Selected quad for the lemma: father_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	person_n	son_n	true_a	14,186	5	5.5218	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55474	Theologia mystica, or, The mystic divinitie of the aeternal invisibles, viz., the archetypous globe, or the original globe, or world of all globes, worlds, essences, centers, elements, principles and creations whatsoever by a person of qualitie, J.P., M.D.	Pordage, John, 1607-1681.; Lead, Jane, 1623-1704.; Hooker, Edward.	1683 (1683)	Wing P2968; ESTC R8838	181,392	278

and third Number And if all would keep to these expressions it would take away much contention about words There are others who are so far displeased with the word Person that they would only have the Trinity to be three denominations of one and the same thing but this is too short to express the essential distinction of Father Son and Spirit and is as much in one extream as the word Person is in the other I now proceed to open the Mystery of the Holy Trinity which consists in two particulars viz. Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity And first concerning Unity in Trinity The Eternal Unity varies forth it self into an Eternal Trinity were there no Unity there could be no Trinity because from the Unity the Holy Trini●● doth proceed as from its Eternal ground Object But you will say if the Eternal Vnity be ●●● ground whence the Holy Trinity doth proceed then there i● Quaternity in the God-head Answ. This is a mistake for the Eternal Unity ●● the Father were there no Father there would be n● Son nor Holy Ghost therefore here is no Quaterni●● but a Trinity Thus you see the Father hath va●●●● forth himself into the Son and Holy Spirit The F●●ther is not the Son nor the Son the Father and t●● Holy Ghost is neither the Father nor the Son but the●● are distinct in themselves This distinction of the H●●ly Trinity the Scripture teacheth us in the place fo●● cited 1 Ioh. 5.7 where they are distinguished First By their Names Father Word and Spirit Secondly By their Order the Father first the S●● second and then the Spirit Thirdly In their Numb●● as one two an● three Fourthly By their relative properties which are i●cluded in their Names of Father Son and Spirit Wer● there no Father there could be no Son and if no So●● neither could there be a Father and if neither Fathe● nor Son were there could be no Spirit proceeding fro● them both The Trinity being thus distinguished let us spe●● briefly of each of them a sunder Quest. What is God the Father Answ. God the Father is the first original beginning of the Trinity were there no beginning there could be no end were there no first number there could be no second or third in the Trinity God the Father therefore is the Eternal beginning of the Holy Trinity God the Father must be either from himself that is from his own Divine Essence or else from the Eternal World or Eternal Nature's Essence but neither of them were yet existent wherefore we must conclude that except the Father had taken his Beginning from his own Eternal Unity he could not have been the first beginning of the Trinity In the second place I say that God the Father is the Eternal Generator of the Son or word who is the second person in the Holy Trinity Quest. What is God the Son Answ. God the Son is the Second number of the Trinity were there no Son there would be no Father He is the Center and Heart of the Trinity He is generated of the Father before the Eternal World or Eternal Nature were in being He is the only begotten Son of the Father and is co-eternal co-essential and co-equal with him He is the essential Word of the Father He is the delight of the Father and his well beloved Son in whom he is well pleased Quest. What is the Holy Ghost Answ. He is th● third and compleating number of the Trinity He is an out-flowing breath life or power which proceeds from the Father through the Son and doth execute the will of the Father This out-flowing life and acting power proceeds from the Divine Essence of the Father and the Son and therefore is co-eternal co-essential and co-equal with the Father and Son Quest. Why is not the Holy Ghost said to be begotten of but to proceed from the Father Answ. If the Holy Ghost were begotten of the Father then the Son could not have been the only begotten of the Father and so the Father would have had more Sons then one neither would there have been a distinction between the Son and the Holy Ghost Therefore the Holy Ghost is not said to be generated of the Father but to proceed from the Father and Son as an out-flowing breath of Life and Power The Holy Ghost doth compleat the Trinity and make up the number three so as nothing can be added thereto or diminished the Father cannot be without the Son nor the Son without the Father nor the Holy Ghost without both Father and Son Quest. How is the Vnity in Trinity distinguished in the Eternal World Answ. I have told you before that the Trinity is distinguishable by their Names Number Order and by their relative properties but not by their Natures becaus they have but one Nature and Essence in which oneness of their Nature their Eternal Vnity doth consist Therefore they that would distinguish the Holy Trinity in the Eternal World otherwise than before expressed do run into great confusion The Father is an Eternal Vnity and so is the Son and Spirit the Son is pure Deity and so is the Father and Spirit the Holy Ghost is an Eternal Liberty and so is the Father and Son Therefore these are no distinguishing properties of the Holy Trinity in the Eternal World Some do thus distinguish the Trinity they say the Father is Light the Son Life and the Holy Ghost Love but these cannot be the distinguishing characters of the Trinity because the Father is Light Life and Love and so likewise the Son and Holy Ghost Others would have the Father to be Light the Son Love and the Holy Ghost Power but all these belong to every one of the Trinity and therefore cannot be the distinguishing characters of them Others again would have the Father Fire the Son Light and the Holy Ghost Air but these are elements which are rooted in Eternal Nature's Principle and are not to be found in the Globe of Eternity Others distinguish the Father by the severity of Divine Iustice the Son by Love and Mercifulness whereas in the Eternal World there is no severity of vindictive Iustice known nor any thing of anger or wrath becaus the Holy Trinity stands wholly in the Unity of Love The only distinction of the Holy Trinity in the Eternal World is this That the Father manifesteth himself as a wonderful all-seeing Eye the Son manifests himself as the Center of the Eye and Heart of the Father and the Holy Ghost as an out-flowing Power proceeding from the Father's Eye and the Son's Heart effecting whatsoever the will of the Father in the Eye through the Love-essence seated in the Heart of the Son would have done And thus the Holy Trinity do manifest themselves distinctly in the Eternal World though they all stand in the Eternal Vnity and are not only three Denominations as will be clearly manifested in the third Chapter of this following discourse to which I refer you Now

Virtues and Excellencies which do all proceed f●om the Heart of God as from their Source and Center and they are these following viz. his Love Purity Truth Faithfulness Unchangeableness Goodness Perfection Righteousness and Holyness These are the Essential inseparable Virtues and Perfections of the Divine Nature for they proceed from himself subsist in himself and are himself and from the opening of the Eye are manifested to be such Neither doth this variety of perfections in God in the least destroy or take away his most absolute Unity and Simplicity becaus they all proceed from one root and stand all united in the same as one which root is Love in which all the Excellencies and Perfections of the Divine Nature stand Harmoniz'd in Unity and are but as one Virtue and Perfection Having thus treated of the several Particulars contained in the Heart of God I shall next proceed to a view of some particulars which are not contained in God's original Essence and that from a hint of the Spirit which said expresly to me search diligently what is not to be found in the original Essence of God I did accordingly and I found that no pardoning Mercy nor vindictive Iustice nor Wrath nor Death nor Curse neither any Anguish Sorrow Darkness Evil or Elements were to be found in the solitary abstracted Essence of the Deity I say first no pa●doning Grace or Mercy becaus there was nothing besides himself and consequently no Object which stood in need of Pardon or Forgiveness No vindictive Iustice becaus no object capable of punishment No Anger nor Wrath for God could not be Angry with himself for so contrariety and enmity would be found in the bosom and Center of Eternal Unity and Simplicity No Death for the Deity is a living God yea life it self and the Author of it wheresoever it is No Anguish nor Sorrow becaus God is the Highest and Chiefest Good and consequently must needs be All-triumphing joy All-delight All-pleasure No Darkness becaus God is all Light Light it self and the Source and Center of it No Elements becaus the Deity is the most perfect and absolute Unity and Simplicity without any mixture or composition whatsoever But you will object that I seem to reject Gods vindictive Iustice and to deny his Anger against Sin and Sinners I answer not at all for I do not simply deny God's vindictive Iustice and Wrath but only say that none of these are to be found in the solitary and primary Being of the Deity and are only attributed to him forasmuch as he hath introduced himself into the properties of Eternal Nature And thus much shall suffice to have spoken concerning the Discovery and manifestation which the opening of the Eye gives of the essential Heart of God But in the next place as the opening of the Eye discovers it self and the Heart so it likewise manifests the Deity of the Holy Ghost to be the exit or outgoing emanat●on of both Eye and Heart even a sweet pleasant out-flowing life or power like to a breath or gust of Air proceeding from the Abyssal Eye of the Father as ●rom its Eternal Root and beginning and conveighed through the Heart of the Son as the Golden-Oyl transmitted through the Golden Pipe of the Son 's Essential Love It is the active Life and Power of the Holy Trinity which finisheth the work of true Regeneration in Apostatized Creatures Thus we see ●hat the opening of the Eye doth reveal the total Deity Father Son and Spirit by a true and vitall Representation In the sixth place when the Eye of Eternity opens it manifests God's Corporeity or the Divine Body Object But you 'l object that God hath no body as ●●ing a pure Spirit Answ. To which I answer first by way of Concession that God hath no organicall body like men nei●her like those of the glorified Saints and Angels But in the next place I say that God hath a body such as becomes his high spiritual and refined Nature ●or indeed the opening of the Eye doth clearly discover to the Spirit of the mind that the immense deep ●f the Abyssal Globe of Eternity is God's Vniversal incom●rehensible omnipresent body This is the Eternal Cor●●●eity of the Holy Trinity which comprehends all things being comprehended of none but it self it is univer●●lly in all Beings and diffuss'd through all Beings no●hing can keep it out neither can any thing shut it up It is a free Liberty in it self it stands free from all ●ssences only so farr as it pleaseth to unite it self with ●ny essence With relation to this Vniversal Body it is b●t God styles himself the Alpha and Omega the beginning and end of all Beings all things proceed from it ●nd therefore it is the first and all things subsist in it ●nd therefore it is the last Thus we see that the Holy Trinity have the Globe of Eternity for their body in which ●hey act and move This Body is Wisdome's Crystalline ●lasse wherein all things are truly and intellectually ●epresented to the eye of the mind it is in this deep A●ysse of the Globe of Eternity that all those divine mysteries ●●e discovered and manifested which in the foregoing trea●ise have been made out to you for in this Miroir of Wisedome all the Depths of the Deity stand openly represen●ed to the Eye of the Spirit when a glance from the Eye illustrates its hidden deep We see then that the Globe of Eternity is the body of the Spirit of Eternity yet not an organical Body for what Organs are there in a Globe or Sphear It is such a Body as the Spirit of Eternity can by contraction draw into it self or by dilatation diffuse its into infinity This Body comprehends all worlds and globes within it self and is therefore called the Universal all conteining Body of the Deity By means of this Body the Spirit of Eternity hath brought forth himself into Heighths Depths and Breadths which are formed and distinguished by the Eye for the Eye looking upwards gives an immense heigth to the Globe of Eternity When it look's downwards it forme's the Depths and when on either side the Breadth becaus without the Eye none of these would be determinable in a Globe concerning which we cannot say that it hath heighth or depth So that though the Spirit of Eternity in it self be without any bounds or limits yet he hath been pleased to bound himself in the Globe of E●e●nity and that for the manifestation of himself without which we could have no other but a Negative knowledge of Him We may here also take notice of the figure of this Body which is round or Sphaerical being the most perfect of all figures and therefore most proper ●or the Body of the Deity Who in this also differs from all Creatures who have their distinct organical bodies with great variety of figure whereas the blessed Deity hath the most simple and perfect of all figures to be the outw●●● form of his Corporeity

Son being the co-essential Son of the Father must also be all Light all Life and all Love Thus the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father Neither is the Nature of the Father and Son distinguishable in the still Eternity the Nature of the Father is not severe and wrathfull and that of the Son sweet milde and gentle for this is no way consistent with the one simple nature of the Deity The Father is all Light Life and Love in the Son's Nature and the Son is all Light Life and Love in the Father's Nature the Nature of the Father flows from himself ar the Fountain-head and spring into the Son and from the Son again into the Father and therefore the Son is called the Heart of the Father because he is the fixed Seat of the Father's Light Life and Love Thus we see that neither Angels nor Saints are in this degree codeisied and consubstantiated with the Father for he filleth the still Eternity with the Light Life and Love of his Essentiall Deity in co-equality with the Father Fourthly this Son is the well beloved Son of the Father the Son of his Loves in whom he is fully well pleased satisfied and delighted And indeed how can it be otherwise since he is one being and one nature with the Father the very Heart of the Father and his expresse Image when he is the Beauty Brightness and Excellence of his Father's Glory and exalted to an equality of honour and dominion with the Father as sitting in the same Throne with the Father and possessing the kingdome with him This is the Son whom the Father will have honoured and worshiped as himself and to whom the Father hath committed all Iudgment neither can the one be worshiped without the other they subsisting in each other This is the Son who is exalted by the Father to be Heir of all things In the fifth place this Son is the Essential Christ of God I would not have you stumble at this Expression I might indeed haue omitted it but for the matters sake for you must take notice that I speak here of the Holy Trinity as they exist without Nature and in this state the Son of God cannot properly be called the Christ that is the Anointed because thus considered he is not Anointed to any office for it is after his entring into the properties of Nature that he is Anointed to be the Mediator yet bear with me for using this word improperly because I do it only for this end to give you a more clear and distinct knowledge of what the Son of God is as he exists before Nature as well as what he is in the properties of Eternal Nature But you 'l ask of me why I speak of the Holy Trinity out of and before Nature and particularly why I speak of the Essential Christ of God as existing before Nature I answer that my speaking of the Holy Trinity and particularly of the second person who is the Christ of God as he exists before Nature is only in order to give you a more distinct knowledge of the Son and Christ of God in Nature and to enable you to distinguish between his being out of Nature and his exstence in the properties of Nature This Essentiall Christ is one with the Father it is who is the same yesterday to day and forever even before all time and before Eternal Nature and he is the Co-creation with the Father He is the Word Wisdome Power the Light Life Love the Heart Reighteousness Purity Brigtness Excellency and Glory of the Father in the Father for we must not conceive of him as a distinct Person from the Father because that would destroy the High Unity and Simplicity of Divine Nature which admits of no composition or division nor on the other side must we conceive the Son of God to be only a distinct denomination for we see that in the still Eternity there is a distinct repersentation of the Son from that of the Father and the Holy Ghost For the Son is represented in the Image of an Heart the Father of an Eye and the Holy Spirit in the stream or emanation which issueth from both But you will say is then this Christ the Son of God the Redeemer Saviour Iustifier and Reconciler of Mankind I answer that to speak properly the Son of God as he exists out of and before Eternal Nature is not a Redeemer Saviour c. and that because in this state he hath no relation to any Creature whatsoever and therefore as long as there was nothing for to be redeemed or saved he could not properly be called a Redeemer or Saviour But you 'l say this essentiall Christ the Eternal Son of the Father is not the Christian 's Christ in whom they trust for Redemption Salvation and Glorification 1. I grant that properly he is not first because the object of the ●aith of Christians is a God-man a Christ clothed with Humanity in whom two natures pure Deity and pure Humanity are hypostatically united so that according to his Deity he is true God and according to his Humanity pure man whereas● the Essentiall Christ is not made up of two Natures but is whole Deity Unity and Simplicity being co-essentiall and co-equall with the Father which he could not be if the Humane Nature was joyned with him for then he could not be one Eternall Unity and Simplicity with the Father 2. The Christ of the Christians is born in time even in the fulness of time of the blessed Virgin Mary but the Essential Christ is Co-eternall with the Father and exists from all Eternity with the Father before all time 3. The Christ of the Christians is a personal Christ found and brought forth in flesh in the figure of man being made like unto us in all things sin only excepted but the Essentiall Christ of the Father hath no human figure or organical personality and conseqneutly ●t was impossible for him as such to shed his blood ●pon the Cross for the Redemption of sinners which was the great work of the Christian Christ. 4. The Christ of the Christians arose from the Dead the third day and ascending on high is sat down on the ●ight hand of the Father being made the Head and King over all Angels on mount Sion and over all his Saints and members within the walls of the New Ierusalem but the Essential Christ of God reigns and rules on the same Throne with the Father in the Globe of Eternity over all World ●nd over the Person of Christ in his glorified Corporeity 6. The Christ of the Christian was before promised to be the seed of the Woman and the treader down of the Serpent and it was with reference to this Christ that the Covenant was made with Abraham that all Nations should be blessed in his seed Isack being a type of him and his Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascention and Glorification were shadowed out by the dark types and

that seems to spread it self over a● through all his deep and Mystical writings The First Head What God is before the Globe of Eternity THE subject of this Chapter is What God is in the primary and original being of himself before the Globe of Eternity did exist Quest. If you ask me What this God is that was before the Globe of Eternity was brought into manifestation Answ. I answer That by God in this place I understand the Spirit of Eternity himself as he is an Eternal Unity and Simplicity But what this Eternal Unity and Simplicity of himself is who can tell but himself it being unknowable to any besides himself For no creature can comprehend an infinite unsearchable and incomprehensible Creator therefore none can know what the Spirit of Eternity is out of the Globe of Eternity but himself alone The first manifestation of himself is in the Globe of Eternity there he first becomes knowable to Intellectual creatures but without and beyond it he is as a Nothing to all created understandings being hid and wrapt up in his own unsearchable Mystery Wherefore we conclude That God considered as existing before the Globe of Eternity is absolutely unknowable to all Creatures and this leads me to the second Head or Particular which is handled in the next following Chapter The Second Head which makes the second part of this Treatise What God is in the Primary and original Being of himself in the Globe of Eternity before Eternal Nature's Principle was in Being IF you ask me what God is as he exists in the Globe of Eternity without and before Eternal Nature's Principle I must before I come to give you a more particular Answer to this Query advise you that the knowledge of God as he exists in the Globe of Eternity without eternal Nature is a very deep and Mystical Knowledge though it is true withall that in the Globe of Eternity God is much more Knowable than without it in the solitary abstracted Being of himself for so he is altogether unknowable and incomprehensible Having premised this I now come to answer the foregoing question by explaining these two following particulars viz. 1. What God is with relation to the Globe of Eternity 2. What the Globe of Eternity is wherein God the Spirit of Eternity doth manifest himself Which Particulars I intend to make the subject matters of two Chapters which are to make up this second part CHAP. I. Concerning what God is in relation to his existence in the Globe of Eternity THE Deity existing in the Globe of Eternity is nothing else but First A Spirit of Eternity and this Spirit of Eternity is an uncreated Essence for he could not be a Spirit without being an Essence and were not he uncreated He could not be the Spirit of Eternity Secondly Again the Spirit of Eternity or God as he ●s an uncreated Essence so he exists and subsists in himself and from himself for there is nothing before him or above him from whence he might receive his Being ●nd if there was he c●●ld not be God for the notion of a God in the sence in which it is here taken im●lie a first original Being or Existence that is before ●nd gives existence to all other beings being himself ●ndependent of them all And therefore it is that God ●●yles himself the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and ●he End the first and the last Therefore we must ●onclude that all Worlds and all Creatures derive their ●eing from this Spirit of Eternity and consequently ●hat the Globe of Eternity or Eternal World hath its ●xistence from him since there is nothing can be ex●epted from being the effect of this Universal all-com●rehending cause This the Scripture doth often in●ulcate to us 1 Iohn 3. By him all things are made and ●ithout him nothing was made And again Col. 1.16 All things were created by him and for him Now if this ●e so it follows that the Eternal World or Globe of ●ternity was also created by him And as the Spirit ●f Eternity is the Creator of the Globe of Eternity ●o by consequence he must be supposed to be before it as the cause is before the effect which neither may no● can be confounded together In the third place● I say that the Spirit of Eternity is the Essence of all Essences and the Cause of a Causes For this Spirit of Eternity is the one only tru● God from whom all other beings do at first deriv● their being and in and by whom they are continued i● their subsistence neither could He otherwise be the fir●● and the last the beginning and end of all things Lastly The Spirit of Eternity is an Eternal incom●prehensible and unmeasurable Unity Now this Et●●nal Unity is nothing else but pure Deity and pur● Deity is an Eternal Unity for as an Unity is the begi●●ning of all Numbers so is this Eternal Unity the b●●ginning of all beings Now if God be an Etern●● Unity it follows that there can be no more than o●● God because a plurality of gods would destroy t●● Nature of Unity Besides if t●●re were a plurality ●● gods there must be supposed to be many firsts a●● many beginnings and so the one only God the Sp●●rit of Eternity could not be this Alpha or first a●● beginning of all things But the Scriptures do pere●●ptorily assert that there is but one God so Deut. 6●● Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one God Concerning the Holy Trinity From this Eternal Unity the Holy Trinity is man●●fested of which I must speak somewhat in this plac● because they subsi●ted in the Eternal Unity of th●●●s●lv●s b●fore the Globe of Eternity was manifeste● and were the manifesters of it and therefore m●● needs be bef●re it Now we must know that the H●●● Trinity are inseparably united and do subsist in ●●● Eternal Unity of themselves and are co-operators in a● Generations and Creations whatsoever Concerning the nature of the Holy Trinity as they subsist in the Globe of Eternity The nature of the Holy Trinity considered in themselves as they exist in the Globe of Eternity without and before eternal Nature is a very great Mystery Many disapprove that the word Person should be applied to the Trinity because their Spirits in the sight of Vision and light of Revelation never could perceive any personality in the Holy Trinity And indeed nothing is more true than that there are no figurative persons in the Deity Neither doth the Scripture in any place tell us of three persons in the Trinity but when it speaks of the Trinity it expresseth it self thus There be three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy G●●●● and these three are one 1 Ioh. 5.7 Hence it is that Mystical writers instead of the word Person make use of the words of Number to signifie the Trinity by calling the Father Monas the Word Duas and the Holy Ghost Trias which may be ●nterpreted the first second

pure virginity doth not only consist in this that she is free from all manner of spot blemish or mixture but especially in this that her bright glance is from all Eternity fixed upon the flaming heart of God's love which is the Center of the Holy Trinity This flaming ●eart of Love is the sole Object to which her regard is fastned continually she receives nothing into her self but this divine Love from the heart of God She espouseth her self to nothing inclineth her self to nothing but only to this essential Love the Word of God fixed in the Heart of the Deity Thus the Holy Trinity have their delight with wisdom and again the whole joy and delight of wisdom is the flaming Love of the blessed Trinity She is exalted above all things because of her beauty and immaculate purity she is the highest purity she is purity and virginity in the abstract She cannot be touched by sin evil or self because she cannot mix with nor incline to any thing but only the essential Love of God She is free from all essences whatsoever being nothing else but the unspotted mirrour of the glory and excellency of God and thus we have declared to you what that pure Virginity is which is one of the essential properties of God's wisdom 3. I now proceed to the third and last head viz. What the office of Wisdom is in the still Eternity I find that Wisdom dischargeth these two offices viz. 1. She is a revealer of the Mysteries and hidden wonders of the Deity 2. She is an enlightner of the still Eternity First As for the first of these Scripture and Revelation assure us That Wisdom is the revealer and manifester of the unsearchable secrets of God she is the golden Key of the Eternal Eye by which all the wonders of the Trinity are unlocked As the office of the Holy Ghost is to effect and create all things so the office of Wisdom is to manifest and reveal all things She never brings forth any thing and upon that account also is called a pure Virgin but only discovers and manifests whatsoever the Holy Trinity by their effecting-creating-power are pleas'd to bring forth This Wisdom is the companion of the Eye of Eternity by her out going glance revealing the wonders contained in it She is as an Handmaid waiting upon the Holy Trinity to declare publish and make known their counsels secrets and wonders Secondly The other office of Wisdom is to give Light to the deep Abyss of the still Eternity It is Wisdom's bright glance which is the day and light of this most holy mansion not a created Light but a pure divine Light in that sence as God is called a Light in whom is no darkness at all and no otherwise But you will object That the Holy Scriptures and Divine Philosophers seem to give a different account concerning Wisdom than I have here given To which I answer That I easily grant that the Scriptures of Truth and holy enlightned Men have spoken concerning Wisdom after another manner than here I have done and the reason of it is plain for they speak of Wisdom after the production of Eternal Nature as Wisdom is introduced into the seven forms of Eternal Nature whereas I speak of Wisdom's existence with the Holy Trinity in the still Eternity before ever Eternal Nature was brought forth The fourth Wonder which my Spirit was made to take notice of in the still Eternity was the Seven Spirits of God which stand before the Throne of the Holy Trinity Saint Iohn doth oft make mention of these in the Revelation but he speaks of them there as they were seen by him on mount Zion in the New Ierusalem after their being introduced into the working properties of pure Nature whereas I treat of them here a● they were seen in the still Eternity before the existence of pure Nature out of which the New Ierusalem is created and brought forth by the Holy Trinity And accordingly we are to distinguish between these seven Spirits here mentioned and those seven generating fountain-Spirits out of which pure Nature and her ●lements were generated according to the highly en●ightned Behme for those are the working powers of Eter●al Nature whereas these are in the still Eternity which ●as before Eternal Nature co-existing with the Holy Tri●ity and Divine Wisdom in the still Eternity What I have further to declare concerning these se●en Spirits I shall refer to these following particu●ars First I shall speak of their Number in the second place of their Birth and Originality thirdly of their Nature fourthly of their Office and fifthly and lastly of their place in the still Eternity 1. For the first viz. their Number which is Seven for so they were named to me the Seven Spirits of God They do indeed subsist one in another and through another and appear but as one power yet they are seven in number even seven distinguishable powers flowing from and rooted in the Unity of the Trinity They were not distinguished to me by their several Names but only by their Number though I know that as they are in Eternal Nature they enjoy ●heir several distinct Names but it is not time now to speak of them because here we consider them as existing in the still Eternity out of and before Eternal Nature 2. As to their Birth and Originality they spring and proceed from the Temple-body of the Holy Ghost as well as they have their subsistence in the same for as Wisdom is a beam or glance proceeding from the Father's Eye and subsisting in the same so these seven Spirits or seven lustrous Powers proceed from the Divine Body of the Spirit as from their source and original and subsist in the same as in their true ground 3. The third perticular I am to speak to is the Nature of these seven Spirits which I shall endeavour to declare to you in these following Propositions 1. The ●irst is this The seven Spirits of God are 〈◊〉 many various outgoing Powers immediately proceed●ing from the Body of the Holy Ghost they are th● true fruits of the Spirit they are as so many derive● streams from the head and fountain-stream the Hol● Ghost They are a variation of that one all-effecting power of the Holy Spirit For as the supreme Unity varieth it self into a Trinity so the all-effecting power of the Trinity varieth it self into a Septenary or seven Spirits 2. In the second place these seven Spirits are co-essential Powers with the Holy Ghost and consequently with the whole Trinity for they immediately p●oceed from the Essence of the Holy Ghost they are essences out of his essence and therefore must needs be co-essential with him 3. Thirdly the seven Spirits of God are co-etern●l with the Holy Spirit for they exist together with the Holy Trinity which was never without these Spirits proceeding from them and consequ●ntly these seven Spirits must needs be co-eternal with the Blessed Trinity But here we must not