth out of the Fire the Fire hath another Source or Quality then the Light the Fire is Father and the Light is Sonne and yet they make two Principles one IN another 63. Thus know That the Creature is not God it remaineth Eternally under God but God blazeth through it with his desire of the Love-Fire viz with his Light and shining and that very Light the Soul viz the Man reteineth so long for its own as the Will remaineth in Gods Light 64. But if it enter again in its own propriety viz in the Center of its originall in its own Might out of the Resignation into selfhood then the Virgin taketh away this Pearly-Garland from the Soul for the Soul viz its Bride-groom is run away from its Spouse Christ viz from its Love-fire and become perjured 65. Then goeth the Soul in the outward Flesh into the Devils Net in the dark restraint and seeketh its own Place and rest but findeth nothing but the Beastiall Pleasure of the Flesh with which it Pampereth it self 66. But the Noble Virgin calleth it continually to return again if it come again then it is well and readily received but the first wedding is not kept again there is indeed a glorious welcome but not like the first Espousall we speak as we know 67. But if the Bridegroom viz the Soul cometh not again then Christ taketh its Garland which he gave the Virgin for a Life again from it then it remaineth in ITS Nothing without Source or Quality as disappeared or faded and Eternally not perceptible nor visible to the Soul 68. And the Soul remaineth in its anxiety if the Soare be in it at the End of the outward Body in that regard it standeth in Eternall shame and scorn that it hath lost ITS Kingly Crown and is driven out from the Kingdom of God as an Evill doer or as a perjured Person from its most beloved Bride and Virgin 69. Further also know this that Gods Light suffereth NOT it self to be sowen forth abroad into the Flesh the Mother or Tinder to the Light is indeed sown but standing within IN its Principle the outward world is not God nor will it in Eternity be called God but only a Substance wherein God manifesteth himself viz a †Similitude of the Holy Divine Heavenly Substance in which God worketh 70. When a Woman is impregnate from a Man and generateth a Childe THAT although likely it cometh from holy Parents is not Wholly CHRIST from within and without as this Authour conceiteth without ground of Truth out of his obscurity 71. CHRIST viz the WORD is indeed a glimmering Mother or Tinder according to the Property of the true Image which is propagated in all Men as a possibility but NOT in the outward Flesh in this worlds Substance but in the second Principle and the Soulish Property is in the first Principle each dwelling in it selfe 72. Therefore hath Christ instituted the Baptisme and Espoused himself with the Mother or Tinder to Souls with this Covenant that though the Mother or Tinder did not come to a burning Light and that the Child should dye even in its Mothers Body or Womb yet neverthelesse the Soul would be in Christs Arms in which he would kindle HIS Light 73. And though holy Parents beget Children if I did look upon them I would not say here standeth or goeth in this Child Christ it is wholly Christ HE is indeed IN the Childe but in his own Principle and in the Childs Property as a Glimmering Mother or Tinder on the Band of Christ but the Soul of the Childe is also on the Band of the Fathers anger in the property wherein Adams Soul hath broken it self off from God 74. The Properties of the Soul stand not in
Equall Concordance as God created the First Soul they stand in the Elevation in the Multiplicity of the Wills and not in One Will in the Multiplicity of the Wills is the Turba for one Will is the Enmity of the other and they cannot be broken for their originall is out of the Eternity from the Center of Nature 75. Vnlesse Gods Light kindle it self in them then they become in the Light transmated into One Will and then the Enmity and contrary will in the Center of the Life of the soul ceaseth also then the outward-Life in the Child is together inthe Flesh of perdition and is subject to Death 76. For as the Properties in the Souls Life are in strife and Contrariety so also are the Properties of the outward Life for in Adam all went forth out of the equall concordance and now one kindleth the other and the strife between heat and cold also Evill and Good continueth so long as the OUTWARD Life continueth 77. Therefore it is a wrong Exposition of the Author where he saith Holy Faithfull Parents generate altogether CHRIST yes that Christ himself is the work of Humane Propagation which a Cow would almost laugh at to see its like in the outward Man so that he doth more foolishly than a Beast Christ dwelleth in Heaven in his own Principle and the outward Man upon Earth in his own Principle 78. The holy good wise or woman whereof he speaketh much without sufficient understanding generateth not the outward Beastial Man of the Four Elements but the Inward of the pure Element God driveth not on the work of humane propagation HE hath given it to MAN into his own will in Christ God drave it on but without humane Concurrence out of his own Predestinate purpose 79 Now if this Authour can generate children without Man then we will beleeve him that God hath begotten a Christ-Child out of him or out of his Wife if without Man she is impregnate from Gods word 80. But he will fail in that Adam hath squandered this power as we have expressed concerning it at large in the Book of the Three Principles also in the Book of the Threefold Life as also in the first Part of the Incarnation of Christ 81. The Conjunction of the Seeds is cleerly in strife and contrary Will and in the strife and contrary Will is the Life in the Childe manifest and not in the Slime but in the Anguish in the choaked Bloud The beginning of Life in a Childe is a DYING of the Masculine and Feminine Tincture of the Seed and out of this dying goeth a new own Life up 82. As the Light shineth from the Candle so we are to conceive in like manner that the Man and Wife only sowe the BODY of the Lifes Candle out of which the Life in the dying viz in the anguish-Fire in the choaking of the first Bloud wherein the Childe becometh Man is generated not as a dying of Consumption but in the anguish of the dying Source or Quality the First Principle viz the true Fire-Soul in its Principle becometh manifest 83. It is not conceiting will do it but understanding the Center of Nature how a Life originateth not only to say Christ and God doth a thing but to know WHAT God Christ and Man is each in IT self 84. Man must understand the Principles and not with Historicall conceit with Literall knowledge and confound one thing in another such a Master as this Authour will needs be viz a God that is Omniscient he should before-hand know very well and not so sottishly with such loud cry come and draw up without Ground and understanding 85. Men know also well that the Holy Woman or Wife viz the Virginity is from God but it hath not the might of Generating It is in Adam with the Wife Eve squandered it cannot generate more unlesse the Generatour viz CHRIST were before-hand generated in it and then it generateth the Soul its Bridegroom otherwise in the WILL that is it transmuteth it into ITS Love and setteth Christs Garland or Crown of victory upon it NOw followeth The Second Point of the Fourth Text The Explainers own Words 1. BUt how and in what measure manner and kind She from her God and Man CHRIST JESU goeth cometh is Created or Made and prepared hence now the Triune God and Lord signifieth in the Testimony of Holy Scripture for the better and cleerer knowledge of the holy Marriage-state and wonderful divine Union of Man and Wife in one Flesh for a Type and Looking-Glasse giveth therein through the Divine knowledge and wisdom to acknowledge and consider 2. How and in what measure manner and kind the holy woman or wife and faithfull humane visible Flesh and Bloud under the Masculine and Feminine Sex from CHRIST the Triune highly praised God her Man or Husband proceeded was made and prepared 3. And as true Christian honest faithful marryed people whom God joyneth together for here I speak not of those marryed people who highly esteem outward bravery riches honourable familyes and outward Name whom the Lust of the Flesh and of the Eye in this world bringeth together and causeth to marry yes truly faithful Christian Marryed people who many times never saw one another with their eyes 4. As all truly faithful Christian People will to the highest praise of God in their hearts with God the Triune Eternal Truth and Seal give Testimony with me that oftentimes very wonderfully and strangely their whole person altogether unknowing are brought together and joyned by the Triune God JESUS CHRIST 5. In that the LORD giveth and incorporateth in the Masculine heart his holy Love towards the Feminine Image which before as it often cometh to passe he never saw much lesse found any desire after such a One at any time which in her presenteth the holy divine Love and voyce with all manner of friendly richly amiable words and works towards the feminine Image accordingly 6. And by all manner of outward Modesty and Chast Service or Ministry and Conversation without ceasing in care day and night is diligent in and doth not give over till through the divine good power and working it presseth into the midst and Center of the feminine heart and with its powerful burning operation it Imageth to it self the Masculine person and bindeth with it self the very divine Good Holy Chaste Love 7. In both which Christian hearts this Triune divine fire-burning Love in the holy Divine working reception and growing doth not cease till it bring both these Masculine and Feminine Persons into one 8. So that they through this powerfull working in the Love are one Heart one Soul one Body one Flesh and Bloud as indeed in the Love of the Divine voyce each calleth or nameth the other his own heart Soul and undivided own propriety 9. And then in this Chast Divine richly amiable working through the divine power in holy and not unchast fleshly mixture and
marryed people might learn to distinguish the holy in the Love from the beastiall and learn in this work to remain Modest Chast and Temperate before God and Man 11. And not as a burning Lustfull Bull to which brutish work this Authour openeth a wide Door while he calleth it totally holy and so at last in his holy giving forth All shame would be extinguished 12. Whereas yet the understanding and also Nature testifieth that an Abomination hangeth to it which is not quite holy before God in respect that also Nature it self together with the Soul is ashamed of it which ought well to be considered and how the poor Soul which appeareth by the Eyes is ashamed before its Bridegroome CHRIST that it now after the Fall must propagate it self after such a Beastiall Manner like other Beasts 13. For this cause I will unfold it that marryed people may learn to know themselves and that this Authour might not make them So totally blind and they live in abomination before God as Beasts without any knowledg thereof unlesse for this I would not particularly oppose him in this Article for holy people should get also holy children which yet miserably often faileth as is apparent to our Eyes 14. We know what Moses saith That God said Let us make Man an Image that is like us He saith not TWO Images but ONE Image that is like us 15. God is according to the Fire and Light but ONE substance viz according to the Fires and Lights Tincture in the Eternall Nature he is also but ONE substance And that he is and is called Father and Sonne yet he is therein also but ONE substance 16. But manifested in TWO Principles viz with the stern Fire-world according to the Fathers Property and according to the Light and Love-world in the Sonnes Property And yet is but ONE only substance undivided but ONE God as Fire and Light is ONE 17. Thus he hath also created his Image Man according to his similitude out of his out-spoken substance out of ALL into ONE substance into one only Image and also inbreathed the Spirit of all the THREE Principles into ONE only Spirit 18. All the Three worlds viz The Eternall dark cold fiery viz the Eternall Nature as also the Eternall Light fiery together with the substance thereof viz the pure Element and therein the Paradise for also the outward Four Elementary and Syderiall world with its substance were in this created Image but One in like or Equall Concord or agreement 19. Man was and is the Inward and outward world the Inward World is the Heaven wherein God dwelleth thus was Man upon Earth in Heaven the Inward and outward was ONE the Inward manifested it self in the outward viz God in the Time the Outward is the Time that was in Man swallowed up in the Eternity but it was manifested in it self not totally for the Dominion but for the wonder of the Dominion of the Divine World 20. The Outward World knew it selfe not in the Time but it wrought in it selfe as an Instrument of the Master The outward Sulphur and Mercury of the Body were manifested in the power of the inward Spirituall Sulphur and Mercury The Tinctures of both were manifested in one another as One the Spirit wrought through the Time and that was a Paradise where neither heat nor cold might be manifested 21. The Life of Both worlds viz the Heavenly Holy in the Pure Element and also the outward in the Four Elements were but One only Life and that was a Similitude according to God viz an Expresse Image 22. For God dwelleth in the Time and the Time is not manifested in him but before him as a similitude it is IN him in the dominion all one The Time is servant and his work it liveth in it self but God is the Life of Time But in comprehensible to Time the Time ruleth not in God but it is in him as an Instrument wherewith he ruleth and maketh or worketh 23. But now understand us concerning the Soul The Soul is not out of the Temporary or Time-Nature the Time-Nature is but its dwelling-house even as an Instrument with which it maketh or worketh It hath in it self the Center to the Fire and Light world and out of the Center it became inbreathed into Adam by the Holy Spirit in the Moving of the Father out of the Three Principles 24. And this is its Fall and Sinne that it hath through its mighty desire manifested the Properties of the Dark World in the Center of the Eternall Nature which was done through Imagination in that it introduced its Lust into the Instrument of Time viz into the Outward world 25. And would try how it relished when the Equality of agreement went forth or away one from another so that Evill and good were Manifested each in it self it lusted to eat of the relish of both and thereby be omniscient and suttle as Lucifer in like manner so perished who lusted after the dark Center in the Fire-birth and awakened that in his desire that so the like concordance or equall agreement in him might be Manifested in an awakening of all Properties whence Lust and falshood or wickednesse existed to him 26. For if the Lifes forms viz the Forms of the Eternall Nature were manifest every One in it self then there is a great Enmity for every one will rule every One hath its own will and if this were not then there would be neither perceptibility nor finding but an Eternall stillnesse 27. But now the Lifes formes should not be manifested in the qualifying or operating each pressing forth but instanding in equall agreement like a Tuned Lute and the Spirit which was brought forth out of this equall agreement by Gods Spirit was also in equall agreement viz the Spirit of the Soule as the Aire out of the Fire that should enter into the Sound of God and strengthen it self in the power of the Light and with that very power strike the Cittron of the Lifes forms 28. But that it did not but it entered into own will and reached after the Center of the Lifes forms and awakened the same it would it SELF be GOD and made it self a dark Devill according to the first impression in the Fiat of its Property out of which in this world are evill poysonous worms and beasts come to be according to the outward Impression and that is the reall Fall of the Devill as also of Adam 29. But that we may render it better intelligible concerning Adam as also concerning his Wise Adam was a totall entire Image of God when God had created him then he was Man and Wife and yet neither of them but a modest Virgin in the Similitude of God 30. He had the Fires Matrix and also the Lights Matrix out of which through the Element water becometh generated through the dying in the Fire He had the Fires and Lights Desire in him viz the Mother of the Love
then all was done concerning the faire Paradise of Man his heavenly Image of the divine Substantiality faded and was no more known 74. Which in a Similitude is understood to be no otherwise then as when look upon LEAD which before had been GOLD and had through MERCURY turned it selfe into LEAD wherein the poysonous Mercury is manifested which before in GOLD stood in great brightnesse and Perfection 75. And as now in the Lead there is yet a possibility to be Gold but it was not manifested in the Mercury the Mercury could not turn it self again into Gold unlesse the Artist came and brake to pieces the Lead Totally and turned it into the first matter out of which it was Created then might out of that matter fair Gold come to be as it was at first 76. Or else if the power of Sol did move it self in this Mercury of the Lead which yet is a Saturn but yet hath the Impression viz the first Ground to Gold in it selfe and generate in its power Gold again in the Lead so that I see Lead and Gold in ONE Substance and yet it is not manifested but the Lead holdeth the Gold as it were half Swallowed up and covered 77. Thus we are to understand in like manner concerning Adam and Eve their faire Golden Body in divine power and Substance became a Dark obscure Lead spoken by way of Similitude The Golden Mercury awaked in the vanity of the poyson then faded and vanished the Gold viz the holy Body in the Abomination and now it was totally Earthly and must to Earth again 78. But the voyce of God which called them again espoused it self again with the promise of the Serpent Crusher or Bruiser in Venus'es Matrix viz in the Second Principle in the part of the Heavenly Substantiality in which before the Word of the Divine sound had been manifested But when the Souls desire went out from it it faded and vanished in it selfe 79. Thus in this espousall in the Lead there was Gold and Lead one in another but the Gold was not manifested till Gods Mercury in the word of Promise manifested it self in the Lead viz in the Flesh then became the Lead in Christs humanity again changed into Gold and the processe was held as the Transmutation of Mettals is performed which becometh changed into Gold as in our Book of the Signature or Seal of things is very largely and expressely written of 80. And we are hereby to understand that the Limit of the Covenant viz the promised new Golden Life is become propagated in Venus'es Tincture as a Possibility of the Divine Regeneration which God through the Center of his Heart through that very moving Manifested in Christ 81. And manifested the CHRIST viz the Anointed out of JESUS and out of his deepest humility and Love and changed the poysonous Mercury in dark Lead into bright Gold 82. Whereby we are cleerly to understand that in all men the VANITY viz the awakened Lifes forms in their self-hood and strife are again become propagated and will still continually be propagated till in the breaking or Corruption of the Earthly Body for so long as Man findeth Heat and Cold or sicknesse and opposite will in his Spirit and Body so long the Abomination is in FULL Life 83. Concerning the Saints of God which as Prophets in the Spirit of JESUS have prophesied of the CHRIST to Come they have all spoken out of the Limit of the Covenant out of the promised Word which would move it self again in the Flesh none of them was totally new born again in the Flesh 84. For the Word stood in the inward faded Image and opened it self with the voyce through the outward Mercury and shewed the outward Man what would yet happen and be done to him when the word of Promise should he manifested in the Mercury of the Flesh and therein break to pieces the abomination and death of the Strife in the Lifes forms 85. But after CHRIST out of JESUS became manifested in the Flesh then that very Flesh became anointed and therefore he was called the Anointed of the LORD and if we introduce our Souls desire into this Manifested Word in the Flesh of Christ then will also that very promised word which is together propagated in ALL men in the Limit of the Covenant be manifested in our Souls-desire in the faded Image of the Divine Substantiality and in Venus'es Matrix viz in the Second Principle wherein God is viz in his right Heaven which is in MAN cometh to Life 86. That is the faded Image getteth the Divine sound in the Souls desire Christ becometh Man in the faded Image and crusheth or bruiseth Death viz the Abomination of the vanity in the outward Leaden Flesh viz the poysonous Mercury in the Lifes forms the Head of the false or wicked will and bringeth forth the Souls will in it self into GOD. 87. Now understand us further concerning the Propagation between Man and Wife both in the Holy Children and in the wicked How and in what manner it is with the Conjunction of the Masculine and Feminine desire and How in NO Man holy children without Sinne CAN be begotten as this Authour paints it forth to us without sufficient understanding 88. The Conjunction of the Desire towards Wife or Woman and Husband or Man cometh from both the Mothers viz from the dividing of Adam from both the Tinctures of Fire and Light which are in themselves not much nobler and purer than the Flesh or the Mercury in the Sulphur of the Flesh they are done with and have not the true Life in them but they are the fiery desire to the true Life 89. But if they come together into ONE into Substance then they awaken the true Life in the Mercury their vehement desire is after Life they would again be that which they were in the Image of God when Adam was Husband and Wife or Man and Woman out of which existeth now the vehement Imagination in the Sulphur and Mercury in the Flesh 90. The Fires Tincture longeth in the Flesh thus vehemently after the Lights Tincture and the Lights after the Fires The Man or Limbus or Limus Terrae et Coeli the extract of Earth and of Heaven longeth after Venus'es Matrix viz after the Joyous Conjunction of the Love-Life viz of the Love-relish which relish in Adam was one in another wherein he loved himselfe and the Perfection consisted therein 91. For the Flesh knoweth not what it doth it is indeed a substance of that desire for in the desire of the Tinctures the Seed is Generated wherein again the Tincture lyeth and so vehemently driveth on that it also might come to Life for all Life or every Substance and thing presseth after its Center out of which it is generated 92. Now it is to be known what is there sowen The Tinctures which Imagine so vehemently are in the Seed of Man and Woman and the Seed becometh in the Impression of
the mixing together men should distinguish from the Will of the Divine Holinesse and from the will of own self Lust 134. Nature willeth the Burning eager Lust viz the Mixture and Gods holinesse willeth the Conjunction of the pure Tinctures in which Conjunction the Divine Center viz a holy fire-sparkle together incorporateth it self in the Substance of the heavens Image in the word of Power and doth not together incarnate it selfe in the Outward Flesh 135. This Authour saith When Christ is born or Generated then the Earthly Man must depart But in this Time Christ is in the Heaven of Man and the Earthly Man upon Earth in his Self hood in the Four Elements 136. This Authour Cryeth out upon the Confusion of others wayes and despiseth other Men gifted from God in their Gifts and yet his whole work is nothing else but a meer confusion of one thing in another the outward World with God the Creature with the Holy Trinity so that no rationall Man at all can see by him the distinction between God and the Creature 137. There never came to my knowledge any writings wherein all things are so wholly spoyled confused and darkned or obscured under long circumlocutions and Glosses as in these that he may under such confusion but present and give forth himselfe for a GOD. 138. That is the whole contents of his meaning that it is no more he that willeth doth speaketh thinketh or purposeth any thing but that God in Christ is it ALL in him the will the deed the speaking understanding thinking begetting of Children eating drinking sleeping waking but then must he also be even the Coughing in him and whatsoever else he doth in any secret place 139. Which is very easily understood by reading in him because he will distinguish Nothing but will be All in all God in Christ which is fit should be signified concerning him that other people might learn to beware of such seeming flourishing Lustre and learn to know themselves inwardly and outwardly what the Creature Man God and Christ are and not so Groundlesly call the cursed world God 140. I write not this to the reproach of the Authour but for the Reader to consider that he may know that he is a Sinner and what his Holinesse in him is for a totall faithfull instruction from my Gifts which in the Grace of the Divine Love have been imparted to me NOw followeth The Third Point of the Fourth Text. The Authours Own Explanation 1. THus now hereupon followeth Thirdly How and after what manner and kind also the Man-God CHRIST cometh and is manifested through the Divine-humane Wife or Woman 2. And how through Christ the first born before all Creatures the most holy expresse Image yes the Self-subsisting Substance of the totall most holy Divine Fullnesse the Triune highly praised living powerfull word of God God himself through whom and for whom all things not only were Created but after the Fall through his holy becoming Man or Incarnation and precious innocent passion dying Resurrection ascention into Heaven and perfect merit were perfectly redeemed or delivered 3. As heretofore is mentioned he hath united the totall faithful Mankind in the Love of his divine voyce to him to his holy Names highest praise and honour for his proper own body and Wife or Woman which he not in an outward Manner prepares to himself creates and makes new but in the inward Center and middle of the Heart from the beginning of the World Suddenly after the Fall betrothed in Grace Love and Mercy yes in the Faith and tied it and prepared it for his Eternall Rest 4. In like manner also this most Holy Man CHRIST JESUS the Innocent Lamb of God yes the Triune highly praised Sonne of God God himself which according to the Testimony of the Holy Scripture was slain from the beginning of the world in all faithfull and Saints with his holy living powerfull richly spirituall word divine substance working willing and perfecting according to the measure of his appearing gifts hath appeared from the beginning of the world 5. And himself hath manifested the true Womans Seed in the Woman or Wife of his Love prepared for himself Against which this self own holy Womans Seed He the highly praised Triune God himself according to the Testimony of the Scripture hath permitted and set the Enmity 6. So that the Satanical Serpents Seed the unfaithfull wicked corrupt world through Satan and his naked outward fleshly sinfull wicked Diabolical matters also evill heart and Lust of the Eye is governed and driven on this his own Self-seed in and together with his own Love and Wife is persecuted derided scorned despised scandalized worryed and put to death As the Testimony of the Holy Scripture truly and cleerly in to all the Saints witnesseth and manifesteth 7. But this Holy Divine Womans Seed in and to the Saints hath after many kinds and wayes appeared as in Adam and Eve after the Fall and after that through Christ the Triune highly praised God himself the promise of the perfect Womans Seed of the Messiah was spoken and pronounced to them the strong Hope Faith and Confidence in this Womans Seed was openly caused to sound forth from them As indeed Eve in this assured Faith mentioned the LORD Messiah saying her first born sonne Cain was the Man of the LORD 8. In Abel this holy Womans Seed and Lamb of God manifested it self in which Faith he also sacrificed to the Lord and caused his holy praise and Thanksgiving to ascend to God the highest Good and thereupon he was slain by the Serpents seed Cain 9. In Enoch the holy Womans seed manifested it self so powerfully that through and with God in the holy Faith the Mother together with the Holy Birth went Bodily into Heaven 10. In Noah this holy Womans seed and living substantiall word of God manifested it self so powerfully with Teaching Preaching Prophesying Reproving and admonishing to Repent Instructing Comforting and Divine Confirmation in and to the building of the Ark pointing at the Future Deluge which holy womans seed also his Faithfull Parents with living voyce at his Birth testified and said this will Comfort us in our Misery 11. This holy Womans seed in Abraham was witnessed by the high divine Majesty from Heaven it self the most holy Triunity which in the outward form of the Persons of Three Men One LORD caused himself to be manifestly heard saying In this thy seed shall all people be blessed understand those which beleeve in him and suffer him to rule them 12. This holy Womans seed was witnessed also by the Triune God Christ Jesus himself in Isaac In Rebecca was manifested in her womb before the Birth both this Holy Womans and also the Serpents seed in which the unbelief and Serpents seed Esau out of the Saw or Swine of Unbelief 13. Which persecuted the Holy Faiths seed of the holy Woman in Rebecca Jacob and beat and
in Christs death and put on HIS Resurrection out of the GRAVE That the Man which dyeth according to Flesh in the Limit which God hath set or appointed viz at the Last DAY should ARISE out of Christs Death 79. He hath given us his Death and Buriall for a REST where the OUTWARD Body resteth from the working of vanity as in a meek soft Sleep 80. But what this Authour sets down concerning the opposition of the totall fleshly Man that the Earthly Man which he calleth the Serpents Seed despiseth contemneth derideth and persecuteth Christ in his Members and continually crucifieth and putteth them to death together with Christ that is so and cannot otherwise be 81. For when Christ is become born then the Man of Sinne in his self-hood MUST dye the Faithfull Man becometh himself an Enemy of his own Sinnes in the Flesh the Faithfull Man according to the Heavenly Substance is indeed yea undeniably the Bride of CHRIST in whom Christ dwelleth that I contradict not 82. But that this Authour sets it down that Christ was born a poor despised Infant in the highest Lowlinesse out of MARY and yet was equall in the Height of the Triune God and LORD there he should better explain it and shew wherein he is the Triune God and LORD 83. Not according to the Creature viz according to our Flesh and Soul which is Eternally under or beneath God but according to his Divine and according to the Heavenly Substantiality and Corporeity wherewith he came from Heaven and took our Substance upon him 84. The divine Substance is unmeasurable BOTH according to Spirit and Corporeall Substance but our humane Substance is measurable to our humane Substance the Power or Authority is given but to the divine nothing CAN be given 85. God will judge the humanity through the voyce of the humanity of Christ so that the humanity of Christ according to our humanity is the Instrument to do it with Not that our humanity in Christs Person and Creature hath the power or authority out of it self 86. It is a given power or authority from the Father As Christ himselfe saith ALL Power or Authority in Heaven and upon Earth is given me of my Father Matth 28. Not to the self-hood of the Creature that the Creature is as Omnipotent and self powerfull as GOD but that the CREATURE is the Instrument whereby the Spirit of God will Judge and separate ALL things 87. The Spirit of the Holy Trinity IN the Creature is the will and the Creature is the Instrument of performance as through a cleer visible open Image and Substance seeing God hath manifested himself through the Creature therefore through the Creature also he produceth a Manifested or revealed authority or power and Dominion 18. As an Artist fitteth an Instrument of Musick and himself strikes or playes upon it that it may sound and give melody to him SUCH as he would sain HEAR Thus also in like manner the Creature is Gods Instrument upon which God striketh or playeth and hath introduced his own sound out of the divine voyce into this Creaturely Lute which soundeth and Melodizeth to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will 89. This Lute doth not play upon it self for CHRIST saith also All whatsoever the Sonne seeth the Father do that the Sonne doth also And the word which I speak to you is not mine but the Fathers who dwelleth in me Also I and the Father are One but the Father is greater than I. 90. The Father is the Eternall Beginning and the Sonne is the Eternall Begun viz the Manifestation of that Spirit which is called Father and the Holy Spirit is that which the Father through the Sonne Manifesteth with the Eternall outspoken wisdome out of the sound which the Father with the Sonne Generateth 91. The Sonne is the Fathers sound or word and the Creature is the cleer or Loud manifested word through which the Father in the Eternall Generating of his holy word soundeth or speaketh 〈◊〉 hear the Creature viz the voyce of the Person CHRIST then I hear what the Father in his holy sound in the exit of his Holy Spirit manifesteth and expresseth in and with the Creature 92. Here it is not called beloved Woman or Wife with or as to the Creature but Gods Image Gods Manifestation Gods manifest Dominion Gods own Doing or self-acting viz the invisible and incomprehensible acting through a visible comprehensible image and Substance of his own propriety 93. For without God there is Nothing HE alone is ALL but all whatsoever is perceptible or comprehensible that is only an Image of the Invisible Divine Substance wherewith the Invisible hath Manifested or revealed it self 94. Therefore the Creature should NOT say of it self that it self is any thing but introduce its ability into THAT out of which it is originated that it may be the Omniscient Gods work and play or Melody in his Love that it may do what he will and SO God be ALL in ALL. 95. And if God will do any thing through his Creature and manifest his will then speaketh not the Creature from or of it self but saith Thus saith the LORD thus hath the Lord spoken this is the Command of the Lord and not esteem it self at all to be the speaking Word or divine Sound also not say with this outward Body that the outward Body is espoused with Gods Holinesse as this Authour sets it down 96. The inward Man is indeed together with or in Gods Harmony through which God soundeth and Singeth and is a Wedding-Place or City of God but all whatsoever is Creaturely is tinder or beneath that which hath made the Creature The Creature is Gods Artifice or workmanship which he hath made through his wisdome for it is the Nature it standeth in the Principle viz in a Beginning but God standeth in NONE God is without all Beginning his desire maketh Beginning 97. But what this Authour saith concerning the woman of Faithfull Flesh and Bloud is not spoken plain enough to be understood For Flesh and Bloud beleeveth not but the Spirit Flesh and Bloud is a House of the Spirit 98. And what he also setteth down concerning the Man CHRIST who is in the Marriage with the Woman cannot at all be spoken of the outward Flesh and Bloud of this Life time for Christ is himself the Woman and the Man God and Man 99. Of the Inward Man it may WELL be spoken that is in the Marriage with Christ but the Outward is in the Marriage with the Outward World and with the vanity and Sinne as also with Death and Corruptibility weaknesse sicknesse and Misery THAT is called Eve and not the Marriage City of God in Gods holinesse as this Authour saith it is 100. But a waste Tabernacle wherein the Spirit is perished understand the Outward Spirit which dwelleth in Flesh and Bloud not that we would or should DESPISE the Spirit viz the Soul of the Great