the true holy Tincture 5. The watry Spirit begotten by the devoration of the Fire viz. its death Which also it must have again for its Life else neither Firenor Light could subsift so there is an Eternal giving and receiving The 8th Chapter of the Creation and Dominion of Angels and the 9th Chapter of the Fall of Lucifer and the 10th of the Creation of Heaven and the outward World and the 11th of the Mystery of the Creation Are all clearly deeply and largely treated of in the Aurora viz. Aurora CHAP. XII Of the Six Days Work 1. THough there is no Night in the Deep above the Moon yet in the length of six Days and Nights was all Created which hath this subtle acute meaning viz. six of the Properties of Nature only belong to the active Dominion to good and evil The seventh is the Essence House Body or Rest wherein all the other work 2. The Planetick Orb which is the Figure of the six Properties of the Spiritual World belongeth to the punctum of Sol. But Saturn doth not proceed from the Sun 3. The First Day With the Word when God said let there be Light the holy Power which was amassed in the wrath viz. the confusion caused by Lucifer moved it self and became Light by which the Devils strength wholly withdrew and the Light viz. that of Nature was wholly useless to him and the Darkness being severed remained in the wraths Property both in the Earth and the whole Deep 4. Of the Second Day As the Moon ruleth the first Hour so is this the most External or Inferiour Heaven next the Earth and the Laboratory of the other six Properties See more of the Second Day in the 20th Chapter of the Aurora p. 254. 5. Of the Third Day of the Creation Mars rules the first Hour on Tuesday on this third Day God moved the third Property of Nature viz. the Sulphurous in which the Saltish and Mercurial were also mutually unfolded and severized by the Salnitral flagrat from the poysonful Mars for they felt the Light and became hungry till they were coagulated 6. In which Joy arose unto pullulation and growth or vegetation for when the Light springeth up in the water source Mars springeth up for great Joy in the Sulphur so came Grass and Trees The Inward Nature made it self External and yet remained also Internal Yet therewith did the Properties of the dark world press in also whence came poysonous Roots and Weeds CHAP. XIII Of the Creation of the Fourth Day 1. MErcurins hath the first Hour giving a sensitive feeling Life In the third is only an insensitive Life but now in the Fire is a painful and in the Oleous a meek joyful Life 2. This Light of Nature hath a Fiery Airy Oily and Watry Property yet no Intellective Life but only Properties to Life 3. The Intellectual Life is the spirated word from the free Lubet whence comes a Sulphur Salnitri that is a Magical Astrum in manner of Mans Mind which hath thence its real Original 4. The whole Astrum is a breathed Voice or Tone of the Powers An Eccho out of Gods Love and Anger the Dark and Light World Out of this have the four Elements their Original and they speak forth a Corporeal Essence and the Stars breathe a Spiritual both which rule in the visible World as Soul and Body 5. And from the four Astrums is procreated the Soul of the outward World as an enduring great Mind or Mystery 6. And in this Office hath God raised up a King or as a God of Nature the Sun with the other six Planets his Counsellors or Assistants First the Nature-God the Sun receiveth its Lustre from the Tincture of the inward Fire and Light-world Next Venus giveth Body to all the seven Metals CHAP. XIV Of the Creation of the Fifth Day 1. JUpiter rules the first Hour of that day The superior Astrum actuated the four Astrums in the four Elements all from the motion of the holy Eternal speaking Word into Forms according to the Properties of the Astrum in the Spiritual Body And thence were Creatures in the Astrum of every of the four Elements produced Birds in the Astrum of the Air Fishes in that of the Water Beasts in that of the Earth and Spirits in the Astrum of the Fire 2. The two Sexes the Male and its Female arise one from the Tincture of the Fire the other of the Water as of Fire and Light CHAP. XV. Of the Sixth Days Work of the Creation Vide Chapter 21. of the Aurora p. 254. CHAP. XVI Of the difference of the Heavenly and Earthy Man 1. THE Image of God Created unto Eternal Life in Paradise cannot be the gross Property of Earthy Bestial Flesh for the Properties of the inward holy Body and outward were in Adam compos'd in equal Harmony and gave up their desires to the Soul in which the Divine Light shone as in the holy Heaven The Properties were all Tinctur'd with the sweet Love delight For the inward holy Man of the pure Element penetrated and swallowed up the outward as Light doth Darkness which when extinguished the darkness is manifested 2. But the Earthy Bestial and Corruptible Body made so by the Lust of Adam is not the Man for what the Soul is in the Spirit the same is the true Humane Body in the Essence As the Souls Mansion and as Iron is made Lustrous when through heated in the Fire Neither Heat Cold Sickness c. could annoy him his Body was as Gold that endureth the Fire or as a Tincture penetrating all things and gives way to nothing So neither was Man subject to any thing but his God alone who dwelt in him 3. Nor are here two but one only Man in the Likeness of God See more of this in the 21. Chap. of the Aurora in the 10th Chap. of the Three Principles and that of the Incarnation and that of Predestination Chap. 5. 4. Of the Creation of the seventh Day God Created all things in six Days out of the seven Properties and brought them all into the seventh as into one Body which is a Mystery of all the other whence they came and in which they work as a Spiritin a Body The seventh Property standeth still as a sensless Life but the seventh and the first Properties mutually belong to one another as one Property CHAP. XVII Of Paradise 1. THE Garden of Eden was a place on Earth where Man was tempted but Paradise was the Seventh Days Property the Essentiality of the second Principle which penetrated the four Elements as Eternity doth Time as the Sun the Fruit as the Day â—wallows up the Night or as the Fire illustrateth the heated Iron Yet was no more apprehended by the outward Elements though then in their best Purity than the Terrestrial doth the Celestial The Internal was to rule over the External the Heaven was the Husband to the Earth before the
enkindle the other Senses making it thereby a poor Cottage but badly furnished to serve the Noble Eternal Soul and sweet penetrating intelligent Spirit 5. But the Sun c. is a Principle deeper shewn among other ways by their secret irresistible Agitations and vigorous Influences on all adapted Subjects as also by their unaltered steadiness 6. The last and lowest Principle in the Spirit of this World is the wrathful mortal transient mutable Birth This is one sad consequence of Man's departure from and prophaning of the Holy Powers and of the Evil Angels introducing the dark fierceness of the Properties of the first Principle into the Mystery or Chaos out of which the Fiat by the Separator produced This whole Outward World For the Evil had planted it self in the deep of this Out-birth probably bounded by the Primum Mobile and was call'd by Moses a darkness on the face of the deep 7. And this fierceness is part of the heavy Load thorny Cross severe School and rigorous trying Fire of the Regenerate Sons of God The same is also part of the Over-load Plague and Torment of the Rebellious who in their Anguish curse and look upward And the same is also the vanity and misery the Creatures groan and travel in pain under who shall be delivered from it But the Spirit of This cannot look into the Divine World and if it endeavours to snatch the Virgin Image it is but as a Thief Q. 29. What is the Sperm or Seed of the Generation of all things A. 1. By Sperm is meant a Seed Root or Ens yielding matter or substance out of which Form is produced And by all things meant in the Question is understood all the Out-world consisting of Stars Elements and their Concretes To which thus understood it is answered 2. That there is an Immediate Cause of all things that may be call'd a Root Seed or Sperm for to believe the Visible World to be its own Cause were Heathenism 3. The Answer is brancht 1. Negatively That this Immediate Cause or Sperm cannot be one of the Principles for in one Principle all Varieties and Properties are not found but in This World is a commixture of all Varieties and Properties Not an Herb or Flower purely a simple but a composition made up of many Properties 4. Nor can This Sperm be all the three Principles themselves for so is nothing below Infinity no not the Divine World but the Omnipotent is the alone Possessor of all the three Principles in him only they all subsist 5. Nor infinitely less can it be God a thought of which were derogatory to the Purity and unapproachable Light and Holiness of His Nature and Essence 6. If therefore the Sperm be not one Principle having but part of the Properties nor all three united because they are inseparably in the One God and that all Properties owe their Fountains to them This Sperm can but only be a product from the same Principle according to and after all the Properties It is therefore not a beginner of Existence but a begun Existence not a beginner of Life but a begun Life 7. Now for an Affirmative Answer The Sperm of all Visible things is a Spiritual and to our outward Eyes Invisible Ens consisting of and containing all the Powers Properties Vertues Varieties and every distinct Genus and Species potentially which the Visible World hath in its multiform express divided parcels 8. It must be confessed to be the great Mystery great because in its womb lie all things A Mystery because all is wrapt up in it and spring from it 9. It is also the Eternal Nature Nature being generated by the Principle and furnished with the Native Birth of all the Properties Eternal as it is the Root of the Temporary Creation and its Centre Retreat and Aether 10. It may also be call'd a Quintessence as it contains in Union all the four Elements and Astral Birth It is the Image and Imager the impresser and bringer into Forms of the whole three Principles and seven Fountain Spirits the Mirrour of all Forms and Powers Is it objected God's Creating all things by His Word is a giving Being where none was exclusive of all Intermediate Causes and the Out-birth was a substance from a Nullity or Vacuum 11. It is answered It is no derogation of Omnipotence having out of himself spoken an excellent Image of himself a Power-world or other Creature that the same generateth more even to Infinity The Trees Fowl Fish Man as well as Elements had all seed in themselves Thus a Carpenter makes Tools and with them makes more 12. The Apostle saith That by Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God so that the things that are seen were not made of things that do appear he saith not they were made of no pre-existent matter but not of things that do appear 13. And Moses recording the Generation of Heaven and Earth saith And the Earth was without Form and void and darkness was on the face of the deep And again The Spirit of God moved on the face of the Waters Loe â—ere is something call'd Earth something call'd Water and some space call'd deep before so much as Light was call'd for But how the Earth Water and Space prove this great Mystery Eternal Nature or Quintessence to have priority of Existence and what that Matter and Space import will fall under the Questions yet behind more properly than here whomsoever God shall enlighten to make Answers to them Q. 30. What is the distinction or difference of the Sperm or Seed betwixt Metals Stones and Vegetables viz. Herbs Trees and Earthy things or Mineral Earths A. 1. David saith With the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure and with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward The Light and Heat of the Sun exciteth the Mercury and Sulphur to germinate in the Saline Property and so prosper all Vegetations in quite contrary Qualities with equal vigour 2. For as we may not multiply Principles nor Properties so neither may we Sperms all of which may be distinguished rather than divided 3. Their known number and distributions are fully sufficient to methodize innumerable Concretes not admitting the least disorder or confusion but yet abounding with infinite variety and every individual duly ranged into an exact order and subjection as of all the seven so especially of some one who hath peculiar Superiority 4. Hence is it that the Roots Herbs Fruits and Seeds sort themselves after the seven Properties and in them the Sperm is various either as the Spirit of the World or Astral Spirit impresseth the Infusing Matter or Sperm in some according to the Evil Dark Impression and such have much malignity some especially 〈◊〉 mortally vitiated 5. Others in which the Astral Spirit impresseth on the infused Sperm a vertue according to the Light Divine Kingdom subliming those Vegetatives to be cordial sanative and restorative All as the
naturally arising from the Eminence of his necessary Evangelical Work sharpen'd the Spirits of the Priests c. with Rage 5. We see with horror what the Effect of Judas knowing him was Objection But these are not significant to his state after the Resurrection Answ. Though the Objection be Digressive yet then consider 6. What use Antichrist makes of her Knowledge of this profound Humiliation Life Passion Resurrection viz. to be wholly sollicitous in the outside 1. Of Things 2. Times 3. Places viz. 4. 1. That the Things may be Figur'd Grav'd or Painted and those Products of Humane Fancy adored The â—iner Antichrist Talks Writes Preaches the Things as a History Believing which imaged History do flatter themselves to secure Eternal Blessedness though they live and die â—nmorâ—ified and in another Principle and propose to themselves to wit the third Principle and Self yet Pride themselves with woâ—â—â— â— Time they devise for Idleneâ—â— Licentiousness and Prophane Rioâ—ousness call'd Saints Days 3. Places they hallow of Assembling Consecrating stone Walls and Structures and one part of those must be more Sacred than the rest and name the Places by Saints Names c. 5. Whether any of the Disciples during that Forty days had not beheld him is not said therefore it may seem they all saw him and why not being seen of above Five hundred Brethren at once 6. But there is one thing still to be said which may be read and heard of but not known by Human Wit or Art or comprehended by Astral Reason viz. That Christ had nor hath more nor fewer Witnesses of his Resurrection than those who were risen with him risen in him and he risen in them these Children of the Day witness his Resurrection by his Voice to and in them they know his shape and most lovely form for his true Image is in them they Dine with him his heavenly Humanity is the Flesh and Blood their hungry Souls really truly and substantially do Eat and Drink their fiery Property is allayed by the meekness of his Living-water they as the Hem of Aaroâ—'s Vesture partake of some of the Holy Oil poured on his Head 7. Of these things Man's sharpest Penetration without Regeneration and Mortification discerneth as the blind sinful hardened Multitude would have done had they viewed the Lord after his Resurrection perhaps to gaze or adore the place they saw him at but persecure his Image never a jot the less Or be astonish'd as Saul's Company were seeing only the Light 8. This Resurrection is the subverting gaining upon and over the Disorders of the four Forms or Properties of the first Principle which without the vertue of the second would image the third Principle in them or Image themselves therein getting on meer Fig-leaves But in such where this Resurrection is beginning though in some it is like the uncovering of Fire for the Passions catch and burn the more being curb'd and put under a Law yet light is the natural consequent of that Combustion 9. In another Form Class or Degree of Christians who have made Progress this new life is more apparent who yet sometimes by their Drousiness their habitual Evils return and foil them for such are left a while as those Canaaâ—ices as Thorns and Goaâ—s to exercise their Faith Diligence and Circumspection c. 10. But in those excellent Souls the sealed ones where the Resurrection is moâ—â— conspicuous there as in Torches or Candles is little trouble intrinsically in emitting their flames of Light from any inward Defects but their burthen and disturbance is from blasts without either of the Sins of others which like many bordering Vapours conspire into a Fog to hinder the executing their Holy Purposes and bent of their Souls to enlighten the Spirits of those they converse with perhaps by Calumnies Or else their cross is from stormy Persecution to terminate their Course or torment them in it in all which they are with the sweet Spirit of the first-born from the Dead to encounter Oppoâ—ers and with unconquerable Patience to offer up themselves and abide by it content to pass through manâ— Deaths be Partakers of their Lord's Entertainment hold their Testimony and finish their Course for the day is breaking in such which may have Clouds but never shall Night invade it for it is the entrance on the holy pure Paradisical Life Q. 140. Why did Christ after his Resurrection converse Forty days on Earth before he went or was taken up to Heaven What doth that signifie A. 1. This Question Demands 1. Why Christ conversed 40 days c. Also 2. What iâ— signified To the first the Causes obâ—â—â—â—â— to commâ—â— understanding were 1. Tâ— confirm the Faith of the Disciples And 2 To found the Faith of successive Generations concerning the Resurrection 3. To Leave the obstinate Jews and others inexcusable 2. To the second what it signified 1. That as Adam in his time of tryal went out of the Eternal day into the two Principles of the dark Abyss and Out-birth so Christ now brought back the same two Principles harmoniously into the Eternal Day 2. To shew openly in his Body that was dead and is alive for ever the Victory over Death and Hell 3. To shew the Holy Paradisical Life which Adam should have continued in viz. The perfect Image of the Almighty Trinity in every of the three Principles That is how his first illustrated by the second was to be imaged and figured by the third over which he was to rule 1. By conserving his Pure Holy Virgin state as the second Adam did Also 2. To Eat and Drink as the Lord then did those 40 days in a Paradisical Heavenly manner in the Mouth only not with filthy Guts c. but as did the Angels with Abraham 3. To have comprehended and been able to pass through all the compressed or condensed Bodies irresistibly unapprehended not excluded but as light through Crystal penetrating all Astral and Elementary Existences as the Eye of Eternity doth time Q. 141. What is Christs going or Ascension to Heaven that he did visibly ascend Whither is he arrived and where is he now at present A. 1. This Deep is our World here was the Throne of Lucifer and in this World or Space is our Heaven yet not in this World but in the Heaven that comprehendeth this World but this World cannot comprehend it as Time cannot comprehend Eternity 2. The sharp Power and Omnipotence of the Father is the true Centre as of all Worlds so of Heaven and the gracious Omnipotence or true second Principle is the true Centre of Holiness and Purity in the whole Abyss of the Father and especially if it may be so spoken the Heaven of Heavens who as he is the Mediator the Christ the First-born of every Creature is on the Throne and is himself the Throne sitting on the right Hand of God that is at the place
the snuff of a Candle is â—id in the Centre of the Light as is appâ—râ—nt iâ— Lucifer â— Now how we may conceiue that God is an â—â—gry zealous God and a gracious merciful God the seven Species or Circumstance must be 〈…〉 to win The 1. Astringent 2. Sweet 3. Bitter 4. Heat 5. 〈◊〉 6. Tone or Sound 7. The Body generated out of the other six Spirits 6. The sweet Quality flâ—eth from the bitter which is the cause of the growth of Fruit in Vegetables and the Astringent and bitter eagerly pursue it cloaths it and is the cause of a stalk and when it overtakes it strives to hinder its farther flight and so comes the knot in the stalks through which is a small Orifice the sweet Quality gets through that and then comes more stalk leaves and blossoms which by the external heat and light gets colours but the sweet Water is not a Mother strong enough to produce Fruit but the blossoms being fallen off the outward Heat with the united aid of all the Qualities bringeth the Fruit. 7. The Light riseth up only in the sweet Quality no thing can be kindled but that in which the sweet Quality is predominant for the Spirit riseth up only in the Water A Stone or Earth cannot be kindled because the Astringent and bitter Qualities are predominant in them only The Earth when the earthy quality is boyl'd out is brought as in Gun-powder to give a flash of Terror wherein the Devil in the anger of God representeth himself 8. But that the Water will not burn is because it is not the sweet Water but Elementary only Else Water were not Mortal Flesh shineth not but fat doth the sweet quality prevailing therefore lean Creatures are not merry Q. Where are the seven Spirits 9. A. All Heaven and this World and all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth are comprehended in them Q. Seeing God is every where and is himself all How comes heat cold wrath and fierceness among the Creatures 10. A. The first four Forms are at Enmity with each other without the Light and yet are the cause of the Life 11. Know that all within the Stars was a holy Salitter and the place of Lucifer whose proud Elevation kindled the seven qualifying and Fountain-Spirits all was burning The Astringent compacted so vigorously that Stones were generated and so Cold that the sweet Water became Ice and part thick stinking and raging Poison 12. Whereupon Lucifer was thrust out and instantly insued the Creation of this World and the hard spoiled corrupt matter which had wrought out it self in the kindling the seven Qualities was driven together whence Earth and Stones came to be and after that all the Creatures were made of the kindled Salitter of the seven Spirits of God their kindling made the fierceness of one Property against another and the Creatures from the same impulse do bite and annoy each other 13. Upon which the Universal God hath Decreed the last Judgment to separate the Good unto the meek Delight which was before the kindling by Lucifer and give that which is fierce and wrathful to be an Habitation for the Devil for ever The Good Men being Eternally with their King Jesus Christ. CHAP. X. 1. THE sixth Fountain Spirit is the Sound Tone or Noise 1. Whence is the singing Melody of the Angels and all Colours and Beauty are from the Tone or Mercurius 2. Hardness is the Father but the whole Salitter is the Mother for if the hardness were both Father and Mother a Stone would sound and ring 3. But where the Light is generated out of the Heat there riseth the sound viz. The Astringent Quality rubbeth it self with the bitter making Heat rise up in the sweet Water the flash of Light distinguisheth there and iâ—pregnâ—teth the bitter and Astringent so that the moving Spirits would speak Then the flash coming from the bitter breaketh open the hard and the Tone goeth forth as it was decreed in the Centre in the middle of the Circle the Council of the seven Spirits 4. Therefore all the Veins and Powers go into the Tongue that the Noise may go forth gently 5. Of the seven Spirits six always generate the seventh without every one there would not be any one 6. But the Author saith his naming of but two or three to the Nativity of a Spirit is though he saw them all seven well yet because of his weakness he could not bear the speculating them all at once in their Perfection but in part 7. Otherwise if a thought through the Centre of Nature could penetrate all the Forms it were free from the Bond of Nature 8. From the flash comes the Light of the Majesty therefore if any one could in his flesh comprehend the flash kindling it self in the central Fountain of the Heart which the Author saith he very well saw how it is that Person could clarifie or transfigure his Body therewith and be like the Angels and no more bestial 9. The Soul hath the first Principle the Spirit of the Soul hath the second the Astral Spirit hath the third in the Elements 10. When a Fire riseth up in one of the Fountain Spirits it is not concealed from the Soul which may awaken the other Spirits and it hath a Prison and if the Fire become too big can shut up the kindled Spirit in the Astringent quality till it be allay'd and extinguished Else the Sap that is in the whole seven will become dry and then thou art a Hellish Firebrand But if thou take the evil Spirit and imprison it and turn a submissive Heart and Will to God contemning Honour Pleasure Riches Wantonness by bearing the Cross and being the Worlds Fools then will not the Fire at the last Judgment Day stick to thy sappy Spirits but after this anxious trouble God will in the Resurrection Crown thee and thou wilt be a Triumphing Angel 11. Q. Is there in God also any contrary Will amongst the Spirits of God 12. A. No tho' the great earnest severity of God may by the former Writings of the Spirit be seen yet in God is no disunion in him all the Spirits Love and Triumph as one Spirit but in the innermost secret geniture not apprehended by any Creature but in the flash it must be so for Life and Omniscience is thus begotten for tho' Lucifer kindled the Spirits of this World and made it all faint and half dead yet this World belongeth to the Body of God the Father as well as Heaven 13. And the whole Trinity is generated in the Heart of all Angels and Men except the Devil and Damned Men and in such a manner is God Almighty All-seeing c. and proveth the Hearts and Reins 14. Thus also all the Devils and Damned must in the Salitter which they have corrupted be his Eternal Priseners in Torment and Reproach 15. 1. The hardness
him and gave him the superior Primacy in whose bright Light was perfect understanding 3. But he seeing himself so Triumphant moved the Spirit generated by the seven so hard and strongly that it became very fiery climbing up in the Fountain of the Heart 4. But had it moved gently and lovingly as the seven did before they became creaturely there had been generated a lovely mild Son like to the Son of God and then the Infinite Light the Son of God would have been delighted in and played with the small Light in Lucifer as with a young Son or dear little Brother 5. But let not the Devil make any believe Gods will was that he had some Men should be loft and so pervert Gods Truth defending the Devil by Lies 6. For know the whole Deity hath in its innermost Birth or Pith a very tart terrible sharpness in which 1. The Astringent quality is a very hard dark cold attracting like the extream Frost congealed Water when suppose the Sun totally taken away which austere attraction causeth fixation of the Body and the hardness drieth it up so that it subsisteth creaturely 7. The bitter quality is tearing cutting and penetrating driving the Astringent to Mobility From the fierce rubbing and raging of both which 8. A wrathful kindling proceedeth 9. And in this eager strife existeth a hard Tone or Noise penetrating all like a Tyrant according to which God calls himself an Angry Jealous God and in this consisteth Hell Enmity and Eternal Perdition And such a Creature is the Devil come to be 10. And in these is God an All-comprehensible All-fixing Sharp God 11. But in the strife and heat of these qualities ariseth the Light and in the Light and the Sweet Water the Flash of Life wherein all the foregoing qualities are made pleasant as a sour Apple by the Sun is made sweet and good yet the Taste of the other qualities remain in it The Head Spring and Fountain of Sin 12. Lucifer's qualifying Spirits having an Imaging Power in that Royal Body vehemently affected the high Light so triumphantly that they lifted up themselves to Pomp and Stateliness leaving the Angelical Obedience whereby the great bright flash became so bright as was intolerable to the Fountain Spirits against the right of Nature So that the bitter quality which Existeth in the sweet Water and is the cause of joy trembled and rub'd it self so hard in the Astringent that the Fountain or Quality of Heat was eagerly kindled Which bitter and hot Quality caus'd the Astringent to dry up the sweet Water wherein the Heavenly Heat and Light have their Being And thenceforth could not the Heat rise to a Flame or Light for the Light existeth in the Oyliness of the Water thus dryed up but glowed as red hot Iron or rather a very hard Stone in the greatest Heat 13. Not that the Spirit of the Water was devoured but its quality was turn'd into a dusky hot and sour Quality Which introduced extremity of Cold also whereby the whole Body grew fierce and wrathful And the bitter Quality raged and became a Poyson hence sprung the first Poyson which bitter poysonous Death comes also into poor Humane Flesh. 14. And now was Lucifer an Astringent hot bitter dark cold sour stinking poysonous Fountain And the Tone rose up through the bitter Qualities penetrating the Heat and Astringent hard Quality as a clap of Thunder 15. God created Angels out of himself that they might be harder and dryer compacted than the Ideas or Forms which through the qualifying of the Spirits of God in Nature rise up and through the moving of the Spirits pass away again that their Light in their hardness should shine brighter and the Tone of their Body should sound clearer and shriller than it did before either shine or sound in the Salitter which was thin and dim And therefore they lifted up themselves tho' they knew themselves to be but a piece of the total God supposing they were a fairer little Son than the Son of God himself and that they could qualifie operate and elevate themselves above the whole God and Rule and Govern all without Corrival or Supream Comptroller 16. Here lyes the Root of Covetousness Envy Pride and Wrath. All Lucifer's Angels fell with him for he was created out of the Kernel of the Salitter out of which they were created he their Lord they were all of one will with him which they would not suffer to be taken away 17. Q. Did not the Universal God know this before the Creation of the Angels 18. A. No. for if so it had been a Predestinate Will in God to have it so and had been no Enmity against God but God had created him a Devil God made him a King of Light and for Disobedience spewed him out of his Royal Throne 19. God knew this according to his Wrath in which he is not called God but a consuming â—ire but knew not this according to his Love according to which he is called God into which no fierceness entreth and so God is alone called God or Goodness 20 And what Gods Love knoweth sensibly or feelingly in it self that it also and that only it willeth 21. The Devils Prison is in upon and above the Earth up to the Moon till the last day And 22. Then their House will be in the place where the Earth now standeth and this will be called the Burning Hell but not in such a Form as it now standeth but separated in the kindled wrath Fire into a dark hot cold rugged hard bitter stinking Reliâ—ks dregs or dross CHAP. XVIII Of the Creation of Heaven and Earth 1. WHen the Astringent quality was predominant the hard dry Stones came to be 2. But where the Astringent and Bitter were equally predominant there sharp Gravel and Sand. 3. Where the Tone and Astringent in the Water there Copper Iron and Rocky Oar. 4. Where the Water there the wild Earth But the Bitter Spirit is the chief cause of the Black Earth 5. Yet the Heat in the Astringent chiefly helped to make the hardness and there it generated the noblest and preciousest Saâ—â—â—ter in the Earth as Gold Silver and precious Stones 6. But when the hot Spirit in the sweet Water was predominant in the Love the Astringent made the Oar of precious Stones c. CHAP. XIX Concerning Heaven what it is where it is and how it is 1. THat there is a pure glorious Heaven in all the three Births aloft above the deep of this World in which is Gods Being and the Holy Angels he is not Born of God that denieth Which comprizeth the Kingdoms of Michael and Uriel and continueth as it was from Eternity with which the innermost and holy Birth in this World uniteth being all one Body of God one Heart one Will one God all in all for the true Heaven is every where 2. When thy Spirit apprehendeth the
Astral and is the third Birth in him As an Apple on a Tree is the third Birth which though it be United with the Word of God in its innermost Birth yet the Wrath being in the Mother of its Body it remains palpable must dye and rot but at the last Judgment Day the Power of the Principle out of which the Apple groweth shall spring anew in Paradice and be a Fruit for Men in the other Life 3. And Man's Body hath the same Hope for though the bestial Body must putrifie yet its vertue liveth in the four Elements in the Word and there grows out of it beautiful Roses and if thy Soul standeth in the Love thou canst while thy Body liveth here live and reign with God in Heaven according to the Spirit of the Soul which the Devil seeth not 4. But for that thy Astral Birth standeth one part in the Wrath the Devil seeth into that part viz. of the Wrath into thy Heart where if thou give him any room he teareth that part of the Astral Birth which standeth in the Love out from the Word and then thy Heart is a dark Valley and if thou labour not quickly to kindle the Light again he kindleth the Wrath-fire and then thou art a Devil and into what thou hast sowed thy Seed that is thy Soul and in that part shall thy Body arise The striving of the seven Spirits in the Earth the Depth in the Centre 5. In the strife of the Astringency bitterness and sweet water the Astringency is Predominant which is dry The sweet quality is extensive and yielding yet the bitterness and sweet quality struggle till the Astringency dry and harden them and thence from their unwilling Captivity Anguish riseth up just as in a Dying Man in this anxiety Heat riseth whereby a Sweat exhaleth as in one yielding to the Captivity of Death That Sweat the Astringent and bitter qualities lay hold on as their Son which they had begotten on the sweet quality which they had killed 6. However the Astringent being strong and the Bitter swift from their Joy in their Son do stuff it that it swells and grows full and great And when the Astringent striveth to captivate the Bitter and the Body begins to be too streight or narrow and that the strife there be too great the Bitter must yield but cannot be kill'd but leaps aside and breaks out of the Body into Strings or Threads taking the Son's sap with it And this is Vegetation and growing of a Root in the Earth Q. How can God be in this Vegetation 7. A. That is the Vegetation of Nature and if the wrath Fire were not in the three Qualities viz. Astringent Sweet and Bitter God might plainly be seen but the Wrath makes the Astringent a cold Fire and its Attraction to be too hard and maketh the Sweet too thick and dark and the Bitter too raging and swelling else they might kindle that Fire from whence the Light would exist and from the Light the Love and from the same Fire-flash the Tone and then would be a Heavenly Body wherein the Light of God would and doth shine and then would be a Heavenly Fruit as it springeth up in Heaven and the Light would generate it self in the sweet-water and there would be a bright shining Heavenly Body where God is 8. But being the first three Qualities are benummed in Death they remain a dark Eternal Prison God's Wrath. Death and Hell a source of Torment Not that the three Qualities are reprobated even to the innermost but only the outward palpable Body and therein the outward Hellish 9. Thus is seen how the Kingdom of God and of Hell hang one to another as one Body and yet the one comprehendeth not the other but the Heat Light Love and Souâ—d are a kind of second Birth making the outward moveable and in the inward standeth the sound of God's Word which seeing it riseth up through the Astringent bitter Death and generateth a Body in the half-dead Water that Body is therefore Evil and Good which may thus be demonstrated 10. One taking a Surfeit by any mortiferous Herb Water or unwholsom Flesh let the same kind of Water Herb or Flesh be distilled or burnt whereby the outward Poison which standeth in Death is gone the Astral Vigour remaineth that Dead Body being gone wherewith if good Treacle be mixed which holdeth Captive the Wrath in the Astral Birth and give it the Sick in warm Drink then operateth the innermost Birth which hath diseased the Person and Cureth Whereby is seen that the Power of the Eternal Life wrestleth in the Dead Earth in Anguish but cannot bud till the Death be severed which hangeth to it for the Wrath is the Life of Death and of the Devil wherein standeth their corporeal Bodies or Being for the Dead Birth or Geniture is their Eternal House CHAP. XXII AFter other things in this Chapter are the seven times Refining of Silver and especially Gold till it become Triumphing CHAP. XXIII 1. THE earnest and severe Birth or Geniture out of which the Wrath of God Hell and Death are come to be hath been from Eternity in God but not accensible nor elevable not kindled or domineering without which severe Birth would be neither God Life nor Heaven Angel nor Creature The Gate of the Holy Trinity 2. The whole Birth of the Heaven of all Heavens this World the place of the Earth and of all Creatures and whatever can be thought of all that together is God the Father And in every the least circle imaginable is the whole Birth of God perfectly perpetually and irresistably but if in a Creature or Place the Light be extinguish'd there is the Austere Birth which lyeth hid in the Light in the innermost Kernel 3. The second Person is the Light which is continually generated out of all the Powers and enlighteneth again all the Powers of the Father an instance whereof is in the kindled Fires in this World the innate Son is the meek Joy and Delight of the Father Now the Father and the Son are equally great the one could not be without the other If the Jews Turks and Heathen will convert the Light will rise up in them gloriously 4. The third Person is the moving Spirit of Life Thus there is One God and Three distinct Persons neither of them can comprehend with-hold or fathom the Original of the other 5. If any will be Saints and not Devils let them generate in the meek holy Law of God else they shall Eternally generate in the austere severe Geniture oâ— God's Wrath. But the Deity is a very simple pure meek loving quieâ— unanimous Being through which the sharpness of the innermost Birth can never elevate it self but remains hidden CHAP. XXIV Of the incorporating or Compaction of the Stars 1. GOD moved the whole Body of Nature contained in the Extent of this World on the 4th Day
God and hath Ability to speak of the indissolvable band but not of the infinite generating for the immeasurable space of the Dâ—ity hath neither Beginning nor End Of the sublime Gate of the Holy Trinity 4 The Father iâ— the Original Essence of all Essences in whom if the Son the second Principle were not Eternally generated the Father according to the first Principle would be a zealous wrathful dark Principle for the Son is as the Light out of the Fire the Heart Brightness and Love of the Father who is in his Son merciful reconciled and well pleased The Son is another manner of Person than the Father hath another centre of meer Jov and Love The Holy Ghost proceedeth from both in the enkindling of the Light as out of the Water Fountain of Humility is also an Almighty Spirit making out of the vertue of the Light an infinite number of Centres of a sweet smell and sweet tast The Description of Lucifer c. I Abridge not here having done it more fully in the 13th Chapter of Aurora page 250. CHAP. V. Of the third Principle the Creation of the Material World and farther clearing of the first and second Principles 1. A Principle is a Birth Therefore he that is Born of God may know the third Principle by his own new Birth The terror of God's Wrath the horror and anguish of his Estate Sin and Darkness was his first Principle His pure Divine Joy in being born again is his entring into the new Life or second Principle 2. In the first Principle is the indissoluble band which is Genitrix in it self inanimate wherein by the moving Spirit of God out of that incomprehensible Matrix the comprehensible visible Water proceeded in such various manner as the Spirit willed for out of the fifth Form of it was enkindled the fiery Heaven and Constellation or Quintessence where the Light originateth whence the Sun was Born which opened and enlivened the third Principle of the Material World as the Heart of God in Paradise doth in that pure immaterial Heaven opening the Eternal Power and Wisdom of God 3. The outward third Principle is the Similitude or Representation of the inward Paradisical World in which Angels and Man were â—reated and should not have known the Original of the four Elements wherein by the Fall of Lucifer was Evil and Good but now the Knowledge of it is highly necessary that we may fly from the bestial Man and learn to know the true Man CHAP. VI. Of the Separation in Creating the Third Principle 1. BY the Separation of the Creatures the Sun Stars Elements yea in our selves and in all things and their particular Properties the Eternal Mother is seen 2. The generated World becomes a Genitrix not sundered from the Eternal but by the Sun hath attain'd another Light and Life but is not the Eternal Light Life or Wisdom it self 3. Out of the Paradisical Heaven Water Spirit or Matrix is the Material Heaven created For when Lucifer would Domineer the dark Matrix attracted so as the Earth Stones Metals Salt c. proceeded which shut him up but the vertue remaining in the Matrix producing Light made also Gold Silver Copper c. The Spirit of God without departing from his own Eternal Paradisical Seat by the Fiat moved on the Material half deadned Water and created the Heaven which once separated from the dark Mist whereof was the Earth the Elements of Air Fire and Water though one in another appeared CHAP. VII Of the Eternal Birth of Heaven and generating the four Elements c. 1. NO Spirit nor Man can of his own Power possibly see into any other Principle but in which he is or is regenerated into Man whose Soul is out of the first Principle his Body outwardly of the Stars and Elements and inwardly of the one Element if illustrated by the second Principle hath great might of Miracles raising the Dead c. such may well see into the three Principles the Spirit of which it is Born searcheth the deep things of the Deity 2. Other Men Swim between the Vertue of the Stars and Elements as the Created Heavens do between the Divine and Hellish Kingdoms as doth Man also and to which of them he falls and yields himself in that is he regenerated 3. The Light of God is a cause of all the three Principles But for that there would be no longing and attraction in the dark Eternity and the Father is the first desiring and longing after the Son thence the Eternal Nature is ever longing So the brightness or Heart of the Father in the dark Matrix generateth the third Principle for so is God manifest who else would be Eternally hidden 4. Therefore O Noble Man though thou art stept with Adam out of Paradice into the third Principle set thy great desire and longing of thy Heart on the Heart of God and his Kingdom will be taken by force seek God in thy Soul there stands all the three Principles The Divine Birth it self the Pearl the Paradisical Garden do all stand open in a holy Soul 5. The true place of God is every where the Centre of the Earth he comprehendeth Hell it self All things are of him and from him And yet the out or procreated Birth is not from his Essence or Substance but from the Darkness And 1. The Fountain of the Darkness is the first Principle 2. The Vertue and Power of the Light is the second Principle 3. The Out-birth generated out of the Darkness by the power of the Light is the third Principle In a similitude 6. 1. Your Soul-giving Reason representeth God the Father 2. The Light shining in the Soul represents the Son 3. The vertue proceeding from that Light whereby the whole Body is directed represents the Holy Ghost 7. 1. The Darkness in you which longeth after the Light is the first Principle 2. The power of the Light by which you see in your Mind without Bodily Eyes is the second Principle 3. The vertue proceeding from the Mind impregnating it self whence the Material Body groweth is the third Principle Between each of which is an inclosure knot or stop 8. God â—ever'd the Fiery Starry Heaven or Quintessence from the watery Matrix else there would have been no end of generating of Stones That done the watery became clear and still the fiery longeth after the watery as the Husband of it and the watery as the Wife is impregnated thereby by which the Elements and all Minerals Vegetables c. as Children are proceeded 9. Every Form in the Matrix hath its visible Creatures but invisible to us unless they will manifest themselves for tho' the Elements are Members one of the other and receptacles one of the other yet each comprehendeth but it self Nor do the Spirits of the Air Water and Fire comprehend more than of their own Birth or peculiar World As the Body seeth not the Syderial and Elementary Spirit nor that
is the seventh Form or Seal of the Eternal Nature wherein the six Seals disclose themselves And natural Wisdom instead of finding the Heart of God by humble resignation hath found the Wonders of this World by Thunders Voices and Strife for when after the Apostles times Men left Love and Meekness and fell to Pomp and Pride the Golden Candlesticks and seven Stars withdrew and were hid and all became seven Seals The Glassy Sea is the Angelical World The Voices of the seven Thunders would be hid proceeding out of the stern Essences did we not put our Imagination into them and open them in us So that only the Lamb excepted none in Heaven nor Earth were worthy to open the Seals nor look thereon we were shut up by them under Death Darkness which only the Light in the Heart of God could open for Man was become an abominable Beast a Dragon with seven Heads and ten Horns and ten Crowns on the ten Horns this Beast the hypocritical Woman rideth on is this the Ass Christ humbly rode on 4. It is hellish Pride and worldly Pomp on which the Woman of seeming Holiness rideth she pretendeth to the Keys of Heaven and makes Laws Decrees and Canons yet knoweth not the New Birth He only that is born of God in his inclined heart the Seals are opened But when and wheresoever the Lamb openeth the seventh Seal then and there the Whore the Beast and Dragon are cast into the Lake of Fire then doth the good Shepherd lead his Flock into green Pastures then they that mark hearken incline the heart mind and thoughts coming humbly with broken hearts are met and embraced in them Christ is born they have him in the Baptism Supper and hearing of the Divine Word in all places for the Holy Ghost satisfieth the longing of the contrite spirit CHAP. V. Of the Seventh Form of Nature the Corporeity 1. COrporeity subsisteth in the 7th Form of Nature and as all the other six Forms are a hunger and longing desire to each other so are all their desires to the seventh to have a Body or Rest and the desire of the Essences is to preserve and sustain the Body The whole Essence of all Essences is a continued hunger of propagating from its fulness so that when one Form attaineth the other a third riseth yet the two former vanish not but all keep one in the other their own respective Powers and so of the rest And tho' the still Eternity is the only true Rest yet is the seventh Form a substantial Body of Rest whereinto the six diffuse their vertues and the same seventh Form standeth and is the comprehensible Body of Darkness and Light 2. The sharp Fire in the Liberty holdeth its right and the anguish whence the Fire ariseth sinking as a death affordeth matter and weight as in my self I see the Fire the cause of feeling in the dead Corporeity which else in the anguish sinketh into weight and is burthensom as a stifling Now what as Fire ascendeth not or as weight sinketh not in death doth as anguish remain neither uppermost nor lowermost which as the begun anguish is the Centre of both and not getting up nor down presseth side-ways like the lower Branches of a growing Tree 3. The Deity longed to see the Wonders in the Eternal Nature and Innumerable Essences yet created all for the Light not for the Darkness for the Tincture is awakened in the Centre in the death of the Earth which is the life of all Gems Minerals Vegetatives and Animals And in the deep the Sun having the Tincture of the Fire is the Father and Life of all the Stars who in the beginning proceeded from its Centre not that they all sprang from them for as the Sun is the Centre of the uppermost in the Liberty so is Saturn or the Earth of the lowermost in death yet is there no dying but a transmutation for neither doth this World die but the Essences change to be what they were not and remain as figures for ever to the glory of God's works And if the gross Visibles were not created to the Darkness how much less the Spirits which are out of the Eternal Mind and therefore Eternal like as our Mind hath diversity of innumerable thoughts and those thoughts essentially potent when exalted as in that of a Woman with Child whose thoughts can magically impress foreign preternatural substances as well as heterogene incongruous figures on the fruit of her womb 4. When God willed the Fiat viz. the creating the Eternal Essences or Powers which flowed into substance which Eternal Essences before went forth without substance then time hads its beginning But the Holy Will still proceeded with the Powers into the love and delight in meekness contrariwise Lucifer's direful Fall was his delight of turning back his will to domineer in the Tincture of the Fire root his motion to which was the forms of the Genitrix before enkindling of the Light as sour bitter dark tart stinging envious for in the fourth form stands Love and Anger in opposition being the middle form of the seven having three drawing one way and the other three drawing the other Lucifer therefore was drawn of both but that the Root forms prevailed was because he saw the Divine or Second Birth proceed out of the Centre and himself standing in the Essences of the Nature of Eternity the great Fountain he therefore despised the Humility whereof Love and Light are the Off-spring and would rule over it and so was cast out of the uppermost Life into the nethermost Death and Darkness for he was offended to see the greatest Mysteries to stand in the greatest lowliness 5. The attaining the Divine Light consisteth in a fixt resolution wrought in us of Humility wherein the Love is generated But all Laws and Devices to attain it are fabulous and as the making costly works wherein the Artificer pleaseth only himself with things wholly unprofitable reaching no higher than imitation of useful things like also as there are many Spirits Aerial Aquastrish Terrestrial and in the Anguish which are not out of the Eternal Well-spring but from the beginning Will generated by the Tincture of Heaven in Nature which mutable at their time leaving only their shadow to manifest the wonders of God And from Eternity there hath been such a Government where the knowledge was only in God but at the coming out of the Angelical World an Intellect was also in the Creatures The Gate into the Holy Trinity 6. In no Creature in Heaven or this World stand the three Principles open as in Man The first Principle or Father tho' he standeth in the Liberty Eternal Stilness is not call'd Father as such but as he is the desiring Thus the Mind of a Man being one only Will is desiring yet therein out of the Eternal Will are innumerable Wills the first Will is Master and the other are recomprehended leading to Light and Darkness to Joy
from within as when Christ raised Lazarus by a power from within from the Centre of the Soul as so also shall we be raised at last for the Word with the three Principles dwells in us And all Souls are as it were one Soul being all propagated of one Soul therefore will they all hear the Voice of the Human Soul of Christ and arise with their Bodies 5. So when we pray it is not to a God afar off for God heareth in the Centre of the Soul of the repenting sinner pressing out of the anguish of the first Principle and out of the Spirit of this World into the holy second Principle which is also in the Soul for when we pray aright the Word which became Man having the Holy Ghost in it goeth from the Father and meeteth the pouring out Soul for the Body is not worthy but the new Body of the flesh of Christ when the Soul attains it is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Then comes the Soul to God as the Prodigal Son with an humble submissive obedient Will from the Swine He knocks at his evil heart and breaks open the doors and the Father saith This my Son was lost and is found was dead and is alive The latter part of this Chapter is not extracted being a brief Exposition of the Lord's Prayer according to the Language of Nature which is little known CHAP. XVII Concerning God's Blessing in this World 1. THE Soul finds it self in such an Earthy Garment causing shame and is so choaked by the Devils smoky Pit which represents God a cruel severe Judge that stands at a catch to damn it or decreed its eternal perdition before the present World was that the Soul must needs be under total despair or great doubt at least of falling short of the Light of God for such is the Effect of shame and guilt Therefore the Soul by this misunderstanding starts back seeking some satisfaction from the Spirit of this World and support for the outward Life only or chiefly to be had by its own distrustfâ—â—â—arking and toiling in his own contrivances and subtle reason a consequent of the Curse whence so many potent delusions spring for he thus falls home to the Earthy Life for meat clothing and habitation 2. And this is contrary to the Life Man should have led for as God dwelleth in the Earth yet the Earth apprehendeth him not so Man should with the Soul have eaten the Divine Word of God's Love tho' the Body had been of the Matrix of the Earth yet not captivated in it but eating of the Blessing of God The Body was taken out of the Centre of the Fire and Waters Tincture the Soul out of the second Principle why then should the Body captivate the Soul 3. The Outward Life consists in three parts one in the dominion of the Stars another in the one Element divided into four and the other the dominion of God So that the Man who trusteth in God and not in his Reason the Spirit of God is with him blessing what he is hath and doth For seeing the Soul hath the Body of God how can God's Spirit forsake the outward Body which must open its Wonders God wants none and all are alike profitable to him the politick and the weak for with the outwardly wise he ruleth and with the outwardly simple he tilleth buildeth c. and this Worlds outward Spirit gives degrees to men here so according as the Soul is indued with Divine Power such are the degrees in Heaven yet all in one Love but God's Children are in this and that World as Good Herbs and sweet Flowers which yield their several Vertues in harmony to the Apothecary and the wicked are as poisonous Weeds Thorns and Thistles who separate themselves and their Off-spring into an evil Self-will and Property 4. Covetousness is madness driving Man Devil like to Torment others about a handful of Earth or a Stone of which the World hath enough and plague himself to get the Good of that he must speedily leave and the gnawing guilt which will never leave him This Man still runneth after that Care and Sorrow which runneth after him whereas every one if content hath a sufficient Portion from the Spirit of this World and of Care and Sorrow also as saith the Lord Sufficient for the day is the Evil thereof But Man's mad Will is all to advance Pride whereas the Kingdom of God is Love and Humility and if Man suffers not himself to be captivated Heaven and Earth is his by God's free Donation so not only Heaven but the Sun Stars Elements Earth Sea and all is Man's by Natural Propriety To trust therefore in God is to build sure in Heaven and Earth CHAP. XVIII Of Death and Dying How Man is when he Dieth and how it is with him in Death 1. THE Life consisteth in three Parts 1. The Inward which is God's Eternal hidden Mystery in the Fire whence Life existeth 2. The Middle or Eternal Image of God wherein God seeth himself as a Man doth himself in a Glass 3. The Spirit of the great World which this Eternal Image got in the Creation as a Glass to see it self in so the out-principle figures the inward and the inward Image hath so gazed on the outward as that it hath received the outward which must break off again which because it is bound to the Eternal Centre of Nature therefore is the breaking in Death so very painful 2. The outward consisteth in the Sun's Tincture and its Dominion are the Planets and Stars each of which still drive on to its Limits and when it comes again to its place where it stood in the Creation all whereof it was Lord ceaseth for there it commenceth a new Age whence many a young Child in the Womb dieth for its Lord is at its Period And to hit the Point of our limited End it is required to know exactly the Number and Period of the Sign which is our Leader 3. How hardly can the Living Man express how it is with one that is Dead which himself hath not experimented A Dead Man's sence is ceased with extinguishing his Fire his Elementary Spirit evaporateth his Blood and Water pass into Water and Earth also therewith his Essences thus his Beginning finds End But because the corruptible hath an Eternal Root therefore the Eternal worketh in the Fragile and because the outward Imageth the Eternal it should bring its Wonders and Similitudes into the Eternal whence it is originated 4. The Souls Will worketh in the Centre or Eternal Root the Astral Spirit works in the Body adhering so to the Soul that the Soul often lusteth to do what the Starry Spirit doth and such Souls who get no higher fall into Covetousness Pride Envy and Anger whence if they convert not in those very works must the Soul Eternally dwell doing the Devils Will hating God loving Folly which was here and is there their only Treasure but only in the
uniteth with the Sun's Power CHAP. VI. The outward manifestation of the inward three Worlds How God is in all things How all the World might be a meer Sun What Man is And wherein God beholdeth himself Further of the 4th Point 1. THE Earthy Tincture hath no communion with the Heavenly though the outward proceedeth out of the inward and yet the Tincture of the precious Metals hath communion with the Heavenly 2. The Dark World hath the first Centre the Light the second whence behold our danger for if we cast our selves into the Earthy seeking that captivateth us the Dark Abyss is our Lord and the Sun our Temporal God 3. The three Worlds are not sever'd for the Eternal Abyssal substance may not sever it self The outward is the place which comprehends not the inward but is comprehended by it what the inward giveth forth out of it self that it also possesseth and cometh not into a place but was there bâ—fore-hand 4. Thus God dwelleth in all things but no more comprehended than the face is by the Looking-glass or the Sun by the Water tho' the outward hungreth after the inward and can receive the inward into it but the inward cannot receive the outward for it dwelleth not in the outward but in it self nor is the inward remote from the outward as the Sun from the Water but as the Water hath the Suns Property in it else could not catch the Suns Lustre And this World would all be a meer Sun if God would kindle and manifest it for every thing animate and inanimate and all the four Elements receive the Suns glance 5. If Man who is all the three Worlds standeth in them in equal harmony without introducing the one World into the other saving that he by the Light-World rule the Dark and Outward Worlds then is he God's similitude and the Outward World must catch the Light as the Water doth the Suns glance But if the Water be mixt with Earth it receives not the Suns Light No more can the Human Spirit the Light of God unless it remain pure and then that Man's Life is such a Looking glass as wherein God beholds and finds himself as also in the Angels and Beauties of Heaven for in the Dark World is no Looking glass capable of the Light But if the Water be mixt with Earth it must sink down from the Earths dark fierceness wherein it was captive before it be capable of seeing the Light 6. So what Man imagineth after it receiveth if he hath filled himself with the Earthy hunger he must be new born that he may with Christ break the Earthy Darkness and with Authority introduce the clear pure Looking-glass of the Deity CHAP. VII How a Life passeth out of Joy into Misery The fifth Point 1. LIfe is like a terrible flash but when it receiveth the Light it passeth into meekness and joy but because it sprung from its Mother the Dark World it hath power either to retire thither or proceed forward by the Fires Anguish to kindle the Light Its perdition is therefore evident it inclineth to the multiplicity to be its own Lord but yieldeth not to the Liberty beyond Nature for if it did then would the Liberty kindle the Love-fire and become a light viz. a clear Looking-glass of God's Majesty In that manner as the second Principle hath kindled it self from Eternity for entring into the Liberty it arrives at that which was before Nature and was the cause of Nature 2. The Soul hath three Eyes or Looking glasses in the time of this World and seeth with that only to which it turneth it self tho' by right of Nature it hath but one viz. the fourth Form of the Dark VVorld viz. Fire and into which it goeth with its will of that it receiveth its spiritual substance 3. And if it go into the Dark World or Outward World the Light World is hidden and as dead as Fire is in Wood. Here should Man prove himself what World is Lord in him If wrath envy deceit pride avarice bestial unchastity c. be his desire he may make Register accompt and inventory that certainly he is not a Man but a Dog Goat Beast Serpent or Toad And when the four Elements forsake him his Souls Image is form'd by the Hellish Fiat into that Property of theirs that most strâ—â—gly drew his delight 4. Yet he that hourly striveth against the Evil Properties and though he be damped by the Evil his constant desire to repentance sheweth God's fire glimmereth in him and when the outward Body with its damp breaketh and can no more hinder the glimmering week then the Divine Fire kindleth and figureth him after the Image of the strongest Property he here introduced into his desire But if he continue not his serious desire he may desperately perish 5. But he whose desire is so potent that he can subdue his Evil Nature and pass into humble Patience contemn the glistering of the World do good for evil and can yield himself and all his to do and suffer misery for God's sake In that Man the Divine Power floweth up the Noble Image dwelleth and Jesus is born 6. The Devil knoweth him not only is inraged and irritateth incarnate Devils and Men Beasts to plague him This Man is the surest never dieth but the outward Kingdom that was a hinderance to him falleth from him and as he tasted what God is and bare the heavenly substance here so now much more and is eternally perfected CHAP. VIII Further of the 5th Point The True Human Essence or Substance is not Earthy nor out of the Dark World but out of the Substance of God 1. THE right substantial Man is of the Light World there is a Gulph of Death 'twixt that and the Dark World and Outward World yet is it shut up-in the Outward World Christ is come to save what is lost and will suffer it self to be helped unless it be a totally Devilish fruit of evil Parents But while there is any small Tinder of Divine stirring the Child is capable by Baptism to have the Light glimmering in that part given Adam out of the Angelical World not that Earthy part he introduced and so far as the Divine Power stirreth is the Child baptized after life in the womb by the Holy Ghost 2. Obj. What can the Child do to it that the Parents are wicked Answ. The Evil Man is shut up in Body and Soul why not in the Seed Must God turn the seed of Thistles into Wheat and throw Pearls to Swine The Sun maketh nor desireth any Weed but giveth to all Vegetables Life but the Soil produceth the Evil. Many times the wicked Parents cause Curses to stick to their wicked Consorts and should not their wills be done to them 3. And being both wicked what can an Evil Beast beget but an Evil Beast baptized in God's fierce Wrath So also it receiveth the Lord's Supper without distinguishing the Lord's Body and put it and its own
Curse 2. And whereas Moses distinguisheth the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil from the Tree of Life 3. By the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. is understood 1. The Holy Power of God in the Tree which was the Middlemost Kingdom 2. Paradise the Outermost through which the Middlemost penetrated and manifested it self This was the Knowledge of the Good which Adam should as little have known in its Original as the Evil for he should have kept a Child-like Mind resign'd to God 3. The Dark World which also was manifest in the Vanity as now the Earthy Essence of the outward Worlds Fruit. 4. Because Adam should have eaten with the inward Heavenly Mouth not with the outward Earthy Desire he had such Fruit growing for him which the inward Mouth could enjoy The outward Mouth did also eat it but not into the Worms Carcass 5. The Celestial swallowed up the Terrestrial and changed it again into that whence it proceeded for now was Adam in God's Power Kingdom with both Tinctures before his Eve and the Divine World was Predominant so that the three Principles stood in equal Harmony and Will with pleasing Tast ravishing Melody sweetest Odours smiling meek friendly Aspect of highest Love-desire 6. But as Lucifer elevated himself into the first Principle totally extinguishing the Light so Adam lusted into the outward or Vanity hanging to the third Principle But left his Light should be totally extinct also and drawn into the first Principle and become a Devil God well knowing the Devil would tempt him 7. The High and Holy Name Jesus with deepest Love interposed and gave himself to regenerate this Hierarchy and Purge it through the Fire with highest Love to overcome the Wrath and change it again into Divine Joy the Holy Heaven And this is what St. Paul saith Man was Elected in Christ Jesus before the Foundation of the World 8. Is it asked Why did God suffer this Plant to grow It is answered Adam's earnest Desire became a Hunger and caused that the Fiat drew out such a Plant. For Adam was then a potent Spark of God's Might and Omnipotence For now that he hath broke himself off from the Universal Being and become subject to Vanity if â—aith as a Grain of Mustard seed can remove Mountains what could he not then do who was subject to nothing but God 9. And the Tree of Good and Evil being thus distinguished the Tree of Life is also manifest to be one Tree with the other but only in the Holy Divine Principle viz. In the second in due Temperature with the first and third CHAP. XVIII Of the Paradisical Life State or Dominion how it should have been if Adam had not fallen c. 1. HAD God created Adam to the earthy corruptible naked sick toylsom Life he had not brought him into Paradise 2. If God had willed him the bestial Copulation he would first have created both Sexes as he did other earthy Creatures 3. But every Creature brings its Cloathing from its Dam Man only cometh in deepest Poverty the most for lorn and shiftless with the Worms Carcass and bestial Members for Propagation whereof the poor Soul is always ashamed 4. But Adam was a Man and Woman yet neither distinct but a Virgin full of Modesty Chastity and Purity Such was he before his Eve as shall arise and Eternally possess Paradise a Virgin and as the Angels 5. Two fixt and stedfast Essences were in Adam A Spiritual Body from the inward Heaven which was God's Temple and the outward Heaven a Limus extracted out of the good part of the Earth which was the Maâ—fion of the inward and at the Last Judgment shall be sever'd from the Curse and Corruption These two were espoused into one wherein was the most Holy Tincture of Fire and Light and had ardent Love to each other the inward loved the outward as its Manifestation and Sensation and the outward loved the inward as its sweet Spouse and Joy 6. And the Magical Power of Impregnation stood in the fiery Love-Desire No Winter Sleep Sickness nor need of the Sun had he before his Eve only he stood in the Temptation Forty days in Paradise where had he been stedfast God had confirmed him to Eternity He was drawn of all the three Principles and though they did Equiponderate and were of equal Measure yet the Devil was very busie in the first Principle which Adam desired not to prove as Lucifer had done 7. But his Lust was to taste Evil and Good then came the severe Command Thou shalt not Eat c. which tho' he did not with his Mouth yet his desire to it made his Heavenly Tincture to disappear and his fair Image fell into a swound and his clear pure steddy Eyes and Sight were darkned by the impress of the Vanity So that now he could not Magically propagate himself then God said It is not good that he should be alone I will make a help meet for him CHAP. XIX Of the Building of the Woman and how Man was Ordained to the outward Natural Life 1. THE Woman was taken out of Adam's Essence in Body and Soul The Rib betokeneth Mans dissolution in the place of it entred Longinus's Spear when Christ was Crucified to Tincture and Heal the breach with Heavenly Blood His sleep was the real Type of Christs rest in the Grave his breaking or bruising was of the breaking or bruising Christs Body on the Cross from the sixth hour to the ninth so long was the Fiat in Adam's sleep separating the Woman in which space the Female Person was compleatly finished so long Christ stood as in Adam's thirst and then said It is finished that is had redeemed the Virgin Image from the divided Sex of Male and Female 2. Eve was the right Magical Child as to the right Life then manifested which after disappeared So that after the eating the Apple God said the Seed of the Woman shall c. Her disappeared Heavenly Matrix should like the dry Rod of Aaron Bud again tho' now the Holy part was shut up 3. The Woman had the fifth Property of the Eternal Nature the Centre of the Angelical World the Sons Property and was Adam's dearest Rose Garden and the Man kept in his Limbus the Divine Fire-world the Fathers Property She received from Adam's Flesh and Bones only the Rib and the half cross in the Head but now was the Bestial Worms Carcass Bowels and Members for Propagation Mans shame hung on them Nor was there any strange alien thing from without them that formed his Eve as was in the Creating Adam and all other Creatures but only their own very propriate the verbum fiat in them for God hath left in all Creatures a power to their own Multiplication and Making CHAP. XX. Of the Lamentable and Miserable Fall and Corruption of Man 1. VVHEN Adam saw Eve the fiery Tincture of his Soul impressed his desire into her Tincture of Light and tho'
Astringent Binding mighty Power the lofty Babilon 2. The second like a Bear viz. the strong cruel Attraction the inflexible unalterable inexorable Empire of the Medes and Persians 3. The third like a Leopard for anguish is compos'd of several ingredients like as are the colours of the sported Leopard as is also the belly of a Toad And the Greek Empire is said to have consisted of about a Hundred and forty sorts of People or Nations 4. The fourth Beast was dreadful and terrible not likened to any Beast but being as fire is said to devour and break in pieces such were the Romans But one like the Son of Man came and to him was given dominion and glory an everlasting kingdom here is the 5th form viz. the enkindling of the light signified Represented also by the 4 Winds of Heaven 4 wings of a Fowl and 4 heads Thus Lazarus having lain in the Grave four days the true light raised him They are figur'd by four Chariots but Horses in three of them of differing colours one from the other but the 4th was of Horses of differing colours among themselves viz. Grizled and Bay expounded by the Angel to be four Spirits of the Heavens which go forth from standing before the God of the whole Earth Will any think it to be without a mystery that Elisha was wroth with Joash King of Israel for smiting on the Ground but three times saying Thou shouldst have smote five or six times then hadst thou smote the Syrians till thou hadst consumed them for the Prophet had promised he should consume them But Joash being held by his wickedness in the first four forms smote but thrice for had he as the Prophet saith smote five times he had enkindled the Light of the Liberty in his forms as an addition had he smote six times he had brought the illustrated forms into Harmony of Love whereby his Enemies the oppressing Assyrian viz. the Enmity had been consumed Will any think it was without a Mystery that the Prophet Amos eight times reciteth For three Transgressions of Damasâ—us of Gaza Tirus Edom Amon Moab Judah Israel and for four I will not turn away the Panishment thereof For 't is apparent that the three or four first forms comprise all Sin But if the vigorous true Light be enkindled it flameth to a Love of God and is Death to Sin by discovering it awakening it and working it out cleansing the Conscience destroying the Enmity of the first four forms and so creating Peace to them that were far off making them nigh But it may be granted there is an Ingredient of Light admitted into and retained by the first four Forms but it is as that the Apostle Paul saith Science falsly so call'd Such is this it is an insinuation of a faint false delusory-Light comprehending the Craft Subtlety Sophistry Serpentine wisdom to abuse the Senses and mis-imploy the out-born Natural Powers to jugling Deceits uniting Earthiness and Sensuality to devilish Designs Of this Wisdom the Lord saith If the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness Very apt and pertinent to this Discourse is it to consider That though the Perfume ascending from us was compounded of very unlike Parts some of them also very Unpleasant yet the Holy Oyl descending on us was compounded of five Kinds all excellent Good Delightful and Pleasant for we understand that the 5th form enkindles the Light which makes the four first from the Discords to be â— Harmony and a rich Concord Such are all Go'ds approaches to us as Joseph's Law in Egypt was That four Parts should be the Peoples and but the 5th Part to be Pharoah's figuring this 5th form's being taken as the Lord's Part only who is meant by Pharoah Divine Love hath its Root in the Centre of the Essence of the first four Spirits but most immediately in the Light and that from the Fire And the Activity of the four first Spirits as a perpetual Rotation causeth that Love can never Cool Thus is it strong as Death for Love is that Name which the God of Life is known to us by whom thus to know is Life Eternal The Instrument in the Out-birth of this Spirit is Venus CHAP. VIII Demonstration being of the Sound Tone Noise or Voice SHall there be need to demonstrate this which Heaven and Earth Ring of And Hell after its capacity hath also some impressions of It may suffice briefly to shew This to be a distinct Fountain for that it is the Result only of the United Operation of the five precedent Spirits meeting in the seventh is no Argument why This also should not be one for any one could not be without every one The Astringency had not what to bind but that the matter is produced by the other properties and so of the rest 1. As the light is the opening of the darkness thro' the fourth Fountain the fire so is the voice of the first four Fountains thro' the opening of the light revealing the Kingdom of Joy with its Beauty Colours and Ornament where-ever it is treasur'd 2. As we see fire sleeping in a Flint awakened by a stroke so doth the tone or sound start up and disperse it self so far as its vigour conquereth the resistance of contrary motions or solids and then expireth 3. As the life lies in a swound in vegetables till revived by the return of the Spring or as odours lie coucht in dead earth till midwif'd by the Sun thro' the stalks of flowers So the varieties of Infinity remain secret and dumb as in the mystery till this Oratory publisheth till this Herald proclaim it who by its continual motion speaks all and shews all The Representer of this sixth Fountain Spirit is in the out-birth Mercurius CHAP. IX Demonstration of the Body generated out of the other six Fountains 1. IF a mighty Prince should in regulating a world of laborious Subjects directed by a Council of men experienced in exquisite Art wanting neither time or other requisite to accomplish some stupendious structure or vast piece of magnificence should after all be able to accomplish only trifles were strange Or rather what could not mens highest prudence served with the confluence of abundance of willing agents sufficient helps and competent time atchieve acquire and bring to effect 2. And see we not what the six overflowing Fountain Spirits ranged by omnipotence conducted by infinite Wisdom exercising from eternity their irresistible Powers have conceived travell'd with brought forth and improved as the Holy One hath willed 3. And can any doubt they who have served to found and lay the Top-stone of infinite numbers of Fabricks in the Astral Elementary and Terrestrial Worlds should be unfurnished with a Royal Palace for themselves 4. This seventh Fountain Spirit is their Body Mansion and Sabbath the eternal Rest eternally generated In This they work their hallowed wonders in this they
planted a seed or sperm whereon the Holy Ghost brooded and in six days hatcht the generation of the Heavens and Earth with their Hosts Thrones and Royalties Hence were founded the Ant and Elephant the Insects as well as Leviathan And but for this God would have been wholly an unsearchable God nor could any Creature Angel or other have been made 5. We say in things of our little Horoscope the end of Motion is Rest and shall the Originals whence all things exist want a Rest for themselves Must our six days toil end in one of rest and shall these supream Agents reach no Sabbath wherein to triumph in with and for the delight of the Lord of the Sabbath This seventh Spirit is therefore the quiet receptacle of them all 6. Out of which according to the harmony of the Divine Unity they never for one moment can possibly depart And over the Threshold of which according to the separate Property whereby they are rent from the glorious Unity they never put a foot or can for ever enter 7. Will therefore the Human Off-spring whose departure is as written by the Sun Beams reunite and do its first works those whereunto he was created and the pure works of the second Adam whereunto he was regenerated 8. Be it said forasmuch as by his departure he is so far degenerated that his Soul by a willing captivity is under the rage of the first four Spirits from whom the light is withdrawn His Spirit that was a meek divine Ruler hath lost its dominion to so great a degree of fierceness that the Astral rule all His Body which was formed out of the one pure Element out of which Element came also the four and to have been a perpetual figure of the holy third Principle as his Soul and Spirit were of the first and second And which body of his should have eaten Paradisical food is now a captive under the four Elements in so great rigour and vileness that Nature shames at its Beastiality till thus it travels thro' sorrow pain and shame to the dust But the Soul and Spirit may here be baptized and regenerated 9. And because the fruit cannot be brought back to the Tree but the Apple must first perish and the seed in it first die as doth the grain of Corn before it increase therefore the Soul and Spirit must also die the mystical death that is to its strange will to secure them against the second death or before they are capable of the first Resurrection 10. From the same ground is it that the Body also must die and lose its new gotten bestial Image before it can put on immortality and the Image of the heavenly whereunto Jesus came to conduct it 11. But we may know these things are not the work of faint wishes but call for striving watching praying fighting contending running working searching knocking that fruit may be produced by patience for Heaven may not be ascended by earthy wings therefore let the Earth beware of resisting when Heaven stoops descends and enters it 12. To subject mad Mankind to this its only good the gracious Jehovah on Adams departure left his Soul should be a Devil his Body a Beast and the Woman generate a Race of Monsters in the out-birth and of totally proud hellish spirits in the inward reimplanted the Word of Eternal Life as a seed or as a light shining in a dark place to which they only do well who take heed so as to obey such shall by the Divine Guide lose their All and be as a Fool or Child as to self-wisdom but proceeding that way under the Cross possess all things 13. For as there is no salvation in any other so is there no other way of entring there into The six names of the Tribes on Mount Gerizim to bless represent the six active Fountain Spirits according to the second principle and Gerizim the seventh or heavenly body where they rest And the other six on Mount Gebal to curse exhibit the same six Fountains according to the first principle or dark world The seven Pillars on which Wisdom built her house points out the seven Foundation Spirits The six Steps to Solomons Throne hath the same signification and the Throne it self the seventh whither they led and ascended was the Sabbath or Rest. So the seven Seals seven Trumpets and seven Vials signifie the same seven Fountains yet all hidden and according to the Darkness where neither can the Book be read till first the Seals be gradually opened the mind and voice of the Trumpets be distinguished till they be orderly sounded nor the things contained in the Vials discerned till severally effused by the Lamb and his successive Angels But the seven Golden Candlesticks are the seven according to the second Principle or Light-World seen all manifestly at once The same also are the seven Stars at once giving their splendor Again we read there were seven Lamps of fire burning before the Throne which the Text saith are the seven Spirits of God We find and 't is observable the Revelation gives the Vision treble to each viz. To the dark impression by Seals Trumpets and Vials To the Light impression by Candlesticks Stars and Lamps So the seven lean Kine and blasted Ears signifies what we have the seven Properties The seven fat and good what God made the seven Properties to be CHAP. X. Of the Three Principles of the Divine Essence 1. BY a Principle is meant a chief beginning power a self-subsisting Life an original root foundation or in some sense a mystery or genus whence other Spirits Bodies Species or things originate as from a Supream Power And thus is God the only one Principle 2. And this one Principle is also three Eternal Births or Principles ever without ceasing begetting being begotten and proceeding by in and from each other of which all Worlds are conjunctly or severally an Image but very different according to the inscription stamp figure and degrees they attain or are capable of 3. And tho' the three Principles are by an indissoluble band ever inseparably one in God yet are they distinguishable 4. But in the Creatures in the separate Properties are terribly manifest which tho' Adam was not to have known in himself yet is it what we ought to know 5. God said Let us make Man in our Image after our likeness but saith not so of the other Creatures Man in his first make being most perfectly his figure and off-spring 6. Yet every of the other Creatures the Astral Elementary Vegetative Sensitive and the Dark World do all in their various kinds more or less perfectly represent him for the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made his eternal Power and Godhead And as there are the united three bearing record in Heaven so are here an agreeing three bearing record on Earth viz. Spirit Water and Blood CHAP. XI
more or less such are sick of Sacred Love so more or less feel they this And the more we die to our immoderate Lusts after the Dominion of the whole third Principle the more doth this Principle evidence it self in us And in such proportion as we enlighten our first Principle or Souls Original standing in the first four forms of Nature proceeding by Divine Power to enâ—indle the true Light in them in the same measure is our Root transplanted to grow in this Paradisical Field or Principle 7 Demonstration But we are to know by way of Explanation This to be a passing into Death and thro Death into Life of which the Holy Scripture is plentiful Nor may even Plato's description of Love be counted discordant to this who defines Love â—o be one 's dying to his own Body and living to the Body beloved 8. For the living to the Divine Light and Love of the second Principle which is the property of the Son of God is a dying to us and ours that is to our whole depraved Image much like as the Day is the Death of the Night 9 Demonstration The second Principle is shewed by the Sacrifices which were consumed by the Holy Fire whereby they died to their first Form and lived to a new one that is were transmuted into the holy Flame 10. And as what part of the Sacrifice would not enkindle into the holy Flame figuring This Principle fell to Ashes as into the perishing third Principle Even so see we much of the Regenerate Man stay below and be uncapable of the New Image but be as Ashes 11. Now we see that Ashes may be heated but Flame not Such is the Earthy Man and Sensual part yet we see after the procedure of a second work Men do transmute common Ashes into a Lucid and Transparent Body 12. So may our vile Bodies by the procedure of the second work the Resurrection be translated into a clarified Christalline Temple for our immense glorified Souls and they both be the Hallowed Habitation of our resigned humble divinely irradiated Spirits 13. And our illustrated Ashes glorified Souls and meek human Spirits being first clothed with the Robe of Christ's Righteousness and heavenly Humanity the Virgin of God's Wisdom will be both suitable guests for the New Jerusalem as a Bride adorned for her Husband and also be Eternal Temples for the Holy Ghost 14. Thus hath been given a glimpse what the second Principle is in it self and what its Operations are in us as to our first Principle It now rests to search what it is in the third Principle in us and in the whole Creation 15. In us it is our Principle of Divine Understanding directing to know our Creator the End of our Creation and wherein â—ies our true good The Eye thus enlightned informs the Affections that from the Reason offered they should 16. On the Principles of Justice pay the Debt we owe for our Being and the Means wrought for our Restauration to Well-being and of ingenuity willingly and thankfully to adore him as the only Fountain of Good and to esteem every thing in that degree as they partake of that Fulness to figure and resemble him 17. And on the Principles of Self interest to prevent eternal loss or be eternal gainers as our choice or rejecting shall render us capable or otherwise 18. These Notions and Beams of Light when the Understanding receiveth from the second Principle it offereth to the Judgment to consider of 19. The Judgment hath the Senses to consult who are grown so dim-sighted having from their youth been habituated to the Good or Evil of the third Principle that they cannot see beyond it but judge as the Beasts do of Pleasure or Pain nor can they see the least cause to deny themselves of any one thing they lust after whereof if denied they allarm the Passions which have their Root in the first Principle 20. The Passions are as furious violent impetuous Storms which often obscure and impose on the Eye of the Mind and sometimes immerse the Ship of the whole Man setting on fire and extremity the whole frame of Nature so that the Judgment wants power to get the Will right 21. Here the New Man as Child of the holy second Principle hath need enough to pray always fervently to knock wait use much abstinence with highest diligence to watch to stand on its guard to use much violence and severity and that often to fight the faithful Combate till he kill the Murtherers to die from day to day thereby to be pluckt as a brand out of the fire He shall find great necessity of help from Heaven to bind the Strong Man 22. But most especially in some persons whose originals having been strongly rooted in the first four Forms of the first Principle conveyed by Generation and perhaps also reinforced by their Constellation so that they have much of the Serpent in them In such Souls the work of Resignation to the Divine Conduct goes very hardly slowly sadly on with many recoils notable resistance and reluctance that they resemble the Child possessed with that kind that goeth not out but by prayer and fasting 23. Others having so deep Root their Wills being lapsed and wedded to the third Principle either having so great possessions as seem rather to be possessed with them than to possess them or having long enjoyment their Evils plead Prescription and Custom Some by their Constitution incline to delicacy or by their Constellation and Complexion to airiness many such find the Cross too heavy do look back the Pearl in their Account is too dear 24. Others Good Intentions are covered with so much rubbish that they will not be at the pains of removing it for indulgence to their ease and perhaps ensnaring reputation with men foils and pinions them Many of the above strive to enter but are never able therefore withdraw from the Yoke their Goodness is only as the morning dew 25. But the Judgment rightly informed sees all things as they are things present as if past things to come as if present it sees the Out-birth brave with a borrowed Goodness only entrusted to it to shadow the Grace and Glory of the true Fountain of Goodness It sees the World on fire the Heavens rolled up the Lord sitting on his Judgment-Throne sees the triumphs of the humble and tremblings of the proud 26. As for things visible the Glory of the visible Heavens figuring that of the true Heavens the Earth that of the Divine Salitter 'T is true in this dead Earth the surviving relicks of Good strive to produce perfect Bodies of several kinds but the Curse hindereth It would have Paradice bud and bear fruit holy and pure productions every where but it cannot for Death is entred at the door opened by the first Adam 27. Had indeed Life been received as offered by the second Adam Paradice might well have blossomed in the Out-birth and his Kingdom have come with
Glorious second Person as before And yet that by taking the Humanity from the Virgin Mary He really became what he was not before viz. a real Son of Man with a true Humane Soul Body and Spirit as we are and capable to Suffer and Die 14. We are to know the Humane Nature or Creature in the Ascention and Glorification was not swallowed up by the Divine Nature as a flame of a Candle is by the Sun extinguish'd But the Humane Nature now Glorified remains for ever a Glorified Body being the same true individual Humane Nature or Man which was Crucified Dead Buried and raised up by his Almighty Power as the first Fruit Original and Author of the General Resurrection 15. That the Lord Jesus Christ who in the Womb of the Virgin became as truly a Man as we are who have our Souls Spirits and Bodies propagated by our immediate Parents Yet that besides the infinite Dignity of his Almightiness as the second Person and Son of God by Eternal Generation which united Himself to His created Humane Soul Spirit and Body I say besides all this He was the true created Son of God and so was a true Heavenly Man and a Virgin of Holiness Purity and Modesty And so begotten by the Holy Ghost 16. In which respect He was no Son of Man even as neither was the first Adam but as truly the Son of God by Creation as with respect to His Godhead He was by Eternal Generation And though the words Thou art my Son this day I have begotten thee may be understood of the Eternal Generation for the Father ceaseth not to beget His Eternal Son from Eternity and in Eternity yet the words may well be applicable to this Heavenly Humanity whereof both David and Paul speak 17. But because this 12th Note last asserted is hard to be understood since Man's Fall partly because it is of so Noble Extraction and seeming to be of so rare mention in the Holy Scriptures so remote from Sense and Man's dull Apprehension of so excellent Nature and so highly profitable and advantageous to be known Also that the penetrating into the Knowledge of it requires Divine Wisdom enlightned Understanding it calleth for highest Attention as that plainly teacheth the Way God took and still taketh for recovery of lost Mankind It is farther clear'd by what follows more especially by the following Pag. 32. in Chap. 22. 18. We ought to know that the Divine Substance which United to it the Essences of the Humane Soul in Mary came not thither descending from the highest Heaven or great Local Distance But the Word which God inspake again in Paradice imaging it Self in the Light of Man's Life and waiting in all the Holy Men being the Word of Divine Wisdom out of the Tincture of the Holy Element which is every where and pure before God that Word took to it for an Eternal Propriety the Essences of Man's Soul in and of Maries Virgin Matrix Not entring in but unlocking ingenerating and unshutting what Adam had bolted up in Death 19. That though this Word were not the Almighty second Person of the Trinity yet was it the Word of Wisdom which Adam turned from and in disobeying it he and we all rebel against God more immediately than if we should stubbornly reject the Command of an Angel of God This Word of Divine Wisdom is a Virgin of Purity and here became the Bride to the Humane Soul for as the Soul had the Tincture of the Fire This brought the Tincture of the Light and the Uniting of the Heavenly Image of Purity to the Image that was Impure did Tincture the Fire-Soul and both became one Self-subsisting Eternal Man 20. We are also to know That for asmuch as the two Tinctures were at the instant of the Virgin Maries saying Be it unto me c. United and were become One Man the Image the first Man did bear yet seeing the Fire-Soul did once treacherously choose an Earthy Lust instead of Divine Love 21. To the end it might be now powerfully Tinctured no more to recede and that the whole Humane Nature might be led through Death into Eternal Life therefore did the Lord mighty to save take the whole Man by being Bridegroom to the Virgin Sophia and for that the Man or Creature stood in the Holy Element which is pure and every where yet is the same Element Inferior to Omnipotence it was needful Grace and Love should Unite the Creature to the Deity which raised it above all it lost in the first Adam 22. For the Lord became as a Servant to advance and secure his Servant both the Image it once had and add to it more which will be the stupendious Contemplation of Eternity but all this by the Lord's Incarnation was brought to pass 23. So that here was One and that One consisted of the true Almighty Son of God and the Holy Virgin of Wisdom the Tincture of the Light viz. His Heavenly Flesh and Blood Also of the Essences of Man's Eternal Soul the Temporary Astral Soul and Elementary Body So that not only the Eternal Fire-Soul is meekened nourished and fed to live Eternally but the outward Soul and Elementary Body are secured of a Resurrection by the raising of the Holy Astral and Elementary Body of the Lord Jesus Christ the first Fruits of them that slept leaving nothing unraised but the Linnen Cloaths in the Sepulchre CHAP. XXII Of the Heavenly New Man or Divine Humanity of Jesus Christ what it is where it is and how to be participated of by us IT is written That ye put off c. the Old Man v. 23. and be renewed c. and v. 24 that ye put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Q. What is This New Man which we are to put on A. It is Jesus Christ as it is written put on the Lord Jesus Christ c. so are we said to be cloathed upon with our House which is from Heaven call'd a Building of God 1. So we find cloathed with Humility cloathed with Honour cloathed with Shame intended not as a Covering but as Transmutation of Us from one contrary to another as the Woman cloathed with the Sun her Divine Light instead of her Darkness Q. What of Christ may we put on and be cloathed with and wherewith to be cloathed upon 2. Not His Almightiness for that His Omnipotence is what no Creature can behold and reach so is the Brightness of his Fathers Glory upholding all things by the Word of his Power Nor the Body Soul and Spirit He received from the Virgin Mary That was Earthy a Soul Body and Spirit descending from Eve That being born of the flesh was flesh As such which he humbled himself to take he was the Son of Man and our Brother so also we put him not on As such he remains for That Humanity of Christ which he had from
Extraction as to its Original It is always Morning with it bearing equal date with God's other Attributes and so with God himself 9. God being infinitely all that he is is also infinitely Just and Almighty True and Faithful we can no more say his Grace and Love to have Priority than the Light of a Candle can precede the firing the wiek or than Man's Intellect could precede the enkindling his Humane Soul or than the Fruit can prevent the Tree or That the Root 10. Can we well conceive the Eternal Permanence of God's Goodness and why not his Infinite Power and Justice is there room to doubt that to be a part of him 11. Must the Fruit and Flower live and not the Root must the Eye see if the Man dye or the Candle shine when the Wiek is cold Then may the Principle of Sweetness Meekness Grace and Love survive the Principle of Strength Might Potence and Wrath. The last Branch of the Question is Why hath God poured forth Eternal Wrath 12. God according to the first Principle is not called God but a consuming Fire nor is he called God according to the out-birth or third outward Principle for the Devil is called the God of this World though Divine Omnipotence guides and restrains in all Occurrences for no place or space excludes him for God is in it or more properly it in Him comprehended by Him yet God's infinite Abyss of Love and Goodness is His Heaven That his Throne 13. When God created Angels the first race of Intellectuals known to us they were made out of Himself of his Abyss of Might and His Abyss of Goodness or of His first and second Principles Darkness and Light in such Excellency as are the Angels who so continue 14. When also God created Man His second race of Intellectuals it was out of the two former Principles in Conjunction with the third yet in such sweet order as we know little of a glimpse whereof is seen in the resigned humble regenerate Soul who lives in God and hath there His Possessions and Reversions about that is employ'd His Fear Care Grief also His only Delight and Satisfaction both for time and for ever yet all this is but a glimpse of what we were at first and shall be at last 15. These things being premised give us a prospect what good beautiful excellent Creatures Angels and Men were and should all have continued to be 16. For if God had willed the one to be Devils the other to be inwardly so and outwardly Beasts How is it they were all created Divine and perfectly Good 17. But they directly against the confessed Will of the gracious Creator who never did nor ever can will any thing sinfully Evil but Good and only Good both the fallen Angels and Adam formed in themselves a Will perverse to the Sovereign Will shutting up their whole selves from the only true Guide and Eternal Light and Wisdom and so became Dark and such Fools for whose back is the rod and being Estranged snuffed at Reproof grew into Scorning Enmity and Diametrical contrariety and hatred of Holy things 18. Their own private will became their God for having broken the sweet Bands of Love they made a League with Hell and Death for the Divine Light withdrawing or rather they declining its Councels the dark fierce fire became their very Essence and Life under the domineering Power whereof the fallen Angels by their departure from the sweet Kingdom of Love and Peace have forever subjected themselves into which obstinate hardened Men also throw themselves And this is so contrary to God that his Spirit loatheth them and withdraweth and his so withdrawing is God's pouring out Eternal Wrath and the way how and cause why it is the Eternal Perdition Q. 17. Whereas God is and remaineth Eternally undivided what then is his working in the Place of Hell Is there indeed a certain Place of Hell or not A. 1. Here on a Position premised is a Question proposed and a second Question occasionally put It seems fit to strengthen the Concession by explaining it 2. That although every part of the Creation consisteth of various Heterogeneous and contrary Properties all which is not only derived from God but their Life Motion and Being is in Him yet 〈…〉 e from Eternity in Eternity the same undivided One 3. For if an Infinite were divided into Parts the Parts must also be Infinite and then must be more than one Infinite which were a Contradiction as equally vain as to say that Almightiness doth divide it self against Almightiness 4. But that the Infinite Almighty comprehendeth all Properties in perfect Supream Excellency is clear and that Himself remaining still in Himself can yet make Himself creaturely in Infinite Multiplicity is as clear and visible 5. The outward Sun consisting of Light and Heat can by its Beams help Generation of Infinite Productions Good and Bad even poisonous perilous Images of the dark World and this principally by His Heat but by His Light can attenuate penetrate and change gross dark Bodies yet Himself as the outward Agent of Omnipotence remain untouch'd unaltered unaffected unsubjected in any degree whatsoever by his so doing to the things wrought 6. For alluding to the instance in the Answer to the last preceding Question If Sin like a Burning-glass contract the hot Beams it may be intolerable to the Sinner or Object opposed to it yet is the glorious Sun still the unaltered same 7. The Gardner Roots up dryes and burns the Weeds The Sovereign Power guards the Peaceable and curbs the implacable But if the good Plant would wear out the strength of the Weed by extracting and transfusing into it self part of its Nutritive Property the good Plant may degenerate into a Wild one or Weed Also if a private Person shall unauthorized make himself a Judge or Publick Arbitrator he may fall into a Crime on the other hand for these things are the Gardener's Work to whom Vengeance belongeth Mens own Vindictive Desire is touching pitch 8. Now to Answer directly what God's Working in Hell is It is answered That his working there is only according to the first Principle according to which he is not called God but a consuming Fire 9. God's working in Hell convinceth Atheism to be an Error The Devils believe so as to make them tremble Men were loth to believe God made the World and Them though so evident as to leave them inexcusable this they are now assured of by His destroying both It and Them 10. God's working in Hell openeth every Book of Conscience Dives extenuates not his Crimes but roars out his Torments That Place of Darkness affords Light enough to read Guilt by and thereby give Immortality to that Worm 11. God's working there restores the Memory Dives had not forgotten his former calling of Abraham Father as if That would have Privileged him nor had he forgotten his Brethren who perhaps had run Parallel with him in
The Reason of all which is thus to be understood Adam our Root introduced Bitterness and the Fruit hath that Rellish And tho we were engrafted into the Noble Vine yet do we suffer our selves to degenerate into a Wild one producing Grapes of Sodom Adam as our Fountain flowed out unwholsom Water causing Barrenness though Christ as Elisha would have heal'd it with his Salt we go on to Poison our selves yet more the Man naturally Blind or Deaf is not so extreamly such as the resolvedly Blind and Deaf 7. Heaven is near us so is it to Hell yet at sufficient distance till the Will be turned to seek it Heaven is in us Thanks for ever be to God in Jesus Christ the Restorer and Heaven Restored yet still in its own Principle not in our Beastial Part but in the Light of our Life wherein the Candle of the Lord is put as a Tincture Wo to that Soul who rebelliously refuseth to be guided savour'd and tinctured by it To enter in at the straight Gate it is required that we die to the Old perverted Man and something more 8. Enoch and Eliah whil'st in the Body of the four Elements were so far tinctured as to be truly in Heaven yet in regard Adam had so far divided himself as to lose the Unity of the one pure Element when they were again become United in the One Holy Element they could not but disappear as to the Four Elements Q. 19. What are the Dominions or Thrones and Principalities of Angels Evil and Good in the Invisible World How is the Spiritual World of Eternity to be understood in the Visible World Are they also severed by Place and Abode Or what is the inward Foundation A. 1. To make an orderly Answer hereunto must first be shewn as an inward Foundation the Spiritual World of Eternity with what clearness may be and that it is in the Visible World and thence the Inhabitants of the Spiritual World may be the more satisfactorily discovered 2. To do which beginning below in the Out-birth Stone and Earth have the Commixture of the other Parts of the Creation to their Composition though named from one prevailing Property they have the occult sence of Sympathy and Antipathy as the Loadstone Bloodstone c. Stones have Water Fire Oyl Sulphur Mercury with the Salt as the Artist sees 3. And the Earth and Waters have the other two Elements in them and tho' captiv'd by the Curse have the Vertue of whole Paradise founded by the second Principle exerted by the good Astral Powers producing all Gems Gold Medicinal Earths and in the Fruits all Tasts Odours Sanative Herbs Nourishing and Cordial the inward Vertues of all which are real Heaven and Paradise labouring to deliver themselves under the Ashes and Curse from the oppressing hellish Properties 4. In the same who seeth not the Spiritual Evil World manifest in Dark Properties and Figures So that both the Spiritual Worlds are uncontroversibly in them 5. In the Outward Heavens this Truth is convinced by benign and malevolent Aspects powerfully influencing to the conception and propagation of a Good or Evil Will in every of the Creatures not Man excepted since his sad Fall 6. But Man whose Immortal Soul is of the first Principle of Might and Potence his Spirit of the second Principle of Love and Meekness his Outward Man consisting of the Mortal Soul that exerciseth the Outward Sensual Wiâ—l five Senses c. out of the Astral Heavens and his fleshly part out of the Elements whereinto it is miserably fallen Man thus hath the most strict Alliance most express Characters and most Catholick Conformity to the total God as he hath made himself creaturely in the Eternal Nature and Eternal Spiritual Worlds of Darkness and Light and in his Out-birth of both kinds So that he penetrateth Hell and Heaven into either of which he putteth the Nunger of his Will in that he is at home 7. If he resisteth the Holy Ghost he is one with the Devil in his Hellish Wrath who would be his own Law-giver making War against God and all the Holy Angels but by enkindling the Light of Christ Self-will dies a new one becomes natural which warreth against the Evil Angels subjecting it self to the Scepter of Christ the Captain of our Salvation having communion with the whole Holy Spiritual World 8. The Discording Will in the seven Properties make the Evil Spiritual World but where they are in perfect Harmony viz. having One and but One Universal Will united as are the three first Principles through the Infinite Abyss makes the Holy Spiritual World 9. Now as the Out birth which is the Off-spring of the inward hath Fountains and Streams and as the Natural Body hath Head and Members the Body Politick Magistracy and governed and in the Outward Heavens one Star differeth from another in glory Even so is it in the Holy Spiritual World Michael is call'd the Arch-Angel and that Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon c. 10. Thus the Throne or Arch Angel is to his Kingdom or Legions as the Tree to the Branches as was Adam to his Human Race or as is the Liver to the Veins 11. In that distinct sense the Apostle saith Whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers c. some are Cherubims viz. Images and Seraphims viz. Flames 12. All which the inspired Jacob Behmen rangeth under three Hiarchies each more peculiarly to one of the three distinct Principles having the Propriety of three Worlds like Nests of Spheres This from Stars to Stars was Lucifers the other two without and beyond it containing such part of the Infinite Abyss as exeeds all Human number In each of which as the Sun to the Stars is a Soveraign and under each of the Angelical Kings numerous rather innumerable almost infinite Hosts and all those severally excelling some according to one some more especially according to another of the seven Properties 13. In all which the Son of God and Sacred Trinity Reigns neither near to nor far from every the least imaginable point filling and comprehending all supporting all and delighting to behold it self in all 14. Nor can the Angelical Worlds be excluded out of place or included in any thing but Principles but as it is in the Spiritual World may be resembled to the Mind and Thoughts of Man which is limited in the Evil Man to the Dark Principle and in the Holy Man to the Heavenly Principle 15. As the outward Sun is not bounded by any part of its own deep in which it is King but only by the Darkness Thus the Holy Angels are with us as God's excellent Engines to protect and guard us knowing us as far as we are enriched with their Principle 16. They have the Supream Creature Authority under the Son of God over Kingdoms as is said Michael your Prince viz. of the Jews helped the Angel who coming to Daniel had been hindred by the Kings of Persia
Will which Union is so absolute compleat and perfect thaâ— the Holy Angels and Blessed Men may be said to have no Will at all and their Unchangeable Happiness is their resigned Life wherein they lose themselves and find all for ever 2. As a Family is wholly at the guidance of the Lord of it so are they but on setting up an adverse Will the makers of the breach dye to the Will and Conduct of the Father of that Family and those making themselves their own Lords cut themselves off from the Family 3. Or as a Twig while it continues in the Fruit-tree hath one Will with the Tree but when once it is rent off and grafted into another Stock it gets another Will and another Life to bear other be it bitter sour or otherwise Evil Fruit. 4. Thus Adam and Eve impregnated themselves with the third Principle receiving a bestial Life from it and putrefying Nourishment their Divine Will Appetite and Knowledge did thenceforth immediately Die and was Extinguish'd Thus a well Educated Child apostatizing from his first Principles degenerating into contrary Practices dyeth to them and loseth his first Love Q. 74. What was the Voice of God in the Word when the Day grew cool How did God recall Adam How is this to be understood A. 1. By the cool of the Day is understood the time when Adam's Eternal Day was grown cool that is his Temperature was faln to Extremities of heat and cold also alluding to the End of a Natural Day which though hot closeth coldly 2. By the Voice of God is understood God's Anger in their Essences for they had awakened the Turba or Wrath in themselves Heaven they were at Enmity with 'twixt it and them was a firm inclosure of a whole Principle they might see Devils deriding them and Fear the Fate of Lucifer the Holy Angels had quit all intercourse with them nor could they help them 3. While this sad Knell was rung them their Fear of God's Voice was not only at that of his Wrath in them but that of his Love and Pity to which they were estranged such as the Earth trembled at when the Blood of the Lord descended on it from the Cross. 4. The Voice of the Lord moved and walked in the Gates of the Deep in Fire and Light in the first and second Principles and recalled them But concerning the recalling them the following Questions will require to Discourse of Q. 75. What is the Seed of the Wife or Woman and bruising and Treading upon of the Serpent What did God speak or breath again into them Was the same nothing else but an ouâ—â—ard Promise or an Incorporation of the effectual working Grace A. 1. The Womans Seed is not the Fire Soul which standeth in the first Eternal Principle It is not the Astral nor Elementary Principle or Power arising thence It is not the Eternal Son of God the second Person or Divine second Principle though the Lord in humbling Himself to take our Nature often calls Himself the Son of Man It is neither of these for the first is too hot the second too cold the third infinitely too high 2. But that which is properly the Seed of the Woman here intended is the Heavenly Humanity or true Virgin Image of God the pure Sophia consisting of Divine Wisdom and Modesty which was Married to Adam till his Transgression made a Divorce 3. This is that Grace which was here again inspoken into Adam and Eve and this is the Pearl which is to be searched after with all diligence which was not only barely promised but brought in the Word and ingrafted into the Light of their Life 4. This is the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the fallen World not only intentionally but actually for being in every of Adam's Offspring witnessing for God was resisted and slain in its strivings with the old World and downward 5. But where-ever the bent of the Will inclines to obey and subject it self to the Divine Councils in such was restored the joy of their Salvation ever pointing at the Lord who being the true Son of the Virgin in the fulness of time bringing this Virgin by taking Maries Essences consisting of all the principles and properties and making of two one by that power which is able to subdue all things unto himself 6. But so heavenly and pure is this that one that hath it cannot shew it to one that hath it not much less give it to such but he that hath it can stammer and speak by parcels and darkly by Parables for such what he saith will seem tho' it be not far from every one of us 7. He can give the other some directions where to dig for it also what it is like and what it is not like But Men are exceedingly perverted from it by the many Images their Astral Spirit imposeth on their Understandings So that the Invitations of pure simple and self-emptying Truth can hardly get audience more hardly obtain to be considered and penetrated but with highest difficulty get obedience from us and due Soveraignty over us 8. Men use their outward Senses so much and are so full of Objects occurring to them that they are strangers to the very existence of the Inward Sences forgetting what the Apostle saith That which we have seen with our Eyes heard with our Ears and our Hands have handled of the Word of Truth c. 9. The Men guided chiefly by the outward Sences are Sensual and Brutish and yet too much of that sticks to us all Such Maxims will not believe a Rock to be a shadow and Faith a substance they consider not that Visibles are transient and that which is not seen is Eternal whereof Faith is the evidence 10. Thus is the Lord from Heaven call'd the Son of God Son of Man and Seed of the Woman and is so at once perfectly and unchangeably 11. And fallen Man when once reunited to God by the death of the monstrous Image and restored to this new first pure Virgin Image are by this Seed of the Woman made the Sons of God See more to this purpose in the 81st and 90th Answers Q. 76. What is the Curse of the Earth what is thereby brought to pass A. 1. This Earthy Globe is very much unlike to what it was as our Bodies are also to that Adam's was for as Adam's Body was the Epitome of the whole Out-birth So this Globe was an Image of the Astral World and all the Properties and the Divine Principle did penetrate it as the Sun doth the Fruits so that the Earth was as much paradisical as it was capable to be but it had these bounds 2. That it could not be purer than the Root whence it proceeded viz. the Astral and Elementary and of those Heavens it may be said they are not pure in his â—ight 3. That it could not be more permanent than its Root and none doubts but of these it may be said they
Jews believed it not and too many at this day oppose it because they misunderstand that and other Divine Truths so that may still be the Lamentation My People perish for want of knowledge They that said in the Apostles days the Resurrection is past already were not perhaps aware that they overthrew the Faith of some it being the same as if they had said there was no Resurrection Object Some may say Man having a visible palpable elementary Body and an invisible astral Spirit or Soul Author of the five Senses at least that acts the Organs neither of those parts can share in the Resurrection for the Stars shall fall and the Elements dissolve Let them tell me too our Flesh is Grass Dust we are of the Earth earthy and like the Beast that perisheth If therefore the Syderial Root and four Elements return into their Aether can the Products thence subsist his Body being dependant on a transient Principle whereof 't is compounded With what Body therefore shall he arise A. 1. 8. Christ had a visible palpable Body as ours from the astral World and four Elements though by reason of his being begotten of the Holy Ghost was infinitely Superior and more Noble yet in his Resurrection was his Elementary also raised to Immortality and Glory 9. The Apostle saith If the Dead rise not 1. Then Christ is not raised 2. Your Faith is vain 3. Ye are yet in your Sins 4. Our Preaching is vain 5. We are found false Witnesses 6 Those that sleep in Christ are perished 7. Our hope is vain 8. We of all men are most miserable But therefore that Christ is risen and become the first fruits of them that slept A. 2. If our Body as far degenerate as it is become had no higher Extraction than barely the astral World and four Elements it might have no other Resurrection or Perpetuity but be as the Beast But how then was it to have endured to Eternity had not Sin broken it It had therefore its Root in the Eternal spiritual World whereof the outward World and the Spirit thereof viz. The Spirit of the great World are a figure and Representation A. 3. 11. It is relatively Eternal being United to the Eternal Soul joyned to the Holy Body it obeyeth and beareth suffereth and doth the Holy Will of God as the Souls Instrument and Companion And the wicked Souls direful confederate in all their black Machinations beastly selfish Maxims and fordid Prostitutions and therefore in both must have a Resurrection to receive according to their Works 12. But the Bodies of wicked People are as a ready prepared Engine whose every part is curiously composed by Exquisite symmetry liberally oyl'd to whirl as an Automatae down a steep Mountain whil'st the Bodies of holy Souls are as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoak or a lazy Ass to struggle through a narrow deep way with a leaden load up a weary heighth So that look how much of extraordinary Assistance or rather violent Inducement the Evil man's Body is to his Soul so much perplexing Impediment hath the regenerate Child from his Body 13. Infidelity suggests so many Improbabilities as may make one Impossibility of the Resurrection to which is opposed Omnipotence Shall that Infinite Power whose Hand gives Being to every thing and World from the Angelical Tâ—rones to the vile Insect and Minute-parts of every pile of Grass be insufficient to rally Man's dissever'd Limbs number the Hairs and not the Members record all Mens Actions Words Thoughts and forget the whole Bulk and Fabrick 14. As to the last part of the Objection with what Body shall they rise To this the Apostle replies Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quicken'd except it die and the Body which shall be viz. not the self same Grain but the self-same Kind riseth be it Wheat or any other and the self-same Tincture in the Crop as was in the Seed only our Corruption Dishonour and Weakness is changed into Incorruption Glory and Power 15 The Sons of Wisdom can see the Transmutation of Metals The Naturalist the death dissolution and reforming and vivifying of Craw-fish The curious Observer the Transmigration of the Silk Worm Every one that kindles a fire the triumph of the flame on change of the Accidents of the Fuel The Physitian the consent of Bodies and Parts by sympathy and of Actives and Passives Who sees not the Loadstone single out one filing of Steel from a heap of Sand. The Plowman and Gardener see out of the dark Earth arise Corn Fruits Flowers of other colour odour taste c. than the Earth yet acknowledge they the Earth hath all the Vertues Properties and Powers of them obscurely in it 16. Why then should it seem impossible that He that raised up Jesus Christ from the Dead should be able to quicken our Mortal Bodies though literally mortified when Death shall be swallow'd up of Victory as saith the Prophet Thy dead Men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise Awake and sing you that dwell in the dust for thy dew shall be as the dew of Herbs c. Q. 135. What manner of Door hath Christ through Death opened in our Humanity in the Anger and Righteousness of God where by we may enter into God How is that done A. 1. As it is not the Wind abroad but that in the Earth that causeth Earthquakes so neither could Man's mortal inward Wound be cured by outward Applications for because Man was become inwardly a Hell to himself and outwardly lock'd up in the Curse of the Out-birth wherein he had secluded and shut up himself from the Divine Light as in the 69th Answer is discoursed 2. It was therefore past all Remedy unless Heaven would mercifully introduce it self into the Soul in the light of his Life Then did the gracious Principle of Love by bringing the Eternal Virgin back into the lockâ— up Humanity become a Saviour Like as the Fiat or speaking Word did in the Beginning by the Light compose Order amongst the Confusions of the Properties of the Chaos So the Lord of the Light-Holy-World came into the averâ—ed Will of the Humanity and there implanted it self as a Tincture being Himself the Omnipotence of the Kingdom of Divine Love into the Anger and severe Righteousness of God in Man 3. Thus came it into Man's enraged first Principle like sweet Oyl or Incense into a dark hungry fire which raiseth it into a Radiant sweet flame and Iustre As when the Humane Intellect returned into Nebuchadnezzar his bestial Image was exalted So when the Divine dear Love embraceth and is enkindled in Man's angry fierceness it potently attracts by assimilation some Divine Breathings and makes impressions of it self As in Esau at his meeting Jacob. 4. The Door by which the Soul goeth into God is opened as Jacob by yielding up himself passed through a Death appeasing Esau for by this the Soul 's bolted and barred-up Door is unshut and set
of the quenching of Wrath with Love he sitteth in the Throne and is himself the Reconciliation Q. Is it askt what is the Kingdom City Palace or Seat whither he ascended and where he is A. 3. He is himself the Seat Palace City and Kingdom Q. Is it askt how can this be intelligible to Mortals living in Houses of Clay A. What is and where are the Bounds in the outward World of the Light The shining Sun is its own Palace and Throne it also is in the whole Deep in the several Elements and Concrets as far as any thing is capable of it yet is it but a Figure or Representation of the true Eternal Son Q. It is said concerning his visible circumscriptive Body which rose again and was seen by his Disciples on Earth during his Forty days converse whom the Disciples saw ascend and of whom the two Men in shining Garments spake that he should in like manner descend Where is that Body A. 4. It is answered it is in its own Eternal Throne But it is to be considered if we in our astral Man can view in our Intellect the whole Globe of Earth and Seas and the whole Deep of the third Principle And were our more noble part freed from the Images our Syderial Spirit frameth what a view could it take of the Principles and Fountain Spirits whence it all sprung especially that which it lives in and delights in as how much of the Eternal World may a glorified Spirit know for the Child knows and seeth his Parents and the Lords very outward Body was Begotten of the Holy Ghost as Masculine Seed 5. If therefore such a poor finite Creature as Man the lower sort of Intellectuals who is the thing formed or building can mount so high and apprehend so much Whither cannot he ascend what cannot he do and comprehend who being Conceived of the Holy Ghost is the Builder of the House Who tho' he humbled himself to the form of a Servant and ascended as such to shew he was our Brother yet is Lord of all and in his Heavenly Humanity is not exclusible of place as Eternity is not excluded out of time Q. 142. What signifie the two Men in Shining Garments who said Ye Men of Galilee why look ye up after him This Jesus who is taken from you to Heaven will come a-again as you have seen him ascend or go into Heaven A. 1. Moses saith Out of the Mouth of Two Witnesses shall every Truth be established And the Lord saith if he will not hear thee take with thee one or two more Thus in the Temple were two Cherubims stretching out their two Wings and the Lord sent out his Disciples two and two 2. The signification of all which is that when the first Adam by not acting his Powers caused the dividing the Two Tinctures into distinct Male and Female which should have remained but one Error and Falshood soon crept in for the Two Tinctures were neither of them true but Deceit introduced it self into both because the true Virginity disappeared 3. And the Two Tinctures were united only in the second Adam to bear one Voice or Testimony for he Married the Humane Soul to Virgin Sophia Thus the two Men in shining Garments bear but one Testimony Hence was it that in Sacrificing of Fowl the Male and his Female made but one Offering 4. Also thus as the Lord who was then taken up into Heaven shall in like manner return again so the holy pure Virgin Sophia the Wisdom of God and Tincture of the Light who left the Humane Fire Soul of Adam and withdrew from him into her own Heaven But by the Incarnation of the second Adam the same Eternal Virginity came down and returned again to the Humane Soul of us poor unworthy miserable Men. Q. 143. Why must the Disciples of Christ yet wait ten days for his Ascention for the sending of the Holy Ghost Why was not that done instantly Here begins the Eighth Grand Distribution A. 1. It was 1. To compleat the Antitype being the time pointed at by the Feast of Weeks which Feast of Weeks is commanded several times viz. from the Morrow after the Sabbath of the Passover reckon seven Sabbaths is 49 and 1 is 50 or the Feast of Pentecost from the Lords Resurrection At the end of Forty days the Lord ascended and the Disciples were to wait at Jerusalem till the coming of the Holy Ghost which was ten days after The ten days to make up the Feast of Weeks was that they might be a secondary illustration whereto the seventh day or weekly Sabbath is suited 2. Nine of these ten days points at the whole course of the Race of a Christian in this World and the tenth is the Crown Summit or Perfection As the nine first forms of Fire are Crowned with the Heavenly Birth of the Paradisical Earth and Water of Life in the holy World which is obtained by adding thereunto the tenth form 3. This is figur'd by the nine Generations beginning with Seâ— and Abraham is the tenth in whose Seed cometh the Blessing upon all In like manner find we Angels Ministring to Christs Incarnation nine times and the two at his Ascention was the tenth See the first Verse of the 133 Answer So there were ten Lepers cleansed but one only returning with thanks it is said where are the nine Thus was the tenth day of their waiting the day of the gracious and glorious coming down of the Holy Ghost Q. 144. What is this that the Disciples must wait and continue together till the Holy Ghost came A. 1. Will any say it was for their outward safety 't is true obedience is the safe path But this was of its own Nature most hazardous against Jacob's method who divided his Family and Substance to preserve some but this keeping them together was as to Mans Judgment an exposing them to danger for first an Assembly is less secret than one also more obnoxious to the Jealousie of evil Eyes From the consequence whereof they had no outward defence of their own or Followers or the People which somewhat swayed with the Priests c. in their time of rage against the Lord whereas they were not entered so far into their Ministry as might promise popular respect Therefore their being together might be deemed by the Bloody Persecutors of the Lord a fit season at once to extirpate the Lords Sacred Embassy and Embassadors 2. Their waiting and continuing together was therefore an Eminent Touchstone of pure Love and incomparable Faith 1. In respect of their Work which was to witness what the Lord was Crucified for acknowledging viz. that himself was the Son of God 3. 2. In respect of the place Jerusalem the stage where the Shepherd was smitten where the Murtherers were Rulers whose Streets lately Consecrated with the holy Lord's walks Miracles and Heavenly Doctrines The Temple where he had often spoken like God not like Man Where was a
part which readily uniting with the four dark Anguishes of the first Principle becomes a fixt Enmity to the Holy Powers See the 118 Answer v. 5. Antichrist as it is a fixed Enmity is incurable being like a Disease grounded on the Constitution See the 128 Answer v. 6. Q. 163. What is Babel or Babylon the Beast and the Whore in the Apocalypse or Revelations A. 1. Babel the Beast and the Whore is the World's Trinity for all that is so in as to be of the World is the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life the best of the Evil World as far as the Holy Powers are withdrawn lock'd up or excluded is in those three Lusts Comprized and Anatomized 2. The Beast hath its Foundation in the Elementary Man Babel in the Astral but the Whore in both and all of them in the Dust and are themselves no other Dust but such as the Wind from above shall scatter and drive away Thus the inquiring Mind may by considering find what these three are and how varied in their Root and Original It is next to be shewn how they are distinguish'd in their Progress and Operation 3. The Beast becomes more and more Sensual some more coveting rest and self-pleasing like such Beasts who greedily covet fulness in contempt of the Creator's Design and wilful Ignorance of the stare the starving Soul lost by the Fall and the means conducing to its recovery being far from pleasing and pampering the Flesh but these Swinish Lusts would fain be sated with the Husks of things Another sort are fierce dogged unsociable others haughty others lustful filthy c. But the Apocalyptical Beast includeth all these adding success by great access of Power among wretched Mankind who either by Fraud or Force obtain outward Magistracy or Soveraignty these the World goeth or wondereth after 4. The Progress or Operation of Babel is the exercise of Man's Reason in things truly known only in the Regeneration thus Babel is the Centre where all the straight or arch lines of Confusion drawn by the Beast or Whore meet Here all Ages and all Nations and Languages do agree in disagreement and are so far from knowing the true God that they know nothing truly much less themselves or others seeming and but seeming to be ever learning but still at Enmity against Truth 5. The Progress or Operation of the Whore is that Spirit in Man which dissembleth the inward Naughtiness with the outward guise of Holiness Purity and Devotion this Whore never was a Wife but in the time and place of Espousal was rejected abandoned and separated or repudiated called a Divorcement but improperly never being really Married for her Filthiness so clave to her that her unstedfastness and unfaithfulness appears in her adulterous Eyes her impudent Forehead her feigned Dialect her disdainful Deportment Now as the Whore is sensual she rooteth in and as one with the Beast for which cause the Antichristian Spirit ever strengtheneth it self by Uniting with the Temporal Magistracy and Authority And as the Whore is the Ape or Counterfeit of the Holy Work wrought in Mens Wills it being only pictured in her Intellect without affecting the Soul or Mind much less subjecting the Will so is the Whore a Builder of Babel concerning which Whore reference is made to the last foregoing Answer concerning Antichrist 6. It seems fit also to say something of the Attainments Results or Summits of these three The Whore can attain to sit as a Queen to ride on the Beast to induce the Kings of the Earth to drink the Wine of her Fornication in all this she deceiveth others but she is not a Queen also the hope concerning her self that she shall see no sorrow shall fail for she shall be hated they shall eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire so she deceives her self as effectually as others 7. The Beast having its Rod in the Elementary World and its satiety therein being filled therewith is when broken by the Turba resolved thereinto so that such as still the Out cries of their Eternal Souls therewith have their whole Life but a deceitful Dream and when the Elements drop off awake into Horror and Nakedness 8. The Summit and Result of Babel is to be alway doing what cannot be done as that figure the Tower was never finished they are the foolish Builder which is still beginning but never compleats any one thing instead of compleating order they end in Anguish 9. The Fulness and Attainment of the Beast is of the three the most truly effected for as in the Mire and Dust he dwells of that he fills himself he hath no higher Lust Profit Ease Pleasure and outward Honour he Designs and if he hath it and can bound his Desires to the Proportion obtainable by him he is best of the three for his Life is a pleasant Dream his Misery is out of his present view his Eternal part being choak'd cries not out but he rejoyceth in the good success his Craft Violence or Cruelty hath the present is his Heaven Futurities are in his Esteem airy Speculations but the Evil Day if perhaps at the Door seems to be very far off his Misery is that sure-footed Death must come and undeceive him and convince him that his Thoughts having perishing Objects do themselves perish Thus the Beast like the light of a Gloworm being only the issues of the Senses Babel being like the Light of a Candle as the Product of depraved Reason these two Lights are United by the Whore who undertaketh by them to shew Heaven to others which is as easie and demonstrable as it is with a Candle in a close Night to shew the clouded Stars whereas Heaven can only be seen by its own Light as even the outward Heaven is Q. 164. What is the Ruin of the Beast and how is it effected that the seven headed Beast should become cast into the Abyss A. 1. When a Vegetative as a Tree or Plant attaineth its fulness it issueth into Flowers Fruits c. whereunto if its vigor inable it not it declines and steps backward towards its first Mover so do Sensitives and rational Creatures But because the Astral Worlds that they may figure Eternity have a Prerogative Royal it is only required of them in Conformity to the Universal Order to condescend to a resemblance of the rest by Revolutions 2. The Number of the Beast is 666. far below the 1000 the Crown Number And all his seven Properties are included in the six working Forms never attaining the true Seventh which is the only rest So that the Beast wants Vigor to bear Fruit but having brought all his seven no higher or farther than the limit of six there grovelleth therein is bounded and those bounds are as those Lucifer and his Legions find themselves immutably confin'd by as by Adamantine Chains of condensed Darkness the Beast is not so near rest as 6 is to 7 but
Man at dissolution of the outward Life at one instant and by the same dissolution is it effected and compleated A. What Omnipotence may do is not for vile dust to comprehend for it is written I know thou canst do all things and the Thief on the Cross was a Monument of unsearchable Grace yet by the words of that Thief there seems not only a preparedness but a good degree of Conviction of guilt penitence sence and anguish under it inlightening to know the Lord Jesus Faith to direct and fortifie his petition and a seeing the unseen Kingdom yet so late a Repentance tho' thus manifested is the one only singular president on Record Q. 10. But it may be enquired what the dissolution of the outward Life of its own Nature contributeth hereunto A. It must be acknowledged that it banisheth for ever the outward Objects of our misimployed Affections and yet it followeth not that it takes away the desire gust or lust after them for the breaking of the outward Life or Elementary and Siderial Man or the Obligations and Ligaments of our Souls and Spirits is but as taking away the Skreen and opening to us the two inward Worlds which is as the unraking of Fire and enraging the Souls native forms of the unregenerate which the Astral and Elementary Man had been before the separation a mitigation of the Anguishes of so far is Mans dissolution from contributing to a Foundation or Beginning of the Divine Birth As it may be conceived by noting that tho' a proper Soil and apt Season may shoot a Mustard-seed sown unto a tall large stature Yet the richest Soil concurring Elements liberal Season benign Astral Influences with the Solar Rays uniting transmute not Tares into Wheat Thistles into Fig-trees nor Thorns into Vines 11. But where the Soul like Flax only smoketh with the Holy Fire and the Souls Fire is irradiated with true tho' weak Divine Light rightly directing the Eye of the Mind Causing the Will and Affections to press forward mourning sowing in tears smiting on the Breast in Anguish heaviness and good earnestness the dissolution of such a sincere beginning Pilgrim may be but as plucking up a Thorn Hedge to make the way more accessable disburthening an over-laden Ship the better to secure the whole the alighting from a froward unbroken or tired Horse which will neither carry the Rider nor can be carried by him So unsuitable a Companion doth the Soul begun to be regenerate find his Body with the distrustful cares distracting fears worldly sorrow and hateful pollutions thereof And so adverse are the Maxims of the Sensual Man to those of the New that they are on terms of Hostility so that if we live after the Flesh we shall die but if by the Spirit we mortifie the deeds of the Body we shall live The Body's Vileness is pointed at by that Statute in Moses that the Holy Anointing Oil was not to be poured on Man's Flesh tho' not only both the Altars the Table Laver all the Vessels and Candlesticks but also the very Tabernacle was to be anointed therewith 12. How much are we less provident than the Brutes who know and use their season the Stork the Ant c. and under flattering Hopes of doing all at last neglect all for ever but when Harvest is come begin to sow regardless of what is written To day if you will bear his voice harden not your hearts But besotted lost Man will promise himself that it is enough at death that the Priest can absolve me Others to say I believe Christ hath done all for me or because they acknowledge that all are sinners indulge themselves to be always sinners neglecting the great End of their Creation and of Divine Patience till the Creator is calling them for Accompt of His betrusted Talents as if they would then work out their Salvation when themselves are passive and unable to action and the night come when no man can work Obj. 3. 13. But we are told and that by some who detest the Roman Purgatory that something may be done to compleat the perfection of separate Souls after their separation from the Mortal Body who produce several Texts out of the Old Testament and out of the New also out of the Apocryphal antiquity to point at it or rather expresly to confirm it as out of the Old Deut. 26. 14. Isa. 61. 1. Zech. 9. 11 12. out of the New Matth. 12. 32. 2 Tim. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 3. 19. 1 Pet. 4. 6. out of the Antient Writings call'd Apocrypha 2 Esdras 7. 37. Ecclesiasticus 7. 33. 2. Maccab. 44. 45. Let us therefore post-pone the first step to the New Birth till our bodily Letts be removed when without the obstructions of the Rebel Passions ending with cutting of the Temporal Thread we be adapted thereunto A. The Objection supposeth not that one who at separation of the Soul from the Outward Body after rejecting the Gospel being in fixt Enmity against God and the Kingdom of Resignation is remediable nor suggesteth that he who soweth himself a Tare Thorn or Thistle shall rise a Wheat Corn Vine or Fig-tree how therefore may it seem incumbent on me to oppose my self to the dint of the Texts produced 14. But rather as the Lord Christ in answer to the Question of the Disciples Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father keepeth in his own Power but prophesieth and chargeth on them on that occasion their immediate concern and business How much less is it for men to know what the operations of Father Son and Holy Ghost will be in perfecting separate Souls when out of the Circle of Time and Seasons For so strong a Fort hath Satan built in mens resolute Self-wills so impierceable are their Rocky Hearts that like Leviathan they laugh at the shaking of the Spear and as the Servants of Atheistical Benhadad diligently catch every word seeming to favour their flattery of Impunity that they may treasure up wrath by impenitence more and more against the day of wrath 15. To these am I sent with happy Tydings that howsoever the Abyss of Mercy hath winked at the faults of the days of Ignorance yet now commandeth he all men every where to repent also with heavy Tydings that if in this their day they neglect so great Salvation how shall they escape Which Question none in Heaven Earth or Hell answereth Again if they that sinned against Moses Law died without Mercy and it might seem the bottom of Misery to die a merciless Death of how much sorer punishment shall they be thought worthy who have trampled under foot the Son of God and blasphemously counted the Blood of the Covenant an unholy thing and done despite to the Spirit of Grace of how much sorer punishment is that Question but which either is unanswerable or which Eternity can only unfold 16. A murthered Body is the sorrow and pity
this Principle Lucifer's Throne had Jurisdiction substituted by the Son of God himself till on Lucifer's Heresie he became uncapable to derive Power from the Holy World but introduced Anarchy in the Principle over which he was to Rule according to Divine Order thence all faces of his Legions and This very Deep gathered Blackness and the Deep tumbled into a Chaos Here then God as He is Purity Holiness and Goodness was not all in all but they were now captiv'd in him as he is the Ocean of all Might and Power the Abyss of the first Principle according to which He is called a Jealous God and Consuming Fire and thus is He in That Profane Dark World But God is all in all in the Holy World and Creatures as far as they are Holy in his gracious majestick Light and Goodness the thing in this Question intended 29. And now that the whole Deep being God's inoffensive Creature was impos'd on suffering the sad Effects of the Rebellion of the Apostate Angels it pleas'd the God of Grace whose Angel pitied Balaam's Ass and who made merciful mention of the very Cattle in Niniveh to ransom this great space that as it had been the Tragical Stage of the Impure Spirits it might by introduction of Light be the Theatre of Mercy and Goodness Then was the New which Men call'd the Old World founded or a New Principle revealed such a one that as the Evil ones having profanely left their Habitation viz the Holy second Principle so were they in a great measure excluded This New one the Light of the Outward Sun being no advantage but rather opposing them and the Moon tho' but a Looking-glass reflecting the Sun's Light not serving but rather thwarting them for no Light fits them better than that of the Lightening from the astonishment that comes with it 30. And whereas the Out-World was like a Boat built of the pieces of a wracked Ship and that it was formed of the Properties which Lucifer had divided therefore were the fierceness of Mars the strong Bands of Saturn the sly quality of Mercury figured distinctly and not harmoniously in the cruel and other Creatures of this World at enmity with the noble Jupiter amiable Venus and royal Sol. Seeing now also here was an empty Throne whereof Lucifer was as uncapable as of That Estate which he had not kept then did God create a Prince who might Image the Trinity His Soul having the Properties of the first Principle His Divine Spirit the Holy second His Royal Transparent Body capable of Eternity figuring the third in This Noble Person while he so stood was Power and Suitableness to sit in the Throne of the third Principle for in him was God whom he compleatly Imaged all in all 31. But when This Prince divorc't the Pure Virgin of Divine Love and degenerated into Bestial Lust God his Creator was no longer all in all in him but he was a Mock-God to himself a Captive to his own Lust and Tyrannous Self-will So that his dear Virgin could no longer trust her self with him but he died as to her and she withdrew her pure Modesty into her own Heaven leaving his Soul among the Murtherers whereof Cain was afraid like to the state of the Out-cast Legions and his Body like the dark confused Deep before the Almighty call'd for Light where was now the Holy Image wherein God is all in all Q. 32. But is not God all in all in His Converted Children here of whom it is said He that is born of God sinneth not And as many as be perfect viz. meaning them be thus minded Again He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and is not God all in all in Such A. Well were it for us if it were so but our too high thoughts keeps us dwarfy and greatly aggravates our wretchedness proceeding very much from our ignorance of that State we fell from of which Treats the 45th Answer 8 and 9 verses and the 52 Answer throughout and how miserable Man 's Fall made him is traced in the 72 Answer in all the 8 verses of it The dividing of the Tinctures into distinct Male and Female is an Evil men are willingly ignorant of where began the dismal breach whence David as a Prophet lamenteth his Extraction viz. I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me that also is signified by our Apostle viz. There is neither Male nor Female but Christ is all in all 33. The present State of God's Holy Ones subjects them in a great degree to the prevailing hot fury and wrath of the first Principle and the fleeting wavering ambiguous unsteadiness of the third against both of which is the Apostle's caution viz. I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting that is without the predominancy of either first or third but in the Resignation Love Meekness and Faith of the pure second Principle Thus as this World is a part of us the God of this World hath a party in us which entails on Adam's Posterity vast loads of sorrow misery vexation and woe for so far are we wandered from the Holy Powers and Magically formed and degenerated into so corrupt a Bestial Body that the awakened Soul finds her self not only unequally but sinfully and shamefully yoked to a strange deformed filthy Companion instead of the pure Paradisical Virgin Image capable of Eternity bearing only the figure but that we lost was to have been the Ruler over and Epitome of the Out-world and was invested with Dominion of the Works of God and all this to that degree of wretchedness That to be present in this vile Body is to be absent from the Lord. And that through much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdom of God 34. Hence is it that the Wise man tells us Wisdom and Sorrow joyntly grow up for he that encreaseth Wisdom encreaseth Sorrow So that Heman who was wise to a Proverb that it was said of Solomon He was wiser than Heman This Heman the Pen-man of the 88 Psalm shews his frame to be composed of mournful parts and that Psalm as the Glass Door or Issue of him is as the Epitome of unexpressible grief as a night mantled over from any the least glimpse of day It is ignorance stupidity or madness that transports men in the Vale of Tears into wanton fleshly merriments for this is the time of budding and extendeth but to green fruit wherein the bitter sour undigested Properties prevent by their crudity the Solar Influence And lest we deceive our selves we ought to know this is the watry Seed-time the place of the Childrens being in the birth of working with fear and trembling fighting wrestling watching of receiving many a wound and discouragement of suffering reproach many reluctances upon the rallying and re-enforcing of our domestick Enemies who impudently almost continually return upon us our old Habits The Evil One is also
of Infinite power of the Jehovah so neither can it terminate but that second Death be ever a Dying Life while the God of Life liveth This is that King of the Kings of Terror this shakes the heart of a Rock of Adamant this as a World of Lead lyeth on the dark Troops while yet the most exquisit Tortures if transient and finite bring Cordials with them to the faintest of Christ's Followers sugaring the bitterest Pills to the humble patient tormented persecuted Children of whom the World is not worthy this also serves Gall in every Dish to him who could engross the Out-principles Delights for Methuselah's Age. But Eternity is as Incomprehensible as the Eternal God as far beyond Men and Angels as Infinity is beyond our short narrow shallow and superficial Measures This God this Christ this Holy Principle is our God our Christ our Holy Life for ever and ever and were there any thing after for ever it were ours too 2. Look then O my Soul fixedly on this Freehold and disdainfully on all visible and invisible melting Idols and airy bubbles breathe press pant sweat freeze suffer fight run watch persevere till thy dry husk crumble and fall off and thou shalt reap once and for ever more than Eye or Heart can see or conceive On the 16th Question and Answer Why is God's wrath Eternal c Let God be true and every Man a Lyar who saith he is Light in him is no Darkness at all But yet if the Creature shall put out its own Eyes it is Darkness having extinguished the holy Light in it self Again he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God for God is love but when Evil Angels and Men fix themselves in Enmity they causelesly quarrel with God live no more in that love but enter into wrath in their own Evil Principle This being so O my Soul search thy self what black veils are there excluding the bright holy eternal Light of God See also if there be an unmortified impenitent repining impatient Spirit swaying and prevailing in thee that thou be estranged from the meek love of God leading thee Captive in the inward Kingdom of dark Fierceness and then that the Devil perswade thee not that God willeth thy Destruction and thou to excuse thy wilful Rebellion Blaspheme the God of Eternal Light and pure Love On the 17th Question and Answer What is God's work in Hell is Hell a local place 1. The Holy Eternal Jehovah is in himself undivided yet as he operates in all the seven Forms of the seven Fountain Spirits moving to make himself Creaturely so all divided Properties derive from him and are radically in him and the multiplicity is as a very little thing comprehended in the infinite Unity Thus the Fire which is the Life of all Creatures is often their Death but when it generates the Light is the Joy of such where it so proceeds if it generate the Holy intellectual Light the Fire is made Holy and the whole Existence is Angelical and Paradisical but if it dwindle into an Image or meer Representation of the true Light it degenerates into a Shadow and if the Light that is in any be Darkness how great is that Darkness 2. Come up hither my Soul and see what Light thy Fire yieldeth grows it toward the Harmony resigning it self into the Unity then thou hast thy Fruit unto Holiness and thy End everlasting Life Or is it captiv'd in the Wrath of the divided Properties laboureth it in Building Babel striveth it to be its own Lord and Law-giver is self its first Mover and Ultimate End then shalt thou of the Flesh reap Corruption the Disunion makes Disorder the Disorder causeth Aversion that again begets Anguish that issues into utter Enmity that finally into Rage 3. Oh then my Soul return into thine impregnable Fortress step back into thy Child-like Innocence Meekness and Simplicity Hast thou in Adam lost thy dear Virgin Purity yet blush away thine adulterous Apostasie and with torn Hair flowing Eyes and a broken Spirit acknowledge thy unworthiness implore to be as one of the hired Servants and thou wilt find thy Father hath bowels a kiss of his will break thy Heart melt thee as Wax impress in thee his New Life wherein the various Properties draw all one way Divine Love will crucifie Self-love and Self-will and kill the Enmity as the fresh blushing morning doth the Fogs of the night With-hold nothing from him whose are all things and all Worlds whose thou art and who spared not his One Only dearest dear Son for thee to attone thy divided inimicitious Properties ransom thee from the Principle of Wrath exempt thee from the Eternal Dark Abyss free thee from the Hell of Hells thy exceeding sinfulness and to bring thee who wast a Devil inwardly and a Beast outwardly to be a Child among the Spirits of just men made perfect by his Mighty Salvation On the 18th Question and Answer Where is Heaven is it a local place c. 1. What a taking Travel were it to pass with and thro' Temporal Pleasures to Eternal Joy If so what throngs would resort by treading down the side banks to widen that narrow way But thou hast learnt O my Soul that the pleasing of the flesh is the Paradice of Fools consider thou therefore that it is abundantly sufficient advantage by passing through as many deaths as are days in thy Pilgrimage here and through as many horrid Hells to at last to step safely into our Fathers House How acceptable were the contemplation of Heaven if it were enough to entitle us to it without wetting a foot to sit on an easie Chair and take a prospect in the Holy Scriptures and other Books of what some Travellers thither have left on Record which will do the work when the viewing the World on a Card will entitle us to the Kingdoms of it 2. But because there are Legions of Lusts binding hand and foot there is much to be done and much help to be sought striving mortifying working crucifying fasting resigning patience lying low being often in the furnace And because there is a devouring Lion opposing maliciously there is need of great Faith constant strong Prayer and Watching Because also the Wisdom and Glory of this perishing World opposeth there is need to become Fools to be accounted the Off-scouring of it to pass through the Good and Evil without being impressed and swayed by either but in meekness blessing them that curse us praying for despiteful Persecutors and lying dead to present desirable things that thou maist be raised by the first Resurrection And now my Soul thou seest that Heaven is no empty speculation but entring is opening Heaven And the Lord Jesus who is the Heaven of Heavens in thee with a mighty Power utterly unconceivable to the top of Man's Wisdom and the acâ—test deepest search of all the unregenerate World and to the Children of the Resurrection known but as in a Glass darkly On the 19th Question and
Excellency to Sensitives from the Ant to the Elephant their activity comeliness usefulness cunning and seminal Power But above all to Man a vigorous beautiful Body a prudent capacity and prosperous success furnishing him with such Abilities as may be applicable to preserve himself and others by implanting improving and repairing things profitable and extirpating and preventing the noxious also ennobling him with such Endowments whereby he may rule over and give conduct to the Inferiour Creatures and use the Creation the Earth Water Air Fire and Wind as his Servants to do his Work without Wages or Limitation of Time c. The Ruler of the day and Mistress of the Night are his Directors On the 25th Question and Answer Of the Temporal Natures Light and Darkness whence they sprung and exist Seeing they sprung from exist by and are manifestations of the two incomprehensible Principles the holy Light World and the dark Wrathful World how large a Field of Meditation is here to us Men who are little Worlds The Experience of one Man hath been that his Closet approaches in the Evening hath been more confused perplext and impure and his most early Morning access more simple chearful and vigorous the former seeming not only toucht with the days contagion but at the entrance of the figure of the dark Abyss whereas his Morning hath been a Sally of the Soul out of a Dungeon more transported with a new Glory figuring the Resurrection Which seems to be one reason the Christians about an hundred years after the Incarnation used to meet at certain days before Sun-rising to Sing Hymns to Jesus Christ c. Hence those in whom Christ is risen are the Children of the day for New Ierusalem knows no Night If therefore thou my Soul art risen with Christ the things over which thou art risen are to thee dead dry withered trash and thou art entred by the first Resurrection into the new fruitful growing state But where are the steps of thy growth is it in the figure or similitude of the New Birth Hast thou a Lamp without Oyl A fair Building not rightly founded Livest thou on the Letter without the Life Art thou receiving Seed but choaking it with the outward Principle Art thou one of the Grains that shall be fann'd away Or hast thou entred the true second Principle Do thy Original forms generate the true Light whereof the outward Light is but a shadow and therewith the Divine Love whereof the highest outward delight is but a weak Similitude Is there in thee a deep humble foundation and a springing up of Life through Death as a structure on that profound Basis. If so the day is dawned and the Day-Star risen else not a dim weak sight yet infallibly informs when 't is day and when not and why should it be so mysterious to our Intellect But so dismal is Mans Fall that the Children of Darkness may more unerringly doom themselves such than those of the day can be assured of their progress therein While that often good beginnings are flatter'd as if the Prize were won and yet themselves degenerate into wild Grapes and wild Olives and the awakened Souls are often under various Misrepresentations fears and impressions proceeding sometimes from real and sometimes from supposed causes as it happens to a distressed Traveller in an unknown Countrey or as to a laden Ship labouring under successive Surges Seeing therefore the day and night we carry about in our Bosoms figur'd by the natural day and night is truely Heaven and Hell what highest diligence is necessary to introduce and stir up the one and what dreadful earnest cautions are requisite like Sea marks where the Ships have been split to shun the other On the 26th Question and Answer Of the separation of the Water above the Firmament from the Water which is underneath the Firmament and of the Created Heaven in the midst of the Water 1. The Created Heaven out of the midst of the Water being the outward Heaven partaking of both Waters is like the Tree bearing the Forbidden Fruit which stood in the midst of the Garden between the inward and outward Principles and partaking by Figure of the inward but really was of the outward The Water above the Firmament is a part of holy Paradise and that under the Firmament our palpable Mortal Water yet a similitude of the other for as this is our condensed Air and our Air as the Breath of Fire so is that holy living Water the meekness of the Heavenly which Air is exalted from the Incomprehensible Forms of the holy Fire And as our Water hath a cleansing property to the outward Man so hath that a purifying power to the inward As ours gives reception to the Light which no sooner looks on it but through it So is that the Vehicle or Transparent Habitation of the Eternal Light not to be understood so grosly as the Blood is of the Life of Creatures but in a sense agreeable to the Spiritual Power and Property thereof 2. And as Luoifer not obtaining his inordinate desire excited his Central Fire to the drying up of his meek Water wherein his Light shone his Light thenceforth disappeared So when Man 's dark implacable Lust thirsting for Domination Revenge or to compass some other evil according to the fierce Anguish of the Fire Soul is quenched overcome and kill'd by the sinking down humble subjection and true resignation of the Will to the Divine Councel and Conduct a new Life is generated of Childlike Obedience by the arising of this Water of the upper Springs which cleanse and become in that Soul a Well of Living Water springing up to Eternal Life For his Water is the Eternal Light and Eternal Love substantiated in such degree as this holy living Water can be capable so to be signified by that in the Brass Lâ—wer between the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Altar wherein the Priests were to wash that they died not 3. Why Oh my Soul are thy daily and hourly thoughts so low and impure It is not the defect of a Fountain of that above the Firmament but because thou usest it not Why sometimes feelest thou the Fire of prevailing Wrath proceeding from Impatience that from Pride that from Ignorance of God and thy self but because thou drawest not by an earnest thirst this living Water nor finkest into it Why is it by the returns of thy old Habits thou so often defilest thy self and so seldom washest in these Waters Did not the Priests wash as often as Sacrifice was it not daily Morning and Evening wants not the Earth the former and latter Rain So let Oh my Lord my cleansing be frequent and constant as was that of the Priests Let it be real as the Fire of the Altar and the Water in the Laver was real Let my cleansing be universal and extend to all the active Properties as they washed both Hands and Feet and their Fire consumed the whole Burns Offering
troublesom sleep he prodigally lavisheth 3. Come dwell here or hereabouts my Soul 't is not vain to behold and consider what Vanities Incircle thee What fierce or desperate Men madly venture on which they can try but once and what Men overwhelm'd with the painted present pleasures do with a Transport of Consternation undergo that do thou neither Court nor Fly Man here is like Jerusalem when Besieged by Titus the Devil and his Engines the Snares of the World like the Roman Legions begirt him waiting at all his Avenues And his Domestick disorders like the three Sects within are at Mortal Enmity God hath sent thee my Soul a voice warning hence and directing whither hear and obey and the outward death shall land thee at Jerusalem which is from above learn thy general and thine own particular Business find thy Constitution Sin do thy Days Work studiously calmly and cheerfully dwell at home that is within and the vigorous eager Maxims of the Worldly-wise and their Storms as well as the flattering shews abroad and other Mens Opinion of thee will be to thee as Tragedies and Comedies in the Antipodes On the 41st Question and Answer The Idea or Express Reflex Image of God in Man wherein God worketh and dwelleth 1. This Image was figur'd by the Tabernacle Temple Jerusalem and Mount Sion their Holiness Exquisiteness and Impregnableness a glance of it shone in Moses Face This when Adam fell into the outward Worlds Principle withdrew and had not the same been reimplanted he had remained part Devil and part Beast and but that it continueth striving in Man he should still be so and where final resistance is that Man is a Devil and a Beast Everlastingly for Men without Humane Intellect are Brutes and without the Divine Image Devilish for this Seal differenceth the Sheep from the Goats Mans rejecting this is Gods rejecting of Man for tho' the want of it makes the Devils miserable yet Mans despising the tenders of it is an Aggravation to the opposition the Devils make against it This is the Light that cannot be hid why should it What were Men without Eyes or this deep without the Sun What Business hath Mortal Man here but to get it Blessed is he that hath part of this first Resurrection and that so shineth as to lead any other into the knowing and love of it and living in it 2. Contrariwise wretched are those who sit down with the Image Shadow or Similitude of it this is every where in reputation Antichrist adorns it self therewith the Politick Statesman pretends to it to ratifie his Magistracy over the Persons of his Subjects as Antichrist over Mens Consciences while the real pure Image of God in Man is every where decry'd and persecuted Thus did the Jews kill the Prophets and Men of the same Spirit garnish their Sepulchres Men deal in matters of this vast import as if that glorious Spiritual Image were like the Wooden Gods of the Blind Heathen or as if it were as some Flowers Beautiful to the Eye but without Smell or Taste Thus while the holy Souls of Christs Followers went for the perishing Loaves the Souldiers had his Garment and the Relick-Mongers pretend to some of the Wood of the supposed Cross. Therefore is the outer Court given to be trodden down of the Gentiles EXTRACTS Of several of the WORKS OF Jacob Behmen Beginning with his first Book CALLED AURORA OR Morning Redness CHAP. I. Page 33. v. 1. Of searching out the Divine Being in Nature of both the Qualities of Good and Bad. 1. THough Flesh and Blood cannot conceive the Being of God the Spirit when enlightened from God may By considering the Powers in Nature the Outward Heavens and Earth Holy Angels Men Devils Heaven and Hell By considering all which are found the two Qualities Good and Bad one in the other in all the Outward World 2. A Quality is the Mobility boiling springing or driving of a thing 3. The seven Qualities are call'd sometimes seven Sources Species Kinds Manners Cirâ—â—â—stanâ—â—s â—â—nditioâ—â— Poweâ—â— Oâ—erationâ— of Faculâ—â—es also the 〈◊〉 Spirits which give Model or Frame the Power Vertue Constitution Substance Esâ—â—nce Being â—â—â—ure Shape Coâ—ouâ— Taste and Distinction to all things which ever were are shall or can be in from or to Eternity in all Creatures Heaven Hell or this World Also the Forms or Properties of Nature which is the Salitter or Power of God and 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Spirits of God in the Revelations four times 4. Heat consumeth expelleth or hardeneth Light in it is its heart and joy making all things living and moving â—â—erceneâ— maketh the Light moveable the Light subsisteth in God without Hâ—â—t out not â—o in Nature 5. Cold is the allâ—â— of the fierceness of Heat making all things pleasant but hath a fierceness which is the House of Death from Heat proceedeth Air which temper'd with Cold doth in the bitter quality become dewy from Cold comes Water which temper'd with Heat would else as Earth c. be congeal'd Heat consumeth the Water Cold crowdeth the Air in the Meekness of the Air reigneth the Holy Ghost but Air in its fierce Elevation destroyeth in the fierceness of the Water is a deadly Spring in which all living things rot 6. The Bitter quality is the Mother of Life for it a tracteth the Water and dissipateth it and becomes separable from this quality have Leaves and Grass their green Colour where it dwelleth meekly it is the Heart and Joy a gsimpse of Heavenly Joy the Holy Ghost moveth in it but in its fierce Elevation it is the very House of Dâ—ath for it kindlein the Blâ—ment of Fire 7. The Sweet quality is a Joy of the Life the Mâ—â—sion of the Holy Ghost 't is Love and Mercy Fragrant good Taste giveth Fair Yellow White and Ruddy Colour but in the fierce source its Death and Corruption if kindled in the Water Bitterness it breeds the botchy Plague or Pestilence if in the Heat Bitterness it ingendereth a spreading Plague infecting the Air. 8. The Sour quality cooleth is a still joy to the Spirit But in its evil source it beginneth sadness 9. The Astringent or Saltish quality is a good Temper to bitter sweet and sour But in its fierceness in the Fire begets the Stone or Gravel if in the Water Scabs Pox Leprosie CHAP. II. The Visible Heavens and Earth and all Creatures have a good and evil Source or Will except the Holy Angels and Devils 1. THE Sun is the Heart King and Joy of the Stars and all Creatures The whole Creation is the Body of God being enlightened by the Holy Ghost which they only are who relye not on themselves but set their desires on him Man comes to know God by the Creation for as Mans Spirit informs and replenisheth his Body so doth the Holy Ghost dwell in the good qualities of every thing 2. We are to conceive that in the Body of the Stars is the Triumphing Holy Trinity
gives extream cold 2. The sweetness gaspeth and fainteth 3. The bitterness teareth like a hot Plague as Gall. 4. The Fire is as a wrathful Sulphur 5 Love is turn'd into Enmity 6. Sound is as a crackling Fire or Thunder out of a hollow place 7. Their Region a hole of Mourning Their Food is the fierceness of all the Qualities CHAP. XI 1. THE seventh Spirit is the Body wherein Heaven and Earth Beauty and Joy rise up being generated out of the other six in colour Azure or Heaven Blew were it not for this there would be neither Man nor Angel and God would be an unsearchable Power 2. All the seven Spirits without the rising up of the flash were a dark Valley but when the flash riseth up between the Astringent and the Bitter in the Heats shining in the sweet Water it makes all living and the Power which riseth up in the flash is the Love and all the seven Spirits thus enlightened become a palpable Body to speak after an Angelical manner and this is the Body of Nature wherein all heavenly Creatures Idea's Figures or Vegetations are imaged or fashioned 3. The Light is the Life of all the seven Spirits it is their Son and Heart they are its Father him they Eternally generate in him triumph This Light or Majesty is the second Person in the Trinity and is another Person from the seven Spirits and the seven Spirits rise up continually in the Light and are the Father 4. And this splendor of the Light in the seventh Nature-spirit viz. the going forth of the Powers to form and image all in the seventh Spirit this out-going or Exit of the glance is the true Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son 5. This the Jews Turks and Heathens might find in their own Life and by these three they must rise again 6. But that the Christians boast not and scorn them Know that if the Turks be of an Astringent Quality and the Heathens of a Bitter yet if they stand in the anxious Birth seeking Rest and Grace though not in the right place God is every where And the Christian is generated in the Heat where the Light springeth up in the sweet-water yet take heed by drying up the Water thou extinguish not the Light and be burnt 7. The six Spirits rise up alway in a compleat Birth in the seventh and the corporeal drying of them is called Divine Salitter 8. The Angels are not all of equal Power though every one hath the might of all the Fountain Spirits but in every one there is somewhat of one Quality more predominant than another wherein he is glorified 9. Such as the Salitter was in every place at the time of their Creation in such is the Angel strongest and according to which is he named 10. As Flowers in Meadows receive colours from each ones Quality So the Holy Angels some are strongest in the Astringent quality and are of a brownish dusky grey white light like Twilight and nearest the Quality of Cold and when the Light of the Son of God shineth on them they are of a brownish purple flash of Lightening very bright in their Quality 11. Some are of the Quality of Water-light like the Holy Heaven and when the Light shineth on them they look like a Chrystalline Sea 12. Some are strongest in the Bitter Quality and are like a green precious Stone or Emerald sparkling like a flash of Lightening and when the Light shineth on them they appear as a greenish red as a Carbuncle or as if the Life had its Original there 13. Some are of the Quality of Heat and they are brightest of all yellowish and reddish and when the Light shineth on them they are like the flash or Lightening of the Son of God 14. Some are strongest in the Quality of Love and are a glance of the Heavenly Joyfulness very bright and when the Light shines on them they look like light blew azure lustre 15. Some are strongest in the Quality of the Tone or Sound and are bright also and when the Light shineth on them they look as if something would lift up it self aloft there in the rising of the flash of Lightening 16. Some are of the quality of the total Nature as a general mixture and when the Light shineth on them they look like the Holy Heaven formed out of all the Spirits of God 17. But the King is the Heart of all the qualities and hath his Court Province or Circumference in the Centre as the Sun amongst the other Planets so great is a Cherubim or King of Angels 18. The Author saith this Revelation was given him of God not that he had gone into Heaven and beheld it nor had any told it him for if any yea tho' an Angel he could not have understood or believed it but have doubted whether it had been an Angel sent of God or no but because it is generated in the Centre or Circle of Life as a bright self-evidencing Light like the Heavenly Birth or rising up of the Holy Ghost with a fiery impulse of the Spirit he could not withstand it at which let him that mocketh fear lest he soweth mocking and Eternally reap it 19. Worldly Wisdom is Born Blind therefore must all be Born again which new Birth begets the flash of Life in the sweet Spring or Fountain Water of the Heart and then it seeth 20. And therefore hath Christ ordained the Baptism in the Water because the birth of the Light riseth up in the Water which hath from the beginning of the World been a Mystery till now 21. This World is a Type of Heaven 22. The Stars denote the Angels being unaltered 23. The Elements in the deep between the Stars and Earth by their often alterations of being bright and sometimes louring blew whitish duskish wet and dry signifie the wonderful proportion variety and change of the posture of Heaven yet all according to the rising up of the Spirits of God and the Glory of the Son of God shining Eternally therein 24. The Earth sheweth the Heavenly Nature or the seventh Spirit of Nature in which the Ideas rise up 25. The Birds Fishes Beasts Worms Trees Plants and Flowers set forth the forms in Heaven tho' they are in clarity and brightness who rise there and go away again not being compacted as the Angels are but a figure and if imaged in one Spirit the same by wrestling with another Spirit is divided and altered therefore also the Creatures in this World are created Transitory CHAP. XIII Of the Doleful Terrible Fall of Lucifer and his Kingdom 1. WHen Lucifer saw his own Excellencies then his Heart or Life Spirit exalted it self aspiring to triumph over the Divine Birth the Son or Heart of God 2. For the seven Fountain Spirits who are the Father of the Light were pleased to become creaturely in
which though it was benummed yet the Life was hid in it and generated the â—tars out of Nature so the Light rose up making its Seat in the House of Death which Death could comprehend as little as Wrath doth Meekness 2. As a Tree hath Life Vegetation and Sap producing Fruit which the dry Bark hath little of through which the living Power thrusteth forth Twiggs while the withered Rind harboureth Worms which at last destroy the Tree It is the Love which breaketh through the House of Death and is one Life with God 3. The Stars are come out of the Power of the seven Spirits of God for the Wrath of God was kindled by the Devil and the Out-birth as dross and scum was driven together whence came Earth and Stones for the Body of God as to this World could not remain in Death but the corrupted Nature with its palpability hath remained in Death and is the House of Devils therefore God created new Angels viz. Adam and would bar up Lucifer in the outer Darkness Q. Why had not this been done instantly and then he had not done so much Mischief 4. A. God purposed to make an excellent Angelical Army out of the Earth and all Vegetations after a Heavenly manner and then Extract the Heart or Kernel at last and separate it from Death and the Death of the Earth and Wrath therein should be Lucifer's who in the mean time should and now doth lye Captive in the Deep above the Earth 5. But that there are so many Stars of differing Operations shews God's Infiniteness and their continuance shews there shall be a constant Uniform Birth Q. When the Devil and his Angels fell why had not God instantly bolted him up in the place where he fell 6. A. What Sin hath the Salitter committed that it should stand totally in Eternal shame None therefore God willed to use iâ— as a Dwelling for the new Race of Angels Adam and his Children and leave only the kindled fierceness to the Devil which had it been all left to the Devil out of it could not a new Body have been built 7. The Stars are a sharp Birth and innermost Geniture which had theirfirst kindling from Heaven and God useth them as an Instrument to the wrestling fighting Birth and to anxiety for on the third Day the anxiety in the Birth of this World rub'd it self whence the Fire flash existed and the Light of the Stars kindled it self in the Water of Life till the third Day Nature was a dark Valley and then Life brake through Death and the new Birth began for so long Jesus Christ rested in Death The old Body which standeth in the austereness is a House to the Devil but the new to the Kingdom of Christ. CHAP. XXV 1. EVery Star hath a peculiar Property as may be perceived by the various curious Ornament of the blossoming Earth which variety should have kindled the old Body into so many Powers to break forth through the Wrath that the new Life might have all the Powers that eâ—er the old had before the times of the Wrath which new Body blossomed at the Creation but Nature being by Man more corrupted God Cursed the Ground for Man took hold of the Fruit of the old Body wherefore the Fruit of the new was hidden and the bestial Body had â—Eves Wrath Apples to Eat 2. Concerning the Sun As far as the middle Point or Centre hath kindled it self just so big is the Sun for that is the Sun The Light of the Meekness of the Sun uniteth with the pure Deity and were the great Heat taken away from the Sun it would be one Light with God but the Heat cannot comprehend the Light therefore the place of the Sun remaineth in the Body of God's Wrath. 3. The Sun hath its royal place to it self whence it moveth not but the Earth rouls about every 24 Hours and compasseth the place of the Sun once every Year as do the other Planets but Saturn Jupiter and Mars by reason of their great heighth cannot do it so soon 1. The Life of a Creature is in the Heat of the Heart so is the Sun to the whole Deep 2. The Gall is not existed from the Heart but yet is the Mobility or stirring of the Heart by a Vein that goeth from the one to the other so is Mars 3. The Brain is the Power of the Heart so is Jupiter The Astral Birth stands with one Root in the Holy Heaven and with the Corporeity is in the Wrath. CHAP. XXVI 1. SAturn is Cold and Astringent and takes not his Power from the Sun but as the Sun is the Heart of the Life so is Saturn the beginner of Corporeity and of all Formings and as Jupiter is of the Brain so is this of the Skull his place is in the midst between Jupiter and the general Sphere of the fixed Stars 2. Venus is a gracious kindler of Love in Nature for when the two Spirits of the Life and Mobility were risen up out of the place of the Sun viz. Mars and Jupiter then the Meekness as a Seed of the Water pressed downward with the Power of Light whence existed the Love of Life or Planet Venus mitigating the fierceness of Mars and humbling Jupiter else the Brains would break through the Brain Pan and transmute it self in high-mindedness in the manner of Proud Lucifer 3. Of Mercurius The seven Spirits of God are perfectly in every place but if in any one place they wrestle not triumphingly in that place is no Mobility but a deep Darkness such a House is the House of Flesh in Man such was the whole space of this World when the Deity in the 7 Spirits had withdrawn it self from the Devils and had so continued if the seven Planets and Stars had not risen from God's Spirits but the Heart of the Deity hideth it self in the Corporeity and Out-birth of this World which therefore is in great Anguish till the Heart of God will move it self again in the seven Spirits of God in this World and kindle them and then the Sun and Stars will pass away again to their first place and the Light of God shall fill all the Body of this World and when the anxiety tasteth the sweetness of the Light of God all is richly full of Joy and the whole Body triumpheth which now cannot be because the fierce captive Devil keeps House in the Out-brith of this World till the last Judgment Day and then the Heart of God with his Fan will cleanse his Flour and breaking through Proclaim bright Day 4. The Earth is the Fruit of the seventh Spirit of God but Man's Body is far more Noble being an Extracted Mass out of the Salitter out of the seventh Nature-Spirit 5. When the Seed is generated the Astringent Spirit draweth together a Mass out of the sweet Water that is out of the
Unctuosity of the Blood of the Heart which Oyl or Sap hath in it the Root of the whole Man as Tinder cast into Straw 6. But if the Light had kindled it self in the Birth of the Soul all the Fountain Spirits according to the right of the Deity had triumphantly United with the Deity and had been a living Angel but because the Wrath had already infected the Salitter that Danger was to be feared which befell Lucifer therefore the Extract whereof Man 's Body was made was not become Earth though it was of the Salitter of the Earth but was held by the Word till the Love-Spirit out of the Heart of God glanced on the Salitter of the Mass then did the Salitter become impregnated in the Centre of the Soul and the Light abode in the Centre of the Mass and the Word stood in the Mass in the Sound This Book was Written by J. B. in the Year 1612. Being his first Book It was taken from the Author and not finished but that Defect supplied in his other Writings Aurorae Finis THE Three Principles OF THE Divine Essence CHAP. I. Of the First Principle of the Divine Essence 1. THough God generateth the Essence of all Essences out of Himself for through Him and in Him are all things yet Evil is not God And though the first Principle be the earnest Fountain of Tartness and Cause of all Mobility yet if that be irradiated with Divine Light it is no more Wrath or Tartness but great Joy 2. Though also God hath no Beginning it is here set down as if he had to distinguish the first from the second Principle Although it cannot be said that Bitterness Sorrow or Hell Fire are in God for God made no Devil nor Death yet those things are in Nature and Nature originateth from God according to the first Principle of the Father whose is call'd Angry not in himself but in the Spirit of the Creature which hath enkindled it self and the Wrath of God burneth therein 3. God is the incomprehensible Infinite Spirit A Spirit doth ever nothing but ascend flow move and generate it self in a Threefold Form viz. Bitterness Harshness and Heat neither of which is the first or last for a Spirit is like a Will which rising up beholdeth perfecteth and generateth it self 4. Three things are in the Original whence all things came to be Sulphur Mercurius and Sal. In Sulphur is Soul or Spirit and Matter In Mercury is harshness Bitterness Fire and Water of which four Sal is the Child From harshness bitterness and fire in the first Principle come wo torment trembling and burning yet from those three is also generated Water But in the first Principle God is not called God but a devouring Fire CHAP. II. Of the first and second Principles what God and the Divine Nature is 1. THE Divine Essence cannot be expressed by the Tongue the Spiraculum vitae the Spirit of the Enlighten'd Soul seeth it for every Creature seeth no farther than to its own Mother whence it originated The Soul was breathed out of God's first Principle into the third Principle viz. into the Syderial and Elementary Birth it is not therefore marvellous that it should see the whole depth of the Father in the first Principle it so seeing only it self in its rising The Devils also see and know it they wish also they neither saw nor felt it but themselves shut themselves up from the second Principle 2. The Sydereal Spirit which cloatheth the Soul and the Elementary which ruleth the Foundation of the Blood see only into that whence themselves are But the Spirit of the Soul enlightned by the Holy Spirit of God seeth into the Holy Divine Birth the Heavenly Essence the second Principle This Door can be opened only by Prayer seeking and knocking 3. In the Syllable phur in Sulphur are signified the four Forms of harshness or astringency bitterness or attraction anguish and fire but in the Sul of Sulphur is the Soul or Spirit meant which when it attaineth the Light the fifth Form of Love springeth up the Bridegroom embraceth his sacred Bride 4. Hence by the Water Spirit in Mercurius ariseth the sixth Form or sound so are all in one Heavenly Harmony united in the Divine Nature yet every Form retains its own Property so that here existeth a cross Birth for the fire goeth upward the Water downward the Essences of the harshness sideways as it were East West North and South CHAP. III. Of the endless and innumerable Productions of the Eternal Nature 1. SUch as by reproach forbid a search what God is prosecute the Devil's deceit that it might not be known what the Anger of God is nor what the Devil is and what properly it is which God Abhors Ability is in Man to speak what God our Father is and what the Eternal working 2. Every of the six Forms generateth more for in every of the Fountain Spirits is but one Centre and each generateth more as out of one branch issue many springs and buds and out of one root many threads 3. Out of the harsh Spring proceed five Springs viz. Bitterness Fire Love Sound and Water and in their Co-operating through Anguish the Light and Life arise and the Anguish becomes in the sixfold Form a great Joy in a meer pleasing Tast delighting Sight reviving Smell ravishing Sound the softest Touch all unutterably Excellent So as if one were instantly snatcht out of the bitter Pangs of Death and Torments of Hell into the Triumphant Light of Divine Joy 4. For the Forms of harshness bitterness and fire being perfect in Love become totally Glorious and a Highest Joy and yet their various Properties remain all perfectly irradiated CHAP. IV. Of the Eternal Essence generating Infinity of Existencies 1. THE Eternal generating hath neither Beginning Number End Bottom nor is it Corrupted The Mind of the Sydereal and Elementary Spirit seeth only a glimpse of it which Mind is the Chariot of the Soul without which Mind the Soul were feeble and crâ—â—e in the first Principle but if the Soul be regenerated in the Light of God that Light is its lustre in the second Principle wherein it liveth Eternally 2. Man's Body was made out of the one Element the Quintessence whence also the four Elements Stars and Heaven of the third Principle were created But the Soul was breath'd by the Holy Ghost out of the Father's Light which Light being the Name of God is the Light of Life and enkindled out of the four Anguishes therefore is the Soul God's own Substance 3. If therefore the Soul elevate it self back into the Anguishes of the four Original Form into Priâ—e c. it become a Devil But if it elevate it self forward in the fifth Form of Light Meekâ—ess and lovely Humility it is fed by the Word the Heart of God and its own strong fierce Original becomes Paradisical a sweet Fountain of Eternal Songs of Praise â—t is an Angel a Child of
Wonders of the great World he lusted the potence whereof remains in the Lust of a Woman by which is impressed a mark on the Child in her Womb. 4. His so Lusting enfeebled him that he slept and became impotent as to generating Magically with the chast Virgin of Gods Wisdom Then God built a Woman out of him whom when he awaked he took as the Beasts do he drew Breath of the four Elements and kindled his Astral Spirit therewith 5. But the fierceness did not yet stick in them tho' the longing did which Eve by her little regarding the Commandment soon shewed And thus entred Sin Shame and the Evil from the divided Properties from the Elements to which disobedience had subjected them 6. For the Devil is this Worlds Executioner the Stars are the Councel and God is the King of the Land Such therefore as depart from God fall under the Councel who send some to the Rope Water Killing Stealing c. in all which the Devil is very active And at best the Councel helps to vain turmoil discontent and vexation The farther Extracts of this profound Chapter is here forborn being copiously treated in the 20 21 22 23 24 and 25th Chapter of the Mysterium Magnum CHAP. XVIII Of the Promised Seed Adam's Exile and Gods Curse 1. WHen fallen Man stood in great shame and horror fast bound by the Devil God the Father appear'd to him with his angry Mind of the Abyss into which he was now fallen And his most Gracious and Merciful Heart oppos'd it self to the Wrath placing it self highly in the Gate of Mans Life re-inlightning the Soul which yet stood trembling to hear Gods Sentence Because thou hast eaten of the Tree c. 2. Thenceforth the Holy Element withdrew from the Root of the Fruit and left it to the inkindled fierceness of the four Elements producing Thorns c. and the Fruit issuing in the Out-birth made for the Beasts became Mans Food who was become Earthy and now God would not cast his Heavenly Food which belonged to Angels to the Bestial Man 3. Now rose the Enmity of the Beasts to Man he was a Wolf to them and they as Lions to him 4. Before the Curse the tame Creatures were very near akin to the one Element with whom Man should have delight and others the wild ones to the four divided Elements 5. Now also the turmoiling Life of digging c. was necessary for death frailty c. in the four Elements succeeded the continual living Vertue of the Holy Element which was departed 6. God laid the burthen of managing the Creatures on Man when he was become like them but had God willed to have Bestial Men he had Created them such and given them no Commandment as neither have the Beasts any Law 7. God could well have Created Creatures to have the charge and labour of managing the Beasts as already there are Creatures in all the four Elements without a Soul yet somewhat adapted to such a conduct while Man might in Paradise have retained his Angelical Form 8. Eve's Sentence Thou shalt bear Children in pain c. establisht her perfectly to be a Woman of this World It should have been without a Woman and impregnation therefore was the Lord Jesus without the Seed of Man the Son of the Virgin 9. Of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ out of the Heart Word and Promise of God the Father through the chast Virgin of Gods Wisdom is proceeded the Treader upon the Serpent who imaged it self in Adam's mind and Espousing therewith openeth Heaven for the Soul giving the Virgin for a Companion to instruct him in the way of God But because Mans Soul was too hard inkindled from the first Principle did not so instantly imprint it self therein but stood opposite to the Hellish Darts and in the Minds of those Men that yielded to Gods Wisdom did break the Serpents Head 10. But after long Tryal whether Men could by this way wholly yield themselves to God there came to be Murtherers unchast and domineering Spirited Men and but few clave to God then came the Deluge 11. The dread of Gods Judgments not prevailing God chose the Children of Sem to erect the Office of Preaching but Mans self-will ruled by the Stars prompted their blindness so that they would secure themselves by a Tower which God stopt by making their Language as confused as their Thoughts That by their scattering the holy Seed might be preserved but that not reclaiming them God out of the fierceness of the first Principle burnt Sodom and the five Kingdoms yet Sin sprouted as a Green Branch 12. Then God promis'd the chosen Generation to multiply them if they would obey him and prospered them in a strange Land to see if they would depend on him rais'd them up a Prophet wrought Wonders fed them from Heaven gave them a Law in the Zeal and Fire of the Spirit of the great World into which they were fallen gave them Circumcision and Sacrifice for that Man was Earthy their Prayers with a Token of Acceptance were heard through the Consumption of the Earthiness of their Sacrifices and Incense forbad theâ— Meats especially Swines Flesh which in the Fire giveth a stink as also it doth in the Souls first Principle and fuming darkeneth the Gates of the breaking of the Light 13. But nothing could ransom the Soul nor attain the Resurrection of the Body and bring the new Body out of the Holy Element till regenerated in the Son of the Virgin Therefore in the 3970. year the Angel Gabriel saluted Mary with that precious Message to her Astonishment and the Angels Admiration 4. Think not that the Word descended from the highest Heaven above the Stars and became Man No but the Word which God spake in Paradise which imaged it self in the Door of the Light of Life waiting perceptibly in the minds of the holy Men that same Word is become Man the same is entred again into the Divine Wisdom And the same Wisdom of God in the Word of God gave it self into Mary's Virgin Matrix uniting it self as aâ— Eternal propriety into tâ—e Essences and into the Tincture of the Element whic 〈…〉 ure before God And it was a going forth with the whole fulness of the De 〈…〉 hence also the Holy Ghost goeth forth making it greater than Adam or ever any Angel was being the blessing and might of all things in the Father Eternally 15. Not then nor ever separate from the Father every where present and is become a new Creature in Man and called God which new Creature is not generated of the Flesh and Blood of the Virgin but of the total fulness and union of the Holy Trinity and filleth all the Gates of the Holiness whose Depth Number and Name is Infinite 16. Yet the Corporeity of the Element of this Creature is inferior to the Deity for the Element is generated out of the Word Eternally And that the Lord should go into the Servant is
in the Body of Christ holdeth the Anger together with all Devils Eternal Prisoners as Darkness stands shut up before the Eternal Day CHAP. XXVI Pentecost The sending of the Holy Ghost 1. ON the seventh Day after Moses ascended the Mount was he call'd and the Lord spake with him And Christ when he was ascended into his Throne was on the ninth Day glorify'd and the Holy Ghost went forth from the Centre of the Trinity into the whole Holy Element also opened the Doors of the great Wonders 2. So that the Apostles spake with the Languages of all Nations for the Holy Ghost went out of all Essences and filled the Essences of all Men who had but an earnest desire to it 3. And the hard palpable Body of Christ was received into the Holy Ternary only the source of this World was destroy'd in Death And though he be swallow'd up as to our sight and apprehension yet shall he come again at the last Judgment Day and manifest himself in that same very Body to good and bad CHAP. XXVII Of the Last Judgment 1. AT the time before the Fire of Nature causeth every thing to dissolve melt and pass into its Aether cometh the Judge of the Living and Dead and with him the Angelical World Then all not comprehended in the Body of Christ shall howl tremble yell roar blaspheme gnaw their Tongues and would hide themselves in Holes and Caves from the Terror of the Lord. They Curse the Heavens Constellations and Stars that inclined and drew them to Evil they Curse the Earth that bare them and buried them not sooner They Curse their Parents that brought them up and had not strangled them They Curse their Priests that flattered and misled them They Curse their Superiors whose Cruelty and Evil Example influenced them They Curse their ungodly Associates that accompanied them The Tears of those they had oppressed like fiery Serpents sting them Their abused Authority Wealth and Might stand in the Tincture in the Substance of Eternity 2. The Devils also stand trembling they see how every Fire burneth in its own life in themselves they feel the Hellish Fire in the fierce Wrath. 3. The Angelical World in the Light Lustre and Brightness is as the Sun in Triumphant Hallelujahs 4. The Angelical Quire of Holy Men stand there before the Eyes of them that Murther'd Opprest and Reproacht them for the Truths sake whose Guilt like Mountains of Lead holds them down and Speechless 5. And then the King calls and enthrones all his Members And pronounceth that formidable and irrevocable Sentence on the Wicked that they depart from him c. 6. At the Moment of Departing pass away the Heavens Sun Moon Stars Earth and Elements and time shall be no more 7. Nor can the Holy Principle touch the other any more to Eternity nor conceive a Thought of the other The Parents of their wicked Offspring or Children of their wicked Parents or Relations but Eternal Joy fills surrounds and Crowns them See more in the Answer of the 30th of the 40 Questions AN APPENDIX OR THE Threefold Life in Man I. The Life of the Spirit of this World II. Of the Life of the Originality of all Essences III. Of the Regeneration and Paradisical Life 1. BY the Ternarius Sanctus in the Aurora and the three Principles is not meant Holy Earth but the Holy Body out of the Vertue of the Trinity and properly of the Gate of God the Father whence all things proceed as of one only substance 2. For in the Creation proceeds from one only Fountain good and evil life and death joy and sorrow love and hate appearing in all things especially in Man 3. So find we the Threefold Life in Man in the Gate of God the Father See we also how joy is turn'd into sorrow and again joy return'd and by the prevalence of either a substance is made according to which the Mind commanding the Thoughts and collecting them sets the Hands Mouth Feet c. to obey what the Mind willeth and though all the forms of Nature are in Man yet that which is predominant causeth all other to lye as if dead and become as a nothing 4. There are especially three forms in the Mind all superior to the outward for the Mind is anxiously desirous and can see feel smell taste and hear what the outward Senses know not 5 And if the Divine form be Paramount it is in God and the other two are as half dead 6. But the Mind can raise the Spirit of this World of Covetousness Pride c. which instantly openeth the first form out of the Eternal Indissoluble Band in falshood envy malice c. To whom therefore you yield your selves Servants his you are whether of Sin or Righteousness 7. This Life is the sowing and growing time and in the time of this Elementary Life the mind may open which of the three Principles it will but at the dissolution of the Body the Mind standeth in one only Principle having lost the Key of the other two for when the stalk is cut it is no longer a Plant but a Fruit and can stand no longer nor open no other Principle but be Eternally in that which he here kindled 8. But if God hath regenerated us to enter through the Death of Christ into his Life then hath our Immanuel who abâ—sed himself to enter into our Humanity exalted us to enter into the Holy Flesh and Image Adam lost which is out of the pure Element And then the Trinity worketh really in us and we stand in the Life Body and Property of Christ and our new Man standeth in that out of which Heaven and Paradise is generated and the Earthy Man doth but hang to it 9. Put on therefore a true earnest purpose desire and resolution which is Repentance and the Regenerator is ready deep in the Mind in the Light of Life to help the earnest Wrestler and so soweth himself as a Grain of Mustard-seed or as a Root to a new Creature and if the Souls earnestness be great the earnestness in the Regenerator is also great 10. But this is known by them only that feel and experiment how the Regenerator changeth the proud fierceness into humble Love for the new Man is not of this World but hidden in the old For the true knowledge of God is in no Man till he be Regenerate 11. Christ gave not the Flesh and Blood of his Creatures to his Disciples but the Body of the pure Element wherein God dwelleth and is present every where in all Creatures but comprized in another Principle to eat and drink under Earthy Bread and Wine And as the outward Man is Baptized of the Elemenâ—ary Water so is the new Man with the pure Element which appeareth only in the second Principle 12. No Reader understandeth this Author rightly unless he be Born of God it is not folded up in an Historical Art But as Earthy Eyes cannot see God so neither can a
Strength and Meekness the Original Forms and Principle of Light to v. 73. The Stars are a Quintessence or fifth Essence distinct from the four Elements as the Fat in a Creature causeth the Fountain of Life to burn they are not only Fire and Water but have all the Properties of hard soft bitter sweet sour dark and whatever the Earth hath and every Star a several prevalent Property according as in the Eternal Centre of Nature they stood open when the Eternity mov'd it self in the Creation 8. The Air mixeth with all sorts of Forms therefore is unconstant sometimes awakening one Form in the Centre anon another The whole Deep is like the Mind of a Man which beholds some things cursorily some other fixedly bringing it to substance setting Hands and Feet to work as the Will hath conceived and framed it so this Spirit of the Deep though without Divine Understanding formeth by the vigor of the Constellations the Spirit of our Adamical Man also of all Beasts Fowls Herbs Plants Trees Metals Precious Stones Fishes c. and is the cause of Wisdom in Arts Polity Governments among fallen Mankind And this is called the third Principle or awakened Life of God not Eternal but that in which the great Wonders are made visible Substances whose Figures remain as a Picture for the Glory of God and Joy of the Angels and Men but their Essences shall be reduced into the Aether as it was before the Creation of the World yet shall all stand in the Eternal Nature with its colours and figures and there will be a springing blossoming and growing yet without feeling any fire or fierceness for the Essences will then be no more a Substance and therefore it affordeth no fire but the fire is an Eternal Darkness and gnawing call'd the Eternal Death CHAP. VIII How by the outward World is opened the Eternal World How a Man may seek and find himself Whence is his Beginning and what his End 1. AS the enlivening Spirit in the deep animates all Creatures as if they were one Body each according to their Kind so the Light of Eternity within this World incomprehensible to this Worlds Spirit having all the Properties also in it yet with no such inkindled Essences is the Life of the blessed Inhabitants thereof Their Fire though mighty is yet without Pain or Consumption burning in the soft delicate desire of dear Love and highest Joy this Fire maketh Majesty springeth and blossometh for ever in such Earth as is call'd Divine Substantiality or Holy Ternary stored with perfect Goodness exempt from all kind of Evil. 2. And as the whole third Principle of Astral and Elementary Bodies are as one Body so the Infinite Holy God Heaven Angels Men Paradise with all Divine Things and Properties are but one Body call'd God Majesty and Eternity wherein the Majesty is the Light the Holy Ghost the Air and Spirit Every Angel and Man is like the total God and the Holy Ghost proceeds forth in him also As in a flaming piece of Iron the Iron resembleth the Creature its flame of Light the Deity its Heat the Creatures Spirit the Air proceeding from it the Holy Ghost but now we live in Anguish Cares Labour Fear Trembling Affliction and cloathed with fallen Adam's Skin yet also in the Hope of Israel 3. And because the Soul stands between two Eternal Principles and the Body meerly in the Spirit of this Worlds Earthy state caring little for the Soul therefore must the Body be kept under its necessities only not its wanton desires answer'd The Soul also must watch and pray not please it self in its own ability but ever humble it self to the Divine Will and Mercy These things are irksom to the Body and cross to the Self will of the Soul but the view of Eternity must sway all for the Body is an unconstant Neighbour and Death a sudden Guest And as the danger so the power God hath graciously given the Soul is very great As it is written to them he gave power in Christ to be the Sons or Children of God 4. Man finds in himself more than is in the Beast for the Beast hath no higher Will than to fill and nourish it self and multiply according to the property of their Centre and every Life desireth the best that is in its Mother or Centre which shews what the best of the Centre or Mother whence they are is but Man sees into the property and vanity of every thing here and therefore a higher Life above the Elementary Transitory Food The Beast hath a Tincture else the Fire of their Life would devour them but their Fire and Tincture is but Elementary and Astral and consequently fragil but Man hath a desire after an Eternal Life and shews it by his desire to perpetuate his Memory here by his Off-spring or otherwise if he could For tho' he enter community with the Beasts in his third Principle yet he hath a Fire-life out of the Eternity wherein the Forms are in Anguish and that not being the right Life hath a Tincture of Divine substantiality of Meekness which is the Light which quencheth the wrath of his Fire-soul wherein is the Intellect satiating the Anguish which tincture Lucifer caused to disappear as a shadow shutting himself up in Death and Fierceness 5. Is it said why did God suffer Lucifer to fall A. He was a Prince and Throne Angel a Son of the first Creation or Morning and cause of the Out-birth in the third Principle therefore Christ called him the Prince of this World He had also a Free-will like us Men and we often do things contrary to God as making Forts Castles and sumptuous Houses for our state So Lucifer would be as a Creator which in it self was no more his Fall than Adam's imagining which caused the Tree of Temptation to grow which therefore was severely forbidden yet which of it self was not Adam's Fall but Lucifer's Fall was when he awakened the Matrix of the Fire over the Meekness of God that Fire became and now is his Hell which God captivated with Heaven or Water and moved himself to the Creation as the pleasant Sun shuts up the Astringent cold turning Ice into Water making Fish c. to live and grow And the cause of the Sea and unfathom'd deeps is that there the Fire was greatly enkindled as when Sodom c. were a Habitation of the Devil who would have dwelt there in his fiery fierceness God allay'd his stoutness bringing Water on that place 6. The Souls dissatisfaction here shews it in a captivity for its true Rest and Heaven was shut up in it having in Adam put its desire into the Principle of this World great is the perplexity that an Eternal Creature should be Immur'd and Married to another Principle have another Mother and Centre which as soon as it breaks as dissolve it doth leaves the Soul in indigence and darkness This pos'd the understanding non-plust the wisdom of all Creatures
how to help no Prince or Throne Angel could contrive a Remedy Then said Jehovah Christ Lo I come to do thy Will O God and his own Arm wrought Salvation by becoming Man entring Death with his Humane Soul brake the seven Seals of the Centre of Nature hung the old Adam as a Curse on the Cross kindled again the Divine Fire in the Soul cast away the Earthiness and powerfully through Death introduced Life The highly precious Gate Thus the Regenerate may see that as Christ did cast away from him by Death only the Spirit of this VVorld and raised himself so shall they in his VVord and Heart which is every where present and in his Flesh and Blood not in the corrupt Body be raised for the inward Body Adam had in Paradise is only capable of being clothed upon with the Flesh of Christ In this new Body fixeth the new Regenerate Soul but the old corrupt Flesh only hangeth to the new Body yet comprehends it not The which old Body conceived from the Spirit of this VVorld being at the last day raised therewith only in a figure in which figure all Mans works follow him passeth into its Ether yet remaineth in its figure So likewise the corrupt Bodies of the wicked at the last Judgment shall be presented with their Mother the Spirit of this world and the Souls shall hear the sentence then shall the Bodies pass with their Mother and stand as a Figure and their works in the figure shall follow them into the Abyss CHAP. IX Concerning the Threefold Life Also the Inclination and whole Government of Man in this Life 1. MAN's whole Race is a strife 'twixt the Devil and the Soul and the Spirit of this worâ—d and the Soul for this worlds Spirit hath apprehension tho not Divine planted in its Matrix and this world stood in the Eternal wisdom as an invisible figure before the Creation and by Creation became a proper Principle to the end it might bring all its wonders and works into Existence and appear Eternally in their figure 2. Man only being capable to exhibit this worlds wonders of Arts and the Spirit and Life of Metals precious Stones Earths Celestial Influences c. therefore hath the Spirit of this world longed to draw Man into it That precious Stone of Philosophers may be found in Metals by him who understandeth this Author in the Centre of Natures progress to the Cross of the Trinity and Glance of the Majesty which this worlds Spirit hath a Natural longing to reveal 3. The first Birth of things are not pleasant as in Trees but the Fruit is a second Birth and what is desir'd by Man which points us to our Noble Birth and high Descent which was Divine for when the Kingdom of the Anger did press into the Fruits the Paradisical Principle did almost wholly withdraw Yet though Toads Serpents poysonous Herbs bitter Properties Thistles c. originate in the wrathful Matrix yet as the evil Properties explicate the inward worlds they are as good and concur to the same end with the best but the evil and good eaten by Adam being such as we now eat was his eating of Death because thereby the Spirit of this world captivated him as doth both it and the Devils Kingdom rule in Man still Of the great strife about Man 4. Hell saith my Anger is his Root he is therefore by Nature mine This world pleads possession of Man in its Body and his Community of Nutrition from it God saith I â—ave set my Heart upon Man and Regenerated him he proceeded out of me I have sought and found him again he is mine to reveal my wonders Pursuant to this one of three things winneth him either 1. His desire of Honour Glory and Power which is the Devils Will. 2. His desire of Riches Opulence and Fulness in which he is a Beast of this World 3. He the somewhat sensible Sinner but not the Swine greatly feareth Hell and the Devil and weakly panteth after Heaven but the other two draw so violently that many through desperation engulph themselves into the Abyss Of the Devil changing himself into an Angel of Light 5. When the Sinner begins to be sensible of his evil and danger the Devil willingly permits him to go to the Stone Churches then flatters him that his diligent so doing makes him godly and devout Where often thoughts are sowen in him of Pride Lust c. also of contempt of others especially if the Preacher be a Reviler If the Soul be yet afraid and would repent and pray the Devil clouds the understanding introduceth doubts and promiseth amendment to Morrow he rehearseth words but prayeth not for the Soul cannot reach the Centre of Nature where the Fire should be struck but his words in this Worlds Spirit vanish into Air or Gods Name is taken in vain 6. But Prayer is a great or at least a true going of the Soul to be spoken to of God and brought out of the House of Sin into the House of God Which when the Devil opposeth we are to oppose the more for we have in Christ far greater power than he But if the Devil covers the Heart by heaps of Sin we are not to dispute or despair but to lay them on the Devils Back and lay up in our Hearts Gods most merciful Calls and earnest Will towards us shewn by the Sufferings Wounds Death and dear Love and Pity of Christ to Sinners for there is no other Will in God but to do as the Father to the Prodigal Son therefore to doubt of Gods gracious Intents is to sin greatly The Gates of the deep Ground concerning Man 7. The knowing what Man is in the variety of form feature and different driving Will hath been controverted since the beginning because the Gates thereof were sunk with Adam's Fall but the Spirit of the Soul of the Regenerated Man knoweth himself in all the three Principles to have but one only Rule though in three Principles the prevalence of either denominates the Man We are as a Seed sowen in a Field by the Lust of Man and Woman the Mover whereunto is that the Tincture now divided to the Male giving Life and Soul and the substantiality now peculiar to the Female giving Spirit and Existence were in Eternity one wherein this world stood as a Figure and the Tincture over-shadowed by the Wisdom was received thereinto as the Body doth the Spirit yet could not be brought into substance visible to Angels who are in a substance unless God had moved the Eternity 8. In the moving of the Trinity was moved the Centre of Nature whereby the Tincture became substantial and the substantiality became material yet not divided wherein when the Fiat was awakened forth came all sorts of Beasts c. The Tincture took substance and the Spirit of the substance took on it a Body the first had the Centre of Life the other only an impotent Life which may be demonstrated by a
will into the Earthy as a common thing prophanely offering it up to God it brings fruit to perdition 4. For the Spirit of every Life appropriates its like to it self for one Property receiveth not another what the Soul willeth the thing received willeth the same for it is all Magical So the Devil was an Angel but when he willed Evil his heavenly substance became poison Yet is it not the Deities will that we perish but his Anger 's will and our will CHAP. IX Of the Life of Darkness wherein the Devils dwell of what kind it is The Sixth Point 1. THE Life of Darkness is a fierce false inimicitious stinging Essence having many Forms each would murther the other Nothing can cease the contrariety for the opposing it is as the blowing up of fire only God's Light can make it soft meek sweet and joyful But that cannot be for it is an Eternal Terror to the Darkness And if the Kingdom of Darkness should be enkindled with the Light the Light would have no Root no Fire no Omnipotency thus all must serve to God's Glory 2. The Life of the Darkness is a fainted poison Life like an Eternal dying Property It is also manifest that every Life existeth in poison which poison the Light both withstandeth and causeth that the poison faileth not 8. The Dark Life is especially in seven Properties with the Principle of the Centre of Nature The Light Life is also in seven Properties of the right of Nature So that what in the one giveth sadness that in the other giveth joy 4. What the malicious arrogant and wicked men do in this World that the Devils do in the Dark Worlds Property And what the poisonous Evil Creatures do in this World that do the other Creatures who also have Spiritual Bodies in the Dark World The whole Dark Worlds Dominion is principally in the first four Forms of Nature and from the fierce contrary Qualities are the Eternal Wonders manifested and brought to substance which substance parteth into three Fountains not rent one from the other but giving each to the other as Fire Light and Matter whereout Fire burneth 2. In Man is the substance of all substances carrying the Properties of Heaven and Hell in him which soever he awakeneth of that is the Soul capable Nor is it necessary to search farther 3. But Man having broke himself off from the first Image and Order must learn how to be regenerated by introducing the Meekness and Light to rule over his false and fierce Property and then the Law that pursued him ceaseth because the Law of Love and Meekness sets him free 4. Whatever departeth from its first will is pursued by the Law to restrain its wandering but when ever it is return'd to its right State and first Image and Order or by Death of the Outward Body is totally confirm'd in the erroneous will the Law and Strife ceaseth CHAP. X. Further of the sixth Point Of the four Elements of the Devil THE four Elements of the Devil are Pride Covetousness Envy Anger Gods four Elements are The Outward Worlds four Elements are The Devils four Elements are Humility Air Pride Meekness Earth Covetousness Patience Water Envy Love Fire Anger The discourse of the four Elements of the Dark World being both very plain and the Subject of several of this Authors other Writings The Extracts of it is forborn A Brief Exposition of the Small Six Points The first Point Of the Blood and Water of the Soul 1. THE Soul is a Magick Fire its Form is generated in the Light and though it self be no Substance yet it hath a Substance and Preservation which is its Flesh Blood and Water for the Tincture of Fire and Light in the Water makes Blood which is the Life of the Wisdom having in it all the Forms of Nature and all colours being another or second Magick Fire 2. According to the Light it is Divine Vertue and according to the Fire it is a sharpness of Transmutation and driveth up every thing to its highest pitch or degree 3. The Flesh and Blood of the Soul is the Divine Substantiality consisting in the highest Mystery and at the Death of the outward Body it retireth to the same and the outward Mystery goeth home to the inward And because each Magick fire hath its Clarity or Darkness therefore a final Day of Separation is appointed The second Point Of Election and Reprobation 1. God alone is all whose Infinite Abyssal Substance parteth into three Distinctions one in the other yet the one is not the other viz. The Fire world Dark-world and Light-world From the Desire comes the Centre of Nature and from that Centre the first three Forms who have no pain in them but the Fire causeth Pain 2. In the Fire is the Life tending to Light and Darkness which of them the Desire filleth it self with in that it burneth be it Heaven or Hell If it give it self to self Property it burneth in the Fire of dark Anguish but if to the Universal Will in Resignation it 's Fire burneth in the Light driving up no Substance but is in the Liberty of God 3. God's Predestination is not in the first Essence that is only a Mystery But Predestination passeth upon the introduced Substance be it the Wrath or Love for the Life is regenerated into one of them And in which of them the Will kindleth it self on that passeth the Election or Reprobation Hence is it that God causeth us to be Taught so doth the Devil each of them willeth that Man's will should converse and kindle it self in his Fire See the Book of Predestination The third Point What Sin is and how it is Sin 1. Two contrary Wills are an Enmity God is purely One without Source and though every Source be in him yet not manifested for the Good so subjecteth the Evil that it may be only a cause or Root of Light and Life 2. The Good or Light is as a Nothing inâ—o which when a Something entreth there must be a Spring to preserve that Something The Something is dark and the Qualities are manifold And Covetousness fiâ—leth the one wherein God dwelleth with multiplicity 3. Though an unfathomable dwelleth not in a fathomable yet God dwelleth in the highest or preciousest Life of Man therefore must the Will of Life tend and subject it self to the One in before and above every Creature for it is pregnant with that it lusteth after and no Fire-source subsisteth in the free Fire or Fire of the Liberty therefore can none Unite to God till they are emptied of their own Will till then God and Man are at Enmity Hence stands the immutable Law That Man depart from Self or be separated from the One. 4. Thus Sin is manifest to be a Will departing from God by awakening of and burning in the Root of Self-lust maketh it self a sole Lord a contrary opposite Will So Christ saith He that gathereth not with me scattereth 5. This
help breathing it self again into the disappear'd Divine Property and into all the three Properties of the Humane even to the Thoughts and Senses breaking the will of self and of the Devil and hath brought the holy Life through Death into a Paradisical sprouting making Death and the Devil a reproach and shewing how the Eternal one can rule mightily over the Multiplicity and give an open Grace Gate for us poor Men to enter the Life of Christ. 3. We are therefore to come with ouâ— captivated will out of the Prison of Earth and Self and solely sink down into this Incorporated Grace which pressed from one viz. the first Man upon all and with the resign'd will sink down into the Hyperbyssal Supersensual Unsearchable Eternal one into the ground out of whiâ—h Life first sprung and then it reacheth the Temperature and true Rest. Argument How can a Man do that viz. that last above written being the Scripture saith The first Man is made to a Natural Life to rule the Creatures therefore mâ—st the Life go into the Earthy Properties Answer 1. The Humane Life is set in a reflex Image of the Divine Will in and with which God willeth and the Earthy Creatures are set in a representation of the Humane 2. And though Mans Life was set in Nature yet it was in the Temperature Without Christ we can do nothing but if Man sink into the Incorporated Grace of God and in Divine Hope rest from self-will and work and resign its will to work only what God speaketh it is beyond Nature And the Abyss God himself speaketh through him and manifesteth himself in and with him thus new-born in Christ who now ruleth over the outward Reason Life 3. Till this be done Man is no Child of Heaven but his will an Apostate just as the Devil and his Body an evil Beast and gathereth not with Gods Incorporated Grace but scattereth 4. As an Herb without Sap is burnt by the Sun while the Herb that hath Sap is warn'd So if Mans Essence hath not Ens from Gods Love and Meekness it impresseth it self into a fierce wrathful fiery sharpness and the Mind is totally rough covetous envious and stinging 5. Yet if the fiery Life eat of the Divine Love it is no more receiving as the Fires Property is but giving and working good in all as the Property of the Light for having eaten of the Bread which cometh down from Heaven it is quickned by it The Sun in a hard Stone where the Water is coagulated cannot work as in Metals Herbs and Trees because his Light and Vertue penetrateth not so is it in this CHAP. III. How Nature representeth and maketh visible the Divine Eternal and Abyssal Knowledge 1. THE Word is the Efflux of the Divine Will and Knowledge as the Thoughts and Senses are of the Mind yet the Mind remaineth totally but one So the Word was is and ever will be the Eternal Beginning flowing out and revelation of the Eternal one 2. And the Wisdom is the Eternal out-flown Beginning and cause of all Powers Colours Vertues and Properties 3. Their Powers are again an Efflux into the various Self-properties whence come the Multiplicity of Wills thence the Creaturely Life of the Eternal springeth viz. Angels and Souls 4. Not that Nature and Creature is here but the Spirit of God sporteth himself in forming Similitudes of the Powers of the Wisdom as doth the Mind with reflex Images which are the Thoughts and every Property hath its own Separator as hath the Eternal Unity whereby the Efflux of the Unity becomes perceptible in Infinite Multiplicity 5. For the Efflux sharpeneth it self superlatively by the Magnetick longing of the receiving Powers in the fiery kind wherein the Eternal One becomes Majestick and Light And the inkindling through Fire makes it a Kingdom of Joy The visible World with its Hosts is the out-flown word of Fire Light and Darkness separated by the Officer of Nature who hath imprinted each Body according to its own Property Of the Twofold Life in the Representation of the Divine Will 1. An Eternal 2. A Temporal 1. The Eternal is the sensible Life in the Eternal Fire and Light a spark of the out-flown or out-breathed will of God bound to will nothing but the out-breathed will of God a Separator and Instrument of Gods Omnipotent Glory wherewith he will rule all things having therefore given it Divine Understanding 2. The Temporal and Mortal Existence is the Efflux of the Separator of all Powers call'd the Soul of the World making the visible Creatures such a Similitude as wherein the Spiritual World of Fire Light and Darkness beholdeth it self hidden in and working through the Elementary World But the Visible possesseth not the Invisible so as to be chang'd thereinto but is only an Instrument whereby the Inward Powers Image themselves as in Herbs Trees Metals c. Of the Threefold Spirit in the Growing Powers 1. The outward Spirit is the gross Brimstone Salt and Mercury which coagulating it self in the four Elements and by drawing the Spiritual Separator to it the Signature is instantly perform'd 2. The second Spirit or Quintessence hath a Centre of its own viz. a Root of the four Elements being the Meek Joy of the painful Brimstone and Salt Spirit nourished from within of the Light of Nature and from without of the subtle Power of the Spirit of the World which fifth Essence is the right cause of all Vegetation and such a Joy of Nature as the Sun to the Elements 3. The third 's the Tincture of which see Chap. 12. of the three Principles The Tincture is that wherein all Powers lye in equality a Spiritual Fire and Light in one substance a Paradise the Mansion of Divine Power and of the Eternal Soul known to the Creature only in the Regeneration and to no ungodly one for such drive on a false will 4. It is not Elementary but issueth through the gross Elementary Spirit even into Taste and Smell But the Elements are a cause of the motion of the Tincture the sharpness of the Smell is Elementary but the vertue in the Smell is the Tincture which in Medicines Cureth for it imprinteth it self in such Balsams 5. As the voice to the Fig-tree Be thou withered did not that Miracle but the Power whence the voice proceeded As neither is the Confession of a thing Faith but that Intellectual Power is Faith out of which the Confession proceedeth wherewith Gods Spirit Co-worketh 6. Thus all whatsoever whether evil or good represent in their several Properties the hidden Spirit of the Separator of all things and the Elementary is the Efflux of the Tincture and Spiritual World for the visible moveable material World is the substance of the invisible immoveable spiritual World 7. So the desire of the Efflux out of the darkness is become sharp stern and gross and hath coagulated it self into Matter even unto the drossy Earth So out of the Light cometh the Noble
as far as he is called God but hath as the Sun one only Will to give out himself in Life and Power to all things and is without ground place or time take away Nature and Creature and all is God forego the out-spoken Word and you find the speaking Word 4. The nearest way to find God is for Man who is his Image to fink down from all imprinted Images Disputes and Strife depart from Self-will and Desire and demerse it self solely into the single Love of God which he in Christ hath after Man's Fall first introduced into the Humanity 5. Let Man go forth from all Images when he will understand the Eternal speaking Word but when he would know whence Evil and Good proceeded and God's calling himself an angry Jealous God let him look towards the Eternal Nature to the out-spoken and formed Word and then to Nature the Beginning Temporal Nature wherein lyeth the Creation of this World CHAP. II. Of the Original of Gods speaking Word c. 1. CReaturely Reason thinketh God from Eternity by Predestinate purpose resolved his Wrath on some should reveal his Majesty and on others his Love and Mercy as Fire doth Light If so then there must have been Thoughts Consultation and Cause of it But he is only one nor can only one thing be at strife in it self whence Consultation should arise to decide it 2. Every thing springing from a Beginning less Ground hath nothing before it can destroy it unless it bring it self into a Heterogene Will incongruous to that whence it sprung and so separate it self from the total intireness as did the Devils and Soul of Man break it self into a peculiar off from the intire Will and Divine Uâ—igeniture 3. The Powers to the Production of the Word are God and the Magnetical Attraction Science or Root in the beginning of Nature That attraction of the Desire revealeth God's Majesty in the Power to Joy and Glory which is the Root of Darkness coming to the kindling of the Fire according to which God calleth himself an angry God and consuming Fire Wherein also the Divisibility Death and Dying and gross creaturely life existeth 4 Men that say God willeth Evil do accompt him a Devil for the willing Evil is a Devil they should distinguish God from Nature 5. In Nature as Metals c. having in them Evil and Good one thing is set against another not to be at Enmity but that the Mysterium Magnum should enter into distinction and be at an exulting Joy in the Eternal one 6. The Eternal Will Jehovah manifesteth its Word through Nature but taketh not Nature into him but the Word taketh Nature to it in the Science or Root 7. * God is called God only according to the Light in the Love-fire and Temperature not in the Divisibility CHAP. III. Of the Seven Forms and Creation 1. THE First Form of the Beginning to Nature is Astringency Father of Sal. The second Form is perceptibility the Wo c. Father of the Mercurial Life The third Form is Anguish Father of Sulphur arising from the strife of the other two The first ariseth from the Fathers The second from the Sons The third from the Spirits Property The first the Ground of Strength and Might The second of Distinction Speech and the five Senses The third of every Life of Light Love-fire and consuming fire of Joy and Sorrow The fourth Form is the kindling of the Fire where Light and Darkness sever here is the Shrieks Terror Poison Life Torment Hell resulting from the first Three The Trembling is at the great Meekness as when you pour water into the fire here riseth the flash at this parting riseth the Light out of the Temperature The Tincture goeth hence the Power of Fire and Light Virgin Sophia From v. 41 to 56. lye high Mysteries The fifth Form is the true Love-fire which severs it self from the painful Fire into the Light having all the Properties of the three first in joyfulness drawing into it the Tincture of Fire and Light Virgin Sophia This is the power of the Speaking Word the Water-spirit which flows into a Fountain of Eternal Life John 4. 14. Spiritual Blood Divine Substantiality Heavenly Corporeity of which Christ saith he came from Heaven and at the same instant was in Heaven Joh. 3. 13. The Food of the fiery Soul Angels c. The sixth Form the Sound Spiritual Senses all in the Temperature in which Adam was but Lust would tast the multiplicity of Properties and leave the Temperature and so the Properties departed each from other as heat cold dry moist hard soft harsh astringent sweet bitter and sour which God did forbid thence followed bestial Desires heat cold bitter stinging rushed in thence were brought in Poison Turba magna and Chamber of Death The seventh Form is where the Sound makes it self audible for the fifth Form is wholly Spiritual Luna and Saturn the beginning and end Thus the seven Spiritual Properties and Powers bring themselves into creaturely formation by the strife of the seven outward Properties for in the Temperature no Creature can be generated for it is the only One God but in the Exit the Wonders and Creature-Images may spring forth and exist CHAP. IV. Of the Original of the Creation 1. ALL Eternal Creatures have their Root in the Speaking Word The Temporary have theirs from the out spoken Word 2. The first Principle in the fiery Root which is the Centre of Nature ariseth not in the Trinity but where the Power of Distinction puts it self into Nature to perceive and move which first Principle in the Darkness is a cold aking fire according to which God calls himself an angry jealous or zealous God 3. The second Principle is where the Divine Root in the Fire parteth it self into the Light and introduceth it self into Nature to Manifestation of Divine Joyfulness according to which God calls himself a loving Merciful God that willeth nor can will Evil. 4. The third Principle is in the seven Days Work in which the seven Properties of Nature brought themselves into Substance which Substance is Holy Pure Good The one Element called the Eternal Heaven City of God Paradise 5. The Being of all Beings the Holy Spiritual World is the Expressing Word of God which bringeth it self into Substance in Love and Anger so that in the Impression of Darkness is understood Evil and yet in God is not Evil but in the Creatures Self-hood and yet there also is Good as far as the Creature standeth in the Temperature 6. The Angels were made in the seven Properties which drew themselves into three Hierarchies according to the three first Properties or Principles 7. The first Hierarchy standeth in the Father's Property in the fire of Strength the Tincture of the Substance of Nature 8. The second consists in the Light-fires Tincture the Son's Property in the Eternal Nature and is the Holiest 9. The third in the Self-hood of
yet so hath God in his Providence frequently disposed his Gifts and made Stewards thereof such as in Mans Eye could not by the Symmetry of Face and composure of Behaviour take upon trust the meanest Office He was Lean and of small Stature he had a low Forehead his Temples prominent somewhat Hawk-nosed his Eyes Grey and very Azure his Beard thin and short his Voice low a pleasing Speech Modest in his Behaviour and Humble in his Conversation Concerning his second Birth and what was in order thereto remarkable we find many things therein observable and strange which may peradventure bring some distaste to Persons not versed in the general Providence of God who believe that he hath confined his Mercy and Bounty to their Ministrations and like wilful Children are peevish if their Father use Indulgence to any but themselves or out of his usual order Whilst he was a Herd Boy in the heat of mid-day retiring from his Play-fellows to a little stony Crag hard by called the Lands Crown where the natural Situation of the Rock had made a seeming Inclosure of some part of the Mountain finding an entrance into it he went in and saw there a great wooden Vessel full of Money at which â—ight being in a sudden Astonishment he did in haste retire not moving his Hand thereinto and came and relaced his Fortune to the rest of the Boys who coming up along with him sought often and with much diligence an entrance but never found any tho' some years after a Forreign Artist as Jacob himself related skill'd in the finding out such Magick Treasures took away the same and thereby much inricht himself yet perished by an Infamous Death that Treasure being Lodged there and it seems laid covered with a Curse to the Finder and Taker away Our Saviour had tendred him the World and the Glory thereof which was a fair offer had the condition been any thing tolerable tho' I assuredly believe few obtain it at less rate When he had been an Apprentice some short time his Master and Mistress being abroad there came a Stranger to the Shop of a reverent and grave Countenance yet in mean Apparel and taking up a pair of Shoes desired to buy the same the Boy being scarce got higher than the sweeping of the Shop would not presume to set a Rate for the same but told him his Master and Mistress were not within and himself durst not Adventure the Sale of any thing without their order But the Stranger being very importunate he offered them at a price which if he got he was certain would save himself harmless in the parting from them supposing also thereby to be rid of the importunate Chapman but the old Man paid down the Money took the Shoes and departed from the Shop a little way where standing still with a loud and an earnest voice he called Jacob Jacob come forth The Boy within hearing the Voice came forth in much afrightment at first amazed at the Strangers familiar compellation of him by his Christian Name but recollecting himself he went to him the Man with a severe but friendly Countenance fixing his Eyes upon him which were bright and sparkling took him by his Right Hand and said to him Jacob thou art little but shal◠〈◊〉 grâ—at and become another Man such a one as at whom the World shall wonder Therefore be Pious fear God and reverence his Word read diligently the Holy Scriptures wherein you have Comfort and Instruction for thou must indure much Misery and Poverty and suffer Persecution but be couragious and persevering for God loves and is gracious unto thee and there withal pressing his Hand he lookt with a bright sparkling Eye fixed in his Face and departed This Prediction took deep impression in Jacob's Mind made him be think himself and grow serious in his Actions keep his Thoughts moving in consideration of the caution he had received from that Man of such uncouth demeanour so that from thence forward he did much more frequent the publick hearing of the Word and profited well therein in the outward Reformation of his Life and seriously considering with himself that Speech of our Saviour Luke 11. 13. My Father which is in Heaven will give the Spirit to him that asketh him He was thereby throughly awakened in himself and put forward to desire that proâ—â—â—sed Comforter and continuing in that earnestness he was at last as is his own Expression environ'd with a Divine Light for seven days together and stood in the highest Contemplation and Kingdom of Joys and this happed to him while he was with his Master in the Country about the Affairs of his Vocation When the Vision and Revelation was pass'd by him he grew more and more accurately attentive to his Duty to God and his Neighbour frequented the Church carefully read the Scriptures and lived in all Observance to outward Ministrations Sâ—urrilous and Blasphemous words he would rebuke even in his own Master who was somewhat Intemperate of his Tongue and from day to day continuing upon his Watch he endeavoured after the Christian Growth becoming by his contrariety of Manners a Scorn and Decision to the World and at the last his own Master being not able to bear a Reprover so near Home in that Relation set him at Liberty with free permission to seek his Livelihood as him best liked After this about the year 1600. in the Twenty fifth year of his Age he was a second time surrounded by the Divine Light and repleâ—ished with the Heavenly Knowledge insomuch as going abroad into the Fields to â— Green before Neys Gate at Gorlitts he there sat down and viewing the Herbs and Grass of the Field in his Inward Light he saw into their Essences Uâ—e and Properties which was â—â—â—covered to him by their Liâ—â—aâ—â—ents Figures and Siâ—â—â—tures In like manner did he behold the whole Creation and from that Fountain of Revelation wrote his Book De Signatura Rerum In the unfolding these Mysteries before his Understanding he had an over measure of Joy yet returned home and took care of his Family and lived in great peace and silence scarce intimating to any these wonderful things that had befaln him till in the year 1610. being a third time taken into this Light lest the Mysteries reveal'd unto him should pass through him as a stream he took Pen and Ink in hand and rather for a Memorial than intending any Publication he writ the first Book of his call'd Aurora or the Morning Redness The Book being found about him by a Man of great Quality with whom he conversed was received with that desire that he immediately dis-joyned it and caused it to be copyed out in a few hours Thus contrary to the Authors Intention it became publick and after a while fell into the hands of one Gregory Richter the Super-Intendant of Gorlitts who making use as is usual of his Pulpit and the Liberty granted him of speaking without a Gainsayer to revile what
John Page 132 Why he was Tempted 40 Days Page 133 How he was in Heaven and also on Earth Page 134 Why he Taught in Parables Page 134 Why he did not describe his Gostel in Writing Page 135 Why the High Priest and Scripture-Learned persecuted him Page 135. 139 His Process through his Suffering and why it was so Page 136. 142. 283. 330. 332. Why must he Die on a wooden Cross. Page 140 Of the two Murtherers Crucified with Christ what they figure Page 140. 283 Why must his Side be opened with a Spear Page 141 Why did the Earth tremble when he hung on the Cross. Page 142 What did the darkness signifie that came over all Nature Page 143 Of Christs Dying Descending c. from Page 143. to 158. and 283 Of the true Christian. Page 170 176. 297 Of the Titulary Christian. Page 171. 176 297. 310. Of the True Christian Church Page 279 Circumcision what it signifies Page 116. 376. 398 Conversion what it is Page 324 Contrariety whence it sprung Page 340 What use it is of Page 349 357 Of the Covenant with Noah Page 391 Of the Covenant with Abraham Page 116. 397 Of the Line of the Covenant Page 391 Of the Mortal Creatures from whence they sprung and Exist Page 64. 72. 233. 242 Of their Differences Page 73. 235 The End why they were Created Page 74. 235 Of the Creation Page 19. 234. 252. 303. 371. 381. What was before the Creation Page 43 Of the inward and outward Cure Page 363 Of Gods Curse what it is Page 275 The Cause thereof Page 388 D. OF the two Principles of Darkness and Light Page 1 Of the Temporal Darkness whence it is Page 65. 227 How the Devil came to be and what he is Page 45 Of Death and Dying Page 191. 192. 277. 313. 321. 358. Of the Divine Nature Page 260 Of the Divine Being in Nature Page 241. 380 The Divine Being and Nature distinguished Page 337. 341 Dinah deflowered what it figureth Page 412 E. WHat the Earth was before the Curse Page 87. 106 What the Earth is since the Curse Page 106 Of the Constitution and Form of the Earth Page 253 Egypt The bringing the Children of Israel out thence what figure it bears Page 121 Of Election and Reprobation what they are Page 345 What the four Elements are and whence proceeded Page 62. 224. 263. Of Enoch's Wonderful Line Page 391 Of the Enochian Life what it is and where hath Enoch remained Page 113. 326 The History of Esau what it figureth Page 405 to 413 Of the Eternal Nature or Originality Page 286 Of the infinite Productions thereof Page 261 Of the Knowledge of the Eternal through the Corruptible Page 272 Of Evil fierceness and anger whence they proceeded Page 2. 223. 247. 334. 380. F. TRue Faith what it is Page 332 Of the Fathers Property Page 243 Of the Firmament in the midst of the Waters Page 66. 228 254 Of the Flesh and Blood of Christ how the Disciples did Eat and Drink it Page 377 Of the Flesh and Spirit the contrariety betwixt them Page 321 Of the forbidden Fruit what it was Page 99 Of the Forms of Nature Page 292 How God Forgiveth Sins Page 336 G. IN what Grace the old World was Saved without Law Page 110 Of God distinct from Nature and Creature Page 42. 369. 379 Of Gods Love and Anger Page 42 Of Gods being All in All. Page 201 Of Gods working in Hell Page 54. 55. 220 Of the Word or Heart of God Page 379 Of Gods Voice when the day grew cool Page 104 Of Good and Evil whence they proceeded Page 334. 366. 380. H. OF the Human Tree Page 390. 393 Of the Hand of God what it is that Christ commended his Soul into Page 144. Of Heaven what it is where it is and how Page 56. 158. 213. 221. 252 Of Hell its beginning continuance and place Page 47. 51. 55. 213. 219. 220. 263. Of the Heathenish Gods whence they sprung Page 396 Of Hagar and Ishmael what their History figureth Page 397 to 400 Of the shedding forth the Holy Ghost after Christs Ascension what it benefits us Page 163 J. THE History of Jacob and Esau what it figureth Page 405 The Vision of Jacob's Ladder Page 407 The rest of the History of Jacob to Page 423 Of Jehovah Page 19 The Image of God in Man what it is Page 78. 238. 245. 273. 316 The History of Joseph what it figureth from Page 413 to 423. Concerning John Baptist what he was Page 125 Of Isaac's Birth and casting out Ishmael what it figureth Page 400 405 Of Judah and Thamar Page 414 Of the last Judgment what it is and how effected Page 195. 285 K. THE Kingdom of Christ how it is assumed or taken by him Page 183 How Christ will deliver the Kingdom to the Father Page 346 L. COncerning Lamech Cain's Successor Page 112 Of the Language of Nature Page 295. 395 Of the Language spoke by the Apostles at Pentecost Page 162 What the Law is Page 122 How the Divine Life may be manifested in this Life Page 350 Of the Life of Darkness what it is Page 343 Of the Principles of Light and Darkness Page 1 Of the true and false Light Page 354 Of the Temporal Light and Darkness Page 65. 227 Lot's Wife becoming a Pillar of Salt what it figureth Page 118 Of his departure out of Sodom Page 399 Of his Daughters Lying with him Page 118 What each signifies Lust what it can do Page 335 Lucifer what moved him to depart from God Page 44 45 Of his doleful Fall Page 250. 359 Of his Office in Hell Page 47. 219 Of his place at present Page 257 M. OF Mans Estate before the Fall Page 21. 82 84. 85. 86. 274 By what Degrees Man fell Page 26. 274. 359. 372. 385 What Mans Estate is by the Fall Page 28. 83. 274. 290. 335. 342. 373. 388 Of Mans Recovery Page 30. 38. 39. 40. 170 Mans mistaken way towards a supposed Happiness Page 37 Of Mans Immortal Life Page 77. 81. 237 Of Mans Mortal Life Page 77. 81. 237. 255. The Difference of the Heavenly and Earthy Man Page 382 Mans Body whence derived Page 75. 237. 255. 264. Of Mans Birth and Propagation Page 271 Why but one Man Created in the Beginning Page 81 Of the Government of Man over the Creatures Page 92 Why the first Man born of a Woman was a Murtherer Page 106 How Man may find himself and all Mysteries Page 303. 342 Of Mans deep Ground and Knowledge Page 46. 299. 304. 343. 358. 372. Of Mans Threefold Life Page 288. 301 Of the Male and Female kind whence proceeded Page 67. 229. Magia what it is and doth Page 346 Of Natural Magick what it is Page 417 Concerning the Metals Page 358 Of the Mind Page 273 Of the strife between Michael and the Dragon what it is Page 45 Moses what doth his being drawn out of the River signifie Page 119 Why the Lord appeared to him in
little Paper Book in their Pockets into which their Friends do write some remarkable Sentence and Subscribe their Names and this Book is called Album Amicorum into such as these our Author wrote these following Verses Weme Zeit i st wie Ewigkeit Und Ewigkeit wie die Zeit Der i st befreyt vom allem streit Englished Unto that Man whose time and ever Is all the same and all together His Battel 's done his Strife is ended His Soul is safe his Life 's amended Or To him who wisely doth not sever This fleeting Time and State for ever And to this Maxim frames his Life Is freed from anxious Care and Strife On Sunday November 18. 1624. early in the Morning he called his Son and asked him If he heard the Excellent Musick he replied No Open saith he the Door that it may be the better heard afterward he asked What the Clock had struck and was told it had struck two He said It is not yet my time three Hours hence is my time In the mean while he spake these words O thou strong God of Hosts deliver me according to thy Will O thou Crucified Lord Jesus Have mercy upon me and receive me into thy Kingdom When it was near about Six he took leave of his Wife and Son Blessed them and said Now I go hence into Paradise and bidding his Son turn him he fetch'd a deep Sigh and Departed Thus have you had a short Account of the Journey of this Blessed Man on Earth with his last Farewel And it is well worthy of Remark that although he was indued with such rare and singular Gifts he sought not to make himself the Head of some Church and separate a People into some peculiarity of outward Form and Discipline But sought earnestly to promote in himself and others that Universal Love Uprightness and Serviceableness we owe to the whole Creation The Seven Spirits of God or Powers or Forms in Nature Binding 1 Attraction 2 Anguish 3 Fire 4 Light 5 Sound 6 Body 7 are the Seven Spirits Might The Ten Forms of Fire OF the Ten Forms of Fire know the Skill The Liberty both hath and is the Will Next's Strong Desire Third's sharp Drawing Might Makes An opposing Will. Fourth flash of Light Brings Anguish And in the Fifth Form doth Lye Th' Eternal Nature or Great Mystery Sixth The two Principles of Fire and Light The Seventh Magia with reflecting Sight The Eighth the Turba Ends the outward Life Ninth Virgin Tincture Pacifying Strife The Tenth makes holy Flesh and holy Earth Of Angels and Blest Souls the holy Birth Figur'd by Sem 1 Arphaxad 2 Selah 3 and Eber 4 Peleg 5 Regu 6 next whom do stand Serug 7 Nabor 8 with Terah 9 and the Blest Abram 10 whose Seed Sanctifies all the Rest. THREE and but three Principles Comprehend Eternal Things and those that have an End The First such Darkness as doth Light Desire Which till it Gain is a fierce Anguish Fire The Second A Meek Yielding Loving Light Majestick Potent Sacred Sweet and Bright The Third Resulting as from Fire and Light Brings Good from Evil Day from Pitchy Night Impregnates fully with Redundant Bliss Each Great or Little thing that Blessed is Did in Six Days the whole Creation hatch Still Swaddles Feeds and over it doth watch ERRATA PAge 30. Line 47. wants a Comma at Creature p. 77. l. 4. place the Parenthesis at Bodâ—es p. 79. Penult for eacht read each p. 102. l. 2. for It is r. Is it p. 181. l. 38. for Rod r. Root p. 277. l. 10. place the Parenthesis at through p. 322. Q. 19. for who r. how p. 396. for Enkinded r. Enkindled The General Heads of the following Treatise COnsiderations by way of Inquiry and Search into the Subject Matter and Scope of the Writings of the Divinely Instructed Jacob Behmen Page 1 The 177 Theosophick Questions of Jacob Behmen Answered shewing their Scope and Design Page 41 Meditations and Contemplations on some of the preceding Questions and Answers Page 219 Extracts of the Works of Jacob Behmen beginning with his Book called Aurora Page 241 The Three Principles of the Divine Essence Page 260 The Threefold Life in Man Page 288 The Forty Questions of the Soul Page 315 The Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Page 320 The Six Great Points Page 337 And Six Smaller Points Page 345 A Brief Summary of the Earthy and Heavenly Mysteries Contracted and Comprized in Nine Texts Page 347 Of the Divine Vision or Contemplation Page 349 A Brief Explanation of the Knowledge of God and of all things also of the True and False Light Page 354 Signatura Rerum Page 356 Gods Election of Grace call'd Predestination Page 369 Baptism and the Lords Supper Page 375 Mysterium Magnum Page 379 Extracts of the Life of Jacob Behmen Page 425 A Brief TABLE A. OF the Abyss of all things Page 42 Of Abraham and his Seed and of the Line of the Covenant Page 395 How Abraham's Travails figureth Christianity Page 400 Of Abraham's rescuing Lot Page 396 Of the Covenant made betwixt Abraham and Abimelech Page 401 Of Abraham's Offering up Isaac Sarah's Death and the rest of the History of Abraham what it all points at Page 402 to 404 Of Abraham's Bosom what it is Page 324 Of Adam's Eyes being opened Page 102 Of Adam and Eves Shame Page 103 Of Adam and Eves Death Page 104 Out of what the Angels were made Page 44. 59 Of the Work of the Angels Page 44. 244 Of their Dominions Thrones and Principalities Page 57. 221. 246. 294 Of Antichrist what it is Page 178. 306 Of the Antichristian Church Page 279 Of the Archeus Separator or Workman Page 73. 233. 263 B. BAbel what it is Page 180. 394 Of Baptism Page 132. 373. 398. The Beast in the Apocalypse what it is Page 180. 395 What the Ruin of the Beast is Page 182 Of God's Blessing in this World Page 312 Of the Water and Blood what they are Page 168. 172 Of the Flesh and Blood of Christ really enjoyed what it is Page 168. 172 Of the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament Page 168. 173 C. OF Cain's Murthering his Brother Abel Page 109. 390 Of Cain's Despair of Grace Page 111 Whether Cain was Damned in respect of his Sin Page 111 Of the Mark set on Cain what it was Page 112 Of the Kingdom of Cain Page 279 Of the Chaos whence it proceeded Page 62. 63 Of the Cherub with the naked Sword before Paradise what it was Page 107 Of Childrens Baptism Page 281. 308 Of Christ what he is Page 31. 32. 105 Of his Incarnation Page 32. 275. 329 Of his heavenly Humanity and how participated of by us Page 35. 105. 306. Of the Uniting the Deity and Humanity in his becoming Man Page 129 Why he conversed 30 Years on Earth before he entred on his Office Page 131 How it is that he increased in favour with God and Man Page 131 Why he was Baptiz'd of