viz as to one part to the Commandement with their Will directed into Gods Will as the first Patriarchs and all the honest good People of Israell 96. The other acted with their Hands the Works of the Law and clave with their Will to their poysonous Magia viz to Covetousness and sought nothing Else but the Numbers of the Multiplicity 97. Their Mouth was a Jew and the Heart a Babylonish Whore an Hypocrite and Antichrist with good words and a false covetous Heart 98. And thus in Christendome and with all People and Nations is the Babylonish Whore together with Antichrist sitting and there in one only People two Kingdomes dwell at once and they let themselves not mix in the inward Spirit so that they become one * Dan. 2.43 as Lime and Iron mingle not 99. They doe indeed mingle themselves according to the outward Body But their Spirits are of two sorts of Tribes or Generations as the Prophet Daniel saith Daniel 2. from 40. to the 45. verse 100. Therefore whosoever will know the Antichrist let them seek him only thus they will find him in every House but the worst of all is the Crowned Whore and her God-mothers who elevate her out of the Baptisme of Whoredome that they also may live in Number of the Multiplicity viz the Cryers who lead from the one Will of God into Many Wills that they alone may inherit the Number of the Multiplicity and may stuffe of fatten Earthly Bellies 101. And the other part belonging to the Free-Will of God goeth forth with the Magick Will hereof out of it self into the Liberty viz into the one only incomprehensible Will of God and it standeth * In the Philosophick Globe in the 40. Questions of the Soul turned Backward in the Magick Figure 102. The Life thereof seeketh Bread and goeth forward and its Will is not in the Bread but goeth out of it self out of the seeking into God into one only Number these are the right Children of the Eternall Mâ—gia 103. For Gods Spirit dwelleth in their Will and openeth to them the Eternall Wonders of God and their Lifes Spirit openeth the Wonders of this World and they are free from Babell and the Antichrist though indeed they should sit in the Bosome thereof for the right true Image of God standeth in the Spirit of the willing which becometh generated out of the Spirit of the Soul The Ninth Text. 104. WHereas then there are thus two Magia's in one another so there are also two Magi which manage and drive them viz two Spirits the one is Gods Spirit and the other the Spirit of Reason into which the Devill insinuates himself and in the Spirit of God the Love of the Unity stirreth it self 105. †Note And Man cannot better try and prove himself then by taking serious Consideration To what his Desire and Lust or Longing driveth him The same he hath for a Conductor and its Child he is 106. Neverthelesse he hath Now Might and Strength that he can break and alter that Will for he is Magicall and hath the Might or Ability Yet it must be Sincere or Earnest for he must Tame or subdue the Starry Spirit which ruleth in him Note Note 107. To this belongeth a Temperate sober and quiet Life with continuall giving up into the Will of God for the taming or subduing of the Source or Quality of the Starres there is no Wisdome nor Art needfull but Sobriety or Temperance of Life with continuall going out from the Influxes or * Instigations of Evill in Lusts and Passions Instigations the Elements continually dart into him the seeking of the Starres into the Will 108. Therefore it is not so easie a thing to become a Child of God to that belongeth great Labour and Toyle 109. And yet the Antichrist dares call himself a Child of God but Christ saith * Math. 7.21 22 23. They shall not all come into the Kingdome of Heaven that say LORD LORD and have not we Cast out Devils in thy Name and done great works but he faith to them away from me ye stinking Goats I know you not you have done this out of the false or wicked Magia and are not become known in my Spirit and Will 110. Ye are in your Spirituall Figure Goats Tyrants Covetous Proud Stately Voluptuous ye have brought my Name on to your Tongue but have sacrificed your Heart to the Pleasures and Voluptuousnesse of the Flesh and are generated in the Turba ye must be tryed through the Fire and so Each Kingdome getteth home its Fruit. 111. Therefore ye brave World behold your self in these Writings which have set before you the Eternall Ground and Consider further and deeper concerning it else you will become captivated in your Turba and there you shall with your Substance goe through the Fire of God and whatsoever is †1 Cor. 3.13 14 15. a work without the Will of God that shall remain in the Fire but whatsoever is generated in the Will of God that shall stand to Gods Glory and deeds of Wonder and to the Eternall Joy of the Image of Man 112. Now Consider what thou doest For Babell standeth already in the Flames and beginneth to Burn there is no Quenching or Extinguishing More nor no Remedy or Medicine she is become known to be Evill her Kingdome goeth to the End Hal-le-lu-jah The 8 of May. 1620. The Translation into the Nether-dutch was the second time made 1642. in July out of Three written High-dutch Copies Out of which Nether-dutch this was translated into English Saturday 6. of February 1657 8. Old Stile And compared with a High-dutch Copie The Holy Week Or A PRAYER-BOOK In which is mentioned the true Ground of Right Praying Set forth upon the entreaties and desires of his loving and good Friends for the daily Exercise of True Christianity in their Hearts and Little Church of their Families In the Year 1624. left unfinished By Jacob Behme Teutonicus Philosophus Englished by JOHN SPARROW London Printed by M. S. for Lodowick Lloyd and are to be sold at the Castle in Cornhill 1661. The brief Contents of this Prayer-Book for Every Day in the Week HOw Man should continually consider and call to mind his Employment Office or Duty his State Condition and Conversation wherein God hath set and ordained him and how he should Commit and Commend his Beginning Middle and End of all his Doings to God and Continually work all his Works with and IN God just as the Stock of the Tree generateth its Branches with and IN the power of the Root and bringeth forth its Fruit upon them And how in all his Beginnings he should draw Power and Vertue to his Works out of Gods Fountain or Well-spring and thank his Creatour for all Benefits Together with a hearty Consideration of the Suffering Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ shewing how Man should continually bring his Soules hunger and desire through Christs Death in his Resurrection into
or Thing become known and may be apprehended Written in the Germane Tongue Anno 1620. BY Jacob Behme THE Teutonick Philosopher And is the High and Deep Ground of the Great Mystery MYSTERII MAGNI Of the Being of all Beings or Substance of all Substances And of the Three Worlds Englished by JOHN SPARROW LONDON Printed by M. S. for L. Lloyd at the Castle in Corn-hill 1661. The SIX POINTS The First and Second Chapter I. Point Of the first Sprouting of the Three Principles what kind of Tree or Life each of them generateth in and out of it self and how men should seek find and know the Ground of Nature The Third Chapter II. Point Of the Mixed Tree of Evil and Good or the Life of the Three Principles in one another how they unite agree and co-work together The Fourth Chapter III. Point Of the Original of Contrariety in the Sprout in that the Life becometh striving in it self The Fifth and Sixt Chapter IV. Point How the Holy and Good Tree of Eternal Life springeth through and forth out of all the Sprouts of the Three Principles and is apprehended by none of them The Seventh and Eighth Chapter V. Point Of the Tree and Sprout of the Life of Perdition how a Life perisheth that is how it passeth out of the source or quality of Love and Joy into the source or quality of Misery which is opposite to all other Lives The Ninth and Tenth Chapter VI. Point Of the Life of Darkness wherein the Devils dwell what kind of Birth or Geniture and source or Quality it hath The PREFACE To the READER 1. WE have written this work not for the unreasonable Beasts who have outwardly the form of a Man but in their Image and spirit are Evil and Wild Beasts which thing revealeth or discovereth and sheweth it self in their Property or Conditions 2. But for the Image of Man for those which Grow or spring forth out of the Beastial Image with a humane Image which belongeth to Gods Kingdom who would fain live and Grow in the humane Image in the right true Man 3. Who many times and often are hindred by the opposite contrarious Life and so stick in the Mixed Life and pant after the birth of the Holy Life for those are these writings written 4. And we advise them not to look upon it as impossible to apprehend and to know such secret hidden Arcana and we offer that to them to consider and Conceive of in a Similitude 5. * NOTE For Instance There stood a Life which was sprouted out of All and Every Life and was mixed but there grew another Life in that out of Every Life and that though it was grown out of All and Every Life yet it was free from All and Every other life and yet stood also in All †Original properties conditions qualities or sources of the Life Essences of the Life 6. And that other New Life became enlightned with the Light and that only in it self so that it could see all and every other Life and yet the other Lives could not behold nor apprehend the New Life 7. Just thus is every one who out of the Mixed Life Evil and Good iâ— become born again in and out of God that very New Image born or generated in the Life of God beholdeth all and every Natural Life and Nothing is strange or hard to it for it beholdeth only its Root out of which it is sprouted or Grown 8. As we may apprehend by observing How a fair flower or blossom groweth out of the wild Earth which is not like the Earth yet with its fair beauty deâ—lareth the Ability or potentiality of the Earth and how it is Mixed with Good and Evil. 9. Thus also is Every Man who becometh born or generated out of the Wild Condition and property to the right Image of God again 10. For those now who are in the sprouting and drive forth towards the fair Lilly in the Kingdom of God and stand in the Birth is this Book written that they should strengthen their †Their heavenly properties Essences therein and spring or sprout in the Life of God â—nd grow and bear fruit in the Tree of Paradise 11. And seeing all the Children of God grow in this Tree and Every of them is a Branch in that Tree therefore we would have our Sap Smell Savour and Essences imparted to our fellow-branches and sprouts in our Tree wherein we all stand and out of which we all sprout and Grow that our Tree of Paradise might be great and we rejoyce one among another 12. And that one sprout and branch may continually help to cover or shelter the other from the Storm we give this to all the Children of this Sprout in this Tree friendly to ponder of and commit and commend our selves into their Love and sprouting The First Point The First Chapter Of the first Sprout and Life out of the First Principle So to ponder and Consider it as if it stood alone and were not Mixed with the other what its Ability or potentiality might be Not to think in such a manner Note as if it were thus only in a Figure or Creature but that Men may learn to search and fathom the Center of Nature and learn to distinguish the Divine Being or substance from Nature The First Text. 1. WE see and find that Every Life is Essential and find also that it standeth in a Will for the will is the driving forth of the Essences 2. And thus we are to conceive as if a hidden Fire lay in the willing where the will continually lifteth it self up towards the fire and and would awaken and kindle that 3. For we understand that every Will without the awakening of the fiery Essences is an Inability as it were inanimate or Mute without Life wherein is no feeling understanding or substantiality 4. For it is only like a Shadow without Substance for it hath no †Of its own in it self driver but it sinketh down and suffers it self to be driven and lead as a Dead thing or Substance as is to be apprehended in a Shadow which becometh * As a Thought is drawn or pourtrayed in the Mind lead about without Essence 5. Thus an unessential will is an inanimate or Mute being or substance without comprehension and Life and yet is a Figure in the Abyssal Eternal Nothing for it cleaveth or adhereth to Corporeal Things 6. Now as the Will without Essence is inanimate without being or Substance so in the Essence it is a being or Substance and Image according to the Essences which becometh Imaged according to the Essences for the willing Life becometh generated out of the Essences 7. Thus the Life is the Sonne of the Essences and the will wherein the Lifes figure standeth is the Father of the Essences for no Essence can exist without willing for in the willing the Desiring becometh Originated in which the Essences originally arise 8.
in it self a great Evill or Malignity and is its own Enmity 19. And therefore is this World acknowledged for a Principle Of its own in that it hath a Nature-God of its own So to resemble it viz the Sun and yet really the Light of the Deity shineth through all through and through 20. The Light of the Sun taketh Essence from Gods Fire and Gods Fire from Gods Light And thus the Light of the Sun giveth the same power to the Elements and they give it to the Creatures also to the Vegetables of the Earth 21. And all whatsoever is of a Good property doth thus conceive or receive Gods Power for an Aspect or Influence through the Looking-Glasse of Wisdome from whence it hath its vegetation and life 22. For God standeth present with all things or Substances but all things oâ—â—ubstances do not conceive or receive him into its Essence But as in a Looking-Glasse of the Aspect in the Sun's power and vertue 23. For the Sun proceedeth forth out of the Eighth Number VIII Number Read of the â—0 Forms of Fire in the 40. Questions the 1. Chapter Its root out of which it receiveth its shining is the Eternall Fire but its Corpus or Body standeth in this World it s desiring is totally inclined and bent into this World and therefore it shineth in the World But its first Root standeth in the first World in the Fire of God 24. This World giveth Substance to its desiring and it giveth its power to the Substance and thus filleth all Things or Substances of this World as Gods Light doth the divine Light-world 25. And if Gods Fire should burn no More then the Sun would be extinguished and also the divine Light-world for Gods Fire giveth them both Essence and is a Principle of them Both and if the Dark-world were not both these would not be for the Dark-world giveth or affordeth the cause to Gods Fire 26. Thus also must the Three Worlds be one in another for Nothing can subsist without a Ground The Dark World is the Ground of Nature and the Eternall Abyssall Will which is called Father is the Ground of the Dark-world as is before Mentioned And the Light-world is hidden in the Dark-world also the Dark-world in the Light-world 27. And it is to be understood thus This World is in the Anger of God as it were shut up in Death for the Anger Springeth up in this Worlds Substance If that were not so then might this Worlds Substance well be capable of Gods Light 28. The Sun is not Gods Light for it shineth not totally in the divine Essence but in the Elementary Essence but it hath Gods Fire to its Root and yet becometh filled with this Worlds Substance 29. For it is desirous viz a Magicall Seeking and conceiveth or receiveth in its Imagination and Seeking the power of the Starres and Elements and out of that it shineth And though Gods Fire is the Root yet it belongeth not to Gods Kingdome 30. Herein a Man may understand also How the Devill is the poorest Creature for he cannot stirre the least leaf or spile of Grasse unlesse the Anger be therein For the Light and the Power and Vertue of this World is against him he goeth with his willing not into the Lights property also he cannot 31. He standeth Backwards in respect of the Light of the Sun in his Figure and Property therefore the Suns Light is not profitable to him And all whatsoever sprouteth or groweth in the Suns power which uniteth it self with the Sun that he hateth and is at Enmity with His Will goeth not readily thereinto Further of the Fourth Point The Sixt Chapter How the Inward is Manifested in the Outward Of the Three Worlds In what Manner God dwelleth in all Things or Substances How the whole World might be a Meer Sun What Man is And wherein God beholdeth Himself 1. If we would Consider all this and goe out of the Inward Worlds into the Outward into this visible World Then we should find that the Substance of the outward World is proceeded out of the Inward viz out of the Imagination or desiring of the Inward Worlds and that in the outward World are found the properties of both the Inward Worlds 2. Also we find that the Will of both the Properties are stirring and manifest in the outward World And then how the Good viz the Substance which is proceeded out of the Light-world is totally shut up together in the Anger and Death And how the Divine Power maketh all stirring so that all groweth forth out of and through the fierce wrath of Death 3. For the Earthly Tincture hath no Communion with the heavenly in the Light-world yet we find another Tincture in the Earth which hath Communion with the Heavenly viz in the Pretious Costly Metals And yet is together shut up 4. And understand the Moving and the Fiat of both the Eternall Worlds thus The Dark and Light-world have each of them Longed after Substance and where God once moveth Himself the one World without the other could not be moved 5. For the Dark-world holdeth or hath in it the first Center of Nature and the Light-world the second Center viz the Heart of God or the Word of the Power of the Deity and the one World is not severed from the other 6. Whereby it is to be apprehended in what danger we stand And ought to be considered whither we will cast or incline our willing for if we cast our selves into the Earthly Seeking then it captivateth us And then the Source or Quality of the Abysse is our Lord and the Sun our temporall God 7. But if we cast or incline our selves with our willing into the World without or beyond this World then the Light World catcheth hold of our willing and God becometh our Lord and we leave the Earthly Life to this World and take along with us what is come into us viz into Adam Out of the Light-world that together with the willing which becometh * Or one and the same one Spirit with God is brought forth out of this World 8. Reason saith Where are then the Three Worlds It would needs streight have a separation of them asunder as if one were without or distant from the Other or stood above the other which yet cannot possibly be Else the Eternall Abyssall Substance must never it self asunder 9. But how can that sever it self asunder which is in Nothing which hath no place which it self is All Most certainly that cannot come into particular or partition which hath no Ground that suffereth not it self to be conceived which dwelleth in it self and possesseth it self Yet it goeth out from it self and Manifesteth it self out of it self 10. It maketh a thing out of it self which in it self is but a Will in it self it is a Spirit but it maketh out of it self a Form of a Spirit and the Form Maketh a Substance according to the property of the Spirit
Spirit and Body and in all that is called Substance 5. And we clearly see herein that this outward World standeth upon the ground of these four Elements and receiveth inclination and propensity from them also source or quality and willing 6. For the Sonne of those four Elements ruleth upon Earth he will have All obedient under him and hath accordingly a fourfold Generation or Tribe of his Subjects 7. First the Generation of Pride or State that willeth to be above all other and will liken or equall it self to none 8. Secondly the Generation of Covetousness which willeth to possesse all alone and to compell all under it it would have all This Second Generation is the Sonne of the First for Pride and State willeth also to have all that it alone may be All. 9. Thirdly the Generation of Envy which is the Sonne of Covetousnesse When it seeth that it cannot have All alone then it stingeth like Poyson affordeth none any thing its Will in all things is either to draw to it self and to possess it alone or else to rage over it with an Evill willing 10. The Fourth Generation is Anger which is the Sonne of Envy what it cannot stab or sting with Evill willing that it kindleth in the Anger Fire and breaketh it with authority and power raiseth Warres and Murthers and would break or destroy All this generation would subdue all under it 11. Thus thâ—se are the Four Elements of the Devill which all Four are in one another as ONE and one goeth forth from the other and they generate continually the one the other they arise originally from the Dark Nature viz from harsh bitter anguish and fire 12. But seeing Gods Power is an Opposition to them so that in this World they have not full power therefore they have generated to themselves a Sly Crafty Subtle Sonne with or by which they rule which is called Falshood 13. That taketh the Garment or Cloak of the divine Colours upon it that a Man cannot know it and will needs be called a Sonne of Truth Vertue and Honesty But is indeed cunningly Wicked it speaketh one thing and thinketh another and doth another He carrieth tne Glance or Lustre of God upon the Tongue and the Devils Power and Poyson in the Heart 14. This is King upon Earth and Manageth two Kingdomes the First is called Perdition the Second Babell a Confusion and Jarring I. On to the First Kingdome of Perdition this King hath put on the Strength and Might and it is the Garment of that very Kingdome II. On to the Second Kingdome Babell he hath put on a white Glistering Garment That must be to it in Gods stead 15. With that the King Governeth upon Earth as if he were God The People worship and pray to that Garment and under the Garment is the Man of Falshood or Wickednesse and Deceit and hath his Mother the four Elments in himself viz Pride Covetousnesse Envy and Anger 16. Thus the four Elements of the Devill rule under a Glistering Flattering Hypocriticall Mantle or Cloak and Men tug and tear one another for that Cloak every one will put it on but he that doth put it on he putteth on Hell and Gods Anger 17. This Mantle or Cloak is honoured instead of God and yet is the Mantle or Cloak which Gods Anger did put upon Adam and Eve when the Devill betrayed and seduced them that they fell away from the Obedience of God 18. And it is even the Cloak of which God hath warned us ever since the beginning of the World that we should not put it on for the Devill is lodger therein when we doe put it on we draw in the Devill to his Lodging and must doe what he will for he is Hoast in that house and resteth in that Mantle 19. Since he is Gods Prisoner or Captive therefore he putteth on to us his Mantle and sendeth us therewith towards Babell in his Ministry and Service and there we must reproach God for we have Gods Mantle on and have the Devill under it for a Lodger and a Guest 20. Thus the Tongue giveth God Good words and the Heart hath the Spirit of the four Elements of the Fierce wrath and so God becometh reproached by the Devill that God should thereby see that he the Devill is Lord and King over Men. 21. And Esteemeth Gods dominion in Man to be only a * Seeming Holy or Hypocriticall Glistering Mantle wherein he the Devill is Man and hath clasped Man in his Armes or Clutches 22. Indeed he covereth him over with the Mantle and letteth the Man call himself Gods Childe but Man in this Mantle doth only doe his Will for him so that all whatsoever the Devill cannot or dare not doe in his Kingdome that Man doth for him in his Ministry or Service 23. The Devill dare not kill any Man but that doth Man readily for him to please him Also the Devill cannot use the Creatures of God and yet Man misuseth them readily to please him thereby to reproach God 24. He driveth on therewith Pride and Covetousnesse also Falshood and Malice or Wickednesse and mannageth and bringeth to passe All therewith whatsoever the Devill will have and he Glistereth also therewith in seeming Holinesse and Hypocrisie as if he were God 25. Therefore is the outward Kingdome become a continuall Murthering Den of Devils And the false supposed Man who calleth himself a Man but is not promoteth the Murthering and increaseth Gods anger and kindleth the Dark-world in this outward so that Gods anger continually burneth in this World 26. Whereby Gods Kingdome becometh hindered and the Devils Will to be done and so the Devill continueth a Prince upon Earth whereas otherwise he could bring nothing to passe upon Earth thus the supposed Man is in the Service and Ministry of him and performeth his Will 27. Thus Two Generations of Men dwell together upon Earth First upright honest Men who Minister to and serve God in the Mantle of Humility Lowlinesse and Misery whom the Devill reproacheth and plagueth them by the other Generation and bringeth all his Wonders to passe on them 28. The Second Generation also calleth it self Man and goeth also in the Form of Man but it is an Evill Beast it putteth on the Garment of its King who is called Falshood and Liveth in the Power of the Four Elements of its King viz in Pride Covetousness Envy and Anger 29. Pride is the first Power or Vertue it teareth the righteous honest Mans bread out of his Mouth and suppresseth the poor that it might satisfie it self 30. It will not that any thing should be like or equall to it it will be alone the beautifull brave Childe in the House it hath put on the glistering flattering Mantle it will be called honest or vertuous Man shall honour it and bow himself before it also he shall not liken or presume to compare himself to it It will be Lord. 31. It saith I am Chast Modest and
Vertuous in my behaviour but its heart is the Covetousness that is the Wolfe and devoureth the Labour and Sweat of the Miserable 32. It lifteth it self up above all it * Or studieth searcheth and diveth daily into the Wonders of God contriving how is might †Seem Wise Vnderstanding and Holy flatter and play the Hypocrite It sheweth it self Friendly Courteous and Modest as if it were a Virgin full of Modesty and Chastity and yet is a perfidious Whore and hateth in the heart all * Honesty Modesty Vertue Chastity and Righteousnesse 33. It is a continuall Enemy of Love and Humility whatsoever is simple and plain it disesteemeth or despiseth that and yet compelleth the Simple under its yoak It saith to the upright honest Man thou art My Dog I will hunt thee whither I list 34. Thou art Silly and Foolish I am Wise Prudent and Politick and is it self the Greatest Fool of all it fools and jests away God and the Kingdome of Heaven for a little whiles Lust of the Eye It plungeth it self into Darkness and putteth on the Mantle of †Cumbering cares and irksomenesse Anguish 35. The Second Power or Vertue of this King Falshood is Covetousnesse that draweth all into it self and darkeneth Prides Glistering Garment it forceth Evill and Good one among another to it and conâ—tantly filleth Pride or State full 36. And when it hath filled that then it taketh its Sonne Envy and vexeth and tormenteth Pride therewith so that it hath no rest or quietness in its Glance or Lustre Envy Stingeth in the desirous Covetousness as if it were Mad and Senseless It tormenteth and plagueth the Pride Day and Night that it is never at Rest 37. The Covetousness is the right filthy durty swinish Beast it desireth more then it may or Can devoure its Jawes stand open day and night it suffereth not Man to Rest and plagueth him alwayes in its sordid basenesse so that man hunteth after Earth and after those things which the Earth affordeth without any Mans Covetousnesse there belongeth only Labour to it and no Covetousnesse 38. Covetousnesse Plagueth it self and is its own Enemy for it filleth it Self with woe and disquietnesse and darkeneth and obscureth Mans understanding that he cannot apprehend that All cometh from the Divine hand it maketh Mans Light of Life dark it consumeth the Body and bereaveth it of divine Sense Perception and Glory 39. It casteth it into the Grave of Death and bringeth it into the Temporall and Eternall Death it attracteth dark Substance or Matter into Mans Noble Image and Maketh of an Angell a fierce wrathfull Devill It Createth or awaketh the Turba over Soul and Body and is the abominablest and ugliest Beast in the Abysse of Hell for it is the Cause of the Source or Quality and Pain or Torment without it might no Source or Torment Exist 40. It maketh Warre and Strife for it never letteth it self have enough or never is satisfied If it had the whole World yet it would fain also have the Abysse for there is no place * Born Prepared or Created generated for its Rest 41. It buildeth Countries and Kingdomes and breaketh them also againe and driveth Man into meere wearinesse toyle and unquietnesse it is exactly the Devils Heart and Will for Pride is the fine brave Spirit which sprouteth out from Covetousnesse 42. It is the fair brave Childe that there should possesse Heaven but Covetousness hath made it a Bastard and hath introduced it into †Rev. 17.5 Babell into the Mother of the great Whoredome upon Earth There Pride alwayes playeth the Whore with Covetousnesse and is but a Bastard in the presence of God 43. It cannot possesse the Kingdome of Heaven it maketh or hath its Kingdome of Heaven upon Earth it lyeth in Whoredome with the King Falshood which taketh all its Labour and giveth it to the Four Elements of the Devill in the Dark-world and thither must also Pride together with Covetousnesse follow after when the Anguish breaketh the Covetous Sack 44. It is indeed so very Religious Pious and Sincere and yet taketh its Covetousness with it into the Abysse that yet the Pride may have its Joy therein 45. As a Fool in his Fools Coat which toyleth and vexeth himself that he might bring forth Folly and please his Spectators in that he is so senslesse a Fool In like manner also Pride and Covetousnesse is Gods Foole and the Devills Jugler who hath his Joy therein that he can make of Gods Image a Fooles Image 46. The Third Power or Vertue is Envy in the Four Elements of the Devill in the Kingdome of Falshood that is a Sting it rageth and raveth as an Evill Poyson it Can remain no where and hath no place of its Rest 47. It s Mother the Covetousnesse letteth it have no Rest it must continually rage and rave it must enter into that in which it was not generated it is the Mouth of Covetousnesse a constant Lyar and Defamer and Disgracer of others it stingeth into its Neighbours Heart and woundeth it 48. It devoureth it self for very poysonous hunger and yet never hath enough it maketh disquietnesse without limit or Measure it is the greatest Poyson and the Eye of Hell the Devill seeth Man therewith into Soul and Body Nothing is like to it 49. It is no Fire but the sting of the Fire it is the Author of all Evill or mischief and yet findeth no Rest the more it driveth on the more senslesse and mad it is it is a tainted Poyson it needeth no Substance yet it rageth in the Substance 50. It maketh Man more then senslesly mad so that he desireth to rage and rave against God It is Hells and the Anger 's Essence it maketh of Love the greatest Enmity it affordeth Nothing to any and yet is it self a famished Nothing 51. This is the Devils Will-Spirit that Man which taketh it into his Lodging he taketh in the Devill together with Gods Anger for it bringeth the hellish Torment and Woe it is the Eternall Enimicitious Plague and disquietnesse and destroyeth the Noble Image of God for it is Gods and All Creatures Enemy 52. The Fourth Power or Vertue in the Four Elements in the Kingdome of Falshood of the Devils is the Anger the Malice or Wickedness that is the right hellish Fire the Anger becometh generated between the Covetousness and the Envy 53. It is the Envies Fire and Life That which the Envy cannot bring to passe that the Anger bringeth to passe The Anger taketh Body and Soul together and runneth as a raging Devill will murther and break or destroy all 54. It runneth against Walls and Forts And though perhaps it bursteth it self yet it is so raging like a Mad Dog who bites worries and killeth all it is so poysonous venomous and spitefull in its anger that what it cannot overpower yet it poysoneth venometh or spiteth 55. This is the Right * Podâ—gra Gout of the World when
with vanity yet its Will should come clearly before God that it might begin to work in its Will and afterwards also daily mortifie the Vanity of the Flesh 26. So very firmly must the Will of the Soul together with the desire be directed to God that it say with Jacob when he wrestled with God the whole night LORD I will not let thee goe unlesse thou blesse me Gen. 32.26 27. And though the heart as it were fainteth staggereth and doubâ—eth and all manner of hinderances fall in yet the Will must continue standing and firmly Image imprint or apprehend the Grace and resolve not to depart from it 28. And though the Devill driveth the Lust of the Flesh aloft at which the Soul is terrified and thinketh it is therefore cast out from God yet the Will should then hang to the Grace as a Child to the Mothers Breast and Continually strive against the Devill and his desire in Flesh and Bloud till at last it prevaileth and in the Spirit of Christ overcometh the Devill and then afterwards he will find and see great Wonders in himself and will know that it is true that there is such great Joy in Heaven concerning a Converting Soul more then for Ninety Nine righteous which need not such repentance Luke 15. 20. Therefore whosoever will pray aright must firmly Imagine or resolve that he will come to the Grace and Salvation and certainly attain that which he prayeth for 30. Therefore also his Prayer should be so directed that it runneth not contrary to the Ordinance of God but should think and resolve that in his Prayer he will co-work with God As the Wood of the Tree co-worketh with the Trees power so also should the desire only work with Gods Power Else its Prayer is only a working in the Shell or Bark of the right Lifes Tree for it worketh therewith only outwardly in the Elements and NOT inwardly in and with God 31. But he that prayeth aright worketh inwardly with God and generateth or bringeth forth outwardly Good Fruits as the Tree bringeth forth its power and letteth it self be seen with the Power in the Fruit and so also the true divine Power in Man letteth it self be seen outwardly with or by Good Works and Vertues 32. Else there is no Faith there unlesse the Work follow Else the Prayer is but dissembling Hypocrisie and maketh only an outward form and reacheth not the Place or City of God This I would not Conceal or forbear to intimate to my good Friends and fellow Brethren in Christian Love out of my little Cabinet-Treasure as a Christian Information how a Man should be prepared to Pray And though I know that they themselves stand together with me in such a Work and are capable and partakers of the Gift of the Holy Spirit yet I would in this and the following Prayers somewhat refresh my self with them and out of my Power and Gift declare and impart the Grace of God to them as one Light kindleth another so also one Gift of God kindleth the other that we might refresh our selves together in One Love which is Christ in us all and I also thus enjoy of your divine Gift that together may take growth into the Praise of God and bear much Fruit. And would have these following Prayers written for Every day in the week wherein then a Man may therewith fit his particular State according to his occasion only for the Stirring up and awakening of the Good Gifts which before-hand are in you all Not to begin once more from the Ground and Beginning of Christian Teaching but for an Exercise and awakening And so I commend you all into the working Love of Jesus Christ and my self into your Brotherly and Christian Favour An Introduction How a Man should prepare himself to such Order Ordinance and Exercise to right Praying Christian Loving Reader 33. RIght Praying is in right Earnest Sincerity and it must be earnest else it availeth nothing in the Presence of God For if we will rightly Pray then we must think no otherwise but that we stand before Gods clear and bright Countenance before the holy Trinity and before the Quires of his holy Angels 34. And that God in our Prayer proveth our Soul Spirit and Heart and beholdeth our Will totally most inwardly whether it be totally inclined to him whether the Will have totally given it self up to him 35. And if that be so then He toucheth the Will with the Power of his holy Spirit and rouseth it that it may become rightly desirous and hungry after the Grace so that then he beginneth earnestly to go OUT from self and presseth or penetrateth INTO Gods Compassion Pitty and Mercy 36. For in own self Power the Will is too too weak but when the Divine Power toucheth it then it becometh awakened so that it becometh fiery and rightly desirous in which desire God himself worketh and then Man Speaketh rightly with God and God speaketh operatively with the Soul of that Man 37. Such Speaking or Working is nothing else but that the poor Soul eateth of Gods Mercy which he hath turned to us again through the Death of Christ and quickneth or refresheth it self with the Balsame of divine Love in Christ wherein it becometh Strong against the Temptation or Assaults of the Devill 38. For the Divine Hearing is the Grace-Power which God hath in the Name JESUS introduced into the Humanity again and opened again to us ALL an Open Gate to his hearing whereby we can hear God Speak operatively in us how he inspeaketh or inspireth his Mercifulness into us through that opened Grace-Gate and on the other side the Soul speaketh through the same open Gate in it self with God And becometh in such inspeaking or inspiration fed and quickened from Gods out-speaking also enlightened and renewed 39. For it eateth of the oui-breathing of God that is become MAN viz the Flesh and Bloud of Christ after that kind and way as an Hearb eateth the Suns Power and Vertue in it self whence it is tinctured and balsamed and becometh good so that it groweth and blossometh so also the Soul from the divine Sun whence it becometh full of Light and powerfull 40. This now is the profit fruit and benefit of right praying which profit or benefit no outward Mouth and no Will averted from God can attain but only the inverted which totally giveth it self up to God 41. Now if any would have this done then must the Will turn away from all other Creatures and from all Earthly things and nakedly stand before God that the Work or Frame of the Creatures or of whatsoever it will pray for from God in Temporall things may only follow after in the Flesh and stand behinde the pure Will that the pure Will may bring the Necessities of the Body before God and that the Flesh it self may NOT co-work with its Lust else it bringeth earthly Lust into the divine Soulish working 42. Therefore there belongeth alwayes to right
Earnest Praying if we would obtain any thing from God a right true Repentance and in-turned Humility For right Praying is a receiving of that which the Soul desireth concerning which Christ saith From henceforth the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force to themselves Math. 11.12 43. For which cause I will set down a brief Form of a Confession or Preparation how a Man should prepare himselfe when he will bring his short Prayer and Requests before God 44. For he may as well be heard in a short Prayer as with many words if his heart stand right in the presence of God It needeth not long Prayers or many words but only a Beleiving or faithfull repentant Soul which with totall Earnestnesse giveth it self up into the Mercy of God into Gods Compassion For one onely sigh worketh with God if the Will standeth nakedly or purely before God and hath cast away from it the Earthly Garment viz the false or wicked Lust This for an Intimation to the Reader and for a quickening stirring to him 45. For there needeth not to be used just such a Form of Confession but the Holy Spirit will well enough make a Form for him in the heart when the Will in true earnest Sincerity turneth it self to God 46. Only for an Introduction to every one who doth not yet know how a true Prayer should be fitted I will set down this Confession to direct his Soul therewith and I will commit the work of Confession together with the Praying to the Holy Spirit in every Soul which is truly and rightly Earnest He will well enough make for him a Confession and Prayer if any doe but earnestly sincerely and rightly come to the Gate where GOD the LORD in Man Speaketh operatively Then he will find it so A Confession and Right Acting or Working of Repentance before Gods Countenance 47. O Deepest of all Greatest Unsearchable Holy God! Thou who out of meer Grace and Mercy after the terrible apostacy of our first Parents with thy great Love and Mercy in thy Sonne JESUS CHRIST hast manifested thy self in our Humanity and in him hast made an open Gate of Grace again for us poor Men to thy Countenance and abolished Sinne and Death in his Bloud and callest us now to such Grace as a Mercifull God we poor Sinners now should only Convert again and come to thee and thou wilt quicken or refresh us Math. 11.28 48. I poor unworthy sinfull Man come upon the invitation of thy Word and acknowledge to thee that I am not worthy of such Grace which thou offerest us For I Stick in the Slime of Vanity and am Laden with vain Lusts of the Flesh and own-self Will my Sinnes have captivated and obscured me so that I neither tast nor see thy Grace in me also I have no Right Trust or Confidence nor Faith towards thee and have totally given my self up into the vanity of the World and of the Flesh and am compassed about therewith 49. I have defiled my fair bright Garment which thou hast put on to me in the Baptisme with the Lust of the Flesh and lye in the Devils Net captive in thy fierce Wrath. Hell setteth its Jaws wide open against me and my Conscience gnaweth me thy Judgement standeth alwayes before me and the Bands of Death wait upon me 50. I lye in the slime and mire of Sinnes and Vanity so that also I neither know my Sinnes nor can bewail them For they have hidden me from thy Countenance and I have only yet a little sparkle of the living breath in me through thy drawing which desireth thy Grace 51. And I come now before thee with the Lost Sonne and the Publican in the Temple and fly to thy Mercy and pray thee in my weak power through the Bitter Suffering and Dying of my Redeemer JESUS CHRIST whom thou hast Set before thee for a Grace-Throne and offerest us thy Grace through his Satisfaction that thou wouldst receive me yet again for thy Child and Heir in thy Sonne and wouldst awaken for me a right Earnest Repentance also Sorrow and Grief for my former committed Sinnes in my Heart that I may goe out from the wicked way or Conversation and turn my heart totally and altogether to THEE 52. O Great God strengthen I beseech thee my weak Faith in Me rouse my heart I pray thee that it may acknowledge and bewaile my manifold Sinnes Touch thou my poor Soul with thy Power that it may acknowledge it self that it standeth deviated and turned away from thee 53. O thou Breath of the Mercifulnesse of God doe thou draw me to thee through my Redeemer Jesus Christs Death and Resurrection and abolish my Sinnes in his Bloud and Death and make my poor Soul living in his Bloud and wash it clean from its Sinnes that its desire may presse into thee O thou Holy God! and fetch Power out of thy Spring or Fountain of Grace 54. Awake thou I pray thee in me a right hunger and thirst after true Repentance and Sorrow for my former committed Sinnes that I may hate or be at Enmity and angry against them and turn my self to Thee 55. O thou great deep of Mercy I am afar off from thee and cannot reach thee in my weak Power turn thee to me I beseech thee and comprehend my desire into thee and kindle it O Lord that I may tast thy Grace 56. Forgive I pray thee my Trespasses and Sinnes and heal my weaknesse bruise I pray thee my Heart and Soul that I may acknowledge and humble my self before thee Be thou I pray thee my beginning to Conversion and lead me upon the right path that I may walk with thee 57. Give me I pray thee thy holy Spirit in my Soul and Spirit and Sanctifie me in thy Grace As thy beloved Sonne Jesus Christ hath engaged to me saying My Father will give the holy Spirit to them that pray unto him for it Luke 11.13 Also Knock and so it will be opened unto you Math. 7.7 Luke 11.9 58. Now come I poor Sinner upon the Invitation of thy Word and take to me thy Saying in my Soul and Heart and will not leave off from thee unless thou blesse me with JACOB 59. And though indeed my Sinnes are many yet thou art God and the Eternall Truth which cannot Lye where thou hast Spoken in the Prophet Isaiah If we Convert and Repent then we shall be snow-white as wool Isai 1.18 60. Upon thy Saying I trust and give my self totally and altogether up to thee and pray thee receive me into Grace and bring me to thy Children who walk in the way of the Living and let me walk with them and enter into thy Commandement give me a true humble and obedient Heart that may alwayes fear before thy Anger and Sinne no more 61. O thou Well-Spring or Fountain of all Grace what shall I say before thee Or why should I flatter my self and comfort my evill Will